Third Tight End thread

[memento]

Solder as an eligible reciever

Watch out for some goal line touchdowns this season from the newest Olineman. The problem is Brady keeps scoring from 15yds out.

 

[brady199]

Re: Solder as an eligible reciever

What about Dane Fletcher?

 

[Lurks_All_Day]

Re: Solder as an eligible reciever

What about Dane Fletcher?

What about Jon Bon Jovi? Didn't he declare???

 

[patsfaninpa]

Re: Solder as an eligible reciever

I mentioned in a thread earlier in the week this might be a formation we use regardless of injuries. It gets another great blocker on the field. Makes the play-action threat real. I think we'll see more of it. And, I think we'll throw to our wr's out of it too.

 

[Fencer]

Re: Solder as an eligible reciever

Solder would, I hope, be a more effective blocker than Lesser Gronk.

I believe Lesser Gronk has also picked up a couple of penalties already, although those may have been on Greater Gronk instead.

However, I presume Lesser Gronk is somewhat more of a threat to catch a pass than Solder is.

 

[Fencer]

Gronk, Gronk, & Solder

TE Dan Gronkowski -- 19 of 71
TE Nate Solder -- 18 of 71

&

1 WR/3 TE/1 RB -- 18 of 71

From Offensive snaps: Gronk leads way - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston and Positional groupings: All about TEs - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Well, it's pretty clear who plays TE in the base 3-TE set.

That said, who are the WR options? Slater only got 4 snaps total this time.

 

[Fencer]

Re: Gronk, Gronk, & Solder

Also, who's the first reserve for that set if somebody gets hurt? With one exception, the package uses all the TEs and tackles, so injury is a situation that could easily arise.

My first answer, then, is Hernandez.

 

[NordicVoyager]

Re: Gronk, Gronk, & Solder

I noticed Solder several times on the field, almost always after the play was done. Does anyone have a summary of how he lined up as TE on those 18 plays? I am also curious about what percentage of the plays were runs (especially in 4Q when the focus was on running the ball and putting the game away).

 

[BlitzFritz]

Guys,

I love the Gronk - fest as much as the next guy! :rocker:

BUT

Gronk 2 does not look that huge. And he has one false start per game so far. My sense is that he is fodder and a fill in.

I would prefer to see Crumpler devestating people once he is recovered.

(I did find it interesting to see Solder as a TE. However, he is more than likely going to need to play tackle for large chunks of the season).

What do others think?

-- FRITZ

 

[jmt57]

Why Solder at TE was effective - New England Patriots Blog - espnBoston

"The Chargers have a very good defensive front. They have outstanding guys on the end of the line [at outside linebacker] with [Travis] LaBoy, [Shaun] Phillips and [Antwan] Barnes, so just having another guy out there to handle them or another guy on the wing with Dan Gronkowski just puts a little more presence on those positions," coach Bill Belichick explained.

Here is how the Patriots' production broke down out of the Solder power package:

Runs: 14 for 63 yards, TD
Passes: 3 of 3 for 41 yards

On one snap, the Chargers were penalized for a neutral zone infraction.

The package was used seven times in the first half, and 11 times in the second half. In the second half, it helped the Patriots impose their will on the Chargers on the final touchdown drive.

 

[DaBruinz]

Considering when Gronk2 was brought in, I'm not surprised by the false starts.. He's been here for, what, 2 weeks??

 

[Spiral]

I think if you're going to have 2 (42 out of 71 snaps) or 3 (18/71) tight ends on the field for most of the time, you need to have more than three on the roster. There are usually 2 safeties on the field, and there are four on the roster. How many WR or RB are on the roster and how many combined snaps do they take? They need to change their way of thinking about some of these roster numbers.

 

[unoriginal]

I think if you're going to have 2 (42 out of 71 snaps) or 3 (18/71) tight ends on the field for most of the time, you need to have more than three on the roster. There are usually 2 safeties on the field, and there are four on the roster. How many WR or RB are on the roster and how many combined snaps do they take? They need to change their way of thinking about some of these roster numbers.

Three of the four safeties on the roster play on three or more special teams units. None of the tight ends play on more than one.

