We discussed projecting numbers for Falcons receivers recently, something that drew a handful of responses on a sleepy weekend day. Following that, though, I'd really like to talk about Tony Gonzalez.
The affable tight end with the wheat germ-based fountain of youth is a future Hall of Famer, and it's not really a question. Yet his skills seem to be declining, as his production basically went off a small cliff in 2010. His yards-per-catch average was his lowest ever (9.4), his yards were as low as they've been since 1998 (656) and it was the first time since 2002 he's caught 70 passes or fewer (70 on the dot).
Many of you will argue that Mike Mularkey's conservative offense is to blame, which is becoming such a meme that he should just start a band called "Mike Mularkey's Conservative Offense." While I agree up to a point, Gonzo is 35 years old and, in my opinion, visibly slower than he was in 2009.
So what will he do in 2011? That's the question I wanted to bring forth today. Our limited receiver projects put him at about 650-700 yards, and I think it's reasonable to expect that as a last hurrah for Gonzo in Atlanta. I'm interested to hear what you think, though.
Enlighten us!