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Ben Solak
With NFL rookie minicamps underway, it feels as if all the main focus is on the 2025 draft class. However I’ve seen sufficient Tetairoa McMillan catches and Ashton Jeanty runs over the previous few months — I am flipping again to the 2024 class for one more have a look at that group.
For a lot of NFL and draft followers, prospects fade into the background as soon as they’re picked. Everybody has an opinion on Rome Odunze till Odunze is chosen by some group they do not watch each Sunday, and all these Odunze takes fall to the wayside. I reintroduced myself to the 2024 class this week, specializing in the huge receivers. 9 have been picked within the first 37 choices in 2024. I used to be impressed watching the tape once more; it is an excellent group.
To go over the category, I would wish to ask — and reply — one query for 13 second-year receivers based mostly on their rookie utilization and output. For some, huge performances demand huge questions; for others, quiet debuts go away me with smaller ideas.
Bounce to a query about:
McConkey | Thomas | Harrison
Nabers | Odunze | Worthy
Different intriguing second-year WRs
Six huge questions
That is, in fact, an annoying query. What precisely constitutes a “WR1” is up for debate. Is it a productiveness factor? Everybody who catches a minimum of 30% of his group’s passes or accumulates 30% of his group’s yards is clearly the WR1? Is it a job factor? WR1s are the massive guys on the skin who beat the opposite group’s finest nook on a 3rd down, proper? Or is it a vibe factor? Put 20 cornerbacks in a room, present them flash playing cards of assorted NFL receivers, chart their reactions of disgust and scorn and begrudging respect, and thereby precipitate some WR1 matrix?
Had been it the final definition, I am assured McConkey can be a WR1, regardless of the actual fact he was a second-round choose for the Chargers. McConkey — who had 1,149 yards and 7 TDs in 2024 — looks like a handful and a half to cowl. An impossibly sudden route runner, McConkey is almost inconceivable to shadow in true man protection. And in contrast to most of the shifty route runners we have seen win on slants and stops through the years, he has severe velocity — sufficient to show shallow targets into huge good points. McConkey had 15 receptions of 20-plus yards final season, third amongst rookies (behind Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers) and 18th amongst all NFL receivers. He catches and runs for larger performs than people notice. Nevertheless it’s his separation means that actually shines.
The Chargers maximized McConkey’s route operating whereas defending him from larger, bodily protection by lining him up within the slot for a big majority of the time — 70.5% of his routes and 66.7% of his targets. In our meaningless WR1 dialog, that is very significant; we do not sometimes consider WR1s as residing within the slot. Even the WR1s you assume are within the slot lots should not within the slot this a lot. By routes run, Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb was at 49.0% and Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown was at 45.2%. McConkey ran solely 24.6% of his routes final season vertical, as charted by NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. Solely New England’s DeMario Douglas and Buffalo’s Khalil Shakir had decrease charges.
Right here is my favourite rep from McConkey out of the slot final season, coming in Week 4 towards Kansas Metropolis. The Chargers are operating double slants behind a zone RPO, and quarterback Justin Herbert pulls the ball to throw as soon as Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton steps down into the opening. Watch how McConkey initially stems the cornerback outdoors to carry him in place and provides himself as a lot room inside as potential to work. Then he vegetation his outdoors foot within the floor and explodes into the break with suddenness and good approach — an lively off hand to maintain the nook away and eyes again to the soccer. Herbert hits him in stride, after which the wheels present up. McConkey screams across the security for a 37-yard achieve.
Watching some rookie receivers for a chunk. Watch Ladd within the slot. Extremely explosive and twitchy mover. pic.twitter.com/mO5sgZnW1q
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) Might 12, 2025
It is price remarking: The remainder of the Chargers’ WR depth chart could not play the slot. Each Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston are huge, linear our bodies who do not win on quick-breaking routes. In 2025, Palmer (departed in free company to the Payments) can be changed by second-round rookie Tre Harris, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver who can also be at his finest on vertical, downfield routes. So McConkey’s residence within the slot is, partly, a operate of the roster on which he landed.
In a unique position, we’d have a cleaner reply to the WR1 query. McConkey’s 2.57 yards per route run final season was seventh within the league, behind solely Thomas’ 2.61 for the most effective quantity amongst rookies. (These numbers have been additionally sixth finest and seventh finest amongst rookie receivers since 2000. The 5 higher belong to A.J. Brown, Justin Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., Puka Nacua and Ja’Marr Chase, which appears like superior information for McConkey and Thomas).
