75 Hours To the Dustin Keller Signing?

[Miguel]

Yeah I would not recommend that trade, it would capsize the salary cap. We would take on Johnsons $11M (salary/roster bonus) and accelerate the remainder of Amendola’s cap hit, which is $4.8M. Essentially it would cost us $15.8M to have Johnson instead of Amendola.

A correction

1.) Amendola's 2014 cap hit currently is $4.575m.If traded tomorrow, his dead money hit would be $4.8m, an increase of 225,000. If traded after tomorrow, his 2014 dead money hit would be $1.2m and his 2015 cap hit would be $3.6 million.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I think veteran presence is the one thing this TE corps has covered. Hoomanuwanui is entering his 5th season and D.J. Williams his 4th; both have reputations as hard-working, high-character leaders. The problem is that they have 46 career catches between them.

TE talent was scarce on the ground this off-season, both in FA and the draft. IF Keller is able to return to anything close to his former level, he'd certainly be welcome.

Agreed - I think the problem with the TEs behind Gronk is strictly one of talent. There isn't anyone good after him.

 

[Miguel]

The question is why has not a team that has signed more UFAs than they have lost this offseason has not already signed Keller. They have nothing to gain by waiting until June 1 to sign him.

 

[Patsgofor4]

The question is why has not a team that has signed more UFAs than they have lost this offseason has not already signed Keller. They have nothing to gain by waiting until June 1 to sign him.

Perhaps Keller realizes that the Pats (on a one year deal) are the ideal situation to prove that he is healthy and is worthy of a multi year contract next offseason. It seems potentially significant to me that he hasn't visited any other teams since his workout and physical in Foxboro....?handshake agreement, like Clowney shutting down his visits, likely after the Texans committed to him at #1. Rappaport indicated that Keller's visit was very positive in all aspects.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Dustin Keller has played well in spots during his career. From my viewpoint, and probably only because he's always been in the AFC East, I've watched him from afar and he seemingly disappears for stretches of the season. I have no idea if that is an indictment of him or some of the terrible offenses he's played in, but it is something I've noticed.

With that said, I do believe he'd be an upgrade if added to the roster. I actually would like to see it. I'd take him over Finley if given the choice. At the least, he does give Brady a legitimate receiving threat, unlike Hooman and Mullins (no longer with team).

On a somewhat lighter note, NE does seem to be stockpiling on guys with bad knees lately.lol

 

[Brady6]

On the topic of tight ends, it appears this kid is saying all the right things as well as doing all the right things on the field.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/30/colt-lyerla-i-was-lost-for-a-little-while/

A part of me still wishes we had signed him as an UDFA, but I do understand why we did not.

 

[alvinnf]

You do realize that Mark Sanchez was his QB?

Dustin Keller has played well in spots during his career. From my viewpoint, and probably only because he's always been in the AFC East, I've watched him from afar and he seemingly disappears for stretches of the season. I have no idea if that is an indictment of him or some of the terrible offenses he's played in, but it is something I've noticed.

With that said, I do believe he'd be an upgrade if added to the roster. I actually would like to see it. I'd take him over Finley if given the choice. At the least, he does give Brady a legitimate receiving threat, unlike Hooman and Mullins (no longer with team).

On a somewhat lighter note, NE does seem to be stockpiling on guys with bad knees lately.lol

You do realize his QB was Mark Sanchez?

 

[mgteich]

Your presumption seems to be that the player has no say in a transaction. Perhaps Keller is waiting until after June 1st in order to have better choices among teams that might want his services.

Considering that Keller had no great contract before May 1, it does not hurt him to wait until all the teams are in the running. And just maybe he prefers the patriots.

The question is why has not a team that has signed more UFAs than they have lost this offseason has not already signed Keller. They have nothing to gain by waiting until June 1 to sign him.

 

[Big-T]

One thing Keller has shown through his career is that he can get on the same page as the QB whoever it is, he was already showing signs of very good chemistry with Tannehill before he got injured last year.

 

[JMC00]

According to a league source per Jeff Howe The Patriots have remained in general contact with Dustin Keller since the tight end visited Gillette Stadium almost a month and a half ago, according to a source.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/patr...atriots_staying_in_contact_with_dustin_keller

 

[patfanken]

Since its our inalienable right as fans to draw all kinds of inferences from various unsubstantiated sources, the fact that Keller hasn't been signed yet can be attributed to one of 2 things.

