Saints Good article on Callaway (1 Viewer)

[Optimistic Ozzy]

He’s actually the only WR (not named Michael Thomas) that I have faith in. Flame away, don’t care

You're not the only one who thinks this, or feels this way. It's pretty much common sense at this point.

 

[Optimistic Ozzy]

Maybe Trequan Smith also.

He disappears quite a bit. Hopefully after this year, he disappears from NOLA.

 

[sammymvpknight]

We haven't had a true deep threat. If anything we have too much Z in our WR personnel/CSP's offense. (but different offenses are different and terminology to assignment has morphed through the years...and it's late...LOL)

Payton utilizes WR's in a less traditional sense. He schemes to the defense and moves WR's around a lot. If anything the way CSP utilizes his receivers, he almost has everyone as a Z at some point and less a true designated X in our offense. Z will typically be off the LOS and run a lot of slot. They are all over the place and stacked and motioned, etc. Thomas would be considered our X though in general theory. He is great off the line and press coverage. He might not be running deep routes, but works himself inside from outside ridiculously. We just don't have a true burner the last seasons (and that could come from any WR position in CSP's world).

There are some candidates in Kindergarten right now with speed! ABSOLUTELY! As I was saying earlier, at least we have 3 already fielded guys who are not burners, in the traditional sense, but have 3 different skill set/matchup points to utilize. If we can incorporate the THREAT of the deep ball, the clear outs and designed distraction routes will loosen that defense up underneath. If we can, even sporadically hit those or take shots to keep them honest...boy that DOES open up a plethora of scheme for CSP in run and pass. Of course that is just football 101 and many more know that to be true and worded it better than I (sorry for such a "duh" statement...lol).

I don't go in 100% in the generalization that "Drew couldn't", "CSP wouldn't" in regard to the deep ball (there were more factors involved) but it did become pretty invisible and teams definitely were not that concerned, but that is a different topic.

I am still more excited about this season coming up than I have been for a few seasons because of all the options, possibilities and how does it all shake out. It is all about the journey! LOL ( I will drink more than I want this season, I think)! I watched another good video on Callaway...love his sharp cuts and control.

Watch Callaway as he is talking over the first half of the video. He is highlighted. Economy of motion.

That play at the 6 minute mark highlight why I’m hopeful about Callaway and not so much on TQS. Let’s pretend the roles were reversed with TQS running the flag route and Callaway running the rub route. I’m pretty confident that Callaway doesn’t throw his hands up and stops his route during the rub. He has too good of a football IQ to do that. What I’m not sure of is whether TQS could get enough separation to get the TD.Though TQS may have better combine numbers, it's pretty clear that one is the more fluid athlete on the field. One also understand the nuances of the positions and how to use their body and separate, where as the other one is just not there.

Something that stood out to me in the "Route God" interview is that he called TQS as incredibly polished and does everything right. This is TQS's ceiling and though me may have polish in shorts, it just doesn't translate to Sundays. He's just a guy. Ones just a better player than the other.

 

[Groovepro]

That play at the 6 minute mark highlight why I’m hopeful about Callaway and not so much on TQS. Let’s pretend the roles were reversed with TQS running the flag route and Callaway running the rub route. I’m pretty confident that Callaway doesn’t throw his hands up and stops his route during the rub. He has too good of a football IQ to do that. What I’m not sure of is whether TQS could get enough separation to get the TD.Though TQS may have better combine numbers, it's pretty clear that one is the more fluid athlete on the field. One also understand the nuances of the positions and how to use their body and separate, where as the other one is just not there.

Something that stood out to me in the "Route God" interview is that he called TQS as incredibly polished and does everything right. This is TQS's ceiling and though me may have polish in shorts, it just doesn't translate to Sundays. He's just a guy. Ones just a better player than the other.

Yes!
That goes exactly with my assessment of TQS vs Callaway.

 

[sfidc3]

What I loathe about TQS is he'll string together a couple of games where he looks genuinely good and you go "ok here we go, the light turned on!" and then he disappears again. He's a worse blocker than Brandon Coleman and is not a better receiver. Except Coleman was a UDFA and TQS is a third round pick... you kind of expect a third round pick to at least be a factor in games and not bested by a UDFA whose career was ended by injury. I honestly believe if Coleman hadn't of gotten hurt, they would have cut TQS by now and kept Coleman.

I think this is a bit harsh. TQS's main issue has been health, he hasn't been completely healthy for a full season. I would like to see what he could do in that case....I haven't given up on him....

