You make some outstanding points, Deacon, as usual.
Just to be crystal clear, I’m pulling for Atwell.
What I was doing was getting a little nitpicky about the exact pecking order at WR after our top 3.
Great camp reports are fine and dandy but I have yet to see a single snap of the ‘new’ Atwell in preseason, much less the regular season. This controlled scrimmage vs Bengals might give better clues IF he gets some throws from Stafford.
I want to see how he gets off the line, how quickly he separates, and how he does with some contested catches. We all know that he’s fast, has good hands, and tracks the ball very well.
At SOME point Atwell has to prove himself when the real bullets are flying.
He’s definitely among the top 6 WR’s but exactly where does he slot among McCutcheon and Skowronek? I suspect that McVay has plans for all 3 guys depending on how he wants to attack different D’s each week. Or on any given drive within a game.
As you point out, Atwell gives McVay’s fertile imagination different ways to torture opposing D’s.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that Atwell has to earn his snaps on the field with his more unique skills which do not include blocking or ST. Seeing is believing.
