Donte Stallworth to IR

Is there any chance that Vereen could step up as a Wide Receiver as a stop gap?

We are loaded at RB and he has the speed to be a deep threat, seems to have decent hands but it might be a stretch (pardon the pun) to think he could be a good deep threat receiver.

JoeSixPat said:

That was my reaction..."you gotta be kidding me!"

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I just Rolled my eyes...and laughed shaking my head when I heard the news....

PatriotSeven said:

Un-freaking-believable. Why in the world can we not keep receivers healthy?

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Odd question. Stallworth sprained his ankle badly. Those things can't be prevented, especially in older players. There's no blame to be assigned here.

As for his replacement, the IR lists around the NFL is littered with WRs. There is just not much out there to bring in at this point in the season. The good news is that the 49ers defense is banged up: 49ers.com | Injury Report

goheels22002 said:

Odd question. Stallworth sprained his ankle badly. Those things can't be prevented, especially in older players. There's no blame to be assigned here.

As for his replacement, the IR lists around the NFL is littered with WRs. There is just not much out there to bring in at this point in the season. The good news is that the 49ers defense is banged up: 49ers.com | Injury Report

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Injury reports are another "Gamesmanship" tool. Teams will always wait 'til the last min to activate or deactivate players with game time decisions. Makes the opposition have to prep a bit more....All that matters is the guys playin' in the game..!!

Apparently Tom Brady's passes are so incredible that it takes a toll on his receivers bodies. Poor stallworth never stood a chance

BB4PRez said:

IMO Gronk will be better with real time game action prior to playoffs. I hope they start working him back and building up playing time.


Branch for Stallworth - I understand Stallworth has better deep ball ability but i would take Branch any day over Stallworth. Brady knows where Branch will be without have to look at him.

Wonder who is in for Shincoe - Gaffney ? Another d back ? Another interior D lineman ? We will know soon

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IF that was the case why would the team have signed Stallworth over Branch in the first place?

scout said:

I was not impressed with Stallworth. He caught a long pass from Brady. Ran and was caught from behind (something he said last time would never happen). The pass before he did not look real good as he spun around lookng for the ball. I will take a much slower Branch who is on the same page as Brady. He's not going to dazzle anyone, just needs a catch now and then.

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I also noted that - while he supposedly still has the speed, he got caught from behind (and the ankle tackle is apparently what caused the injury). But regarding your other point (not adjusting to the ball on the pass before) - the guy was sitting on the couch for the past 14 weeks or so - that could have just been rust. Still think if he had come out of the game healthy I would rather have him than Deion. But it is what it is.

DaBruinz said:

He trusted his OC, who was McDaniels and he ignored his position coach, Brian Daboll. And that is the only instance we know of. There have been other WRs that also haven't worked out. Ones that BB trusted his scouts on. What BS are you going to mention about them? Guys like Tate and Price?

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He did the same thing with Maroney. Scouts said stay away and MCD wanted him so they picked him up

DaBruinz said:

Stallworth knew the playbook so well that the Pats essentially benched him in favor of Jabar Gaffney during the tail end of the 2007 season and play-offs. Amazing how history gets re-written.

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Gaffney def took his spot away, but to be fair we also had Randy that year as a deep threat.

Simple Jack's Brother said:

WTF?! I don't want Branch. He offers absolutely no separation or deep threat. He basically just eats up a roster spot. I know he's got the playbook down inside and out, but honestly, i'd rather just throw Slater in at 3rd WR and see what happens. At least he could simply run by people in a straight line.

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My thoughts exactly

PromisedLand said:

IF that was the case why would the team have signed Stallworth over Branch in the first place?

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Branch got injured.

The team did sign Branch over Stallworth earlier in the season.

fnordcircle said:

Branch got injured.

The team did sign Branch over Stallworth earlier in the season.

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Yah but Branch is even older now!

I don't write this to knock Stallworth, because he basically scored the backbreaker in that game, but people really need to get a grip. It wasn't a case where "If I'm even, I'm leavin'." It was a case of "The safety came to a full stop and Brady threw the ball to the inside on a play where the defense was running stride for stride with the receiver, but was on the other side of the throw because he was supposed to have help."

