I feel this way about the outside corner room but I don’t understand the fear everywhere else.
We have proof of concept this offense can still score points against a good defense.
The 24 points the Lions scored on Green Bay on Thanksgiving was the 2nd most points a team scored on them with Parsons healthy.
No St. Brown, no Kalif Raymond no Sam Laporta.
Craig Reynolds’ resume pre Detroit is comparable to Saylors but Craig’s production when tasked with a larger role he was solid.
Even Juice Scruggs has been a competent center when he was a center.
The guys behind Rock and Reed have never proven competence ever and there’s been a direct impact the teams performance when that caliber of player has to play that position
On offense they have proven they can hold the fort down for a stretch with dudes off the street at skill positions.
Right, and even then, with the right fortune, we can still go far. Our DB room was awful for our 2023 playoff run as well, and yet we were a NFCCG collapse (admittedly, partially due to our DBs) away from the Super Bowl. It was enough to beat two good passing attacks in the Rams and Bucs. So obviously we should keep trying to improve it, but it doesn’t mean we’re screwed.
First of all, your #1 was said before Dortch was cut, and Wilson was released due to injury. And I don’t really care what Dan said about a particular group. Do coaches come out and say negative things about their team? It’s almost like he said it so people like you would buy it when he cut down to legit old nobodies…
Your #2 and #3 points don’t apply here at all. Nobody is questioning the top. But you keep insisting that I am. I’ve made several factual points you just choose to ignore them.
You haven’t provided anything in support of your side other than Dan said so a month ago.
And Lucky Jackson is not a developmental WR at all. The exact opposite in fact. He’s actually proven himself to not be an NFL caliber player…but Dan says he is despite being a 29 year old who hasn’t sniffed the nfl since 2023…where he played a whopping 3 NFL snaps. Which are his only career snaps in this league…
You’re not signing Josh Reynolds to the practice squad. He’s not going to be happy being inactive on game day. He’s earned a WR3 spot. He won’t be happy being a teams WR 5. He wouldn’t sign up for that.
Patrick you maybe able to get on a prove it deal due to his injury history but I’m not sure that’s an upgrade over Kennedy. And most likely you’d be signing him to an incentive laden contract. When you’re talking about the bottom of the roster you want a guy who can help on ST. Kennedy can while Patrick can’t.
Kennedy is a better option for WR5 for that reason. He will contribute more on ST than Patrick would at WR5.
I said a Josh Reynolds type or Tim Patrick type…not those specific players. But if we are talking those specific guys, Josh Reynolds is currently a FA. His career is possibly done. He can’t possibly have expectations. He is PS material at this point in his career. Tim Patrick currently is a WR4. Right where he belongs.
And to suggest 5 WRs don’t dress on game days is completely untrue. In fact, MAJORITY dress 5 on game days.
The disconnect to me is you believing everyone is doing it like the Lions are doing it. Only two other teams kept 4 WRs (giants/saints) the giants are also projected to bring up Berrios from the PS for week 1. The Saints practice squad includes Cedric Tillman, Trey Palmer, and Kevin Austin. Now that’s depth with upside on the PS. Something you need if you are only keeping 4 WRs on the active roster. Plus they have Jordyn Tyson on IR.
2/3rds of the league kept 6 WRs or more. Three teams kept 7! And even if the plan is to only dress 4 on game days, still makes sense to keep a Brandin Cooks “type” on just in case. What do you want to do? Wait until someone’s hurt to make the call? Leaving them weeks away from being up to speed? That’s a great idea…
We have 21 players on offense currently. The only team to do that. I have a full grasp of what’s going on around the NFL and what’s the norm. Not only are we not the norm, we are the extreme. And among the thinnest WR/RB units in the league. This is not a disconnect from my end…it’s a fact. And thinnest is in reference to depth. So please don’t come again with how good our top end is. We all already are aware and I’ve recognized it as one of the best, if not the best in the entire NFL.
We have arguably the best RB1 in the league and if he gets hurt, we’ve got nothing behind him.
That scares me more than anything else on the offense.
I think we can live with Tom Kennedy or Tyler Conklin starting a handful of games. As of right now I fear that Vaki in a bell cow role will last maybe 1/2 of a game until he gets hurt and we’ll be rolling with Jacob Saylors getting 80% of touches if Gibbs is hurt.
Just give me coverage/insurance at one or the other. We are basically driving all Cadillacs everywhere with no insurance on any of them. I’m with you that TE is “covered” in case of injury to Laporta. But in terms of coverage on Ra/Jamo/Gibbs…the coverage is 29 year olds with no career reps under their belts. And a current RB room with 1 guy healthy in Saylors (an unknown). Vaki literally doesn’t count at the position…there’s no track record there. There are some knowledgeable posters here that believe in him, but that certainly isn’t enough for me in this situation.
I mean there isn’t a team in the league running out 3 WRs and 2 RBs. In fact, there isn’t a team out there rolling with only 6 guys at these positions. Martin and Vaki are ST guys. And that’s my entire argument. Around the league if a team wants to carry a STs RB, they keep 4. If a team wants to carry a ST WR, they keep 5 or 6 (multiple teams kept 7!). We decided to go super lite at both. It’s just crazy to me. Then some are trying to say not only are we not weak at those positions, we are solid. Absolutely not haha…
But I do get the group who are saying it shouldn’t matter anyway. At least they are acknowledging that we did in fact choose to go not only thin here, but with very likely weak personnel as well.
BUT, we had a great offense with Swaggy back there. Is he that good? The rest of his career would say otherwise. I’m not sure Saylors could replace that for a year, but I AM sure we could find someone else who could if necessary. So while it would hurt, I don’t think it would end the season or anything.