1. BB likes what he's seen from the myriad of UDFA's he signed thus far in OTA's

2. (and most likely) Keller isn't physically ready yet....but is on track to be ready for TC.

 

[patchick]

According to a league source per Jeff Howe The Patriots have remained in general contact with Dustin Keller since the tight end visited Gillette Stadium almost a month and a half ago, according to a source.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/patr...atriots_staying_in_contact_with_dustin_keller

Interesting. One possibility I'll weave out of thin air: Keller can't fully work out yet, and thus knows that the only contract he can hope for at this point is pure vet minimum. But his rehab is coming along well enough that he thinks he might be in a better bargaining position relatively soon.

Alternately, totally not that.

 

[RayClay]

I think a post injury Keller, young unknown or whatever other flotsam and jetsom is out there, might not be a lot better deal than some camp cut.

I mean, it's not as if the rest of the league is beating down the doors for him or Finley. when BB wants a unique talent he knows to pull that trigger right away. When it's a matter of a bunch of flawed or unknown quantities, he waits.

Since its our inalienable right as fans to draw all kinds of inferences from various unsubstantiated sources, the fact that Keller hasn't been signed yet can be attributed to one of 2 things.

1. BB likes what he's seen from the myriad of UDFA's he signed thus far in OTA's

2. (and most likely) Keller isn't physically ready yet....but is on track to be ready for TC.

I think there's also the fact that teams have 90 players on their roster. That's lots of players to cut and I'm sure he has a book on every one. Teams that drafted or acquired TEs will have to cut one.

Let's face it, there's no close Gronk substitute and there might be Hernandez size players that are not as talented as him. He probably has a book of role players who might become available and he'll give a bunch a look.

 

[shmessy]

75 hours to Mark Harrison re-signing?

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I really miss the 2 TE sets we ran with AH and Gronk....man did that put the fear of god in Ds

 

[captain stone]

The opposing defense didn't know if we were running or passing; that's the beauty of the 2-TE offense.
For that reason I'm surprised that Bill hasn't made a better effort to re-stock the position after another
Gronk injury and the Prisoner's arrest.

 

[patchick]

The opposing defense didn't know if we were running or passing; that's the beauty of the 2-TE offense.
For that reason I'm surprised that Bill hasn't made a better effort to re-stock the position after another
Gronk injury and the Prisoner's arrest.

Of the options available this offseason, what would you have done? (Not attacking, honestly curious.) The Gronk/Prisoner offense was unstoppable not because there were 2 TEs, but because those players were so darned good. IMO, nobody even close was available this year.

The position was a disaster in the draft. Pre-draft fans were saying "I'd much rather spend a 4 or 5 on Fiedorowicz than a 2 on Amaro." As it turned out, it would have had to be a 2 on Fiedorowicz! Pretty much the only FA of significance who went cheap was Owen Daniels, and I get the impression that his services were ignored by the league for a reason -- he's no longer athletic enough to create any mismatches.

 

[livinginthe past]

Yes, the options just aren't there for the 2-TE offense this year - on the plus side, we have alot of young WR's with potential on the roster.

I have no doubt we'll see alot of 3 wide this year - the make up of the likely roster almost guaratees this.

 

[mgteich]

The opposing defense didn't know if we were running or passing; that's the beauty of the 2-TE offense.

We can run from 3 wide or even from shotgun. The fact is that Amendola blocks better than the unmentionable one, Lafell too I think.

 

[RayClay]

Of the options available this offseason, what would you have done? (Not attacking, honestly curious.) The Gronk/Prisoner offense was unstoppable not because there were 2 TEs, but because those players were so darned good. IMO, nobody even close was available this year.

Exactly. you can't manufacture players. BB spent two #1s on TEs and brought in a truckload over the last decade, yet never really had that two TE offense that scared anyone until he got lucky with an injury question mark and what turned out to be a murderer.

People are not product units. the next best player is not always anywhere close to the better one and BB isn't going to fill the roster with injury or talent question marks when he'll have plenty of opportunity to look over camp cuts in addition to what he's pondering now. Maybe he'd rather try a project, like the NH guy.