Sounds like he picked up from where he finished last year and just continues to just make plays and is quiet about it.
Hard to believe only 2 years ago he was watching Cody Core drop passes and last year wasn't even thought of good enough to make the final 53 by some of the arm chair GMs here

ZT is aware of what he brings to the offense. Higgins Green Ross Boyd get the headlines but let's dont sleep on him.
He can be matchup problem for LB or CB.
I expect him to really be clutch on 3rd down this year
Now he finally has a QB that can give him a catchable ball
Without having to jump 7 feet in the air.

The only reason he played last year was because of injuries.

With the return of Green and the addition of Higgins I don't think we will see him much if everyone stays healthy. But since Green and Ross are so fragile he could get a good bit of playing time.

Depth is important.

(08-21-2020, 06:47 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Sounds like he picked up  from where he finished last year and just continues to just make plays and is quiet about it.
Hard to believe only 2 years ago he was watching Cody Core drop passes and last year wasn't even thought of good enough to make the final 53 by some of the arm chair GMs here

ZT is aware of what he brings to the offense. Higgins Green Ross Boyd  get the headlines but let's dont sleep on him.
He can be matchup problem for LB or CB.
I expect him to really be clutch on 3rd down this year
Now he finally has a QB that can give him a catchable ball
Without having to jump 7 feet in the air.

Good thing we have him with the way AJ and Ross are always dinged up.

Mike Thomas is also having a good camp, could be one to watch if these guys keep getting hurt.

Quick in and out of his breaks unlike Auden. I just love Auden's catch radius and like you said with Burrow he won't have to make
nearly as many of those circus catches with Burrow's accuracy. Higgins looked really good in the few vids I saw before the hammy.

Think even if AJ and Ross are missing games Higgins, Boyd, Tate, Thomas and Erickson are a good core.

Best WR corps in the league. Burrows ability to throw guys open to go along with Tate’s stature and ability means he is always open.

We have a group of WR and TE that can get big or a smaller group that has speed and good routes for shorter routes. Higgins, Green, Tate, CJ or Drew as the big group. Ross, Boyd, Erickson and Thomas as the smaller group. Green, Ross, Higgins and Thomas as the speed guys. Higgins, Tate and Green as the leapers that can go up and get the designed high throws over smaller DB. A good mix that ZT has to work with this year. I would use Tate, Erickson, Boyd, Thomas and Higgins as much as I could to help keep Green and Ross healthy as well. I know that is the most talented guys but they will get their targets in I am sure of that. As long as Burrow can get good production out of them all then spread the ball around.

Don't roast me for calling Ross the most talented he just has that speed you can not get from the others.

ZT’s quote today on Tate:

"You can't just say he's a red-zone player. He's a three-down guy for you," Taylor said." It's not about exploring with Auden Tate. He has proven, on the film last year and the way he goes about his business that he can Do a lot for you as an offense."

(08-21-2020, 07:49 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: ZT’s quote today on Tate:

"You can't just say he's a red-zone player. He's a three-down guy for you," Taylor said." It's not about exploring with Auden Tate. He has proven, on the film last year and the way he goes about his business that he can Do a lot for you as an offense."

Cool quote. I like hearing that much confidence in a young player.

I know that I keep saying he would be a very good red-zone player for us but I just don't know with his lack of speed if he is an 
early down WR for us. All I know is he is not a Tight End lol

Last year after we lost Green and Ross we lost the ability to stretch the field and go deep along with Dalton's issues throwing the deep ball. That is why I am happy we have Thomas and Higgins to help this year.

(08-21-2020, 07:40 PM)BengalsBong Wrote: We have a group of WR and TE that can get big or a smaller group that has speed and good routes for shorter routes. Higgins, Green, Tate, CJ or Drew as the big group. Ross, Boyd, Erickson and Thomas as the smaller group. Green, Ross, Higgins and Thomas as the speed guys. Higgins, Tate and Green as the leapers that can go up and get the designed high throws over smaller DB. A good mix that ZT has to work with this year. I would use Tate, Erickson, Boyd, Thomas and Higgins as much as I could to help keep Green and Ross healthy as well. I know that is the most talented guys but they will get their targets in I am sure of that. As long as Burrow can get good production out of them all then spread the ball around.

Don't roast me for calling Ross the most talented he just has that speed you can not get from the others.

Top 5 WR 40 Times

1. John Ross / 716 career receiving yards  (3 years so far)
2. Rondel Menendez / 0 career receiving yards (2 years)
3. Jerome Mathis / 80 career receiving yards (3 years)
4. Marquise Goodwin / 2,323 career receiving yards (7 years so far)
5. Jacoby Ford / 848 career receiving yards (4 years)

Almost like talent is much more than simply being able to run alone in a straight line for 40 yards in spandex quickly.

