Who will be our #2 WR this year - Reche Caldwell or Chad Jackson?

[JoeSixPat]

No doubt we expect Jackson to be the #2 WR of the future (maybe even a 1a) - but who do you think will win the job this year?

There's a strong contingent of Patsfans on the board here who feel that we were fine at WR even before the draft, and that Caldwell was ready to step in as our #2 WR - that he is even a potential #1 caliber WR.

I hope they are right - and indeed, with a rookie - even a rookie predicted by some to be selected as high as #13 - rookie WRs sometimes need some time to develop.

So who is going to be our #2 WR this year? Will Reche Caldwell be the latest guy to make the Chargers look bad by letting him go, regardless of his poor past production?

Will Jackson be ready for prime time at #2 by the time the season rolls around?

 

[BelichickFan]

At the start of the season, I'm saying Caldwell. Jackson will likely develop fast enough to challenge for it as the season goes on and we'll see how Caldwell is doing.

 

[Kdo5]

Well it'll depend in training camp in preseason. I think Caldwell will start out the season at #2, but it could change at some point in the season with Jackson stepping in. You never know how Caldwell could turn out this season, hopefully he'll turn out to be pretty productive. I have a feeling he will turn out to have a season a lot better than his ones in San Diego. But Brady will have plenty of go to guys. I expect Branch and Watson to be his favorite targets.

 

[Ceresco]

I think as PAtriots fans we should hope it's Jackson because Caldwell is no number 2 receiver.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think as PAtriots fans we should hope it's Jackson because Caldwell is no number 2 receiver.

Caldwell's got a second chance here so I'm pulling for him... and it may be worth mentioning that he too was drafted in the 2nd round... ahead of David Givens.

 

[Joker]

Who says Caldwell even sticks on the roster...June 1st camp cuts could bring a number of veteran WR's into our sights...performance in camp is the only true measure of who plays and who doesn't...we haven't even got a completed roster filled out yet

 

[flutie2phelan]

At the start of the season, I'm saying Caldwell. Jackson will likely develop fast enough to challenge for it as the season goes on and we'll see how Caldwell is doing.

My hopes ... and thoughts ... exactly.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Who says Caldwell even sticks on the roster...June 1st camp cuts could bring a number of veteran WR's into our sights...performance in camp is the only true measure of who plays and who doesn't...we haven't even got a completed roster filled out yet

I suppose that's possible.. the Bolts sure didn't think he was worth re-signing even for relatively low money - but he'd have to be pretty bad to get pushed all the way off the roster, so I hope not.

Bottom line is that BB and the boys clearly didn't feel we were fully stocked at WR - I'd bet they are on the lookout for other bodies as well... I'm not expecting as many June 1st cuts this year given the high cap, but we might still be in the market for trades or late camp cuts

 

[spacecrime]

Caldwell's got a second chance here so I'm pulling for him... and it may be worth mentioning that he too was drafted in the 2nd round... ahead of David Givens.

Don't you mean he was drafted ahead of Deion Branch? All the WRs in 2002 except one to TB were drafted ahead of Givens.

#
48 Caldwell
65 Branch
253 Givens

http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/years/2002

 

[DaBruinz]

Who says Caldwell even sticks on the roster...June 1st camp cuts could bring a number of veteran WR's into our sights...performance in camp is the only true measure of who plays and who doesn't...we haven't even got a completed roster filled out yet

Do you understand the premise behind the June 1st cuts? It was put in so that teams in cap trouble could help free up money by cutting veterans and spreading the cap hit over two years.

This year, its highly UNLIKELY that there will be ANY cap cuts since MOST teams are 5-6 million under the cap. Might there be some? Maybe. But why cut a guy in June who you can bring into camp and use for insurance purposes?

BTW, if you knew anything about Caldwell and the situation he came out of, you'd know that its much more likely that he would stick on the roster than it is for him to get cut.
You're making an assumption that the Chargers didn't want to keep him around. They could have wanted to have cheaper players at the #3 and #4 WR positions since those are positions that rarely see the ball in their offense. Or Caldwell could have decided that he wanted to go somewhere else where he'd see more than 20-25 passes a year. Gates, Tomlinson, Parker and McCardell are their primary weapons. Their primary offensive set is 2RB,2WR,1TE. I think that will be adding more 2RB, 2TE,1WR sets because of acquiring Brandon Manumaleuna from the Rams after already having Antonio Gates and Justin Peelle.

 

[DaBruinz]

I suppose that's possible.. the Bolts sure didn't think he was worth re-signing even for relatively low money - but he'd have to be pretty bad to get pushed all the way off the roster, so I hope not.

Bottom line is that BB and the boys clearly didn't feel we were fully stocked at WR - I'd bet they are on the lookout for other bodies as well... I'm not expecting as many June 1st cuts this year given the high cap, but we might still be in the market for trades or late camp cuts

2 things:
1) The Bolts don't use many multi WR sets, so their #3 and #4 receivers are more special teamers
2) You are making an assumption that it was the Chargers decision not to re-sign Caldwell. You seem to have totally ruled out the idea that Caldwell didn't want to stay in a situation where he'd only get 20-25 passes thrown to him a year because the offense they run is predicated around their top 4 weapons in Gates, Tomlinson, Parker and McCardell.

