Surprised Cuts

[*rfaulk34*]

(08-30-2019, 02:52 PM)TJHoushmandzadeh Wrote: I'm not suggesting that the contribution of a WR is greater on Special Teams than on Offense.

I'm suggesting the contribution of WR7 is greater on Special Teams than on Offense. The Bengals WRs with the 6th and 7th most offensive snaps last year had 77 and 68 snaps respectively. Core had 189 on Special Teams - more than WR6 and WR7 combined.

By big play potential I'm talking 40+ yards.

Last year the Bengals with a terrible defense gave up 15 plays of 40+ yards in 855 snaps. That's 1 in 57. On Offense we had 4 plays of 40+ yards from 690 snaps. That's 1 in 173. That's two extreme example but the average will be somewhere between the two.

If we say an average team has 27 punt returns that gives us 864 snaps across the NFL. There were 22 punt returns of 40+ yards, which would be 1 in 39.

If we say an average of 30 kick-off returns over 32 teams that's 960 kick-off returns of which 42 were returned 40+ yards (not an ideal measure but the only one I've readily available), which would be 1 in 29.

In a tight game in the 4th quarter you want the better Special Teams player rather than the WR7 on your roster. They are the one more likely to be on the field and even if they both got on the field a Special Teams ace is more likely to make a play than a back-up WR.

I getcha, but let me ask you. If it came down to Core or Tate, who do you take?

Core is established on teams, though unspectacular. His tackles are middling to nothing but some people (i'm sure Bengals coaches too) value him for his speed as a gunner and i get that. If he gets down field and disrupts the return guy--slows him down--there's more of a chance of someone making the tackle for a nominal gain. I don't dispute any of this. 

My thing is, if Core and Tate are who the last spot is between, i'm taking Tate because he's a better WR. I'll sacrifice Core's contributions on teams and find someone else fast to take his spot. It's easier to replace speed than catchability. 

WRs get hurt. I want the best i can get top to bottom. Before a game starts, the last thing i'm worried about is being in the 4th quarter and having to punt. I want guys that can get the job done on offense and defense to end the game. 

Special teams is 1/3 of the game but it's an unequal 1/3. You're gonna get 65-85 snaps a game on both offense and defense. Teams will get maybe 5-10 snaps (punts and kickoffs).

P.S. Core's contribution to special teams is greater than his actual production. There are guys in the past who were tackling machines and they would need to be viewed in a different way.