This is it for Dobson

supafly said:

Yeah, Pittsburgh has some nice offensive tools, no doubt. I wonder if Bryant will end up as the WR2 or not, which may be dependent upon the shorter/longer type of attack they deploy?

Antonio Brown WR1
Martavius Bryant WR2 (8 touchdown receptions in limited time who came on as one of the top downfield threats in the entire NFL last year, likely the #2 option in a downfield attack this year)
Markus Wheaton WR3 (53 catches)

Le'Veon Bell (number one overall option who saw more than 35 percent of all offensive production)

Heath Miller TE (66 catches)

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I really like what Pitt's done on offense in recent years. If that OL gels, and Bryant/Wheaton continue to mature, they could easily end up higher than where they were last year, and they were already #7 in scoring in 2014. D'Angelo Williams should give them a very legit RB2 this season, at least for as long as he stays healthy.

As with N.E., I look most questioningly at their defensive secondary.

It will be tough. The Pats are starting out with 4 receivers ahead of him counting Gronk, as noted above, and he has no cakewalk even for the #5 role because of the various candidates at TE.

Further, he's in the zone where STs matter, although that may not be a huge concern if the Pats somehow find roster room for a gazillion safeties again.

supafly said:

Yeah, Pittsburgh has some nice offensive tools, no doubt. I wonder if Bryant will end up as the WR2 or not, which may be dependent upon the shorter/longer type of attack they deploy?

Antonio Brown WR1
Martavius Bryant WR2 (8 touchdown receptions in limited time who came on as one of the top downfield threats in the entire NFL last year, likely the #2 option in a downfield attack this year)
Markus Wheaton WR3 (53 catches)

Le'Veon Bell (number one overall option who saw more than 35 percent of all offensive production)

Heath Miller TE (66 catches)

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They drafted Sammie Coates in the third round too. Their offense is a video game. They have the best WR in football, two deep threats in Bryant/Coates, an elite RB, a great OL, and Wheaton/Miller. The Steelers offense scares me much more than the Colts.

Good thing Bell is out week 1. Atleast they will be one dimensional.

patsinthesnow said:

They drafted Sammie Coates in the third round too. Their offense is a video game. They have the best WR in football, two deep threats in Bryant/Coates, an elite RB, a great OL, and Wheaton/Miller. The Steelers offense scares me much more than the Colts.

Good thing Bell is out week 1. Atleast they will be one dimensional.

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Yeah, the Colts offense came to mind when I was typing that post, so I agree with the comparison.

To be honest, I think the Coates selection could be argued as overkill (much like IND's top pick this year), seeing as how they BOTH need defensive players more than additional WRs.

amazing that dobson was once a 2nd round pick.

BradyFTW! said:

I've already pretty much written him off, to be honest. That foot injury was just really poorly timed, and given how long he's been off the field and the guys ahead of him I think the only way he sees significant playing time is if someone ahead of him sustains a longish-term injury.

Best case scenario, the Pats were just being extremely conservative with his recovery last year, and were willing to punt on year two in order to make absolutely sure his foot was healthy in year 3. If that's the case (and I'd guess that that was some of it, but not all), then he's still got an uphill battle, but that's the only scenario where I wouldn't be already writing him off based on the past two years.

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I see no reason for your pessimism. AD's performance as a rookie was exemplary, cut short by injury. Some criticism was given to him for not being able to return as a Soph, with some questioning his heart but not his talent. This off-season work obviates those concerns.

I expect that he will become another starting caliber WR for the Pats.

Let's say he's healthy, we got pretty good WR depth then

Do not have a lot of confidence in Dobson, the depth of this team seems to make him extraneous... unless we can bury him on the "shadow roster" somehow as insurance..

robertweathers said:

A taller front line than the Celtics.

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That's more on the Celtics part than anything lmao. If Dobson doesn't make the cut here perhaps he knows how to shoot.

It could go either way but it wouldn't shock me if we woke up to him cut in camp one morning.

Froob said:

That's more on the Celtics part than anything lmao. If Dobson doesn't make the cut here perhaps he knows how to shoot.

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Celts could use a perimeter defender. Heck, they could use anything.

Deus Irae said:

No, he didn't. He put up numbers because of all the injuries to other receivers, but Branch had a much better rookie season. Heck, Thomkins had 32 catches in the same season Dobson had 37, again out of necessity.

Remember, Branch had 43 catches despite being the WR3, behind Brown and Patten.

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Dobson 4 TDs - 519 yards - 12 games
Branch 2 TDs - 489 yards - 13 games

Dobson had the better rookie season.

Being behind Troy Brown and David Patten on the depth chart took the heat off Branch and left him with the 3rd best DB. You spin it like they were holding him back. They were not.

Joey007 said:

I disagree here. I think Lafell is very good, but if Dobson could really break out and meet his potential he showed early on at times, he could beat out Lafell. Lafell pretty much hit his ceiling last year as a good #2 WR option. I think Dobson still has the measurables to become more than that.

