LaFell is a huge loss; Pats front office makes rare mistake

[PatsBoy12]

Tyms? I can maybe buy Gibson, but you really think Tyms would be starting week one if he were healthy? 5 receptions last year. I think it's clear he is not the answer.

Respect. I cannot speak for him other than to say that is not how I interpreted what he wrote. He never infers that Tyms would be a starter, just better depth than Wayne. Look, Wayne was a desperation signing to me, but out of injury, not production concerns. What I believe he is saying, and why I agreed with his post, is NE would have been comfortable going into the season with what they had and only signed Wayne when players at the WR position started dropping like flies. JM, correct me if I'm wrong, please.

 

[supafly]

Yeah, I agree. The moves at WR during TC have mostly been because of attrition. I knew something had to be up with LaFell. It's funny how his story went so far under the radar. I would search everyday for news on him and there really never was any significant news prior to yesterday. That's odd to me, even by Patriots standards.

Man, I really hope Dobson does something. We need some production out of him and it does not even need to be all-world. We just need someone the defense does not have to completely ignore out there. The Pats usually adjust, but it does not always mean the transition is an easy one. If they can get something out of Dobson and he can fill some of LaFell's role, then we can survive the first six games until JoJo is good to go. Maybe Harper can be a boost too. He's showed up well.

We can actually get away with having LaFell only miss five games due to the week four bye. Little silver lining there, possibly.

 

[sambam94]

it is irritatintg that the GOAT continually has a less than stellar WR corp.

 

[JetFan79]

We can actually get away with having LaFell only miss five games due to the week four bye. Little silver lining there, possibly.

That's a good question actually. Does being on the PUP list mean having to miss at least 6 weeks or 6 games? From the wording I'm reading online, seems to say 6 games. In which case he wouldn't be able to return until after week 7 (Jet game).

*Edit: News reports say a return week 7 is possible. Wikipedia needs to update. That says, "Such players must sit out the first six games their team plays."

 

[PatsBoy12]

We can actually get away with having LaFell only miss five games due to the week four bye. Little silver lining there, possibly.

Such a great thing to point out. Thanks, Supafly. Even though I do hate the fact that it comes so early this season. I always like it mid to late season. Isn't this the case with all of our SB years? That'd be some good research.

 

[1960Pats]

Such a great thing to point out. Thanks, Supafly. Even though I do hate the fact that it comes so early this season. I always like it mid to late season. Isn't this the case with all of our SB years? That'd be some good research.

These are the bye weeks for each of the Pats SB winning years;
2001 - Wk 2
2003 - Wk 10
2004 - Wk 3
2014 - Wk 10

 

[Oswlek]

The FA market was flooded with these guys. I don't believe Gibson is the outside receiver I am referring too but could be wrong. Tyms? Come on. Clearly the FO was not sold on these options because they were looking into guys throughout the offseason.

Well, if you are going to discount every option the team felt was capable of providing depth, of course they made a mistake by not getting more depth.

Tyms? I can maybe buy Gibson, but you really think Tyms would be starting week one if he were healthy? 5 receptions last year. I think it's clear he is not the answer.

Who said anything about an expectation of starting? I thought we were talking about depth? Would you be fine with Sammie Coates as the starter? Is that an improvement over Dobson or Harper?

That's why I'm a little aggravated they chose to let Gibson play in the middle of the fourth quarter. He was trending towards becoming the no. 4 receiver. It was too risky too leave him in the game at that point.

They didn't have Edelman, LaFell or Dobson available, so they had to put someone out there. And preseason games - even late in the fourth quarter - are where guys who are "trending toward becoming the no. 4 receiver" need to make hay. Would it have been better had it been early fourth? Or maybe late third? At what point to a preseason game transform from meaningless to really meaningless?

 

[PatsBoy12]

These are the bye weeks for each of the Pats SB winning years;
2001 - Wk 2
2003 - Wk 10
2004 - Wk 3
2014 - Wk 10

I thank you!

 

[1960Pats]

I thank you!

You're welcome PB12. Thank goodness for http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

 

[PatsBoy12]

it is irritatintg that the GOAT continually has a less than stellar WR corp.

Yeah, but there is nothing you can do for injury except try your best to acquire guys that can give you close to equal output or develop the guys you have. The Pats, like every other team, try to do that (and usually better than most). I am certain we will be with everyone sans LaFell in week 1, which means we will still have 2/3 (if you leave off Gronk and now Chandler) of the WR corp that won the SB last season . . . a SB where I could make a strong case that a WR should have won the MVP for the way he played in that game. Mind you, they added Chandler and that is no small upgrade to a receiving position. And who is to say we won't get something from Dobson, which would be an almost 100 percent improvement over what we got last season. So, and I do say respectfully, let's not go down that road again.

 

[Tony2046]

it is irritatintg that the GOAT continually has a less than stellar WR corp.

I don't understand this post.

The Pats have a frighteningly good offense. Gronk, Chandler, Edelman, Amendola, Harper, Dobson, Bount, Lewis ( this guy looks special) and white. They may not be hitting on all cylinders in week 1 because of continuity or because of the inexperience on the OL but man, this is a really good offense.

 

[upstater1]

yeah, what we really needed was a rookie receiver to get us over the hump like that other guy.....hang on,I'm blanking on the name.....that rookie receiver who came in and blew up....ummmm...remember him --- he had that big catch, or something...?

