Dustin Keller Visiting Patriots 4/30

[InRodWeRust]

This reminds me of the Jake Ballard signing last offseason. Another proven good tight end but with knee issues so it's a gamble. Hopefully this time things will pan out.

 

[InRodWeRust]

Sudfeld amassed a whopping 5 catches last season.

Well did he have TFB throwing the ball to him? No! Otherwise he would have had eleventy billion catches Seriously though I miss Sudfeld and wish I could have seen what could have been had he stayed when we needed him

 

[chasa]

It's curious to wonder what happen to sudfeld. I know it was the preseason but he played really well, and then soon as the regular season hit he couldn't catch the ball.

really a shame.

 

[Kontradiction]

That catch of his from Favre in the OT game in 2008? That sucked.

But anyway, STB.

That game, man. I went to a bar with a friend that was sick to watch it (didn't have NFLN back then, I was in college) and ended up leaving to go home since there was no point in watching it after the Jets had taken (what I thought) was a convincing lead. I get home, my friend goes home. I stay up, drink beer, and flip over to ESPN by the end of the third quarter and see that the Pats storm back. I leave again and go to a nearby bar to watch the end of the game by myself and it was filled with Pats haters and Jets fans. I watch the end of it... by myself... only to see that play happen in OT and the Pats lose. Gigantic waste of time.

 

[varjao]

I doubt they will sign this week, but if somehow they reach a deal, getting depth at another important position in serious need would allow us to go more comfortable to the draft , playing with houses money.

Scott Chandler was my FA target though, unfortunately he stuck with the bills.

 

[ripatsfan91]

Thoughts on some of the posts I have seen:

1. Jake Ballard was never even close to Keller in terms of talent or ability. Look at what Ballard did before he came to NE; one decent season? Ballard's knee also wasn't healthy in camp; he missed several practices due to the knee injury.

2. I wish we could have kept Sudfeld somehow; if Bequette/Cole/DJ Williams were deemed worth of a 53 man spot, I think Sudfeld could have had one. He showed a lot of potential, just needed time to develop.

3. I think even if we sign Keller, we need to draft a tight end early. Keller could definitely be an asset if the knee is healthy like reported, he is a very good receiving tight end. Add Niklas/ASJ/CJF and were are set at the position.

4. I think we should move back to the 2 TE set. It just creates so many mismatches and plays to Brady's strengths.

 

[JackBauer]

I've never been a huge fan of Keller; Jets affiliation notwithstanding, he's always stuck me as being rather soft.

That being said, TEs not named Gronk are mediocre at best, so it's not like the bar is set that high. Also, my understanding is that the WR prospects in this draft are a hell of a lot better (relatively speaking) than the TE prospects. So they may see more value in scooping a guy like Keller and then spending that 1-3 round pick they would have burned on a meh TE prospect on a WR prospect with more upside.

 

[BTTA]

His talent is undeniable, physically he is more gifted (on paper) than Hernandez prior to the injuries anyway.

Wow, no kidding. I had no idea.
I wish I were capable of making these assessments. It would take so much of the mystery out of the season.

 

[Brady6]

Wow, no kidding. I had no idea.
I wish I were capable of making these assessments. It would take so much of the mystery out of the season.

Many posters on here disagree with it claiming that the work metrics do not matter and while I do not think they are the end all be all I do like to look at them just to gauge the type of talent the player had entering the NFL.

Dustin Keller
Height: 6021
Weight: 242
40 Yard Dash: 4.53
20 Yard Dash: 2.65
10 Yard Dash: 1.62
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 26
Vertical Jump: 38
Broad Jump: 10'11"
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.14
3-Cone Drill: 6.88

Aaron Hernandez
Height: 6023
Weight: 245
40 Yard Dash: 4.64
20 Yard Dash: 2.71
10 Yard Dash: 1.65
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 30
Vertical Jump: 33
Broad Jump: 09'03"
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.18
3-Cone Drill: 6.83

Keller workout numbers indicated a more explosive player entering the NFL, his straight-line speed, and jumping ability was significantly better than Hernandez was. In the other areas, they matched up very similar. At age 29 with a major knee injury I am not sure what type of player he is now however.

 

[mgteich]

The only question is his physical and his signing bonus.

If Keller can pass a physical, he is worth signing to a 2-3 year contract.

