Brady on his WR (particularly Reche)

[smg93]

This from Patriots.com

Nice interview in which Brady gives good reviews on Reche. I know that's what he's supposed to say but it gives me more comfort that he seems to be genuine about it. This is a transcript of his post practice interview. There's also an audio version of the whole interview. The transcript below is just a part of the whole interview.

Q: Is it best for you guys to ignore Deion's situation right now and put it out of your head?

TB: Yeah. We've kind of been dealing with it now for a few weeks. I guess because there hasn't been any change all the feelings that we've had have kind of washed over and we're just dealing with the guys we've got here. We'll all be excited when Deion shows up. Hopefully it gets resolved. As players, we have to focus on going out and doing our job. I have to throw the ball to the guys who are here and the guys who are working hard and the guys who are getting open. When Deion's here, obviously he'll kind of slide right in and I'm sure he'll be back to his old self.

Q: Does this in a way open up opportunities for other receivers to play Deion's role for a little while?

TB: Yeah it does. And Reche [Caldwell] has really stepped up. Reche has gotten the ball an awful lot. And the nice part is, we've really been able to see what he can do. He's a very talented player and he's made a lot of great plays this preseason. He's made some great catches. He's got good speed. He's been a really big surprise. Not that I didn't think that he was a great player coming in, but I didn't realize how good he was.

Q: Did you say anything to Reche [Caldwell] after the drop in Atlanta?

TB: No. I think the ball got tipped, which made it a tough catch. The ball got tipped I think at the line of scrimmage and it kind of wobbled the ball and I could see his eyes kind of lit up as the ball was coming to him. It was a much tougher catch than it looked. But he's been making a lot of great catches out here. He's going to have a lot of great catches this year.

Q: Kelvin Kight jumped right into the mix it seems.

TB: Kelvin Kight has done a nice job. He's been thrown into a role really as a starting receiver. He started last week and he's done some really positive things. There's no question that there's a little bit of a lack of depth there, but the guys who have been in there are doing a really solid job. They know what to do. They're catching the ball. They're playing hard. They're practicing hard. I have a lot of confidence in those guys.

Q: Did you draft Willie Andrews for the offense?

TB: Willie's got a lot of speed out there. We'll take whoever we can get at this point. We're recruiting as many guys as we can.

 

[arrellbee]

Does anybody else think Willie Andrews can make this team besides me ? In his first interview, I thought - boy is this kid well spoken and has a great attitude - it's a shame, but no lightweight 7th rounder is going to make this team. Then he got some good comments in training camp reports. Then he continued to get reps at return duties. Then he seemed to be doing decent at DB and special teams and you began to wonder if maybe the famous Belichick 'versatility' might squeak the kid on the roster. And now we are seeing him taking advantage of another Belichickian opportunity to show capability in another role - and seeming to impress. Shades of Troy Brown. It's beginning to look like he's got a shot at this. Makes you feel real good. Even if he doesn't make it, he's sure given it one heck of a try. I went back to recheck to see just how undersized he is. It's not quite as bad as I thought. I think he would be the smallest guy on the team if he makes it. But Hobbs is listed the same at 5'9" and only 6 pounds heavier. And we've seen what Hobbs can do at CB. And he's listed at the same height as Deion Branch and only 11 pounds lighter. Maybe this isn't so far fetched after all.

 

[arrellbee]

The other WR that is somewhat intriguing seems to be Kelvin Kight. If I get the gist of training camp reports, he's been getting some serious reps at 1st team WR. What a break for the guy to have a chance to get the reps for experience and take advantage of that to show what he can do. And he's getting reps at kick returns - the old versatility thing again. Is it possible that he's worked up past Childress and the JAGs Musinski, Stone, and Smith to the 5th depth spot ?? ?? ?? Very interesting.

 

[Willie55]

Q: Did you say anything to Reche [Caldwell] after the drop in Atlanta?

TB: No. I think the ball got tipped, which made it a tough catch. The ball got tipped I think at the line of scrimmage and it kind of wobbled the ball and I could see his eyes kind of lit up as the ball was coming to him. It was a much tougher catch than it looked. But he's been making a lot of great catches out here. He's going to have a lot of great catches this year.

If this was a Peyton Manning interview it would go something like this:

Q: Did you say anything to [insert name of appropriate Colts receiver here]after the drop in the game?