However here is what’s humorous. If we management for less than routes run because the widest receiver within the formation, McConkey’s yards per route run jumps as much as 2.64, which exceeded that of Thomas (2.37) and each different rookie receiver.
On many of those snaps, McConkey is the widest move catcher in a condensed formation or the outermost man in a bunch — not precisely a standard “huge” receiver — so we’re nonetheless not precisely getting the measure we wish. The fact is that McConkey is 6-foot and performs round 185 kilos, and he clearly loses to physicality on these outdoors snaps greater than, say, Mike Evans or Courtland Sutton. But he can nonetheless win towards press with robust releases and admirable feistiness — simply sufficient to maintain the protection trustworthy whereas he does his yeoman’s work from the slot.
There’s sufficient to fret about with McConkey because the crowning jewel of a receiver room that we will not but name him a real WR1. There’s all of the slot-related stuff, however he additionally had 5 drops and two fumbles final season, and he simply cannot break many tackles at his measurement. However in my heuristic and arbitrary sense of a WR1-ness, McConkey appears like a man. He appears like the man. He is profoundly disagreeable to cowl, and even when he turns into a Robin to a extra conventional Batman on the skin, will probably be within the mould of DeVonta Smith operating beside A.J. Brown, or Chris Godwin operating beside Mike Evans.
If that appears like a cowardly reply to our query, it’s. I would love to simply shut my eyes and throw a weight-reduction plan Amon-Ra St. Brown comp into the world. However I am simply not there but.
I actually assume Thomas, a first-round choose for Jacksonville in 2024, was one of many 10 finest receivers in soccer final season (1,282 yards, 10 touchdowns). That does not imply he can be once more this 12 months, or that he is a top-10 receiver total. Improvement will not be linear, and the Jaguars simply had an offensive teaching employees change and drafted a receiver with the No. 2 choose (form of, relying on how we view Travis Hunter), so issues are about to alter for Thomas for the second time in as a few years.
With that stated … holy smokes.
Thomas can flat-out fly. He hit a prime velocity of twenty-two.15 mph on this 85-yard landing towards the Colts, one of many extra hilarious performs of the 2024 season. Solely KaVontae Turpin registered a quicker velocity as a ball service final 12 months, and Thomas weighs roughly 1.35 KaVontae Turpins at 205 kilos. However much more spectacular is his means to trace, regulate and battle for the soccer downfield. In Week 7 towards the Patriots, Thomas gave star nook Christian Gonzalez extra issue than another receiver Gonzalez confronted final season, and the majority of Thomas’ injury got here on this huge submit.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) Might 12, 2025
Thomas makes this catch look a lot simpler than it’s. Ideally, this ball hits Thomas between the hashes, pulling him away from protection, however Trevor Lawrence‘s throw drifts upfield. Have a look at how early (proper as he crosses the 45-yard line) Thomas identifies the trail and begins adjusting to the ball — with no lack of momentum. Then he has to make a focus catch via contact, at full velocity, as Gonzalez contests the catch level. Not simple in any respect.
Thomas’ ball-tracking and adjustment at full velocity and thru contact are eye-popping. He by no means must downshift and infrequently loses to measurement — nor ought to he, at 6-foot-4, 205 kilos with an virtually 80-inch wingspan. The total menu of field-stretching routes — posts, verticals, and so forth. — can be found to him, and because the Jaguars realized what that they had, they began to run him on extra deep crossers and overs to reap the benefits of his breakaway velocity.
However Thomas doesn’t play at reckless speeds, neither is he restricted to linear routes. Watch this downfield isolation route towards the Dolphins in Thomas’ first sport. Watch how simply he eats up vertical area, how he pulls the cornerback in wayward instructions by disappearing behind his again shoulder and stepping on his toes. Evaluate what Thomas is ready to do on this path to that of Gabe Davis, one other big-bodied receiver with lengthy velocity, on the backside of the display screen.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) Might 12, 2025
That is foolish stuff. You’re taking among the finest huge receivers within the league proper now — Nico Collins, Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, Courtland Sutton, and so forth. — and ask them to run that route, and I am unsure you are getting an equal imitation.
