Can Cager become a Poor Man's Pittman Jr.?

[JetBlue]

Cager 6'5 220, Pittman Jr. 6'4 220.  They both have history with Sam Darnold.  Pittman Jr. is the more accomplished player, and better route runner, but Cager has shown serious promise especially in the Red zone.    They both have really good hands and while neither of them would be consider fast, they both know how to use their size to get open and position themselves in the best position to catch the ball.   I was a little upset that we didn't take another receiver like AGG or Quez Watkins but  signing Cager may turn out to be a really nice consolation prize.     

[Paradis]

 

With all due respect to the Pittmans, their value is a little too fluid at the moment for such an obtuse question. 

[TNJet]

Cager will be Cager.

[Greenseed4]

Considering Pittman Jr. is a poor man’s Dwayne Bowe, and Bowe was a poor man’s Mike Evans, I think we’re looking at an upper middle class Stephen Hill. 

[Irish Jet]

We have to see if Pittman can be a rich man's anything first.

Don't rate him at all.

[NYDreamer]

The article that came out that Cager played in High School All Star games with Darnold is exciting news.  He knows the coaches, he played with Herndon and Berrios and he likes working with Darnold and when he had an opportunity to sign as an undrafted freed agent he chose the the Jets because of that familiarity. 

Cager will have every opportunity  with many players on 1 year contracts and injury to Enunwa should give him confidence to take that role.

[Sonny Werblin]

I have no idea what Cager will become, but what I found most interesting about him is that Jake Fromm's success in the passing game was totally reliant on Cager's presence. Fromm completed 70% of his passes when Cager was on the field and less than 50% when Cager was on the sideline.  In Georgia's only regular season loss, Cager left the south Carolina game at half-time with a rib injury, Fromm finished the game 28-51 passing, throwing three interceptions in a 20-17 overtime loss.

It seems that Jake Fromm owes his 5th round selection to Cager.

[rangerous]

here's to hoping.  guys are udfa's for a reason.

[BallinPB]

Only interested in the camel from your avi.  

[Jetster]

My buddy is a Miami Hurricane fan, and a Dolphin fan. He knows all about Cager & was not happy the Jets got him as an UDFA and he thinks he's going to end up a Redzone nightmare with Sam in the AFC East. 

He said you give an accurate passer like Darnold an athletic 6'-5" target on endzone fades & boxouts with 5'-9" CBs, you get TDs or PIs. 

Made me smile ?.

 

[More Cowbell]

A poorman's Michael Pittman Jr.?

[Tinstar]

I wonder if it’s possible for an undrafted prospect to have a better pro career than a drafted player. Probably never happened before in the league

 

 

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[Warfish]

On 6/13/2020 at 11:36 PM, JetBlue said:

Cager 6'5 220, Pittman Jr. 6'4 220.  They both have history with Sam Darnold.  Pittman Jr. is the more accomplished player, and better route runner, but Cager has shown serious promise especially in the Red zone.    They both have really good hands and while neither of them would be consider fast, they both know how to use their size to get open and position themselves in the best position to catch the ball.   I was a little upset that we didn't take another receiver like AGG or Quez Watkins but  signing Cager may turn out to be a really nice consolation prize.     

It sure would be nice if he did.  I loved Pittman this draft, had hoped to get him with our 2nd round pick.

I love Cager's size and his comments so far.  Just need to see him on a field now.

[JustInFudge]

What if Pittman is a gigantic bust?  Do we still want Cager to be him?

[bitonti]

i dunno dude. I heard somewhere that a shorter offseason makes it harder for rookies to prove themselves (TM)

not sure where I heard that but it's been rolling around my head 

[JetBlue]

5 hours ago, More Cowbell said:

A poorman's Michael Pittman Jr.?

  Have you never heard of this expression or just don't feel it applies as it relates to Pittman?  

[JetBlue]

4 hours ago, bitonti said:

i dunno dude. I heard somewhere that a shorter offseason makes it harder for rookies to prove themselves (TM)

not sure where I heard that but it's been rolling around my head 

Damn dude.  It is a boring off season and just trying to have some football conversation.   Did your wife burn your toast this morning or something? 

[JetBlue]

4 hours ago, JiF said:

What if Pittman is a gigantic bust?  Do we still want Cager to be him?

I campare them because their games are similar.  I never said I want Cager to be him.  The fact that he was drafted at the top of the second round means some team is very high on him and expects him to be significant contributor to their offense.  If we can get the same from an UDFA I would be okay with it, how about you?  

[JetBlue]

11 hours ago, NYDreamer said:

The article that came out that Cager played in High School All Star games with Darnold is exciting news.  He knows the coaches, he played with Herndon and Berrios and he likes working with Darnold and when he had an opportunity to sign as an undrafted freed agent he chose the the Jets because of that familiarity. 

