Wide Receivers - As Good As It Can Be

[mgteich]

To state the obvious, so far, all has worked out.

1) Amendola looks like he will be Brady's #1. He's looked good.

2) As we hoped, we have a rookie at WR #2 and WR#4.

3) As expected when he was signed, Edelman is #3.

4) We have hopes of our rookie #4 WR moving up in the depth chart as the season progresses.

5) We even have a rookie at #5 that we are satisfied has potential.

6) The five players we will keep all did well enough to beat out several free agents.
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Only the names have changed. A couple of months ago, we might have had Dobson and Boyce as #2 and #4, and a UDFA (or even a vet) at #5.

 

[supafly]

The bottom line was that everyone was concerned over the loss of Welker (not saying that I agree with him leaving b/c I don't, at least not over the small amt of money that was involved), and the loss of Llyod.

Amendola has looked like he belongs and has developed a nice chemistry with Brady. At this point Belichick took a gamble on a younger player who potentially has a higher upside over the course of the next 4-5 yrs, so we'll have to live with it. The talent and chemistry looks to be there. The main concern is the injury history, which can't be predicted for the future.

Thompkins actually seriously looks like a possible upgrade over Lloyd, who I'd have been fine with keeping as a WR3 or WR4, but never wanted to retain as the WR2/outside receiver. His talent, speed, etc were definitely limited. Thompkins looks as though he can come close to replicating Llyod's statistical production, while even upgrading some of the things that he failed at such as YACs and beating man coverage.

The other question was how to replace Hernandez---and although that will be tough, it appears as though they'll call on the next man up and go from there. Sudfeld + more of a running game can help to offset that loss.

In the end they may have a definite learning curve, but there is potential to be improved in certain areas too--or at least on par with last season, 2011, and 2010.

 

[patsinthesnow]

I would of never thought this in early July, but Brady should have enough weapons to work with.

Primary Targets:
1. Gronk
2. Amendola
3. Thompkins

Secondary Targets:
4. Sudfeld
5. Vereen
6. Edelman

Bonus Targets: (If one of these three can step up it's a bonus)
7. Dobson
8. Boyce
9. Fells

The Key is of course Gronk/Amendola being 100% for when it counts the most.

 

[patsfan-1982]

Amendola is a downgrade from welker but I see Thompkins as a upgrade over Lloyd and Dobson and Boyce are upgrades over who ever was 4 and 5 last year,

the big thing is how long will Gronk be out cause without him they may have a hard time getting more then 25 points per game. the good thing is they don't play a good offense until week 4 at the falcons so they could be 3-0 with gronk comeing back for that game

 

[supafly]

Amendola is a downgrade from welker but I see Thompkins as a upgrade over Lloyd and Dobson and Boyce are upgrades over who ever was 4 and 5 last year,

the big thing is how long will Gronk be out cause without him they may have a hard time getting more then 25 points per game. the good thing is they don't play a good offense until week 4 at the falcons so they could be 3-0 with gronk comeing back for that game

I agree with most of what you say for sure. I also tend to not look past the first few games though, even though we'll be favored nicely in all 3.

As we saw last night (and in many other instances), any team can have a bad night and any team can gain some momentum and have a good day.

While I wouldn't expect anything less than 2-1 to start the year, I wouldn't be outright shocked if they had a rough game in one of the first 3. It's just the law of averages. That said, I wouldn't be betting against them in any of those 3 games either

 

[Claremonster]

I would of never thought this in early July, but Brady should have enough weapons to work with.

Primary Targets:
1. Gronk
2. Amendola
3. Thompkins

Secondary Targets:
4. Sudfeld
5. Vereen
6. Edelman

Bonus Targets: (If one of these three can step up it's a bonus)
7. Dobson
8. Boyce
9. Fells

The Key is of course Gronk/Amendola being 100% for when it counts the most.

If Thompkins and Suds get a lot more reps and Brady favor...they could easily rise fast.

 

[Joker]

yeah...well...all I got to say is...I don't rise as fast as I used to...this saucks...:heh:

 

[supafly]

yeah...well...all I got to say is...I don't rise as fast as I used to...this saucks...:heh:

At your age, you're lucky that you rise to the occasion at all

 

[ATippett56]

Only the names have changed. A couple of months ago, we might have had Dobson and Boyce as #2 and #4, and a UDFA (or even a vet) at #5.