The sky is the restrict with Thomas. Watching his rookie season makes me really feel the best way I did when watching A.J. Brown’s rookie season: “Oh, the large quick man can also be excellent at receiver, we’re all in appreciable hazard.” I discussed it within the McConkey section, but it surely bears repeating right here: For the reason that flip of the century, the 5 finest rookie receiver seasons by yards per route run belong to Brown, Justin Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., Puka Nacua and Ja’Marr Chase. Thomas is sixth.
Thomas additionally did all of this in a complete mess of a Jaguars offense, which is each a feather in his cap and context for his dominance. He and Lawrence have been usually not in sync to start out the season, and by the point they obtained some wrinkles ironed out and the offense started skewing towards Thomas as the first move catcher, Lawrence was injured and sat out the remainder of the season. You may simply discuss me right into a rosier Yr 2 outlook for Thomas in a Liam Coen-coached offense that sees 17 wholesome Lawrence video games.
On the similar time, Thomas obtained a 25.3% goal share (ninth highest within the league final season) on a group that needed to move the ball fairly a bit, in that it recurrently trailed its opponents. The uncooked manufacturing may dip sooner or later, even when the effectivity stays up.
If we redrafted the 2024 draft tomorrow, I would fairly comfortably take Thomas as the primary receiver off the board. He has prototypical measurement, atypical velocity and way more superior technical expertise than I gave him credit score for throughout final season. I feel we’ll discuss him as a perennial top-five receiver — the best way we discuss Chase and Jefferson — throughout the subsequent two or three years.
The No. 4 choose led the league in contested targets as a rookie for the Cardinals with 40, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats.
There are just a few causes one thing like this occurs. For one, the quarterback desires to offer his receiver probabilities, regardless of the associated fee. Davante Adams had a league-leading 51 tight-window targets in 2022 with the Raiders, then one other 41 (ranked second) in 2023. A worryingly important a part of then-coach Josh McDaniels’ offensive sport plan for the Raiders was merely “get the ball someplace close to Adams and let him do the remaining.”
Kyler Murray clearly handled Harrison this similar manner — whether or not it was as a result of he actually held Harrison in that esteem, or as a result of he was coached to throw it to Harrison regardless of the circumstances, I do not know. Murray would default to a Harrison one-on-one on the bottom of ideas when the frontside was accessible to learn out. Not the unsuitable choice, only a telling one. And it was doubly telling once we contemplate that these throws weren’t actually going all that nicely, but the Cardinals stayed on them anyway.
This is one such play towards the Bears. Harrison is to the bottom of a 3×1 formation on third-and-3. The Cardinals have a choose path to the underside of the display screen, and Harrison is on a fade to the highest. Personally, I really like the slant to Michael Wilson (No. 14) on the backside, as Greg Dortch (No. 4) has a straightforward launch into the choose, and no Bears defenders are shut sufficient to rally and deal with earlier than the sticks. However Murray sees the bottom security drop, leaving Harrison remoted and takes the one-on-one.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) Might 12, 2025
It is a defensible choice by the letter of the regulation, however one-on-one fades are laborious to hit completely. Harrison does nothing unsuitable — good launch, explosive upfield stem — however the nook is anticipating a fade all the best way and sits atop the route. Murray throws to Harrison’s upfield shoulder and the cornerback is ready to rip via the catch level for a top quality move breakup.
One more reason a participant finally ends up with 40 complete tight-window targets, as Harrison did this previous season, is he wasn’t requested to separate a lot. This sounds silly — each coach desires all his receivers to separate — however numerous roles provide extra breaking routes and route-running freedom than others.
Once we have a look at receivers with a excessive tight-window goal fee over the previous few years, we in fact see some examples of restricted talent: DeVante Parker’s 2021, 2022 and 2023 season all present up as excessive tight-window seasons as a result of Parker would not separate nicely. However we additionally see a weirdly dense smattering of non-CeeDee Lamb Cowboys, which means some form of role-based agent. Contemplate that 2024 Jalen Brooks, 2024 Brandin Cooks, 2023 Michael Gallup, 2022 Michael Gallup and 2024 Jalen Tolbert all had a tight-window goal fee of 34% or increased (Harrison was 35.1% in 2024).
