Brandon Tate -Thoughts?

[Ian]

I had started this in the temp forum before we came back up, but thought I'd throw this back out for in here:

Regarding Tate, obviously he's a guy who performed well early returning kicks, but fizzled as the year went on. What are your thoughts on him heading into next year? Is he a guy that with a year under his belt that you forsee coming around?

 

[The_Riddler]

Total JAG, non-impact football player and clearly not the answer on the outside or as a KR. I see him as a #4/5 WR at best and that's being kind to be honest.

That outside WR spot needs a serious upgrade, preferably a guy with good size, atleast 6'2" and up who is physical and can stretch the field.

 

[ausbacker]

He'll be forever compared to Mike Wallace.

 

[D-Money]

Next year is his last to prove himself.I hope to see more of Taylor Price.I can honestly see us bring Chad Ocho Cinco here.

 

[BradyFTW!]

He'll be forever compared to Mike Wallace.

Which is totally unfair, but yup, that's how it goes. Personally, I'm not a fan of the guy at all. Diving for the ball is great and all, but for a supposed burner, he doesn't get any real separation.

 

[The Dynasty]

I think Tate is nothing more than a guy with a great deal of speed and a good kick returner. He doesnt have very good hands. I have more faith in Price having more of an impact than Tate.

 

[Patstopia]

I think he is one of those guys that TB just doesnt trust. I've seen him waving away when he's been open and still being ignores. Next year will tell the tale.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

I gave Maroney way too long to prove to me that he's worthless and I'm not going to do the same with Tate. Next season will be Tate's last chance to prove to me that he's anything special. I know that Maroney was a 1st round pick and Tate was just a 3rd, but Tate could have gone higher if not for an injury, plus many people have had high expectations for him. I see Julian Edelman having more success as a WR.

 

[The_Riddler]

I think he is one of those guys that TB just doesnt trust. I've seen him waving away when he's been open and still being ignores. Next year will tell the tale.

Next year? Tommy doesn't have a lot of time left. BB's trade-downs and gambles with these 3rd round WR picks are getting old and time is passing by without any results.

The Jets go out and trade for 2 proven studs (Braylon Edwards and a measley 5th round pick for a stud like Santonio Holmes) and we're giving Tom a bust WR in Tate with no damn size or separation ability and a Deion Branch on the back 9. We need a serious upgrade here or we'll continue to see bunched up safeties and game plans designed to blow up everything within the 20 yard dink and dunk box like we witnessed unfortunately on Sunday night.

If we don't draft a Julio Jones or a proven big play WR early in this draft, then we'll have to get something in FA, someone proven, because Tate is clearly not the answer and Price simply wouldn't be ready to contribute like a proven vet. How great would a Braylon Edwards look on this team right now?

 

[D-Money]

I expect more out of Jermaine Cunningham as well.1 sack is what he had.

 

[andrewgarrr]

I don't see him getting released until after the regular season starts in 2011. Like most players, he should make many improvements off of his first playing season. He has good speed - he just isn't a good route runner at this point in his career. I'd give him one more season before giving him the boot, while still bringing in insurance, but not in the form of a Joey Galloway or Torry Holt.

 

[gtfanboy]

Total JAG, non-impact football player and clearly not the answer on the outside or as a KR. I see him as a #4/5 WR at best and that's being kind to be honest.

That outside WR spot needs a serious upgrade, preferably a guy with good size, atleast 6'2" and up who is physical and can stretch the field.

I hear megatron wants out.

 

[The_Riddler]

I hear megatron wants out.

I'll take the Predator at this point....dreadlocks and all

 

[Aldogg]

I wanted to like Tate, I saw a lot of things I liked in him in college before he tore his knee up, but he isn't the answer to being the burner on this offense. I don't know if you go WR at 17 or 28, maybe even 33, since I don't think Jones will be available at 17 and I don't know how deep the position is, but I think behind a getting a better pass rush and interior O-line, WR is the #3 priority to me in the offseason.

 

[upstater1]

Which is totally unfair, but yup, that's how it goes. Personally, I'm not a fan of the guy at all. Diving for the ball is great and all, but for a supposed burner, he doesn't get any real separation.

He's never been a burner. He was always a playmaker, a Peter Warrick/Percy Harvin type.

More Warrick than Harvin. His speed is good, not great, never has been.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think he is one of those guys that TB just doesnt trust. I've seen him waving away when he's been open and still being ignores. Next year will tell the tale.

I'm starting to think that was the case too. Tate was supposedly wide open on a curl route on the 4th down call and Brady didn't even glance at him. Also, in the Dolphins game, Brady left and Hoyer came in and pretty much immediately hit him for a big touchdown on the post.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think he can be a quality WR. Folks need to keep in mind that this was his first year actually playing meaningful time. Lets see how he does in the off season. Practicing routes, catching the ball (Givens caught 500 balls a day in the off-season in 2002/2003), etc.

Gotta give the kids a chance to develop. You never know what you have.

 

[Deus Irae]

He runs poor routes, has bad hands and struggles to get separation because his speed is not really at burner level.


I'm sure he's good to his mom, though.



He's got a lot of work to do if he's going to become a quality receiver in the NFL. I've got WR as one of the top 5 priority positions, largely because of his play.

 

[Patspsycho]

What everyone seems to forget is that last year he tore his knee and so this year is the "mental recuperation" year, the same as Welker. You may recall that it takes two years to recover from a major operation- one year for physical recover, and one more year for the mental recovery.

So with that in mind, I think it is unfair to judge Tate at this point.

 

[Lansdowne]

From the little we've seen of him, Bethel Johnson. He only has one season of playing to his resume, so the jury is still out on what he can do. But I'm not impressed and don't see him as any better than our 4th WR.