Really, it's rediculous how overrated Baker is on this board. If he's so good, how come everyone wanted Heath Miller a few years ago? How come Baker couldn't find another team when he was a FA last year? Don't get me wrong, Baker is a good #2 TE, but he's barely average as a primary TE
Wow...there is someone out there who agrees with me. I agree with all of the above... When people said that Baker was having a "breakout" year in 2005 it was BS...He started 8 games that year...had 18 receptions, 269 yards and 1 TD...he had 10 of those receptions, over 100 of those yards and that TD in the very first game of the year...the rest of the season he did dick... Baker in his career doesn't have over 90 receptions 1000 yards, 10 TD's in his 5 year career! I am pretty sure we have room for improvement at the TE position.
Baker didn't put up good numbers because he wasn't used in receiving very much. He was used in blocking most of the time. by drafting olsen, the jets would receive a guy who can purely recieve, he cant block, which is what they see the TE as being used for. I dont think olsen is a bad player, i think he can improve a team that will use his receiving abilities, but i just think that a) he does not fit the jets offensive agenda and b) we have more pressing needs such as the OL, Cb or the linebackers
I agree with all of the above. Ask yourself which TE's have been very good over the last decade or so. What you'll find is a bunch of guys who played with relatively strong-armed QB's who threw up the seams all the time. The Jets choose not to do this, probably because they recognize that Chad's INT's would go up if he was throwing downfield between the hashmarks on a regular basis. Instead they use the flats and the sidelines mainly with the passes across the middle generally being quick slants and dumpoffs just over the line of scrimmage after the play has developed. There really is no room for a classic vertical TE in the Jet's offense. That's one of the reasons that Jolley was such a waste.
I posted this in another thread, but.. It's from Rotoworld.com, which obviously is a fantasy site. Still their assessment of Olsen (and the TE's in general this year) are worth considering. _____________________________________________________________ You may have heard that this year's class of tight ends is weak. It's closer to awful. Joe Klopfenstein likely would've been the best or second-best prospect on this list. He definitely would've been the second fastest. Leonard Pope, a third-round pick in 2006, would also be either 1 or 2. Jason Pociask and Quinn Sypniewski would be high. Few of the following players are likely to make instant impacts for the teams they land with, and it's possible none will. I'd recommend against drafting any of these guys after Greg Olsen and Zach Miller in your dynasty league later this offseason, and wouldn't even take Olsen or Miller until very late. 1. Greg Olsen, Miami (FL) Overall Rank: 55 Ht/Wt: 6-6/254 Combine: 4.51 forty, 23 reps of 225, 36-inch vertical, 9-foot-6 inch broad jump, 4.48 short shuttle Pro Day: 37.5-inch vertical, 9-foot-11 inch broad jump, 4.41 short shuttle Negatives: Olsen scored just once as a junior before declaring early. Neither did he stretch the field (11.7 YPC). Olsen struggled with injuries in three of his four years at The U, including his freshman season, for which he was forced to redshirt due to a shoulder injury. He is considered a "finesse" blocker and does not use his strength in that area. Positives: A converted quarterback, Olsen is an above-average athlete with exceptional straight-line speed. He also can long snap. His hands are adequate. It's possible Olsen's best days are ahead of him. Verdict: 6-6, 254 pounds, 4.5 speed, and one touchdown? Granted Miami's QBs were inconsistent, but the best players know how to find the end zone. There's a good chance Olsen will struggle for playing time as a rookie because he'll basically be a third wideout who won't block. Olsen is a developmental athlete who might go late in Round One but probably doesn't deserve to.
Strong arm QB's? Drew Brees to Gates? Trent Green to Gonzalez? Those are the two best TE's in the league and both QB's have just above average arm strength.
regarding touchdowns......i do not want my pass catching TE scoring touchdowns..... i want him in-between the 20's and once in the red zone my RB, slot rec, and "blocking" TE become more of a threat. jil
Actually they both have quite good arms. Brees is short and Green is old. Those are the knocks on them recently. At Purdue Brees had the best arm in the Big 10 for 2 years running.
the key is using this as a smokescreen to stockpile more picks. if olson is available, we'll trade down and get a 4th or something and take blaylock anyway. if olson gets picked before us, great! that gives us more players we actually like for our pick.
I don't see how lining him up as an H-back would make any difference. If he is a one-dimensional player teams will know what he is going to do. If he is a devastating receiver, fair enough, because then he's so good it doesn't matter if he can't block. Is he a devastating receiver? (An honest question, not sarcasm!)
that's the point i made: if he's a good enough receiver then it shouldn't matter if he can't block IF AND ONLY IF we also get a starting OL (i.e. Beekman). in that scenario, the OL improves, and we add Offensive weapon. the thing is, i don't think any of us know how good of a receiver he is because he didn't shine like Shockey and Winslow at the U for whatever reasons, be it the QB play, their O, or his underachievements. but i recall the college analysts singing his praises ever since he arrived there. cheers
Olsen is not a Vernon Davis or Tony Gonzalez type. Even comparing to the other Miami TEs that preceded him like Franks, Shockey and Winslow is an unfair comparison. Those guys were top 15 talents coming out of college. Olsen by most accounts is considered a low 1st round/high 2nd round talent. The TEs we should be comparing him are those that were drafted or projected to be drafted in that range. IMO he fits in very well with the following group. He is not the best but certainly not the worst. Todd Heap Anthony Becht Alge Crumpler Bennie Joppru Joe Klofenstein Ben troupe Jerramy Stevens Daniel Graham Ben Watson Heath Miller Mercedes Lewis Considering the lack of depth at TE in this draft, getting Olsen at 25 is excellent value if you are in the market for a TE.
interestingly, off the top of my head, 5 of those TE's were in a Superbowl: Heap, Stevens, Graham, Watson, and Miller. i'm not saying this is cause-and-effect, and those TE's took their teams to the Superbowl; but maybe this shows the value of a TE that's a receiving threat. cheers
Is this some sort of stupid joke? Baker is awesome and is a team player which is an absolute rarity for a TE nowadays. He is improving every year and does what he has been asked.
Don't be too conscerned about the blocking-- Ends are never considered to be good blockers coming out-- Heath Miller wasn't, and now he's one of the best blockers in the NFL. I think most Ends have to work on that, and unless it's a specialist like Pociask, you will hear about ends lacking blocking ability. Olsen is really strong though- his strength numbers were really impressive. I want Blalock, but I'm trying to open my eyes to Olsen, Spencer, Poz, Houston, Ross, Grubbs. BTW-- your ideal Jets mock is pretty much the same as mine-- Blalock and Woodley is my dream, and I like Hughes a lot as well.
Same here. I'm trying not to be disappointed on Saturday because, especially in the first, almost anyone we pick who would be of value there helps a position of need.
