Who do we keep Lockette or Bates?

[warden]

I think it may end of being neither.
I think Walters makes it ahead of both.

Walters is definitely getting the chance to prove his worth. If he can win a job returning kicks or punts, that would give him enough leverage to take the final WR spot. It will be interesting to see what happens within the WR group.

Harvin and Thomas will be returning kicks for us

 

[MadSweeney]

I would list all these guys as impossible to evaluate from a fan's perspective due to not enough playing time:

- Lockette
- Bates
- Walters
- Willson
- Chris Matthews
- Christine Michael


We can all just assume they are not ready or worthy of more snaps or more plays in real games or even pre-season. But all of those guys seem intriguing to me and we'll all just have to assume our coaches know best or don't really care to figure these guys out yet.

I underlined the basis of your post.

I believe that the coaches know... and these guys will be given their opportunities in these last two preseason games.

I'd also be watching to see who the best blockers are as well.

This whole point was a major part in the discussion about Wilson or Flynn 2 years ago. Flynn certainly did nothing on the field in preseason (not that it would've continued to reg season) to show that he, as an experienced NFL QB, shouldn't be the starter. Wilson did great when he was in certainly, but he wasn't leaps and bounds ahead of Flynn. However, that was just preseason games that we fans saw. Even the fans that go to every open TC sessions don't see half of what the coaches are using to evaluate the players. Obviously those factors were able to tilt the rink so far in Five-Eighths' favor that he was given the nod over a relatively big FA signing.

 

[hawknation2014]

Lockette not only is a stud on st, he is underrated as a pass catcher. I don't recall a game yet where he has dropped a catchable pass.

Lockette played only two snaps in yesterday's game. His greatest utility has been on special teams, where he still needs to learn how to tackle the returner within the permitted strike zone.

WR snap counts
Kearse, 30
Richardson, 30
Baldwin, 29
Bates, 20
Harvin, 18
Clark, 15
Matthews, 11
Smith, 8
Lockette, 2
Walters, DNP
Norwood, PUP

 

[AROS]

Lockette the Rocket. Has great potential as a WR and earns his keep in ST.

 

[Tokadub]

One dropped screen pass in practice is supposed to support your argument? LOL.

His 57.9% catch rate last year was better than or equal to Calvin Johnson, Josh Gordon, Alshon Jeffrey, Michael Floyd, Dez Bryant, Riley Cooper, A.J. Green, etc.

By your own account, Kearse had a 95% chance to make the team before training camp. That is about as much of a "lock" as you can get.

That one dropped screen pass is a great example of Kearse's bad hands. There are many other examples if you wanna re-watch the games from 2013.

Those other receivers you listed on other teams don't have Russell Wilson throwing to them. Russell throws probably the most catchable ball in the entire league. If there's a QB with better touch and such perfect accuracy let me know I don't know who that is.

I could be drinking my 10th beer and holding that beer in my left hand and still catch +80% from Wilson one handed from like 40 yards if Wilson's goal was to throw catchable balls. My point is that a 57.9% catch rate is pretty horrible when Wilson is your QB, Baldwin stated his goal is to catch at least 70+% this season.

Fricken' Luke Willson's catch rate last year was way better than Kearse's and we saw how bad Willson's hands can be against Chicago... Kearse was statistically much worst with his catch rate:

Luke Willson 20/28 71.4% for 272 yards

But like I said Kearse had a 95% chance to make the team, you could attribute about 10-20% of that rate just to the coaches giving him the benefit of the doubt, similar how to they give Turbin so many plays when his career average yards/attempt is not even close to impressive.


Players who had better catch rate than Kearse last season (minimum 5 catches):

Tate, Baldwin, Miller, Lynch, Willson, Lockette, Coleman, Turbin

Literally EVERYONE except Sidney Rice...