Maybe we already have a solid WR corps?

[Gwedd]

Alright, here's where my own argument come out.

I'm thinking that the Patriots aren't in a bad position just now, vis-a-vis the wide receiver corps/situation. Considering the personnel on hand, they could do a lot without adding anyone else.

Why do I say this? Because I believe that Belichick plans to use both WR's and his TE's in the same role, relegating their titles to administrative purposes.

At present, NE could line up Gronkowski and Hernandez, Danny Amendola and Jenkins, plus put Ridley in the back field. Which of those threats gets the double coverage?

Hernandez is tall and fast, with the ability to knock a defender out of the way. Perhaps he's the true speedy WR we've been looking for. Ah, but then there's Gronkowski who excells at TE, but also has the speed on a post as well as the ability to stretch and pluck it away.

Amendola? He's an excellent slot receiver. A known quantity. If he gets in synch with TFB, watch out. No one will miss WWW. Which brings us to Jenkins. Everyone is complaining that's he's a JAG. Perhaps he is. Perhaps he hasn't been able to get into synch with a QB or playbook? Who knows. What his stats DO tell us, however, is that when he's in Man to Man, he has some issues. Those issues aren't a problem with him in Zone coverage, however.

So my point is that our offense might well eveolve and play pretty doggone good with those we have to hand, not to mention potentially regaining Edelman.

Who gets the double team? Hernandez? Gronk? Amendola? Jenkins? It's likely that teams end up playing zone, and when they do, Jenkin's abilities are upgraded. Zone is like a force multiplier with these guys.

I'm not saying that this is how things will play out, but at present, the Patriots have 3 tall targets for TFB, and a fine slot receiver and aa couple decent RB's to run a screen. Could we use another, better, pure WR? Sure. So can every single team. But as it stands, after a couple nights thoughts, I'm not near as concerned as I was earlier this week.

Those are my thoughts, anyway. I welcome yours.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

Answer to your question:
No
We need an additional Lloyd or better to have a solid core

 

[Deus Irae]

May we already have a solid WR core?

. No

 

[Lansdowne]

No offense to the OP, I'm speaking more in general here, but I can't stand the school of thought that our TE's can be counted as our WR's in place of a real WR tandem. No, no, no. The whole idea of getting a studly 2-TE set was to give the Pats an advantage on offense. Split those two guys out wide and now you've neutralized the advantage a bit. You want the defense to have to account for the WR's AND the TE's. But as of now, it's the two TE's and Amendola. It's really no different than it's been for the last 2-3 seasons. The outside WR who can take the top off the defense is what's missing, and when defenses take away the middle that hole is very glaring.

 

[PatriotReign]

It's not a complete disaster but it needs to get a lot better before the season starts.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

Alright, here's where my own argument come out.

I'm thinking that the Patriots aren't in a bad position just now, vis-a-vis the wide receiver corps/situation. Considering the personnel on hand, they could do a lot without adding anyone else.

Why do I say this? Because I believe that Belichick plans to use both WR's and his TE's in the same role, relegating their titles to administrative purposes.

At present, NE could line up Gronkowski and Hernandez, Danny Amendola and Jenkins, plus put Ridley in the back field. Which of those threats gets the double coverage?

Hernandez is tall and fast, with the ability to knock a defender out of the way. Perhaps he's the true speedy WR we've been looking for. Ah, but then there's Gronkowski who excells at TE, but also has the speed on a post as well as the ability to stretch and pluck it away.

Amendola? He's an excellent slot receiver. A known quantity. If he gets in synch with TFB, watch out. No one will miss WWW. Which brings us to Jenkins. Everyone is complaining that's he's a JAG. Perhaps he is. Perhaps he hasn't been able to get into synch with a QB or playbook? Who knows. What his stats DO tell us, however, is that when he's in Man to Man, he has some issues. Those issues aren't a problem with him in Zone coverage, however.

So my point is that our offense might well eveolve and play pretty doggone good with those we have to hand, not to mention potentially regaining Edelman.

Who gets the double team? Hernandez? Gronk? Amendola? Jenkins? It's likely that teams end up playing zone, and when they do, Jenkin's abilities are upgraded. Zone is like a force multiplier with these guys.