PM: Yes. I threw the ball perfectly which made it an easy catch. The ball wasn't tipped or anything and it was a perfect spiral. It was a much easier catch than it looked. If he keeps making those types of plays out there I'm going to tell Coach Dungy to sit him down. When he makes drops like that my completion percentage and TD totals go down.

 

[smg93]

Does anybody else think Willie Andrews can make this team besides me ?

Me, me! I think his all around ability fits the BB philosophy of "The more you do, the more you do" perfectly.

 

[BayAreaPatsFan]

Whew,
I was wondering when Brady would come out and make that kind of statement on the Deon Branch situation. We've heard him pining about how Branch is the most important piece to the offense, and how a deal has to get done, etc, etc. Well I am glad to see that he is starting to turn the page and focus on the players that are there. He need to be in that frame of mind that what he has (Reche and company) is what he got and stop worrying about whether Branch will report. Also sends some real needed luv and confidence to Reche and company. I know Branch is a good friend of his, but the seasons is about to start and he is going to have to distance himself of Deion and focus on the task at hand.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Does anybody else think Willie Andrews can make this team besides me ?

Andrews made the team in Atlanta - good punt returner, adequate kick returner, excellent gunner, and he's raw material for Collier and Pees, and now Daboll. This team just doesn't function as well without its 7th rounders.

 

[mgteich]

What he said!

Seriously, Andrews has made the team as a gunner, and as one of the returners. When we didn't re-sign or sign any returners, it was clear that Andrews was going to make the team. He replaces one of Dwight and Bethel Johnson.

Andrews made the team in Atlanta - good punt returner, adequate kick returner, excellent gunner, and he's raw material for Collier and Pees, and now Daboll. This team just doesn't function as well without its 7th rounders.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Whew,
I was wondering when Brady would come out and make that kind of statement on the Deon Branch situation. We've heard him pining about how Branch is the most important piece to the offense, and how a deal has to get done, etc, etc. Well I am glad to see that he is starting to turn the page and focus on the players that are there. He need to be in that frame of mind that what he has (Reche and company) is what he got and stop worrying about whether Branch will report. Also sends some real needed luv and confidence to Reche and company. I know Branch is a good friend of his, but the seasons is about to start and he is going to have to distance himself of Deion and focus on the task at hand.

:agree:

No more side sessions, no more text messaging. There will come a time when as much as they prefer to support each other when it comes to the business end of the game his holdout begins to impact them adversely. With Buffalo and the JETS on deck the rubber will fully meet the road in week 3 with the rematch against Denver. At that point if you are not for us you're against us. A couple of things will come into play at that point. He will begin to feel more isolated and less loved by his teamates who are increasingly too busy to kvetch with him over perceived injustices because they are hip deep in game plans, and someone else (WR/TE/LB) will be making his receptions. And he will have missed his first $125K in paychecks.

There are a number of guys on this team who are underpaid who are simultaneously busting their butts just to get back on the field with their teamates because they are passionate about playing football and winning.

 

[BelichickFan]

If Chad Jackson can just be ready to help when he's 100%, I'm actually fine with Caldwell, Jackson and Brown. Not thrilled with it but OK given the TE/RB situation. And when little tinketbells Branch wakes up, that will be a really good fourseome.

 

[QuiGon]

If this was a Peyton Manning interview it would go something like this:

Q: Did you say anything to [insert name of appropriate Colts receiver here]after the drop in the game?

PM: Yes. I threw the ball perfectly which made it an easy catch. The ball wasn't tipped or anything and it was a perfect spiral. It was a much easier catch than it looked. If he keeps making those types of plays out there I'm going to tell Coach Dungy to sit him down. When he makes drops like that my completion percentage and TD totals go down.

Heh heh... or I imagine he might say something like "Well... I don't want to be a bad teammate... but we had receiver issues..."

 

[edgecy]

I am one of those on the bandwagon that we're good on receiver issue. I think Reche has surprised a lot of people from his TC, although some are quick to denounce him after one tipped ball in Atlanta. TB is right, focus on what you can change.

Willie Andrews is a good surprise and I know for a fact he's going to make the team. His returns in Atlanta was good, I'd even say he's bold. Haven't really been paying attention to Kelvin Kight so I will take you guys' words for it.

This offense will be unstoppable. :rocker: