Building your own Patriots’ roster depth chart position by position - Week 3 WR

[MalaysiaPatsFan]

Building your own Patriots’ roster depth chart position by position - Week 3 WR

Current Roster: Deion Branch, Troy Brown, Reche Caldwell, Brandon Childress, Erik Davis, Chad Jackson, Bethel Johnson, Michael McGrew, Rich Musinski, Matt Shelton, Zuriel Smith, John Stone, Jakari Wallace
Some FA’s available:

Tell us your rank of the WRs on the Patriots and if (and who) you think the Pats will pick up any FA WRs.

Who is the #2? Who looks good for the slot? My own thoughts will come later. No time today.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Current Roster: Deion Branch, Troy Brown, Reche Caldwell, Brandon Childress, Erik Davis, Chad Jackson, Bethel Johnson, Michael McGrew, Rich Musinski, Matt Shelton, Zuriel Smith, John Stone, Jakari Wallace
Some FA’s available:

Tell us your rank of the WRs on the Patriots and if (and who) you think the Pats will pick up any FA WRs.

Who is the #2? Who looks good for the slot? My own thoughts will come later. No time today.

OK - I'll give it a shot

1. Branch

2*. Caldwell/Jackson/Brown *by committee

By all indications Jackson is the heir apparent for sole possession of #2... but he IS a rookie and nearly ALL rookies need time to adjust to the challenge of the NFL.

I think the common belief is that Jackson will get lots of reps but might not begin the season as the starter... I do feel that he will be the starter before the end of the season

Caldwell is being given every opportunity to live up to his potential - and he does have #2 potential ... his backers have excuse after excuse of why the Bolts gave up on him too soon.. injuries, lack of playing time etc... I hope I'm wrong but until proven otherwise it seems to me we signed San Diego's version of Bethel Johnson.

I include Troy in my #2 by committee category, because even at miles on the tire at PR, DB and WR - he still had 39 catches last year.

Not a career season but still impressive (and how many times in his career has Reche Caldwell had that many catches?)

So #2 winds up being a rotation in my mind... Caldwell gets first crack while Jackson develops, and if he can't get the job done, Troy's the man.

So right there we've got our top 4 WRs who are going to get most of the plays... Brandon Childress would be my #5

The rest can all fight for one (if they're lucky) remaining position

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

OK - I'll give it a shot

1. Branch

2*. Caldwell/Jackson/Brown *by committee

By all indications Jackson is the heir apparent for sole possession of #2... but he IS a rookie and nearly ALL rookies need time to adjust to the challenge of the NFL.

I think the common belief is that Jackson will get lots of reps but might not begin the season as the starter... I do feel that he will be the starter before the end of the season

Caldwell is being given every opportunity to live up to his potential - and he does have #2 potential ... his backers have excuse after excuse of why the Bolts gave up on him too soon.. injuries, lack of playing time etc... I hope I'm wrong but until proven otherwise it seems to me we signed San Diego's version of Bethel Johnson.

I include Troy in my #2 by committee category, because even at miles on the tire at PR, DB and WR - he still had 39 catches last year.

Not a career season but still impressive (and how many times in his career has Reche Caldwell had that many catches?)

So #2 winds up being a rotation in my mind... Caldwell gets first crack while Jackson develops, and if he can't get the job done, Troy's the man.

So right there we've got our top 4 WRs who are going to get most of the plays... Brandon Childress would be my #5

The rest can all fight for one (if they're lucky) remaining position

Reasonable breakdown. Bethel would seem to have the inside track for the 6th slot as a KR, but using Jackson or Hobbs or Childress for KR would let BB carry someone else, like Musinski (who has the potential to be a poor man's David Givens with his improved blocking).

1. Branch
2. Caldwell/Brown
4. Jackson/Childress
6. Musinski

KR: Jackson/Maroney/Hobbs/Childress/maybe Andrews/maybe Mills

McGrew and Stone are jokers in the deck, they've presumably had a chance to work in the off-season program with Tommy and Matt to improve their timing, route recognition, defensive reads, and communications.

 

[patsox23]

Branch

Caldwell (through week 4 or 5)

Jackson (flip flops with Caldwell at wek 4 or 5)

Troy Brown

Bethel Johnson

Bam Childress

 

[Keegs]

#1 Branch
#2 Chad Jameson
#3 Reche
#4 Troy Brown
#5 Bam / Bethel / Who cares

 

[patsox23]

Is there a reason people keep calling him Chad Jameson? It's Jackson, always has been.

