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What to do with the NYG Tight Ends

Sy'56 : 8/29/2014 3:11 pm
I'll try to keep this short.

It's been a busy few weeks for me, prepping for the 2014 scouting season and trying to keep track of all the NFL moves while getting as much time as I can seeing some backup-caliber players around the league play throughout preseason. I've watched and re-watched all the NYG contests so far...a lot to like and some to be concerned about, as almost any team around the league will say. But the one glaring issue here, even moreso than the OL, is what NYG will need to do at TE.

Teams can, and some do a very good job at it, hide a major personnel weakness. This year's main weakness on the entire roster is the TE group and it isn't even close. NYG has been hoping either Robinson or Donnell would step up and grab the top spot on the depth chart by the horns with their "elite" upside but nobody has performed higher than a #3 guy. It's alarming that this is the best group the front office could come up with.

After watching these guys play, I lean in a different direction than most. Kellen Davis and Daniel Fells absolutely need to be the guys splitting snaps. Donnell and Robinson do more to hurt a team than help. The only reason the latter two are around is respective upside. Donnell moves really well and looks like a guy that LBs and DBs may have a hard time covering. Robinson has length and natural strength to put with his impressive workouts but neither are football players. They are athletes. Davis and Fells may lack on the workout sheet, but these guys are football players. They do the little things. They hold on to the ball. They hit their cutback blocking assignments and stick to their defenders through the whistle. The are quick to get their heads around when running routes. Neither will scare a defense but you can rely on them to bring a similar level of play every week. Donnell and Robinson look like college players on some plays...possibly even on a lot of plays. You can't have that.

Keep Davis and Fells. Cut Robinson. Keep Donnell until you find a better option on the waiver wire which could easily happen in the next few days. Some names to keep an eye out for:

Zach Sudfeld - NYJ
Rashaun Allen - SEA
Steve Maneri - NE
Jack Doyle - IND
Matthew Mulligan - CHI
Personally, I don't care who they keep,  
Big Blue '56 : 8/29/2014 3:14 pm : link
as long as it's no more than 3
Great Post  
DavidinBMNY : 8/29/2014 3:24 pm : link
Thanks for the insight.
I would keep two in Fells and Donnell  
robbieballs2003 : 8/29/2014 3:31 pm : link
No reason to put inferior talent on the field just to run a play. Put an extra OL on the field with two FBs if it is a short yardage situation. Go more four wide sets to spread a defense out. You don't NEED a TE. It is great when you have them but there are ways around it.
they pretty much all stink. keep the 2 who are the best run blockers.  
Victor in CT : 8/29/2014 3:40 pm : link
then try to find one of those guys off the waiver wire.

Nice job as always Sy.
What to do with the NYG Tight Ends?  
njm : 8/29/2014 3:51 pm : link
To paraphrase an oldie but goodie -

"What do you think of the tight ends execution?"

"I'm in favor of it."
Casey Stengel was asked with the '62 Mets  
Victor in CT : 8/29/2014 3:56 pm : link
how he could find time for 4 first basemen.
He said "If you got 4 first baseman, you ain't got one"
How can Reese get a pass when  
LauderdaleMatty : 8/29/2014 3:57 pm : link
that this was what he came up w? There's literally not one starting caliber guy on the roster, that's is inexcusable.

Oh meanwhile the rest of the NFL is utilizing this position more and more. Real genius.
I don't give Reese the full blame  
Sy'56 : 8/29/2014 4:02 pm : link
for thinking these guys could contribute. Everyone has misses.

But my grip with him would be holding on to mistakes for too long...possibly because he is too proud to admit he was wrong. Robinson was singled out by him numerous times...and he literally has never done a thing to make himself stand out. Not one. He needs to admit he was wrong and just move on. There will be a guy on the FA market soon that can upgrade the position. He needs to find him.

Really wanted Niklas in round 2.
RE: I don't give Reese the full blame  
Bill in UT : 8/29/2014 4:09 pm : link
In comment 11832066 Sy'56 said:
Quote:
for thinking these guys could contribute. Everyone has misses.

