POLL: Is Calvin Johnson A Top-3 Wide Receiver Of All Time?

[ducky]

As far as being dominant in his prime, he's probably better than anyone other than Moss/TO. And even those are arguable. But he just doesn't have the longevity to be considered a top 3, or even top 10, all time WR.

Again it depends on what you are looking for.

You are given a time machine and you can go back and take Calvin Johnson as a rookie to be on your team or Reggie Wayne as a rookie to be on your team, any sane person is going to go back and take Johnson IMO. The career might not last as long but what you get is so much more production in the years that he is there.

If I am given that time machine to go back and take a rookie to be on my team going forward, Calvin is in the top 3 guys I take (today anyways....between him and Fitz is hard for me).

 

[PDay8810]

No love for Lance Alworth? I know he played in the AFL, but he was great. Otis Taylor was also a favorite.

great receivers but the missing guy is Paul Warfield

 

[Clayton]

I watched both players for their entire careers. Rice had two of the best QB's in the history of the game throwing him the ball for most of his career, go back and look at some of his highlites, you won't see him having to make the amazing catch very often the ball was almost always right there. Rice was obviously much smarter, kept himself in top shape, his work ethic was unmatched and it's not as if I said Rice sucked but having watched both play their entire careers there is absolutely no question Moss was more feared by defensive co-ordinators and defensive backs. I think people tend to romanticize Rice because he was so good for so long and put up such amazing numbers but he wasn't just an absolute freak of nature like Moss was.

Rich Gannon was no slouch in Oakland, either. A pro bowl QB every year Rice was there. Jerry Rice probably had more luck than any other WR in terms of going into great offenses which is why I don't think he is the best NFL player of all time. I do think he has earned best WR of all time distinction give or take what you feel about his cheating assertion.

Moss was the best deep ball WR of all time imo. Did a lot of other things well, too, but he really knew how to turn on the Jets at just the right time to dupe DBs and get deep balls.

 

[Jim Rome is Flaming]

Again it depends on what you are looking for.

You are given a time machine and you can go back and take Calvin Johnson as a rookie to be on your team or Reggie Wayne as a rookie to be on your team, any sane person is going to go back and take Johnson IMO. The career might not last as long but what you get is so much more production in the years that he is there.

If I am given that time machine to go back and take a rookie to be on my team going forward, Calvin is in the top 3 guys I take.

I don't disagree on Reggie Wayne, but I also wouldn't put him in the top 3. I think you'd struggle to find a good argument over any of Rice, Miss, TO. And I've only been watching football for about 20 years, so I'm sure there are more that I just never got to watch.

And even a guy like Antonio Brown, if he keeps up his current production, will be CJ's equivalent in 2-3 years. And I certainly wouldn't put him in the top 3 all time category.

I'm not saying CJ isn't great, I think he'll end up in the HOF and rightfully so. But there are others who have been at his level or close to it for a longer period of time.

 

[Irish7478]

Does anyone remember Homer Jones for the Giants? I always considered him an all-time great. Of course, that might have been because he gave me his chinstrap after a preseason game that they played in Nashville.

 

[Nosferatu]

Rich Gannon was no slouch in Oakland, either. A pro bowl QB every year Rice was there. Jerry Rice probably had more luck than any other WR in terms of going into great offenses which is why I don't think he is the best NFL player of all time. I do think he has earned best WR of all time distinction give or take what you feel about his cheating assertion.

Moss was the best deep ball WR of all time imo. Did a lot of other things well, too, but he really knew how to turn on the Jets at just the right time to dupe DBs and get deep balls.

Well, if i'm starting a team and I can have 22 year old Jerry Rice or 22 year old Randy Moss, I choose Moss without hesitation. I really don't have a problem with people saying Rice is the GOAT because he was simply outstanding and like I said maybe I am a bit of a homer but I got Moss.

 

[ducky]

I don't disagree on Reggie Wayne, but I also wouldn't put him in the top 3. I think you'd struggle to find a good argument over any of Rice, Miss, TO. And I've only been watching football for about 20 years, so I'm sure there are more that I just never got to watch.

And even a guy like Antonio Brown, if he keeps up his current production, will be CJ's equivalent in 2-3 years. And I certainly wouldn't put him in the top 3 all time category.

I'm not saying CJ isn't great, I think he'll end up in the HOF and rightfully so. But there are others who have been at his level or close to it for a longer period of time.

I almost mentioned Antonio actually. He is so god awfully underrated right now. The entire league should be appreciating his ability a lot more than it has the last couple of years.

Again I kind of look at these rankings as who I would want on my team going forward if I could grab them as a rookie. There are about 100 WR's in the history of the league that I take before TO. He was a great talent....but he hurt his teams in many years as much as he helped them in other years.

