Available Recievers?

[Efstratios]

So worth repeating.
We've gone the squeeze out one more year out of vets route for several seasons. The very few who could grok the system were so aged that they were easily neutralized by playoff caliber defenses. Flawed and risky as the youthful talent plan is, the plan to develop physically talented yet raw rooks is the best shot we have for post season success this season. It may totally crash and burn or there may be a man or two (hopefully) emerge with the kind of talent we haven't seen for a while here. I'm in. If nothing else, there'll be some great fiasco Youtube vids.

P.S. I will agree with those who argue we shoulda somehow signed Boldin. BB had his knockers wrapped around his head focusing on DA vs Welker and let that big opportunity slip by. Then again Boldin supposedly hates the Pats so who knows.

The power of the almighty dollar, along with the chance to play with the GOAT would have erased any bad blood between Boldin and the Pats... Just look at how James Harrison backtracked after he was released by Pittsburgh. I agree, we really should have tried to acquire him.

 

[SVN]

I dont know why we expect these rookies out of school to be good . It took veeren 2 yrs to get on the field. And these WRs dont have a single vet WR to work with like crumpler was for gronk.

 

[mgteich]

I agree with all that you say.

Personally, I would prefer for us to have Belichick's favorite JAG receiver on the roster. Jenkins or Hawkins or whoever, active, and then inactive when Amendola returns (or even waived then). Alternatively, such a player could be kept on the 53 for the season, as general injury protection or in case we don't have production from more than one of the youngsters. Even if everyone is healthy, I could see us in November with Amendola, Dobson, Edelman and JAG TBD active. I don't think that this is far-fetched. Things could be worse. I suggest both Amendola and Edelman healthy AND Dobson contributing. And, obviously in this case, the JAG would get no reps, or almost no reps, as Boyce did this week.

We are in complete agreement when discussing the Patriots Tight End situation. I have disliked the signings behind Gronkowski and Hernandez and have been rather vocal about it. You will get no quarrel from me there. The moment that Tony Moeaki demonstrates he's healthy and has put his shoulder issue behind him, I'd like to see him in a Patriots uniform. Given that qualification, who else is there to go after? Would it be better to stick an extra lineman on the end of the formation and have them play as a blocking Tight End? How about Ninkovrabel?

With regard to the receiver position, we knew it would be heavily dependant on Amendola's health. One week into the season and he's played a major part in securing a week 1 win in Buffalo and has missed the Patriots win against the Jets at home. The potential Sanders trade piqued my interest at the time. That said, who was available to sign during that time other than Lloyd?

As mentioned mg, the success of the skill position players depends on the health of the starters because the depth is shallow.

 

[Zeus]

P.S. I will agree with those who argue we shoulda somehow signed Boldin.

Would love to have Boldin but he was not a free agent. Boldin was traded in March. And there's no way the Ravens would have traded him to NE.

By the way, do you think the Ravens would like a do-over on Boldin? People regard Ozzie Newsome as the best GM in the game but he traded Boldin with the Ravens' WR situation being every bit as bad as what we face here in NE. Wonder what Ozzie knows that we all don't ...

 

[IcyPatriot]

Your position makes no sense, given that the Patriots went to the AFCCG and the SB in the past two seasons using "a vet or two".

After 8 years of that the plan has been altered.

 

[Deus Irae]

After 8 years of that the plan has been altered.

You might want to let Danny Amendola know that, since he probably thinks he's a veteran.

 

[Ring 6]

kind of hard to argue with an offensive gameplan that won on a night with realistically no TE's in the passing game, one "experienced" slot receiver and 2 rookie WR's, one of whom was making his NFL debut, against what will prove to be one of the better fronts against the run in the NFL, which more or less shut down the run....


the pats had to pass to win......in lousy 2nd half weather conditions....with 2 rookie receivers and julian freaking edleman.....with no pass catching TE.....and with no run game.......and they won

and people want to complain about the offensive game plan?


we are a spoiled lot, aren't we?

They scored zero points in the second half and had 3 first downs in 6 drives and never came close to scoring. The team won because the defense dominated and covered an abysmal offensive effort. There probably couldnt have been a worse game plan. In hindsight 3 straight runs on all 6 drives and a punt may have been better, because it would have produced about the same amount of offense and eaten more clock that the 8/15 passing did.

 

[Ring 6]

Belichick is the evaluator of talent, not me. Belichick is paid well to make personnel cholces. It is for us to try to understand.

What we are left believing is that since June 26th, no TE has been available, as a free agent or in trade, who us better than Mulligan and certainly none better than Hooman.

What we are left believing is that since June 26th, no WR has been available. as a fee agent or in trade, that was better the Boyce (who most of us expected to be inactive most of the year).

What we are left with that since MARCH 1, no one was available to cause Belichick to move from his plan on relying on Amendola and a bunch of rookies and perhaps a veteran. After all, Edelman was an afterthought. Whose fault is it that not one veteran wide receiver, other than Amendola and Edelman, were available who was good enough to make the patriots.

Surely, all the problem on our offense is not because a part-time 2012 player, albeit a great one, was found unable to play in 2013.

"All the problems with our offense" by which you mean what? We had a bad game when our 3 best nonQB skill position players were out?
Which NFL team would you expect to tear it up if their top 3 skill players were out?

