Kevin Boss the best Tight End in football?

by I_Formation27 on Nov 25, 2009 10:49 AM EST Comment 28 comments

Gregg Easterbook thinks so. ESPN Columnist Gregg Easterbrook had this to say about our favorite Tight End,

Kevin Boss of (The Giants) -- an afterthought in the 2007 draft, when he was chosen late out of Division II Western Oregon -- caught two touchdown passes, and now may be the NFL's best tight end. Dallas Clark and Tony Gonzalez are better pass-catchers, but Boss is the better blocker: If NFL general managers held a draft of tight ends, I bet Boss would be the first selection.

Boss has repeatedly shown that he is the best pass catcher behind Steve smith on the Giants roster. Hopefully his production will start to become routine in the Giants offense. If this happens, I think he will have a Pro Bowl season next year. He is absolutley the most improved player on our roster since taking over for that guy in New Orleans. This Jerry Reese guy is pretty smart.

Easter brook also mentions the fact that the Giants were able to confuse Atlanta's Defense on Boss' second TD reception.

On his second touchdown reception, with the Giants facing third-and-3 on the Falcons' 4, he lined up in-line, in the traditional tight end spot, but standing up rather than in a three-point stance. Just this slight variation on routine seemed to confuse the defense about whether he would block or go out, and Atlanta allowed him to run a simple turn-in for six.

Gilbride definitely deserves some props for those key Boss TD plays, as well as the overall utilization of Boss in the past couple of games.

I would definitely say that Boss is one of the top five Tight Ends in the league, with the potential of elite status if they keep utilizing his talents. It's great to see him getting some outside recognition.

-KB

FanPosts are written by community members. This is simply a way for community members to express opinions too long to be contained in a comment.

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Wow

Had no idea Bossman garnered this type of respect outside of our community.

Very cool stuff.

"With the game on the line. I want the ball in my hands."
-E

by tito (eight and oh) on Nov 25, 2009 11:16 AM EST reply actions

Easterbrook definitely isn't part of the mainstream media

Mosley (NFC East blogger and ESPN) believes that the NFC East has the best Tight ends of any division.
With Witten, Celek, Boss, and Chris Cooley, its hard to say otherwise.

Out side of those two though, I haven’t heard much about boss from the national sports media.

Single cover the real Steve Smith at your own peril

by Willgfass on Nov 25, 2009 3:58 PM EST up reply actions

He's a good player, no doubt

But he is the third best TE in th division with Celek catching up quick.

I’d put Boss in the top half to top 10 of football.

Ich bin ein Berliner--JFK

by HudBaby on Nov 27, 2009 6:22 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I think he's better than Cooley now

not counting the injury, but it’s definitely debatable. Witten is definitely the best though, much as I hate to admit it.

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Nov 30, 2009 3:29 AM EST up reply actions

Definitely the toughest...

I like the way Kevin Boss plays football and I’ve seen him take some licks that would knock most people silly, but he bounces back up and heads back to the huddle. His blocking skills have improved considerably since his rookie season and I agree he is the
second best receiving option, after Steve Smith. I’m showing my age when I talk about the old Timex watch commercials where the watch was put through grueling tests and kept working…the voice on the commercial always said, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!”
Maybe we need to change Kevin’s nickname from Bossman to Timex Man!

by bubba23 on Nov 25, 2009 11:18 AM EST reply actions

WHOA!

Hey now.

I dunno what to say!

HELLZ YEA!!!

Someone tell Couglin and Gilbride. KEEP FEEDING THE BOSSMAN!

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 25, 2009 11:23 AM EST reply actions

Potentially

From what he’s shown he can be the best TE in the NFL. I wouldn’t rank him #1 until the Giants consistently throw the ball his way. He’d have to accumulate 60+ passes on the season for that distinction.

by FrankB0318 on Nov 25, 2009 12:21 PM EST reply actions

Aaand

every time he makes a play I can yell “Yeah! Who’s the boss, bitch!” before taking a swig of beer. You gotta love players who can do that for you.

You play to win the game!

by Simms-McConkey on Nov 25, 2009 1:04 PM EST reply actions

To be the best, the Giants need to utilize him for the sake of arguement

Without doubt though, i would consider him at the very least a top 10 TE. Not bad considering how the Giants actually use him. But, for the top spot, KB has to consistently compare to his peers. Whether it’s Clark, Gates, Gonzalez or Witten, they’ve proved over time they can be the top TE.

Now, this isn’t a knock on KB, because we all see his potential, but for outsiders looking in, they would consider KB being the best as a far fetched idea pertaining to potential.

But if only the Giants had used him since week one like they did against the Falcons, this would make for a strong arguement of sorts!

by Hootman on Nov 25, 2009 1:25 PM EST reply actions

I think that Eli found out....

last Sunday just how effective the Bossman can be in the “green zone”. I would not be surprised to see more Bossman touches inside the 20. The guy is a huge target. It is foolish not to use him as such. Also, when it comes to elite QB status, Bossman could put Eli over the top.

by njgiant on Nov 25, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

That's just it

All of us fans have been wanting to see KB being used inside the 20, but up until the Falcons game, he seemingly was an after thought?! He seen a few targets here and there, but nothing to suggest it would be on a consistent basis. Would it be on Eli, the play called, the need to keep KB in to block or the neccessity for Eli to check off? These are a few variables to consider which would be fair.