 

[Groovepro]

That play at the 6 minute mark highlight why I’m hopeful about Callaway and not so much on TQS. Let’s pretend the roles were reversed with TQS running the flag route and Callaway running the rub route. I’m pretty confident that Callaway doesn’t throw his hands up and stops his route during the rub. He has too good of a football IQ to do that. What I’m not sure of is whether TQS could get enough separation to get the TD.Though TQS may have better combine numbers, it's pretty clear that one is the more fluid athlete on the field. One also understand the nuances of the positions and how to use their body and separate, where as the other one is just not there.

Something that stood out to me in the "Route God" interview is that he called TQS as incredibly polished and does everything right. This is TQS's ceiling and though me may have polish in shorts, it just doesn't translate to Sundays. He's just a guy. Ones just a better player than the other.

I think "route god" is just a byproduct of the Winston hype camp and was someone who would do videos and "hype" stuff for free to connect with a "name". His top play at football was 1 season for AFA Miami and wasn't a starter at CB/WR. He was already making hype videos 6 years ago and obviously knew his way around editing software. I think he brings some interesting elements in his "training" but I think it is a lot of flash that doesn't translate overtly to the field of play making players BETTER and more productive at their positions. How can he have been training Winston for so long (he has for a while) and simply not have any viable QB experience. He has been with him for a while as one of his "posse". His clients have been a lot through Winston, doesn't seem to have many follow up clients of note. Of course, any work is good work...too a degree. Is it taking away time from true learning at the position is my question? Bad, fringe training can sidetrack a player from actual legit training if they believe the hype.

This is what I said about Callaway and TQS. It is pretty much what your take was, it seems.

What stands out BIG with Callaway is he runs crisp routes and has GREAT control of his body and hips. VERY fluid hips. He plays a lot faster than his straight line speed and doesn't have much wasted motion. His cuts are very sharp and he can use the slightest hip to create a quick amount of separation (such as a our DIG...up, slight 45 and BAM, flattened out). He is video game looking on hitches and curls. He is compact and quick. He had a 78% catch percentage...that is very encouraging and if he continues to progress and stay off injury concerns, he should continue to do what he started and glimpsed at doing.

TQS on the other hand is bit taller and bit heavier, but plays a LOT heavier/slower than Callaway. He is proportioned different, as well. TQS is a tough, athletic player, but lacks the fluid body control that Callaway has. TQS seems to have to fight to get to his body to run crisp routes and plays a bit slower, I find, than his straight line speed. It is easier for defenders to gauge TQS's speed and where he is going than Callaway. I think TQS can be a good #3 as a possession guy who can give you big body targets, will fight for the ball and have a few WOW plays from his sheer athleticism (or sloppy coverage), but Callaway can really be a well rounded WR. If you really watch Callaway, he ticks more boxes than I ever even realized just watching the games in real time. Due to his body control, he pulled a few badly placed balls, as well...all due to first and foremost, his body control to be able to position to pull that ball in.

We do NOT have major speed with what will seem to be our proposed WR depth to start, but speed is nothing without separation. If TQS can gather some consistency, you have his separation due to physicality, separation due to amazing body control with Callaway and MT just is MT...LOL. If we have any sort of consistent QB play and good read/react, this could work well.

Is he the next "superstar" WR, that is all about production and consistency, but in the short snapshots of what I have seen of his body of work, there is a bit of something special to what he could bring.

 

[meily]

Calloway was a good find as an UDFA. I think he will be the #2 this coming season with TQS as the slot guy. Calloway has the quickness and separation and RAC ability that should compliment Thomas on the other side.

 

[sammymvpknight]

I think "route god" is just a byproduct of the Winston hype camp and was someone who would do videos and "hype" stuff for free to connect with a "name". His top play at football was 1 season for AFA Miami and wasn't a starter at CB/WR. He was already making hype videos 6 years ago and obviously knew his way around editing software. I think he brings some interesting elements in his "training" but I think it is a lot of flash that doesn't translate overtly to the field of play making players BETTER and more productive at their positions. How can he have been training Winston for so long (he has for a while) and simply not have any viable QB experience. He has been with him for a while as one of his "posse". His clients have been a lot through Winston, doesn't seem to have many follow up clients of note. Of course, any work is good work...too a degree. Is it taking away time from true learning at the position is my question? Bad, fringe training can sidetrack a player from actual legit training if they believe the hype.

This is what I said about Callaway and TQS. It is pretty much what your take was, it seems.

