Tight end Shuffle: Hartsock, Maneri, Terrence Miller in; Jones, Watson, RB Houston out

scott99 said:

Been saying this since May 10th. So many good TEs were available,and even the project TEs are better than what we have in camp. Obviously this will remain an issue until addressed in the draft or FA.

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Such as.....

My guess is that they signed three vets as practice and preaseason game placeholders who can at least be counted on as blockers, to reduce the risk that the QBs will get killed, until Gronk and Hooman get healthly. In addition, neither Watson nor Jones were likely even practice squad candidates, in the coaching staff's eyes. Keller signing after week 1 (so contract no guaranteed) could still happen.

Brady6 said:

All reports out of Green Bay indicate that Rodgers is having a terrific camp. He had a reception in last nights preseason opener as well.

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I've read that too and the pick does seem to be justified. He still has competition with Quarless and Bostick.

I'm not going to go all hindsight on the pick although I would prefer Rodgers over the players the Pats drafted in the 4th rd up to this point. His blocking needs a lot of work but his receiving skills were right up there. Would of been a decent possible replacement for the murderer. Still think he was drafted early regardless.

None of these signings instill faith that the TE position will be a position of strength this year. Outside of Gronk there aren't anything but JAG's. Hooman's a decent blocker, but is slow and is inconsistent at best as a receiving option. D.J Williams has potential, but is a virtual unknown. The three recent additions are blockers that are relative long shots to stay on the roster.

It says a lot that the team continues to pass over both Dustin Keller and Jermicheal Finley. At this point I doubt either one plays another down in the NFL.

Jones was a binkie of mine, but alas, 6-8 275 with a 37 inch vertical doesn't make up for 4.95 speed and hands of stone.

ChrisR2223 said:

Wish we never cut Lee Smith.

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I have been saying this for a while, that was a regrettable mistake, Smith is ideal for that blocking TE role that we are looking to fill.

Brady6 said:

I have been saying this for a while, that was a regrettable mistake, Smith is ideal for that blocking TE role that we are looking to fill.

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He lost out to Will Yeatman -- who was then cut.

Jimke said:

In retrospect, the Patriots should have re-signed Mulligan. He would have been a better option as
a blocking tight end than Maneri and Hartsock. I think the Patriots are in panic mode to come up with
a couple of capable TEs to fill the bill until Gronkowski, Hooman, and Williams return.

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So you are suggesting that Belichick take a Mulligan..

Mike the Brit said:

He lost out to Will Yeatman -- who was then cut.

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As I recall, both of them were released at final cutdowns, and both claimed off waivers. I'm guessing BB would like at least one of those back.

Disappointing. The Patriots have now had a year to consider TE options, and have failed to add anything of any impact. The rookies they targeted have not worked out.

Everyone knew safety and TE were needs. They seemed content with Harmon and Wilson. OK. But were they really content with Hooman and DJ Williams?

PatriotReign said:

None of these signings instill faith that the TE position will be a position of strength this year. Outside of Gronk there aren't anything but JAG's. Hooman's a decent blocker, but is slow and is inconsistent at best as a receiving option. D.J Williams has potential, but is a virtual unknown. The three recent additions are blockers that are relative long shots to stay on the roster.

It says a lot that the team continues to pass over both Dustin Keller and Jermicheal Finley. At this point I doubt either one plays another down in the NFL.

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Actually out of the 3 additions today, Terrence Miller is NOT a blocking TE. In fact he played WR AND TE in college at Arizona.

scott99 said:

Actually out of the 3 additions today, Terrence Miller is NOT a blocking TE. In fact he played WR AND TE in college at Arizona.

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Right now we are worse off at TE than we were last season. I think they will be signing a couple TEs when other teams start trimming the rosters.

Brady6 said:

Right now we are worse off at TE than we were last season. I think they will be signing a couple TEs when other teams start trimming the rosters.

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I certainly hope so.

Brady6 said:

Right now we are worse off at TE than we were last season. I think they will be signing a couple TEs when other teams start trimming the rosters.

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I'd say the Pats are better off than we were at the beginning and end of last season, with Gronk close to being back on the field. Of course, the turnover at the position could be a sign that BB doesn't think they can afford to go with what they have.

Brady6 said:

Right now we are worse off at TE than we were last season. I think they will be signing a couple TEs when other teams start trimming the rosters.

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scott99 said:

I certainly hope so.

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Problem with that is that final cuts don't happen until eight days before the first game. That gives a new player very little time to learn the playbook and his assignments, never mind get any timing down between himself and his teammates for either pass routes, pass protection or run blocking. The first set of cuts are only four days earlier, so picking up a player then doesn't give him much additional time either.

Urgent said:

Disappointing. The Patriots have now had a year to consider TE options, and have failed to add anything of any impact. The rookies they targeted have not worked out.

Everyone knew safety and TE were needs. They seemed content with Harmon and Wilson. OK. But were they really content with Hooman and DJ Williams?

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We have the best TE in the NFL. I wouldn't be surprised that they are content with Hooman as a backup, and they appear to be searching for this years version of the blocking TE to complete the position in an offense that will rarely use 2 TEs.
I'm not sure why people expect starters in backup roles, and act as if having a backup as a backup is a negligent job by the organization.
And yes I know the response will be that Gronk could be injured, but it is equally unrealistic to expect starters as backups because of injury history.
What starting caliber TE would come her to sit behind Gronk in what is clearly going to be an offense that rarely uses a second TE expect in short yardage situations?
The player people think is supposed to be a TE is one of the 5-6 deep WR spots, along with Develin, since the Hernandez position has been eliminated and replaced by a combination of 3rd WR and a FB.

jmt57 said:

Problem with that is that final cuts don't happen until eight days before the first game. That gives a new player very little time to learn the playbook and his assignments, never mind get any timing down between himself and his teammates for either pass routes, pass protection or run blocking. The first set of cuts are only four days earlier, so picking up a player then doesn't give him much additional time either.

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This is why the thinking that players who aren't good enough to make the 53 should make it anyway to protect them from being picked up by another team before they could get to the practice squad so often wrong and 99% of cuts eligible for ps do not get claimed.
That and I never understood the logic of keeping your 54th guy so someone doesn't sweep him up, and thereby cutting your 53rd guy.

ctpatsfan77 said:

As I recall, both of them were released at final cutdowns, and both claimed off waivers. I'm guessing BB would like at least one of those back.

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Why?

Deus Irae said:

Why?

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Remember the Pats having to sign Dan Gronkowski because Hernandez was injured in 2011, leaving them at one point with just GRONK? (Even if a healthy GRONK is, by himself, a top 5 "TE unit" in the league.)

ctpatsfan77 said:

Remember the Pats having to sign Dan Gronkowski because Hernandez was injured in 2011, leaving them at one point with just GRONK? (Even if a healthy GRONK is, by himself, a top 5 "TE unit" in the league.)

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But how does that change anything about those two cuts? Hell, Yeatman's next NFL reception will be his first. Drowning men aren't hoping someone will throw them an anchor.

Steve Maneri is interesting. He was a developmental favorite of this board back in 2010 when the Pats claimed him from Houston ala Chris Jones last year. There's at least one thread from OffTheGrid from that time claiming his best position would be tight end, not offensive tackle.

He ended up getting claimed by the Chiefs in 2011 off waivers; consensus here was that he was a shoo-in for a second year on the practice squad. They were the ones who moved him to tight end in 2012.

All that aside, the mere fact he's been brought back speaks well for him.