 

[gohusk]

I watched both players for their entire careers. Rice had two of the best QB's in the history of the game throwing him the ball for most of his career, go back and look at some of his highlites, you won't see him having to make the amazing catch very often the ball was almost always right there. Rice was obviously much smarter, kept himself in top shape, his work ethic was unmatched and it's not as if I said Rice sucked but having watched both play their entire careers there is absolutely no question Moss was more feared by defensive co-ordinators and defensive backs. I think people tend to romanticize Rice because he was so good for so long and put up such amazing numbers but he wasn't just an absolute freak of nature like Moss was.

Rice carried the 49ers when Young was out and had Grbac throwing to him. And I don't need to watch the highlights. I saw it with my own eyes. Anything within arms reach was his. And he could run any route. Moss was a one trick pony. It's one of the greatest tricks of all time but he was useless underneath. He led the league in receiving yards 5 times, receptions twice, and TD's 6 times. Moss led the league in TD's 5 times. Not saying he wasn't great but the only thing he had on Rice is he ran a better deep route and Rice ran a great deep route before he blew out his knee. And he came back after that and was still doing it even though he lost at least a step because he was the most fundamentally sound WR of all time.

 

[Nosferatu]

Rice carried the 49ers when Young was out and had Grbac throwing to him. And I don't need to watch the highlights. I saw it with my own eyes. Anything within arms reach was his. And he could run any route. Moss was a one trick pony. It's one of the greatest tricks of all time but he was useless underneath. He led the league in receiving yards 5 times, receptions twice, and TD's 6 times. Moss led the league in TD's 5 times. Not saying he wasn't great but the only thing he had on Rice is he ran a better deep route and Rice ran a great deep route before he blew out his knee. And he came back after that and was still doing it even though he lost at least a step because he was the most fundamentally sound WR of all time.

You obviously didn't watch Randy Moss as much as you think you did, not every 40 yard reception was a deep pass, he went across the middle and turned 15 yard receptions into 40 yard gains. One trick pony, lolzzz

Again, I am a huge fan of Jerry Rice but i'd take Moss 100 times out of 100.

 

[broncosmitty]

Are Hammer and Jak the same person?

 

[Anointed One]

Yeah Fitz never gets the love he deserves. dude has had the best hands in the league for 12+ years.

I would take Fitz over CJ everyday of the week...

 

[Clayton]

I would take Fitz over CJ everyday of the week...

I would take CJ over Fitz every day of the week

 

[HammerDown]

Randy Moss
TO
Megatron
Larry Fitzgerald
Jerry Rice

(in that order)

 

[gohusk]

You obviously didn't watch Randy Moss as much as you think you did, not every 40 yard reception was a deep pass, he went across the middle and turned 15 yard receptions into 40 yard gains. One trick pony, lolzzz

Again, I am a huge fan of Jerry Rice but i'd take Moss 100 times out of 100.

No, I did. And I watched Rice. I watched Rice win a Super Bowl MVP. I watched Moss take one hit over the middle and disappear, just like the Giants called it before the game. He was great but he was soft.

 

[Nosferatu]

No, I did. And I watched Rice. I watched Rice win a Super Bowl MVP. I watched Moss take one hit over the middle and disappear, just like the Giants called it before the game. He was great but he was soft.

I am a Vikings fan who watched every game he played as a Viking, sure he got alligator arms once in a while but most receivers do. I do not blame him for avoiding being layed out, still the most exciting receiver the league has ever seen. Remember I said I do like Jerry Rice.

 

[broncosmitty]

Statistically, i dont even think he is a Hall of Famer

Correct.

Herman Moore isn't in, why should CJ be?

 

[broncosmitty]

The biggest problem with calvin was his team... He only played 2 playoff games... Playoffs is where legends are made... and only playing 2 games and losing them, just doesn't help at all...

He was part of the reason his team didn't make the playoffs.

He was a direct reason this season. Two losses can easily be attributed to him making mistakes. Inexcusable mistakes. Which was an issue with him throughout his career.

 

[HammerDown]

Statistically, i dont even think he is a Hall of Famer

No, he's top 10 though.

Who? Jerry Rice?

 

[Voltaire26]

No he's not. But he could have been.

This ... but I voted yes because I am a shameless homer!!!

 

[broncosmitty]

Rich Gannon was no slouch in Oakland, either. A pro bowl QB every year Rice was there. Jerry Rice probably had more luck than any other WR in terms of going into great offenses which is why I don't think he is the best NFL player of all time. I do think he has earned best WR of all time distinction give or take what you feel about his cheating assertion.

Moss was the best deep ball WR of all time imo. Did a lot of other things well, too, but he really knew how to turn on the Jets at just the right time to dupe DBs and get deep balls.

Gannon wasn't an AllPro every year Rice was there.

2 for 4 in that department. His other two PB nods were when Jerry was across the bay still.