Patriots Sign WR Brandon LaFell to 3-year contract

[Ring 6]

Ummm.... You do realize that every target he didn't catch isn't a drop don't you? If he is targeted and a defender breaks up the pass or Brady over throws him, now we are going to count them as drops?

Dobson was credited with eight drops in the season with four of them coming in his first game as pro.

Also, his drop in receptions down the stretch has to do with him playing with a broken foot and not his hands. Dobson could barely run after he broke his foot and he couldn't get open and/or get to the spot where Brady was expecting him.

All the evidence points to his drop rate is skewed by one game. His "hands of stone" rap is still overrated and you have shown nothing to prove otherwise.

BTW, this is why I hate PFF. No analysis behind their assertions. from the article you posted:



But yet no mention of the fact that four of the drops happened in his first game of his career or the fact that he was playing with a stress fracture in his foot for most of the second half of the year.

That article was from Oct 30, so apparently since Dobson had 8 drops all season he never dropped another after that, so your argument sounds solid.

 

[Jimke]

Isn't that what we just did? Now, give them at least a chance to develop.

It is unfortunate that Dobson's foot injury may ****** his development.
I'm sure this is why the Patriots signed LaFell and are looking at Britt.
They have to supply their 37 year old quarterback with as many choices
as possible and cull them out later.

 

[patchick]

You have to draft them. Over the years, the Patriots have, relatively speaking, ignored the position in the draft.

...

BB's drafted 12 TEs in his Patriots tenure, and 2 of them have been first rounders. He's only drafted 11 wide receivers, and none of them have been first rounders.*

It sounds like you're specifically saying "You have to draft them in round 1," Since the Pats have spent quite a few 2nd & 3rd-round picks on WRs.

The conundrum is that in drafting WR in round 1, you're moving from a strategy that has yielded to 2/3 hit rate in the 1st to a strategy that leaguewide yields a 1/3 hit rate. That means accepting a significant drop in the total talent level of your team.

I can only see that change making sense if you felt that WR was an uncommonly important position, or if you felt that WR talent was uncommonly stacked toward round 1 more than other positions.

 

[mayoclinic]

Teams can certainly win without true WR1s. It's just not an optimal situation when you're a passing team.

I'm not so sure about that. I'll take 5 solid options over 1 stud.

And is there any question that a healthy Gronk is our #1 receiver?

 

[Deus Irae]

Isn't that what we just did? Now, give them at least a chance to develop.

I haven't advocated cutting Boyce or Dobson, but you don't have to avoid signing good players (I'm not saying that's what they did) just because you want to develop other players. You also don't have to hold your team hostage to the development of those rookie receivers. It's not the QB position with a franchise player, after all.

 

[Deus Irae]

It sounds like you're specifically saying "You have to draft them in round 1," Since the Pats have spent quite a few 2nd & 3rd-round picks on WRs.

Have to? No. But, like the QB position, you're much more likely to get the top shelf guys if you take them in round 1, because you're probably not finding Calvin Johnson in round 5.

The conundrum is that in drafting WR in round 1, you're moving from a strategy that has yielded to 2/3 hit rate in the 1st to a strategy that leaguewide yields a 1/3 hit rate. That means accepting a significant drop in the total talent level of your team.

No, it doesn't. That means accepting that you might miss, which isn't the same thing. The same would be true if you needed a QB.

I can only see that change making sense if you felt that WR was an uncommonly important position, or if you felt that WR talent was uncommonly stacked toward round 1 more than other positions.

They've spent first round picks on TEs, RBs and OGs.

 

[Danger Zone]

I haven't advocated cutting Boyce or Dobson, but you don't have to avoid signing good players (I'm not saying that's what they did) just because you want to develop other players. You also don't have to hold your team hostage to the development of those rookie receivers. It's not the QB position with a franchise player, after all.

I have to agree with this point.

Look at what Brady did in the stretch when he had a WR with real elite talent (and who had lost a couple steps from his youth).

We owe him another at this point in his career IMO... however we get them.

 

[patchick]

No, it doesn't. That means accepting that you might miss, which isn't the same thing. The same would be true if you needed a QB.



They've spent first round picks on TEs, RBs and OGs.

OK...but QB is an uncommonly important position, and TE, RB and OG do not have uncommonly high bust rates. So I'm not sure how this argues for round-1 WRs?

 

[RIpats88]

personally I like the signing. a guy with size who can play outside? he would compliment Dobson/edelman well.

he did have 600yards and 6td's last year so he's not exactly a scrub.

But I start to get the feeling that someone is the odd man out here. You are looking at your top receivers to be Dobson, edelman, amendola, lafell

oh, and you guys do realise that Gronkowski is our #1 Receiver right?

 

[Deus Irae]

OK...but QB is an uncommonly important position, and TE, RB and OG do not have uncommonly high bust rates. So I'm not sure how this argues for round-1 WRs?

You can make excuses all day, or you can draft the player. It's that simple, and that holds true with every position and every player. You can avoid drafting Geno Smith because you don't think he's a franchise QB, or you can take a chance on his upside. Dimitroff moved up and got a winner in Julio Jones. Pioli stayed pat and got a bust in John Baldwin.

Two BB disciples.
Two different approaches.


In the end, it's going to be about guessing right about the player, one way or the other.

 

[PatriotReign]

I'd rather have seen them draft Jordan Matthews. He's got more upside than Quinton Patton my binkie from last year.

