If you have to select five, I would keep: Hartline, Bess, Pruitt, Hogan, Matthews Hartline looks like a good fit for the offense. Bess is under contract and is an Ireland guy. Pruitt for his special teams alone. Hogan because he finds way to get open and has a nice size/speed skillset. Matthews, because that slant in the endzone is something the others can't seem to replicate.
Just a gut feel, but my six without adding anyone else would be: Bess Hartline Naanee Moore Fuller Matthews
I chose Bess, Hartline, Naanee, Matthews, Hogan, and Gates. Hartline and Bess are obvious- they really are the only proven talent on the roster. Naanee is a veteran and for whatever reason (not his play- he really hasn't been too great) I do not see this staff cutting him. Matthews showed a lot of will and power last game against Carolina. He looks like a savvy receiver who plays hard and can be a valuable contributor to this team. Lastly, I rounded off with Hogan because he has played exceptionally well both on offense and ST. He is pretty damn physical and I have no doubt that if we try to PS him he will be grabbed by another team. I also chose Gates because I think he just needs to stay healthy and can really help stretch the field with his speed. He just needs a shot.
Based on what ive seen it's Bess, Nanee, Hartline, Pruitt, Fuller, and Hogan. We may only keep five though. Got a lot of running backs to sort through also.
It's REALLY tough to say but right now my gut says Bess, Hartline, Naanee, Matthews, Gates, Pruitt. I think we'll try to stash Hogan on the practice squad as well as Cunningham.
I chose six. I believe six make it. Bess Hartline Fuller Naanee Wallace Hogan I'd be really interested in seeing if Hartline has any trade value. I believe he is a strong #2 but I believe our whole core needs (re)building and wouldn't mind giving a guy with more physical tools and potential a shot over him if I could acquire a draft pick.
You and I chose the same group, except I substituted Matthews for Wallace. The weakness of our groups is that there is no one with top-notch speed, with neither Pruitt nor Gates in them.
I think Wallace has the speed...for whatever reason though he seems to run in slomo sometimes. I had a hard time deciding between Wallace, Matthews, and Moore. In the end I went with the physical tools of Wallace. I can see choosing someone else though.
Bess, Hartline, Pruitt, Matthews, Hogan, Gates, Just whom I consider either the most productive this preseason, or the most talented, or the most upside. Originally I didn't include Gates and included Wallace, but Wallace is too similar to Matthews and Pruitt IMO, and Gates offers something unique with his rare speed.
I think Bess, Hartline, and Nannee are givens. We need Gates speed so I put him on there. I think Pruitt and Moore will be the others just based on that they are the best of the rest. I think we might actually carry 7. If so, throw in Hogan.
I went with Bess Fuller Hogan Matthews Naanee Pruitt Hartline to IR. If Hartline can go he replaces Hogan. Edit: I wonder where Thigpen fit into this. He hasn't had any carries as a RB.
Gates speed can't be taught. Route running can be taught. Its going to be hard to get rid of that deep threat. His speed alone opens up the field.
I should add, Bess is a given, duh. He is a lock. My personal other favorites are Pruitt and Hogan. If those 2 (+Bess) make it, I can live with any other 3.
Hartline is most likely going to start the season on the IR, so that should make it easier to keep rookies like Matthews, Hogan and Fuller.
Right there with MrC. 82 Hartline, Brian 15 Bess, Davone 11 Pruitt, Julius 10 Gates, Clyde 81 Hogan, Chris 86 Matthews, Rishard
Another question, could you envision Roberto Wallace and Jeff Fuller making the team? I see no difference between the two.
Who knows, but at least it will give us some more time to see who should stick around. And Hogan needs to stick on the game roster, he will never make it to the practice squad, thanks to Hard Knocks.
Because everyone is raving about him, coaches and players, and he has looked impressive in the preseason games already, and this kid has only one year of college football under his belt. The potential for him is through the roof.
I don't, players like him are a hot commodity thanks to players like Welker, if we put him through waivers I be shocked if he ain't gone. But I wish you were right.
So we have 2 preseason games, HK, and reports from practices from FN and DJ plus the media dudes. Which are you going by if you are totally discounting HK?
3 for Sure: Bess, Hartline, Pruitt Then it depends on the next two games and practice, it's that tight a race. If Naanee is invisible this game and the next, Fuller or Wallace could take his spot. If Fuller outperforms Wallace, Fuller stays Wallace goes.... unless Gates outperforms both of them and both go home. If Matthews has another good game at WR and STs he stays and Cunningham goes.... unless Hogan is on fire in games then he stays and both the others go. I think we keep 6... until we see the other teams cuts. I guarantee there will be one unfortunate guy WR who thinks he has made the 53, only to be cut and replaced by another WR off waivers.
If Naanee starts this game against Atlanta, it's going to be puzzling to me why there seems to be no relationship between his preseason game play and his spot on the depth chart.
I don't disagree with most, except the through the roof potential. That may be going too far. He's a nice prospect, could work his way onto the field regularly for us. As CK pointed out, most slot guys are expected to be open due to the nature of the position... but Hogan does add more big play potential with his size (for a slot guy) and strength (28 reps bench).
