Tee has been more impressive than I thought he'd be this season. Although I think many of us didn't anticipate the AJ Green disappearing act.

Bright future definitely a fringe #1 but won't drop below a #2 in his career. He and Burrow seem to have a fantastic connection.

(10-12-2020, 10:25 PM)jason Wrote: We should do that right after we find some capable linemen.

Based off the "evaluation" and "development" of Bengals OL over the last few years, I am convinced they're just going to need to outright buy quality OL players.

Just take the Reds approach to starting pitching and get it from other teams.

Need to go hard in FA and get two big time guys this offseason. My vote is Thuney and Bakhtiari, pay them whatever it takes to bring them here and then get them an OL Coach and HC/OC who clearly aren't in over their heads.

(10-12-2020, 10:00 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I think he'll be a good player, but I don't think he'll reach WR1 heights. Not even sure if he'll reach Boyd heights yet.

One of the greatest 2nd round pick they ever made? That's a huge jump of the gun to group him in with Collinsworth, Esiason, Pickens, Dillon, Chad, Whitworth, Dunlap, and Dalton... not to mention whatever Boyd does the rest of his career.

A rookie with 214 career yards to his name, on pace for 685 yards. Bengals still need to find a #1 WR in FA or draft.

(10-12-2020, 10:11 PM)bfine32 Wrote: We don't need a #1. We need a fast one that can run routes

Mostly agreed with Bfine. I'd love to have another AJ (not the current one, but the old one who caught passes, fought for balls, at least acted like he was trying to tackle someone who picked off Andy). 

But Tee doesn't have to be that. 

I'm not saying Tee is going to be the next TJ, but if he's close, great. TJ wasn't Chad. He didn't have to be. He was quick and reliable and that forced defenses to give him as much attention as they did our #1. So far, I'm liking the direction Tee is taking.

(10-12-2020, 11:34 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Based off the "evaluation" and "development" of Bengals OL over the last few years, I am convinced they're just going to need to outright buy quality OL players.

Just take the Reds approach to starting pitching and get it from other teams.

Need to go hard in FA and get two big time guys this offseason. My vote is Thuney and Bakhtiari, pay them whatever it takes to bring them here and then get them an OL Coach and HC/OC who clearly aren't in over their heads.

Agreed... Plus we don't have time to be doing all of this through the draft. Joe Burrow is only gonna be on that rookie contract for so long, then they have to pony up.

Higgins is going to start drawing opposing defenses best Boundary Corner with AJ on the sideline. How he handles that is going forward will be telling.

During the draft process, I was very bullish on Tee. Almost to a fault. He was my #1 want at 33 and, honestly, I didn't even expect him to make it there. I thought we were going to be given the choice of like Aiyuk, Reagor and Shenault (among a few others like Mims, who I didn't like that much).

With Tee, I just saw AJ Green. I even made an entire thread about how similar they are, in measurables, athletic test numbers, production, personality and playstyle.

I have been extremely excited and encouraged to see him develop in the last few games and I think his first 100 yard game is right around the corner. He had 62 yards of Burrow's 183 against Baltimore, so he's definitely getting plenty of looks.

There have been a few bad moments, like when he stepped out of bounds and came back in and claimed to be open (I'm not sure if this was a situation where you can do that in college but not the NFL or what, but he essentially wasted a down by trying to get away with one there) and, if I recall correctly, he had one really bad drop where the ball literally bounced off his face. But overall, I'm really happy with his performance so far this year.

If you extend his stats over a 16 game season, he'd be looking at 51 receptions, 684 yards, 6 touchdowns, 41 first downs and 10 gains of 20+ yards. And that implies he doesn't improve at all during the season ,which he already is, and he didn't play much in the season opener.

I'm looking forward to Burrow and Higgins being our next great QB - WR tandem.

(10-12-2020, 09:40 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: In this crapfest of the 2020 season I see a bright spot in Tee Higgins.  I’m usually more defense minded but Tee reminds me of TJ Houshmandzadeh the way he catches passes in traffic and fights for yards after the catch.  He may be one of the greatest second round picks the Bengals have made.  Once the line gives Joe Burrow time for plays to develop and time to set his feet you’re going to see Tee become his favorite downfield receiver.  It will be like Carson to Chad all over again; #9 to #85.

I can appreciate your optimism with most posts you start...but dude...its the 4th game of his career and you are already calling him one of the greatest 2nd round picks the Bengals have ever made? I mean he hasn't even been that great so far this year. He's been right about average... 

(10-13-2020, 10:35 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: There have been a few bad moments, like when he stepped out of bounds and came back in and claimed to be open (I'm not sure if this was a situation where you can do that in college but not the NFL or what, but he essentially wasted a down by trying to get away with one there) 

Not really a bad moment on him. He was pushed out of bounds by the defender. With the stupid NFL rule, he is now dead on the play. Only other thing he could have done other than catch the ball is just let it go to the ground or be intercepted. Better to catch it and hope the ref missed the push out.

I like Higgins. I think he and Boyd make for a solid tandem.
However, I think adding someone who is more of a home run threat would complement them well.
Although they may not even need that if the OL can actually give Burrow more time to throw and allow more time for routes to develop.

