Welcome Josh Palmer, WR, Tennessee (Pick #77)

[Guest]

I can tell you he is the filler for MW. This is a make or break season for MW. If Palmer balls out as a rookie that does make MW expendable.

No one disputes his size, speed and athleticism. He just isn't consistent.

1. He's gone over 1000 yards once. (1001yds)
2. He's never caught more that 50 balls in a season. (48)

Those are 2 huge states for wr's. Those are some pedestrian numbers.

I want him to be awesome. If he tears it up this year he'll get a contract.. If he doesn't break 50 catches. and has under something like 800 yds I just don't see him being re-signed.

The team throws the ball disproportionately to Allen and Henry and Ekeler have received significant targets in addition to the deep threat newcomers. There is only one ball.

Also, Williams is involved in many longer and contested passes. So, it is both fewer targets and lower percentage targets that contribute to Williams' numbers.

On another team, one with a WR need, and less RB/TE involvement, I would expect Williams to be a 1,000 yard receiver.

Finally, the issue is not whether or not to re-sign Williams. He should be re-signed if the money is right for the team. Rather, the issue is that Palmer will not be an adequate replacement for Williams. That move represents a downgrade at the WR position for us. If Williams leaves, the better plan would be to draft a player early in the draft that could actually replace Williams in full. Palmer has yet to show that he has that ability.

[DragonIce]

Chris Harris, who's seen tons of receivers, compares Palmer to a young, All-Pro Dez Bryant. A bit of pre-season, hype, sure. But interesting.

https://boltbeat.com/posts/la-chargers-chris-harris-josh-palmer-dez-bryant

The part where I don't see it is as a Cowboy fan I can say emphatically: Dez was a terrible route runner. But I think what Harris' is seeing is physicality, high-pointing the ball, shielding away defenders, the strong hands.

[richpjr]

Listen to the Lombardi interview from the day after the game if you want to know what the coaching staff feels about him. He has the #3 WR position all but locked up.

[Formula 21]

I don’t like to classify these guys as WR 3-5. They’re just specialist depending on the package Lombardi calls. They’re all going to get snaps.

[RTPbolt]

Chain vs the rest of the board here seems to be commonplace. I just dont get the continued inability to actually consider ANYTHING anyone else has brought to the board here. Its your opinion…you are projecting on very little and making absolute judgement on what 1 preaseason game? You may want to consider how you downplay other people opinions…its getting very old.

Dont get me wrong I root for Williams and hope he finally lives up to being a #7 pick in the draft…but he hasnt yet. He has the tools but consistently he cannot stay on the field and hasnt lived up to expectations. He is good but hasnt put it all together and disappears completely in games and is a nonfactor. He has value but frankly he cant hold a candle to Allen. We lose Williams and we demonstrated over and over with a young crew of WRs we didnt really drop off production. Yet when we lose a possession receiver like Allen that keeps the chains moving and keeps the opposing Offense off the field and our Defense fresher we typically LOSE THE GAME. Time of possession is very very important. Surr I love a great long play and you need those when behind. But wasnt that 21 play drive impressive where we ate up what 10-11 minutes where the opposing offense had to sit and be a nonfactor important? I dont know about you but keeping Mahomes off the damn field seems pretty damned important to beating them and winning a division title.

Sure tell me having a rookie 6’1” strong route runner with just as much deep speed as Williams AND will cost a fraction of MW for years isnt valuable to this team. Look at it this way…Allen has finally been healthy for a few years and posting 100+ reception seasons. He moves the chains. But he is quickly approaching the age WRs fall off and injuries take him off the field. We would be idiots not to be planning ahead to bring in the next generation of Allen and Williams for that matter. Surely you cant be that blind to see the value of a cheaper WR that is arguably already more advanced route runner than any WR we have had since Allen came on board AND he may just not have been shown he can get deep too on purpose by design. Why would Lombardi want to show he can get deep in preseason? Dont judge the kid as an at best #3 in his rookie year with such confidence Chain. Give any player time to develop…you dont know the future nor are you there at practice nor have done all the work of TT and the team on this young ascending player. Sure he has to demonstrate himself against #1s but thats pretty impossible to do when the single game he has been in hasnt even put their #1s on the field.