We've seen Welker get better separation on deep throws, so people should pull back on the notion that the Patriots lost something amazing here.

Deus Irae said:

I don't write this to knock Stallworth, because he basically scored the backbreaker in that game, but people really need to get a grip. It wasn't a case where "If I'm even, I'm leavin'." It was a case of "The safety came to a full stop and Brady threw the ball to the inside on a play where the defense was running stride for stride with the receiver, but was on the other side of the throw because he was supposed to have help."

We've seen Welker get better separation on deep throws, so people should pull back on the notion that the Patriots lost something amazing here.

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A healthy Branch's breakaway speed will be an upgrade

Deus Irae said:

I don't write this to knock Stallworth, because he basically scored the backbreaker in that game, but people really need to get a grip. It wasn't a case where "If I'm even, I'm leavin'." It was a case of "The safety came to a full stop and Brady threw the ball to the inside on a play where the defense was running stride for stride with the receiver, but was on the other side of the throw because he was supposed to have help."

We've seen Welker get better separation on deep throws, so people should pull back on the notion that the Patriots lost something amazing here.

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i agree with this 100% i just feel bad for Stallworth the guy made a big play now he's on IR but lets face it every WR was geting open vs houstons one on one coverage monday he just happen to get maybe Brady's best throw of the night

SwedishPat said:

So you failed on a couple of wide receivers in the second round so you should just quit taking them? We failed with Ochocinco, so now more free agent receivers? We failed with Haynesworth, so no more Defensive tackles? Yes, we have had som **** ups in the receiver drafting, but that doesn't mean you can just stop drafting receivers. It may mean that our system for evaluating receivers have some flaws.


I am not talking about five years ago, I am talking about this year, and clearly Stallworth had more ability to make plays left in him than Branch. Even do Stallworth maybe don't know the playbook as good, he know it enough and has the speed to get open.

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You are the one who brought up that BB should listen to his Scouts and not listen to other people. All I did was point out who he DID listen to. I also pointed out 2 players who BB DID listen to his scouts on. Not to mention the fact that BB personally worked out Chad Jackson and personally interviewed him.

Could you please show me where I said anything about Chad Johnson or Haynesworth? Nope you can't. So how about you stay focused on what you actually said and not some tangent.

Stallworth ran ONE route the entire game. The go route. And of the 20 snaps, he got open once. I don't call that knowing the playbook.

I always like stallworth. IR is better than getting cut, I guess.....he's still getting paid, still part of the team....I wonder if he's going to hang around and use the facilities for the remainder of the season

I need to tip my hat to Donte Stallworth.

I thought the most gutsy play I ever saw a Patriot make, was TE Bob Windsor's game winning, and career ending, leap for the endzone with a tackler firmly holding his legs, as he tore up his knee getting there.

Now I have to add Donte Stallworth to that pantheon of heroes. He tore up his leg, with a tackler holding his ankles, to leap and stretch out the last few yards into the endzone on his 63 yard reception against the Texans. Nonetheless he will be remembered for the 2012 season production of 1 reception for 63 yards and a TD. Donte made no secret of the fact that he wished to return ot the Patriots for several years, essentially when he was cut after 2007.

This IRed injury may well be the end of his career. But I hope that Bill Belichick invites him to camp next season. You may find receivers with more talent, but You don't often find players with more heart.

Thank You Donte Stallworth.

Shed83 said:

Is there any chance that Vereen could step up as a Wide Receiver as a stop gap?

We are loaded at RB and he has the speed to be a deep threat, seems to have decent hands but it might be a stretch (pardon the pun) to think he could be a good deep threat receiver.

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Remember this thread from the preseason?

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...6-film-study-shane-vereen-slot-receiver.html

BTW, IDK why mods keep closing threads for no obvious reason. It would nice to be able to bump these kind of things, which have a way of coming up again and again.

PromisedLand said:

IF that was the case why would the team have signed Stallworth over Branch in the first place?

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If you mean for this past game.......Probably because Branch wasn't ready to return from his Hamstring problem yet.....I still think Stallworths return was for Nostalgic reasons. BB is very much like that....Testaverti..Flutie......Give Him the opportunity to end his career with a TD on his last pass of his last game....