state of the team............ te

time for another positional outlook... on to the te's

overview:

one of the more stable units on the team, but there is competition to be had here.... the top 2 spots are set and after that we have some battles to look at...... while not a competition that will generate a ton of intrigue, I still find it worth covering.... with rumors of will Johnson pulling double duty in camp at fb and te, it really only leaves one spot open..... let the battle begin

individual:

heath miller --- the unquestioned starter, and a player that defenses must account for at all times.... cannot be covered by linebackers and can out fight most safeties.... very good blocker, and one of the most complete te's in the game

matt spaeth --- widely considered the best blocking te in the league, and can move the chains occasionally. at 6'8" one would think he would be more of a red zone threat..... that's really my only issue with him..

rob blanchflower --- intriguing skill set... above average blocker, with some skill as a receiver... also has problems staying healthy, which is the biggest thing that will hold him back in the competition for the final te spot.... the practice squad looks to be in his future.

Bryce davis --- long shot to make it as a te, but he's also got skill as a long snapper.....still may be on the outside looking in.

david Paulson --- good guy with upside as a receiver, but his blocking remains suspect.... he may have run out of chances here ..... if he's gone, he'll stick somewhere in the league.

Michael palmer --- my pick for the final te spot..... very athletic, with above ave. hands and finds the open spot in the defense.. good blocker also, which begs the question, why he is so well traveled... in any case, their loss is our gain...

eric waters --- hard worker, but definitely on the outside looking in


next up: qb's

 

It drives me nuts that Spaeth is unable to take advantage of his height as a receiver. He should be a huge weapon, but he just can't be counted on to bring in the big catches.

Good analysis. I look forward to Heath returning to the glory you describe.

 

This is perhaps the only position I'm not excited about seeing this year. I'm hoping Blanchflower proves his critics wrong, but really we need to pick up someone higher in the draft next year.

Snack is right about Spaeth. When he was drafted, I remember saying to a friend that we'd picked up a monster, in terms of size. It's just not happened though. His blocking is ok. His catching is ok. But neither are reliable.

 

His health is a major concern in my eyes.


scruffy