The Cost Of James Casey*UPDATE*Signed by Eagles

[sandman]

Originally Posted by eriadoc

I'm not comparing Casey to Leach...

No reason you shouldn't. Casey personally had a better year catching the ball than Leach ever did, and the running game overall had more yards/TD's than in any of Leach's five years starting at FB.

What exactly did he not give this team that Leach did? And if the answer is goal line presence, before Foster came along in Leach's last year, this team had 12-15 rushing TD's a year. They were either not getting the opportunity, in which case it is a moot point, or they were not taking advantage of it, which means we have romanticized the contributions that Leach provided.

If we judge Casey's performance as a FB, and not try to wrap logic around he is a FB but should play like a TE, then Casey gave a better performance this year stats-wise than the year that Leach cashed in on as a free agent.

And people were cutting their wrists over Leach leaving...

[Texaninlild]

Originally Posted by srrono

Kyle Juszczyk FB Harvard Sr 6-1 248 was a stndout at Senior Bowl week he is projected from a 6th rounder to a UFA in the draft I am hoping HOU grabs him. Juszczyk was stoning guys over and over on NFL Network broadcast of Senior Bowl practices.

I was thinking this battering ram of a young man would be a great add. He does not have the hands of Casey although he is athletic and appears to catch well out of the backfield.

I only want Casey back if he is utilized in a manner that suits his skills out of the backfield.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by srrono

Kyle Juszczyk FB Harvard Sr 6-1 248 was a stndout at Senior Bowl week he is projected from a 6th rounder to a UFA in the draft I am hoping HOU grabs him. Juszczyk was stoning guys over and over on NFL Network broadcast of Senior Bowl practices.

Originally Posted by Texaninlild

I was thinking this battering ram of a young man would be a great add. He does not have the hands of Casey although he is athletic and appears to catch well out of the backfield.

I only want Casey back if he is utilized in a manner that suits his skills out of the backfield.

Casey most likely will not return. Juszczyk could be a great addition. He has consistently shown solid hands. Unlike Leach, he doesn't go down on first contact.

Kyle Juszczyk from Harvard is an ideal H-back/fullback candidate. He has been impressive as a lead blocker on the inside run game and has decleated a number of linebackers in the run drills. He is a fine receiver out of the backfield or as a wing has been excellent all week. He has soft hands, runs good routes and is physical after the catch. The 49ers run a lot of two- and three-tight sets and a number of teams are studying that offense. Juszczyk would be a great fit for that type of offense. - Pat Kirwan, CBSSports.com

01/05/13 - Harvard senior tight end Kyle Juszczyk will accept an invitation to play in the 2013 Senior Bowl, slated for January 26 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The game will start at 4 p.m. (EST) and can be viewed on the NFL Network. It marks the third all-star game invite for Juszczyk, who declined invitations to the CDS All-Star game in Tucson, Ariz. and the East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Juszczyk led the Ivy League with eight touchdown receptions and led a potent Harvard team with 52 catches for 706 yards (13.6 ypc). For his career, he set the mark for all Harvard tight ends with 125 catches (6th all-time) for 1,576 yards (7th all-time) and 22 touchdowns (3rd all-time). - Harvard football

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings...2013&genpos=TE

[powda]

Casey's a houston native and I think he's the kinda guy that would give the texans a discount to stay here. I know that's said about a lot of houston athletes but I actually believe it with him.

[beerlover]

Pretty simple math replace a 5th rd. pick (Casey) with a better prospect in 6th (Kyle) doesn't really = does it? Juszczyk is a football player, pure & simple. If want to improve position at least use a late 5th if not forget about it.

Also why would Kubiak get rid of a player he clearly loves, developed & adopted? I think he will keep him, have him cut some weight, get quicker & use three TE sets more. Casey is not a fullback. He is good enough to block outside & down the field.

One more thing about the Harvard kid, he is not a battering ram. He is no Leach Leach uses smarts, is fundamentally sound blocker, good explosiveness with passion for taking care of assignments. He could be a sneaky weapon out of the backfield after securing max protection.

[b0ng]

I think when you compare other FB's in the league Casey makes a ton of plays out of the backfield or even running a route. Foster runs out of a single back set quite often so I'm not as worried about how his blocking is (Which is adequate, but certainly not all-world).

I hope that we retain him because I think his versatility means he could go in with 3 TE sets that we've seen a few times, as well as being in the FB spot as well, but I don't think he's worth an entire million against the cap.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by b0ng

I think when you compare other FB's in the league Casey makes a ton of plays out of the backfield or even running a route. Foster runs out of a single back set quite often so I'm not as worried about how his blocking is (Which is adequate, but certainly not all-world).

I hope that we retain him because I think his versatility means he could go in with 3 TE sets that we've seen a few times, as well as being in the FB spot as well, but I don't think he's worth an entire million against the cap.

What do you think would be a fair price for Casey. We said no to paying Leach $3M/yr (I think) & Dressen signed a 3 year $8.5M contract, just under $3M/yr.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by sandman

No reason you shouldn't. Casey personally had a better year catching the ball than Leach ever did, and the running game overall had more yards/TD's than in any of Leach's five years starting at FB.

What exactly did he not give this team that Leach did? And if the answer is goal line presence, before Foster came along in Leach's last year, this team had 12-15 rushing TD's a year. They were either not getting the opportunity, in which case it is a moot point, or they were not taking advantage of it, which means we have romanticized the contributions that Leach provided.

