New Orleans Saints WR Robert Meachem, From Who Dat To Who Dey?

The question that teams around the NFL are asking, though, is will Robert Meachem be productive in any system outside the Saints juggernaut offense?

Teams find it tough grading players such as Meachem, who capitalize off the extra attention that’s paid to wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jimmy Graham.

He is often left single covered on the outside due to safeties paying more attention to Colston and Graham when they are on the field.

When that happens, Meachem usually ends up wide open on the outside due to his speed for huge gains. He isn’t the physical type you’d want to throw to in the red zone, which could be an issue for some teams.

The Bengals will definitely want to stay young in the wide receiver position. Meachem has the potential to be the number one receiver in a different offense, but with Marques Colston on the field with Drew Brees, it just won’t happen.

He will also come at a cheaper price than players like Wes Welker, Vincent Jackson, and DeSean Jackson. Yet, he will more than likely give you the productivity that the others will.

If he does become an unrestricted free agent, he will definitely be an attractive target for teams like the Cincinnati Bengals or Washington Redskins, who are looking to build championship caliber rosters.

Meachem signed a five-year deal worth $11.3 million in base salary and incentives with a $5.71 million in guranteed money after he was drafted in 2007.

The Saints could however afford to keep both Marques Colston and Robert Meachem should they not resign guard Carl Nicks, who is expected to receive a contract around $60 million dollars for seven years, making him the richest guard in NFL history.

His fate will likely depend on what the Saints do with free agent Marques Colston. If Colston was to leave, the Saints would resign Meachem. Lance Moore and Robert Meachem would then become the main receivers in New Orleans.

Speculation is that the New Orleans Saints deep receiving core will remain in tact for the 2012 season.

However, only time will tell if Robert Meachem will go from hearing the “Who Dat!” chants in the Mercedez-Benz Superdome to the “Who-Dey” fans in Cincinnati.