Best Bengal WR all time

[Bengalbug]

The other day Chad and TJ were on a pod and Chad Johnson says Chase.

TJ disagrees and says Chad should be a HOF and is the best all time Bengal WR of all time, but Chase is on his way.

Chad said he never had a triple crown, TJ says he was a top 5 receiver 5/7 years.

Chase already has the best 2 seasons in bengals history.

Thoughts?

[Mer]

As much as I don't like giving it to someone so early in their career, I have to say Chase. Johnson was great for us as well. I'm definitely not trying to take anything away from him. He had the fastest feet of the 2 in my opinion.

[ERIC1]

John Ross

[TecmoBengals]

I'll take 4 wide with Burrow throwing the ball to Chase, Chad, AJ, and a personal fav in Eddie Brown.

[Whatever]

Depends. If we're talking about whether you take prime Chad vs prime Chase, it's Chase by a wide margin.

If you compare their entire careers, I feel it's currently Chad, but Chase will surpass him in the next couple of years. The Triple Crown, top two seasons in club history, breaking the playoffs drought, and an AFC Championship weigh a lot compared to Chad's longevity.

[BenZoo2]

Would love to have seen Issac Curtis in todays pass happy league with a good qb and offense around him.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Currently: Chad

He had a 3 year stretch where he was the best WR in football, and a 5 year stretch where he was top-3. In a time where DBs could manhandle WRs and WRs were just getting their heads blown up by tacklers. The NFL changed a LOT with the 2011 CBA.

Chase could very well surpass Chad, but he hasn't yet.

[Sled21]

Chase has to live at the stadium for two years....

[*jason*]

Chad was amazing... Those feet... But Ja'Marr is something different.

[sandwedge]

(03-29-2025, 01:12 PM)BenZoo2 Wrote: Would love to have seen Issac Curtis in todays pass happy league with a good qb and offense around him.

Unfortunately, I think there are only a few of us that ever got to see Curtis play. There was no illegal contact, defensive holding. It pretty much took an act of God to get a PI called.

[TecmoBengals]

(03-29-2025, 02:37 PM)jason Wrote: Chad was amazing... Those feet... But Ja'Marr is something different.

I'll take the river dance over the griddy.

[*jason*]

(03-29-2025, 02:37 PM)sandwedge Wrote: Unfortunately, I think there are only a few of us that ever got to see Curtis play. There was no illegal contact, defensive holding. It pretty much took an act of God to get a PI called.

I remember him, but he was at the tail end of his career, and I was very young.

[CJD]

(03-29-2025, 11:21 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: The other day Chad and TJ were on a pod and Chad Johnson says Chase.

TJ disagrees and says Chad should be a HOF and is the best all time Bengal WR of all time, but Chase is on his way.

Chad said he never had a triple crown, TJ says he was a top 5 receiver 5/7 years.  

Chase already has the best 2 seasons in bengals history.

Thoughts?

I think Chase will be the most successful WR in Bengals history in regards to team success and stats, but I still marvel at what AJ Green was capable of when he was here. He not only had outstanding hands, but he had insane body control and jumping ability. I view AJ Green as a true complete receiver. It's just a shame he was paired with Andy Dalton his entire career. Chad having Carson and Chase having Burrow is going to make them look better than Green in terms of raw stats.

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(03-29-2025, 01:12 PM)BenZoo2 Wrote: Would love to have seen Issac Curtis in todays pass happy league with a good qb and offense around him.

Was going to say the same, and Carl Pickens deserves love too!

He averaged 21.2 yard a catch on season when the team passing average in the league was less than 180 yards!

So darned good they changed the rules to stop him...

Isaac Curtis (1973–1984)

Isaac Curtis tallied 416 receptions, 7,101 yards, and 53 touchdowns over 12 seasons. His 1975 season (44 receptions, 934 yards, 7 TDs) averaged 21.2 yards per catch in an era when passing was just 178 yards per game league-wide. His 2.3 YPRR then was exceptional, and adjusting to modern volume (doubling attempts from ~25 to ~35 per game) and a 17-game slate, he’d project to ~70 receptions, 1,400 yards, and 11 TDs. Curtis’s speed forced the NFL to change rules (the “Isaac Curtis Rule” limiting contact beyond 5 yards), but his raw stats suffer from the run-first 1970s.


Carl Pickens (1992–1999)

Carl Pickens notched 530 receptions, 6,887 yards, and 63 touchdowns in eight seasons. His 1995 season (99 receptions, 1,234 yards, 17 TDs) was monstrous for the mid-1990s, when league passing averaged ~210 yards per game. His 2.01 YPRR that year, adjusted for a 17-game season and modern passing volume (+20% attempts), projects to ~120 receptions, 1,500 yards, and 20 TDs—a jaw-dropping stat line. Pickens thrived in a less pass-friendly era with inconsistent quarterback play (e.g., Jeff Blake, David Klingler), making his peak arguably the most impressive relative to context.