Belichick has a bad record of drafting rookie receivers in the second and third rounds, it's true. Nor has he even tried with many, after the Chad Jackson debacle. In fact, after Jackson, he only went after Brandon Tate (a guy other teams stayed away from) and Aaron Dobson. Belichick hasn't hit since Deion Branch. But it's not because the players weren't good enough to pick up on the offense. These were all players who couldn't play in the NFL--at all.

That doesn't mean that other teams aren't drafting rookie receivers outside the first or even second round who are excellent.

Go look at the drafts. Look at the guys who are taken after the Patriots second round picks.

Just last year: Jarvis Landry, John Brown, Martavis Bryant (granted, a head case), Donte Moncrief. 4 guys from the 3rd round that did pretty well.

 

[Tony2046]

People are down on Dobson and I understand why but I think we are going to be pleasantly surprised with his contribution this year. He has a ton of talent and seems to be getting over his confidence issues.

 

[IcyPatriot]

So..... shut down the forum until week 6, then?

Actually building the team from the back as opposed to padding the stats of players is one of the main reasons Belichick has been so successful . LaFell on PUP is just a minor inconvenience that will lead to others discovering their place here. Discuss anything you want ... but let's not pretend these issues exist in a vacuum ... quite the contrary. If these other supposed WR's had been signed then there would have to be players cut elsewhere to manage the cap ... perspective is everything. I'd rather have Harper or whomever and their value to cap management at this time.

 

[patfanken]

Every year for close to a decade we have seen an offense that is rated in the top 5, and yet every year for the Past decade some fans here are NEVER satisfied with who our receivers are. Think about it, at top 5 offense whose receivers are NEVER good enough, and we never ask the question WHY? How did the offense get so good, even the 2013 one when Dobson and Thompkins were the 2 of the 3 main WR's. with such lousy receivers.

Now I understand that there are some great WR's in this league. Guys who are "special". I am not blind to their existence. BUT.....when are people going to understand that the very unique Patriot offense, does NOT rely on "special" WR's to succeed. We need a bunch of "good" WR's who are more reliable than spectacular

As I have said on many many occasions. The WR position is without doubt the position with the most abundant talent pool in the NFL. Guys like Harper are a dime a dozen. You don't even have to draft them. They are good enough to make an NFL roster if things fall their way, and when given the opportunity they can be as effective as most of the guys to who get drafted.

BB figured this out a LONNNNGGGG time ago, and will likely end his career without ever drafting a WR in the first round. Now I believe there are 2 kinds of WR's. Guys who can create their own space, and guys who need to separate to catch the ball. Our offense is designed to work with the latter for the most part.

Have you ever noticed that Brady has never been really comfortable throwing that back shoulder throw into coverage. It seem like he's throwing it despite his instinct not to. He has spent his career throwing to receivers who get separation within this offense, and after 15 years that is who he is, and that's how BB and Josh set up the offense.

Now if we ever luck into a Green or Bryant, I'm sure Bill is flexible enough to use all his skill set, but getting him would be more luck than design. Now whatever Aaron Dobson turns into this season, one thing will continue to be clear and that's this offense will never be WR-centric.....nor should it be.

 

[PatsBoy12]

People are down on Dobson and I understand why but I think we are going to be pleasantly surprised with his contribution this year. He has a ton of talent and seems to be getting over his confidence issues.

Hey Tony, I hope I don't come across as "smart ass," but really it is not going to take much for Dobson to give us more of a contribution this year than last, so maybe his doubters would not be all that surprised. I do agree with you that he presumably does have much upside, but I have not seen any indication to this point that he is getting over confidence issues. He has continued to juggle catches and contact continues to look "uncomfortable" for him.

All that is not to say he won't go out there and just light it up, or at least make enough plays that he may sometimes even warrant a corner and safety being devoted to him in coverage. That's all the O actually really needs from him . . . the occasional big play so that there is a threat that the opposing D must respect. That makes every other receiver's and tight end's job easier, not to mention the QB's. He's 38 . . . still GREAT . . . but also still 38. Things are not getting easier for him, no matter what it looks like on the field.

 

[Oswlek]

Hey Tony, I hope I don't come across as "smart ass," but really it is not going to take much for Dobson to give us more of a contribution this year than last, so maybe his doubters would not be all that surprised.

FWIW, Tony never said that last year is the basis for which the "surprise" would be determined.

 

[PatsBoy12]

FWIW, Tony never said that last year is the basis for which the "surprise" would be determined.

That is fair. Good thought, Os. Though I will add that we do not have much basis for comparison, including his rookie season. He just has not been out there enough yet.

 

[Oswlek]

That is fair. Good thought, Os. Though I will add that we do not have much basis for comparison, including his rookie season. He just has not been out there enough yet.

It's a pretty nebulous term. Would 20 catches for 300 yards surprise you? Maybe not, but I bet it would some. How about 45 catches for 650 yards?

It really just means, "he'll do better than you think he will, whatever that is." Considering many expected him to be cut, I think it's a safe bet to make.

 

[rochrist]

Am I the only one w/ faith in Harper? I liked him from day 1 over Gibson. He is skinny but he has springs in his feet that will make him dangerous after the catch. I just wish Tyms had more opportunities this year. We will be just fine if Dobson and/or Chandler work out.

Not to mention that Amendola can get increased opportunities in LaFell's absence. He was almost an afterthought until the playoffs last year.