Building the new WR corps

[AzPatsFan]

Bill Belichick put off rebuilding his WR corp as long as he could. He chose to retool instead with veterans. This was based on the success he had with Welker and Moss.

Unfortunately, these receivers seem to have had commodities, that most receivers don't possess. Both Talent and Brains.

No one wil ever say that Randy Moss is a mental giant, but in comparisons with his WR peers, he does. He shared other traits common to them as well, unfortunately. Randy has a DIVA personality that would appear periodically. It is a common trait for the Divas of the WR fraternity.

I attribute that to being a pampered athlete, forgiven for most common human failings, and never really held accountable for his actions, throughout his youth, because of his athletic fame and prowess,along with no requirement ot be able to think.

When BB tried to retool with other veteran WRs, many simply couldn't read, or understand and comprehend the complicated option passing Offense that the Pats operate.

So when Belichick decided to add youth to the last remaining "oldster" squad on his Team, he added a stipulation to himself and the scouts. The WR candidates must have brains as well as athletic ability.

He would eliminate the brainless from consideration. That meant that Tavon Austin with his magnificent 7 score on the Wonderlic, and Cordarrele Patterson with his stupendous 11 Wonderlic eliminated themselves from consideration. His experience with the brainpower of Ocho with his 10 on the Wonderlic, underlined that the results would not be satisfactory.

He selected Aaron Dobson with his 20 Wonderlic, a relative genius level score amongst his WR brethren. Then he bypassed many other athletic but not brainy candidates in the third round, before selecting Josh Boyce a speedy, tough guy who is a complete WR anomaly. This WR had graduated already from TCU, and was attending Graduate School in his Senior season!

He chose these to accompany his young veteran import, Danny Amendola who posses a rare score for a WR of 27 on his Wonderlic, as the Troika on which to rebuild the Patriot's WR corps. Donald Jones is reputed to be pretty smart too.

I'm willing to bet that there will be few stories written about how "difficult" or "slow to absorb" the Patriot option passing game, this new WR corps is.

It all makes sense now, doesn't it.









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[BradyManny]

Overall, like the post, but I'm not into this recent trend (and the beat guys the last few weeks were all about it) of using the Wonderlic as a true test of either intelligence or football intelligence. It's obviously not a test of football IQ, and it seems like it tests knowledge more than intellect, so all you are reading into is how well a guy has recently been educated, not their potential intellect.

If you spent a day teaching these kids the basic math & reasoning that they would face on the Wonderlic, and then saw how well they did, then you would learn a lot more about their intelligence, and ability to learn + retain information.

That aside, it seems like everyone is crediting Dobson with having football smarts. Boyce, too. Moe, very much. I can see that guy sticking, even if he is purely a slot receiver, and Amendola obviously has that spot carved out for him. This WR group, overall, projects to be very versatile, which is something McD has had his sights on.

 

[patchick]

If you spent a day teaching these kids the basic math & reasoning that they would face on the Wonderlic, and then saw how well they did, then you would learn a lot more about their intelligence, and ability to learn + retain information.

These days, Wonderlic prep and practice is typically part of an agent's basic services. So the scores are already something of an upper bound.

 

[edboc]

I agree with what you wrote. I wonder if the coaching staff needs to reevaluate the read-defense, react/change your route passing game. Veteran defenses do a good job of disguising and mixing up their coverages, which can lead to the QB and WR/TE not being on the same page.

 

[patsfan13]

A high football IQ is required to be successful with Brady in this O.

This is something that Branch, Moss & Welker had in common. Amendola, and the 4 rookies in camp seem to fit that mold. We shall see this summer.

I have considered that BB may have been trying to put Brady out of his comfort zone by removing his binky Welker, forcing him back into going to the open guy style, instead of forcing balls to Welker as we saw at times during the playoffs.

 

[patsfan13]

These days, Wonderlic prep and practice is typically part of an agent's basic services. So the scores are already something of an upper bound.

You could have someone who is intelligent with a poor education who would do poorly on the wonderlic, IMO a 3 month cram course would be a big help.

Moss scored poorly on the wonderlic test but clearly was an extremely smart football player.

 

[BradyManny]

These days, Wonderlic prep and practice is typically part of an agent's basic services. So the scores are already something of an upper bound.

That's a good point, and something I hadn't thought of.

But I still think the Wonderlic is largely overrated when it comes to worrying about who can grasp the Patriots offense.

 

[Kontradiction]

A high football IQ is required to be successful with Brady in this O.

This is something that Branch, Moss & Welker had in common. Amendola, and the 4 rookies in camp seem to fit that mold. We shall see this summer.

I have considered that BB may have been trying to put Brady out of his comfort zone by removing his binky Welker, forcing him back into going to the open guy style, instead of forcing balls to Welker as we saw at times during the playoffs.

I think it's a misconception that Brady was "forcing balls to Welker" against the Ravens. The reason those balls were going to Welker in that spot is two-fold...

1. Gronkowski was injured.

2. Welker was the only WR on the field that day consistently beating press.

Given those two reasons just stated, that's why the ball was going to Welker as often as it was. He was the only guy that Brady could expect to be in the place he needed Welker to be, when he needed Welker to be there.

 

[cstjohn17]

I guess it is nice that they are 'bright' and fast but I think that there are many other characteristics that are important such as toughness and clutch.

