Uncle Rico

Rookie TEs lead playtime chart again - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

It's great seeing Gronkowski and Hernandez and Price getting all this time, and I'm sure Spikes and McCourty's snaps are high too, on defense.

One thing I'm wondering: You hear all the time that one big adjustment for rookies is the length of the NFL season compared to college.

Considering that, and how much the rookies will be counted on this season, how do folks think Pats should handle rookie playing time next two weeks? I guess next week is the big Third Game where the 1s get a lot of snaps. But do you play these top picks a lot less in the final game? Or is the attitude "they're young; play 'em; they'll get over it"?

JackBauer

Glancing over that chart, I have to ask: who the hell is Carson Butler?

Sicilian

I think you play them a ton in the preseason to get their feet wet and let them get used to playing a "full" game in the pros. Once the regular season hits, you pare them down a bit, split time with the veterans early or what have you, so they can be fresh later in the season and not get overwhelmed.

But now is the time to throw them to the wolves, in the preseason where the score doesn't count.

Sicilian

What stands out to me on that chart honestly is that we averaged almost 2 tight ends per snap. I don't know the numbers from last year, but that seems like a drastic difference. Balance could be the name of the game for us this year.

ctpatsfan77

And note they barely used Welker or Edelman—each of them was only on the field for 6(!) snaps.

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DarrylS

The use of two tight ends for most of the snaps is intriguing and perhaps a harbinger of things to come, or could mean absolutely nothing.. stay tuned..

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