Counter-Argument: Andre Caldwell Makes The Roster

All of the people saying that Briscoe will make the roster are ridiculous. He hasn’t shown us a thing and he’s a 6th round pick. As Josh said, Caldwell has the experience and he’s only a 3rd year receiver. There is no way he’s cut.

While he might not make an impact at receiver with TO, Shipley, Ocho, he definitely makes an impact on ST as a gunner. He’d make the team over Simpson if it came down to those two.

then keeping Caldwell makes sense. If Bryant ends up on IR, then keeping Caldwell still makes sense. If Bryant is on the active roster, Caldwell likely winds up playing for another team. So yeah, Andre’s future with the team is strongly tied to what they do with Antonio.

Regardless, Shipley will see most of the slot action, so this is really about depth. I sincerely doubt they keep both Caldwell and Bryant on the active roster when neither one, much less both, would see enough action to warrant the move. The big question to me is, looking long term, where do they fit in? How long do they plan to keep 81 and 85? Is Bryant reliable enough to fill either players shoes in the future? Does Simpson look to factor in to the future of the club too? Can the team PSquad and groom Briscoe to eventually play a starting WR position? Do you ever really see Caldwell starting as a WR on a true contending team?

Personally, I think Simpson and Briscoe could be the semi-distant future #1 & 2 receivers for this club while Shipley and Gresham play their parts with great consistency. That would leave Caldwell as a depth player, albeit a familiar and comfortable option. However, I doubt Caldwell would be a content lifer in Cincy as a depth player.

Personally, I think Caldwell makes the team this year. But his future outlook with the team depends greatly upon injuries and/or other unpredictable factors.

In scenario 1, I’ll assume Bryant is on the active roster. I believe the final two receivers will be Caldwell and Simpson. Caldwell because of past experience and flashes of greatness, and Simpson because of his physical abilities and the heavy investment they’ve put into him that looks as if it’s starting to pay off.

In scenario 2, I’ll assume Bryant is on IR or no longer with the team. In this case, Caldwell definitely makes the team. The other two are Simpson and Jones, I believe. The 6th spot is hard, it could be Jones or Cosby, but I think Cosby brings little to the passing game (his strengths lay in special teams and kick returns).

My guess is:

Injury settlement reached with Bryant leaves us with Ocho, Owens, Shipley for the top three (I’m guessing, based on Carson’s abundance of love for Shipley and the fact that he’s seeing play with the first stringers, that he’ll start the season in the slot).

For the final three, I’d guess Caldwell, Simpson/Jones, Cosby, with Briscoe to the PS.

I’d guess Simpson makes it over Jones based on money/potential (yes, still, potential). Cosby, as the last receiver, mainly sees special teams duty. Briscoe hasn’t shown enough in the preseason to be that attractive to any team to pluck him from the PS, so it might be safe…

Who cares if he has not caught a pass in two MEANINGLESS pre-season games. Carson Palmer has not thrown a TD in two games …..let’s cut him to. Ocho has caught what…..2 passes, he sucks let’s cut him to. Odom has not sacked the QB………release him…..lmao.

Caldwell looks great, he is down to about 190 lbs and looks faster than last year. Look who the QB is when Andre in there….if you want to cut someone it needs to be JT and baby brother.

I have no Caldwell hate, but I have to look at what is infront of me. The Bengals were not happy with their wide recievers past Chad in the offseason. They brought Matt Jones, Chris Davis and Antonio Bryant. They drafted a third rounder and a 6th. They brought in enough recievers to fill the roster, to me that means no one is safe except Chad, and Shipley as the 3rd rounder. Shipley, TO, Simpson, Cosby and Jones have had good preseasons. Simpson also has youth going for him (how many of you knew that Simpson is the second youngest reciever, younger than Shipley?). Caldwell was decent early last year, and reportedly has had a good offseason, which means he probably has to show less than others. He also provides some teams play which gives him a further edge, but he has to start showing something in the preseason. Right now I see him on the same bubble with Simpson, Cosby, and Jones.

Chad, TO and Shipley have made the team. Bryant will make it if he can last through a preseason game, and might make it anyway. If you assume 2 spots are available, right now I would keep Simpson and Cosby. If 3 then Simpson, Cosby and Caldwell. I think that Jones has to beat out Simpson because neither gives the team any teams snaps, so they can only keep one.

He’s a proven WR whom ML says has had the best offseason of any man on the roster. I would cut T.O. before Caldwell.