CHUK ny Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 I have looked at our receiver situation and I am baffled that we continue to employ the likes of Josh Reed. What does he give us really. He once was an award winning receiver coming out of LSU and had all the promise in the world. Now he is nothing more than a third down, possession receiver. He offers nothing as far as special teams, or points. He is too small to be a factor around the goal line (similar to Parrish), but offers nothing after the catch, evident by his 23 consecutive games w/out a TD snapped late last season. Many believe that parrish should be gone come training camp cuts and i think it should be Reed. Parrish helps on special teams and IMHO would be better served in the slot given the abundance of opportunities that Reed has seen. Also Steve Johnson would be nice to put in the slot with Evans and Owens if he can keep up the play he closed out 2008 with. I also think that 5 receivers is what will make the 53 man roster and Evans, Owens, Johnson, Parrish and Hardy seem to me to be our best 5. After 8 years of Reed simply being a small possession receiver that disappears when needed, it is time to move on and give parrish and johnson more opportunities to shine. Parrish would be great in the slot between the twenties and then use johnson and hardy in the slots inside the twenties. Those are my "hopes", let me know your opinions!
gregkash Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 I have looked at our receiver situation and I am baffled that we continue to employ the likes of Josh Reed. What does he give us really. He once was an award winning receiver coming out of LSU and had all the promise in the world. Now he is nothing more than a third down, possession receiver. He offers nothing as far as special teams, or points. He is too small to be a factor around the goal line (similar to Parrish), but offers nothing after the catch, evident by his 23 consecutive games w/out a TD snapped late last season. Many believe that parrish should be gone come training camp cuts and i think it should be Reed. Parrish helps on special teams and IMHO would be better served in the slot given the abundance of opportunities that Reed has seen. Also Steve Johnson would be nice to put in the slot with Evans and Owens if he can keep up the play he closed out 2008 with. I also think that 5 receivers is what will make the 53 man roster and Evans, Owens, Johnson, Parrish and Hardy seem to me to be our best 5. After 8 years of Reed simply being a small possession receiver that disappears when needed, it is time to move on and give parrish and johnson more opportunities to shine. Parrish would be great in the slot between the twenties and then use johnson and hardy in the slots inside the twenties. Those are my "hopes", let me know your opinions! I used to be like you. Just like you. Then I started actually watching Josh Reed. First of all, all his catches, first downs. Continually. He finds the marker, he goes past it, he catches ball. Moves chains. Second of all, he is the best blocking receiver we have on this team. For a team that likes to dump it to running backs, that is important. He may not be the most skilled receiver ever, but he is willing to do the dirty things that some receivers aren't willing to do. And in my opinion that makes him valuable. It's not like he's getting overpaid. Here's to you Josh Reed.
PushthePile Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 Josh Reed is the poor man's Hines Ward. He brings alot of value to a team that has other playmakers. I would hate to see him left out of the mix this year.
Lurker Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 Now he is nothing more than a third down, possession receiver. That's an extremely valuable role, and Reed plays it better than anyone else currently on the roster. He's also the most effective blocking WR, another valuble but unsung role. Roscoe's a leaf in the wind and even a modest gust can throw him off his route. Small works if you're a strong Steve Smith-type, which RP will never be. Even putting him in motion doesn't seem to help much, as he has to run around defenders to get to where he needs to be on the route, breaking down the timing more often than not. His value on quick screens seems limited as well, since he seems to go down the second a finger hits his jersey. Excellent punt returner, but not much of a WR, IMO. We'll have to see a full training camp of Johnson to get a feel for his ability to run routes, block, etc. He looks good in his development so far, but now that expectatins are higher, he'll have to step up even more.
CHUK ny Posted June 7, 2009 Author Posted June 7, 2009 I used to be like you. Just like you. Then I started actually watching Josh Reed. First of all, all his catches, first downs. Continually. He finds the marker, he goes past it, he catches ball. Moves chains. Second of all, he is the best blocking receiver we have on this team. For a team that likes to dump it to running backs, that is important. He may not be the most skilled receiver ever, but he is willing to do the dirty things that some receivers aren't willing to do. And in my opinion that makes him valuable. It's not like he's getting overpaid. Here's to you Josh Reed. He has always been our best blocking receiver...true, but until we drafted Hardy and Johnson last year we had no height or size. So you were not comparing him to much. He and Evans were the tallest receivers on the team (that saw the field for something other than special teams). The best blocker now, no...TO is one of the better blocking receivers in the league simply because he is willing and has the size. He has no size, no speed, no ability to step in and take an outside spot if an injury were to happen to the top two. He has given us 8 years and he has reached his potential. He is not going to get better from here, he is what he is and that is not the third best receiver on our team...
deep2evans Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 He has always been our best blocking receiver...true, but until we drafted Hardy and Johnson last year we had no height or size. So you were not comparing him to much. He and Evans were the tallest receivers on the team (that saw the field for something other than special teams). The best blocker now, no...TO is one of the better blocking receivers in the league simply because he is willing and has the size. He has no size, no speed, no ability to step in and take an outside spot if an injury were to happen to the top two. He has given us 8 years and he has reached his potential. He is not going to get better from here, he is what he is and that is not the third best receiver on our team... Blocking has nothing to do with height or size for a WR. It's all about heart. Ask Hines Ward.
Guest dog14787 Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 Josh Reed is the poor man's Hines Ward. He brings alot of value to a team that has other playmakers. I would hate to see him left out of the mix this year. I also make the same comparison, Josh Reed is to good to be forgotten, but don't worry though, I'm sure our coaches realize as much and I expect Reed to have one of the best years of his career.
