08-29-2019, 02:26 PM
I don't think Malone and Tate are competing.
Despite the announcement that he'll start, Damion Willis is backing up AJ as the X receiver in the Robert Woods role.
Boyd will be used in the Cooper Kuyp role. Erickson's a solid back-up plan here and special teams guy who they'd like to find more touches for. (This incidentally is where Stanley Morgan - who I think has a big future in the NFL - would best fit as well, but the Bengals are hoping to smuggle him onto the Practice Squad instead)
Ross will be in the Brandin Cooks role with lots of jet motion plays trying to exploit his speed. If Ross doesn't pick up the playbook Erickson will get his extra touches here. He doesn't have Ross' speed but he's more reliable.
Tate is backing up Eifert. I'm not saying that he's being converted to a TE but more that Eifert is being basically used as a WR these days on 3rd down and Red Zone packages. Eifert's injury record isn't great. If Zac Taylor is drawing up Red Zone packages around Eifert's receiving ability, he's going to need an understudy for when Eifert's injured so he doesn't lose half his playbook. That's Tate more than Uzomah or Sample. If Tate is competing against anybody - and I think he's won a role - it's probably Mason Schreck.
So where does Malone fit? He should have been AJ Green's understudy but he's been beaten out by Damion Willis. He's now battling against Cody Core, Ventell Bryant and Stanley Morgan Jr (if he's fit yet) for a spot as a versatile back-up receiver. He'll need to show he can cover multiple roles and play teams to stay on the roster. He's also competing against the other positions on the bubble - the depth on the D-line that the Bengals will want to protect, maybe a 6th linebacker (probably through waivers), maybe a 9th O-lineman if Glenn's concussion doesn't look good.
Despite the announcement that he'll start, Damion Willis is backing up AJ as the X receiver in the Robert Woods role.
Boyd will be used in the Cooper Kuyp role. Erickson's a solid back-up plan here and special teams guy who they'd like to find more touches for. (This incidentally is where Stanley Morgan - who I think has a big future in the NFL - would best fit as well, but the Bengals are hoping to smuggle him onto the Practice Squad instead)
Ross will be in the Brandin Cooks role with lots of jet motion plays trying to exploit his speed. If Ross doesn't pick up the playbook Erickson will get his extra touches here. He doesn't have Ross' speed but he's more reliable.
Tate is backing up Eifert. I'm not saying that he's being converted to a TE but more that Eifert is being basically used as a WR these days on 3rd down and Red Zone packages. Eifert's injury record isn't great. If Zac Taylor is drawing up Red Zone packages around Eifert's receiving ability, he's going to need an understudy for when Eifert's injured so he doesn't lose half his playbook. That's Tate more than Uzomah or Sample. If Tate is competing against anybody - and I think he's won a role - it's probably Mason Schreck.
So where does Malone fit? He should have been AJ Green's understudy but he's been beaten out by Damion Willis. He's now battling against Cody Core, Ventell Bryant and Stanley Morgan Jr (if he's fit yet) for a spot as a versatile back-up receiver. He'll need to show he can cover multiple roles and play teams to stay on the roster. He's also competing against the other positions on the bubble - the depth on the D-line that the Bengals will want to protect, maybe a 6th linebacker (probably through waivers), maybe a 9th O-lineman if Glenn's concussion doesn't look good.
