Distant Early Warning: Wide Receivers

January 09, 2009 at 11:24pm by Scott   •  6 Comments »

The Buccaneers entered 2008 basically with Joey Galloway as the sure thing and high hopes that someone else would also step up. As it turned out, someone else did. Too bad Galloway was as useless to the Bucs as a rifle is to a Frenchman.

Antonio Bryant is bigger, stronger, more durable and nine years younger than Galloway, plus he racked up 1,248 yards, seven touchdowns and a series of long, downfield gains and acrobatic catches. The only thing Galloway has on him is breakaway speed, and Bryant still gets better separation than Galloway did. It’s just that top end speed for outrunning everyone that Galloway has. Bryant proved he can be a number one receiver and should be offered a contract that is commensurate with other number one receivers. Today. If a deal can’t be reached before the deadline, they should franchise him and work out their differences so the tag can be rescinded. Galloway is only signed through the upcoming year. I wouldn’t have any objections to keeping him, but it was reported that he only functions well when he is on the field all the time. If that’s the case, he’s just going to rot on the bench and take up a roster spot. Better to release him and part ways amicably.

Michael Clayton ended the season with 38 catches for 484 yards and a touchdown which, sadly, was his best year since he was a rookie. Does he finally have his act together and it ready to start making a steady contribution? Is he going to revert back to his old, lazy, ham-handed ways? Does anyone even give a bag of shriveled dicks about Clayton anymore?

I’ll admit he looked great in camp and gave me some hope about his performance. And in a season where everything was riding on it, he had a contract on the line and all season to prepare for it — he caught 38 balls. That’s it, folks. Ta da! What, do you think he’s going to do better once he’s financially secure and has less motivation? He’ll get some play in the offseason, but nothing crazy. I don’t think anyone is going to be beating down his door at midnight. The Bucs may still want to bring him back if they can’t find anyone better to replace him, but he’s made it clear that no love will be lost if he’s not in Tampa anymore, and I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.

I think Ike Hilliard sticks around for another year. He’s signed through the 2009 season and is making a flat $1M, which isn’t bad for a guy who is about as clutch as they come. Jon Gruden loves him and trusts him. He’ll be 33 when the season starts, which is old, but not ancient. Anyone who can take a hit like he did this year and play again the next week, I want on my team.

The rest of the guys on the team are Brian Clark, Cortez Hankton, Dexter Jackson and Maurice Stovall. They’re all in the same boat as far as I’m concerned, with Stovall and Clark having the edge because of their special teams abilities. Any or all of them could find themselves cut out of camp (including Jackson) depending on who else is out there. And who else is out there, you ask?

The big fish is T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who will now just be referred to by his first two initials. Working along side Chad Johnson, he still gets about 1,000 yards consistently per season. He’ll be 32 in September, but is about as reliable as they come. It’s sad, but “reliable” is the best trait of the primo free agent receiver this year. He runs great routes, is very smart and is a hard worker. Speed… meh.

The only other guy who gets his own paragraph is Devery Henderson. Lots of big play potential (ask Ronde Barber,) but hands like wood. Serious speed, but really scary in his unreliability. The question is, how much better can he get with better coaching? And do the Bucs have the coaches to do that?

Everyone else:

Hank Baskett: Went from being a joke to respected after Donovan McNabb ran out of other dudes to throw to. Has a 90 yard touchdown to his credit this year and he will certainly come cheaper than other options.

Bobby Engram: Decent, but injured all the time. Just turned 36. If Hilliard wasn’t coming back, then maybe.

Jabar Gaffney: I think his reputation was boosted because he was on the Patriots last year when Tom Brady went nuts with the TD throws. I don’t see Gaffney adding any real value.

Dante Hall: The Human Joystick’s day is done.

Sam Hurd (RFA): The Cowboys may let him go if they don’t want to match a high enough contract. He’s said to be a good worker and have a lot of upside, but is stuck behind a lot of bigger name receivers. Went undrafted in 2006 because of competition (Northern Illinois) and 40 time (4.61).

Brandon Jones: Titans’ receiver who is having his best year so far with 41 catches in the regular season. He was a third round pick in 2005 and has steadily improved since then. Outstanding athlete who can run a sub-4.4.

Ashlie Lelie: First round bust from Hawaii who is with his fourth team in four years. Has a mysteriously high per catch average of 17.3 (with a high of 20.1 in 2004 with Jake Plummer throwing to him.) So he makes big plays, but no one wants him. There’s a reason, and I don’t particularly want the Bucs to find out what it is.

Shaun McDonald: Solid possession guy who’s been injured this year. Or he was just faking it because he didn’t want to be on the field with the Lions, which I’d also respect. Had a big 2007 when Mike Martz was calling the shots.

Koren Robinson: Keeps getting in trouble and keeps making comebacks. The good news is he had his best season in the last five years in 2008. The bad news is that it was a 400 yard season on a team that can’t keep a wide receiver healthy.

Amani Toomer: Yes, that sounds like a fine idea. Let’s get another Tim Brown in Tampa; it worked out so well the first time.

This is not a top-heavy draft for wide receivers, but if the Bucs wanted to go with one in the first round, I would choose Michael Crabtree, the redshirt sophomore out of Texas Tech who can do anything. Excellent receiver, dangerous returner, shifty. He doesn’t have blazing speed, but he’s fast enough. The problem is that a team who is looking for flash may reach for him earlier than #19 if he has a decent combine. He’s not really worth a higher pick, but the dearth of higher rated receivers may push him up.

For more value, the Bucs may want to go with Juaquin Iglesias (Oklahoma) or Mohamed Massaquoi (Georgia). Iglesias is a safer pick and will go first. He is great at recognizing and beating coverages, is a precise route runner and has deceptive speed and elusiveness. Massaquoi has played four years in the SEC in a pro-style offense and been very productive in it. He’s been known to drop a ball or two, but seems to have improved on that recently. My big problem with him is that he’s 6-2 and under 200 pounds. If he can add some bulk to his frame to maybe shed a tackle or two, he’ll be a good pick in the second or third round.

The key here is Bryant. Picture Princess Leia in the hologram saying to Bruce Allen, “Help us Antonio Bryant. You’re our only hope.” It’s like that. After they secure him, the Bucs can lose Clayton in favor of someone more predictable with a bigger upside. If the Bucs keep six like they did in 2008, I’d probably take Bryant, Jones, Hilliard, Baskett, Clark and Massaquoi.

However, if the Bucs should happen to pick up Hank Baskett for 2009, here’s his fiancee that you can look forward to seeing much more of.