Why so many Cowboys? As a result of the Dallas offense has by no means actually requested its non-Lamb receivers to run a various route tree, go into movement or change up their alignments. It is a very static system, which makes it simple for opposing defensive backs to foretell. That results in tighter protection.
Arizona’s position for Harrison was pretty predictable to start out the season. He lined up out huge and ran down the sector, in search of targets on go balls or on the again shoulder. Harrison had 52 targets towards press protection (second solely to Ja’Marr Chase) largely as a result of opposing defenses knew the Cardinals would stick their outdoors receivers on the road of scrimmage and never transfer them. Harrison ran precisely seven routes after getting in movement all season; solely eight receivers had fewer, and most of them have been part-time gamers.
Seeing the corporate that Harrison retains on a few of these lists is regarding. Additionally among the many tight-window receivers who hardly ever go in movement are Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins and Mike Williams. These are older receivers who have been extra various of their heydays however now cannot be trusted to run away from protection, so their finest worth add is that of artful, bodily ball winners downfield. Extra optimistically, he is within the Calvin Ridley or Courtland Sutton mould — gamers who additionally principally lined up huge final season, noticed an enormous share of their groups’ complete air yards and have been anticipated to constantly win on the again shoulder and in contested conditions.
However that has by no means been Harrison’s finest talent — he misplaced on various contested balls final season. And it actually would not mirror his athleticism — he stays the graceful, 6-foot-4 route runner he was popping out of Ohio State.
Harrison merely was not used creatively final season, when he had 885 yards and eight TDs. He was requested to play the sport on laborious mode as a rookie, profitable all of his catches via contact. He was by no means hidden from the opponent’s finest cowl man. He may have received just a few extra bounce balls than he did, however Murray may have thrown him just a few higher bounce balls, and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing additionally actually may have eased his burden with a bunch set or two. I used to be wholly unimpressed by the Cardinals’ plan for Harrison final season and stay accordingly optimistic on his future as a superb NFL huge receiver.
That participant is in there, ought to the Cardinals wish to go discover him.
What does a standard season seem like for Malik Nabers?
Nabers noticed 30.8% of the Giants’ group targets final season. That is … nicely, quite a bit. Previously 10 seasons, solely 14 receivers noticed greater than 30% of their group’s complete goal share, and none of them have been rookies. The truth is, Nabers leads all rookie receivers since 2000 in group goal share.
This is one other one. Nabers was focused on 39.9% of the Giants’ move makes an attempt towards man protection — 4 out of each 10. I haven’t got protection goal knowledge for too many seasons, however since 2016, that focus on fee towards man protection is exceeded by solely 2020 Davante Adams and 2022 Tyreek Hill — two of the most effective receiver seasons we have seen prior to now decade.
Nabers, the No. 6 choose final April, dealt with an inconceivable quantity for the in any other case anemic Giants offense final season. Unsurprisingly, he was extremely productive however solely pretty environment friendly. (It is laborious to be very environment friendly on excessive quantity — that is just about the definition of being elite.) Although Nabers dominated the Giants’ accessible targets, he was solely tremendous on a per-target foundation. Of 78 certified receivers, his first down/landing per goal fee (32.2%) was 67th; his yards per goal (7.0) was sixty fourth. It is price noting that different gamers with excessive goal charges, similar to A.J. Brown and Drake London, nonetheless produced a excessive variety of first downs and touchdowns.
Nabers’ profile appears extra like that of a slot receiver — someplace on the CeeDee Lamb-to-Josh Downs spectrum of high-volume receivers who dominate with fast separation beneath. However Nabers performed out huge far more and noticed his targets farther downfield. It actually was the case of a uniquely dangerous group funneling each throw they might to their one uniquely good participant.
The movie on Nabers is superior. He has elite physique management and sideline consciousness, which permits him to make spectacular catches in tight home windows, and he has the velocity and launch bundle to win on downfield routes. Watching him yank this passing sport onto his shoulders for 4 quarters jogs my memory of Lamb on some latest Cowboys groups. He completed with 109 catches for 1,204 yards and 7 touchdowns. I would like to see him spend extra time within the slot and fewer time taking brutal pictures. The Giants cordoned off that slot position for Wan’Dale Robinson and needs to be keen to open it up for extra competitors this 12 months.