I doubt they cut Vereen or Price to put another tight end on the roster.

 

[BritPat]

I'm watching a re-run of the highlights on Sky in the UK, and on Benny's TD Solder blocked both Larry English and Donald Butler at the same time.

 

[Spiral]

Three of the four safeties on the roster play on three or more special teams units. None of the tight ends play on more than one.

I doubt they cut Vereen or Price to put another tight end on the roster.

In terms of the quality of Vereen or Price vs. a street free agent TE, I'd agree. But the Patriots hardly ever line up with more than 1 RB. If the total TE snaps per game is 158 (like yesterday) and the total RB snaps are 70 (like yesterday), then I just can't see the logic in having four RBs on the roster but only three tight ends.

 

[coolguy]

I wonder if bill could work out a trade to get Champ watson back.

 

[mgteich]

The 4th TE in the short yardage formation used to be Vrabel. Usually, it is an OL who isn't starting that day (Hochstein used to be our #4). Solder is now our 4th TE.
==============================
The 3rd TE is the issue. Belichick didn't like Mills, Yeatman or Smith enough to keep on the 53-man roster. He liked Dan Grankowski enough. I suspected that he would wanted any of the 3 cuts to make the Practice Squad. He ended up with Mills. That's certainly OK.
==============================
The BOTTOM LINE is that we 3 have TE's on the active roster, plus Solder for short yardage, plus Mills on the Practice Squad.

I would argue that this is a better TE situation than any team in the league. Lots of posters preferred Yeatman and/or Smith as our #3. I'm fine with Belichick's choice of Gronkowski. I would also have been fine if Belichick chose Yeatman or Smith or Crumpler. They had plently of chances in practice and preseason to impress the coaches.

 

[Ian]

The 4th TE in the short yardage formation used to be Vrabel. Usually, it is an OL who isn't starting that day (Hochstein used to be our #4). Solder is now our 4th TE.
==============================
The 3rd TE is the issue. Belichick didn't like Mills, Yeatman or Smith enough to keep on the 53-man roster. He liked Dan Grankowski enough. I suspected that he would wanted any of the 3 cuts to make the Practice Squad. He ended up with Mills. That's certainly OK.
==============================
The BOTTOM LINE is that we 3 have TE's on the active roster, plus Solder for short yardage, plus Mills on the Practice Squad.

I would argue that this is a better TE situation than any team in the league. Lots of posters preferred Yeatman and/or Smith as our #3. I'm fine with Belichick's choice of Gronkowski. I would also have been fine if Belichick chose Yeatman or Smith or Crumpler. They had plently of chances in practice and preseason to impress the coaches.

I think his top choice was Yeatman, and according to what one of the guys heard from one of his relatives he was a guy that was simply a victim of the numbers game - and they really wanted him on the practice squad and thought they could slide him through. They gambled and it backfired, so obviously their next choice ended up being to grab Gronk's brother. From what we've seen so far, it hasn't panned out, but who knows? It's still early, and they seem primarily focused on making sure they have the necessary protection for Brady on that side - so I don't know how much production they're necessarily looking for with that. But I agree with mgteich that there's plenty of other teams that would like to be in their shoes. Hopefully Hernandez isn't too seriously hurt and can just spend the next month or so getting healthy.

 

[Fencer]

If they really wanted Yeatman on the roster, he'd be on the roster. It's obvious they think a 3rd TE is necessary. And we all agree a 3rd TE is necessary, with a minority saying that even 3 isn't enough.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I was re-watching the game yesterday and watch Solder at TE, he did a very good job, and did plow the road on the clinching TD (sealed the edge and took out the CB to boot). Look the guy's what 6'7"? Perfect redzone threat, he used to be a TE, so he would seem a perfect fit for goaline/short yardage offense. Gronk1 can block and will most certainly draw coverage, Gronk2 was playing fullback in short yardage as did a fair job of opening a hole for BJGE on that 3-2 play early in the game, could you imagine Brady goaline with Solder on the weakside TE, with Gronk1 on the line and Gronk2 slotted next to him on the strongside, fake to BJGE, Brady pops up and hits Solder on a drag acorss the middle! perfect!