I'm not saying that this is how things will play out, but at present, the Patriots have 3 tall targets for TFB, and a fine slot receiver and aa couple decent RB's to run a screen. Could we use another, better, pure WR? Sure. So can every single team. But as it stands, after a couple nights thoughts, I'm not near as concerned as I was earlier this week.

Those are my thoughts, anyway. I welcome yours.

As a group of targets, they'd be a little below league average, because of the excellence that is Gronk and Hernandez. But Amendola and Jenkins might be the single worst starting combination in the NFL. Seriously - name a worse WR core, I dare you.

I don't see a way Jenkins passes Donald Jones on the depth chart. Given the strengths and weaknesses of Amendola, Gronk, and Hernandez, Jones represents a better "fit" in that 221 group. While younger and just as productive as Jenkins, he does less of his work in the middle of the field, where the other targets are at their best, than Jenkins. Additionally, while he's not the deep threat the board have been clamoring for, he can threaten the deeper areas of the field in a way none of the other guys listed can, as well as break one off if not accounted for. He's also an option on screens, which we love to mix in.

 

[Lansdowne]

As a group of targets, they'd be a little below league average, because of the excellence that is Gronk and Hernandez. But Amendola and Jenkins might be the single worst starting combination in the NFL. Seriously - name a worse WR core, I dare you.

I don't see a way Jenkins passes Donald Jones on the depth chart. Given the strengths and weaknesses of Amendola, Gronk, and Hernandez, Jones represents a better "fit" in that 221 group. While younger and just as productive as Jenkins, he does less of his work in the middle of the field, where the other targets are at their best, than Jenkins. Additionally, while he's not the deep threat the board have been clamoring for, he can threaten the deeper areas of the field in a way none of the other guys listed can, as well as break one off if not accounted for. He's also an option on screens, which we love to mix in.

You're right, this WR core fails to stand out positively against the rest of the league. Only Oakland and St. Louis have WR cores I would hesitate to trade Amendola for (I trust Amendola more than Denarius Moore or Chris Givens, and those two teams have talented but raw and unproven receivers).

 

[JoeSixPat]

I don't think it's as far off as many think.

We still need someone to stretch the field and that's a big hole - but for the short, slot and mid range game, with 2 or 3 starting TEs - one of whom might actually line up as a WR - not to mention some RBs who can catch the ball, this is far from a 2006 situation with Reche Caldwell leading the ranks.

If the season started today, Brady would almost be forced to spread the field, without Welker's trusted 110+ catches. There's some upside to that believe it or not - but Brady would still rack up enough passes to please those obsessed with stats.

But they could still find themselves just that "one play short" when they needed it most - but then again that pretty much describes the most recent seasons.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't think it's as far off as many think.

We still need someone to stretch the field and that's a big hole - but for the short, slot and mid range game, with 2 or 3 starting TEs - one of whom might actually line up as a WR - not to mention some RBs who can catch the ball, this is far from a 2006 situation with Reche Caldwell leading the ranks.

If the season started today, Brady would almost be forced to spread the field, without Welker's trusted 110+ catches. There's some upside to that believe it or not - but Brady would still rack up enough passes to please those obsessed with stats.

But they could still find themselves just that "one play short" when they needed it most - but then again that pretty much describes the most recent seasons.

The question is about the WR core. People using the TEs and RBs are just muddling the issue. The WR core isn't solid. It's lousy. It has no OWR1 or OWR2.

 

[Boomer B]

The WR core at this moment is Amendola and a couple of cast offs. Jenkins and Jones can fight for the spot that Branch held last year, but we still need an outside WR who can stretch the field to take over Lloyds spot. If we went into next season with the WR as is right now, i'd be pretty pissed. If Amendola goes down (which we know is possible) we'd be screwed. My guess is that one of our first 2 picks will be a WR.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

1 guy that is injury prone is not a "core". It's a **** show

 

[Keyser Söze]

Get Justin Hunter, then we'll be ok.

 

[tonyto3690]

I don't think WR is a disaster right now (like it was immediately after Welker left), but we still need a real #2. Amendola is arguably not even a #2 receiver. We don't need a prototypical 6'3, 4.2, 230 pound #1, but we really need another guy who can win outside the numbers and occasionally win deep.

