Last summer, as the cameras of HBO's Hard Knocks series rolled on the fields of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, former Arena League wide receiver Bobby Sippio flashed across the screen and entered our minds forever. It wasn't his speed (or lack of it) that got our attention but the fact that he apparently didn't drop a ball thrown to him in training camp.
Sippio cleared the NFL waiver wire in early September and made his way to the Kansas City Chiefs active roster just a week later.
In retrospect, its clear why Sippio chose the Chiefs as much as why the Chiefs chose Sippio. He'll get the chance to start. Not that he will start mind you but our current WR situation is that wide open. Here are the wide receivers curently on the roster:
Dwyane Bowe
Devard Darling
Will Franklin
Kevin McMahan
Maurice Price
Kevin Robinson
Luke Swann
Jeff Webb
So, going just by the talent listed there, Sippio will be battling for a #3 spot with a fourth or even fifth spot the most likely. If Sippio doesn't play much again this season, I'll be dumbfounded as to why he's on the team. He's not that good of or even a particularly good special teams player.
He didn't register any catches last season and I think he may have actually touched a live game ball once on a punt or kickoff return. You can't really go by his previous Arena League stats for any indicators because he gained like 5 million yards in his career there.
I'm going to say Sippio ends the 2008 season with approximately 20 catches for 220 yards. Not sure why I like the "twos" this morning but I do.
What numbers do you think Bobby Sippio will put up in 2008?
Note: I'll have more community projections coming out over the next few weeks, unless they turn out to be uninteresting. Also, these posts are great for first timers to jump in and comment. No pressure on these.