Time To Move Andre Johnson down the depth chart?

[TYtheGHOST]

Donte Moncrief has shown a lot more than AJ has so far this season.

There was also a stat that I read that says Andrew Luck QB rating is well above 100 when throwing to Moncrief.

AJ has shown very little speed or ability to get separated off the dbs and I think Dorsett and Moncrief could both pass him on the depth chart by seasons end.

If now isn't the time to make this move what will it take to change your mind?

Thoughts?

[NewColtsFan]

No.

 

It's not time yet.

[Patrick Miller]

I agree. I see now why the Texans let him go.

[Dustin]

I mean, Moncrief has the exact same number of snaps as Johnson and has more targets. What else do you want? Dorsett doesn't even appear to have the offense down yet.

[Buck Showalter]

Andre Johnson is awesome

[COLTS449]

Andre will be fine, but its looking like Moncrief and TY are our main 2 wide receivers. Andre will still put up good numbers and he'll still have a good year.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

Depth charts are like power rankings, they really have very little bearing on what actually happens on the field.

[DougDew]

I was not a fan of the signing at the time, but he needs to remain number 2 until he has proven otherwise, or unless Moncrief tears it up in practice. Working Dorsett into the second half after the CBs get a bit tired is fine for the time being. We'll see how it goes against easier defenses.

However, $7m to $8m a year was too much money.

[TKnight24]

Donte Moncrief has shown a lot more than AJ has so far this season.

There was also a stat that I read that says Andrew Luck QB rating is well above 100 when throwing to Moncrief.

AJ has shown very little speed or ability to get separated off the dbs and I think Dorsett and Moncrief could both pass him on the depth chart by seasons end.

If now isn't the time to make this move what will it take to change your mind?

Thoughts?

Should move Andrew Luck down the depth chart too while you're at it

[Buck Showalter]

Depth charts are like power rankings, they really have very little bearing on what actually happens on the field.

I assume some people are taking this abstract concept of "depth chart theory" and making a correlation with snap count, which some could go on to theorize would have an actual outcome with on-field events...

[Yoshinator]

I was not a fan of the signing at the time, but he needs to remain number 2 until he has proven otherwise, or unless Moncrief tears it up in practice. Working Dorsett into the second half after the CBs get a bit tired is fine for the time being. We'll see how it goes against easier defenses.

However, $7m to $8m a year was too much money.

I didn't realize practice meant more than the real game. Moncrief showed yesterday he is far better than his rookie year. He's our no2 without a doubt. Andre looks lost out there. I would also split carries between Dorsett and Andre as the #3 receiver right now. Our gameplan should be to throw dumpoff passes to Hilton and Dorsett and let them utilize their speed to pick up 1st downs and break long runs. This will also cut down on turnovers and allow Luck to get rid of the ball quicker. Include a bit of Wildcat and let them run the ball as well. Just work on the short to mid game with Hilton, Moncrief and Dorsett, and move Andre down. The offense will be much more efficient, and we'll be a better football team. Lets utilize our strengths and not try to hit a HR every play.

[K-148]

Andre is ok on slant and shallow cross. Not so much on skinny post and fade.

[Everyone]

They should only use Dorsett on Bubble screens, dump offs or shallow crossing routes IMO.  Bad things seem to happen when Luck throws deep to him, he's not ready to be featured yet.

[chad72]

T.Y. and Moncrief should be starting outside, AJ should be used inside in the slot for underneath options like Reggie Wayne was, to utilize soft spots in zones or use the big body in the middle.

 

When we go 3 WRs, if it is stack, use A.J. and if it is all spread out, use Dorsett, IMO.

[ColtsLegacy]

Pep is using Andre improperly. It's what he does.

Plus, Luck isn't giving him many opportunities. A lot of AJ's plays in recent years have been in tight coverage. He's not going to blow his man away anymore. You have to throw the ball up to him and let him go get it.

[John Waylon]

T.Y. and Moncrief should be starting outside, AJ should be used inside in the slot for underneath options like Reggie Wayne was, to utilize soft spots in zones or use the big body in the middle.

 

When we go 3 WRs, if it is stack, use A.J. and if it is all spread out, use Dorsett, IMO.

