What to do at WR & TE

[IllegalContact]

I'm nominating this for stupidist post of the year, although I realize the competition will be stiff from here on out.

LOL......some of your own posts are doing pretty well in this regard

 

[Sciz]

Brady needs WRs that he can throw in their direction and they can go get it. There are going to be games where defenses are not going to be fooled by our scheme and Brady needs to have receivers that he can count on to make plays on the ball or have the ability to create separation. The big completions to Boldin happened even though a defender was draped all over him.

Brady has a guy like this. He's a receiver, just not a wide receiver. He's 6'6", impossible to cover 1 on 1, and he happened to be hurt today.

 

[condon84]

Which defender was that? Cole or Arrington?

Talib going down hurt us to the core today. Dennard did an excellent job tonight.

One TD was over Cole and the other one was when McCourty was draped all over him.

He also had a huge 3rd down completion in the 3rd(?) with Cole on his hip, Flacco threw it up in the air and BOldin went up and got it.

 

[IllegalContact]

welker is the wade boggs of WR's

I would attempt to go in another direction via FA.......otherwise bring him back and draft a WR in either round 1 or 2

 

[Fencer]

what to do about TE...really?

No, what to do about receiver, on a team where there is more elite receiving talent at TE than at WR, with coaches who seem to like things that way.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Well the Pats are married to Gron and Hern for a few more years so they need to be the centrepiece of the offense. Hopefully they can stay healthy in order to allow that to happen. Complementary pieces could involve Lloyd and Edelman. I'd say the short and middle of the field is adequately covered.

I think it wise to add a viable deep threat of some sort. Not to be the focus (this isn't Brady's forte) but employed often enough that defenses are kept honest so that they can't focus just on stopping the short/middle, inside game as has happened in the playoff loses.

 

[PatriotDynasty_12]

That drop by Welks really made this decision easier, IMHO.

-Let Welker and Edelman go

Sign or trade for a BEAST WR to compliment Lloyd on the outside (Bowe and Harvin come to mind)

I think Gronk and Hernandez and Maybe even Ballard can handle the middle of the field. Or if the price is right, get Amendola.

I think the blueprint is our there on how to stop on our offense if you have the right players on D to do it. I'd be surprised if Welker is in a Patriots uniform next season.


-Oh and on side note, sign Talib. D is garbage without him.

 

[deters]

welker is the wade boggs of WR's

I would attempt to go in another direction via FA.......otherwise bring him back and draft a WR in either round 1 or 2

hell i'd be for letting him walk and go after a big FA signing and pick up ace sanders late in the draft to be his long time replacement.

 

[Luke Skywelker]

I want our roster to look like this next season

TE - Gronk, Nandez, Ballard, Hoohoo
WR - Lloyd, Edelman, Greg Jennings, 1st rd pick, Slater
RB - Rids, Vroom, Demps or Woodie, Bolden

Really need to dump Welker. His cap hit isn't worth it and can be put to use on a younger, bigger WR with explosiveness and bigger down field ability.

Welker can still be a fantastic asset on this team at the right price tag - that price tag is not the franchise number and it's not what he was shopping for last year. The guy is a still a terrific Patriot - he takes shots left and right, he finds space and he has great chemistry with TB. But it's clear there are major deficiencies - he's a tiny target with no wingspan and unreliable hands. I just don't know if he provides the kind of confidence that anyone would want in big spots anymore. He's a great supplement, he helps move the chains, but he's not what I'd consider a core player.

If anything, hopefully his dropsies in big spots 2 years running brings about a reality check. He had two drops in this game - the first wasn't necessarily as definite, but it was a ball that top WR's catch, without question. It's becoming all too regular of late, whereas I feel like 4-5 years ago, a drop was blue moon. The problem with WW is that he's not the type of guy that can go out and make spectacular catches to make up for drops. You have to put it in his breadbasket, which fortunately, TB has the accuracy to do. You look at the Ravens and they have two WR's that can essentially just go up and get a ball - WW provides none of that.

 

[chicowalker]

That drop by Welks really made this decision easier, IMHO.

-Let Welker and Edelman go

Sign or trade for a BEAST WR to compliment Lloyd on the outside (Bowe and Harvin come to mind)

I think Gronk and Hernandez and Maybe even Ballard can handle the middle of the field. Or if the price is right, get Amendola.

I think the blueprint is our there on how to stop on our offense if you have the right players on D to do it. I'd be surprised if Welker is in a Patriots uniform next season.


-Oh and on side note, sign Talib. D is garbage without him.

Welker was, what, 8 for 100+, including a big play that could have helped us back into the game if it weren't for the deflected INT and at least 1 or 2 catches where he got destroyed by defenders, but we should drop him because of a dropped pass.

That's good decision-making.

 

[WhiZa]

That drop by Welks really made this decision easier, IMHO.

It made the decision easier tonight, but when you see what else is out there and at what cost you'll be begging Edelman to come back. Or Welker to take a paycut.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Welker was, what, 8 for 100+, including a big play that could have helped us back into the game if it weren't for the deflected INT and at least 1 or 2 catches where he got destroyed by defenders, but we should drop him because of a dropped pass.

That's good decision-making.

I think the decision in considering dropping him is due to what is expected to be a large re-signing deal. On offense, the Pats are already in deep on expensive contracts to Brady, Mankins, Gronk and Hernandez. Not sure adding another is wise.

Maybe adding a burner for 1/2 - 2/3rd Welkers anticipated cost makes more sense?

