Griff Whalen

[RockThatBlue]

Opinions on chances he stays on the team this year. Still early this off season, but I can't imagine its gonna be easy for him to make the team this year.

[nburgmei]

Hilton, Johnson, Moncrief, and Dorsett are locks. That leaves Carter, Brown, and Griff. I don't feel like he's going to beat out Carter for the 5th spot, but if we keep six receivers then maybe he'll stick. 

[twfish]

I've been waiting on this thread and almost started it myself. Is he eligible for 1 more year on the ps?

[Jdubu]

I am a huge fan of Whalen. Man just comes to work and does what's is asked of him. He isnt flashy but he just catches the ball and does the dirty work. I'll miss him but with the assembled talent, unless someone gets hurt, no chance we carry 6 wr's and 3-4 TE's and no chance Griff beats out the assembled list of wr talent IMO

[Gavin]

I've been waiting on this thread and almost started it myself. Is he eligible for 1 more year on the ps?

http://www.thephinsider.com/2014/8/30/6086009/nfl-practice-squad-salary-eligibility-and-rules

 

http://www.nfl.com/player/griffwhalen/2535876/profile

 

 

I believe he is still eligible

[MrNLM]

His best chance is to concentrate solely on special teams contributions.

[tvturner]

Always liked Griff, whether he makes the team or not, best of luck to him.

[MTC]

Unless any of our main 5 WR's (AJ, TY, Dorsett, Moncrief, Carter) gets injured, he won't make the 53. 

[COLTS449]

I'm one of the guys who really like him. But the odds are stacked against him right now. Johnson, Hilton, Moncrief, Dorsett, and Carter are our top 5. We may not even carry 6, but if we do he'd have to beat out Vincent Brown, and Brown isn't a bad receiver at all. I hope we keep him because I believe he could still be a solid slot receiver. At worst a good 4th WR. 

[TKnight24]

Nope, he's gone

[The Shrink]

Nope, he's gone

In true fashion!

[akcolt]

Yeah I don't see Griff making the 53 man. Honestly I think Brown probably beats him out at WR. There are a lot better options on special teams when you take PR out of the equation.

It would be nice to have the experience on the PS. If eligible I bet we keep him around another year on the PS.

[Dark Superman]

If he doesn't make it here, I'm sure he will land somewhere. He's a good kid with decent skills.

[Buck Showalter]

Griffer...

[JPFolks]

I could see him back on our team when the inevitable injuries happen to one or more of our receivers (or if for some reason we keep 4 TE's and one gets hurt).  He was there for us off and on last year, so he's a great insurance policy at worst and could surprise folks as he's done since day 1.  Vincent Brown may be the biggest surprise factor as an experienced veteran versus some rookies/2nd year players.  I wouldn't assume he has no chance, especially if Carter doesn't pan out.  Looking good in some non-pad/non-contact OTA's means nothing.  There were reasons beyond maturity he wasn't in the NFL last year.  

[JPFolks]

By the way, I think it is less likely he catches on to another team.... I think it is Indy or bust for Whalen.  

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

I like Grif but honestly Dorrest getting drafted probably doomed him. I think he only makes the team if he is declared the returner.

[NewColtsFan]

I don't think Griff is eligible for the Practice Squad.

 

This is his 4th NFL season.    I think at that point you're no longer eligible for another year on the PS.

[CheezyColt]

By the way, I think it is less likely he catches on to another team.... I think it is Indy or bust for Whalen.  

 

I can definitely see this line of thinking.  I just have this weird irrational fear that NE would pick him up as soon as Amendola inevitably gets injured and he becomes a star chain-mover for the Pats.  I know it's silly, but Griff has proven to have good hands and was good for us in that capacity from the little I can remember seeing of him in regular season.

[Hoose]

I think Whalen has some value. He has great hands. He has a good sense of the field. When he played regularly at the end of the season a couple of years ago he was actually an asset. No, he isn't a speed demon, but he's no slug. There is a place for a guy like this in the NFL, especially with the pass happy offenses we see today. A guy who can move the chains and catch whatever gets close to him? Somebody will sign him. 

 

He just can't compete with the level of talent the Colts have accumulated at receiver. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

No other team claimed him last year when the Colts released him. And this year there's a influx of a good and deep rookie class of wr's.

So he's Done as far as the nfl imo.

[esmort]

No sense wasting a roster spot on Whalen; we can probably cut him an just pick him back up if we need him. I think it is unlikely another team will snatch him up. 

[throwing BBZ]

I think Whalen has some value. He has great hands. He has a good sense of the field. When he played regularly at the end of the season a couple of years ago he was actually an asset. No, he isn't a speed demon, but he's no slug. There is a place for a guy like this in the NFL, especially with the pass happy offenses we see today. A guy who can move the chains and catch whatever gets close to him? Somebody will sign him. 

 

He just can't compete with the level of talent the Colts have accumulated at receiver. 

 

 He couldn`t move the chains. He consistently couldn`t drive his man off of him and he came up short time and again.

[lollygagger8]

I'm still rooting for the Griffers! All he does is catch the ball. 

 

Not flashy. 

 

Not fast. 

 

Just great hands, and produces. 

 

[Gavin]

 He couldn`t move the chains. He consistently couldn`t drive his man off of him and he came up short time and again.

Is that why he had 14 first downs on 24 catches on only 40 targets in only 9 games and only 3 starting? I think we can all agree he is replaceable and that he does not have an athletic quality that separates him from some of the roster hopefuls at the position...But he is a reliable wr  though just not a very speedy or athletic one

[Carlos Danger]

I am probably in the minority here, but I tend to think of Whalen and Brown in the same way and I think either one would make a sufficient 5th WR. I'd probably give Griff the edge because he knows the system, has played decently, and had a long standing professional relationship with the QB.