But my grip with him would be holding on to mistakes for too long...possibly because he is too proud to admit he was wrong. Robinson was singled out by him numerous times...and he literally has never done a thing to make himself stand out. Not one. He needs to admit he was wrong and just move on. There will be a guy on the FA market soon that can upgrade the position. He needs to find him.

Really wanted Niklas in round 2.


Me too. He's off to a slow start with the Cards, though. First the hernia, then a broken hand. Only has the cast off about a week and a half now.
Davis was bad this preseason. I can't get over that complete  
Shockeyisthebest80 : 8/29/2014 4:15 pm : link
whiff against the Jets that nearly got Jennings killed.
Agreed  
mrvax : 8/29/2014 4:29 pm : link
Keep the 2 best blockers. Use the running backs for dump offs /safety valve.

It is annoying when they keep turds too long. There are plenty of other hungry young players that want a chance.
id keep donnell and robinson  
CGiants07 : 8/29/2014 4:33 pm : link
since none are under contract next year and decide between fells and davis or a free agent
Cut them all  
D HOS : 8/29/2014 4:34 pm : link
Keep both Hynoski and Connor. Use them as a blocking TE until we find a credible player. We can use the roster spots for better prospects on defense and maybe an extra WR to give a little extra depth against early injuries.
Agree on Davis and Fells  
PatersonPlank : 8/29/2014 4:36 pm : link
At least both of those block, and have started a year or two for other teams. Seems like a lot on here are for cutting Davis, but I don't see it. To me we should cut the rope on Robinson and also drop Donnell.
I'll say this  
Sy'56 : 8/29/2014 4:43 pm : link
There is nothing worse than a team continuing to count on a player's "upside" week after week and just hoping for a string of good luck. David and Fells don't have the upside, but at leas tyou can consistently gameplan with them knowing what they can do, what they cannot do. For some reason I can see the coaches counting on Donnell/Robinson and being severely let down.
Isn't green bay loaded at te?  
eli4life : 8/29/2014 4:49 pm : link
And might have to let go of someone with some talent?
eli4life  
Sy'56 : 8/29/2014 5:03 pm : link
The only upgrades we would get from GB are gonna make their roster. I wouldn't say their depth chart is loaded by any means.

Not surprisingly...I think someone will spring free from SEA with solid upside.
TEs outside the box  
Colin@gbn : 8/29/2014 5:15 pm : link
Dave: You ask the real $64K question as it relates to the Giants regarding the TEs. Coming into camp it seems pretty clear that the Giants were hoping to use a 3-wide, one TE scheme as their base offense this fall. And given that Donnell and Robinson, the two guys they were apparently counting on, are at least reasonably athletic, the plan likely was that they would be moving the TE around depending on what defenses were doing. If they played the run, then flex the TE and force the opponent to cover them with either a LB who might not be up to the task, or a safety who the likely would rather have doubling someone else. If the played the pass with an extra DB, then pull the TE in and run the ball. If you had a guy who could make those kinds of plays then you felt that you'd almost be playing with an extra man. One can only hope that the Giants have been hiding some stuff but it hasn't appeared if any of the TEs can either block or really contribute in the passing attack the way you'd like such you feel that when one of them is out there you are almost playing down a man! Given that none of the current TEs were even close to being a proven commodity one has to hope that there is a contingency plan. And there are several options. One is going 4-wide as the base offense, which the Giants have reportedly been working, although they don't exactly have a ton of proven guys at WR either. The other option which I might consider is junking the TEs altogether (and in the process saving a couple of roster spots) and using a 3-wide set with a FB. You would lose the flexibility of having that extra threat in the passing attack, but I would then use my RB as my 4th receiver and you would improve the run blocking and blitz pick-up with the FB in the backield. Plus because other teams are unlikely to account for Hynoski/Conner you could take advantage and sneak them out for some easy 8-10 yard gains.

