And it would go Crumpler then Cooley fyi.

And I never said Cooley doesn't command attention. Just sayin he's easier to cover than LJ 1 on 1.

Heres my official NFL TE list. === I'd put 3 out front. Winslow. Gates. And Heap. Then only cause of age I'd start out next group with Gonzo. Then LJ, Witten, Shockey and Clark. Then the last group. 4 yung'uns and a grampa. Don Lee. Greg Olsen. Vernon Davis. And Bo Scaife. With Scaifes new TEAMate Crumpler right there as well. === So if I had to go in an order? Gates. Heap. Winslow. Then Gonzo or LJ. Shockey. Clark or Witten. Finish strong with Davis. Olsen. Lee. Scaife and Crumpler. You could move some of those yung'uns up. But I'm goin on production. And guys like Davis and Olsen have QB problems. === Now that I looked... not sure how you could find 15 better TE's than LJ. I got LJ 4th or 5th. === Lets hear'em? It would be interesting to see the differences. === Hope I didn't forget more than 2.

Bout Cooley. What I am tryin to say is... it is much harder for S's to play Cooley cause of the amount of attention they have to give to the skins run game. They know he's gonna get it. When is the problem. It's easier for S's playin LJ and knowing he's goin out every time. That half step of hesitation is HUGE difference for S. How many times have you seen Cooley catchin 15-20 yard corners wide open at the boundary? Or the deep cross? Most all his catches are like that. How many times have you seen LJ catch 1 over the middle with LB all over his back. LJ's big plays come from outrunning LB's and S's. So as far as covering 1 on 1. Theres no question LJ is a tougher cover. WC makes you find spaces and run off S's and LB's. Or shake 1 on 1. You have to get open. But Gibbs TE's just run to spots. Where S's were. It's not complicated. We ran same thing at Nebraska. Good hands and good route runner. Thats why I'd take 5 or 6 TE's in EAST before him. === And bout 500 yards. What I'm tryin to say is... The best season a TE could have in our scheme is around 700 yards and 8 TD's. So I think 500 for a guy that was a WR in college in Fantastic. To me he's never underperformed. LJ can outrun S's. Cooley cannot. Period. LJ is much quicker in and out than Cooley. Thats obvious to me. LJ brings BIG matchup problems. 500 yards in WC O is bout as good as it gets. === The only other TEAMS that run Gibbs like O is KC. Maybe Baltimore last year. Even Jax doesn't throw over the top to TE. They are all outs with WR. === If you put LJ in skins deep playaction TE scheme? He could go for 900-1000 yards. Maybe 12 TD's. Where as if you put Cooley in WC? I don't think he could do it. And you'd think the skins would know that as well. And it sure looks like they do. Cause they picked up Fred Davis round 2. You don't draft TE in 2nd round to b/u. === Bout signin LJ. I was jaw dropped shocked when I saw Clark's 7 mill a year deal. SHOCKED. I knew right then LJ was gone. If there is that kind of money out there? I can't give that. Thats BIG $'s for an occasional pass catcher. He'll get more elsewhere. We can't give 7 mill to TE. Just can't. And thats knowing #5's main man is LJ. Thats his guy in the RZ. === Which brings me to our O. Scheme says WR and RB. Specifically Z reciever and RB. But if #5 gets in trouble? He looks for LJ. Period. So like I said. LJ will bring 2 things we really lacked last year. Big play ability and TD's in RZ. The 300 yards he didn't get last year didn't make or break this O. But the lack of BIG plays, RZ TD's in those windows and the comfort for #5 as his go to guy did. === I can't take Witten or Cooley over LJ. Sorry. I can't. You can think I'm blinded by Green. But to me LJ is the best player. No doubt. He does more for O and causes more problems for D's than those other 2. Shockey on the other hand is as gifted if not more than LJ. But he has that baggage where he's callin out coaches and TEAMates and acting crazy in general. So I can't take him either. And not sure I woudn't take Bennett or Davis over Witten and Cooley. They are simply more dangerous. If I look at skins and cowboys? TE is a spot that both could be better at. They have good players there. But they could be better. Like EAGLES WR's.

Here is what I will say- LJ is within the top half of TEs in the NFL. He has his moments where he looks like a stud, then he has his moments of big drops (like in the first Giants game 2 years ago). All in all, he is an effective player on this team. That being said, he is nowhere near the missing link to an anemic offense. I admit that his diminished presence last year hurt the offense, especially in the redzone, but to say his health is what we where missing is seriously overvaluing his role on this team. If the eagles really thought he was truly the missing link, they would have done more than place a franchise tag on him and they would have extended his contract. It's very hypocritical for them to act like he is an integral part of our offense while not attempting to lock him the long term. I appreciate JB that you think he is a great TE, but what I don't appreciate is the constant eagles spin about the value they place on the players have and the players they don't have.

