WR depth chart?

[tonyto3690]

How do you project the depth chart to look? After Amendola you can really argue almost any order (save for Slater).

Amendola
Edelman
Dobson
Jenkins
Boyce
Slater


Edelman is familiar with the system, and was looking really good last year before getting hurt. He was pretty solid in his route running, was explosive in open space, was useful in the screen game, was a willing blocker, and was by far our best deep option. Far better than Lloyd.

Dobson we all hope will be great but is still a rookie. Has the ceiling to be a good #1 WR but it is rare those guys happen in their rookie year on a team not picking in the top 5. Even more rare on the Patriots. I think we'll see him worked in and given some reps on 3 WR sets with Amendola sliding inside.

Jenkins I don't see being more than Hooman to our WR group. Barely noticed presence who might occasionally make a 20 yard grab when the defense completely ignores him.

Boyce is going to be redshirted. Might see some time in garbage time just to get him on the field and get some tape on him with Mallet. Nothing more.

 

[mgteich]

I agree with almost all your analysis.

The issue is with Edelman. I don't project (your question) Edelman as our #2 receiver to start, and certainly not long into the year. Consequently, I see Jenkins playing a greater role. Hooman is a good comparison. He started when needed, played #3 TE, and played fullback.

How do you project the depth chart to look? After Amendola you can really argue almost any order (save for Slater).

Amendola
Edelman
Dobson
Jenkins
Boyce
Slater


Edelman is familiar with the system, and was looking really good last year before getting hurt. He was pretty solid in his route running, was explosive in open space, was useful in the screen game, was a willing blocker, and was by far our best deep option. Far better than Lloyd.

Dobson we all hope will be great but is still a rookie. Has the ceiling to be a good #1 WR but it is rare those guys happen in their rookie year on a team not picking in the top 5. Even more rare on the Patriots. I think we'll see him worked in and given some reps on 3 WR sets with Amendola sliding inside.

Jenkins I don't see being more than Hooman to our WR group. Barely noticed presence who might occasionally make a 20 yard grab when the defense completely ignores him.

Boyce is going to be redshirted. Might see some time in garbage time just to get him on the field and get some tape on him with Mallet. Nothing more.

 

[dales804]

Amendola
Edelman
Jenkins
Dobson
Boyce
Thompkins
Slater

 

[Brady6]

How do you project the depth chart to look? After Amendola you can really argue almost any order (save for Slater).

Amendola
Edelman
Dobson
Jenkins
Boyce
Slater


Edelman is familiar with the system, and was looking really good last year before getting hurt. He was pretty solid in his route running, was explosive in open space, was useful in the screen game, was a willing blocker, and was by far our best deep option. Far better than Lloyd.

Dobson we all hope will be great but is still a rookie. Has the ceiling to be a good #1 WR but it is rare those guys happen in their rookie year on a team not picking in the top 5. Even more rare on the Patriots. I think we'll see him worked in and given some reps on 3 WR sets with Amendola sliding inside.

Jenkins I don't see being more than Hooman to our WR group. Barely noticed presence who might occasionally make a 20 yard grab when the defense completely ignores him.

Boyce is going to be redshirted. Might see some time in garbage time just to get him on the field and get some tape on him with Mallet. Nothing more.

I'm looking at as 2 depth charts.

X
Dobson*
Jenkins
Thompkins
Harrison
Sims

Y/Z
Amendola*
Edelman
Boyce*
Hawkins
Perez

The players with stars next to them are considered have are roster locks in my opinion (Edelman 95% lock)

I refuse to include Slater as a WR, if I had to place him on a depth chart for a non special teams unit it would actually be as a safety.

 

[jmt57]

Something to throw out there regarding Michael Jenkins:

I know a lot of people are very underwhelmed and unimpressed with him, but I wonder how much of that is based on his draft status? He's not an All-Pro and never will be, but quite often comments about him include 'huge bust' or similar sentiments. If he came in to the league as a late round pick or was undrafted, would people still be as negative about him?

Take away his rookie season (zero starts, seven receptions) and here are his averages:

43 receptions
539 yards
3 TD

At most he will be the fourth (non-RB) receiving target (I'm guessing Dobson is more productive if not right away, then by the end of the season).