I do not assume Nabers needs to be carrying greater than 30% of the group’s targets; he is not constructed for that a lot contact. I would wish to see his quantity lower in order that his effectiveness — larger performs, brisker legs, extra YAC — can improve. After all, the Giants’ receiving corps is far the identical because it was final season, however a man can dream.
The place was Rome Odunze final season?
Properly, the Bears’ No. 9 total choose was usually being thrown an uncatchable ball. In accordance with ESPN’s charting, Odunze noticed 37 targets that have been overthrown or underthrown, which led all receivers by lots. Courtland Sutton was second with 29. Now, inaccurate balls could be as a lot a receiver’s fault as they’re the quarterback’s, but it surely’s no nice secret that rookie QB Caleb Williams was lacking all of his receivers final season. DJ Moore was third within the league with 27 inaccurate targets, and Keenan Allen was tenth with 24.
Odunze noticed essentially the most misses for Chicago as a result of he made essentially the most rookie errors, usually miscommunicating with Williams on route changes and timing. He was additionally used on essentially the most difficult throws — downfield, particularly. Odunze was sixth within the league final season in unrealized air yards. That is air yards the participant obtained through goal however did not convert into receiving yards for no matter cause. On this case, it was primarily due to uncatchable footballs.
Odunze was the most effective vertical receiver of the Bears’ three starters, however that was by no means his finest talent popping out of faculty. Allen has been changed by rookie Luther Burden III, who has some actual velocity. I am curious to see if Burden turns into the sector stretcher, which might enable Odunze to spend extra time profitable on bodily intermediate routes and back-shoulder balls.
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Why Marcus Spears likes Bears’ rebuild
Marcus Spears and Jason McCourty reward the Bears’ offseason and state that it is time for Caleb Williams to step as much as the plate.
Although I’m greater than a bit frightened concerning the extreme lack of chemistry between Williams and Odunze, I’m keen to offer Odunze quite a lot of grace for struggling via a carousel of offensive coaches on a group rife with execution errors. Veterans Moore and Allen additionally couldn’t get on the identical web page with Williams.
Early returns can be vital from the brand new teaching employees in Chicago. Coach Ben Johnson runs a extremely detailed offense, and if Odunze is not sharp together with his landmarks and route breaks, there are many pass-catching choices in that Bears locker room who may bounce him on the depth chart. But when Odunze’s growth was merely stunted a 12 months by a nasty setting in Chicago, we’ll additionally see that pretty rapidly throughout camp. He is one to observe in August, as he tries to enhance on his 734 yards and three TDs from 2024.
Was the Tremendous Bowl an omen for Xavier Worthy?
Within the first half of the 2024 season, the Chiefs have been attempting to make use of Worthy as a downfield receiver, and it was not working. By means of Weeks 1-12, Worthy averaged 11.9 air yards per goal and was catching solely 51.9% of his passes. Kansas Metropolis’s first-rounder struggled to search out the soccer within the air and catch via contact.
Necessity turned the mom of invention, and because the Chiefs’ operating sport plummeted in effectiveness, they started utilizing Worthy as an beneath goal and even a ball service on reverses and jet sweeps to create some simple explosives whereas additionally transferring the sticks. Worthy’s depth of goal tumbled; from Week 13 via the convention championship sport, his air yards per goal was 5.5 — lower than half his earlier determine — and his catch fee accordingly rose to 73.7%. Worthy additionally had 11 carries within the first 12 weeks of the season, then 12 within the last seven. (Worthy completed the common season with 638 receiving yards and 6 TD catches.)
Coming into the Tremendous Bowl, the Worthy position felt clear: screens, sweeps, reverses and shallow crosses. Get the ball into his arms and use his acceleration — not his deep velocity — as an asset to interrupt defenders’ deal with angles and create first downs.
Then the Tremendous Bowl hit like a ton of bricks: eight catches on eight targets for 157 yards and two scores. Positive, most of that was in rubbish time, but it surely would not change the truth that the Chiefs obtained one fast, fleeting glimpse on the Worthy that they had hoped they drafted.
Assuming Rashee Rice returns to the beginning lineup after his knee harm and reclaims his demand of shallow and intermediate targets — the place he was at his finest in 2023 and 2024 — then Worthy will all of a sudden must ship on his downfield promise. It is simple to neglect due to the pleased be aware he landed on, however Worthy’s minus-9.6% catch fee above expectation was the worst quantity amongst all receivers throughout the 2024 common season (per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats). He was not making huge grabs for a lot of the 12 months, and he has to choose up the place he left off in New Orleans.