Cager will have every opportunity  with many players on 1 year contracts and injury to Enunwa should give him confidence to take that role.

That caught my attention as well and that is one of the reasons I made the comparison to Pittman Jr. as Cager could fill a similar role for Sam as a big target with whom he has some history.  

[JetBlue]

4 hours ago, Warfish said:

It sure would be nice if he did.  I loved Pittman this draft, had hoped to get him with our 2nd round pick.

I love Cager's size and his comments so far.  Just need to see him on a field now.

Truth be told I really was kind of surprised that Pittman went as early as he did.  I thought he would have gone around where we took Mims.   It if turns out that UDFA Cager can be something of that big target for Sam, like Pittman was in college, that will be a major coup for JD.  

[JetBlue]

11 hours ago, Irish Jet said:

We have to see if Pittman can be a rich man's anything first.

Don't rate him at all.

True but Pittman comes in the league with quite a bit of fanfare.  When you look at Cager, It is almost like looking at a mirror image of Pittman and you wonder where he might have been drafted had he gone to USC instead of bouncing from Miami to Georgia.  Hell if he had just stayed healthy... 

[JustInFudge]

13 minutes ago, JetBlue said:

I campare them because their games are similar.  I never said I want Cager to be him.  The fact that he was drafted at the top of the second round means some team is very high on him and expects him to be significant contributor to their offense.  If we can get the same from an UDFA I would be okay with it, how about you?  

I hope he's Michael Thomas. 

[TNJet]

18 hours ago, Greenseed4 said:

Considering Pittman Jr. is a poor man’s Dwayne Bowe, and Bowe was a poor man’s Mike Evans, I think we’re looking at an upper middle class Stephen Hill. 

With a hint of Kid Minnesota, who fought out of South Dakota...

[More Cowbell]

1 hour ago, JetBlue said:

  Have you never heard of this expression or just don't feel it applies as it relates to Pittman?  

When that expression is used, it is normally used with one guy who has an accomplished career like say Hopkins and guy who can potetially play up to that potetenial, not on two guys that have not even played theor forst game. Maybe Cager becomes a number 1 and Pittman crashes and burns. 

[win4ever]

I don’t think so, unless we’re talking some major improvements in route running.

Pittman Jr is a great prospect because he runs very good routes. He’s not as good as Mims (IMO) but he’s a very good route runner, and that translates well from college.

Cager just doesn’t run great routes, partially because he’s been on some God awful offenses. The hope is that Jefferson/Ward can help him set up routes better and improve.

I mean if we go poor enough, sure. And we don’t even know if Pittman will be great. The potential is there but it’s going to take some major steps.


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[Jetster]

5 hours ago, win4ever said:

I don’t think so, unless we’re talking some major improvements in route running.

Pittman Jr is a great prospect because he runs very good routes. He’s not as good as Mims (IMO) but he’s a very good route runner, and that translates well from college.

Cager just doesn’t run great routes, partially because he’s been on some God awful offenses. The hope is that Jefferson/Ward can help him set up routes better and improve.

I mean if we go poor enough, sure. And we don’t even know if Pittman will be great. The potential is there but it’s going to take some major steps.


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For this year we just need Cager to run Redzone routes as a #4 WR. A 6'-5" #4 WR with Mims, Perriman & Crowder? That means he's lined up with either the opposing defenses #3/4 CB or a Safety/LB? 

Its all about matchups in the NFL. That group in the Redzone with Bell out of the backfield? And a PROTECTED & accurate Sam? Good Luck! 

[JetBlue]

18 hours ago, More Cowbell said:

When that expression is used, it is normally used with one guy who has an accomplished career like say Hopkins and guy who can potetially play up to that potetenial, not on two guys that have not even played theor forst game. Maybe Cager becomes a number 1 and Pittman crashes and burns. 

It is also important to consider context and relativity.   Pittman may be a rookie who has yet to play a game but he is still more of a known entity than Cager is at this point in their careers. Surely you would agree with that?    The main point is that both players are big, physical targets who BOTH have played with Sam Darnold at different points in their football careers.   

[JetBlue]

4 hours ago, Jetster said:

For this year we just need Cager to run Redzone routes as a #4 WR. A 6'-5" #4 WR with Mims, Perriman & Crowder? That means he's lined up with either the opposing defenses #3/4 CB or a Safety/LB? 

Its all about matchups in the NFL. That group in the Redzone with Bell out of the backfield? And a PROTECTED & accurate Sam? Good Luck! 

Agreed.  I think he can improve his route running with good coaching.   I  do think he may have to battle it out with V. Smith for 4th and could wind up 5th or even 6th on the depth chart going into the season. 

