Brownfan80

Inconsistent or not, Caldwell and Gabriel have NFL experience and have proven that they can catch a ball in a regular season game. Childress has not. Any spewing about him being a better WR than proven commodities is simply conjecture. He has three catches in the regular season. It's all guesswork as to what he COULD be, you can say nothing of what he IS. What he IS, currently, is a 3 career catch WR that is unemployed.

EDIT: For the record: While not to the same degree, this reminds me very much of people crying for Cobbs over Dillon during the preseason. Same outcome. Dillon is employed, Cobbs is not.

JackBauer

We expect him to be a #2/#3 WR. He will likely assume that role this year.

He was good in the preseason. And... ?

Which is why fans from pretty much every team (and Raider fans in particular) were surprised/disappointed the Patriots signed him. Which is why Raiders players publically griped that he was traded.

That Childress can play at an NFL level at this point is conjecture. Obviously, the coaching staff thinks he is either not able, or not ready, to assume that role.

You'll forgive me for trusting their judgment.

Garbanza

1) Smith is a Special Teams guy.
2) Bam could not create any seperation on Sunday.

RayClay

You obviously don't know what you're talking about. The only guy Childress is competing with is Smith. Obviously Smith has out performed him in the pros, but maybe Bam hasn't had an opportunity. In college?


Bam Childress
Played in 49 games with seven starts over four seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2001-04 ... Recorded 33 career receptions for 392 yards and also recorded nine kickoff returns for 159 yards. 2004 (Senior): Played in all 12 games and grabbed a career-high 17 receptions for 205 yards ... Served as the Buckeyes' third wide receiver for much of the year and tied for third on the team with 17 receptions ... Recorded four catches for a season-high 67 yards in the season-opener against Cincinnati ... Made a season-high five catches for 38 yards at N.C. State. 2003 (Junior): Played in all 13 games with three starts ... Finished the season with 11 catches for 133 yards ... Recorded a career long 36 yard reception in the Fiesta Bowl against Kansas State, grabbing a pass on a crossing route and bringing it to the 8-yard line, setting up a Buckeyes touchdown ... Finished the Fiesta Bowl with 44 yards on two catches ... Caught two passes for 17 yards against Michigan ... Caught four passes for 41 yards against Indiana. 2002 (Sophomore): Played in 13 games and finished the season with four grabs for 47 yards for the BCS champions ... Made a season-long 17 yard reception against Minnesota ... Made receptions in four games. 2001 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in 11 games and made one catch for seven yards in the home finale ... Also returned four kickoffs for 74 yards.

Jonathan Smith
AT TECH: Versatile, big-play performer who was Tech’s top offensive weapon in 2003. . . All-ACC performer who enjoyed one of the top seasons ever by a Georgia Tech receiver as a senior . . . A talented wide receiver and punt returner who has also lined up at tailback and quarterback at times in his career . . . Former high school quarterback with tremendous athletic ability . . . Drafted in the seventh round (214th pick) by the Buffalo Bills in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Finished his career in second place in Tech history in career receptions (174), fourth in career receiving yards (2,238) and ninth in career TD catches (12) . . . Scored 15 touchdowns on receptions, rushes and returns and also threw one touchdown pass . . . Also stands 10th with 2,931 career all-purpose yards . . . Career average of 12.2 yards per punt return ranks fifth in Tech history

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patsox23

'

PILE ON ALERT - this is a RIDICULOUS thing to say. I'm not trying to be harsh, I really am trying to be more patient with newbies and not be so judgy, but come on, man, you're making it too difficult.

Doug Gabriel is ALREADY more proven than Bam Childress may ever be - and I'm a Childress fan. Ditto for Reche Caldwell. People are overboard on how much they're killing Caldwell this early in the season. To insinuate that he and Gabriel are not NFL-calibre WRs is just ludicrous.

captain stone

I agree. And making comparisons to the early pro career of Troy Brown is doing a disservice to Troy Brown, who had a very productive college career at Marshall. Bam could barely get on the field at OSU. Did he impress vs. 2nd/3rd string DBs during TC? Oh yes. Do I want him to succeed here? Absolutely. I want everyone wearing the flying elvis to succeed. I also think that he is a better prospect than Doctor Smith, who might have his chance to establish his claim as The Returner vs. the jest.

I am really, really looking forward to Sunday...and to the conversations on Monday.

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Question Authority.

PatsWickedPissah

Let's compare Bam to Tony Gaiter then. He was continual cut bait for something like two seasons! He was SO short that he got lost in the tall grass.

Captain of the Patriots' All Ugly team too.

hwc

Yes, of course:

Caldwell has started 15 NFL games and played in 48 NFL games.

Gabriel has started 7 NFL games and played in 42 NFL games.

Anyone who has played in 40+ NFL games is, by definition, an NFL-caliber player. You don't play in 40+ NFL games without demonstrating a certain level of skill. Competition for spots on active game-day NFL rosters is intense and unforgiving.