Bye week activity thread: Top 5 Patriots All Time WRs.

Someone posed this topic to me last month and it was really, really hard. There's so many great players to rank. I really struggled with it, to be honest.

1. Moss - He wasn't here very long and it feels sorta sacrilegious given some of the other greats I've seen but I think he was, by far, the greatest WR we've ever had. It got a lot harder for me from here on out.

2. Brown - Two Marshall guys at the top. Certainly his career didn't really take off until the late 90s but Troy was as reliable a WR and as great of a team leader as we ever had around here. I'll always miss him.

3. Branch - I grew up watching Fryar and Morgan but Deion in his prime (2004) was soo good. I don't think we've ever had a guy who ran a smoother route than Deion.

4. Welker - Yeah, I love Edelman more but there's no way to overstate how durable and prolific Welker was during his time with us.

5. Edelman - My sentimental favorite of the bunch. He worked very hard to get here and ever since he subbed in for Welker in 2009 I've wanted to see this guy get play time.

Tough to leave out: Fryar and Morgan. And if we were going to take just a single year I'd say Glenn's rookie year alone made him worth consideration. As smooth and natural a receiver as I ever saw.

You left out Stanley Morgan!! Tsk Tsk

What are the criterion?

Is it the best player, at his Patriot peak? Or is it best career?

Morgan and Fryar shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath, and Morgan is closer to the top of the list than out of it, under either criteria.

gotta have Stanley in there

Randy
Troy
Stanley
Jules
Wes

Deion is the near-miss, despite the SB MVP. But I wouldn't mind if you put him in at #5 over Wes, considering postseason exploits, though.

fnordcircle said:

Someone posed this topic to me last month and it was really, really hard. There's so many great players to rank. I really struggled with it, to be honest.

1. Moss - He wasn't here very long and it feels sorta sacrilegious given some of the other greats I've seen but I think he was, by far, the greatest WR that has ever played the game. It got a lot harder for me from here on out.

2. Brown - Two Marshall guys at the top. Certainly his career didn't really take off until the late 90s but Troy was as reliable a WR and as great of a team leader as we ever had around here. I'll always miss him.

3. Branch - I grew up watching Fryar and Morgan but Deion in his prime (2004) was soo good. I don't think we've ever had a guy who ran a smoother route than Deion.

4. Welker - Yeah, I love Edelman more but there's no way to overstate how durable and prolific Welker was during his time with us.

5. Edelman - My sentimental favorite of the bunch. He worked very hard to get here and ever since he subbed in for Welker in 2009 I've wanted to see this guy get play time.

Tough to leave out: Fryar and Morgan. And if we were going to take just a single year I'd say Glenn's rookie year alone made him worth consideration. As smooth and natural a receiver as I ever saw.

Click to expand...

Fixed. Btw, I love these guys, but outside of Moss, this is a pretty lackluster group considering the franchise is more than 50 years old.

I did not complain Fryar was not on list. Rumors have it he threw some games...idk if true but he did drop some easy catches, iirc.

Again, how can you leave Morgan off the team, I know he screwed up big time but I loved Terry Glenn.

patman52 said:

Again, how can you leave Morgan off the team, I know he screwed up big time but I loved Terry Glenn.

Click to expand...

I was a big Terry Glenn fan. Ah what could have been... Its frustrating to see a guy with that talent blow it because of ego, attitude etc.

Moss
Welker
Morgan
Brown
Edelman (He should move ahead of Brown barring major dropoff)

Here's how weak the Patriots are in receivers alltime:

New England Patriots Career Receiving Leaders | Pro-Football-Reference.com

#16 pass catcher of all time... including TE's and RB's... is... Vincent Brisby.

patman52 said:

I loved Terry Glenn.

Click to expand...

She was pretty good.

oldrover said:

Here's how weak the Patriots are in receivers alltime:

New England Patriots Career Receiving Leaders | Pro-Football-Reference.com

#16 pass catcher of all time... including TE's and RB's... is... Vincent Brisby.

Click to expand...

Fryar had more receptions than targets? That truly is impressive. Put him at the top of the list.

Honorable mentions for Gino and for Harold Jackson.

363839 said:

I did not complain Fryar was not on list. Rumors have it he threw some games...idk if true but he did drop some easy catches, iirc.

Click to expand...

I heard the same rumors.

Palm Beach Pats Fan said:

gotta have Stanley in there

Randy
Troy
Stanley
Jules
Wes

Deion is the near-miss, despite the SB MVP. But I wouldn't mind if you put him in at #5 over Wes, considering postseason exploits, though.

Click to expand...

Some would call this the Bye-Bye week....

But I like your list.

Randy Moss
Troy Brown
Wes Welker
Stanley Morgan
Julian Edelman

#3-5 are kind of a jumble in my mind. Part of me wants Edelman higher, but he'll get there. Branch was a near miss.

Criteria:
1. Must have played with the team for 3 seasons or more.
2. Any production in another uniform is not considered.
3. Attempting to project production in other eras is not considered.
4. Cumulative production over several years is accounted for.

1. Stanley Morgan- #3 in catches, #1 yards, #1 YPC #1 TDs.
2. Wes
3. Rand
4. Troy
5. Irving

I'm guessing the people putting Edelman above Branch started watching football in 2014?

AndyJohnson said:

What are the criterion?

Is it the best player, at his Patriot peak? Or is it best career?

Morgan and Fryar shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath, and Morgan is closer to the top of the list than out of it, under either criteria.

Click to expand...

Considering this is a meaningless fan game, I'd say the criteria can be whatever you want it to be, AJ.

I'm going by best player at his Patriot peak.

1) Moss
2) Morgan
3) Glenn
4) Welker
5) Brown