Hodgins signs for 49ers

[Trench]

Who would you inactivate to allow Hodgins to start? Due to his lack of speed, Hodgins is a liability on special teams, which means he can't replace WRs #5 or #6, as they provide value as kick returners, punt returners, or gunners. This narrows the options to Nabers, Robinson, Hyatt, and Slayton. Those players were either injured (Slayton and Robinson) or not on the roster during the 2022 season. It's unlikely that you'd bench any of them to make room for Hodgins. This is why I find it unfair to blame the head coach for Hodgins' lack of development. The reality is that he simply hasn't proven to be better than the players ahead of him to justify earning a game-day jersey.

I think WanDale is a terrible absolutely terrible route runner/possesion receiver due to the fact 90% of the time he is short of the markers.

I'd rather Hodgens over him. And Slayton is a drop guy also. I have no issue losing Slayton next year. Let Hyatt get his reps

[MrGap92]

Wandale is better than Hodgins, in my opinion its not even close. Hodgins only advantage would be his size since he is 6'4.

I would have been fine keeping Hodgins as a potential #3 or #4 WR next year depending what happens with Slayton. But I think 2022 was mostly a product of there not being many people to throw to so he just had volume.

He only caught 33 balls for 351 yards and 4 TDs. He had a great game in the playoffs to follow that up, but it was against a pitiful Vikings D. He didn't really set the world on fire or anything, if he did he wouldnt have been on the PS for so long plenty of WR needy teams someone would have tried to rekindle it.

[kingm56]

I think WanDale is a terrible absolutely terrible route runner/possesion receiver due to the fact 90% of the time he is short of the markers.

I'd rather Hodgens over him. And Slayton is a drop guy also. I have no issue losing Slayton next year. Let Hyatt get his reps

Despite playing with the NFL's worst quarterback rooms, Wan'Dale managed 93 catches this season, ranking him 13th in the league. If the Giants released him, he'd easily earn far more than the league minimum. Yet, you want to start a player who all 32 teams deemed unworthy of anything more than the league minimum? I also highly doubt Hodgins will make the 49ers roster. When it comes to wide receivers, you definitely have a soft spot for underdogs, Trench 

[Trench]

Despite playing with the NFL's worst quarterback rooms, Wan'Dale managed 93 catches this season, ranking him 13th in the league. If the Giants released him, he'd easily earn far more than the league minimum. Yet, you want to start a player who all 32 teams deemed unworthy of anything more than the league minimum? I also highly doubt Hodgins will make the 49ers roster. When it comes to wide receivers, you definitely have a soft spot for underdogs, Trench 

WanDale 93 catches could've been eaten up by many types of WR. I was high on him but he dropped big passes in big spots and the guy runs terrible routes. His route running is awful guys. His type WR is easy to find. He's a different type than Hodgens yes. But Hodgens showed he can make big catches in big spots. WanDale has shown opposite. I realize he has more potential than Hodgens I'll give that. I'm not saying Hodgens is great either but I am saying he can do a lot for a team

[kingm56]

WanDale 93 catches could've been eaten up by many types of WR. I was high on him but he dropped big passes in big spots and the guy runs terrible routes. His route running is awful guys. His type WR is easy to find. He's a different type than Hodgens yes. But Hodgens showed he can make big catches in big spots. WanDale has shown opposite. I realize he has more potential than Hodgens I'll give that. I'm not saying Hodgens is great either but I am saying he can do a lot for a team

You've completely lost me, Trench. I suspect you haven't been watching the All-22 film. In fact, Robinson runs very crisp routes, which was highlighted as his top attribute in his college scouting reports. You're conflating his catches being short of the sticks with poor route running. However, that's a result of play design, not his ability to execute routes.

On many of those plays, Robinson was the designated hot receiver. The real issue lies with the quarterback's inability to read the field, make anticipatory throws, or thread the ball through tight windows. This led to constant checkdowns, which you're mistakenly attributing to a failure in Robinson's route running.

If you want to believe Hodgins is currently better because he made a few catches against a historically bad defensive secondary, that's your prerogative. However, i strongly doubt a single NFL GM would agree with that assessment. Hodgins signed a futures contract—typically reserved for players likely to end up on the practice squad or as camp fodder. That speaks volumes about how the league views his value.  If Robinson was released, he would earn very good #2 WR money.

As for the drops...he had 6 on 140 TGTs.  Here are the WRs with more drops on less targets:

Jerry Jeudy
Amari Cooper
Ja'Marr Chase
Malik Nabers
Courtland Sutton
Breece Hall
Jayden Reed
Alvin Kamara
Jaylen Waddle
CeeDee Lamb
Garrett Wilson
Brian Thomas
David Njoku
Romeo Doubs
Travis Kelce

[MightyGiants]

The biggest knock on Won'Dale Robinson is his 139th-ranked 7.5 yards per catch average (Tied with Tracy, interestingly enough)

[Trench]

You've completely lost me, Trench. I suspect you haven't been watching the All-22 film. In fact, Robinson runs very crisp routes, which was highlighted as his top attribute in his college scouting reports. You're conflating his catches being short of the sticks with poor route running. However, that's a result of play design, not his ability to execute routes.

On many of those plays, Robinson was the designated hot receiver. The real issue lies with the quarterback's inability to read the field, make anticipatory throws, or thread the ball through tight windows. This led to constant checkdowns, which you're mistakenly attributing to a failure in Robinson's route running.

If you want to believe Hodgins is currently better because he made a few catches against a historically bad defensive secondary, that's your prerogative. However, i strongly doubt a single NFL GM would agree with that assessment. Hodgins signed a futures contract—typically reserved for players likely to end up on the practice squad or as camp fodder. That speaks volumes about how the league views his value.  If Robinson was released, he would earn very good #2 WR money.

As for the drops...he had 6 on 140 TGTs.  Here are the WRs with more drops on less targets:

Jerry Jeudy
Amari Cooper
Ja'Marr Chase
Malik Nabers
Courtland Sutton
Breece Hall
Jayden Reed
Alvin Kamara
Jaylen Waddle
CeeDee Lamb
Garrett Wilson
Brian Thomas
David Njoku
Romeo Doubs
Travis Kelce

Thank you for the clarification. Yes, I was 100% conflating (or attributing) his running short of the sticks to route running. If that it is as u say not poor route running then I stand corrected. But I have a hard time believing him being short of the sticks so frequently is a result of scheme. I can say for certain watching rewinds, out QB many many times throws to WanDale without looking anywhere else - and WanDale is sitting a yard short of the sticks. That can't be the design of the play so consistently.

If I'm wrong I stand corrected.

My push for Hodgens has more to do with my frustration on WanDale than it does for my desire to have Hodgens or his ability. I'm just that frustrated with WanDale. He was supposed to be explosive and he has yet to break much of anything for big gains.

Question is - will we resign WanDale?

[MightyGiants]

Another issue with Won'Dale is he is an outlier (in a bad way) in terms of height and arm length, so his catch radius is incredibly small, making it more difficult for QBs throwing to him

[TDToomer]

Question is - will we resign WanDale?

He is under contract for 1 more season. I could see a Slayton/Shepard type extension worked out. WR is the one non-ST position where our draftees seem to get 2nd and 3rd contracts.