The New England Patriots rang up 518 points during the 2010 NFL Season with the following cast of characters:

Brady
BJGE
Woodhead
Gronkowski (rookie)
Hernandez (rookie)
Welker (coming off ACL surgery)
Moss/Branch
Tate

2010 New England Patriots Statistics & Players - Pro-Football-Reference.com

I'm more concerned about the depth and health of the New England Patriots offensive line.

 

[supafly]

I'm more concerned about the depth and health of the New England Patriots offensive line.

With Cannon (hopefully soon) and Connelly returning, things should be okay. I'm not as high on Svitek as some here are, but maybe he just had a bad performance last night.

Another aspect to consider is the return of Nick McDonald to the roster in a couple/few weeks, as one would think that he's definitely on the shadow roster and could return as soon as he gets healthy.

Next year we'll almost certainly be taking a higher round pick (rounds 1-3) on the interior lineman position, but I sure would've felt better with a decent free agent signing.


Solder
Mankins
Wendell
Connelly
Vollmer
Cannon

*top 6*

Svitek, Stankiewitch/Zusevics, and maybe McDonald rounding out the next 2 spots. Any combination of 2 out of those 4 in my opinion.

 

[manxman2601]

I'm still going to be a little cautious until we've seen an actual NFL game but the OP is right - we're at the higher end of our pre pre-season expectations (if not surpassed it with Thompkins and Studfeld).


And I just want to mention Quentin Sims, Mark Harrison and TJ Moe who will all hopefully be waiting in the wings and are all interesting prospects.

 

[ATippett56]

And I just want to mention Quentin Sims, Mark Harrison and TJ Moe who will all hopefully be waiting in the wings and are all interesting prospects.

I thought Moe landed on Injured Reserve?

 

[manxman2601]

I thought Moe landed on Injured Reserve?

He did so he's in play for next year.

 

[ATippett56]

He did so he's in play for next year.

No offense, I'm most interested in Mark Harrison then Quentin Sims, if the New England Patriots value Quentin Sims as a practice squad player.

 

[Fencer]

TE is obviously a disappointment vs. how it looked early in the offseason, with the biggie of course being Hernandez' career-ending circumstances, and other disappointments being Gronk's slow recovery, Ballard's slow recovery, and Fells' ongoing/repeat issues.

That's far more than can be offset just by Sudfeld.

 

[ATippett56]

Next year we'll almost certainly be taking a higher round pick (rounds 1-3) on the interior lineman position, but I sure would've felt better with a decent free agent signing.


Solder
Mankins
Wendell
Connelly
Vollmer
Cannon

*top 6*

Svitek, Stankiewitch/Zusevics, and maybe McDonald rounding out the next 2 spots. Any combination of 2 out of those 4 in my opinion.

Maybe the Tennant will finally pay the rent this year.

 

[ATippett56]

Next year we'll almost certainly be taking a higher round pick (rounds 1-3) on the interior lineman position, but I sure would've felt better with a decent free agent signing.

The interior lineman position has been taken care of in my latest 2014 NFL Mock Draft (subject to change):

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england.../13/1034735-2014-mock-draft-thread-page2.html

Refer to post #12 for details

NFL Draft - 2014 NFL Draft Prospects - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

Round 4 - Bryan Stork, OC - Florida State

 

[manxman2601]

No offense, I'm most interested in Mark Harrison then Quentin Sims, if the New England Patriots value Quentin Sims as a practice squad player.

None taken. I have Harrison and Sims about the same and Moe behind them. But don't sleep on a 3-cone like that. That's a BB wet dream.

 

[manxman2601]

Can they quadruple dip at DT in next years draft with no worthy depth and ageing Wilfork/Kelly

Can see DT being an emphasis for the next couple of drafts.

 

[ATippett56]

Can they quadruple dip at DT in next years draft with no worthy depth and ageing Wilfork/Kelly

No!

Only because the New England Patriots may need to double dip at defensive tackle and defensive end.

Can see DT being an emphasis for the next couple of drafts.

Nothing like getting hit in the head with a sledgehammer.