I really put both of them ahead of Carter, atm. As in love as many are with his height and pedigree, I can't put a ton of stock into it when I look at his body of work. There just isn't much to go off of when you consider the differences between the CFL and the NFL. This is especially apparent at the WR position.

I would not be surprised to see Griff make the roster over Carter at all. Really, any one of the three could realistically make it, IMO...

The only caveat, to me, is if they perform around the same level through the preseason. In this case, I think that the coaches choose Carter due to his higher ceiling.

[GoColts8818]

I like the Griffer a lot but I think he'll have a hardtime making this roster.

[southwest1]

No sense wasting a roster spot on Whalen; we can probably cut him an just pick him back up if we need him. I think it is unlikely another team will snatch him up. 

Yeah, I've pretty much resigned myself to the reality that he's gone in all likelihood. Nice kid, works hard, decent hands like Lollygager8 said, but if he can't wow ya on special teams, you can't keep him when we are already stacked at the WR position. Whalen's out. 

 

Griff could prove me wrong of course & I do love his work ethic, but I just don't see Grigs holding on to him not now. Sayōnara son...

[southwest1]

I'm still rooting for the Griffers! All he does is catch the ball. 

 

Not flashy. 

 

Not fast. 

 

Just great hands, and produces. 

 

So you're saying he's our version of Wes Welker in his prime? I get where you're coming from, but my instincts still tell me he won't make the 53 man roster this year. He's on the bubble & that bubble just popped. 

 

I really don't want us to be a reboot of the 99 Rams greatest show on turf. I wanna beat NE & Whalen isn't vital to that goal in my eyes. JMO. 

[gacker65]

As much as I like Griff, I don't see him on the team this next season.  He is missing the key thing that this FO wants in their WRs, speed.

[Grigs build the lines plz.]

I was fine with the receiver stable after we picked up Carter, then we picked up Johnson

and Dorsett. I thought the cap space on Johnson could have been spent elsewhere

and the first pick should have been on a lineman or defense.

 

With that being said, the passing game had better be tops in the league by a large margin

or they are falling short of our expectations IMO.

[NagelHausForge]

I am a big fan of the Griffer and the self appointed president of the Unofficial Griff Whalen Fan Club...

 

A lot of people are writing him off, and I can certainly understand why. 

 

I would like to throw out there that the 2 WRs people are putting ahead of Whalen, Dorsett and Carter, have yet to play an official snap in the NFL...

 

While I think it is a long shot that Grifferoni makes the team I still think it is possible.

 

Everyone raves about speed and body size, and for good reason... however, we had Avery (speed) and Heward-Bay (size).  Neither of them had what I consider to be the most important aspect of a WR... good hands and the ability to catch the ball consistently.  Whalen may not have break neck speed or freakish size but he has great hands and is consistent in his catches.

 

Again, I know its a long shot, as the coaches and GM seem to be star struck with Carter and Dorsett... but lets not count the working man's hero out just yet!

 

(And yes, most of this is written with my sarcastic pants on)

[Valpo2004]

I can't see him making the roster this year.  We're too loaded at his position with guys who have far more potential then he has.  

 

I like the guy, but I just can't see how he's gonna stick on our roster now.

[Chucklez]

He's probably destined for the PS and potentially a call up to be the 5th WR if one of Hilton, AJ, Moncrief, Dorsett or Carter/Brown get injured.

[Coffeedrinker]

I guess it all depends.  If he is impressive in OTAs then he is better than most team's #1 WR.

[ProblChld32]

Opinions on chances he stays on the team this year. Still early this off season, but I can't imagine its gonna be easy for him to make the team this year.

Very, Very Slim he is pretty much expendable at this point. I think his chances of making the team will come down to special teams. because with TY, Moncrief, AJ, Dorsett, Brown, and Carter. he has some stiff competition not to mention the tons of other UDFA WR they brought in.

[Colt Forty-Five]

He has no competition from the UDFAs. Those guys never see the field so there is nothing to compare to. All he has to do is knock off one of the bottom money guys or hope for mass injury and bam, he is on the roster.  Personally, I would only keep guys that are 6'2 or bigger and weigh no less than 200 lbs. I know this cuts down on the speed a bit but I would rather have a big body target with huge wing span than a fragile little sister any day of the week. I bet Andrew would agree too? Drafting Dorsett and putting him out with TY will likely only result in higher occupancy at the infermary. Moncrief and AJ are the only ones that are close to my criteria and worth any money.   

[Btown_Colt]

He has no competition from the UDFAs. Those guys never see the field so there is nothing to compare to. All he has to do is knock off one of the bottom money guys or hope for mass injury and bam, he is on the roster.  Personally, I would only keep guys that are 6'2 or bigger and weigh no less than 200 lbs. I know this cuts down on the speed a bit but I would rather have a big body target with huge wing span than a fragile little sister any day of the week. I bet Andrew would agree too? Drafting Dorsett and putting him out with TY will likely only result in higher occupancy at the infermary. Moncrief and AJ are the only ones that are close to my criteria and worth any money.   

You don't think Luck enjoys throwing to TY? wow

[Colt Forty-Five]

Didn't say that. But every pass is sent out with a prayer to please not get that littel pencil neck body injured. Chances of him surviving to the playoffs are very slim. Not very many small guys that go serious injury free.