 

[deters]

Welker can still be a fantastic asset on this team at the right price tag - that price tag is not the franchise number and it's not what he was shopping for last year. The guy is a still a terrific Patriot - he takes shots left and right, he finds space and he has great chemistry with TB. But it's clear there are major deficiencies - he's a tiny target with no wingspan and unreliable hands. I just don't know if he provides the kind of confidence that anyone would want in big spots anymore. He's a great supplement, he helps move the chains, but he's not what I'd consider a core player.

If anything, hopefully his dropsies in big spots 2 years running brings about a reality check. He had two drops in this game - the first wasn't necessarily as definite, but it was a ball that top WR's catch, without question. It's becoming all too regular of late, whereas I feel like 4-5 years ago, a drop was blue moon. The problem with WW is that he's not the type of guy that can go out and make spectacular catches to make up for drops. You have to put it in his breadbasket, which fortunately, TB has the accuracy to do. You look at the Ravens and they have two WR's that can essentially just go up and get a ball - WW provides none of that.

exactly how i feel. time to move on unless he signs for cheap.

i honestly would like to see a big time fa splash at WR and a late draft pick in Ace Sanders. He's the same size as Welker but has much better extension and his PR game is good. Good speed as well.

save our 1st rd pick to trade back for 2 defense picks or pull the trigger on a highly touted d guy in the 1st.

 

[ausbacker]

Welker was, what, 8 for 100+, including a big play that could have helped us back into the game if it weren't for the deflected INT and at least 1 or 2 catches where he got destroyed by defenders, but we should drop him because of a dropped pass.

That's good decision-making.

The problem I see with Welker is we have Hernandez, Gronkowski and Lloyd who clog the middle of the field. The Patriots don't have a reliable deep threat. If I was Welker and the Patriots played hard ball in contract negotiations, I walk. As it stands, I fear the cost of re-signing him may prove prohibitive.

Whichever way it's spun, I really don't care about the O. They stalled. The D was pathetic (again).

 

[chicowalker]

I think the decision in considering dropping him is due to what is expected to be a large re-signing deal. On offense, the Pats are already in deep on expensive contracts to Brady, Mankins, Gronk and Hernandez. Not sure adding another is wise.

Maybe adding a burner for 1/2 - 2/3rd Welkers anticipated cost makes more sense?

Asking whether he's worth it is a perfectly reasonable question -- one the front office clearly will be looking at. saying that a drop tonight makes it easy to cut him loose is not reasonable.

 

[PatriotDynasty_12]

Welker was, what, 8 for 100+, including a big play that could have helped us back into the game if it weren't for the deflected INT and at least 1 or 2 catches where he got destroyed by defenders, but we should drop him because of a dropped pass.

That's good decision-making.

I'm not knocking Welker, but I believe it's time to stretch the field on the outside, considering Gronk and Hernandez can handle the middle of the field when they're on the field together at the same time. I don't think the offense is fooling anyone in the playoffs anymore. TAKE AWAY the middle of the field, and make Brady work outside the numbers. I believe we would be better off trading for Harvin or drafting a beast WR in the 1st round...i love Welks, but unless he is trying to take a big discount, I would rather see the $ spent elsewhere.

 

[deters]

Welker was, what, 8 for 100+, including a big play that could have helped us back into the game if it weren't for the deflected INT and at least 1 or 2 catches where he got destroyed by defenders, but we should drop him because of a dropped pass.

That's good decision-making.

its not just tonight, its the past two seasons.

he's had a lot more crucial drops in big games than prior to 2010 and a lot of them are coming on easy plays that have to be made for a player wanting 8+ mill a year.

face it, Welker is gonna be a 32 yr old 5'9 receiver with slightly above average hands with not much extension ability, progressively getting slower, getting the dropsies, and has had an acl injury.

the only positives on him are he's tough as nails and has a good connection with brady.

neither of those make him worth the price he wants. it would be foolish to tie so much money into him.

 

[chicowalker]

The problem I see with Welker is we have Hernandez, Gronkowski and Lloyd who clog the middle of the field. The Patriots don't have a reliable deep threat. If I was Welker and the Patriots played hard ball in contract negotiations, I walk. As it stands, I fear the cost of re-signing him may prove prohibitive.

Whichever way it's spun, I really don't care about the O. They stalled. The D was pathetic (again).

Cost is one thing. A drop is another.

I don't think there's a problem with the Pats' receivers clogging the middle, though -- and if there were, it wouldn't be simply a Welker problem. (That sounds a bit like the notion of baserunners clogging the basepaths in baseball.) If that were a problem, the biggest issue would be with Lloyd, imo, because he doesn't bring to the table what many of us hoped he would.

But given the team's output on offense this year, and Welker's role in that offense, I don't see how there's any way to conclude he is a problem.

So bringing this back, yes, of course his cost will prove critical. My point was that singling Welker out for a drop tonight in light of everything else he has done all year, including tonight, is silly.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

1 drop should not change the fact that he is bradys security blanket..why do people only remember the bad? Without welker this year...where are the pats? Even still playing in the title game?

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

Asking whether he's worth it is a perfectly reasonable question -- one the front office clearly will be looking at. saying that a drop tonight makes it easy to cut him loose is not reasonable.

I'm not saying his drop tonight makes him expendable. I'm simply stating that I don't believe the Pats can afford to re-sign him, not with all the offense heavy contracts on the books at the moment.

BTW, I think Wes Welker is a phenomenal player.