Marvin Lewis: Andre Caldwell "Probably" Most Improved Player During Offseason
by Josh Kirkendall on Jul 21, 2010 10:17 AM EDT
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PrintOne of the things mentioned yesterday during Marvin Lewis' round of interviews with the local beat writers -- not including us who are still the scourge of the Bengals backside -- was Lewis' praise on a certain wide receiver who we've spoken about a lot on these pages.
Calling Andre Caldwell the most improved player during sprint workouts, Lewis likes the competition that's about to brew between slot receivers.
“He gets a guy that has kind of done it in the collegiate level at a high level, and played a similar spot and come in here and get in position to do the same things,” Lewis said of Shipley. “Jordan has really exceeded my expectations of him thus far and I had lot of expectations from him. I watched him and Jermaine every Saturday night for two, three years. One of them was on TV every Saturday night in the hotel room.
“Andre is probably this offseason’s most improved guy on the team. Yet both guys are kind of getting overlooked. You’ve got people pressing for (each) of them, which tells you we’re in pretty good shape there. I think, No. 1, the quarterback is happy about that.”
And who can blame him?
We've often brought up Caldwell's disappearing act in 2009, when he failed to record more than 35 yards receiving during the team's final ten regular season games. But we've also pointed out that Caldwell has taken it upon himself to become a better receiver this year going through a rigorous offseason training program. He's even recently reminded us that he remains.
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I hope
much of his improvement centered around keeping the football secure in his hands when possessing it.
by Cedric Benson Boat Party on Jul 21, 2010 11:13 AM EDT reply actions
I agree - and Chad gould take a few lessons about 3 point ball security as well
When he runs the ball ai constantly swinging away from his body. He isn’t faster than everyone anymore – as much as he will deny it. People are catching him from behind and punching the ball on him a lot more.
I see the boxing training helping Caldell. A lot of ball security has to do with hand, arm and upper body strength. He has good hands – it has always been his strength that I questioned.
"If we always agree, one of us is not necessary"
wish him luck
because he absolutely needs a 100% improvement when on the field to stick with the bengals in any capacity this season. the top 3 wr slots aren’t open for competition, disregard anyone that says they are. so you have 10 guys fighting for 3 slots. and some of those guys were drafted this year.
find it real unlikely mike brown will allow any draft picks aside from maybe a 7th rounder to slide without making the team for at least a season. so caldwell is fighting for 2 positions on the roster with 8 other guys.
"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl
looking at the wr roster heading into camp
Chad vs Bryant (who will be #1 by season end)
Caldwell vs Shipley (caldwell could lose the #3 job this season if he gets cold)
Briscoe vs Cosby (both have abilities and the potential x-factor on special teams)
on the bubble hoping someone gets injured:
Jerome Simpson (career stats 1 catch 2 yards)
Matt Jones (at 27 is it still called potential when you under-perform?)
1 foot out the door:
Maurice Purify (not a good off-season, bad time to show up on a police blotter)
Freddie Brown
already gone:
Chris Davis
"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl
Number 1??
Even if AB has a great year the number 1 will still be Chad. Being the #1 guy is not only about stats. When TJ was here he had some great seasons stat wise but when you watched defenses line up, you knew who the top guy was. Chad will command more respect and he will remain our #1.
by Andy Johnson on Jul 21, 2010 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Yup. Chad owns the #1 slot
AB might be great and all, but there’s different patterns and routes to learn too.
LOCKS
Chad
Bryant
Caldwell
Shipley
Fighting for the last two WR spots
Simpson
Cosby
Jones
Briscoe
We don’t have enough info to say Simpson is a bust. We really don’t and won’t until training camp shows us whos got game.
2010 - The Year of the Tiger.
chad's contract and age could become the issue for mike brown
2011: $6 million (Club Option) – age 33
2012: Free Agent – age 34
and there’s always the chance of a lockout after this season. believe if you want, mike brown didn’t sign bryant with a look to the future. the older chad gets, the less likely mike will keep him around.
mike brown didn’t let anthony munoz finish here. nor willie anderson. nor retain ken anderson. if you think the bengals are planning on keeping chad at #1 forever, you’re more optimistic than i am.
i believe if bryant shows up this year and gets a 1000+ yards the bengals won’t exercise chad’s option.
