2014 Off-Season Additions for the Offense

[Sciz]

And, there were more than a few rumors of the Pats being interested in Nicks at the trade deadline this past season.

The report I'm seeing is from La Canfora that mentions teams specifically interested in Nicks, but mentions the Patriots only with general interest in upgrading at WR. Are there reports specifically linking Nicks to the Patriots that aren't just bad interpretations of La Canfora?

Among the teams holding internal discussions about him, according to club sources, were the 49ers and Falcons (who lost Julio Jones for the season but are not conceding the season … at least certainly not yet). New England and Baltimore are also contending teams in need of an upgrade at receiver, and the market for Nicks would be robust, sources believe, if the Giants express a willingness to listen to offers.

Team preparing bids for Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks - CBSSports.com

Either way, it seems the Patriots (and every other team) didn't value him enough to get a trade done, and the new reports of him skipping treatment and being late for meetings is enough to put him on my "do not want" list.

 

[kennyb]

I don't expect them to do anything, sadly. What I would want them to do is, among other things:
Re-sign Minitron; this needn't be a bank-breaker.
Sign a young vet UFA capable of playing starter's snaps; again, not a bank-breaking splashy signing, but not a Donald Jones/Molasses Mike Jenkins Pyle O' Shyte either.
Find a size/speed non-slot UDFA post-draft to at least have on the PS if everyone else remains
healthy, and who would be an upgrade over Kenbrell the Faller Thompkins.

Kenbrell the faller. Fall awkwardly and unnecessarily on one's hip. And Dobson the dropper can't catch in traffic. Quite a pair.

danario alexander should be cheap if his knee is ok. Chronically injured but t hats what we like around here. At least he can play when he isn't injured.

 

[Joker]

Kenbrell the faller. Fall awkwardly and unnecessarily on one's hip. And Dobson the dropper can't catch in traffic. Quite a pair.

danario alexander should be cheap if his knee is ok. Chronically injured but t hats what we like around here. At least he can play when he isn't injured.

sounds like you're disgusted and fed up with this "Pats fans" nonsense. You shouldn't torture yourself like this....find the team and coach that fits all your desires. YOUR happiness is what is most important, after all.

 

[superpats]

Sciz Your hearts in the right place, staying away from troubled . But the fact remains u nee We need a complete true #1 wr to take next step. AMENDOLA is a good slot. But he is limited As is edelman. Blackmon n Britt have shown thwe talent to explode just as Gordon did. They even showed that ability with very shabby qb play.

Mmany players teams excelled in spite of off field probs. Look at johnsons cowboys. 3 titles in 4 yrs.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Mmany players teams excelled in spite of off field probs.

The Patriots are not the reform school of the NFL. They do not have infinite patience, nor will they actually coddle players. They'll work with players, but they won't do the work for the player.

 

[supafly]

The report I'm seeing is from La Canfora that mentions teams specifically interested in Nicks, but mentions the Patriots only with general interest in upgrading at WR. Are there reports specifically linking Nicks to the Patriots that aren't just bad interpretations of La Canfora?

Team preparing bids for Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks - CBSSports.com

Either way, it seems the Patriots (and every other team) didn't value him enough to get a trade done, and the new reports of him skipping treatment and being late for meetings is enough to put him on my "do not want" list.

Just out of curiosity, Sciz--do you really think they'd make a trade for a WR like that mid-season? I personally don't.

I would think that bringing in a WR who'd be expected to be seeing a lot of production and snaps would be a tall order in terms of it taking him several games (at least) just to have any grasp of the playbook whatsoever, and that's not even bringing into account his need for picking up on all the other things such as seeing the same thing pre-snap that Brady sees, etc.

If they really did seriously think about bringing in Nicks in the middle of the season, they must REALLY feel that he's a good fit in terms of being a hard worker who'd have busted his ass to pick things up.

I remember Austin Collie claiming last season during an interview that he was spending upwards of 4-5+ hrs a day before/after practice with Brady, McDaniels, and WR coach O'Shea, just to try and understand the system--and he was a guy who admitted that there were a lot of similarities despite the difference in verbiage!!!! I couldn't imagine someone else being able to come in the middle of the season at either QB or WR, at least not if they were expected to produce and play a ton of snaps anyway.

 

[RIpats88]

can someone tell me why people keep referring to Dobson the "dropper" guy hasnt really had a poor dropping balls games since his 1st NFL GAME against the Jets.

and, anyone who is ready to write the rookies off on improving after they actually had pretty solid seasons for Rookies is rediculous. go take a look at guys people here covet like Erik Decker's rookie season numbers...