For an elite status to emerge? This preferrably hinges on any gameplan that the Giants may deploy?! Utilizing KB more in the middle not only free’s up the outside, the flats or more importantly, the running game (the 8th man needs to think twice) but it should keep everyone guessing!

by Hootman on Nov 25, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

+1

The guy is too big and too athletic to to use on a regular basis. Teams should actually fear the Bossman.

by njgiant on Nov 25, 2009 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

He is good

not sure he qualifies even for the top 5 just yet.

by brisulph on Nov 25, 2009 2:13 PM EST reply actions

Boss is Good

but the best in the NFL… Not sure.

After his great game Sunday, I was thinking about his progression. I think that he has always had good pass catching skills but his blocking was less than average. He had one of the better blocking TEs in Shockey to help him learn and get better. Then he was able to get real time in games and helped the team to a championship…

Now we have a reliable, hard working and modest TE…. cant ask for much more than that after Shockey…

by GiantRB27 on Nov 25, 2009 3:47 PM EST reply actions

I read this and was think about linking to it

but you beat me.

#1, as much as I’d love that, I don’t think he’s #1 tight end – yet.

Definitely a Top 5, Top 10.

Its a shame that he won’t go to the Pro Bowl this year, and probably not next year either due to the brand power of a few other tight ends, i.e. Gonzalez, Witten.

As for a draft of current TE, why wouldn’t he be first? He’s young, shown great improvement since he’s been drafted, and is great teammate.
Objectively, I’d take him first if I had a new franchise and had to take a current tight end.

Single cover the real Steve Smith at your own peril

by Willgfass on Nov 25, 2009 4:03 PM EST reply actions

factoring in his age

yea, he’d definitely be on my short list for top tight end. But right now, just for this season, there are a few guys out there better than him.

by cjmulrain on Nov 30, 2009 3:31 AM EST up reply actions

Number 1?

Well, why not? Does he catch everything thrown to him? does he block better than those other Te’s? All I know is if i need someone to make a play for me, go over the middle, make a tough catch, and get crushed by a safety or linebacker or both and hang on to the ball, I will take Boss without hesitation, remember we’re talking about the total package and not just pass catching.

p.s.
also he is one hell of a runner after the catch for a big man, makes people miss then lowers his shoulder and gets the most out of every play.

by BigBlueCrew_jfl on Nov 25, 2009 4:15 PM EST reply actions

and don't forget

the guy has the perfect “team first” attitude. He doesn’t cry when the ball is not thrown to him or make the qb look bad after a bad pass. The guy just does his job. There should be an award for the hard hat, blue collar guy.

by njgiant on Nov 25, 2009 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

The worst thing in madden

Is when you throw it to Boss over the middle, and he gets crushed and drops it.

It pisses me off so much because I know that would never happen in real life.

Single cover the real Steve Smith at your own peril

by Willgfass on Nov 25, 2009 5:52 PM EST up reply actions

I've loved the guy since his first training camp.

It’s nice to see him get some recognition. He’s one hell of an athlete. He’ll never get the full recognition he desrves unless the Giants give him a chance to by throwing to him more.

by blue gonz on Nov 25, 2009 4:29 PM EST reply actions

Hold on..

I’m not sure about Boss being drafted #1. I know there’s a great TE down in Houston named Owen Daniels that is a monster pass catcher/blocker as well. What about Heath Miller with the Steelers? Greg Olsen with Chicago? You have to at least mention those guys as well.

At any rate, as much as we bag on the coaching staff, credit Coughlin and the gang again by taking a weak point and turning it into a strength with Boss just like he did with Tiki and the fumbling.

by lboogie25 on Nov 25, 2009 5:10 PM EST reply actions

Yeah Heath Miller

should really be mentioned. Boss is my 2nd fav player on the team ( to BJ) but I reckon Miller is probably better at the moment.

Some may have given up on the Giants this season, but they WILL make the playoffs.

by ChuckyofNorris on Nov 26, 2009 1:00 AM EST up reply actions

Dallas Clark

I don’t think I’ve seen his name mentioned yet, and he’s probably the best in the business right now.

by cjmulrain on Nov 30, 2009 3:33 AM EST up reply actions

In all seriousness...

Boss is NOT the NFL’s best TE, he hasn’t proven it.

I DO think he has the size and talent to match Jason Witten, who to me is the best OVERALL TE in the game cuz of his blocking ability.

If the Giants used Boss more, it would be easier to convince others.

I think he definitely COULD be that dude. Manning’s just gotta look that way more (couldn’t hurt).

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 26, 2009 12:48 AM EST reply actions

Dallas fan, joined just to comment on this

Kevin Boss, while not the best TE in football, has gotten phenomenally better and has the potential to be a top level TE. He reminds me oh so much of Witten, and after watching Jason rise through the ranks to a top 2 TE, it should be encouraging to Giants fans. The overall toughness demonstrated by Boss, the blocking ability, the crisp routes, the lack of top end speed(which is an overrated quality in pro football anyway, especially from TE’s), all of these things Boss has. Boss will become a top level TE soon enough, if the Giants actually implement a system to get him more involved. He could be a great dump off guy for Eli, and can help in the rebuilding of the Giants offense(which, IMO, lacks identity right now, but that’s a different subject in itself)

by Zach22 on Nov 28, 2009 1:57 PM EST reply actions

I agree.

I mean the idea of a TE as a safety valve seems like heresy to the Giants coaching staff.

Most teams that realize that they have a 6"7 265lbs TE that could catch with the best of em, is a former b-ball player and can jump well….you’d think they’d use him as a focal point?

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 28, 2009 9:42 PM EST up reply actions