Too many receivers?

[patriot lifer]

Pats probably only keep 4 RB's......free's up a spot for 6 WR's

If they practice Lee Smith as a LS/TE- Katula could get cut..(longshot but not impossible).

This gives them 4 TE's and Smith gets a chance to get some PT if he's a keeper and Alge gets to mentor him.....

Plenty of weapons on offense

Welker
Branch
Chad
Edelman
Tate
Price
Gronk
Hernandez
Crump
Smith
BJGE
Woody
Vereen
Ridley

3 QB's
8 OL

8 OL? I always figure you have the five starters, plus 2 back-up interior line-men and 2 tackles. Unless you think that one guy could back-up both a tackle and interior spot, then maybe. Or if a decent player starts on PUP. Otherwise 8 is risky.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Whether or not Slater makes the team has no bearing on the WR issue. When's the last time he took a snap as a WR?

My first guess is that Edelman and Tate may both have some reason to be worried.

 

[FoxboroFlyer]

8 OL? I always figure you have the five starters, plus 2 back-up interior line-men and 2 tackles. Unless you think that one guy could back-up both a tackle and interior spot, then maybe. Or if a decent player starts on PUP. Otherwise 8 is risky.

Maybe Crumpler or Lee Smith could qualify as the 9th.

 

[BradyFTW!]

What ever happened to all those off season rumblings of Welker being traded? This actually makes sense considering Edelman is a younger Welker, and comes at a much reduced salary.

Doesn't make any sense considering that Welker is cheap for his value and Edelman hasn't proven much and has been unable to stay healthy on the rare occasions that he is called upon.

 

[serifyn]

Id think Crumpler's spot would be in jeopardy, but he is the best blocking TE the patriots had last year, and lee smith isnt going to be better than him, plus with as good as Gronkowski and Hernandez were last year, you'd want him to mentor lee smith as well through the season, and also keep Gronk and Hernandez on the up and up.

Impo:

4 TEs: Gronk, Hernandez, Crumpler, Smith

5 RBs: BJGE, Woodhead, Vereen, Ridley, Morris

6 WRs: Welker, Branch, OC, Price, Tate, Edelman

3 QBs: Brady, Hoyer, Mallet

 

[Deus Irae]

Too many receivers? No.

They may still need one more.

Johnson
Branch
Welker


That's the 3 you keep

Edelman
Tate
Price

That's the 3 you might need to upgrade.

 

[jmt57]

This is the start of training camp, not the start of the regular season. Right now the roster size is 90, so no, there are not too many receivers on the roster.

The roster will have a way of working itself out over the next four weeks. I recall a year ago people blasting the Patriots for using their first draft pick on a corner. 'He'll only see the field on special teams; what a waste of a pick' was the refrain of many who saw the team as having 'too many cornerbacks' at that point; as things turned out the two starters were two players with zero previous experience starting in the NFL.

Similarly many assumed the signing of free agent Danny Woodhead was strictly for intel purposes, because the Pats had so many other running backs at the time: Taylor, Morris, Faulk, Green-Ellis, plus another guy on the practice squad. 'Where is Woodhead going to fit' was the question.

Perhaps one of those WR originally mentioned will regress and be cut. Perhaps one will have an unfortunate season-ending injury. In either case we will all be very glad that the team brought in another receiver.

Having this many experienced receivers is not a problem; it's a blessing.

 

[DaBruinz]

The idea that we have to trade Welker is just silly.. And I think the Pats would be absolutely dumb to trade him. Branch or Edelman, i could see trading...

 

[mgteich]

RECEIVERS WITH MORE THAN 10 CATCHES IN 2010
86 Welker
48 Branch
45 Hernandez
42 Gronkowski
34 Woodhead
24 Tate
12 Green-Ellis
============================
We probably won't have any more receptions in 2011. Most of us don't want more. last year we used THREE wide receivers. Edelman was a punt returner, and Price was inactive.

With the adding of Johnson, it is expected that he will one of the top 3 with Welker and Branch.

The #4 and #5 wide receivers are there in case of injuries. Sometimes they make their living as returners. We certainly have no need for more than five wide receivers not counting someone like Slater who is a Ster and not a a wide receiver.
=================================
For me, the logical man outside looking in is EDELMAN. Tate has looked OK and is developing. Price will be the #5, perhaps still inactive.

 

[Urgent]

Holy sh*t!

Too many receivers!!!11!!

Maybe someone could give Bill Belichick a ring and see if he understands the finer nuances of building a football roster.

Some of you people are unbelieveable.

It's no problem having seven receivers.

If you keep two QB's and two TE's.

If you look at the team holistically, you need to make trade-offs.