 

This. Johnson just isn't getting much separation. Watching him during the pre-season and the first two games he seems to me to have slowed down more than most fans care to admit. Moncrief is stepping up, and he's producing. I'd rather try to build him as much as we can as opposed to putting Johnson out there to be tightly covered for the duration of a play. 

[ColtsLegacy]

Andre is ok on slant and shallow cross. Not so much on skinny post and fade.

That's not true. He's not going to blow anyone away on a fade, go, post, etc but give him a shot and he'll come down with it more than anyone else on the roster.

[chad72]

The irony would be the year that A.J. comes to a "playoff contender" wanting to be away from the Texans, if we don't make the playoffs, how damning would that be?

[SteelCityColt]

Should move Andrew Luck down the depth chart too while you're at it

But he's our best ILBer??!

[John Waylon]

The irony would be the year that A.J. comes to a "playoff contender" wanting to be away from the Texans, if we don't make the playoffs, how damning would that be?

 

Maybe....

 

Maybe.........

 

What if he's cursed? All those years in Houston that they didn't make the playoffs, what if it's all his fault? He's come here and now we're playing like the Texans!

 

It makes too much sense to be coincidence.......

[bababooey]

Maybe....

 

Maybe.........

 

What if he's cursed? All those years in Houston that they didn't make the playoffs, what if it's all his fault? He's come here and now we're playing like the Texans!

 

It makes too much sense to be coincidence.......

Boston newspaper had their front page be the "deflate gate curse" about how us, ravens, eagles, giants are all 0-2.

[DougDew]

I didn't realize practice meant more than the real game. Moncrief showed yesterday he is far better than his rookie year. He's our no2 without a doubt. Andre looks lost out there. I would also split carries between Dorsett and Andre as the #3 receiver right now. Our gameplan should be to throw dumpoff passes to Hilton and Dorsett and let them utilize their speed to pick up 1st downs and break long runs. This will also cut down on turnovers and allow Luck to get rid of the ball quicker. Include a bit of Wildcat and let them run the ball as well. Just work on the short to mid game with Hilton, Moncrief and Dorsett, and move Andre down. The offense will be much more efficient, and we'll be a better football team. Lets utilize our strengths and not try to hit a HR every play.

I'm not a fan of AJ, not at this point in his career, but Moncrief has had only a couple of good games in his young career, so I wouldn't want to anoint him the starter at this point. His success could be just a function of the CBs being unprepared for his speed after covering the slowish AJ.

I think the weakness in Moncrief's game last year was a limited route tree. In practice, if he shows that he has expanded his game and learned some nuances, then by all means elevate him and let him show it in the game. He may have done that, we don't know.

[chad72]

Boston newspaper had their front page be the "deflate gate curse" about how us, ravens, eagles, giants are all 0-2.

 

What did the Eagles and Giants have to do with it?

[krunk]

I'm not a fan of AJ, not at this point in his career, but Moncrief has had only a couple of good games in his young career, so I wouldn't want to anoint him the starter at this point. His success could be just a function of the CBs being unprepared for his speed after covering the slowish AJ.

I think the weakness in Moncrief's game last year was a limited route tree. In practice, if he shows that he has expanded his game and learned some nuances, then by all means elevate him and let him show it in the game. He may have done that, we don't know.

 

I think he has done that.  Against the Jets Moncrief broke Revis ankles a couple of times, he was running some routes out there I have to say.  Only thing I'm looking for is more use of his hands bringing the ball in as opposed to the body catches.  Also looking for better use of the body for leverage, and more physicality when going up for the football to snatch it out of the air.  He's headed in the right direction I'll say that.  Must of heard me fussing about the Bills game!

[bababooey]

What did the Eagles and Giants have to do with it?

Probably their owners speaking out against them, and Giants denying them twice. It's their fickle way of trying to rub it in others faces.

[DougDew]

I think he has done that.  Against the Jets Moncrief broke Revis ankles a couple of times, he was running some routes out there I have to say.  Only thing I'm looking for is more use of his hands bringing the ball in as opposed to the body catches.  Also looking for better use of the body for leverage, and more physicality when going up for the football to snatch it out of the air.  He's headed in the right direction I'll say that.  Must of heard me fussing about the Bills game!

I think what's going on also has to do with some of the thinking on the O side of the ball.  AJ has taken the role Reggie had the year before last.  Not a lot of originality.