[sandwedge]

(03-29-2025, 04:12 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: Was going to say the same, and Carl Pickens deserves love too!

He averaged 21.2 yard a catch on season when the team passing average in the league was less than 180 yards!

So darned good they changed the rules to stop him...

Isaac Curtis (1973–1984)

Isaac Curtis tallied 416 receptions, 7,101 yards, and 53 touchdowns over 12 seasons. His 1975 season (44 receptions, 934 yards, 7 TDs) averaged 21.2 yards per catch in an era when passing was just 178 yards per game league-wide. His 2.3 YPRR then was exceptional, and adjusting to modern volume (doubling attempts from ~25 to ~35 per game) and a 17-game slate, he’d project to ~70 receptions, 1,400 yards, and 11 TDs. Curtis’s speed forced the NFL to change rules (the “Isaac Curtis Rule” limiting contact beyond 5 yards), but his raw stats suffer from the run-first 1970s.


Carl Pickens (1992–1999)

Carl Pickens notched 530 receptions, 6,887 yards, and 63 touchdowns in eight seasons. His 1995 season (99 receptions, 1,234 yards, 17 TDs) was monstrous for the mid-1990s, when league passing averaged ~210 yards per game. His 2.01 YPRR that year, adjusted for a 17-game season and modern passing volume (+20% attempts), projects to ~120 receptions, 1,500 yards, and 20 TDs—a jaw-dropping stat line. Pickens thrived in a less pass-friendly era with inconsistent quarterback play (e.g., Jeff Blake, David Klingler), making his peak arguably the most impressive relative to context.

For some reason, I was bigger on Darnay Scott than Pickens. 

[samhain]

Jeff Query. His mullet puts him ahead of all other prospective contenders.

[*Awful Llama*]

(03-29-2025, 07:31 PM)samhain Wrote: Jeff Query.  His mullet puts him ahead of all other prospective contenders.

You're putting Query ahead of Danny Farmer?  How am I supposed to take you seriously?  

IMHO:

1) Chase
2) Chad
3) AJ

[samhain]

(03-29-2025, 08:31 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: You're putting Query ahead of Danny Farmer?  How am I supposed to take you seriously?  

IMHO:

1) Chase
2) Chad
3) AJ

I'd say the same with Curtis not too far off from AJ.  If AJ played longer and stayed healthier, he may have been number one.  He was no doubt the most important player on the team from the day he was drafted to the day Burrow put on the jersey.  He absolutely took over games on more than one occasion.  

Chase is unlike any player I've seen.  Maybe Steve Smith Sr.  He's smart, fast, strong and hyper-competitive.  Looks like a running back playing receiver.  Between him and 9, you have to be cognizant of the fact that you might be and probably are watching the two greatest ever to wear the uniform.  

Chad for me is the face of the franchise from an all-time perspective. With Carson banished, he's the only relic from that time with legitimacy.  He was so good for so long that you almost took him for granted.  Tough as hell, too because there was nothing to him and he took shots from some real killers and popped right up.  

[*bfine32*]

You have to compare them to their peers instead of each other.

I gotta currently give it to Chad but hopefully, I can soon give it to Ja'Mar

[BenZoo2]

(03-29-2025, 04:12 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: Was going to say the same, and Carl Pickens deserves love too!

He averaged 21.2 yard a catch on season when the team passing average in the league was less than 180 yards!

So darned good they changed the rules to stop him...

Isaac Curtis (1973–1984)

Isaac Curtis tallied 416 receptions, 7,101 yards, and 53 touchdowns over 12 seasons. His 1975 season (44 receptions, 934 yards, 7 TDs) averaged 21.2 yards per catch in an era when passing was just 178 yards per game league-wide. His 2.3 YPRR then was exceptional, and adjusting to modern volume (doubling attempts from ~25 to ~35 per game) and a 17-game slate, he’d project to ~70 receptions, 1,400 yards, and 11 TDs. Curtis’s speed forced the NFL to change rules (the “Isaac Curtis Rule” limiting contact beyond 5 yards), but his raw stats suffer from the run-first 1970s.


Carl Pickens (1992–1999)

Carl Pickens notched 530 receptions, 6,887 yards, and 63 touchdowns in eight seasons. His 1995 season (99 receptions, 1,234 yards, 17 TDs) was monstrous for the mid-1990s, when league passing averaged ~210 yards per game. His 2.01 YPRR that year, adjusted for a 17-game season and modern passing volume (+20% attempts), projects to ~120 receptions, 1,500 yards, and 20 TDs—a jaw-dropping stat line. Pickens thrived in a less pass-friendly era with inconsistent quarterback play (e.g., Jeff Blake, David Klingler), making his peak arguably the most impressive relative to context.

Nice post!