(06-11-2024, 11:09 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I often hear players mention the importance of that first full offseason with their team, and describe how it really helps them to advance from rookie to second year player. With Iosivas being a cerebral type of guy, I could see him really benefitting from the class/film room side of the offseason stuff as much as the physical training.

Absolutely. I'm sure there's quite the learning curve regarding getting one's body prepared for the NFL grind vs college. Especially at the Ivy League level. Then there's the cerebral part you mentioned that Yoshi should excel at.

(06-11-2024, 11:09 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I often hear players mention the importance of that first full offseason with their team, and describe how it really helps them to advance from rookie to second year player. With Iosivas being a cerebral type of guy, I could see him really benefitting from the class/film room side of the offseason stuff as much as the physical training.

I expected Andrei Iosivas to come in looking like a monster year two because his full off-season is dedicated to football instead of Track.... but will he look like Tarzan and play like Jane? Yoshi's issues were his ability to play physical through the DB, compete for space at the catch, and make tough catches through contact. 

I'm excited to see Yoshi in year two because he is such a gifted athlete with excellent size, and with more snaps opening up on the outside because Chase will see an increased role in the slot Yoshi will get his chance. 

(06-10-2024, 09:50 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I think so too.
The dude has much more big play ability than his 7.7 YPR from last year.
I think (or hope) he'll have around 300-400 yards this year, which would be an increase from his 116 his rookie year.
Not starter caliber obviously, but I think this year will be a mix of Iosivas, Irwin, Burton, and Jones pretty across the board for WR3 targets.
Collectively, these receivers after Higgins and Chase should be able to put up 700+ yards, and even more if there's a lengthy injury to Chase and/or Higgins.

This is interesting. I think we need to see more than 700 yards from our “other receivers”.

I’m thinking this group could be similar to a mix of guys from the 2005 bengals and the 2009-2011 group.

2005 had Chad and TJ as Alphas. So I think those two alpha types are obviously Chase and Higgins.

The rest of the group reminds me of some sort of combo of Henry, Caldwell, Simpson and Shipley.

Those guys had seasons of:
31 for 422 and 6 (Henry RIP, 2005), Burton/yoshi?
52 for 600 and 3 (Shipley, 2010), Jones/irwin?
41 for 432 and 3 (Caldwell, 2009), Jones/irwin?
50 for 725 and 4 (Simpson, 2011), Burton/Yoshi?


Obviously I picked the best season from each of those guys, but if we can get two of those types of seasons (call it 80%) from the four guys, that would Be a great year. I also see similar skill sets. We certainly won’t get all four to happen in one year, simply not enough to go around.

The one that really could set us apart is if we could get a similar season to another guy from that 2009-2011 group in Jermaine Gresham. Across his first 5 seasons he averaged 56 for 544 and 5. Could Mike G give us more that type of season?

(06-12-2024, 09:33 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: This is interesting.  I think we need to see more than 700 yards from our “other receivers”.  

I’m thinking this group could be similar to a mix of guys from the 2005 bengals and the 2009-2011 group.  

2005 had Chad and TJ as Alphas.  So I think those two alpha types are obviously Chase and Higgins.

The rest of the group reminds me of some sort of combo of Henry, Caldwell, Simpson and Shipley.  

Those guys had seasons of:
31 for 422 and 6 (Henry RIP, 2005), Burton/yoshi?
52 for 600 and 3 (Shipley, 2010), Jones/irwin?
41 for 432 and 3 (Caldwell, 2009), Jones/irwin?
50 for 725 and 4 (Simpson, 2011), Burton/Yoshi?


Obviously I picked the best season from each of those guys, but if we can get two of those types of seasons (call it 80%) from the four guys, that would Be a great year. I also see similar skill sets.  We certainly won’t get all four to happen in one year, simply not enough to go around.  

The one that really could set us apart is if we could get a similar season to another guy from that 2009-2011 group in Jermaine Gresham. Across his first 5 seasons he averaged 56 for 544 and 5. Could Mike G give us more that type of season?

Note that I said 700+, which I consider the floor. I expect (way) more than 700 combined for them, but you have to account for things not always working out the way you expect.
Also, we don't know what the involvement of the TEs will be in the offense this year.
I would think (or hope) they will get more targets compared to the previous years, and thus the 3rd WR productivity will go down some.

