Kelce

[LinvilleGorge]

26 minutes ago, WarHeel said:

In the end zone? Anybody really. Couldn’t have done much worse.

You can throw the ball INTO the endzone?

Why didn't someone tell Teddy?

[Basbear]

3 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

You can throw the ball INTO the endzone?

Why didn't someone tell Teddy?

I think I saw where Teddy only had 2 TD throws in the end-zone. CMC had 6 TDs in 3 games and a TE is a red-zone weapon. Install a new O, Joe Brady never done it, with convidBS. Shame about how things played out. 

[KillerKat]

We could have Kelce on the team that gets open every game but Teddy would refuse to throw to him because he's further than 5 yards past the LOS.

[Snake]

To be fair he's the best TE in the NFL and has one of the best QBs throwing to him. It's not like a average QB will have that effect. 

[Shocker]

Seriously Kelce is without question their most important player outside of Mahomes.  

[Ricky Spanish]

If we trade for Stafford, then we should take Pitts with the #8 pick. 

I really was surprised at the way the board over valued Thomas this offseason. I got crap for calling him a JAG because he was a 4th round pick who really hadn't shown much. It wasn't because I hated him as a prospect, he just hadn't done anything to warrant the hype the fanbase generated for him. 

[Sgt Schultz]

9 hours ago, Ricky Spanish said:

If we trade for Stafford, then we should take Pitts with the #8 pick. 

I really was surprised at the way the board over valued Thomas this offseason. I got crap for calling him a JAG because he was a 4th round pick who really hadn't shown much. It wasn't because I hated him as a prospect, he just hadn't done anything to warrant the hype the fanbase generated for him. 

I think we were hoping he would emerge.  If he did, nobody told me about it.

But on this board, we have people who are hyping our overall roster's ability to accomplish anything when it is clearly thin on talent in most positions.

While Kelce is maybe the most visible example, you see a similar scenario with a lot of teams.  3rd and 8 and the TE manages to get open for the FD, or gets open short and bulls his way to it.  3rd and goal from  and everybody is covered, low and behold the TE manages to work free at the goal line.  It just did not happen here, and really hasn't since Olsen was last healthy.

In fairness, CMC is capable of some of those things, and we didn't have him, either.  Problem was we had TEs on the active roster who were not doing it.  Imagine if you had both?

But hey, it was year one of what will wind up being almost a complete roster overhaul before it is over.

 

[Zod]

I'd be happy with just an average starting NFL tight end. 

[Shotgun]

11 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

He was terrible when used. I have to assume that had a lot to do with him not being used more. Who's touches were you going to take away? 

Teddy's

[Icege]

From what we've, TEs are used primarily as decoys and downfield blockers in Brady's offense (along with short yardage situations). Whether or not that's due to talent or scheme though, who knows.

Edited January 25, 2021 by Icege

[The Huddler]

while i agree we need to adress the TE position, comparing our situation to an all time talent combo of Kelcce+ Mahomes is not fair or rational. 

[45catfan]

12 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I don't think we undervalued the position as much as Ian Thomas just utterly failed to develop. He played better as a rookie than he has at any point since.

I said he was not the heir apparent to Olsen and was told I was giving up on Ian too quickly.  Some players 'get it' and other don't.  Ian is, at best, a #2 guy and will never be the THE guy here in Carolina.  I pounded the drum for a TE 3 of the last 4 drafts either in the second or third rounds.  Now, we are in a SUPER weak TE class and the difference between a day 3 and UDFA prospect is almost nil.

Any upgrade at the TE position this year will have to be in FA.  Only band aids available there for the right price.

[45catfan]

11 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

You can throw the ball INTO the endzone?

Why didn't someone tell Teddy?

Oh, Teddy threw the ball into endzone alright,  but to the other team.

[Khyber53]

Let's face it, none of the TEs we went into the season with were even at Manhertz's level, much less Olsen's. Not even as blockers were they any good, but there were so many other things to work on in August that TE was just the tail end of the dog we were going to field.

Had we had a decent pass catching TE, Teddy would have done better in the red zone. We had three ace WRs out there in the mix and having a mid-level quality TE who could pop a quick block and then move into the underneath would have won us two or three games, and probably saved Teddy a few of those heartbreaking endzone INTs. 

You don't just find Kelce-type players every year, but if we could just grab a decent one (say David Njoku level) we'd be in much, much better shape.