Niles Paul moving to TE?

[J-bomb]

LL‏@LL56_HTTR

#Redskins hope to be uptempo fast break offense to get up in teams early. Team can get up by 10-14 points then let the defense T off on the QB.

[Pedro]

That is a giant pile of talent, size, speed, athleticism, youth .. and a sprinkle of leadership from Moss and possibly Cooley.

4.4 speed at TE is a tough match up. Robinson in the slot would be another speed boost.

Add Schmitt to Young for when we want bigger blockers, who can also both catch, plus Schmitt has some experience running the ball. Paul is big enough to carry the ball too, if we wanted to for a play or two.

I'd like that pick we might have used on a TE to go on an OC. We already know Paul can block at the NFL level.

[HOF44]

I sincerely hope your right man, but as we currently stand pre-draft, I don't see a rookie QB making a group of back-up's, which 3 or 4 of them are in an ideal World; look that much better than they are.

Hail.

*Edit* The O-line that is, before there's any confusion.

I would tend to agree with you, but our QB play has been soooo atrocious that even with the expected rookie QB growing pains I think it will improve over anything we have seen in a good while. Rex has no deep out ball, most of his stuff is limited to the middle of the field. I really doubt that even as a rook that Griff will turn the ball over more than Rex. Really just depends on how well and how quick griff sees the field.

[LD0506]

I honestly believe that a lot of people will be shocked-n-surprised at just how good some of the young'uns look w/ a different QB, there is substantial unrealized talent on this roster.

[Stophovr6]

I'm not worried about this. We went out and got two starting receivers, If he works out at TE, I don't see the loss. He can still contribute on ST.

[Conn]

Paul is a fat ass so we'll see how it works out.

Huh?

---------- Post added April-19th-2012 at 07:37 PM ----------

You realize, of course, that Fred Davis used to be a WR before becoming a TE...

And Darrel Young used to be a LB before becoming a FB...

And that's not even bringing up 'Zo.

[IrepDC]

This sounds like a move I'd make in Madden with a big, fast, WR, that has good run blocking. Seriously though, more speed/play makers on the field is a good thing.

[daveakl]

Just think how far along he could have been if there wasn't a lockout last year.

[HeluCopter29]

I've been saying this for a while. He's more of a TE to me then a WR. I don't know where this idea that he has "blazing speed" comes from. He ran a 4.45 which is fast, but I wouldn't call it stellar. If he bulks up a little more it sounds like a great move to me.

[HailGreen28]

Are we that weak at TE, or that loaded at WR?

At TK's mentioning it in one thread, I saw Paul outrun Banks downfield on a return. Niles blocks well, really doesn't have TE size. Blocking DEs and LBs is a totally different world than blocking CBs. What's the reason Paul isn't in our starting WR rotation?

[HOF44]

He also did 24 reps on the bench at the combine. That would put him at #4 for TE's at his combine, and #2 for WR's.

[SkinsTillIDie]

If Cooley's gone maybe I could see it at a push, but even then I'd still be shocked if he wasn't part of the receiving group

Paul will be part of the receiving group -- just a receiving tight end doing most of his work over the middle.

By the second game he was playing significant snaps, we were already tipping our hand when we put Paul into the game. We could (theoretically) put onto the field a 1 WR, 3 TE formation with Hankerson, Davis, Cooley and Paul that is in equal parts a passing and running formation. A lot to be done there creatively with pre-snap movement.

The game is changing, and the tight end position in particular is changing -- the responsibilities, the make and model. With Paul's size, toughness and YAC ability (and particularly with our current WR core and the long-term hole at #2 TE), it seems like Paul's best chance to make an impact could be at the tight end position.

Again, a jack-of-all-trades type, a Lorenzo Alexander for our offense, a guy who can play WR, TE, (H-back down the line?), while excelling on special teams as a gunner. Perhaps even developing into the prototypical new age TE/WR hybrid

[illone]

It's the new 3TE set!

[Dark Acre]

On passing plays, our tight ends generally chip and go out into routes, and on running plays, aren't asked to block in-line.