The two other guys we signed are solid #3 and #4 receivers that I'm big fans of in those roles, but asking anything more of them (and expect Amendola to carry the load the majority of the season) is asking for a disaster to happen.


Resign Edelman, hope your guys stay healthy and spend the extra money on defense.

Order of need imo.
1. DT
2. CB/S (flexibility because of McCourty, we need a real starter)
3. #2 WR
4. DE

Luxury needs:
1. Coverage LB
2. DL depth
3. CB/S depth (depending on which you fill the CB/S need)
4. OL depth

 

[Kontradiction]

Get Justin Hunter, then we'll be ok.

Get Hunter and bring Lloyd back and it will be solid. Right now, our WR situation is pretty close to terrible.

 

[patfanken]

The question is about the WR core. People using the TEs and RBs are just muddling the issue. The WR core isn't solid. It's lousy. It has no OWR1 or OWR2.

Gwedd IS stretching it a bit with his OP, but it has to be remembered that the #2 WR on the Pats is going to be the #4 receiving option and perhaps #5 if one of the RB's moves up the chart.

Now that reality could mean a bunch of things for this season's version of the Pats offense.

1. It could mean that it will be worth it for BB to invest in that high draft pick big receiver. So even if he produces only around 500 yds, it will be worth it for future, if he can become a true #1 or 2 down the road.

2. It could mean that resigning Edelman would give us enough depth for the #2 WR position/back up slot receiver. Now we will have plenty of cap room for Abraham or Freeny or BOTH (how's that Andy ) and still have room for a 3rd round WR prospect.

3. We grab ESanders from the Steelers on the 19th for about $3-5MM/yr (the steelers currently have about $2.5 left on the cap plus rookies), to be a true #2 WR, and still add Edelman as a back up #2/slot slot guy, and go all defense with our 4 picks

Bottom line Jimke, you petulant child, who I sometimes want to slap more than life itself . there are a lot of WR permutations that are out there for the Pats to make before we even go into TC. So take a breath man. We aren't playing anyone next week I doubt we take less than a dozen WR's to camp and as I've stated before, I would 't be shocked if we kept only 4 true WR's when we break camp in September.

 

[Jimke]

Our current wide receiving corps consists of a solid but often injured player,
a special teams player, two players cut for not being good enough and/or
too slow, and three practice squadders. Hardly a solid group.

To boot, Belichick has not had any luck drafting wide receivers since 2002.
I don't expect him to take a chance on one with his first three draft picks.
Better to draft a defensive lineman, offensive lineman, cornerback (not
much better drafting cornerbacks either), pass rusher, or safety.

I expect Belichick to use one or both of his 7th round picks on wide receivers and supplement them with 4 or 5 UDFA wide receivers. If he adds enough
WRs to the roster, he might get lucky.

 

[patfanken]

Get Hunter and bring Lloyd back and it will be solid. Right now, our WR situation is pretty close to terrible.

.....and if you wanted to make a brief opinion, this wouldl suffice as a good as any

 

[Jimke]

Get Hunter and bring Lloyd back and it will be solid. Right now, our WR situation is pretty close to terrible.

I can't believe that I am rooting for Lloyd to return. He is too slow and
doesn't get real good separation but he also caught 74 balls for 900 yards.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't think WR is a disaster right now (like it was immediately after Welker left), but we still need a real #2....

2011:

Welker
Chad Johnson
Deion Branch
Edelman
Underwood


2013 (to date):
The porcelain Italian (I know, but I'm more amused by it this way)
Jones
Jenkins

As of right now, 2011, which was flat-out not good enough once we saw what Johnson was not bringing to the teable, is the superior group, by about a country mile. If the current group isn't a disaster, it can see disaster from where it's standing, and it's certainly got the potential to become one.

It's early and the group is obviously not complete, but let's not pretend it's anything but what it is.

 

[Lansdowne]

I can't believe that I am rooting for Lloyd to return. He is too slow and
doesn't get real good separation but he also caught 74 balls for 900 yards.

Lloyd was productive, though not a real difference maker as many, including myself, had been hoping. If the Pats can bring him back cheaper, they get a proven, productive veteran who is already familiar with the system.

The hope was that if the WR core was getting an overhaul, that it would turn out looking better. It's still early, but that's not the case. Instead it's just different names.