Michael Clayton

[IronDog]

I'll need to see some more shots in his direction before I can call him a loss.  It's hard to make an impact as a receiver, catching balls that is, not blocking, if the ball is not thrown in your direction.  Also, if part of his roll is to have the defenders go after him, thereby freeing up a different option, then that is a success, and I don't believe that shows up on any stat sheet.

[drywallbuc]

stats should pick up with a qb who can read check downs also, seemed we got alot of def front looks that we wanted last week. i saw jg one-on-one a few times. could see an even bigger increase in pass yards and attempts this week. hopefully a few more of those will go claytons way.

[OpTiOnMaStA]

I don't know this for sure but I don't think he is getting open. If he was, I think he would be getting the ball more often.

I think he is a solid guy.  He has 10 catches.  Hilliard has 11.  Galloway has 14.  I'll withhold judgement until he plays half a season, healthy, with a single QB.

[caradoc]

With a new QB in, there may be a diofference in those numbers.  Too early to tell at this stage.  THe numbers change from Greise to Simms is interesting though.  Everything changes with a new QB though, some things a little, some things a lot.

[BucsFan1976]

Its hard for me to say either way because Simms was passing up wide open receivers before he went down. Like Caradoc said, things change with a new QB. Lets see what happens with Grads..

[dbucfan]

Too early in the year, a year filled with too many early injuries, to judge Clayton. 

[BucsGuru]

Go to firechucky.com

[dbucfan]

Go find work.^

[Pick6]

I think that over the next 12 games you may see Clayton's numbers improve. Clayton is very often NOT the first option. To be honest with you, I don't think the starting QB he was playing for (Simms) did him any favors. If you look at Clayton's numbers from last year:

32 receptions, 372 yards, you have to balance that with this: during the first six games of the season with Griese at QB, Clayton had 19 catches for 223 yards. Under Simms, he had just 13 catches for 149 yards. The Griese numbers projected out to 51 catches for 600 yards. Not spectacular, but considering he was nursing an injury and the fact that Galloway had a career year, those would have been much more respectable numbers.

important point.  alex smith also looked like a lesser player with simms in - i think clayton and smith were rarely primaries on the plays called later in the year, and simms only hit his 2nd and 3rd options when he was in a major groove.  alot of times it looked like simms went from the primary read straight to the flats or the checkdown guy. simms was also in a major comfort zone with galloway and ike, and it really showed in crunch time.

i think grads will work the intermediate routes alot more, a la griese & BJ, and clayton & alex smith will benefit from that.  those intermediate guys will also be his best outlet when he gets out of the pocket.   

that being said, i made a point of watching clayton on a few snaps at the game on sunday, and rarely saw him open. you can only follow so many things at once from the stands, though, so i'll check my recording of the game when i've got time and see if that was representative of his play sunday.

[gharen]

Everytime Clayton catches a pass or ones even thrown his way the defender is right on him. He just doesn't get any seperation. I'm starting to think his rookie year he overachieved, because he was our only real option.

[xDARKOx]

How about the QB throws to him? that seems good.

im sick of people calling him a bust, its his 3rd year. Most WRs dont come into their own until the 4th season, and he was the #1 receiver in his rookie season, he isnt anymore. Can we at least give this guy more than 4 game to call him a bust? Seriously.

[Larry Brackins]

How about the QB throws to him? that seems good.

im sick of people calling him a bust, its his 3rd year. Most WRs dont come into their own until the 4th season, and he was the #1 receiver in his rookie season, he isnt anymore. Can we at least give this guy more than 4 game to call him a bust? Seriously.

He's had 9 more balls throwns to him the Ike and has caught 1 less pass.

[xDARKOx]

He's had 9 more balls throwns to him the Ike and has caught 1 less pass.

Ok so his rookie year was just a 1 time thing? So he will never break 1,000 yards again? Simms never threw to him, period. Clayton had his best year (rookie year) when Griese was the QB who was a player like Gradkowski, likes to throw short passes. I expect Clayton do alot better this year but just stop saying hes a bust. Its his 3rd year, once its his 4th year and he sucks then you can call him a bust.

[Larry Brackins]

Ok so his rookie year was just a 1 time thing? So he will never break 1,000 yards again? Simms never threw to him, period. Clayton had his best year (rookie year) when Griese was the QB who was a player like Gradkowski, likes to throw short passes. I expect Clayton do alot better this year but just stop saying hes a bust. Its his 3rd year, once its his 4th year and he sucks then you can call him a bust.

"Simms never threw to him."

Stats say otherwise.

Clayton had his best year when the other options were Tim Brown and Bill Schroder.