IMO the Patriots WRs are in the bottom 3rd of the league based on talent but will produce at a higher rate because of the system and QB. They will need to become playmakers in the playoffs.

 

[mustache]

I think that Bill O' and BB have taken Brady's WRs that he was already comfortable with at the same time he drafts receivers and brings in Amendola for a reason.

Brady REALLY favors and looks for receivers he trusts. It is very hard for anybody new and especially new and inexperienced to break in. By removing some trusted targets it gives people like Dobson and Boyce a chance to get a few more opportunities not only to see the field, but to gain Brady's trust.

 

[gobesmug]

You could have someone who is intelligent with a poor education who would do poorly on the wonderlic, IMO a 3 month cram course would be a big help.

Moss scored poorly on the wonderlic test but clearly was an extremely smart football player.

I agree that the wonderlic test has nothing to do with football IQ, but the wonderlic test is not based on knowledge. I took a wonderlic test for the university I'm going to. When I took the test I had about a 4th grade level education and I managed to score a 29. The test is set up to test reading comprehension and processing speed.

 

[PatriotReign]

I remember a time when Brady just threw to the open receiver and didn't force passes.

 

[mgteich]

When Lloyd and Welker and one healthy TE are your 3 receivers, you throw to them, even if it SEEMS that you are forcing it to them.

If Brady truly has several targets, he will spread it out more.

I remember a time when Brady just threw to the open receiver and didn't force passes.

 

[BradyManny]

I remember a time when Brady just threw to the open receiver and didn't force passes.

Yeah, it really sucks how historically explosive our offense has been in the last six years.

 

[MoneyFX]

If the 2 rookies (Dobson/Boyce) can work out well with Brady, then, this offense would be hard to stop, even more so than the past 3 seasons and more importantly, the playoffs, because it can attack all parts of the football field.

So many weapons, you got Dobson and Boyce on the outside, Amendola in the slot, Gronkowski stretching the seam, Hernandez being lined up everywhere to create mismatches and Vereen catching passes from the backfield.

Not to mention Jones, Edelman and Ballard for depth.

But the most important things are health and how fast the new guys (Amendola, Dobson, Boyce) can get acclimated with Brady.

 

[Pewsterbaby]

I guess it is nice that they are 'bright' and fast but I think that there are many other characteristics that are important such as toughness and clutch.

IMO the Patriots WRs are in the bottom 3rd of the league based on talent but will produce at a higher rate because of the system and QB. They will need to become playmakers in the playoffs.

This isn't that far off from the truth. With this QB and system, you'd think there'd be some higher profile receivers to get in tandem with. They instead hope to develop mediocre talent into standout wides.
"Building the new WR corps"? I don't sees no stinkin' receiving corps.

 

[patchick]

This isn't that far off from the truth. With this QB and system, you'd think there'd be some higher profile receivers to get in tandem with. They instead hope to develop mediocre talent into standout wides.
"Building the new WR corps"? I don't sees no stinkin' receiving corps.

You mean a "name" receiver, or a a super-athletic receiver considered the cream of the draft crop? Say, Brandon Lloyd, Donte Stallworth, Chad Ochocinco or Chad Jackson?

There just isn't a silver bullet. I've seen no clear correlation between a receiver's previous reputation in the rest of the league and success with Brady. Moss was a hugely talented but troubled star whose career was in sharp decline. Welker was a nice little player, but not necessarily worth the picks the Patriots threw away on him. Gaffney was a street FA picked up off the scrap heap. Meanwhile Lloyd came in with the highest level of fan expectations of any vet receiver in memory. :confused2:

 

[voluntarysaftey]

You mean a "name" receiver, or a a super-athletic receiver considered the cream of the draft crop? Say, Brandon Lloyd, Donte Stallworth, Chad Ochocinco or Chad Jackson?

I'd be much happier having Lloyd and his decent production back -- that gives he rookies a buffer. If one or both surpass Lloyd -- awesome. If only one performs at a starter level, then we have two outside receivers. If both fail, we have effectively have last year's offense.

Without Lloyd, the rookies must succeed or the offense will be worse than last year.

 

[DocHoliday]

I'd be much happier having Lloyd and his decent production back -- that gives he rookies a buffer. If one or both surpass Lloyd -- awesome. If only one performs at a starter level, then we have two outside receivers. If both fail, we have effectively have last year's offense.

Without Lloyd, the rookies must succeed or the offense will be worse than last year.

To be quite honest I'd prefer to throw them into the fire. It'll force the team to work on the rookies - I can easily see Brady ignoring the rookies by week 3 and throwing at Lloyd instead.

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

When Lloyd and Welker and one healthy TE are your 3 receivers, you throw to them, even if it SEEMS that you are forcing it to them.

If Brady truly has several targets, he will spread it out more.

He certainly has more targets this year.. the whole, "shut Wes down and Lloyd then the two TE" days are far gone. Just not that easy anymore for defenses, which they could barely do that to begin with. Now you bring in more talent, younger talent, faster and stronger talent with better hands and more versatility? Please, this is the most toys Tom might have ever had, since 2007. These rookies at WR that we drafted have more skillset, potential, smarts, instincts, raw ability, route running and hands and then we've seen for rookie NE receivers since David Givens and Deion Branch, IMO. Not to mention, if star WR Danny Amendola can stay healthy and Donald Jones can flourish in our system with our great Coach and QB then the sky is the limit