"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl
I think the option depends on Chad
Regardless of Bryant’s production, I think that the option year rests on CHad. If he comes in and get 1,200 yards and 8 or more TDs he stays in 2012. if he gets less than the Bengals may not exercise the option.
this is the nfl not mlb
clubs have the options in the nfl not the players. the bengals 2011 option on chad is: If the Bengals don’t exercise their 2011 option, they’ll owe Ochocinco a $3.5 million payment. if the bengals exercise the option they pay chad 6 million for 2011.
"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl
RE: Lockout
I’m not so sure that it’s a “chance” anymore. I get the feeling that it WILL happen.
Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.
by Josh Kirkendall on Jul 21, 2010 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't see how it doesn't happen
Look at CNNSI’s top 50 athletes list: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/specials/fortunate50-2010/?eref=sihp
5 of the 50 highest paid athletes are NFL rookies. Notably #11 Matt Stafford, and #28 Darius Heyward-Bey. The DHB listing makes me better understand why it took so long to sign Andre Smith last year, the guy drafted ahead of him (#48) and behind him were on the list, while the guy drafted 2 spots before him was not.
I don't think it will happen
Why? They are not stupid. The NFL is by far the most popular sport and neither the players or owners want to mess it up. Oh, they will posture and threaten but in the end they will compromise. The money for a full year of all of the revenue will remain in the pockets of the fans and media.That dollar figure is larger than the GDP of many many countries. They are not going to throw all of that away. It is all about literally billions of dollars that they are not going to allow to somewhere else. They are dumb but they are not stupid.
"If we always agree, one of us is not necessary"
Chad, Antonio, Andre, Jordan, Quan, Matt
Here’s hoping the Jerome Simpson Project is finally closed out! Why…WHYYYYYY…did the Bengals drop a SECOND ROUND PICK on this guy???
DeSean Jackson…Ray Rice…Harry Douglas…Steve Slaton…they were all still on the board when we took this doofus. Let me get this straight: Phenomenal athletic ability, but after two full seasons, he still can’t grasp the Bob Bratkowski Pop Warner Offensive Playbook well enough to get more than one catch for two yards??? Buh…BYE!!!!
Why? Because the dude is a preseason monster! Nobody catches passes from JT O’Sullivan better than he does!
This is our year!
LOL
The Simpson pick has to rank way up there…maybe even Akili Smith or Fat Daddy Dan Wilkinson bad?
If u can’t learn a bobby b run-run-pass-punt playbook in two years u should not possess a driver’s license or be allowed to cook on the stove unsupervised
by Bengals NFL Champs on Jul 22, 2010 3:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't see that
Because he was a second round pick. I don’t think he is in the top 5 busts. Wilkinson, SMith, Klinger, Pollack, and Carter were all 1st rounders wasted. I think they have to come beofre you get into the discussion of Perry, Irons, Thurman and Simpson.
Lewis never actually said
that he likes the competition between slot receivers. He said he thought both guys are really impressing him in the offseason. My thoughts? Ocho, AB and Shipley are the 1-2-3. Caldwell is the wild card/insurance policy. We’ve said numerous times on this blog that Caldwell may not be as natural a fit for slot receiver as some think, and that he shouldn’t be confined to that role. I think Caldwell will be great as a wide or slot receiver to take pressure off the starters and to fill in when someone gets hurt. This also gives me a lot more confidence about the No. 2 receiver spot, which is open if AB is as hurt as advertised.
by Pardon_My_French on Jul 21, 2010 2:43 PM EDT reply actions
I agree with your assessment
Caldwell has been spoken of as a do-it-all, well-rounded player by the coaches on a couple of occasions. That means using Caldwell as a depth player to sub in for any starter that is tired or injured makes sense. He comes with actual game time experience in our system, he’s voluntarily worked on areas of needed improvement this off-season, and the kid’s got speed.
Considering he did have a strong impact early last season, and took it upon himself to improve this offseason, he certainly seems to be a guy we should hold on to.