Do you want to keep Mallett and Hoyer?
Do you want to keep Crumpler and draftee Lee Smith?
Do you want to keep Branch, Tate, Price, and Edelman?
Do you want to keep Slater?

The Patriots are not likely to start with 26 or 27 on offense.
The norm is 24.

Great arguments can be made for every one of those players.
The league forces trade-offs.

It's a valid question.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

How is it too many? Slater sucks, Tate and Price are not ready considering the best player is throwing to them. The TE's were not even used in the biggest game so I think we are fine. If there is any issue it is how are these old linemen going to protect Brady in the playoffs.

 

[Urgent]

Id think Crumpler's spot would be in jeopardy, but he is the best blocking TE the patriots had last year, and lee smith isnt going to be better than him, plus with as good as Gronkowski and Hernandez were last year, you'd want him to mentor lee smith as well through the season, and also keep Gronk and Hernandez on the up and up.

Impo:

4 TEs: Gronk, Hernandez, Crumpler, Smith

5 RBs: BJGE, Woodhead, Vereen, Ridley, Morris

6 WRs: Welker, Branch, OC, Price, Tate, Edelman

3 QBs: Brady, Hoyer, Mallet

That's 18.
So pick your six, maybe seven OL.

(Centers are totally over-rated)

 

[Dutchmaster617]

Too many receivers? No.

They may still need one more.

Johnson
Branch
Welker


That's the 3 you keep

Edelman
Tate
Price

That's the 3 you might need to upgrade.

I like Edelman over Branch, he was cool last year but he is still old and Edelman is nice when he gets the chance (which is rare).

 

[TheSolderKing]

How is it too many? Slater sucks, Tate and Price are not ready considering the best player is throwing to them. The TE's were not even used in the biggest game so I think we are fine. If there is any issue it is how are these old linemen going to protect Brady in the playoffs.

Price is ready. Tate however has limited intelligence in understanding route running. I say Tate and Slater are gone. (those r who I would cut) BB will prolly keep his ST guy Slater despite being an awful WR

I don't see us releasing Branch. We have camp to get to. Price has shown me more than Tate. Small samples, but we will see what happens. I would like both price and tate, but doubt it happens

I would HATE to lose Tate, but if we have to downsize he is a victim most likely gone.

 

[dhamz]

Fans sure do love potential over production - see the posts saying to cut Branch and keep Price, Tate, and Edelman.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

Price is ready. Tate however has limited intelligence in understanding route running. I say Tate and Slater are gone. (those r who I would cut) BB will prolly keep his ST guy Slater despite being an awful WR

I don't see us releasing Branch. We have camp to get to. Price has shown me more than Tate. Small samples, but we will see what happens. I would like both price and tate, but doubt it happens

I would HATE to lose Tate, but if we have to downsize he is a victim most likely gone.

Did I miss something, I have yet to see Price take a snap, Tate had some TDs like the one against Cro vs NYJ last year, Price is faster but has pretty much no experience.

 

[Dutchmaster617]

Fans sure do love potential over production - see the posts saying to cut Branch and keep Price, Tate, and Edelman.

How do you figure Branch is going to do what he did last year? I like Branch and have all the confidence in this offense being top of the league again (even before the 85 trade) but Branch isn't untouchable, Moss wasn't.

At the end of the day the WRs don't really matter, if Brady gets time he can put up 30 on anyone with who we have atm. I'm more worried about G's and LB's.

 

[jeffbiologist]

In the BB house of "buy low sell high" I have to assume that Welker is being shopped. We have both Branch and Edleman that can play the slot, and we know how BB values his 2nd rd picks! Tate/Price could earn a spot taking over Slater's duties on ST but BB obviously hasnt been happy with his 3rd WR for a long time now.
11-?????
10-Tate--Holt got hurt
09-Galloway
08-Gaffney
07-Stallworth
06-Gabriel
05-T.Brown
04-T.Brown
03-Givens
02-Branch
01-C.Johnson/T.Glenn

Obviously we have been fortunate that injuries havent hit this position recently. A year off knee surgery into a contract year, a WR over 30....better to trade Welker than give up on Tate/Price/Edleman and see them succeed with other teams.

 

[DaBruinz]

Did I miss something, I have yet to see Price take a snap, Tate had some TDs like the one against Cro vs NYJ last year, Price is faster but has pretty much no experience.

Yes. You clearly missed the game last year where Price started the game and was taking passes from TFB..

Price had a good chance to end up as the other outside receiver.... now, he'll be really pushed..

 

[Bostonian1962]

Too many receivers? No.

They may still need one more.

Johnson
Branch
Welker


That's the 3 you keep

Edelman
Tate
Price

That's the 3 you might need to upgrade.

I'm amazed at how quickly so many have soured on Edelman.