IN : ESPN RANKS WR CORE

[Carolina_Packer]

Well, I certainly hope there is no double jeopardy (i.e. being tried twice for the same offense) applied to Robinson. If he's served his league suspension and gets re-instated, how could Goodell then turn around and punish him again for the same sin? That wouldn't be too fair. I think he got what he deserved, and by the time he's done, he will have served his time and should be allowed to come back.

OK, as far as this article goes, I laugh when I read 9, 10, and 11 which are the Ravens, Steelers and Giants respectively. Are you kidding me!? Why on earth would they be ranked so high? Don't get me wrong, I like Derrick Mason, Hines Ward and am so so on Plexiglass, but what do they really have after those guys, and are those guys head and shoulders above Driver if all things are equal and the Packers have "only one receiving option"?

I agree that the QB can make the receiving corp. and then some. I too think Green Bay will be much better at receiver than 28th. I wish these lucky doofus' who get paid to write these articles would end up writing retractions after the season is over in case they are way wrong about certain teams.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Well, let's look at it this way. The only reason the Colts are first is Peyton Manning. If Eli were QBing over there, they would be somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Also, showing how worthless these rankings are, last year before the season started, most articles had the Saints below 19th, and some had them near the bottom of the NFL. Mostly because of aged receivers, and a low pick rookie, who ended up being one of the best rookies of the year. Then again, they had Drew Brees throwing to them. History shows that WR are usually made or broken by the Q B throwing to them, thus Randy Moss being very ordinary the last couple of years.

Bottom line, Brett is still, IMO, in the top five of QB's in the game today. He can still MAKE receivers like Jennings, James, Martin, Holliday very good. I think we will end up being much better than that ranking if Favre stays healthy for the millionth season in a row.

I agree, good post.

[The Leaper]

I think the rating is a little low...but not much. Driver is a very good WR, but puts up better numbers than he should because of his relationship with Favre. He doesn't scare opposing defenses. He isn't a factor in the red zone. As a #1 WR, he needs someone opposite him who can garner some share of the defense's attention. Right now, we don't have that.

Jennings has a good future ahead of him, but he's nothing more than a very average #2 WR right now. He may be able to take a nice step forward this year and prove to be consistent, but until he does the opposition is not going to focus much attention on him and will routinely double team Driver.

Jones to me is a project. He doesn't have much college experience...and the experience he does have is against a very low level of competition. He's not about to step on an NFL field and produce in any significant capacity like Jennings did last year.

Ferguson is a tease. Martin and Holliday are major question marks.

Our WRs combined for only 13 TDs last season...8 of those came from Driver. That is with one of the most PROLIFIC TD tossers in the game playing QB. That is rather pathetic. Put Alex Smith on this team, and we are lucky to get double digit TDs combined from our WRs.

They just aren't good at all as a unit. The good players lack size...and the players with size lack consistency and durability.

[MJZiggy]

Jennings has a good future ahead of him, but he's nothing more than a very average #2 WR right now. He may be able to take a nice step forward this year and prove to be consistent, but until he does the opposition is not going to focus much attention on him and will routinely double team Driver.

You can say that now, and I remember that they said that at the beginning of last year, and then Jennings smoked a few people for long gains and a touchdown (the sweet one where Driver made such a nice block--who was that against?) and until he got hurt, he had to be respected. There is no reason for that not to happen again

[HarveyWallbangers]

Jennings was on pace for nearly 1200 yards and 9 TDs in his first 6 games last year... before the ankle injury. I think he's going to do very well.

[MJZiggy]

I also think that any coordinator with a memory will account for Jennings from the get-go. If he doesn't he's an idiot...

[The Leaper]

Jennings was on pace for nearly 1200 yards and 9 TDs in his first 6 games last year... before the ankle injury. I think he's going to do very well.

"On pace" is typically irrelevant. Woulda, shoulda, coulda...Jennings wound up with 650-3. Jennings had decent games against HORRIFIC pass defenses in DET and STL...against better defenses prior to the injury he wasn't exactly lighting it up.

Jennings will face tougher defenses on a more consistent basis this year. He will have to take his game up a notch before any defensive coordinator starts seriously considering Jennings when making his game plan. I think he can and will do this. I'm just not sure when that will happen. It may happen early this year...or later this year...or next year. Who knows.