Originally Posted by patriotsrule

Seeing that Caldwell missed most of the 2004 season, how many games have you seen him in where you were able to break down his route running abilities? Two? Give me a break.

Originally Posted by mgcolby

Dabruinz I will give you credit for your fact finding. I still remember him dropping 2 crucial passes last season in games I watched. I just can't remember who they were playing, one was in the back corner of the end zone and it went right through his hands. I think he is a better option then Johnson, but I will have to be sold by his play this season. Sorry hate to argue with someone I generally agree with very often but stuff happens.

I still think Moulds will be our 2 receiver by training camp.

Originally Posted by DaBruinz

To sarge and other Naysayers of Caldwell -
How about doing some fact checking before you spew?

4) Caldwell worked very hard to improve his hands. Much like Givens did. Caldwell, over the last two seasons, has caught 46 of 71 passes thrown at him. That is a 64.8% clip. Like night and day compared to his 1st two years.

Originally Posted by patpatriot

Is catching 65% of the passes thrown to you a good average? I don't know, seems low to me. Is there any way to check the league avaerage for this position?

Originally Posted by mgteich

This is one of at least 20 additions to the team before training camp. Caldwell is #4 (Davis,Poteat,Hawkins,and Caldwell). I don't count the ERFA's like Childress because they have nowhere else to go.

I don't know if Rech will start the season as our #2. #3, #4, #5 receiver or not even make the team. No one does. That's what camp and the preseason are all about. What I do know is that we will have a team that is ready to go before the draft (without major holes), we'll add several players in the draft, and we'll sign some free agents after the draft.

Originally Posted by DaBruinz

To sarge and other Naysayers of Caldwell -
How about doing some fact checking before you spew?

1) Caldwell was starting for the Chargers in 2004 out of training camp before he went down. However, he was still the 3rd option behind Tomlinson and Gates when it came to recieving.

2) Caldwell spent last year getting back into shape after his torn ACL. He was the #3 receiver, but now behind McCardell, Parker, as well as Gates and Tomlinson. McCardell, Parker, Gates, and Tomlinson accounted for 82% of the Chargers receptions. McCardell and Parker were targets 188 times combined. I'd be willing to bet that Gates and Tomlinson (who had 150 receptions) probably had another 215 targets between the two of them (assumping they caught only 70% of the passes thrown to them). That accounts for 403 of the 526 passing attempts. That only leaves 123 attempts to be spread amongst the other 6 receivers.

In contrast, the Patriots top 4 receivers only caught 58% of the teams total passes. And the team used 17 different receivers during the year, 10 of whom reached double digit receptions.

3) I keep hearing that Caldwell ran bad routes. Not in the games that I watched. He ran good routes. The one game that was mentioned earlier, no one has yet to be able to say whether it was Caldwell's fault or Brees' fault for the interception.

4) Caldwell worked very hard to improve his hands. Much like Givens did. Caldwell, over the last two seasons, has caught 46 of 71 passes thrown at him. That is a 64.8% clip. Like night and day compared to his 1st two years.

5) This idea that having 2 fumbles in one game means that Caldwell has fumblitis is ridiculous. It happens.

I expect Caldwell to challenge for the #2 position, but most likely, be the #3 receiver. He should get more passes than in San Diego just by nature of the Pats offense. I think that if he works as hard as he did to improve his game between 2003 and 2004, then he will be a good pick-up and I see no reason why that wouldn't happen.

Originally Posted by Bostonian1962

This Reche Caldwell signing is why I love the Patriots, and why the brass just really knows what they are doing.

Look at Caldwell. He's a physical clone of Givens. Givens is listed at 6', 212 lbs, born in 1980, 5 yrs in the league. Caldwell is listed at 6', 215 lbs, born in 1979, 6 yrs in the league.

Givens has more catches to date, but can't you see him coming here, and w/ Brady throwing to him, mirroring Givens type of production? I can. Yet, Givens cost the Titans almost $5M a year. Don't know for sure, but I bet Caldwell cost about a fifth of that.

He was the 48th overall pick in the draft when he came out, and is faster than Givens.

In any event, this team is slick. They look for the gems, sign them at far more reasonable prices, and then win Super Bowls. Who else thinks their approach is brilliant? I LOVE it!!!!