 

As Chad72 said, they could put Moncrief outside and AJ in the slot, then work in the rookie Dorsett with AJ.  That's the future anyway.

 

I'm not always for shaking things up after two games against tough defenses, but putting Moncrief in for AJ on the outside wouldn't upset me at all.

[will426]

Luck doesn't throw well to Andre if you've noticed he's getting the same bad passes as nicks Lob a jump ball to Andre 95% of time time I'm sure he'll come down with it..that being said luck throws him high bullet passes then he seems to throw lobs to Hilton and Dorsett as if they can win jump balls

[Superman]

T.Y. and Moncrief should be starting outside, AJ should be used inside in the slot for underneath options like Reggie Wayne was, to utilize soft spots in zones or use the big body in the middle.

 

When we go 3 WRs, if it is stack, use A.J. and if it is all spread out, use Dorsett, IMO.

 

Moncrief has been really good in the slot. I'd leave him there. I don't know where that leaves AJ, but I don't really care. #FeedMoncrief

[lollygagger8]

Are you going to move Vinateri down the list too then for missing 2 FG's?

[Narcosys]

Not with T.Y. still not at 100%.  But i can agree witht he sentiment that AJ just does not seem to be the AJ of old, but that is to be expected.  I just expected a little better cohesion between him and Luck.  If they continue to not be able to connect, then He would have to be the 3rd option sense Luck and Moncrief are connecting to so well.

[K-148]

That's not true. He's not going to blow anyone away on a fade, go, post, etc but give him a shot and he'll come down with it more than anyone else on the roster.

Luck can't put the football in tight windows under pressure like that, Andre can't outrun anyone. On slant or shallow cross Andre can use his massive frame to win the battle for inside pass.

[CoachSmok3]

Depth charts are like power rankings, they really have very little bearing on what actually happens on the field.

 

 

I assume some people are taking this abstract concept of "depth chart theory" and making a correlation with snap count, which some could go on to theorize would have an actual outcome with on-field events...

 

i agree with both statements... example for the initial quote on the top:

 

KR Donte Moncrief Tyler Varga Josh Robinson   PR Phillip Dorsett T.Y. Hilton

Donte Moncrief

 

this is from the Colts.com Special Teams Depth Chart as of right now....

 

it should be obvious the point made here...

 

I do believe though when talking skill positions there is a slight correlation to snap count and depth position, but to counter my partial agreement that there may be a correlation, most of my Fantasy League WRs would beg to differ lol

 

correlation does not equal causation

[ColtsLegacy]

Luck can't put the football in tight windows under pressure like that, Andre can't outrun anyone. On slant or shallow cross Andre can use his massive frame to win the battle for inside pass.

You didn't say anything about pressure. You just said Andre is not good at "skinny post(s) and fade(s)", which I disagree with. Those type of routes weren't good for anyone these last two weeks with the kind of pressure Luck has seen over that time. With that said, Luck is generally very good at hitting a tight window under pressure. As Pagano said, Luck has delt with pressure for the last 3 years.

[Dustin]

Moncrief has been really good in the slot. I'd leave him there. I don't know where that leaves AJ, but I don't really care. #FeedMoncrief

 

He really hasn't played in the slot at all this season. 

[ColtsXxForever]

We never should've signed him at all. Cater was ready to ball this year

[zibby43]

Moncrief has been really good in the slot. I'd leave him there. I don't know where that leaves AJ, but I don't really care. #FeedMoncrief

 

Moncrief has had an excellent start to the season.  I feel like he has been lost in the shuffle here due to all of the doom and gloom.  Glad you brought him up.

 

His route-running has been crisp and he has competed for the ball at all times.

 

He beat Revis a few times this past Sunday, too.

[Superman]

He really hasn't played in the slot at all this season. 

 

I should have specified that I meant last season. He was in the slot for his TD the other night, though.

[Superman]

We never should've signed him at all. Cater was ready to ball this year

 

Carter was BAD in preseason. That's why he was waived, cleared waivers (meaning no one else wanted him), and is now on the practice squad. 

[1959Colts]

Yes. Move him down.

[hawkeyes]

For someone who always seemed to have GREAT hands - he has dropped a few off his hands in the first two games ... age HAS passed him by - bad sign!