Dobson is going to be a stud on the outside next year....book it. and I think THompkins/boyce will improve enough to contribute as well

 

[supafly]

can someone tell me why people keep referring to Dobson the "dropper" guy hasnt really had a poor dropping balls games since his 1st NFL GAME against the Jets.

and, anyone who is ready to write the rookies off on improving after they actually had pretty solid seasons for Rookies is rediculous. go take a look at guys people here covet like Erik Decker's rookie season numbers...

Dobson is going to be a stud on the outside next year....book it. and I think THompkins/boyce will improve enough to contribute as well

You seem to have much more confidence in the rookies (some feel that Thompkins may not even make the team next season, let alone contribute as a starter) than I do, and that doesn't mean that I'm "writing them off" as you say.

If you look at their numbers from the middle of October on to the end of the season in the middle of January (3 months...), you will realize that they were outright pathetic, so it's not terribly unreasonable to think that we shouldn't want to upgrade at ONE of these positions on the outside, even if they improve:

Dobson--18 catches in last 3 months of season
Thomkins--11 catches in last 3 months of season
Boyce--8 catches in last 3 months of season

In other words, it's great to think that they'll improve, or at least 2/3 of them anyway. Dobson and Boyce may have much better 2nd seasons, but some think that it's also a bit unreasonable to have to "depend" on them just the same...

-------------------------------------------

As far as Dobson and your questioning his drops, by the end of October he had already been on the cusp of double digit drops. According to a certain website that I won't mention, no one dropped more passes than Dobson in the entire NFL through the first 2 months. As a whole, Dobson finished with a 51% catch rate according to footballoutsiders.com.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/10/30/signature-stats-drop-rate/

Aaron Dobson Has Second Highest Drop Rate Amongst All Receivers - Pats Pulpit

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

can someone tell me why people keep referring to Dobson the "dropper" guy hasnt really had a poor dropping balls games since his 1st NFL GAME against the Jets.

and, anyone who is ready to write the rookies off on improving after they actually had pretty solid seasons for Rookies is rediculous. go take a look at guys people here covet like Erik Decker's rookie season numbers...

Dobson is going to be a stud on the outside next year....book it. and I think THompkins/boyce will improve enough to contribute as well

I agree on Dobson...but they still need help

 

[supafly]

The problem is that we really need a physical receiver much more than another speed guy in the first place, due to how our offense is designed. The biggest aspect of the speed guy is probably to draw attention, and to help open up underneath routes for the other guys who are the first/second targets. Our "deep threat" in a system like this is going to be a guy like Gronkowski, who can break down the seam for a 25-30 yd gainer at times.

Brady doesn't take many deep shots anymore, and when he does most of them don't seem to connect very well anyway. Our offense is designed to get rid of the ball quickly, and to take advantage of mismatches over the shorter and intermediate areas of the field.

We can take a couple of shots deep when we catch the other team on play action fakes, but I would love to see a much more physical or possession receiver as opposed to the thinking that we'll become a deeper ball offense again.

 

[supafly]

I agree on Dobson...but they still need help

I'm all for continuing to believe that Dobson will improve, but the fact is that we really have no idea if he'll be another Brandon Tate or not. He showed some flashes at times during his rookie season, but he also showed a tendency to drop a lot of balls and battle injuries in both the beginning and end of the season.

I think the majority believe that he'll improve, just don't want to have to depend on him--that's all.

I actually have high hopes for him, but I can certainly respect those who have concerns and are leery just the same.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I'm all for continuing to believe that Dobson will improve, but the fact is that we really have no idea if he'll be another Brandon Tate or not. He showed some flashes at times during his rookie season, but he also showed a tendency to drop a lot of balls and battle injuries in both the beginning and end of the season.

I think the majority believe that he'll improve, just don't want to have to depend on him--that's all.

I actually have high hopes for him, but I can certainly respect those who have concerns and are leery just the same.

No not depend on him in his second year...but i am not sure if they bring in another WR that will really give us good numbers. More role players will come in this year...so i think Dobson will again be leaned on heavily. Hopefully a good thing

 

[supafly]

No not depend on him in his second year...but i am not sure if they bring in another WR that will really give us good numbers. More role players will come in this year...so i think Dobson will again be leaned on heavily. Hopefully a good thing

While that's a good hope to have, I think most would rather see Dobson improve and pick up the offense more in his second year as a WR3, as opposed to a WR1 or WR2.

