Sixty to eighty catches for Avant?
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Sixty to eighty catches for Avant?
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Eagles receiver Jason Avant was a blog favorite of MTC during the 2008 season.
We loved his toughness. His hands. His knack for finding the first-down marker on third downs.
Avant was a reliable target and a pleasant surprise.
But is he ready to make the leap to the next level?
NFL.com's Pat Kirwan sure thinks so. He includes Avant on a list of wide receivers who will step up and make 60-80 catches in 2009.
Here's the write-up:
Unless you talk with an Eagles coach or Donovan McNabb, you might not realize how much this franchise likes Avant. One Eagles executive called him the best slot receiver in the NFL. With all of the attention focused on DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin, Avant should have a very productive year. He has improved his receptions totals in each of his three NFL seasons, from 7 to 23 to 32 last year.
I'd be stunned if Avant jumped to the 60-80 catch range, and that's not a knock on him. I just don't think he'll be given the opportunities, considering that Jeremy Maclin is now in the mix and the offense will spread the ball around.
I'm also not knocking Kirwan. I like the guts. His list would be no fun if it included Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson.
Avant had 32 catches for 377 yards and two touchdowns last season, which was his third in the NFL. DeSean Jackson was the team's leading receiver and the only player to notch 60-plus catches.
In 2007, the Eagles had three players (Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown) with 60-plus catches.
What are your expectations for Avant? Is Kirwan's projection realistic?
If he repeats last year's performance, not only in terms of statistics, but in terms of reliability and success on third down, that will be just fine with me.
Comment removed.
That's 4 catches a game for someone who was beginning to look a bit clutch on third down catches by the end of last year...yeah, I can see 60.— Icemannj- I hope Avant doesn't have as many 3rd down catches this year, I mean, really, I'd rather see the chains stretched after 1st or 2nd down myself! :) Don't see why he wouldn't get 40 though. We should have 4 receivers with 40 plus catches this season! Well, as long as DM stops throwing them over their heads or 5 or 10 yards short that is!!!— DJ
- 20-80 catches sounds more reasonable, tic— tommy_the_k
- Peter King, not Pat Kirwan, predicted GLew to have 50 catches.— StopThePanic
- Comment removed.
He could catch that if McNabb threw better passes to him, not in the dirt. McNabb is not the best slot passer. He likes the long ball and short stuff, Avant isn't that type of receiver.— ZOSO- "Avant had 32 catches for 377 yards and two touchdowns last season, which was his third in the NFL." Whoops, those numbers may have been third on the eagles but the not the NFL...— Defenestrating AJS
Not true 5, lj23 has written some good posts. You don't have to agree with his/her assessment and I don't agree today either but the name calling is unwarranted. Not really needed any day. Thanks.— tpizza- but deserves to get ripped for such a dumb post. If you watch the games you know hes on the rise unlike Brown hes probably not making this team this year. Avant gets the tough catches and tough yards, with all the 3rd and longs for lack of establishing a run game, we need that type of receiver esp if our TE's dont get it done.— peteike
- Agreed peteike, Avant made a lot of clutch grabs last year. Like I said I didn't agree with lj23 on that post. 60 balls may be a tad high though based on how the Eagles spread the ball around.— tpizza
- I want a Birds - Patriots Superbowl rematch. Make it happen, Andy so I can fly my Eagles flag up here in NE after they beat Brady.— massfan
- Depends if they've found another way to cheat massfan. To me that'll forever be a black eye on that franchise, Brady and Belichek.— tpizza
- Comment removed.
- Avant has reliable hands, but no speed. He certainly has the ability to catch 60 to 80 balls, but they won't throw to him that many times because he really can't run with it after he catches it. Maclin, Curtis and Jackson will a lot more balls thrown to them because they can make things happen.— BigDawg13
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