I think that he's probably more of a conditioning coach for Winston. Which if that's the case...that's fine. I'd hope that Winston would have access to more qualified QB coaches out there, and that he uses them. I think that his comments on our WRs were actually pretty accurate. His description of Callaway was that he's a guy that sneaks up on you and he goes out and gets balls that you don't expect him to get. That WAS his game in college. Playing bigger and faster than he actually is...and of course, just really good ball skills and hands. I'm concerned about his comments about TQS's polish. Maybe I'm overreading it though. But either way it's fine. TQS is still a serviceable NFL player. At worst he's a pretty solid role player. Seems to work hard and does everything that's asked of him. He's also a really good blocker and a role for that type of player will always be there (heck we had Austin Carr...who did nothing but block..TQS is infinitely more valuable than him). But I do think that Callaway's ceiling is really high. I really do think that he can grow into being a Davante Adams type of player...another guy who plays much bigger and faster than he actually is.

 

[ndcc]

I have watched tons of video on Callaway, and I love everything about his game EXCEPT one thing (which is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room): his YAC.

Go back to any archived video with the Saints to see if this is true or not: Nine times out of ten, defender gets his hands on him; Callaway goes down almost immediately.

Check it out, and come back & flame me if I’m wrong.

In fairness, other parts of his game are great: route running, blocking, high pointing the ball, making the catch.

 

[sammymvpknight]

I have watched tons of video on Callaway, and I love everything about his game EXCEPT one thing (which is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room): his YAC.

Go back to any archived video with the Saints to see if this is true or not: Nine times out of ten, defender gets his hands on him; Callaway goes down almost immediately.

Check it out, and come back & flame me if I’m wrong.

In fairness, other parts of his game are great: route running, blocking, high pointing the ball, making the catch.

It's a fair criticism. But I think that at least part of that is the role that he's been asked to play. When you run a hitch and an out...you are expecting a defended to be right on the back of your after catching the ball. Brees peppered him on really short passes most of the year. In college, his intermediate receiving ability and route running was a big question mark. But he already demonstrated that those concerns were unfounded...he just didn't get an opportunity. He has shown some ability to break tackles in the open space as a return...but there a chance that it may just not be his forte. But that's not a big deal at all. Colston also wasn't a YAC guy...and he was one of the greatest Saints ever. If he continues to do exactly what he's done, but adds the downfield contested catches that he demonstrated in college....he'll be a really good player.

 

[SweetT]

I have watched tons of video on Callaway, and I love everything about his game EXCEPT one thing (which is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room): his YAC.

Go back to any archived video with the Saints to see if this is true or not: Nine times out of ten, defender gets his hands on him; Callaway goes down almost immediately.

Check it out, and come back & flame me if I’m wrong.

In fairness, other parts of his game are great: route running, blocking, high pointing the ball, making the catch.

I don’t know if you guys remember or not, but Lance Moore used to do the same thing, early in his career with us. Sometimes he would catch the ball, fall down immediately, with no one touching him.

 

[meily]

I have watched tons of video on Callaway, and I love everything about his game EXCEPT one thing (which is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room): his YAC.

Go back to any archived video with the Saints to see if this is true or not: Nine times out of ten, defender gets his hands on him; Callaway goes down almost immediately.

Check it out, and come back & flame me if I’m wrong.

In fairness, other parts of his game are great: route running, blocking, high pointing the ball, making the catch.

They were only throwing slants and comebacks to him (and most receivers) people are projecting the potential of guys like him Harris and even TQS with a QB with the ability to stretch the field and how Payton will call plays with a signal caller who has a liver arm.

Watch his college tape and you see why he was drafted, just so happens he came on to a team with an aging QB who could not push the ball down the field like in previous years and a coach who is such a genius that he could still diagnose plays to move the ball despite it all

Now with Winston/Hill/Book (whoever ends up the long term solution) at QB you will see more explosion in the passing game.

 

[NOLove]

Maybe Trequan Smith also.

I really wanted to like Smith but he just doesn't have what it takes. The fact that people are more excited about Callaway is a strong indication that Smith is lacking.

 

[Scorpius the Allfather]

I don’t know if you guys remember or not, but Lance Moore used to do the same thing, early in his career with us. Sometimes he would catch the ball, fall down immediately, with no one touching him.

The first time he didn't fall down immediately was the Green Bay game in 2008 where Shockey made a block and Moore housed it. That was also the first game I did a mohawk for and Burnt Toast David got 2 interceptions off Rodgers while we dominated them and scored over 50.

 

[ThrowbackSaintXXL]

I guess Callaway just sucks @ running 40s. He clearly has decent deep speed. Won't outrun the fastest corners but can still get open against them. He & MT should make a deadly combo