As Keenan McCardell said, Niles Paul is the best blocking receiver he's ever seen. I doubt we'll be asking him to pack on significant weight

Considering how Portis blew a few linemen up and he wasn't asked to bulk up to 235-240....

---------- Post added April-19th-2012 at 07:33 PM ----------

But the talk was about Cooley's ability to gain YAC...not about his ability to be a playmaker. YAC does not equal playmaker.

For example, Randy Moss was undoubtedly a playmaker in 2007 with the Patriots...his stats were basically 100 catches, 1,500 yards and 23 TDs. However, his YAC was abysmal. He ranked #25 of all WRs in yards after the catch.

How many of those 100 catches were: 1) caught in the end zone; or 2) at the side line; or 3) required such acrobatic skill (which only Moss had) that put him in position to be unable to get YAC. You can't just look at the raw #s. In football, more so than probably any major team sport, the stats and the outcome can be 180 degrees opposite. Look at Riggins in '83. He had a 3.6 avg. However, how many of those 24 TDs were from 3 yards or closer? How many times was he focusing on getting a first on 3rd & 1? Without looking at a proper sample of catches, you really can't tell if Moss's YAC sucked because he sucks at YAC or if the circumstances of those catches worked against YAC.

[redskins55]

Well with Davis one mistake away from a years suspension, and Cooley's recent injuries. I think its a great possibility to consider as a plan "C"

[zoony]

Good luck blocking an LB

[Darth Tater]

We have ran decently with the box stacked. If they consistently put in 5 or 6 db's our offensive line should look much better. I think it will really be an eye opener how much better our O talent will look with a real honest to god legit QB threat.

Yeah, there's a reason that Baylor was one of the best run teams in the nation and ran about 55% of the time.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

It's the new 3TE set!

That just had me literally LOL.

Hail.

[moondog]

He's a very physical and fast blocker. Most of the time he came in last year he'd be in motion and behind the offensive line when the ball was snapped like a TE anyway. I'm betting he'll remain primarily a receiver but will see more time as an H-Back or something similar in order to get him in the game as a run blocker while keeping our other receivers in the game.

[RabidFan]

Whatever gets him on the field more on O i'm down with.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

How many of those 100 catches were: 1) caught in the end zone; or 2) at the side line; or 3) required such acrobatic skill (which only Moss had) that put him in position to be unable to get YAC. You can't just look at the raw #s. In football, more so than probably any major team sport, the stats and the outcome can be 180 degrees opposite. Look at Riggins in '83. He had a 3.6 avg. However, how many of those 24 TDs were from 3 yards or closer? How many times was he focusing on getting a first on 3rd & 1? Without looking at a proper sample of catches, you really can't tell if Moss's YAC sucked because he sucks at YAC or if the circumstances of those catches worked against YAC.

I'm not sure if you're getting my point here lol...which was: "YAC" and "Playmaker" aren't synonymous. My example of Randy Moss was not a comment about Moss' ability to get YAC...it was to show that a player could be a HUGE playmaker and practically get no YAC while doing so.

[Skin'Em84]

May have been covered, but Paul is supposedly up to 235ish (according to his Twitter he put on some pounds.) He's still fast as heck, and would be nice as a H-Back/TE/Slot Reciever type role. Like the Lorenzo Alexander of the offense.

[mojo]

I'm just worried if gains too much bulk he won't be able to do his backflip catch. I was really looking forward to seeing that in a game this year.

[Destino]

I don't see a WR that would make a tiny TE being relied on too much for blocking. Seems like a way to get more speed on the field (the theme of this offseason on offense). Cooley and Davis trimmed down last season. Wide outs have gotten faster. Oline is smaller and more mobile. They traded up for the fastest QB in the draft.

Shanny wants a speed offense.

[Spunkush]

I don't see a WR that would make a tiny TE being relied on too much for blocking. Seems like a way to get more speed on the field (the theme of this offseason on offense). Cooley and Davis trimmed down last season. Wide outs have gotten faster. Oline is smaller and more mobile. They traded up for the fastest QB in the draft.

Shanny wants a speed offense.

Yep, its pretty exciting. IF Paul can carry something like 245 and still run a 4.5 40, we could see a pretty flexible weapon on the offense this year.