re: Who is #2 WR by year end?

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Before you crawfish, I'd like to point out to the board that your comment suggests that you think Bech will be a better blocker next year than Cole Taylor.

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I don’t think that’s what he’s saying. I don’t want to speak for him but I believe he’s implying that the blocking difference is marginal and Bech is a much bigger receiving threat which makes it worth getting him on the field.

I swear some of y’all aren’t in tune with modern football at all.

Bech at TE is a huge mismatch. If they line a CB or safety on him it’s an easy blocking assignment and they get a big advantage in the run game.

If they put a LB on him it’s a huge mismatch in the passing game because few LBs will keep up with him.

He’s faster than Arik. Not as big, but will grow into his frame even more. Same role though.

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Sure, as a receiver. He’s not threatening anybody as a blocking TE, which is half the reason we have TEs. If they didn’t care about that they’d just start another WR.

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It's not like we're making our TEs put their hand in the dirt and get push on a DE on a jumbo formation 3rd and short here anymore.

When our TEs line up "in-line" they are still in 2 point stance most of time and rarely being asked to block a big defender, if they are, it's more of a chip situation. Not a "hey can you block this awesome 250+lb DE for 3+ seconds?"

Jalen Shead is more a guy we will use for blocking when we need it, but the other guys - Taylor/Gilbert, Bech if he plays there, will be more lighter blockers. Not pulling heavy duty exactly.

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Pray we get Gilbert back and we wont have to even consider Bech at TE

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Even with Gilbert back Bech could still very much be a #2 TE for us ultimately. People got hot and hard on the Kole Taylor train after Gilbert looked gone, but if we're being honest he's certainly not on Bech's level in the receiving game as Bech could give us another dynamic playmaker at TE and it's not as if Bech isn't a willing blocker. Taylor doesnt bring a whole lot to the table outside of height.

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We got Jake Johnson coming in

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Not this year

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There's no need to force Bech to TE if you get Gilbert back.

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Why do you think they are forcing anything? Bech is already about 6'2 220, he can easily play some FLEX TE on this level and be a huge receiving threat from that spot. It might also be his fastest way for playing time which I'm sure he wouldn't be mad at. You act like we're stacked at TE or something. Even with Gilbert back our TE room without Bech this year is Taylor and Shead. You dont think he couldnt play over either one of those guys? Meanwhile he could be fighting it out for playing time at WR against a huge amount of talented freshmen then upper classmen in Jenkins, Kirklin, Moore, Palmer, etc...

Why are so against Bech playing TE if he can be impactful there right away especially? This isn't Les Miles' TE position. We arent trying to put a 6'5 275 pounder out there like Mitch Joseph to block big DEs on running plays in goal line formations.

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Why do you think they are forcing anything? Bech is already about 6'2 220, he can easily play some FLEX TE on this level and be a huge receiving threat from that spot. It might also be his fastest way for playing time which I'm sure he wouldn't be mad at. You act like we're stacked at TE or something. Even with Gilbert back our TE room without Bech this year is Taylor and Shead. You dont think he couldnt play over either one of those guys? Meanwhile he could be fighting it out for playing time at WR against a huge amount of talented freshmen then upper classmen in Jenkins, Kirklin, Moore, Palmer, etc...

Why are so against Bech playing TE if he can be impactful there right away especially? This isn't Les Miles' TE position. We arent trying to put a 6'5 275 pounder out there like Mitch Joseph to block big DEs on running plays in goal line formations.

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Exactly, let him add depth and get on the field at a flex TE this year instead of him getting little to no playing time behind the vets. I'm pretty sure all of the receivers cross-train so he'll still be learning the routes and roles of the other positions.

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He can be a phenomenal sec receiver

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He can be a phenomenal flex TE too. I think you have this distorted view of what a modern TE actually is. Again, it's not some Les Miles 275 pounder in this offense. It's a dynamic playmaker who we can throw the ball to 5-8 times a game. Gilbert as a true freshman in 8 SEC games had 53 targets and 368 yards receiving with a dumpster fire of a QB situation through most of it. The year before our FLEX TE had 57 targets, 570 yards and was a huge threat in the playoffs, and Moss wasn't exactly as dynamic of a receiver as someone like Gilbert or Bech can be.

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The team doesn't even need him there for depth with Arik on the roster.

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Again, not sure what TEs you think we have, but Taylor wasn't exactly good last year and Shead is a freshman who isnt expected to do much out the gate. Outside of that we got a former baseball player who walked on trying to get playing time at TE. There's very little good depth there, it's easily arguably the weakest position on the team if Gilbert isnt even there. Bech can give us another dynamic playmaker there even with Gilbert...and with Gilbert's past, who knows if he makes it a whole season again. It's not something we can count on exactly.

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He's not long enough to add much more good weight and he's a ++++athlete.

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Have you seen him at all? Dude can easily tack on another 10-15 pounds and not blink an eye. He's in pretty good shape and it's not like at 6'2 he can't be about 230 of great weight.

Evan Engram was one of the best SEC TEs ever in a flex role mostly and was 230-235 at 6'3. You dont need to be some huge TE any more.

Our TE position now is mostly just a slightly bigger receiver, not a smaller offensive lineman.

You don't need to take him out of his comfort zone and frick with his body to have him abuse safeties and linebackers in this offense.

We have plenty of receivers and, in spite of that, we really don't even know where we are beyond Boutte. Let the elite 4* receiver be what he is until otherwise required. Thats all im saying. And that's IF we get AG back.


shite, if Arik didn't leave and we weren't trying to snatch up BTJ late, we aren't even having this conversation. He's a projected wr all the way.

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shite, if Arik didn't leave and we weren't trying to snatch up BTJ late, we aren't even having this conversation. He's a projected wr all the way.

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LSU offered Bech as a TE like 2 months before Gilbert left the program lol