If he can duplicate those numbers as the number four option in the passing game then that will be an upgrade from 2012 - even if you add Julian Edelman and Deion Branch's stats together.

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

I agree with almost all your analysis.

The issue is with Edelman. I don't project (your question) Edelman as our #2 receiver to start, and certainly not long into the year. Consequently, I see Jenkins playing a greater role. Hooman is a good comparison. He started when needed, played #3 TE, and played fullback.

Jenkins having a great role? Absolutely not over Edelman. Julian Edelman has too much to offer us with his explosiveness and playmaking ability especially in space. And his route running is above average, even good at times. Plus, he has had more experience IN the offense. Jenkins is a decent veteran but what more can he offer us then possession?

 

[JoeSixPat]

I'm looking at as 2 depth charts.

X
Dobson*
Jenkins
Thompkins
Harrison
Sims

Y/Z
Amendola*
Edelman
Boyce*
Hawkins
Perez

The players with stars next to them are considered have are roster locks in my opinion (Edelman 95% lock)

I refuse to include Slater as a WR, if I had to place him on a depth chart for a non special teams unit it would actually be as a safety.

I think this is a wiser way to look at the WR depth chart as well - with the one caveat that, as with last year, it's possible to have no one on the team who is a true deep WR and a flawed Patriots team can still be a contender.

I also tend to view Edelman as a lock and would put Slater in the special teams slot.

Hopefully someone - Dobson or Thompkins - shows enough in camp as a deep WR to command a degree of respect from DBs, at least at the start of the season when defenses may play conservatively until they gain better game tape on our rookie WRs

 

[AzPatsFan]

Sometimes mere competent outside possession catches are all that are required.

 

[Brady6]

Jenkins having a great role? Absolutely not over Edelman. Julian Edelman has too much to offer us with his explosiveness and playmaking ability especially in space. And his route running is above average, even good at times. Plus, he has had more experience IN the offense. Jenkins is a decent veteran but what more can he offer us then possession?

Jenkins had more catches last season with Ponder throwing him the ball then Edelman has in the last 3 season combined.

Listen don't get me wrong in think Edelman is a nice player, very good punt returner, very good in coverage on special teams, and a solid depth wide receiver. I cannot get on the Edelman as a great or even good wide receiver wagon. He has been on this team for 4 seasons, during those years I find it hard to believe that if Edelman was in fact the player so many think he is we wouldn't found a way to implement him into the offense by now. I know we had Welker but there were plenty of times we could of used another play maker and he was never that guy.

Maybe I will be wrong, and for what it's worth I hope I am but I just don't see it.

 

[cstjohn17]

Amendola
Edelman
Dobson
Jenkins
Boyce
Slater

Oh vey, on paper that is the worst set of WRs in the NFL. Thank god paper doesn't play against paper and thank god for Brady.

 

[Bruins29]

Cutting Jones made me think there is a potential trade in the works. He had the 2nd biggest contract of the WR and they have several practice squad options. With 2 starting WR who are not exactly iron men and 2 rooks, no more AH, Gronk not 100%, and Ballard might not be either. Two other wildcard TEs and a average vet WR. I could see it.

They are thin and the picks over the next few years are not going to be as important with such a young team and Brady getting up there in age. There is 10 mil in cap room.

 

[supafly]

Cutting Jones made me think there is a potential trade in the works. He had the 2nd biggest contract of the WR and they have several practice squad options. With 2 starting WR who are not exactly iron men and 2 rooks, no more AH, Gronk not 100%, and Ballard might not be either. Two other wildcard TEs and a average vet WR. I could see it.

They are thin and the picks over the next few years are not going to be as important with such a young team and Brady getting up there in age. There is 10 mil in cap room.

The main reason Jones was cut aside from not proving enough, was that he was due a 200,000 roster bonus coming up within days of his cut.

I tend to agree with you that there may be another team's castoff picked up, but I very highly doubt there will be any significant trade. I'd have to assume that it would have been done within the past week or so in the hopes that the player (who'd already be significantly behind in our complex offense) would be able to take part in all of the necessary captains meetings and the start of training camp if he were actually that important and expected to contribute a lot.

