Are AJ/Dalton the best

[*Go Cards*]

(08-04-2016, 05:59 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: The question was draft picks, not best Bengals careers, so I was going off of career performance, not career as a Bengal performance. Just because a guy later plays on another team doesn't make that draft pick bad. It's still a very good draft pick.


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That said, there is no way that AJ performed better than Chad in their first 5 years. If you look just a straight up comparison of stats without taking into context the time frame it was put up during, sure, but here's the simple fact. After 5 years in the NFL, Chad had led the AFC in receiving yards *TWICE*.

Chad in his 3rd-5th years finished 4th, 6th, and 3rd in the NFL in receiving yards. AJ finished 5th, 20th, and 8th.

Sure Chad had a much worse rookie season, but that's why AJ was drafted 4th overall and Chad was drafted 36th overall. But after that? Chad became the best WR in the AFC. AJ isn't even the best WR in the AFC North. (In the AFCN alone, he's finished 1st once, 2nd twice, 3rd twice.)

Love AJ, he's going to have a great career, but people continually forget/underplay how great Chad Johnson was in his prime.

Gotta keep in mind Chad put up his numbers when there were only like 2-4 QBs a year who threw for 4,000 yards. (And against the AFCN when the Ravens and Steelers were actually good at defense.)

Agree Chad was very good and the book is still being written on AJ. 

But if he keeps up this pace and actually brings playoff victories to Cincinnati Chad will be in the rearview mirror quickly.

Right now it is still ongoing though and Chad definitely warrants discussion here while we are still in wait and see mode with AJ's career.