Draft impact of finally having Crable, McKenzie, Tate, etc.?

[Tunescribe]

Just wondering if some of our injured rooks from the last couple years might be ready to go enough that it would affect who the Pats take in this year's draft. Crable, McKenzie and Tate all represent areas of need. If they're healthy, it'll be like adding three more rookies to the mix. Don't know if I'm forgetting anyone ...

 

[mgteich]

Tate, McKenzie, Crable and Wheatley

You can count on them if you wish. Or, you can draft for players to compete for their rosters psots, or at least for reps with those players. All of these four would likely have a roster spot as of today.

 

[patchick]

Just wondering if some of our injured rooks from the last couple years might be ready to go enough that it would affect who the Pats take in this year's draft.

I do think so, absolutely. I expect that the team is counting on one or more of them, based on what they've seen so far. But we have no idea which ones.

It makes an already hard-to-predict Pats draft downright devilish.

 

[the wrothbroughterer]

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I think collectively that group has been on the field for less than a dozen snaps. My guess is that they have a minuscule impact on how this team drafts, when you have next to no idea how they'll play on the field it's foolish to plan around them.

 

[Mogamedogz]

I sure hope not. I wouldnt trust Crable to work the beer stand at this point.

 

[BlueThunder]

McKenzie and Tate are true rookies......BB was high on McKenzie before his TC injury.

Crable and Wheatley - meh

Crable has to stay healthy and he hasn't proven he can.

Wheatley got beat out by a rookie and Wilhite for PT...not a ringing endorsement. Maybe Wheatley gets it this year?


BTW Patchick.....Statler and Waldorf are my favorites...

 

[Metaphors]

Been saying this for weeks. People are correct that the Pats shouldn't necessarily count on major impacts from any one of these individuals for obvious reasons:

Crable
Wheatley
Brace
Tate
McKenzie
Ohrnberger
Bussey
Richard

But to expect that NONE of these guys will be key contributors is 2010 is really a glass-totally-empty perspective.

 

[Mossed]

Probably not too much. They probably treat them like late round rookies, so it wouldnt prevent them from drafting that position. All 3 could see playing time next year tho.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I really don't see BB looking too much into the ILB spot...I truly think he likes what he has there with Mayo,Guyton,McKenzie ect:

Do not be surprised if ILB is not addressed...again until the last day of the draft,OLB is a different story.

With that being said,If he does go ILB early, I would think Weatherspoon would be a great pickup

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

I think we can expect as much from them as any rookie we draft after the 4th round. Poster's say, "we shouldn't expext anything because what have they done?" The same can be said about most rookies. I expect some to produce and most not to. I'm not sure who will though.

 

[MaineMan]

Been saying this for weeks. People are correct that the Pats shouldn't necessarily count on major impacts from any one of these individuals for obvious reasons:

Crable - (IR x 2) probably take a miracle for him to make the squad at this point
Wheatley - he's had a good chunk of two seasons and hasn't gotten it
Brace - had a hard time getting snaps even when we needed him on the field
Tate - (IR) was projected primarily as a KR/PR, IIRC, so who knows
McKenzie - (IR) was originally projected simply as depth, IIRC
Ohrnberger - another guy who couldn't get snaps even when we needed them
Bussey - (IR) originally projected as depth
Richard - other guys were promoted off the P/S even when we needed DLs

But to expect that NONE of these guys will be key contributors is 2010 is really a glass-totally-empty perspective.

"Key" contributors? Count me as a glass-empty guy, then. Tate and McKenzie, AFAIK, seem to have the best chance to make the team as reserves/situational players, but "KEY" contributors? I don't see anyone on this list who would alleviate the need to draft to that position.

 

[Metaphors]

"Key" contributors? Count me as a glass-empty guy, then. Tate and McKenzie, AFAIK, seem to have the best chance to make the team as reserves/situational players, but "KEY" contributors? I don't see anyone on this list who would alleviate the need to draft to that position.

Lose "key contributors" then. How many of those players will be regular gameday actives, taking some snaps in regular offense, defense and/or special teams? There are only 45 active spots. Add some of those players to the guys expected to be starters or rotational players. There are still "holes" but certainly not as many as you might think. The doomsday thinking generally has all of these guys off the roster or not active. The equation quickly chances if a couple of these guys actually pan out.

 

[mgteich]

I expect Tate to be on the active roster as a returner. Consequently, he will be available at least as a #4 reciever.

Lose "key contributors" then. How many of those players will be regular gameday actives, taking some snaps in regular offense, defense and/or special teams? There are only 45 active spots. Add some of those players to the guys expected to be starters or rotational players. There are still "holes" but certainly not as many as you might think. The doomsday thinking generally has all of these guys off the roster or not active. The equation quickly chances if a couple of these guys actually pan out.

 

[ac0608]

It sounded like Kraft was high on Tate at the NFL owners meeting.
From Mike Reiss' Blog:

With those two factors in mind, Kraft said that he expects more opportunities in the coming weeks and months to continue improving the team, specifically at receiver. He said the start of training camp and right before the season starts figure to be times where there is meaningful player movement. He also mentioned 2009 third-round draft choice Brandon Tate as a player who could surprise.

 

[captain stone]

Been saying this for weeks. People are correct that the Pats shouldn't necessarily count on major impacts from any one of these individuals for obvious reasons:

Crable
Wheatley
Brace
Tate
McKenzie
Ohrnberger
Bussey
Richard

But to expect that NONE of these guys will be key contributors is 2010 is really a glass-totally-empty perspective.

The only ones on this list whom I would expect (hope?) to contribute anything at all are McKenzie - because only the weakass Guyton is ahead of him - and Tate, but only as a Returner; anything we get from him as a Receiver is a bonus.

As for the rest - fuhgeddaboutem; if most of them (+ Alexander & Woods & Wendell & Patten) are on the Opening Day roster, then we're not nearly as good as we need to be.

 

[captain stone]

It sounded like Kraft was high on Tate at the NFL owners meeting.
From Mike Reiss' Blog:

Kraft also thought that Tebucky Jones would make an excellent CB.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Never "trust" a player returning from injury. We honestly can't count on any of them to walk in and make an impact.

 

[jmt57]

The way I look at it is to look at them as part of this rookie draft class, but drop them down a little bit from the round they were originally drafted in.

For example McKenzie represents perhaps an additional 4th round pick in this draft, Crable a 5th, Ohrnberger a 6th, etc. In other words it's something in between counting on them to contribute and expecting nothing at all from any one of them. McKenzie was a 3rd round pick but surgery drops him at least a round in terms of expectations even with over a year to recover. Crable drops a couple rounds due to multiple IR's, etc.

Not exactly a science, but it seems to be better than either completely writing guys off - or blindly expecting them to start and play well.

 

[Kontradiction]

Never "trust" a player returning from injury. We honestly can't count on any of them to walk in and make an impact.

You must not have gotten the memo. Brandon Tate is going to be the next Jerry Rice and McKenzie is going to be the next L.T. (the original one).

 

[cstjohn17]

Just wondering if some of our injured rooks from the last couple years might be ready to go enough that it would affect who the Pats take in this year's draft. Crable, McKenzie and Tate all represent areas of need. If they're healthy, it'll be like adding three more rookies to the mix. Don't know if I'm forgetting anyone ...

Just using past NFL history as a judge, our expectations should be:

• 1 becomes a borderline starter / quality backup
• 1 struggles to be a end of roster / special teamer
• 1 doesn't make any impact at all