So how about we let Palmer express himself on the field this year and we see how he develops. He will no doubt learn and contribute and that is what every rookie has to do. He wont get the number of plays of a Williams unless Williams goes down or Allen does. To think he cant have a large impact though is shortsighted. To think he cant replace MW next year is a TBD…nobody knows that answer but time and time again in this league players ascend and excel beyond their draft status level…happens all the time. Oh yah…guess who was a 3rd round pick…Allen. Would you have predicted he would be a top 5 production receiver based off his first preseason game and his production at Cal? I think not.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Chris Harris, who's seen tons of receivers, compares Palmer to a young, All-Pro Dez Bryant. A bit of pre-season, hype, sure. But interesting.

https://boltbeat.com/posts/la-chargers-chris-harris-josh-palmer-dez-bryant

The part where I don't see it is as a Cowboy fan I can say emphatically: Dez was a terrible route runner. But I think what Harris' is seeing is physicality, high-pointing the ball, shielding away defenders, the strong hands.

I've thought that Michael Irvin was the better comparison for Palmer. Similar size, got open without great speed, and competed for the ball like a mofo.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

Chris Harris, who's seen tons of receivers, compares Palmer to a young, All-Pro Dez Bryant. A bit of pre-season, hype, sure. But interesting.

https://boltbeat.com/posts/la-chargers-chris-harris-josh-palmer-dez-bryant

The part where I don't see it is as a Cowboy fan I can say emphatically: Dez was a terrible route runner. But I think what Harris' is seeing is physicality, high-pointing the ball, shielding away defenders, the strong hands.

I can't think of Dez Bryant without remember that the Cowboys had to assign a baby sitter to him, to keep him from getting himself into trouble.

There's only a certain amount of that a team can have before it becomes toxic.

[Bolt Dude]

I’m not sure what else Palmer can do at this point in the preseason to give confidence to coaches and fans. Kid looks like a first rounder thus far.

Keep it up, Palmer. You’re doing great.

[richpjr]

you are projecting on very little and making absolute judgement on what 1 preaseason game?

It appears as if chain's mind was made up about Palmer long before the first preseason game was played. Given Williams injury history and as he is on the last year of his contract, I am personally glad we have a guy like him who has clearly made a very strong impression on the coaching staff.

Regardless of what I think about certain players we draft at the time of the draft, I'm willing to give them a season or two before giving up hope on them.

[Bolt Dude]

Lombardi on Palmer:

“He's a guy that's been very consistent, reliable. He has good hands, he's a good route-runner. He's strong, I think you saw that in the game. He works hard too; he gets a lot of work out there. He keeps making plays, so we're really pleased with him."

"You saw him catch some balls in traffic and some bang-bang plays where he got hit right after catching. He just has that overall strength that lends itself to that kind of game. It didn't manifest itself in the game, but he can get downfield as well. Not every catch needs to be six yards, but there were a lot of third-and-short conversions that were huge that he made for us. The situation kind of dictated that in some ways but we're really excited about him."

That’s a lot of good stuff, especially for a team that wants to “throw that sh*t down the field.”

[Bolt Dude]

It appears as if chain's mind was made up about Palmer long before the first preseason game was played. Given Williams injury history and as he is on the last year of his contract, I am personally glad we have a guy like him who has clearly made a very strong impression on the coaching staff.

Regardless of what I think about certain players we draft at the time of the draft, I'm willing to give them a season or two before giving up hope on them.

His post draft comments verify that. He wants to be right more than he wants Palmer to succeed.

*I edited out the ‘toxic fan’ part because it wasn’t nice.

[Topcat]

Sure tell me having a rookie 6'1" strong route runner with just as much deep speed as Williams AND will cost a fraction of MW for years isnt valuable to this team.

Palmer looked real solid in his first game. He could be a real steal.