Rod Smith vs Demaryius Thomas

[samparnell]

Yup, 10 years from now, we'll be talking about DT and how he accumulated nearly 7,000 yards and 46 TD's in a 5 year span in awe and reverence...For now it's just "all he ever did was drop the ball"

It's not a knock on Smith because they played in different eras, but Smith's best 5 year period was 6,214 yards and 34 TD's. Still nothing to sneeze at, but DT was flat out balling when Manning was here.

Lionel Taylor's stats are comparable.

[BroncosDivision]

Yup, 10 years from now, we'll be talking about DT and how he accumulated nearly 7,000 yards and 46 TD's in a 5 year span in awe and reverence...For now it's just "all he ever did was drop the ball"

It's not a knock on Smith because they played in different eras, but Smith's best 5 year period was 6,214 yards and 34 TD's. Still nothing to sneeze at, but DT was flat out balling when Manning was here.

They played in two vastly different statistical eras of football. Today's game average 35+ pass yds more than when Rod Smith retired. Everything that helps a wide receiver boost his stats, including the amount of touchdowns, have gone up. Rod Smith had his best season when playing with Griese and found ways to consistently thrive under three different quarterbacks.

There is no question Demaryius Thomas is the better athlete with a higher ceiling though, just like I think Brandon Lloyd made some of the most ridiculous catches in Broncos history during his brief stay. This comes down to personal preference of course, but I found Rod Smith's game more exciting/enjoyable to watch as well.

[JBBronco1]

just for a throw back. Haven Moses, i think he was our first good WR i can remember.

I would have him and B-Marsh on Denver's first-team all-time, with DT and Rod Smith on the second team.

[Spice 1]

Marshall before the extra curricular stuff was one of the best receivers I've ever seen. Didn't we used to call him Baby TO? It was a fitting nickname for a while there.

[johnlimburg]

I'd take Rod. It's funny but the most dominant WR denver has ever had was definitely Bmarsh. He was an elite version of DT, but it is funny that DT lasted way longer. Marshall went downhill fast, but prime marshall was insane

Brandon Marshall had 10 seasons with 700 plus yards, an 8 of them were thousand yard seasons. In those 10 seasons he posted over 10 touchdowns 4 times, and played with mediocre quarterbacks in Denver, Miami, New York, and Chicago. Comparing that to Demaryius Thomas, he had only 7 seasons with over 700 yards, with 6 of them being 1000 yard seasons, and 4 of them featured double digit touchdown numbers. Brandon Marshall had his first thousand yard season in 2007, Demaryius had his in 2012, yet Marshall posted his last thousand yard season in 2015, while Thomas had his in 2016. Marshall was a more consistent, dominant receiver, for a longer period of time in the NFL, with far less talent at quarterback. I would also say Demaryius has fallen off the face of the planet just as quickly as Marshall did.

[Insane Tacos]

I'd take Rod. It's funny but the most dominant WR denver has ever had was definitely Bmarsh. He was an elite version of DT, but it is funny that DT lasted way longer. Marshall went downhill fast, but prime marshall was insane

I could not agree more.

But DT was nowhere on Rod’s level. Period.

[arapaho]

Fans tend to try and rank their teams players and sometimes you can, sometimes when it’s as ruled by so many variables like pre modern era vrs today when you can’t touch a wr, offensive orientation such as when offenses were rush offenses that occasionally passed vrs today when it’s avpassing league


So I think back to players and the memories

I recall the upchurch, Moses era but the wr that sticks in my mind then is Steve Watson

Then how can we forget the three amigos
Who were thought of as a group one of the best in the league

Rod of course is a fav of mine, the heart and dedication he displayed year after year, of course being the #1 when we finally won a SB will always keep him high for me

[Amy-Selic]

I'd take Rod. It's funny but the most dominant WR denver has ever had was definitely Bmarsh. He was an elite version of DT, but it is funny that DT lasted way longer. Marshall went downhill fast, but prime marshall was insane

[johntbronco]

Definitely Rod Smith!

DT was awesome too, but gotta go with Rod.

[FL BRONCO]

That's true, in the 10 seasons Smith was a starting WR he was below a 60% catch rate in 5 of them. In 7 seasons as a starter Thomas was below 60% twice, and both were 59.3% so not far below.

I think Thomas also suffers a little from recency bias, people remember the drops because they happened recently, with Smith they only remember the highlights.

That may very well be true. I personally am not judging by numbers, stats or any of that. I guess we are lucky to have had a few Great wide recievers here, and DT is definitely included. When I think of my top 5, I think of who I would want to trust with the play, with the game on the line, in a win or go home circumstance.. To me that is the true measure of who I think is the best. Receivers played in different eras, with different qb's and different rules so it is not exactly a fair judgement to go by numbers imo. We have had some very good receivers and some good qb's throwing to them. We had DT with Manning, Taylor/Tripucka, Rod had John of Course, Moses had Morton and then there was Marshall with Cutler. When I look back I feel very lucky to have gotten to see them all. If the qb were none of the above listed ,but regardless of who was playing qb or what era you were playing in and I had to rate them on just making the play, regardless of what it took, DT would definitely not be listed in my top 3 and maybe 4. But that is not a knock cause he is in some amazing company and they all made many plays when we needed them.:2cents:

[FL BRONCO]

[QUOTE=Butler By'Note;5796141]That's true, in the 10 seasons Smith was a starting WR he was below a 60% catch rate in 5 of them. In 7 seasons as a starter Thomas was below 60% twice, and both were 59.3% so not far below.

I think Thomas also suffers a little from recency bias, people remember the drops because they happened recently, with Smith they only remember the highlights.[/QUOTE]

That may very well be true. I personally am not judging by numbers, stats or any of that. I guess we are lucky to have had a few Great wide recievers here, and DT is definitely included. When I think of my top 5, I think of who I would want to trust with the play with the game on the line in a win or go home circumstance.. To me that is the true measure of who I think is the best. Receivers played in different eras, with different qb's and different rules so it is not exactly a fair judgement to go by numbers imo. We have had some very good receivers and some good qb's throwing to them. We had DT with Manning, Taylor/Tripucka, Rod had John of Course, Moses had Morton and then there was Marshall with Cutler. When I look back I feel very lucky to have gotten to see them all. If The qb were none of the above listed but regardless of who was playing qb or what era you were playing in and I and I had to rate them on just making the play regardless of what it took, DT would definitely not be listed in my top 3 and maybe 4. But that is not a knock cause he is in some amazing company and they all made many playse when we needed them.:2cents:

[samparnell]

just for a throw back. Haven Moses, i think he was our first good WR i can remember.

Don't forget Lionel Taylor who was Denver's first great WR.

[flosstein]

I can say that DT made some of the most athletic and impressive catches.

Nothing like DT on the backline of the end zone. And that was another great quality of his. His ability to keep his feet in play on those tough or athletic catches.

[Hph5]

He really did though, early in his career. He overcame that as his career went on, but he was dropping a lot of balls early on. 97 was his breakout year, he started every game and caught 70 passes for 1180 yards and 12 touchdowns, but his 70 catches were on 131 targets, which translates to a 53.4% catch rate.

Yes Rod did have a problem catching the ball in 97. I do remember calls to get rid of him because he "couldn't catch". I think a lot of those yards and touchdowns came on deep passes. He was a great deep threat when he had Elway.

[skeeter01]

Excellent points "Butler" & "Freeka" I've fallen in the category of those who speak who really don't know.....I stated Rod hands down.....but will leave by saying very close, loved them both. !!!
Some one should compare Wilson and Jackson at line backer, throw in Karl in the comparison as well