(10-12-2020, 09:40 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: In this crapfest of the 2020 season I see a bright spot in Tee Higgins.  I’m usually more defense minded but Tee reminds me of TJ Houshmandzadeh the way he catches passes in traffic and fights for yards after the catch.  He may be one of the greatest second round picks the Bengals have made.  Once the line gives Joe Burrow time for plays to develop and time to set his feet you’re going to see Tee become his favorite downfield receiver.  It will be like Carson to Chad all over again; #9 to #85.

As the guy that really wanted Chase Claypool, I am pleasantly surprised by Higgins.  I think he and Boyd will be great together, but I still wish they had a speed merchant to get vertical and force safeties deep.  Like John Ross, but with his head on straight.  That is a football remark, not an attack on mental health.  

(10-13-2020, 11:33 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: As the guy that really wanted Chase Claypool, I am pleasantly surprised by Higgins.  I think he and Boyd will be great together, but I still wish they had a speed merchant to get vertical and force safeties deep.  Like John Ross, but with his head on straight.  That is a football remark, not an attack on mental health.  

Ross just needs Gene Hackman to coach him up.......

If the Bengals do anything well; it’s draft WRs- all the way back to the 70’s

(10-13-2020, 11:43 AM)Devils Advocate Wrote: If the Bengals do anything well; it’s draft WRs- all the way back to the 70’s

Other than he who shall not be named...

(10-12-2020, 11:34 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Based off the "evaluation" and "development" of Bengals OL over the last few years, I am convinced they're just going to need to outright buy quality OL players.

Just take the Reds approach to starting pitching and get it from other teams.

Need to go hard in FA and get two big time guys this offseason. My vote is Thuney and Bakhtiari, pay them whatever it takes to bring them here and then get them an OL Coach and HC/OC who clearly aren't in over their heads.

Yup. You can't really fix a bad OL in the draft anymore because it takes years to coach guys up into quality starters.  Draft and develop works fine if you already have a solid line and you're coaching up eventual replacements, but the Bengals need at least 2 quality starters and ideally 4.  

(10-12-2020, 09:40 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: In this crapfest of the 2020 season I see a bright spot in Tee Higgins.  I’m usually more defense minded but Tee reminds me of TJ Houshmandzadeh the way he catches passes in traffic and fights for yards after the catch.  He may be one of the greatest second round picks the Bengals have made.  Once the line gives Joe Burrow time for plays to develop and time to set his feet you’re going to see Tee become his favorite downfield receiver.  It will be like Carson to Chad all over again; #9 to #85.

There have been some stellar 2nd round picks over the years. If Higgins can come close to Chad, Corey Dillon, Whitworth and Collinsworth then he will have been a spectacular pick.

I loved the Tee Higgins pick. Although I would not have complained if they selected OL help instead.

 

(10-12-2020, 09:40 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: In this crapfest of the 2020 season I see a bright spot in Tee Higgins.  I’m usually more defense minded but Tee reminds me of TJ Houshmandzadeh the way he catches passes in traffic and fights for yards after the catch.  He may be one of the greatest second round picks the Bengals have made.  Once the line gives Joe Burrow time for plays to develop and time to set his feet you’re going to see Tee become his favorite downfield receiver.  It will be like Carson to Chad all over again; #9 to #85.

Before the rooster crows, he will be denied 3 times...or.....Fans are Fickle. I seem to remember Boo Birds all over Carson.  Some fans on here already saying Burrow has no arm.   Joe Morgan, Rest In Peace, should have never been booed in Cincy after his MVP Years brought rare Cincy Championships, BUT HE WAS.  Ken Anderson on turf injured and booed game one of 1981, he won MVP taking Bengals to Super Bowl same season. It is just a matter of time when Higgins is booed. All glory is fleeting. ...You can bet your sweet pickle, that all fans are fickle, says Popeye the Sailor Man. 

Tee is a excellent number 3 or 4. Problem is Taylor is asking him to be a 1 or a 2. This wont end well.

(10-13-2020, 11:26 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Not really a bad moment on him. He was pushed out of bounds by the defender. With the stupid NFL rule, he is now dead on the play. Only other thing he could have done other than catch the ball is just let it go to the ground or be intercepted. Better to catch it and hope the ref missed the push out.

If he was pushed out, I don't think it counts. It looked more to me like he ran out of bounds so that the guy near him would stop covering him and hopefully he could get open. This is why I think the rule may be different in college. As far as catching it vs letting it hit the ground or be intercepted, you're right. Once the ball was heading his way, catching it was the right choice. But he presented himself to Burrow as a legitimate target when he wasn't, and Burrow probably didn't realize that, as he was escaping pressure he couldn't keep track of who did and did not step out of bounds. I don't know what he could have done differently other than just not going out of bounds but it was just a bad play all around.

I like the kid so far but it is a small sample. I kind of look at him as a Chris Henry type of player, which is good, but not #1 worthy. Would love to see the Bengals draft another WR as, we know, AJ is toast.

(10-13-2020, 05:22 PM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Tee is a excellent number 3 or 4. Problem is Taylor is asking him to be a 1 or a 2. This wont end well.

As he's currently the 2nd best WR on the team, then I really don't see any problem with asking him to be that #2 target. There's no reason for it to end poorly at all. The guy is a gamer.

Consider this, Higgins has started 3 games after overtaking Ross and he played in the other two games. In those 5 games he already has more receiving yards than Ross had in 11 starts and 16 games over his first 2 seasons. It's 210 yards versus 214.

Yeah, I'll take that over the 1st round bench warmer any day.