 

[mayoclinic]

It sounds like you're specifically saying "You have to draft them in round 1," Since the Pats have spent quite a few 2nd & 3rd-round picks on WRs.

The conundrum is that in drafting WR in round 1, you're moving from a strategy that has yielded to 2/3 hit rate in the 1st to a strategy that leaguewide yields a 1/3 hit rate. That means accepting a significant drop in the total talent level of your team.

I can only see that change making sense if you felt that WR was an uncommonly important position, or if you felt that WR talent was uncommonly stacked toward round 1 more than other positions.

Conversely, I would almost NEVER draft a WR in the 1st round. Too low a success rate, too long development time, too many good ones available later, and I don't value it enough.

 

[hwc]

Why sign LaFell for that money? I'd much rather go after James Jones.

Why?

James Jones will be 30 years old this month. In seven years in the league, he's averaged 44 catches per season at 13.9 yards per catch (in one of the best passing offenses in the NFL).

LaFell will be 27 years old at the start of the season. In four years in the league, he's averaged 42 catches per season at 14.3 yards per catch.

Seems like pretty much a wash. Might as well go with the younger guy, figuring that he might have some upside on a team with an effective QB.

 

[patchick]

You can make excuses all day, or you can draft the player.

Fair enough. The Patriots have had 4 round-1 picks over the past 3 years. Let's stop making excuses, go back in time and GO FOR IT at wide receiver!

Here are the players the Patriots actually drafted, and the WRs they could have chosen instead if they were only bolder:


Exchange Nate Solder for: WRs Jonathan Baldwin or Titus Young

Exchange Chandler Jones for: : WRs A.J. Jenkins or Brian Quick

Exchange Dont'a Hightower for: WRs A.J. Jenkins or Brian Quick

Exchange (Jamie Collins + Logan Ryan + Josh Boyce +1/2 LeGarrette Blount) for: WRs Cordarrelle Patterson or Justin Hunter

 

[JoeSixPat]

Why?

James Jones will be 30 years old this month. In seven years in the league, he's averaged 44 catches per season at 13.9 yards per catch (in one of the best passing offenses in the NFL).

LaFell will be 27 years old at the start of the season. In four years in the league, he's averaged 42 catches per season at 14.3 yards per catch.

Seems like pretty much a wash. Might as well go with the younger guy, figuring that he might have some upside on a team with an effective QB.

And LaFell also has an inch on Jones

We can all question what the market price for LaFell was but he, along with a guy like Kenny Britt, simply add March roster depth of guys we could use - taller WRs who may be able to serve as a deep threat

AND we know that Belichick likes LaFell over Jones

What's not to like about roster depth at this point in the season??

 

[hypotherion]

The price does seem a bit steep but it's definitely more palatable than the 3 years 18 million deal Denver reportedly gave Sanders.

 

[Deus Irae]

Fair enough. The Patriots have had 4 round-1 picks over the past 3 years. Let's stop making excuses, go back in time and GO FOR IT at wide receiver!

Here are the players the Patriots actually drafted, and the WRs they could have chosen instead if they were only bolder:


Exchange Nate Solder for: WRs Jonathan Baldwin or Titus Young

Exchange Chandler Jones for: : WRs A.J. Jenkins or Brian Quick

Exchange Dont'a Hightower for: WRs A.J. Jenkins or Brian Quick

Exchange (Jamie Collins + Logan Ryan + Josh Boyce +1/2 LeGarrette Blount) for: WRs Cordarrelle Patterson or Justin Hunter

I'm not sure why you're making this a personal issue, or even a Patriots-specific one, when this is just a general discussion. Since you're going there, though, they certainly, for example, could have gotten Hakeem Nicks instead of trading out of round 1 in 2009.

 

[50-yard-line]

Fair enough. The Patriots have had 4 round-1 picks over the past 3 years. Let's stop making excuses, go back in time and GO FOR IT at wide receiver!

Here are the players the Patriots actually drafted, and the WRs they could have chosen instead if they were only bolder:


Exchange Nate Solder for: WRs Jonathan Baldwin or Titus Young

Exchange Chandler Jones for: : WRs A.J. Jenkins or Brian Quick

Exchange Dont'a Hightower for: WRs A.J. Jenkins or Brian Quick

Exchange (Jamie Collins + Logan Ryan + Josh Boyce +1/2 LeGarrette Blount) for: WRs Cordarrelle Patterson or Justin Hunter

Point: Patchick.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Thats what i thought no idea about contract details but yet able to judge it was a bad deal. Got ya.

I don't care about LaFell, get someone who can actually play and I'll be happy, to me LaFell is a camp body.

 

[BradyToAmendola]

This is a good read on LaFell. Scroll down to just above that first All 22 picture.

Brandon LaFell & Jordan Matthews walk into a bar - Cat Scratch Reader

I like this part

"In all, I think Brandon LaFell is a solid starting wide receiver. In addition to his great run-blocking, which we didn't even touch on, LaFell is an accomplished route runner, and is more than capable of beating man coverage. For what Carolina wants out of a number two wide receiver, Brandon LaFell is a great fit. If he were to move to a Green Bay, New Orleans, or New England, teams with elite veteran quarterbacks, and a willingness to air the ball out, LaFell could undoubtably put up bigger numbers and garner more notoriety."