Should the Patriots attempt to convert Jake Bequette to tight end?

mgteich said:

As has been said, Ninkovich is this team's Bruschi.

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I think Vrabel would be a better comparison. Similar players in style and talent.

rochrist said:

Yes, it was absolutely that. BB and staff have given every indication over the years that they value suppressing controversy and making sure starters maintain their jobs no matter what over winning games! I mean, it's not as though they have the best won lost record over the past decade or anything.
</sarcasm>

That is a serious delusion you've got going there.

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Your delusional if you think a coach has never kept a player in the lineup because he liked the player on a friendship level. When a young player on the depth chart has more talent yet the coach ensures he doesn't get enough opportunity to show it just in case. Haven't you ever heard a player in a doghouse of a coach? Marcus Allen ring a bell??

Besides that's not exactly what I was saying. Sometimes a coach likes a player/how he plays/other things he brings to the table like attitude/smarts. And he is a solid player so the coach wants him starting and isn't ready to supplant him for the new young player for various reasons. His leadership/importance of his rols helping entire team executing a scheme/gives 100 percent every play. Whatever the reason,doesn't have to be personal or negative. How many pro bowlers were backups and only got their opportunity to show their stuff and become a pro bowler because of an injury to the veteran starter who was playing smart,solid yet not spectacular impact football. Many pro bowlers got their start that way.

We never know what a young talent could do if given opportunity. Jamie Collins was deemed not ready yet when he had to start. Yet in a couple weeks was making impact splash plays and blanketing TEs in coverage like no other LB we have. If not for the injur Collins wouldn't have had his opportunity. And we wouldn't be so excited over his breakout season we all expect. Yet he wasn't ready just a couple weeks before his impact play. Buchanan has elite raw ability. He ran a flat 4.6 40,has burst/agility/closing burst/long arms/intensity. He collected 2 sacks as a rookie in 3 games against pro bowl LTs. All I'm saying is if he got opportunity and was given some snaps, he could light it up maybe and be an impact passrusher. And impress like Collins or even better,who knows. But Bill likes staying with stable veterans unless forced to thrust in a young talent. Like some other coaches do as well.

It just makes me curious that's all. Because before I even found that article I read and heard little things like most scouts said Buchanan had a better skill set than Mercilus that transfers over to be an impact passrusher in the NFL and the better passrusher of the 2. They noted he was more explosive/longer/and more flexibility and agility. They actually ranked his raw movement skill set and raw explosiveness as top notch and as good as anybody's there was in college football. That is very exciting to me that we have a young passrusher to develop with top notch raw ability to work with. Considering lacking a passrush in big games has been a primary reason we haven't won the Superbowl. He is healed up now and I would like to see if he can be that difference maker we need. And bring the Superbowl trophy back! Is there any harm in that.

PatFanCraig said:

Your delusional if you think a coach has never kept a player in the lineup because he liked the player on a friendship level. When a young player on the depth chart has more talent yet the coach ensures he doesn't get enough opportunity to show it just in case. Haven't you ever heard a player in a doghouse of a coach? Marcus Allen ring a bell??

Besides that's not exactly what I was saying. Sometimes a coach likes a player/how he plays/other things he brings to the table like attitude/smarts. And he is a solid player so the coach wants him starting and isn't ready to supplant him for the new young player for various reasons. His leadership/importance of his rols helping entire team executing a scheme/gives 100 percent every play. Whatever the reason,doesn't have to be personal or negative. How many pro bowlers were backups and only got their opportunity to show their stuff and become a pro bowler because of an injury to the veteran starter who was playing smart,solid yet not spectacular impact football. Many pro bowlers got their start that way.

We never know what a young talent could do if given opportunity. Jamie Collins was deemed not ready yet when he had to start. Yet in a couple weeks was making impact splash plays and blanketing TEs in coverage like no other LB we have. If not for the injur Collins wouldn't have had his opportunity. And we wouldn't be so excited over his breakout season we all expect. Yet he wasn't ready just a couple weeks before his impact play. Buchanan has elite raw ability. He ran a flat 4.6 40,has burst/agility/closing burst/long arms/intensity. He collected 2 sacks as a rookie in 3 games against pro bowl LTs. All I'm saying is if he got opportunity and was given some snaps, he could light it up maybe and be an impact passrusher. And impress like Collins or even better,who knows. But Bill likes staying with stable veterans unless forced to thrust in a young talent. Like some other coaches do as well.