It is an unlimited Yr 2 for Worthy.
Seven smaller questions
Keon Coleman: Is a step ahead within the playing cards?
The large-bodied, contested-catch professional from Florida State was precisely that for the Payments in his rookie season — a big-play ball winner who noticed 39 of his 57 targets towards man protection. Although he sometimes wins with physicality, Coleman confirmed sufficient wiggle in his routes and shocking shiftiness after the catch such that there is an thrilling profile in there. He’ll get an even bigger route tree and extra alternatives in Yr 2, and he ought to proceed incomes quarterback Josh Allen‘s belief.
Xavier Legette: The place is the deep connection?
It was a blended bag for Legette’s rookie season in Carolina. There have been some good moments of unpolluted routes and hard snags, however there have been additionally some debilitatingly dangerous drops and focus lapses. Legette wants a greater plan for getting off press protection if he is ever going to fill the position of big-bodied discipline stretcher, not to mention blossom into one thing extra. Legette’s 499 unrealized air yards have been seventh most within the league final season. He and Panthers quarterback Bryce Younger simply couldn’t join downfield (not like an undrafted free agent from the 2024 class we’ll get to in a second).
Adonai Mitchell: Is there any stability in any respect right here?
Mitchell struggled mightily final season. We noticed dangerous routes, dangerous drops, psychological errors and clear moments of frustration. Nevertheless it’s not too laborious to see the supply of his frustration. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson struggled to attach with all of his receivers, however he struggled most with Mitchell. Mitchell was used as a shot-play service provider; he was focused on 40% of his routes towards man protection and averaged 3.9 air yards per route run, behind solely New Orleans’ Rashid Shaheed. He in all probability will stay as such whereas caught behind Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and now tight finish Tyler Warren within the pecking order.
Jalen McMillan: Is WR3 nonetheless up for grabs in Tampa Bay?
I used to be very bullish on Yr 2 for McMillan, who rose properly to the problem after Chris Godwin was misplaced for the season to an ankle harm. Then the Buccaneers drafted Emeka Egbuka within the first spherical of the 2025 draft, sliding McMillan squarely right into a battle for WR3 tasks this season. McMillan is a savvy route runner with higher velocity than he is given credit score for, and he has some spectacular catch means in him. I nonetheless consider within the participant, even when the chance for prime quantity is vanishing.
Ricky Pearsall: Does he have Kyle Shanahan’s belief but?
It normally takes time for rookie 49ers receivers. Neither Deebo Samuel Sr. nor Brandon Aiyuk have been in a single day sensations for Shanahan, and the identical arc needs to be anticipated for Pearsall, particularly when you think about the time he sat out due to harm in his rookie 12 months. Pearsall had one splashy sport towards the Lions late final season, however he in any other case stayed quiet on the stat sheet. I’ll say: The movie exhibits a high-caliber route runner who ought to excel on this offense, as soon as his quantity lastly begins getting referred to as.
Jalen Coker: Can he maintain down his spot within the rotation?
Coker did precisely what an undrafted free agent must do to face out together with his alternatives: make performs. Working largely from the slot for the Panthers, Coker showcased a large catch radius and good chemistry with Bryce Younger, shining particularly late final season and in Adam Thielen‘s absence (hamstring). Coker feels just like the clear WR4 behind Thielen, Legette and first-round rookie Tetairoa McMillan, however he performed nicely sufficient final season to be within the rotation this 12 months and will push Legette for taking part in time because the season progresses.
Devaughn Vele: Does he have an opportunity to carry his job?
Vele received the massive slot job in Sean Payton’s Broncos offense final season, although it did not quantity to a lot manufacturing: 41 catches, 475 yards and three scores. On an effectivity foundation, Vele was one thing to observe, although: 52% of his targets went for first downs or touchdowns, which was fourth within the NFL. His 2.1 yards per route run towards zone protection ranked a decent thirty fourth. Then the Broncos spent a third-round choose on Pat Bryant, one other big-bodied receiver who Payton has stated reminds him of Michael Thomas. Vele is combating for his job now.