 

[MalaysiaPatsFan]

OK - I'll give it a shot

1. Branch

2*. Caldwell/Jackson/Brown *by committee

By all indications Jackson is the heir apparent for sole possession of #2... but he IS a rookie and nearly ALL rookies need time to adjust to the challenge of the NFL.

I think the common belief is that Jackson will get lots of reps but might not begin the season as the starter... I do feel that he will be the starter before the end of the season

Caldwell is being given every opportunity to live up to his potential - and he does have #2 potential ... his backers have excuse after excuse of why the Bolts gave up on him too soon.. injuries, lack of playing time etc... I hope I'm wrong but until proven otherwise it seems to me we signed San Diego's version of Bethel Johnson.

I include Troy in my #2 by committee category, because even at miles on the tire at PR, DB and WR - he still had 39 catches last year.

Not a career season but still impressive (and how many times in his career has Reche Caldwell had that many catches?)

So #2 winds up being a rotation in my mind... Caldwell gets first crack while Jackson develops, and if he can't get the job done, Troy's the man.

So right there we've got our top 4 WRs who are going to get most of the plays... Brandon Childress would be my #5

The rest can all fight for one (if they're lucky) remaining position

I generally agree with this analysis. My only problem with it is that I just don't see enough solid competition for the #2 WR spot. I think it is expecting too much to think that Jackson will earn the #2 WR spot as a rookie. Give him another year or two. Troy can still be a solid #3, but not #2. Hence, the #2 WR by committee makes sense, but I would rather have better competition for the spot in case Caldwell doesn’t work out or the Pats get hit by injuries.

Why don’t the Pats get another FA WR similar to Caldwell? I am not talking about Javon Walker and Eric Moulds. I never expected the Pats to pay big money for either of them. Dez White? Kevin Johnson? I don't know much about them. Are they worth a look? Any others? Even Ricky Proehl might be a decent pickup in case of injuries if he has anything left in the tank. Is it the case that none of the FA WRs available are really that good or the Pats have more confidence in Caldwell than some of us? I am still concerned about depth in case of injuries. We have a lot of WRs on the roster currently, but most of them are battling it out just to get a spot on the roster or even the PS.

I actually expect the TEs and RBs to play a bigger role in the passing game this year (especially the TEs), but that is another story.

 

[patsox23]

Does anyone else think, as I do, that if the Patriots had simply selected Chad Jackson in round one the general consensus here (and in NFL circles) would be that Chad was basically entrenched as the #2?

I realize that most of the time rookie WR's take awhile to develop, but over the years the STAMP of "1ST ROUNDER" implies - perhaps wrongly, but it does - that the player is a starter.

We were fortunate to have Jackson fall out of the first round, then savvy in trading up to get him. But somehow because he's not technically a first rounder - despite 1st round-level talent - it's a bigger question, a bigger IF, that he'll see action early as the starter opposite Branch.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Chad Jackson, or, of course, Gator-Aid.

Day 1:
1. Branch
2. Caldwell
3. Gatoraid/T. Brown
4. Bam
5. (Situational) Bethel Johnson. When down and distance says Bethel should get a chance to break one, you put him in (either to really throw to or as a decoy.) Otherwise he's useless - unless something changes.
6. Everybody else. Personally I like Jakari Wallace making the team just because of his name, which is, to coin a phrase, tight.

By End of Season (realist):
1-4 (order cannot really be determined at present):
Branch/Caldwell/Gatoraid/Brown

End of Season (optimistic):
1. Gatoraid (1000 yards, 8TDs - first TD comes in week 1 or 2. Second comes in week 4 or 5... then everybody goes "hmmm.")
2. Branch (still gets his 800 yards, 5 TDs)
3. Bethel Johnson (collects himself 600-700, 3 or 4 TDs. Learns to run routes. Gives us reason, again, to hope.)
4. Caldwell (I'm going "plateau" for Caldwell, to give some upside-love to Johnson, who everybody wants to work out.)
5. Brown (Who has a great year for where he is in the career - 40 catches, a couple TDs, spot duty as everything from nickel back to placekicker.)