If we judge Casey's performance as a FB, and not try to wrap logic around he is a FB but should play like a TE, then Casey gave a better performance this year stats-wise than the year that Leach cashed in on as a free agent.

And people were cutting their wrists over Leach leaving...

Leach left, running game degrades as the games go by. What is more important than a top running game to the Kubiak offense? Nothing. Casey makes a few catches but really doesn't do much....Casey is the one being romanticized.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

That's really funny.

"Welker became the first player in NFL history with five seasons of 100 or more catches, breaking a record he shared with Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison and Brandon Marhsall."

Source

Originally Posted by Vinny

Leach left, running game degrades as the games go by. What is more important than a top running game to the Kubiak offense? Nothing. Casey makes a few catches but really doesn't do much....Casey is the one being romanticized.

Arian Foster missed him greatly and Ray Rice loves him dearly.

I think the smartest man in the room is thinking too hard on Kirby Drive.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

"Welker became the first player in NFL history with five seasons of 100 or more catches, breaking a record he shared with Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison and Brandon Marhsall."

So you agree it's funny to think Harvin is an upgrade over Welker??

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

So you agree it's funny to think Harvin is an upgrade over Welker??

yep.

[greekdbag]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Leach left, running game degrades as the games go by. What is more important than a top running game to the Kubiak offense? Nothing. Casey makes a few catches but really doesn't do much....Casey is the one being romanticized.

Losing Brisiel and Winston hurt us a lot more than losing Leach.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by greekdbag

Losing Brisiel and Winston hurt us a lot more than losing Leach.

However, being that Foster still ran for 1400 yards in 2012, the future is looking bright.

[Uncle Rico]

so the reason we need to keep him is the fear of what he could do with the patriots? that is real weak.

dude is not a fullback. nice TE. he gets destroyed more often than not in the gap. blood on the moon.

we need a more stocky. low center of gravity gap creator. or just run single back all the time and add the extra receiver.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Uncle Rico

so the reason we need to keep him is the fear of what he could do with the patriots? that is real weak.

dude is not a fullback. nice TE. he gets destroyed more often than not in the gap. blood on the moon.

we need a more stocky. low center of gravity gap creator. or just run single back all the time and add the extra receiver.

JMHO This team has denied a need for an unmoveable FB battering ram as much as they have denied a need for an unmoveable NT batering ram in the middle.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Uncle Rico

so the reason we need to keep him is the fear of what he could do with the patriots? that is real weak.

Where'd that come from?

[powda]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

JMHO This team has denied a need for an unmoveable FB battering ram as much as they have denied a need for an unmoveable NT batering ram in the middle.

Yup. They dont like prototypes in those positions. They prefer more athletic types they then refuse to use according to the players skill set.

[HoustonFrog]

Originally Posted by GP

I don't think the Patriots would target him. They're using Woodhead in that role already.

I think the Pats will go after Percy Harvin and let Welker walk.

Anybody here think the idea of Tom Brady throwing to Percy Harvin is just unfair to the rest of the NFL on many levels? Yeah, me too!

For as good and reliable as Welker is, Harvin is an upgrade.

The scary team is SF. Add Harvin there and you have a top read option QB with Harvin being a RB/WR..like he was in Minny...and you still have Crabtree coming into his own and Davis. That O would be messed up.

I like Casey. He fits the "system." But I wouldn't overpay...its the system.

[sandman]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Leach left, running game degrades as the games go by. What is more important than a top running game to the Kubiak offense? Nothing. Casey makes a few catches but really doesn't do much....Casey is the one being romanticized.

Not sure I understand the degrading of the running game.

2012 = 2123/4.2 YPC/19 TD
2011 = 2448/4.5 YPC/18 TD

Leach's last year in 2010: 2043/4.8 YPC/20 TD

If you look at the total production in the two years he has been in Baltimore compared with the two years before he got there (Rice has been there four years = 2 with and 2 without), the Ravens running game has virtually the same yards, APC and TD's. 2000/4.3/16

If you want to point to YPC decrease, especially this year, there are so many factors: time killing running plays in 4th quarters, new right side of O-line, Tate not being able to keep himself healthy.

And yet, in spite of all that they still finished in the top 10 for rushing yards and top 5 for rushing TD's. Throw in the fact that they were a top 10 passing team as well, and only one team in the NFL had more passing AND rushing yards, the Patriots.

So in the end, the Texans let Leach walk and kept their production. The Ravens gave him a huge contract, and kept their production. I'm going to say the Texans made out just fine in the deal.

As far as Casey goes, he either gave you better production out of the backfield in the passing game than Leach ever did in his 5 years here, or he gave you #2 TE stats, because his numbers this year were comparable to the last three years that Dreesen had. Considering that Graham was the #2 TE and did not get as targeted as much as Casey did as the FB, especially considering the two-TE sets that this team employs, it shows that Casey could be a very adequate #2 TE.

I'm not stating that Casey is or ever will be the pure blocking FB that Leach was. Casey should not be paid big FB money because he is a hybrid. But let's not pretend that he was hot garbage out there and him walking away would not a detriment to this offense.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Casey vs. Dreesen. Look at DYAR and DVOA

TEs 2012 FOOTBALLOUTSIDERS

TEs 2011 FOOTBALLOUTSIDERS