(08-21-2020, 07:40 PM)BengalsBong Wrote: We have a group of WR and TE that can get big or a smaller group that has speed and good routes for shorter routes. Higgins, Green, Tate, CJ or Drew as the big group. Ross, Boyd, Erickson and Thomas as the smaller group. Green, Ross, Higgins and Thomas as the speed guys. Higgins, Tate and Green as the leapers that can go up and get the designed high throws over smaller DB. A good mix that ZT has to work with this year. I would use Tate, Erickson, Boyd, Thomas and Higgins as much as I could to help keep Green and Ross healthy as well. I know that is the most talented guys but they will get their targets in I am sure of that. As long as Burrow can get good production out of them all then spread the ball around.

Don't roast me for calling Ross the most talented he just has that speed you can not get from the others.

You will get roasted Bong for saying that about Ross. Ross has only been a flash in the pan so far.

Shows flashes then gets hurt or drops the ball. I like your thoughts about the big group and the small group.

BTW, haven't heard anything about Sample yet. Saw Uzomah catching some balls from Burrow in a vid though.

It is a good mix though for Burrow and Taylor to work with that is for sure. Lots of talent.

(08-21-2020, 07:56 PM)BengalsBong Wrote: Last year after we lost Green and Ross we lost the ability to stretch the field and go deep along with Dalton's issues throwing the deep ball. That is why I am happy we have Thomas and Higgins to help this year.

Feel the same, Tee and Mike are really quick in and out of their breaks. Need this badly on Offense. Tate is pretty slow.

(08-21-2020, 07:59 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Top 5 WR 40 Times

1. John Ross / 716 career receiving yards  (3 years so far)
2. Rondel Menendez / 0 career receiving yards (2 years)
3. Jerome Mathis / 80 career receiving yards (3 years)
4. Marquise Goodwin / 2,323 career receiving yards (7 years so far)
5. Jacoby Ford / 848 career receiving yards (4 years)

Almost like talent is much more than simply being able to run alone in a straight line for 40 yards in spandex quickly.

Hopefully Ross turns into a Cooks or Goodwin type player this year for us...

I am not going to say the other name, I will get roasted as well lol

Still need to have speed on Offense, especially at WR.

(08-21-2020, 08:02 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I like your thoughts about the big group and the small group.

I think it's simply overthinking things, Nate. There's only two real groups. The "Best 4" group and the "Others" group. You should play the former the most possible and the latter as little as possible. Nobody in the league has 10 pass catchers worthy of getting meaningful snaps in actual games.

It's similar to when Zimmer left and yet they keep trying to do the "DL rotation" that Zimmer did... not realizing that it only works if the guys rotating in are any good. Taking out Dunlap and Atkins for Will Clarke and Margus Hunt isn't a rotation, it's just intentionally making your D much much worse for awhile. 

Same thing if you make WR groups where Green, Higgins, and Boyd are replaced by Thomas, Tate, and Erickson. It's just making your offense worse.

(08-21-2020, 08:10 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I think it's simply overthinking things, Nate. There's only two real groups. The "Best 4" group and the "Others" group. You should play the former the most possible and the latter as little as possible. Nobody in the league has 10 pass catchers worthy of getting meaningful snaps in actual games.

It's similar to when Zimmer left and yet they keep trying to do the "DL rotation" that Zimmer did... not realizing that it only works if the guys rotating in are any good. Taking out Dunlap and Atkins for Will Clarke and Margus Hunt isn't a rotation, it's just intentionally making your D much much worse for awhile. 

Same thing if you make WR groups where Green, Higgins, and Boyd are replaced by Thomas, Tate, and Erickson. It's just making your offense worse.

Cannot argue with that, just thought it was an interesting thought.

Just hoping Green and Ross can stay healthy cause man do they get injured a lot.

(08-21-2020, 07:49 PM)Yojimbo Wrote: ZT’s quote today on Tate:

"You can't just say he's a red-zone player. He's a three-down guy for you," Taylor said." It's not about exploring with Auden Tate. He has proven, on the film last year and the way he goes about his business that he can Do a lot for you as an offense."

I've been quietly pulling for Tate, ever since we drafted him.  For all of the criticism he gets for his lack of blazing speed, I admire the way he worked his tail off last year, in spite of playing on a historically bad team.  The fact that he's getting good words from the Coach this year in camp, comes at no surprise to me.  

