(10-07-2019, 01:35 PM)NYC4jags Wrote:

(10-07-2019, 01:29 PM)Caldrac Wrote: That's my concern. They now lack a viable receiving threat at the position. Even with Oliver being healthy they'll have to consider his hamstring injury a potential on going issue this year. They're going to have to start churning the mill here now at the position. Still trying to figure out what the hell happened with that exchange yesterday too. Was it Minshew or DeValve's fault on that fumble?

No way to know who bungled that play, but I'd guess Minshew forgot there was a lead block coming prior to LF and the intended handoff.  Maybe it is revealed in a presser this week who was on the wrong page. 

The point I'm trying to make is that James O. was not really much of a receiving threat in the first place  (he's slow) - and you may be incorrect in your assumption that there is some great drop-off from him to Swaim / DeValve. You simply haven't seen those guys attempt to play F tight end like J.O. was. They haven't run the routes and had balls come their way. 

Best case scenario is that Oliver gets out there soon and those other two can stay on blacking duty, but Flip may find a way to use them in the pass game until that time.

He wasn't the fastest guy. But he was at least moving the chains and finding the end zone. Looked like he was well on his way to having a productive season.  We'll never know now unfortunately. My assumption with Swaim / DeValve is simply based on the fact that they've provided very small samples at everything they've done so far. And if they had any wiggle room or speed to assist in the receiving game to begin with I would have to assume they would have seen more receiving opportunities over the "slow" guy in O'Shaughnessy.

Best case scenario is that Josh Oliver, the guy they invested the 69th overall selection in becomes an all-star or at least registers 2 - 5 catches a game and makes a splash play here and there on third down. I just think they'll regret not addressing it in the interim while it's early. It's a key position to this offense. Flip will get creative with Swaim / DeValve. It's expected now. But it would sure feel a lot better having another legitimate receiving type TE on the team. Just concerned with Oliver's hamstring acting up again after he starts playing.

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