At this point if/when we bring any other WR's in, it will likely be to simply add competition to the current group and/or round out the bottom of the depth chart at best. I don't personally believe that we can honestly or realistically expect an "important" receiver to be traded for at this point in time and expect him to pick up the playbook and all of the nuances of the offense in time to actually contribute as a WR2 or WR3 for the start of the season.

Castoffs or additional value pickups? Sure...a bigger trade for expected production? No...That likely would have been done weeks ago at a minimum. Now there's always a guy or two who's a vet and has caught Belichick's attention over the years who is cut in TC, so there's still that possibility that we could potentially luck out enormously in that regard--but that'd also mean that he'd immediately be able to step in and pick everything up like the second coming of Jerry Rice too so the odds are low of serious contribution in my opinion.

 

[PatsFanInSoCal]

Thank God we have Brady.

Hopefully Dobson can make some plays from the get go because this core of receivers looks awfully weak.

 

[Salva135]

Oh vey, on paper that is the worst set of WRs in the NFL. Thank god paper doesn't play against paper and thank god for Brady.

Yeah, it looks bad. Really depends on the health of the TEs, the strength of the rushing game, and the use of the RBs in the passing attack. Hopefully some rookies prove something.

This season is a bit scary. I keep thinking back to that scene in BB's "A Football Life" where Brady and BB are standing next to each other on the sidelines in New Orleans on Monday night watching Brees torch them and basically muttering to each other, "we're a good team, but we just don't have the horses for this kind of race." You rarely, if ever, see that moment of capitulation from that duo. They are world-class competitors, but also extremely smart and self-aware of a bad situation. I imagine similar words were said during the Ravens playoff game. I really hope we don't have many of those moments this year.

 

[Se7eN]

Jenkins had more catches last season with Ponder throwing him the ball then Edelman has in the last 3 season combined.

Listen don't get me wrong in think Edelman is a nice player, very good punt returner, very good in coverage on special teams, and a solid depth wide receiver. I cannot get on the Edelman as a great or even good wide receiver wagon. He has been on this team for 4 seasons, during those years I find it hard to believe that if Edelman was in fact the player so many think he is we wouldn't found a way to implement him into the offense by now. I know we had Welker but there were plenty of times we could of used another play maker and he was never that guy.

Maybe I will be wrong, and for what it's worth I hope I am but I just don't see it.

He showed flashes, I think he could be a playmaker but I would honestly prefer him just being a backup for Amendola. That way his risk of injury is reduced and we're more likely to have one of the best PR for the whole season. Also with his "prove it" 1 year contract, if he stays healthy he'll likely be kept on.

 

[Pats0204]

There's something about Boyce that I really like. I did a lot of pre-draft research, specifically on WR's and there's just something about him......

I really think he can flourish in this offense. His measurables at the combine were off the charts. He reminds me of a younger, faster, much stronger Deoin Branch. Time will tell but i think this kid could turn out to be a future star.

 

[Deus Irae]

1.) Amendola
1.a) Amendola's injury replacement

2.) Wing
3.) Prayer
4.) Hope
5.) Dream

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Jenkins will be good in the redzone as should dobson

 

[Salva135]

1.) Amendola
1.a) Amendola's injury replacement

2.) Wing
3.) Prayer
4.) Hope
5.) Dream

Brady can work with that.

 

[ivanvamp]

Oh vey, on paper that is the worst set of WRs in the NFL. Thank god paper doesn't play against paper and thank god for Brady.

The 2006 Patriots had a pretty bad group of WRs on paper too:

35-year old Troy Brown
Reche Caldwell
Doug Gabriel
Jabar Gaffney
Chad Jackson

Yuck.

That year, the Pats finished 12th in passing offense. I think they'll be better this year because (a) Brady is better, (b) the running game is better, which will open up the passing game, and (c) they have much better receiving options at the TE position (Gronk/Ballard vs. Watson/Thomas).

It should be noted that that team, with that motley collection of receivers, ended up going 12-4 and lost in the AFCCG.