He may never be a marquise player, or light up the fantasy stat sheets, and that's alright with me.  What I do believe is that he will prove to be a valuable role player in the Bengals evolving offense.

(08-21-2020, 08:04 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Still need to have speed on Offense, especially at WR.

I'm firmly of the belief that sure hands, crisp routes, and attacking the ball in the air are all more important than speed.

Wes Welker ran a 4.65
Anquan Boldin ran a 4.72
Larry Fitzgerald ran a 4.63
Jerry Rice ran a 4.71
Cris Carter ran a 4.63

Even Chad Johnson ran a 4.57

They had good hands, ran great routes, and attacked the ball.

Heck, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten were legitimately the slowest people on the field at the ends of their careers, but they kept racking off good seasons because they ran their routes well. A well run route can get more separation than simple speed.

Heck, DeAndre Hopkins ran a 4.57 at the Combine.

Even Tyler Boyd ran a 4.58 at the Combine, but he's had more 1,000 yard receiving seasons than that Top 5 40 time list combined (they have 0).

As long as you're not a snail, I honestly believe that speed isn't even in the Top 3 of most important things for a WR.

(08-21-2020, 08:12 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Just hoping Green and Ross can stay healthy cause man do they get injured a lot.

True. As shaky of a basis of hope it is, we just have to hope they (mostly Green) stays healthy so this offense actually has a chance of being good.

(08-21-2020, 08:24 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I've been quietly pulling for Tate, ever since we drafted him.  For all of the criticism he gets for his lack of blazing speed, I admire the way he worked his tail off last year, in spite of playing on a historically bad team.  The fact that he's getting good words from the Coach this year in camp, comes at no surprise to me.  

He may never be a marquise player, or light up the fantasy stat sheets, and that's alright with me.  What I do believe is that he will prove to be a valuable role player in the Bengals evolving offense.

Agree. I loved watching him in college because he was always where he was supposed to be and bailing out his QB in tough situations. If he’s a 50/500/5 guy, I’d be satisfied.

(08-21-2020, 08:26 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I'm firmly of the belief that sure hands, crisp routes, and attacking the ball in the air are all more important than speed.

Wes Welker ran a 4.65
Anquan Boldin ran a 4.72
Larry Fitzgerald ran a 4.63
Jerry Rice ran a 4.71
Cris Carter ran a 4.63

Even Chad Johnson ran a 4.57

They had good hands, ran great routes, and attacked the ball.

Heck, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten were legitimately the slowest people on the field at the ends of their careers, but they kept racking off good seasons because they ran their routes well. A well run route can get more separation than simple speed.

Heck, DeAndre Hopkins ran a 4.57 at the Combine.

Even Tyler Boyd ran a 4.58 at the Combine, but he's had more 1,000 yard receiving seasons than that Top 5 40 time list combined (they have 0).

As long as you're not a snail, I honestly believe that speed isn't even in the Top 3 of most important things for a WR.


True. As shaky of a basis of hope it is, we just have to hope they (mostly Green) stays healthy so this offense actually has a chance of being good.

Nice post TLL. I think Boyd sure does fit just what you are talking about. Dude is a crisp route runner with good hands and 
attacks the ball. If Tate can get a little more crisp on his routes he might be able to be something honestly with his size and 
hands. He has good hands and attacks the ball. Ross needs to work on all of this and stay healthy, tall task as we have seen.

(08-21-2020, 08:02 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: You will get roasted Bong for saying that about Ross. Ross has only been a flash in the pan so far.

Shows flashes then gets hurt or drops the ball. I like your thoughts about the big group and the small group.

BTW, haven't heard anything about Sample yet. Saw Uzomah catching some balls from Burrow in a vid though.

It is a good mix though for Burrow and Taylor to work with that is for sure. Lots of talent.


Feel the same, Tee and Mike are really quick in and out of their breaks. Need this badly on Offense. Tate is pretty slow.

Someone on tweeter posted Drew caught a deep ball today in the scrim unless they was mistaken and meant CJ.

(08-21-2020, 08:48 PM)BengalsBong Wrote: Someone on tweeter posted Drew caught a deep ball today in the scrim unless they was mistaken and meant CJ.

Good, need to see the 2nd round pick TE come around. He cannot just be a blocker, needs to catch the ball too.

Just heard we could claim Thaddeus Moss and stash him on our PS cause he is hurt, I say do it.

(08-21-2020, 08:50 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Just heard we could claim Thaddeus Moss and stash him on our PS cause he is hurt, I say do it.

He’s from LSU so he must be an all world talent