It'd be quite a sight to see the receiving corps improved upon so much that we could afford to do such a thing, since it would allow us to have a reasonable depth chart from 1-5. If Edelman is retained or Sanders is brought here to replace him, Dobson may see his role as WR3 continue, and that'd be fine.

 

[RIpats88]

While that's a good hope to have, I think most would rather see Dobson improve and pick up the offense more in his second year as a WR3, as opposed to a WR1 or WR2.

It'd be quite a sight to see the receiving corps improved upon so much that we could afford to do such a thing, since it would allow us to have a reasonable depth chart from 1-5. If Edelman is retained or Sanders is brought here to replace him, Dobson may see his role as WR3 continue, and that'd be fine.

Technically, he was WR1 or 2 with Amendola being WR 3 this past year. Dobson never left the field when he was healthy. They invested alot in him(a high draft pick) so I think they do expect him to be a key part of the receiving corp.

he's the type of WR they have been lacking lately. size 6-3 and pretty good hands(in college) if he can get some more chemistry with brady and can nail that back shoulder throw consistently I think he will be a weapon next year.

I do agree though we need more targets for brady than just Dobson, amendola, Gronkowski, edelman.

I think another big physical receiver would be nice. but I see the pats going after someone more like a sanders, maclin, riley cooper. Gronkowski is still your biggest threat at receiver guy just has had some unlucky breaks.

 

[patriot1136]

What's the feeling on Maclin? I haven't heard much mention of him. He is incredibly injury prone but also incredibly talented. He would have to be cheap to sign though since his health is a concern. Maybe an incentive based contract?

 

[TonyTucker]

God no. No more injury prone guys.

 

[captain stone]

Kenbrell the faller. Fall awkwardly and unnecessarily on one's hip. And Dobson the dropper can't catch in traffic. Quite a pair.

danario alexander should be cheap if his knee is ok. Chronically injured but t hats what we like around here. At least he can play when he isn't injured.

Alexander is a guy in whom I had more than passing interest last year.
Unfortunately, because of yet another major injury, the most I would offer him is a
non-guaranteed, one-year, vet minimum contract as our #5 WR, if he survives TC.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

While that's a good hope to have, I think most would rather see Dobson improve and pick up the offense more in his second year as a WR3, as opposed to a WR1 or WR2.

It'd be quite a sight to see the receiving corps improved upon so much that we could afford to do such a thing, since it would allow us to have a reasonable depth chart from 1-5. If Edelman is retained or Sanders is brought here to replace him, Dobson may see his role as WR3 continue, and that'd be fine.

We all want that. But to have that they are going to have to bring in a Lloyd type WR that can get 900+ yards. Not sure the FA list they can afford will bring that to the table

 

[RIpats88]

to be honest, for all the hand wringing about the offense, really what we want may already be here. This offense was on fire with a healthy Gronk/Dobson just imagine for one second

Cowboys without Dez Bryant
Detroit without Calvin Johnson
Atlanta without Julio Jones(we already saw this and it killed matt ryan)
NOL without Jimmy Graham
Indy without Reggie wayne(and we saw how they struggled)

Generally most teams who lose their best skill player(in our case Gronkowski) would struggle mightily. and thats what Gronk offers to this team. Now the question is, is Gronk injury prone or just unlucky? I lean towards unlucky. his breaking of his arm was a fluke accident and the mishandling of the injury is purely on the team. And the ACL wouldve happened to anyone with that hit.

 

[mgteich]

Sure, the offense we had in 2013 is one of the very best offenseason the nfl, if everyone comes back and Gronkowski plays 90% of the offensive reps.

to be honest, for all the hand wringing about the offense, really what we want may already be here. This offense was on fire with a healthy Gronk/Dobson just imagine for one second

Cowboys without Dez Bryant
Detroit without Calvin Johnson
Atlanta without Julio Jones(we already saw this and it killed matt ryan)
NOL without Jimmy Graham
Indy without Reggie wayne(and we saw how they struggled)

Generally most teams who lose their best skill player(in our case Gronkowski) would struggle mightily. and thats what Gronk offers to this team. Now the question is, is Gronk injury prone or just unlucky? I lean towards unlucky. his breaking of his arm was a fluke accident and the mishandling of the injury is purely on the team. And the ACL wouldve happened to anyone with that hit.