[More Cowbell]

16 minutes ago, JetBlue said:

It is also important to consider context and relativity.   Pittman may be a rookie who has yet to play a game but he is still more of a known entity than Cager is at this point in their careers. Surely you would agree with that?    The main point is that both players are big, physical targets who BOTH have played with Sam Darnold at different points in their football careers.   

So now that phrase has more to do with popularity than potential? Is that what you are inferring? Do you remember the year Peter Warwick was drafted? Everyone thought Coles was the lesser. People might have said Coles was a poormans Peter Warwick. How did that turnout?

[Jetsfan80]

33 minutes ago, JetBlue said:

Agreed.  I think he can improve his route running with good coaching.   I  do think he may have to battle it out with V. Smith for 4th and could wind up 5th or even 6th on the depth chart going into the season. 

I don't think Cager makes the team if he's only the WR6.  I don't think he's viewed as a guy who can contribute much on Special Teams, so its WR4/5 for him or the Practice Squad.  

[Jetster]

3 hours ago, JetBlue said:

Agreed.  I think he can improve his route running with good coaching.   I  do think he may have to battle it out with V. Smith for 4th and could wind up 5th or even 6th on the depth chart going into the season. 

V.Smith will be much better this year, takes time. But you can't teach HEIGHT in the Redzone. 

[slats]

23 hours ago, JetBlue said:

Truth be told I really was kind of surprised that Pittman went as early as he did.  I thought he would have gone around where we took Mims.   It if turns out that UDFA Cager can be something of that big target for Sam, like Pittman was in college, that will be a major coup for JD.  

Agreed. I was hoping for Pittman in the third. I was surprised by most of the WRs in the second, and even a couple in the first, who went before Mims. Claypool’s another one I thought went way early. 

3 hours ago, More Cowbell said:

So now that phrase has more to do with popularity than potential? Is that what you are inferring? Do you remember the year Peter Warwick was drafted? Everyone thought Coles was the lesser. People might have said Coles was a poormans Peter Warwick. How did that turnout?

I predicted Coles would have a better career than Warwick that year. I was probably just being a homer, but it’s pretty rare that I get to be a homer and be right, so that was fun! 

3 hours ago, Jetsfan80 said:

I don't think Cager makes the team if he's only the WR6.  I don't think he's viewed as a guy who can contribute much on Special Teams, so its WR4/5 for him or the Practice Squad.  

 Berrios is WR6. Vyncint Smith is probably penciled in as WR4 right now. Cager is in a battle with everyone else for that WR5 spot, and by everyone else I mean everyone who gets cut loose around the NFL between now and opening day. 

[redlichtie]

On 6/16/2020 at 1:17 PM, rangerous said:

here's to hoping.  guys are udfa's for a reason.

Ordinarily would totally agree, but this year any player that ended the season injured and was unable to perform in the lead up to the draft was at a significant disadvantage.
We know that scouting departments simply weren’t able to asses players in the same way as in non-Covid years and there’s enough evidence to suggest that some players may have slipped due to an over cautiousness on the part of the teams putting more reliance in on-field production and going with what they know rather than ‘discovering’ sleepers during the pre-draft process.
Really hope Cager can be the next Robby Anderson. Every year we seem to latch onto an UDFA and most years they don’t come to much(or a completely different, unheralded player emerges to take a roster spot) but every now and then someone comes along who just looks like they have a shot, Robby being the best recent example I can think of. 
Cager looks like he has something and if ever there’s a position that has a chance on our roster ...it’s a big, outside WR with red zone presence 

[Jetsfan80]

58 minutes ago, redlichtie said:

Ordinarily would totally agree, but this year any player that ended the season injured and was unable to perform in the lead up to the draft was at a significant disadvantage.

Plus, the loaded WR class pushed top tier WR talent down the draft board.  1st round prospects (like Mims) became 2nd rounders.  2nd round caliber prospects became 3rd-5th rounders.  Middle rounders became late rounders or UDFA's.  Cager is one of those UDFA's. 

Any other year, and Cager gets drafted as high as the 3rd round.

[fltflo]

Okay my 2 cents
As Hurricanes fans was thrilled with the Cager signing, like the Herndon pick i think he is going to surprise a few people.
I only had one season to watch him before he transferred to Ga, but the kid got open all the time on the college level. Problem was the Canes had pretty bad QB’s the last few years. He became frustrated because he just was not being used to the best of his abilities.
I was not aware of the Sam connection with him, which make me all the more excited to see what he does with a real QB throwing the ball to him. I will say this, if he had good QB’s in college he would have been a low second high third pick in the draft.
My take is he make the team or the practice squad and will get the chance to show his stuff as this season progresses.


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