The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

I definitely think we need a TE who can take over the passing game when needed...a Dallas Clark or Jason Witten type who can reliably carry the offense when/if Moss and Wes are taken out of the game. I go back and forth whether that's Gresham, whom I think is the best all-around TE to come out in a couple of years, and is probably a much better blocker (Witten), or the just-declared Aaron Hernandez, who might not run a great 40 time, but can seem to get open at will and play out in space (Clark).

Watson is gone, Baker's not really a receiving threat, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Belichick spend a first rounder on either one of them if he doesn't like any of the DEs or LBs that are available when he's on the clock.

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

I also think this will be a high priority but Brady just doesn't seem to like to throw to TE the way Bledsoe always looked to Coates. I'm not saying Graham, Watson, et al, are as good as Coates but whether it's the offense of Brady, I don't like "a TE who can take over the passing game when needed" is in the offing. That said, Belichick loves his TE and may not be able to resist a Gresham who he normally wouldn't be able to get without the injury. The Iowa TE looked really good too - good blocker and hung onto everything thrown to him when I was watching.

Regarding popularity - with all these picks, it's fine to use one on a TE but not if we end up trading up so that we only have, say, two picks in the first three rounds because we do need OL, defense and maybe WR depending how they like Tate.

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

Considering they simply don't use TEs the way the Colts or Cowboys do I see no reason to use a first rounder on a TE again. I still don't understand why they gave up on Thomas. The kid was great on special teams, ran good routes, was an adequate blocker. I'd much rather take a shot on guy in the third round which is where Whitten and Cooley were drafted.

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

There's some decent FA's about to hit the market.

Owen Daniels (he could be Franchised)
Tony Scheffler (has acted the punk this season but he has talent)
Bo Scaife (superb all round player)
Anthony Fasano (probably my favourite out of the lot).

Could we pick up one of those and draft one on day two - Tony Moeaki? Ed Dickson?

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

Exactly.

Thomas was a potential star that didn't cost much to run, and he did contribute. The Saints have already got more out of him than we ever did.

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

So why don't they use the TE more? What is the deal-io?

Too busy running 4 and 5 wide?

Power running games work really well in the post season as the Jetsies are about to show, I believe.

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

The Patriots use their tight-ends where they are needed... as they are quite versatile. Some years they have been featured in the passing game, this year they were needed to help out our injured offensive line in the blocking game. Doesn't make them any less important.

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

Is that by design, or a function of not having a TE of that caliber? I would feel much more comfortable having another reliable set of hands in 3 WR sets instead of the Sam Aikens and Ben Watsons of the world.

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

When was the last time a power running game lit up the Playoffs and propelled a team to the Superbowl?

Re: The soon-to-be-unpopular "Time to draft a TE" thread.
 

Watson or Graham before him certainly don't run the best routes or have the best hands but what percentage of the time are they getting out into the pattern? Graham certainly was lower than Watson but that was a different offense.

Watson's 2006 production before we loaded up on WR talent was pretty good. It could have been much better if he could come out of his routes more crisply and if he had more consistent hands.

Would Dustin Keller be used as a receiving TE in this offense?