Experience Rules....
Chad, Antonio, Caldwell…
That’s your 1, 2, 3 next year… Shipley won’t get as many opportunities as you all hope for… Rookie WR’s hardly ever make an impact and rarely get enough opportunities to… He will get in on obvious passing downs in 4 WR sets… As will some of the other guys on the low end of the depth chart..
I predict that Shipley will be the best WR to come out of this draft
I would agree that he will not get as many chances early in the season, but he is considered by almost everyone in a position to know to be the most pro ready WR in the draft. I think he will gradually get more and more snaps as the season progresses.
I think Caldwell will also get more snaps. How can that be? I greatly fear that Bryant will not be healthy enough to avoid being a bust. I would grab TO for 2-3 mill and put Bryant on the PUP. Nobody wants to be wrong more than me but I have a bad feeling about Bryant. I am beginning to think he was a big mistake.
"If we always agree, one of us is not necessary"
can see some of this coming too
1) caldwell struggles at all in the pre-season or regular season, shipley will have caldwell’s job before he knows what hit him.
2) bryant is a risk. a 29 year old wr with two 1000 yard seasons is not a lock. mike brown scares me at times. he’ll defend a bad move with sitting on it, hoping something good arises from it. look at move mike made in the 90s. with luck mike comes to his senses and bryant is viewed in the front office as chad’s replacement.
"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl
* is not viewed
was before coffee, major typo there. probably more a Freudian since i think brown will indeed feel like bryant is viewed as chad’s replacement regardless of performance.
"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl
I would have said the same thing before Brown dumped Coles after last season. I’m actually pretty impressed that he had the stones to make that particular move.
Oh man….I feel dirty now
This is our year!
7 million
500 yards. only reason mike ended that experiment after 1 season. will be AB’s fate as well if he don’t put up big numbers. 14,000 dollars per yard caught mike’s attention as a bad buy at wr. now if coles had made 2-3 million, mike would have kept him around another season.
"wherever Brad St. Louis is and Shayne Graham is about to be." -R.F. Mehl
This is a testament to our depth
It is kind of nice to have experienced quality players in the wings for a potential injury. For years we struggled to find 22 competent starters…injury replacements too aften came from the wire.
I fear with you about AB but am praying that you are wrong.
by HearTheBigCatsRoar on Jul 22, 2010 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions
I want to be wrong too. But I was being honest.
If he comes in as advertised there is no team that we will not be able to score on. Chad, Bryant, Gresham, Shipley with a healthy Carson behind a more cohesive Oline. Andre Smith healthy and Benson loaded in the chamber is a recipe for disaster to any DC. They will not be able to stop us – they can only hope to contain us and put up big points against a top 5 D. We have every reason to be optimistic. Now if we can just put it all together on the field.
A big advantage is that we can cover most WRs 1 on 1 so our safeties can stay closer to the box and blitz or support the run and short passes. Out #1 and #2 corners are so close that they can both be #1s on 20 teams. If the #1 corner is on Chad with double coverage a Healthy Bryant will make the #2 look stupid unless the drop a safety on him as well. That puts LBs on Shipley or Caldwell or Gresham. I am not sure about Caldwell, but a LB cannot cover Gresham or Shipley on a consistent basis, especially on a blitz. Carson will have a an open target with great hands within 3 seconds and I am reasonably sure that most of the time, 2 plays out of three, he will have 4-5 seconds. Ds will not be able to constantly blitz. Benson or Scott will run thru that and Carson will make big plays on PA and screens. The only thing we have to do is be creative enough to keep the D guessing and I am not confident that Brat is up to it.
Putting M. Johnson on the line, hands on the ground, and shifting to a 3-4 with him falling back to OLB in the shift just prior to the snap 4-5 times a game will confuse a lot of QBs, even the better ones. We now, with a healthy Odom, Peko and Tank, we have the personell to make that work and create a lot of confusion in the Oline calls. It’s all good.
Do I think we are SB contenders? No, not at this point but if everything works out like it could we might be. IMO we are definately playoff contenders.
"If we always agree, one of us is not necessary"
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