2017 NFL Preseason Thread: Ki-Jana Carter edition

Didn't remember that either until a buddy whose dad was born in Cuba mentioned it last week. He's a Dolphins fan and said about 30% of their fan base is Cuban American, not sure where he got that number but the Cuban American population is large in Miami.

 

A guy who enters the season 9th all-time in catches, 14th all-time in yards and 23rd in TDs isn't great. Got it.

And by the end of just September will be 8th, 13th and 15th.

 

They reduced the number of bye weeks from 9 to 7.

Any word on the reason?

 

The Ringer had a good article about this the other week - With how prevalent passing is now, much of the record book stuff for receivers is going to be confusing for the next couple years. I think voters are going to struggle with which ones to put in and which ones to leave out, especially considering a guy like Terrell Owens didn't go in first ballot. (He has baggage that Boldin doesn't, I realize.)

 

I don't know if I necessarily buy that for a couple reasons -- one, the voters have been having trouble putting in receivers for the last 20 years. two, you can still compare the era they played in -- all-pro, pro bowls, all-decade teams, etc. to sort guys out.

Will there be more borderline candidates just based on the numbers? Probably.

But lets take catches. 1,000 is probably the benchmark to say someone is a lock. Let's look at active wide receivers:

Fitzgerald, Boldin and Steve Smith are already there. I left of Andre Johnson because he just retired.
Brandon Marshall is at 941. He's going to get there.
Antonio Brown is at 632. He is 29.
Pierre Garcon is at 564. He is 31.
Demaryius Thomas is at 546. He is 29.
Vincent Jackson is at 540. He is 34.
Michael Crabtree is at 521. He is 29.
Desean Jackson (30) is at 498
Julio Jones (28) and Jordy Nelson (32) are at 497

There are nine players at least half way to 1,000. Marshall will get it. Who else can you guarantee -- Brown and Jones? I think it's safe to say people would view them as Hall of Famers. I don't think the others come particularly close, even with the changes in the game. I still think if you get that high on the all-time lists in regards to yards and receptions, there's really not going to be a question.

 

I'm surprised no one has developed an formula based on percentage of yards for team, seems HOFers should be at the 90th percentile when compared to what the rest of the league is doing during their career in all stats.

 

At no point in his career - except the year he averaged 100 yards per game - do I consider Boldin among the Top 5 WRs in the game.

He was helped by the fact he played with Larry Fitzgerald for most of his career. In Baltimore he was complimented by Derrick Mason and Torrey Smith.
In San Fran it was Crabtree.

As noted above .. There is already a HUGE glut of WRs deserving, but not in ... Also as noted, the former marks for WRs no longer apply. The passing game has exploded. The benchmarks aren't applicable.
In his career there was seldom a time you worry he's going to be THE one beat you.

 

T.O. not being in is stupid.

 

Just to note as a comparison, Hines Ward doesn't belong, either?

 

A WRs production greatly depends on his QB, that formula wouldn't account for that.

 

Boldin has been a good player for a long time. He's not a Hall of Famer.

 

Devonta Freeman, Falcons agree on five-year contract extension

Le'Veon Bell's going to be pissed. (Actually, he will pass Freeman as the league's highest-paid running back once he signs, but still.)

At the moment, Devonta Freeman is the NFL's highest-paid running back.