What makes a great deep threat WR?

It's obviously too late for Ted Ginn to be salvaged as a productive NFL receiver, but seeing him on the field without being targeted got me thinking. Then I was thinking about Torrey Smith against the Broncos. Obviously Torrey Smith is a better WR in a ton of ways, but let's just talk about pure go routes.

Why is it that we're sitting here saying we don't have a WR who can take the top off a defense, when we now have a QB with an elite arm to go with our seldom-used WR with 4.3 speed? Ginn can't run past a CB a few times a game like Smith did to Champ Bailey? Is Ginn really incapable of this?

Ginn is extremely brittle. Unless we are desperate enough, I rather not risk losing our returner. Ted has returned well and could be due for another in the SB

Plus you are tipping your hand when you put in Ginn just to run go routes. Moss no longer has the speed but he is a better leaper and he's experienced enough to avoid an INT

On almost every single play, even a go route, there is physical contact. If you get bumped and knocked around by DB as you are running down the field, your 4.3 or whatever time, turns more into a 5.4 time.
Acceleration, running in a curve around defenders, fighting with the hands, finding open space, catching the ball, all of these things are drastically more important than how fast you can run 40 yards in a straight line in shorts.

Torrey Smith is fast, but he's also a lot stronger than Ginn and can separate after contact with a DB.

ummm ??? Crabtree

Someone who is super fast, super big, and can catch everything.

Speed is essential - the QB has only so much time

Pysically Tough -has to be able to take big hits and hold on to the ball

Excellent hands - catch everything thrwon his way - no droppsies

Speed, size and hands not in that particular order either. You have to be fast enough to get downfield, i mix toughmess wih size cuz bigger receivers can be tougher to knock of there line but also bigger receivers have a bigger window then most shorter ones and on some deep routes you want the ball to come in a little higher since its usually coming overhead in a place your reciever can reach foward for it and the cb has no chance to pick the ball. Hands well thats obvious.

If Julio Jones, and Michele Irvin are an example, I'm going to say the ability to push off and not get called for it!

A few additions to the nice lists above:

Fearlessness: It takes some major stones to run across the middle. Drops and tips are often attributed to poor hands, but I think what's between the ears is just as big a factor.

A good brain: Running routes is a lot harder than it looks, and improvising in a useful way on broken plays requires good split-second thinking. It also helps greatly if your receiver is sane. A wideout is only directly involved in fraction of the game's plays and he gets even fewer touches. Coupled with his literal physical isolation from the rest of the team and the high-stakes nature of the position, I think it's pretty easy for a guy that isn't well grounded to mentally distance himself from the team and spiral off into diva land. I think this is a big part of the reason why so many wideouts are complete nut cases.

An above average work ethic: See Jerry Rice.

Teddy Ginn. But with hands...

Just either remember or take a look at Randy Moss in his prime.

There u go.

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
It's obviously too late for Ted Ginn to be salvaged as a productive NFL receiver, but seeing him on the field without being targeted got me thinking. Then I was thinking about Torrey Smith against the Broncos. Obviously Torrey Smith is a better WR in a ton of ways, but let's just talk about pure go routes.

Why is it that we're sitting here saying we don't have a WR who can take the top off a defense, when we now have a QB with an elite arm to go with our seldom-used WR with 4.3 speed? Ginn can't run past a CB a few times a game like Smith did to Champ Bailey? Is Ginn really incapable of this?

Speed doesn't mean jack if you can't catch the dang ball.

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
Speed is essential - the QB has only so much time

Pysically Tough -has to be able to take big hits and hold on to the ball

Excellent hands - catch everything thrwon his way - no droppsies

you just described gene washington

Speed, Route running, and Hands.

Someone who can consistently catch the deep balls. Doesn't necessarily have to be lightning fast.