Here's a typical Caste System article. Walter is excluded from consideration as the Bengals' third wide receiver because he plays special teams!
Offensive and defensive starters play special teams all the time. Guess that was the best excuse thewriter and the Bengals could come up with.After all, none who read it will think to question its assumptions anyway. (relevant parts only reposted):
By
Chick Ludwig
Dayton Daily News
CINCINNATI | One week Kelley Washington's up, the next week he's down.
After getting zero catches at Cleveland, the Bengals wide receiver was deactivated for the first time in his three-year NFL career against Minnesota. His replacement, rookie Chris Henry, caught four passes for 45 yards.
Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are Nos. 1 and 2.
With rookie Tab Perry the top kickoff returner and Kevin Walter the left-side gunner in punt coverage on special teams, that leaves one wide receiver job up for grabs on game day.
Washington (6-3, 216) has outstanding physical tools, but Henry (6-4, 200) and Walter (6-3, 214) are showing more production. Walter has great hands and is the best downfield blocker in the running game. Henry is the fastest of the trio, but needs to secure the ball better. Holding it like a loaf of bread, he fumbled it and was thankful it bounced out of bounds.
Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski called the Washington-Henry debate "something we're going to deal with week to week. We'll have to make the decision based on what each week will bring us."
Back and forth. Active and inactive. That's Henry and Washington.
"I'm sure it's going to be like that," Washington said. "When they draft a guy, they want to see him play and give him some game experience. We play the same position.
The other guys (Perry and Walter) make an impact on special teams. That's two slots right there. There are going to be some games where I'm going to have to swallow my pride and watch."
The Bengals want a speedy wideout to stretch the defense and draw double teams away from Johnson, making the passing game even more explosive. Henry could be that guy, but he must prove he can stay healthy.
"We hope Chris emerges and continues to grow into a good player," Bratkowski said. "He's a talented guy. We'll see in two-three years how much he grows into the NFL. If he does it right, maybe he is just touching the surface. If he doesn't do it right, maybe he's peaked out. It's up to him."
Contact Chick Ludwig at 225-2253.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/bengals /daily/0922bengals.html#
Edited by: Don Wassall