JB, you sort of contradict yourself all over the place. First you say that cooley is the redskins #1 target, then you imply that he doesn't command the attention of defenses as much as LJ. How can the #1 offensive target not merit the attention of opposing Ds? Also, by the argument that 500 yards is quality from the Eagles TE position makes your overall argument of his worth in the offense that much weaker. You can't say him being around is going to make the offense explosive and then say 500 yards is great. You need more from a player than 500 yards before I think you can consider him the missing key to a great team. I can promise you the 300 yards that kept him from a 500 yard season last year is not what seperated us from a superbowl season.

Actually... after I thought about it... Pats Watson. Saints Eric Johnson. Viks Wiggins. They can't compare to LJ. And TB signed Ben Troupe. And Seatlle went out and drafted Carlson. Don Lee from Packers did have 500 yards. 48 catches. And bout 6 TD's. Those numbers are good for WC TE. Of course thats why he is on my list of NFL's best. Cause he is one of the best. Just like LJ.

Heres some WC O TEAMS. Hawks. Pack. Viks. Saints. TB. And the Pats run a slighted version. Go look at those TE numbers if you want something to compare. See if you can find better numbers there. Toss in LJ has Curtis and Brown outside also. Not Moss and Welker. Look at any other WC O's that I missed. Then you can really see what LJ does. You simply can't compare TE's from different O's and say WC TE is underperformed by number. Thats impossible. TE's do different things in different O's.

Point being... you can't compare skins and EAGLES TE numbers. Not even close to same thing. To me... LJ's numbers in WC O are much better than Cooley's in Gibbs O. === If Cooley was so great why did skins take Davis? And Witten is much more like Cooley in O than LJ.

Dude... You need to add in the fact that Cooley was No. 1 target by offensive design most every play. LJ is 3. Maybe 4. We have 2 WR's catch more than 60 balls. Skins have 1 WR catch 50. MAYBE 50. Then we have a RB that caught 90. How can you think 50-60 snags and 4-5 TD's isn't great? This is WC O we are runnin here. With that old fashioned power run game the skins TE is most always gonna be open. LJ doesn't have that luxury. Then you can toss in Cooley's best year was (just guessin by offense) 60-70 snags for 700 yards. I'd guess 7-8 TD's. (Let me know if those numbers are way off.) So LJ has done almost the exact same thing as Cooley without the benefit of the S's watchin the O-line of the ball. Just don't see how you think LJ has underachieved? What were you expecting from LJ? Surely you weren't thinkin 70 catches and 800 yards were you? 10 TD's? You will never see that here. The idea for WC TE is for him to run off LB's and S's for wide outs 1st. Then catch a few down the middle. And then you spread the ball so much that the TE should still get 50 yards a game. A seasoned all-pro TE Chad Lewis didn't have better numbers. And I really don't need to hear LJ's numbers from last year. He was a shell of himself. Not even close to the burst he has had. I think 60 catches and 700 yards would be awesome from LJ this year. Just what our O needs. Toss in 5 TD's and you have a much more potent O.

The reason people don't see that is because he has underperformed every year of his career and he is coming off of a season where he netted one TD and 236 yards (I know he was injured but in the 9 games he started all he managed was 1 TD). Seriously there is no reason not to doubt LJ. According to you Cooley is the worst starting TE in the NFC east yet, LJ's best year doesn't match Cooley's worst year.

Bout LJ bringin Life to this O? You didn't notice a difference last year? I did. When LJ played... we did good. Just his presence alone opened some things up. With LJ healthy? Our O should be quite a bit better. Not sure how people don't see that. lol.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this 1. I have never thought of LJ as average. And damn sure never thought of Cooley as being better. I have however... thought of Cooley as average. I'll tell you this... Cooley will be lucky to be 2nd TEAM for skins. And never will he get the money LJ is bout to get. He's just not that type of player. To me. I'd guess his days are numbered in Washington. === Witten? He and Rhomo are buddies. So they have a connection. And Rhomo looks to Witten when things are tight. But still... Witten isn't scary. === Shockey? When he's on he's somethin. But he has all that baggage. Complainin all the time. Actin like he's hurt. I wouldn't want to put up with that. But he has "it" for sure when he comes to play. === If you gave me a choice? Any TE in the EAST for my TEAM? I'd go LJ. Witten. Bennett. Davis. Shockey(although I'd pass on him for my TEAM). Celek. Cooley. Boss. In that order. === Yeah. Guess I'd take Celek over Cooley. That power run of the skins had Cooley runnin right past S's. He's never impressed me. Can't get open without run action. He's kinda slow. Got good hands though. But I just don't think he'll make it in WC of Zorn. That Gibbs O is different than all others. Thats how Cooley and those tiny WR's hung on all those years. But those days are over. Thomas, Kelly and Davis will splice some Life into that stagnant O by seasons end. I'll predict Portis gets a ton of yards and Betts doesn't play much. Portis should fit in nice in all that space. He should catch 50 balls also.