CHUK ny Posted June 7, 2009 Author Posted June 7, 2009 Blocking has nothing to do with height or size for a WR. It's all about heart. Ask Hines Ward. First of all comparing Reed to Ward is an insult to an eventual HOFer. Secondly saying that Parrish is too small to block is no different. that was my point. If parrish is "too small", then Reed is not much bigger. My whole point is that the potential of this offense is better served getting johnson and parrish in one on one matchups with safties and nickle backs, than it is to just hand the position to Reed and have that take up a receiver spot that is too limited this year. Reed one on one in the slot is what opposing teams would rather too!
CHUK ny Posted June 7, 2009 Author Posted June 7, 2009 I also make the same comparison, Josh Reed is to good to be forgotten, but don't worry though, I'm sure our coaches realize as much and I expect Reed to have one of the best years of his career. Of course he will have one of his best years. His previous years were not great by any means. Hines Ward is very productive as a receiver and one of the best blocking WR's ever. You do not hang on to a WR for his blocking. I understand how blocking is an underappreciated skill, playing WR myself in high school, college, and in the Marines! I understand what it is to be a receiver and in past years Reed was valuable as a possession compliment to Reed. I am saying that it is no longer necessary to keep him over other younger better WR's. Are you so sur that no other WR we have is able to block like Reed?
Lurker Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 If parrish is "too small", then Reed is not much bigger. That one just leaves me speechless. You're saying 40-45 extra pounds of muscle (Reed @ 210 versus RP @ 165-170 is not much of a difference? My whole point is that the potential of this offense is better served getting johnson and parrish in one on one matchups with safties and nickle backs, than it is to just hand the position to Reed and have that take up a receiver spot that is too limited this year. Reed one on one in the slot is what opposing teams would rather too! I'm stll waiting for RP's 'one-on-one with the safety' prowess to kick in. As for Reed, I'm sure seeing the chains move on third down or ML getting two extra yards on a sweep tends to get annoying after a while...
Guest dog14787 Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 Of course he will have one of his best years. His previous years were not great by any means. Hines Ward is very productive as a receiver and one of the best blocking WR's ever. You do not hang on to a WR for his blocking. I understand how blocking is an underappreciated skill, playing WR myself in high school, college, and in the Marines! I understand what it is to be a receiver and in past years Reed was valuable as a possession compliment to Reed. I am saying that it is no longer necessary to keep him over other younger better WR's. Are you so sur that no other WR we have is able to block like Reed? You do realize that Reed catches almost anything thrown at him right? Sure I like the way he blocks, but I also like the way he catches the ball, even in heavy traffic. Speaking of balls, Reed also has balls of steel, plus he's as tough as nails and a couple of big reasons why he reminds me so much of Hines Ward.
CHUK ny Posted June 7, 2009 Author Posted June 7, 2009 That one just leaves me speechless. You're saying 40-45 extra pounds of muscle (Reed @ 210 versus RP @ 165-170 is not much of a difference? I was merely saying, you can't say that size doesn't matter when it comes to blocking that it is all heart, and in your next breathe say RP is too small to block. Its contradicting. I'm stll waiting for RP's 'one-on-one with the safety' prowess to kick in. As for Reed, I'm sure seeing the chains move on third down or ML getting two extra yards on a sweep tends to get annoying after a while... As for what all those chain moving receptions and two extra yards on the occasional run have amounted to over the last few years, yeah it gets annoying to watch the guy catch a ball and fall down waiting to be touched, step out of bounds, or simply do nothing other than catch it. What i am saying is that it is time for new blood and to see what these other WR's can do. If RP goes, he will produce elsewhere which the bills like to do. They will most likely keep Reed and play him over the others...That has just gotten tiresome to me. we have Wr's that can be capable blockers while producing more than 45 receptions for 450 yards and no TD's. Hines Ward does much more than that!
VOR Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 Last year Reed caught 14 passes on 3rd and converted 11 of them, and caught 1 pass on 4th down and converted it. And he missed 4 games. You can't easilyreplace a guy like that,. His blocking has already been discussed.
silvermike Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 Just give up. Reed is a valuable role-player, and deserves his roster spot on this team. End of story.
OrangeJuiceSimpson Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 After 8 years of Reed simply being a small possession receiver that disappears when needed I know! I'm so sick of Reed still being small!!! And possesion receivers are just big butt heads!
Flbillsfan#1 Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 First of all comparing Reed to Ward is an insult to an eventual HOFer. Secondly saying that Parrish is too small to block is no different. that was my point. If parrish is "too small", then Reed is not much bigger. My whole point is that the potential of this offense is better served getting johnson and parrish in one on one matchups with safties and nickle backs, than it is to just hand the position to Reed and have that take up a receiver spot that is too limited this year. Reed one on one in the slot is what opposing teams would rather too! Do you realize Reed was a RB before being converted to receiver? There is a HUGH difference between Reed & Parish with regards to their bodys. That said, I like Parish also.
Lurker Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 As for what all those chain moving receptions and two extra yards on the occasional run have amounted to over the last few years, probably a win or two...on a team challenged for wins like the Bills, that's nothing to throw away lightly. yeah it gets annoying to watch the guy catch a ball and fall down waiting to be touched, step out of bounds, or simply do nothing other than catch it. I thought we were talking about Reed. That description sounds like Roscoe. we have Wr's that can be capable blockers while producing more than 45 receptions for 450 yards and no TD's. Scratch Roscoe on that. Johnson's a maybe, and he'll earn his shot at Reed's job this summer at SJF. BTW, 45 receptions for a third WR is pretty impressive, particularly when one of every three are first down conversions.
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 I know! I'm so sick of Reed still being small!!! And possesion receivers are just big butt heads! IMO, the fact that Reed hasn't grown an inch since we drafted him just speaks to his lack of commitment.
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