Miles Austin - Will he return to form?

[Cowboy Brian]

I do believe it is universally accepted here that at his best Miles is a top 15 WR, some believe top 5 (like myself) and some top 10. He has performed at that level when uninjured the previous few years but he always seems to get banged up and then he under performs.

I still love watching highlights of the KC game, he just destroyed that defense and then the year Nnamdi allowed about 250 yards all season Miles had more then half of them and it wasn't from one or two big plays, he just beat him all game along.


I think if he can return to form, or even close to it that we have the best WR tandem in the league with Miles and Dez, however if he doesn't and gets banged up again this may be the last season with him on the roster. With Dez most likely getting a long term contract next offseason it would be horrible if we had to sign someone in free agency and spending a high draft pick on a WR is not something I would be really excited about. Miles is still relatively young and with most of his contract already out of the way he could be around for a long time if he can rebound, but that is quite the big if.

 

[CyberB0b]

Top 15 is laughable but top 5 is just absurd.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Top 15 is laughable but top 5 is just absurd.

Did you watch his breakout season? If not you can't fairly comment.

 

[RS12]

Austin is in the same boat as Free, waiting to see how the draft plays out. I think he is likely here 2013, then gone.

 

[DFWJC]

I wish he would. He had a decent year year stats-wise last year.

It seems like last year when we needed him most, we could not count on him.
Definitely in the two Washigton games
He had a total of zero yards and receptions in those games, mostly due to injury and general no-show.
His Giants games were good though.

I lost some faith in him when the ijunries started and then I though he was playing it safe to not re-aggravate it.
Prime example was the 2011 Giants game "lost in the lights play". That was just weird. It looked like he barely tried, but I guess if he really did lose it the lights that would explain the odd route and effort.

An upgraded in the line a long with Dez, Witten, Miles, and Murray healthy would be so fun to watch

 

[Future]

He's not going to be a top 10 receiver with Dez as the clear #1, but people forget that he had a pretty good year last year. Just shy of 1000 yards with 6 touchdowns is pretty solid.

Like every year, his biggest challenge is staying healthy. He can still play ball.

 

[Luther]

Did you watch his breakout season? If not you can't fairly comment.

Austin is a good, solid, number two receiver. But there are plenty of number two's better than him.

Can't think of a team that he'd be a number one receiver on. I'm sure there is a couple, but they don't come to mind.

In my mind, that makes him a top 40ish receiver at this time. He is exciting and can fun to watch, no matter.

 

[DFWJC]

Austin is a good, solid, number two receiver. But there are plenty of number two's better than him.

Can't think of a team that he'd be a number one receiver on. I'm sure there is a couple, but they don't come to mind.

In my mind, that makes him a top 40ish receiver at this time. He is exciting and can fun to watch, no matter.

Maybe St Louis, Cleveland, San Diego, and Washington..maybe Buffalo too ?

 

[Luther]

Maybe St Louis, Cleveland, San Diego, and Washington..maybe Buffalo too ?

Yep. They are pretty bare at WR. Certainly St. Louis and Cleveland for sure.

 

[Eddie]

He is a good player who can't stay healthy.

Reminds me of Murray, Lee, and Carter.

Can't help us if he's on the sidelines.

 

[Machete]

He is a good player who can't stay healthy.

Reminds me of Murray, Lee, and Carter.

Can't help us if he's on the sidelines.

Murray, Lee, and Carter were freak injuries that were not a result of normal wear and tear. Austin is wear and tear injuries.

 

[Nation]

He is not a Top 15 WR on the field anymore, his explosiveness has been sapped by the chronic hamstring injuries

 

[CATCH17]

I think he is will give us the type of production he did last year but I doubt we ever see that dynamic receiver that he was the year after TO left.


Miles was incredible at one point though.

 

[Lodeus]

A few posts here that are pretty confusing to me.

When the dude is healthy he is capable of being a great, top 10-15 receiver.

 

[zrinkill]

Oh my how the expectations have fallen.

 

[Doomsday101]

With Miles it comes down to hamstring. According to people at Valley Ranch they guy works hard maybe to the point of over doing it. Miles is a heck of a weapon but must do a better job of dealing with the hamstring issue

 

[GoCowboysGo]

He's not going to be a top 10 receiver with Dez as the clear #1, but people forget that he had a pretty good year last year. Just shy of 1000 yards with 6 touchdowns is pretty solid.

Like every year, his biggest challenge is staying healthy. He can still play ball.

Problem is, he isn't paid to be "pretty solid". He's definitely a top 30 WR though.

Wish we could unload him, Free, and a few others and rack up some draft picks, but our GM doesn't seem to be so great at negotiating contracts.

 

[Nation]

A few posts here that are pretty confusing to me.

When the dude is healthy he is capable of being a great, top 10-15 receiver.

He was a top 5 receiver in 2009, a top 15 receiver in 2010, and nowhere close to that in 2011 & 2012.

 

[egn22]

he's already taken up enough cap space and for what he produces i'm ready to see him gone.

 

[perrykemp]

Did you watch his breakout season? If not you can't fairly comment.

I, like you, believed after his 2009 season he could be a top 5 talent at WR in the NFL.

Unfortunately, that was 4 long years ago...

While anything is possible, the chances of him ever getting back to that point are very very slim.