Whatever, it is hard to see the TE situation as tenable and how the Giants deal with it could tell us a lot about just how flexible they are prepared to be going forward.

RE: I don't give Reese the full blame  
LauderdaleMatty : 8/29/2014 5:28 pm : link
In comment 11832066 Sy'56 said:
Quote:
for thinking these guys could contribute. Everyone has misses.

But my grip with him would be holding on to mistakes for too long...possibly because he is too proud to admit he was wrong. Robinson was singled out by him numerous times...and he literally has never done a thing to make himself stand out. Not one. He needs to admit he was wrong and just move on. There will be a guy on the FA market soon that can upgrade the position. He needs to find him.

Really wanted Niklas in round 2.


Sy agree. That's pretty much what I mean. It's not this year that is the issue. It's the body of work and the misses that he holds onto w almost zero back up plans. As much as OBJr may be a great WR what's his long term back up plan if Beatty has another bad year. Despite a nice rookie year by Pugh tackle depth on the Giants has to be causing TC some serious angst.

te  
hankb1126 : 8/29/2014 6:10 pm : link
why would our opponent want to cover our te's with a lb or anybody the water boy could cover them from the sideline
this bunch of te's are either cast offs or draft busts

they should keep both fbs especially since as of now we don't know how serious hynoski's injury is
and look at waiver wire for someone to pick up

nad if they still think donnell and robinson have potential maybe practice squad for them if eligible
Kyle Miller cut by the Dolphins?  
D HOS : 8/29/2014 7:37 pm : link
No real game experience. Is he any good though?
RE: Kyle Miller cut by the Dolphins?  
Bill in UT : 8/29/2014 7:40 pm : link
In comment 11832289 D HOS said:
Quote:
No real game experience. Is he any good though?


lol. I guess we have to look at every live body that gets waived.
RE: RE: Kyle Miller cut by the Dolphins?  
Anakim : 8/29/2014 8:27 pm : link
In comment 11832291 Bill in UT said:
Quote:
In comment 11832289 D HOS said:


Quote:


No real game experience. Is he any good though?



lol. I guess we have to look at every live body that gets waived.


I do. Whenever I see the a team makes a cut, I go straight for the "TE" if there are any.
Is the sorry state of the NY Giants TE situation the fault of Reese?  
GeofromNJ : 8/29/2014 9:05 pm : link
You bet it is. The biggest mistake Reese has made, bigger than drafting Adrien Robinson in the first place and thinking that he would develop, is letting Martellus Bennett walk. Reese couldn't have found a couple of mil to keep Bennett? Did he actually think that Robinson would come around? Did he think that TE by committee would work? Not even Mike Pope could turn these guys into serviceable tight ends. If the Giants had had Bennett last year, they would never have opened 0-6. In fact, they would have won the division with a 10-6 record. Big fail on the part of Reese.
Maybe we should start calling them...  
BMac : 8/29/2014 9:10 pm : link
...loose ends?
What to do with Giants TEs?  
Dave in Hoboken : 8/29/2014 9:11 pm : link
Point and laugh?

Seriously though, I'd probably keep Fells and Donnell, I guess.
Agreed  
Mr. Nickels : 8/29/2014 11:20 pm : link
Easy decision keep the two vets and look for someone else's cuts
Reese didnt  
SBlue46 : 8/30/2014 8:27 am : link
Have $$$ to get a good TE....
GRIMBLE would have been good..the
ones we have have ability but gilbride
doesnt have knowledge .
maneri from NE  
CruzShip52 : 8/30/2014 8:30 am : link
ill take
RE: Reese didnt  
LauderdaleMatty : 8/30/2014 8:52 am : link
In comment 11832705 SBlue46 said:
Quote:
Have $$$ to get a good TE....
GRIMBLE would have been good..the
ones we have have ability but gilbride
doesnt have knowledge .


Well when you over pay Will Beatty and redo Baas 2 times and eat up cap space you run out of money. just two quick examples. Reese is to blame. Nothing happens in a vacuum. .
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