Roy Williams? Thats different. He's outside. Sure he would help. He would help Detroit also. Thats why they didn't trade him. === cowboys and skins don't share your enthusiasm for Cooley and Witten. They both drafted TE in 2nd round. Both TE's drafted can stretch the field. The days of the sure handed, heavy foot TE are over. With these 2 deep zones you see all the time? The TE must be able to outrun LB's. I wouldn't be shocked to see Davis and Bennett startin by seasons end. As DC... from day 1 your gonna worry bout Bennett and Davis more than Witten and Cooley. IMO.

I think the 3 other starting TEs in the NFC east are better than LJ. Whitten, Cooley, and as much as I hate to say it Shockey (although not by much). What I don't get is that LJ is averge as far as TEs go and below average in our division, yet him being healthy is supposed to be enough to give us an explosive offense? If the addition of a healthy LJ is such a huge upgrade, think of what a guy like Roy Williams would bring.

Your not gonna get more than 50-60 snags as TE in REIDS O. 70 and 7 TD's would be beyond belief. But to have a guy that can stretch the field like that? Opens up many things for others. When you think of the S always having to keep an eye on Moss outside. You can also think that S has to watch LJ down the middle. You can't just put a LB on LJ and feel secure. Thats a TD waiting to happen. I think he brings a bunch to this O. When he gets the ball. When he doesn't. Blocking. He is always creating problems. Our O is better when he's out there. To me.

Well... your comparing apples to oranges. Celek will never be as good as LJ. He just doesn't have those tools. It's like comparing Boss to Shockey. Boss will never make DC's sweat. But Shockey and LJ do. Every week. === All I know is... WC O WR's are there for their ability in open space. And it's pretty packed by the GL. #5 has always looked for his TE down inside the 10. And that showed more than ever last year.

Say Kolter... funny you should say LJ has never lived up to the hype. I was just talkin with my buddy last night. To me... LJ has far surpassed what I expected from him. Not very often do you see a college WR become strong on point like LJ has become. I mean that guy blocks pretty well. Then he's a WR at the TE position of course. Which was expected. Still... he brings the best of both worlds. Theres not many TE's that are as explosive as LJ. Vernon Davis. Lee from GB is gettin there. Winslow. Chargers TE. Maybe Dallas Clark. Greg Olsen could be soon. Witten, Cooley and Steelers TE are pretty good. But none are as tough to deal with as LJ. You could still put Gonzalez in there I guess. When he comes to play... Shockey could go in there. But thats iffy. Thats off the top of my head. I would guess you probably don't like Davis and LJ over Witten? But I do. Anyways I think we are VERY lucky to have an explosive TE that can block that well. Not many TEAMS are as lucky as we are. This will likely be LJ's last year here. He's gonna get HUGE contract. Somethin along the lines of Clark's 7 mill. My guess is... our O will not be the same after LJ's gone. It wasn't last year. Out of curiousity.... Who do you like more? LJ or Chad Lewis? I'd say thats a close 1. But I always have to go with the more explosive TE. I like that stretch down the middle. To me Lewis is like Witten. I'd have to take LJ.

JB, I don't understand where all this LJ Smith hype comes from. He has never really materialized to the expectations people put on him year after year. IMO, LJ is average at best so if that trumps Celek, then it looks like we wasted a draft pick last year.

We sure could have used those 9 20 yarders or more last year. LJ is gonna bring 2 things we desperately needed last year.... RZ TD's.... and explosive plays. Celek is OK. And he will get better I imagine. But in no way does he bring what LJ does. As I have said before... our Offense is completely different when LJ is playing.

A healthy me?

Smith has never lived up to the hype, why should we beleive he is the key to our O now?

Does anyone think that Smith can really be a highly productive TE?