Now those are all big if's. Dobson has much to prove and isn't even safe for a roster spot at this point. But if he could break out imagine the two of Dobson and Lafell outside with Edelman in the slot.

Oh my.

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Lafell is our best blocker (WR). His ceiling is quite high... Dobson can be a good WR but Lafell is more complete in my opinion. Anyway I hope he has a great year , either to improve the team or become a valuable player for the upcoming offseason.

Lafell has a low salary to what he offers and if Dobson has a fantastic year he will require a contract that may not be consistent with the sum of its production on the field in recent years that was virtually non-existent .

Assume Dobson is fully recovered and ready to go physically, which I believe is true. In that case I'm very high on him. I don't see it as Dobson vs. LaFell, it's more Dobson vs. Amendola, or Dobson vs. 2 TE's, and that will be a weekly decision depending on matchups and game plan. Dobson's our best deep threat and also our best at the 20 yard turn in. There will be defenses we face this year where those will be good skills to put out there. I think he could have the best yards per catch on the team this year.

patsinthesnow said:

Barring injuries, I can't see Dobson making much of an impact. The WR4/option 5 sees barely any playing time.

Gronk
Edelman
Lafell
Amendola

I doubt he can beat out Lafell either.

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I think he has a better chance to have a great season than Amendola.

I like Danny but he is who he is, a slot guy who doesn't have the same quality and versatility that Edelman has and that's why he doesn't get too many targets because they play basically the same position. I used to think he would emerge when they get to figure out a role for him in the offense that doesn't share reps with Edelman but at this time they would have done so if this role existed, I think it doesn't. So it is what it is. Edelman's luxury backup and a guy who can catch a ball or 2 for small gains.

I'm going into this season with the hope he will be able to contribute but like another poster said, I will not be surprised if he is released...

Triumph said:

Dobson 4 TDs - 519 yards - 12 games
Branch 2 TDs - 489 yards - 13 games

Dobson had the better rookie season.

Being behind Troy Brown and David Patten on the depth chart took the heat off Branch and left him with the 3rd best DB. You spin it like they were holding him back. They were not.

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Your post is an example of someone using numbers and not bothering with context. Branch's season was much better. It's not even close. Dobson only got his numbers because he and Thompkins were the only receivers available to catch the football, and he STILL didn't equal Branch's numbers.

And using yardage when Branch was a shorter area receiver with more receptions?



To repeat what I noted earlier:

The same year Dobson had 39 catches, Thompkins had 32 catches. That's how barren the receiving corps was, and how much the team was forced to use the two rookies.

40yrpatsfan said:

Assume Dobson is fully recovered and ready to go physically, which I believe is true. In that case I'm very high on him. I don't see it as Dobson vs. LaFell, it's more Dobson vs. Amendola, or Dobson vs. 2 TE's, and that will be a weekly decision depending on matchups and game plan. Dobson's our best deep threat and also our best at the 20 yard turn in. There will be defenses we face this year where those will be good skills to put out there. I think he could have the best yards per catch on the team this year.

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Nobody could cover Dobson on those 20 yard comebacks. Oh how people forget.

varjao said:

I think he has a better chance to have a great season than Amendola.

I like Danny but he is who he is, a slot guy who doesn't have the same quality and versatility that Edelman has and that's why he doesn't get too many targets because they play basically the same position. I used to think he would emerge when they get to figure out a role for him in the offense that doesn't share reps with Edelman but at this time they would have done so if this role existed, I think it doesn't. So it is what it is. Edelman's luxury backup and a guy who can catch a ball or 2 for small gains.

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The problem is that none of that is really true. JE isnt a slot receiver. DA has made some huge clutch plays and turned what would have been "small gains" into season saving plays. I am not even sure where you got small gains. The TDs in the Baltimore and SB were not "small."

The guy made plays when he was asked to and single handily saved us home field advantage. Dobson cant even get on the field and DA is supposed to be the injury plagued one.

Plus DA is a special teams ace and it is crucial for him to be doing as much of that as possible to reduce the wear and tear on Edelman. Dobson offers zero special team value.

Plus DA and JE compliment each other well since they do have different skill sets they can use.

Deus Irae said:

Your post is an example of someone using numbers and not bothering with context. Branch's season was much better. It's not even close. Dobson only got his numbers because he and Thompkins were the only receivers available to catch the football, and he STILL didn't equal Branch's numbers.

And using yardage when Branch was a shorter area receiver with more receptions?

To repeat what I noted earlier:

The same year Dobson had 39 catches, Thompkins had 32 catches. That's how barren the receiving corps was, and how much the team was forced to use the two rookies.

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Dobson got the #1 CB, Branch the #3 CB, IOW Dobson saw Revis, Branch got Ryan.....