Jermaine Gresham Leads All NFL Rookie Tight Ends With 40 Receptions

by Josh Kirkendall on Nov 17, 2010 3:10 PM EST in Stats

Since the season is likely a bust, unless 14 teams in the AFC go on strike with replacement players and the Bengals wrapped the corners of their mischievously evil looking mustaches, there will be times that we point to individual accolades as our storylines. It's perfectly alright to condemn the team for failing to achieve your expectations while promoting the players that are busting their tail to help themselves grow into better players for the future. After all, at this point, it's about the future.

And one of those players that figures to be the future of this team is Bengals rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham. With 40 receptions through nine games this season, Gresham is on pace to record 71 receptions, which would fall ten short of the NFL record for most receptions by a rookie tight end. In order beat Jackson's 81 receptions in 1988, Gresham will need to average six receptions per game.

PLAYER	TEAM	YEAR	RECEPTIONS
Keith Jackson	Philadelphia	1988	81
Jeremy Shockey	New York Giants	2002	74
Mike Ditka	Chicago	1961	56
Charle Young	Philadelphia	1973	55
John Carlson	Seattle	2008	55

Jermaine Gresham	Cincinnati	2010	40*
*NFL leader in receptions among rookie tight ends through Week 10

If you haven't yet, go vote for him for this week's nomination for rookie of the week. Or vote for someone else if you're too enraged by his game-ending fumble that he shouldn't benefit from your good graces.

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Comments

If this is the case why does everyone keep saying were not using him enough?

Is it the fact that he’s not running straight up the field towards the safeties? Facts don’t lie and the facts are he’s getting the ball thrown to him and that means we’re trying to utilize his skills as a tight end. It’s almost as if everyone expects him to go deep at least once on every 4 downs. Most wide receivers don’t get that call that often. I’d say he’s being utilized properly.

by JamesShively on Nov 17, 2010 3:26 PM EST reply actions

See my question below and you will see why everyone is saying they aren't using him enough

by Diesel2405 on Nov 17, 2010 3:31 PM EST up reply actions

And your insane if you think he is being utilized properly

by Diesel2405 on Nov 17, 2010 3:31 PM EST up reply actions

So your saying we should use him like a wide receiver and send him deep every other play? Exposing Carson to even more pressure?

by JamesShively on Nov 17, 2010 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

I'm saying that if they send him out as a receiver, they should stop wasting it on 5 yard screen passes.

He’s not a shifty guy that can turn a 5 yard pass into a 20 yard gain (i.e. Scott or Leonard). He’s a big TE.

His numbers are really not very good when you look at them. He’s averaging 7.4 yards per catch. When you compare him to Antonio Gates (16.6), Jermichael Finley (14.3), Dustin Keller (14.3), Vernon Davis (13.9), Aaron Hernandez (12.8), Todd Heap (13.3), he doesn’t look so great anymore.

I’m not blaming him, because I think he’s got all the ability in the world. I blame Brat for drawing up useless plays for him and Palmer for not looking for him deep.

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Nov 17, 2010 4:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

How many of his receptions were on 2yd drag routes and stupid ass screens?

by Diesel2405 on Nov 17, 2010 3:30 PM EST reply actions

+1

It’s not that he’s not getting receptions, its that he’s being used like a fullback every down. They need to throw him the football down the field if they are going to send him out all. It’s not like he’s Leonard or Scott who can make defenders miss and pick up the extra 5-10 yards. He’s fairly useless on those types of plays.

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Nov 17, 2010 4:22 PM EST up reply actions

Not sure if I totally agree here...

…the reason he gets pulled into the backfield a lot is the defense is showing blitz, so he moves out of a tight slot into a protector then makes a decision about whether or not to run an outlet pattern. It’s a pretty common (and effective) strategy with teams that run spread style offenses.

Do I think we will see Gersham more over the middle running deeper routes? Sure, but pass protection isn’t exactly our teams strongest asset right now and Gersham is still only half way through what appears to be a pretty good rookie year.

by goffchile on Nov 17, 2010 4:38 PM EST up reply actions

I don't actually disagree with you

I’m just saying that when Gresham goes out on routes, there’s no point in sending him on 2 yard drag routes like Diesel says. I don’t mind him staying back and helping to block, I’m just saying that his skills would be better utilized when he’s not blocking, by sending him 10-15 yards out.

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Nov 17, 2010 6:04 PM EST up reply actions