Jalen Saunders...Welcome

For a condition draft pick from NO...thoughts?

They had joint practices with NO 2 weeks ago so BB and staff got a good look at this kid and must have seen something they liked.

Seems like the Pats traded a pick for a guy to play in the 4th preseason game. No way this guy has a shot to make the 53, even if LaFell starts on PUP


Edelman
Amendola
Wayne
Dobson
Harper

Is what I would assume the Pats would go with

4.3 speed

the problem with harper is that he's a 4.5 guy and while he showed promise, chance are he will not see the light of day during the regular season and has not been all that on returns (where saunders seems to excel)

I am a little confused by the move. Maybe it's conditional upon the kid making the roster but I don't see how that's possible, there's only one game left and it's not like the bottom of the WR depth chart has been bad (Harper's looked great), and they just signed Wayne. Maybe they think Saunders is more pro-ready and they want to put Harper on the practice squad for a year? I just don't fully understand the move.

Yep. Gotta assume that if they cut him the Pats will not lose a pick.

I don't like what this says about Edelman's health. On the other hand, maybe the Patriots have decided to let someone else return kicks so that Edelman has a better chance of staying healthy.

This kid is a burner. It will be interesting to see if he can catch the football.

robertweathers said:

Yep. Gotta assume that if they cut him the Pats will not lose a pick.

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Which from the Saints perspective is a win because they were probably going to cut him outright, so at least there's a chance of a return now. For the Patriots, they get the benefit of getting him in right away, rather than waiting for a release and a signing. Might mean an extra day to see if there's something there.

Either way, doubtful this ends up being an important move for either team.

It would be nice to have an explosive returner.

goheels22002 said:

I don't like what this says about Edelman's health.

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Reports for the past week are if these games were regular season Edelman would have played

Competitor for Harper's role - on special teams and at receiver.
Real small guy - came into the league at 5-9 165 pounds. Posted 4.44 at the combine.
Amendola and Edelman would tower over this guy!
Not much performance in the league. Obviously the Patriots had a couple days to watch him.

Did Harper oversleep?

JMC00 said:

Reports for the past week are if these games were regular season Edelman would have played

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You're right, but he didn't play Friday. At least he was on the field for the walk-throughs yesterday. I hope for the best, but won't feel good about this until we see him out there against Pittsburgh.

IllegalContact said:

4.3 speed

the problem with harper is that he's a 4.5 guy and while he showed promise, chance are he will not see the light of day during the regular season and has not been all that on returns (where saunders seems to excel)

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??? Harper had some very nice punt returns this preseason. Saunders had the PR job with the Jets and lost it after 3 games, after 6 returns for 24 yards.

Speed is nice, but I can't see the logic in saying that Suanders excels in the return game. He apparently did in practice, though, and I guess it caught Bill's eye.

In Bill I trust.

Perhaps Bill doesn't think he's got enough in the return game and wants a "return specialist", not that Saunders is necessarily that yet. Hopefully Bill is confident in getting Harper on the PS if he intends to keep Saunders on the 53. It would seem like a weird move to make a trade for a guy with only a week of preseason left with the intention to turn around and dump him.

Also of note - he was drafted by the NYJ, so he's destined to break out here

I think the less we see Edelman punt returning the better....it is physical contact he doesn't need, and he is far too important.

I would only want to see him do it if everyone else was terrible and a liability...far too much risk

FlexWing!!

In EarthSpeak: An HalfBack/WideOut Hybrid and Gadget Player. A Spry Fly.

Saunders goes about 5090/165, last I looked, so there's no way you want'm banging heads 1000 Snaps a Season, or he's gonna get killed. And please Jesus, don't ever ask'm to block.

But in Spread Sets or such, Trips Right, Trips Left, and that sorta thing, or coming out'f the BackField as a pure Hybrid Running/Receiving Threat, his explosive Speed and Agility, combined with impressive Field Vision, Route Running, and Hands render'm a potentially dynamic Weapon.

Not my Style ~ I'm all about Blocking ~ but I gave'm a 2nd/3rd Round Grade, last Spring.

It's probably just a notion on Mad Bill's part, but a good one, I think.

I think they plan on sitting Reggie Wayne need another body at WR nothing here to talk about 5'9 165 scrub Josh Boyce 2.0.

goheels22002 said:

I don't like what this says about Edelman's health. On the other hand, maybe the Patriots have decided to let someone else return kicks so that Edelman has a better chance of staying healthy.

This kid is a burner. It will be interesting to see if he can catch the football.

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There's no way he's catching passes from Brady anytime soon joining the roster this late. Probably just here for kick and maybe punt returns for now.

I'm actually familiar with Saunders from his time at OU. I'm an OU fan and having been going to games for years. He was good in college first off, so we will see how that translates. He is a really quick, shifty guy that will break some ankles. Also is fast and a good YAC guy, good hands overall. In the NFL, I would say he is more of a slot receiver but he is fast enough to play on the outside. The issue that has always been with him is that he's a small dude. I hope he's smart enough to pick up our system. Not sure how it compares to Bob Stoops'.

JMC00 said:

Seems like the Pats traded a pick for a guy to play in the 4th preseason game. No way this guy has a shot to make the 53, even if LaFell starts on PUP


Edelman
Amendola
Wayne
Dobson
Harper

Is what I would assume the Pats would go with

Click to expand...

I really don't want LaFell on PUP can we just carry him and put him among the game day Inactives.