 

[JJDChE]

There is absolutely zero chance that Caldwell doesn't make the roster. The guy is more talented than any reciever on our roster besides Branch and Jackson, by a good margin. He was on pace for a 1,000yd season before he got hurt in 2004. He's fast, he has good hands, he plays the ball well. I am a little worried that SD didn't think he was worth resigning, but I think it was more of a political move because Caldwell had two big fumbles that cost them games last year. Having watched the guy quite a bit, I am 95% sure he has what it takes to be a productive #2 in the NFL.

I expect Caldwell to have a David Patten, circa 2001/02, type year. In fact look at Patten's career prior to 2001, very similar to Caldwell. A fifth year guy who was having trouble sticking and found the right place in New England.

Jackson, like 90% of all WRs, needs time to develop. It's not very likely at all that he is starting at the beginning of the season. It's not even very likely that he'll take over the job by the end of the year.

Look at our reception leaders from 2002, Branch's rookie year:

T. Brown 97 rec, 890 yds
D. Patten 61 rec, 824 yds
D. Branch 43 rec, 489 yds

I expect a very similar outcome, except with Branch, Caldwell then Jackson.

 

[wistahpatsfan]

How much cap room do we have, again? When the cuts come, I think BB will go after a solid WR with experience to fill the #2 spot. This corps is too thin right now, IMO, and we need to fill it out a bit.

 

[JJDChE]

I think we go in with the WRs we have now. Maybe some camp fodder, but we won't be signing another #2 caliber WR before camp.

 

[Joker]

Do you understand the premise behind the June 1st cuts? It was put in so that teams in cap trouble could help free up money by cutting veterans and spreading the cap hit over two years.

This year, its highly UNLIKELY that there will be ANY cap cuts since MOST teams are 5-6 million under the cap. Might there be some? Maybe. But why cut a guy in June who you can bring into camp and use for insurance purposes?

BTW, if you knew anything about Caldwell and the situation he came out of, you'd know that its much more likely that he would stick on the roster than it is for him to get cut.
You're making an assumption that the Chargers didn't want to keep him around. They could have wanted to have cheaper players at the #3 and #4 WR positions since those are positions that rarely see the ball in their offense. Or Caldwell could have decided that he wanted to go somewhere else where he'd see more than 20-25 passes a year. Gates, Tomlinson, Parker and McCardell are their primary weapons. Their primary offensive set is 2RB,2WR,1TE. I think that will be adding more 2RB, 2TE,1WR sets because of acquiring Brandon Manumaleuna from the Rams after already having Antonio Gates and Justin Peelle.

whoa...slow down Mel Kiper III...I'm not making ANY assumptions...that was simply a generic "who knows" question...there is NOTHING written in stone yet...I think Caldwell will play but it's not like we haven't seen a David Terrell example around here lately...as for your assertion that there will be no June 1st cap cuts worth anything, I guess we'll just have to wait and see...unless YOU have some PROOF or a crystal ball...in which case I could care less about football info...how about tomorrow's best stock performers?

BTW I'm not a fantasy geek, so I woulkdn't know squat about the San Diego roster, who they signed, who they wanted , who they cut or any of that world shaking fantasy minutiae that seems to boost your fragile sensibilities.

 

[smg93]

whoa...slow down Mel Kiper III

LOL, that's funny.

 

[JJDChE]

whoa...slow down Mel Kiper III...I'm not making ANY assumptions...that was simply a generic "who knows" question...there is NOTHING written in stone yet...I think Caldwell will play but it's not like we haven't seen a David Terrell example around here lately...as for your assertion that there will be no June 1st cap cuts worth anything, I guess we'll just have to wait and see...unless YOU have some PROOF or a crystal ball...in which case I could care less about football info...how about tomorrow's best stock performers?

BTW I'm not a fantasy geek, so I woulkdn't know squat about the San Diego roster, who they signed, who they wanted , who they cut or any of that world shaking fantasy minutiae that seems to boost your fragile sensibilities.

Well, maybe you should become a fantasy geek. Then you would know that Terrell is a crappy comparison and Caldwell showed flashes of #1 ability in San Diego but injuries and timing worked against him.

 

[Joker]

Uh..why is Terrell a bad comparison?


Borges slammed the Patriots for taking Seymour and passing on Terrell, who was a FIRST ROUND PICK of the Bears...you want to see the MSNBC Borges take...or are you gonna just continue to vomit up this bull you're trying to sell as fact.

 

[Joker]

and BTW...how do YOU know Caldwell showed "flashes of number one talent" in San Diego...what hack fantasy geek scribe did you get this "info" from?

 

[JJDChE]

Uh..why is Terrell a bad comparison.

Because Terrell was an underachieving, el busto from the beginning and he showed no improvement over the course of his career. Caldwell came in and worked his way up improving over the course of his first three seasons. Unfortunately he got injured early in his third season, but he was on pace for a solid season that year and he was San Diego's go to receiver.

and BTW...how do YOU know Caldwell showed "flashes of number one talent" in San Diego...what hack fantasy geek scribe did you get this "info" from?

From San Diego fans I talked to after the trade, along with watching some San Diego games over the last few years.

BTW, there's no reason to be bitter towards fantasy geeks because we know more than you.