In any case, a low signing bonus contract is a no-brainer. Even if we draft 2 TE's, we still need camp competition.

Personally, I would be fine with Gronk, Keller, a early round rookie, a late round rookie, Hooman and Williams. There can't be too many TE's in camp.

If Keller is healthy, Belichick may be fine with Gronk, Keller, and Hooman for this year, plus a late round TE. To be real, if Gronk, Keller and Hooman are healthy, we don't need anyone else.

 

[Joker]

Two ways to look at it for me...he carries too much Jet stink to sign him here...OR...they sign him and he destroys fatboy the toesucking disgrace and his putrid safeties twice this year....gotta think about this one...

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Again, IF healthy, a very good depth signing. Plus with the Jets and for what a half? in Miami, he was expected to be the #1 TE. Some players flourish in the #2 role, a healthy Gronk and Keller would be a great TE combination. I would still draft one of the rookies because the crop looks very good. Plus he and Revis can go out in the new Meadowlands for the coin flip.

 

[lamafist]

There have been rumors of mutual interest between Keller and the Pats' starting early on in free agency.

The timing of the visit suggests that the team is checking in on the progress of his knee rehab so as to get a clearer picture of the level of need at tight end going into the draft.

If healthy, Keller would be a great fit in the Pats' offense. He has almost as much formational versatility as Hernandez, and while he's not as dynamic with the ball in his hands, he's a smarter rout runner, and key on 3rd downs.

Yes, his knee injury was pretty gruesome, but it will be over a full year removed by the start of the season, and players are coming back sooner and stronger from ligament tears every year. Hell, Adrian Peterson tore his ACL in December of the 2011 season, and then had the best year of his career in 2012.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

There have been rumors of mutual interest between Keller and the Pats' starting early on in free agency.

The timing of the visit suggests that the team is checking in on the progress of his knee rehab so as to get a clearer picture of the level of need at tight end going into the draft.

If healthy, Keller would be a great fit in the Pats' offense. He has almost as much formational versatility as Hernandez, and while he's not as dynamic with the ball in his hands, he's a smarter rout runner, and key on 3rd downs.

That plus I hear he doesn't like to kill people!

(sorry it HAD to be done)

 

[dales804]

That plus I hear he doesn't like to kill people!

(sorry it HAD to be done)

Doesn't like to or won't? I'm not willing to take a chance with the former.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Nasty injury but if he's cleared all hurdles to come back and be a healthy go, I'd be all for it.

 

[Mack Herron]

Having Keller on a low risk contract would be a no brainer for me because even on one leg he would be superior to the flotsam at TE. But it would in no way mitigate my desire to draft another. But not before a taking a large, vicious, QB-devouring, defensive stud.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Keller suffered his knee injury in TC with Miami. That puts it in August 2013. He has been rehabbing ever since, and makes it about 15 weeks longer than Gronk has had.

Even with a severe knee injury, he will have had 11-12 months of recuperation. That is a long time to recuperate from a knee if recuperation in possible.

Before he was injured he had more talent than any of this crop of TEs, and proved hisi First Round draft credentials were not bogus, with fine years in the NFL.

Sign him, if he appears to be recovering almost sight unseen. Then if we sign Will Smith/Andre Carter, or it appears that Buchanan/Bequette are getting it, we can stop talking about wasting Firsts to draft backup TEs or DEs.

Instead we can talk of IMPROVING weak starters like at C, RG, and SS for a change. (Actually, I suspect that S is now fine but merely unproven, or BB would not have cut who he did.)

 

[Brady6]

The only question is his physical and his signing bonus.

If Keller can pass a physical, he is worth signing to a 2-3 year contract.

In any case, a low signing bonus contract is a no-brainer. Even if we draft 2 TE's, we still need camp competition.

Personally, I would be fine with Gronk, Keller, a early round rookie, a late round rookie, Hooman and Williams. There can't be too many TE's in camp.

If Keller is healthy, Belichick may be fine with Gronk, Keller, and Hooman for this year, plus a late round TE. To be real, if Gronk, Keller and Hooman are healthy, we don't need anyone else.

I cannot envision Belichick not drafting a TE in the first three rounds.

 

[Ring 6]

Healthy he's a decent TE1. His injury was awful though.

Have you seen him block? He is not a TE1. Strictly a receiver.