 

[Ring 6]

If Amendola or Gronk go down in the playoffs, or Brady suffers another high ankle sprain, all these changes will mean nothing. What's cost the Patriots in almost all the recent playoff years has been a bad defense combined with an offense that had suffered a recent loss to injury.

2007 - Multiple injuries
2008 - Brady
2009 - Welker
2010 - The only non-injury playoff loss, and this had Brady and Crumpler screw ups
2011 - Gronk
2012 - Gronk

You can hope for the rookies to develop, but that would have been true regardless of what veteran receivers were on the team.

What the Patriots need, in order to win the SB, is for the defense to be good enough, and the elite offensive players to be healthy in the playoff games. That's been the need since 2007.

Every team has injuries, lame excuse.
A team that can't overcome injuries is a team that will not be a champion.
The Patriots did not win the SB in those seasons. Crying about injuries doesn't make that any better.

 

[Ring 6]

You might want to let Danny Amendola know that, since he probably thinks he's a veteran.

You may want to tell the 2 rookie receivers who played most of the snaps last night, since, you know, his comment was the plan has changed.

 

[IcyPatriot]

You might want to let Danny Amendola know that, since he probably thinks he's a veteran.

Amendola replaced Welker ... and is much younger.

Dobson and Boyce were drafted and will be given time.

The surprise was Thompkins so would you rather have Thompkins or Lloyd.

I'll take Thompkins all day long because he shows more promise in versatility to the possible play calls.

Lloyd's catches were mostly against weaker opponents and he did not stretch the field vertically or horizontally ... he's lost a 1/2 a step ... that's why he's unemployed and it's not his attitude - that's crap.

You want to panic after 2 games then have a ball ... I'll give Bill 6-8 weeks like I always do.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Amendola replaced Welker ... and is much younger.

Dobson and Boyce were drafted and will be given time.

The surprise was Thompkins so would you rather have Thompkins or Lloyd.

I'll take Thompkins all day long because he shows more promise in versatility to the possible play calls.

Lloyd's catches were mostly against weaker opponents and he did not stretch the field vertically or horizontally ... he's lost a 1/2 a step ... that's why he's unemployed and it's not his attitude - that's crap.

You want to panic after 2 games then have a ball ... I'll give Bill 6-8 weeks like I always do.

I like the current plan, if we're 6-2 at the half way point and one or two of the rooks show improvements I'll be happy.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I like the current plan, if we're 6-2 at the half way point and one or two of the rooks show improvements I'll be happy.

I think Thompkins will be more than fine ... I think for now he is better suited to shorter possession routes ... such a huge step for him and the pre season does nothing to prepare these rookies for the speed / intensity of play of the regular season. He's better suited to longer routes on 1st down and much shorter routes for downs 2-3. He only caught a few passes a game last year ... he just needs more reps.

 

[Sciz]

Re: Can we trade for a top receiver?

No. This solves nothing. You'd have to both teach him the offense and get him that connection with Brady, something that both of the rookies, despite their issues, have a head start on.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Can we trade for a top receiver?

No. This solves nothing. You'd have to both teach him the offense and get him that connection with Brady, something that both of the rookies, despite their issues, have a head start on.

And to answer the poster's other question, no, the Patriots no longer have an stash of extra draft picks to use.

 

[Sticky Caulk]

Re: Can we trade for a top receiver?

And to answer the poster's other question, no, the Patriots no longer have an stash of extra draft picks to use.

He doesn't know that because he isn't a fan. He is an obvious troll.

 

[dales804]

Re: Can we trade for a top receiver?

He doesn't know that because he isn't a fan. He is an obvious troll.

Did his Thompkins being a bust post give that away?

 

[micronin127]

The Patriots may try to add a receiver by the trade deadline.

So who will they trade with...

Schiano (relationship and recent history: Talib and Blount) but who do they have that they do not view as part of the future? Mike Williams... maybe?

Lombardi (relationship) but they don't have much at WR to begin with let alone to trade away... Greg Little? Davone Bess?

Pittsburgh (cap hell and mounting injuries = lost season) circle back after Emmanuel Sanders and his 1 year 2.5 million now that Pittsburgh is so desperate for cap room they are re-doing Heath Miller's deal.

Arizona (pipe dream) offer whatever it takes to get Larry Fitzgerald

 

[Oswlek]

At the moment, the only relevant available receivers are Kenbrell Thompkins, Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Julian Edelman. I do see the team targeting in-season reinforcements like Danny Amendola, Rob Gronkowski and Zach Sudfeld, though. Zach's brother Josh is also a distant possibility.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The Patriots may try to add a receiver by the trade deadline.

So who will they trade with...

Schiano (relationship and recent history: Talib and Blount) but who do they have that they do not view as part of the future? Mike Williams... maybe?

Lombardi (relationship) but they don't have much at WR to begin with let alone to trade away... Greg Little? Davone Bess?

Pittsburgh (cap hell and mounting injuries = lost season) circle back after Emmanuel Sanders and his 1 year 2.5 million now that Pittsburgh is so desperate for cap room they are re-doing Heath Miller's deal.

Arizona (pipe dream) offer whatever it takes to get Larry Fitzgerald

Just what Brady needs...to spend extra hours taking away from all his existing receivers in a crash course attempting to break in a new wideout mid season. Yeah, that will really go well. What guarantees do we or BB have that these putative vets will be able to learn the system that many vets before have failed to learn even with a full training camp? The 2013 season die is cast.