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I've been singing the exact same tune all offseason about this. Brandon LaFell is the piece the Patriots have been missing for years, and his absence will be huge. Even more importantly, the Patriots have zero depth behind him. That is why I was really disappointed when they missed out on several decent veteran wide receivers earlier in the offseason, including Stevie Johnson.
Let's get a few things straight here: you could technically put Edelman, Amendola, or Gronkowski on the outside, but you are then taking away their strengths. Gronkowski is being wasted there as a full-time fixture while the two slot guys aren't big enough to really play the position effectively. LaFell may not be a "burner", but he could win jump balls, fade routes, and put stress on the safeties.
All offseason, many people have been grumbling that the Pats are dangerously thin with big bodied receivers. They don't necessarily need another LaFell (not like it's easy to find one), but just someone who can fill in adequately and know the playbook.
They waited until just two weeks ago, and now Reggie Wayne is wussed out. Wayne must be the world''s biggest tool, since he would have gotten the playing time and could have even been the starter for the year if he'd played well. Regardless, though, the front office waited all the way until nearly September before realizing Wayne is soft as the team he played for. Maybe they could have used the 400k wasted on Wayne (36 years old) and sweetened the pot to close the deal on Johnson or another veteran receiver earlier in the offseason. I know hindsight is 20/20, but again, the idea of not having a reliable outside receiver on the roster is a darn big deal and a situation that a team should not find itself in.
Sure, we have Dobson, who I admit I am probably lower on than most. The fact the Patriots were reportedly scrounging around desperately for a big bodied receiver, though, should give an indication this plan is not looking very promising.
I rarely criticize the Patriots. How could I? They are one of the most successful franchises in sports history who always plan very well and manage risk - but this was a big mistake. They misplayed this one and now they are in trouble. While there's no doubt the offense will still be very good with Gronk and Edelman, there will be more times in the first six weeks when the Patriots will run into a brick wall due to a scheme and personnel that cannot crack.
Let's get a few things straight here: you could technically put Edelman, Amendola, or Gronkowski on the outside, but you are then taking away their strengths. Gronkowski is being wasted there as a full-time fixture while the two slot guys aren't big enough to really play the position effectively. LaFell may not be a "burner", but he could win jump balls, fade routes, and put stress on the safeties.
All offseason, many people have been grumbling that the Pats are dangerously thin with big bodied receivers. They don't necessarily need another LaFell (not like it's easy to find one), but just someone who can fill in adequately and know the playbook.
They waited until just two weeks ago, and now Reggie Wayne is wussed out. Wayne must be the world''s biggest tool, since he would have gotten the playing time and could have even been the starter for the year if he'd played well. Regardless, though, the front office waited all the way until nearly September before realizing Wayne is soft as the team he played for. Maybe they could have used the 400k wasted on Wayne (36 years old) and sweetened the pot to close the deal on Johnson or another veteran receiver earlier in the offseason. I know hindsight is 20/20, but again, the idea of not having a reliable outside receiver on the roster is a darn big deal and a situation that a team should not find itself in.
Sure, we have Dobson, who I admit I am probably lower on than most. The fact the Patriots were reportedly scrounging around desperately for a big bodied receiver, though, should give an indication this plan is not looking very promising.
I rarely criticize the Patriots. How could I? They are one of the most successful franchises in sports history who always plan very well and manage risk - but this was a big mistake. They misplayed this one and now they are in trouble. While there's no doubt the offense will still be very good with Gronk and Edelman, there will be more times in the first six weeks when the Patriots will run into a brick wall due to a scheme and personnel that cannot crack.