It's also hard to say 700 is way too low by looking at previous years, as there have been some injuries to Chase and/or Higgins that have resulted in more opportunities.
You can't really predict injuries.
But collectively last year, Boyd+Irwin+Iosivas+Jones = 1163 yards. But Higgins missed 5 games, Chase 1.
The year prior, the guys other than Higgins and Chase had a combined 1093 yards. But Chase missed 5 games, Higgins 1.
In 2021, it was 994 yards. But Higgins missed 3 games.

If Higgins and Chase can be healthy the entire season (big if) and the TEs get more involved, I wouldn't be surprised to see 700-900 yards among the other WRs combined.

(06-12-2024, 08:37 AM)Synric Wrote: I expected Andrei Iosivas to come in looking like a monster year two because his full off-season is dedicated to football instead of Track.... but will he look like Tarzan and play like Jane? Yoshi's issues were his ability to play physical through the DB, compete for space at the catch, and make tough catches through contact. 

I'm excited to see Yoshi in year two because he is such a gifted athlete with excellent size, and with more snaps opening up on the outside because Chase will see an increased role in the slot Yoshi will get his chance. 

Directing his entire focus to improving his football skillset should make a significant difference.

On another note, my alma mater is bringing football back after the original team was disbanded 75 years ago.  Our HC was named yesterday, it's former WVU RB Quincy Wilson.

(06-12-2024, 08:37 AM)Synric Wrote: I expected Andrei Iosivas to come in looking like a monster year two because his full off-season is dedicated to football instead of Track.... but will he look like Tarzan and play like Jane? Yoshi's issues were his ability to play physical through the DB, compete for space at the catch, and make tough catches through contact. 

I'm excited to see Yoshi in year two because he is such a gifted athlete with excellent size, and with more snaps opening up on the outside because Chase will see an increased role in the slot Yoshi will get his chance. 

Eh, that's a bit off because track is a spring sport and Yoshi did his last track event in April of '22, so aside from some overlap during spring practice, he was focused on football solely the rest of the year, as well as during his rookie campaign. 

(06-12-2024, 10:31 AM)Whatever Wrote: Eh, that's a bit off because track is a spring sport and Yoshi did his last track event in April of '22, so aside from some overlap during spring practice, he was focused on football solely the rest of the year, as well as during his rookie campaign. 

I am hopeful that Yoshi takes a leap in just the game of football. Would not surprise me to see him replace Tee. But he needs this year to get there.

(06-12-2024, 09:33 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: This is interesting.  I think we need to see more than 700 yards from our “other receivers”.  

I’m thinking this group could be similar to a mix of guys from the 2005 bengals and the 2009-2011 group.  

2005 had Chad and TJ as Alphas.  So I think those two alpha types are obviously Chase and Higgins.

The rest of the group reminds me of some sort of combo of Henry, Caldwell, Simpson and Shipley.  

Those guys had seasons of:
31 for 422 and 6 (Henry RIP, 2005), Burton/yoshi?
52 for 600 and 3 (Shipley, 2010), Jones/irwin?
41 for 432 and 3 (Caldwell, 2009), Jones/irwin?
50 for 725 and 4 (Simpson, 2011), Burton/Yoshi?


Obviously I picked the best season from each of those guys, but if we can get two of those types of seasons (call it 80%) from the four guys, that would Be a great year. I also see similar skill sets.  We certainly won’t get all four to happen in one year, simply not enough to go around.  

The one that really could set us apart is if we could get a similar season to another guy from that 2009-2011 group in Jermaine Gresham. Across his first 5 seasons he averaged 56 for 544 and 5. Could Mike G give us more that type of season?

700 yards isn't terrible, but if you have 5 receivers outside of your number one and two all getting a minimum of 700+ you have something special then. I don't necessarily expect that to happen, but if it does the team is in a good place. 

(06-13-2024, 01:14 PM)grampahol Wrote: 700 yards isn't terrible, but if you have 5 receivers outside of your number one and two all getting a minimum of 700+ you have something special then. I don't necessarily expect that to happen, but if it does the team is in a good place. 

It wasn’t coming from 1 person, but the combo of 4-5 guys.