It just makes me curious that's all. Because before I even found that article I read and heard little things like most scouts said Buchanan had a better skill set than Mercilus that transfers over to be an impact passrusher in the NFL and the better passrusher of the 2. They noted he was more explosive/longer/and more flexibility and agility. They actually ranked his raw movement skill set and raw explosiveness as top notch and as good as anybody's there was in college football. That is very exciting to me that we have a young passrusher to develop with top notch raw ability to work with. Considering lacking a passrush in big games has been a primary reason we haven't won the Superbowl. He is healed up now and I would like to see if he can be that difference maker we need. And bring the Superbowl trophy back! Is there any harm in that.

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Again, this is you insisting that Bill coaching these guys everyday through training camp and then practice has no idea whether he should be playing them or not, and that only you can tell that if YOU see them play in a regular season game.

Here you go, from the vaunted scouts:


Or how about Dwayne 'Bowling Ball with Knives' Robertson? Scouts loved him too.

The point is, BB evaluates these guys based on their performance in practice. Players in his system have always, and always will earn playing time based on their practice work. If Buchanan wasn't playing, it's because he didn't earn it. Simple as that.

rochrist said:

Again, this is you insisting that Bill coaching these guys everyday through training camp and then practice has no idea whether he should be playing them or not, and that only you can tell that if YOU see them play in a regular season game.

Here you go, from the vaunted scouts:

VERNON GHOLSTON, DE, OHIO STATE
Vernon Gholston is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Gholston started all 12 regular season games at DE for the Ohio State for the second straight year. The fourth year junior finished with 15.5 tackles for loss this season, 14 of them sacks. The 6'4", 264 lbs. Buckeye is practically a fixture in opposing backfields the last two seasons. In November, he could be seen abusing the vaunted Michigan O-Line for 3 sacks and was the only man to beat Jake Long for a sack this season. Gholston has tallied 86 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks, and even intercepted a pass since being inserted into the starting lineup in 2006. Gholston plays what Ohio State calls the "Leo" end, a position that has to both pass rush and be able to drop into coverage when the Buckeyes are playing zone. He possesses excellent speed for a player his size and shows good instincts, playing the run and the pass. According to Ohio State's athletic website, Gholston benches 455 lbs., making him one of the strongest players on the team. Gholston shows tremendous promise. He displays good pass rushing moves and rarely will you find him out of position. After deciding to declare, Gholston should go somewhere between the top to middle of the first round. Vernon Gholston was, along with Darren McFadden and Dustin Keller, one of the stars of the combine. Gholston is the quintessential work-out warrior. He ran an impressive 4.67 in the 40 yard dash. Even more impressive was his 37 reps on the bench press, matching Michigan's Jake Long. He showed off his athleticism even further with a 35 1/2" vertical leap and a 10'5" broad jump. Gholston can play defensive end in the 4-3 or outside linebacker in the 3-4, making an option for any team in the top ten. Just when it looks like Vernon Gholston can't improve his stock anymore, he does. He ran an impressive 4.58 40 yard dash at Ohio State's pro day. Gholston also managed to top his vertical leap from the combine by jumping 42 inches. Gholston can play 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB and would be a good fit for any team in the top 8 picks, particularly St. Louis, New York, New England, or Baltimore.​

Or how about Dwayne 'Bowling Ball with Knives' Robertson? Scouts loved him too.

The point is, BB evaluates these guys based on their performance in practice. Players in his system have always, and always will earn playing time based on their practice work. If Buchanan wasn't playing, it's because he didn't earn it. Simple as that.

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So you're saying Gholston could play TE?

Mack Herron said:

So you're saying Gholston could play TE?

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If he got his body fat down to 4%!

Brady6 said:

Bequette was a high school TE and recruited to Arkansas as both a TE and a DE, so he would not have to learn a completely different position. He has played the position, and rated as the 93rd prospect in the country doing so.

I am not sure if Bequette can do it, and I see nothing in particular about Bequette that makes me think he is anymore driven than the other players on the team. I have never seen a player in the Belichick era selected that early in the NFL draft and spend 2 seasons on the 53-man roster from week 1 – 16, yet play as little as Bequette has. I consider Belichick a bright man so I have to believe there is some method to his madness, is that TE, it seems unlikely but Bequette has had practice squad eligibility in past 2 season and Belichick has not even attempted to move him there.

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The tight end coach can decide who to spend the time with in practices and who to allow the TE reps available between now and the when the last cuts come. My guess is that Bequette will get few opportunities. In any case, I don't think that that he is very likely to win a roster spot as a TE.

So, my bottom line is that if I were TE coach, I would happy to work with the personnel that the team has provided, included Byham. I would give Bequette a look if Josh or Bill asked. I would also hope for the signing of a seasoned vet.

Perhaps, playing a few practice reps at TE will increase Bequette's value as Practice Squad candidate.