Jakari Wallace, filling in for an injured starter, records 80+ yard reception en route to 150 yard game, week 11. Wallace continues to do well, when starter returns just in time for playoffs. Pats win XLI, which goes without saying. Watson and Grahambo log pro-bowl caliber play, both as receivers and blockers. Everybody accepts lower paycheck than you would think and New England reigns supreme for remainder of 21st century.

The moon turns blood red, and Lions lie down with Rams. The dead walk the earth. New Rookie phenom requests jersey number 666.

PFnV

 

[Boston Tim]

1. Branch
2. Jackson
3. Caldwell
4. Bam Childress
5. Troy Brown
6. Bethel Johnson

Branch is the obvious one.
Jackson has the tools and the right attitude.
Caldwell will contribute, but will probably miss some time due to injury.
Bam makes his move into the top 4 as a quality contributer on 3rd downs.
Brown will retire after this year and will probably spend more time teaching than playing.
I've given up on Bethel. This is probably his last year.

 

[ilduce06410]

on 53-man roster, probably 8

Branch

Caldwell (through week 4 or 5)
Jackson (flip flops with Caldwell at wek 4 or 5)
Troy Brown
Bethel Johnson
Bam Childress

they may dress only 6 for each game, but IMO they'll keep 7 or 8 WRs on the expanded roster. maybe one of those on the practice squad. the inevitable injuries do factor in.
IMO the 8th WR will depend on the # of DBs they carry. one more DB, one less WR. and vice verrsa. in any event, that last player will be a special teams demon.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

Branch-obvious #1
Jackson-will be a favorite target of TB by late in the season because of his hands. He may not "start" but he will have the catches that merrit a #2 wr.
Caldwell-Plenty of talent. He will get the chances early.
Brown-Can count on him for a few big plays but will not come up as a big as often as in the past. I also don't think he will be needed as often either.
Johnson-IF he has a showing as the best kr on the team, he will be kept. If not, he is gone.
Childress-They obviously like his upside. They keep him around for injury insruance.

 

[PatsFan37]

Branch - Jackson - Brown - Caldwell - Childress

Don't see the big deal about putting a rookie WR, if he's the second WR picked overall, in the #2 spot. Not like he's the starting LT or QB. They started Watson, who held out, at the #2 TE spot over Fauria, a pretty good TE who knew the system. Why not start Jackson over Brown and Caldwell?

I don't think it's that complicated at WR #1 and #2. The action is at the remaining spots.

 

[TNPatsFan]

I don't think they usually carry more than 5 on the active roster, do they?

I'd say it's Branch, Jackson, Caldwell, Brown, and either Bethel or someone not currently on the team.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Is Jackson physically mature enough to last an entire season?????

If he goes down, where does that leave the Pats???????

Why is Bethel so immature?????

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Is Jackson physically mature enough to last an entire season?????

If he goes down, where does that leave the Pats???????

Why is Bethel so immature?????

We only hope Bethel is immature, because that implies he'll eventually blossom, but it's starting to look like he just has a permanent work-ethic/"getting it" problem. At least one guy here takes the position I used for my "optimist" POV, that Bethel is ready to "break out." Trouble is there is never any indication that he has ever worked beyond the bare minimum, or that he will ever do so. Of course I am not privy to goings-on at the Razor - maybe he is an obsessive student of the game, rather than the serial sulker he appears to be via the lens of the media. If so, it's just sad that he still cannot run a route other than a long downfield pattern.

By the way, my own post on this thread sucks because I omitted Bam... Mea Culpa.

PFnV

 

[patsfan13]

1. Branch
2. Jackson
3. Caldwell
4. Bam Childress
5. Troy Brown
6. Bethel Johnson

Branch is the obvious one.
Jackson has the tools and the right attitude.
Caldwell will contribute, but will probably miss some time due to injury.
Bam makes his move into the top 4 as a quality contributer on 3rd downs.
Brown will retire after this year and will probably spend more time teaching than playing.
I've given up on Bethel. This is probably his last year.

Thanks Tim your've savd me some typing. IMO the PAts will carry 5 WR ris year rather than 6. Allowing an extra for Mills as a utility FB/TE.

In this scenario Bam Childress will be on the roster rahter than B Johnson. Tough competition for the last roster spots on this roster.

 

[Pats726]

We only hope Bethel is immature, because that implies he'll eventually blossom, but it's starting to look like he just has a permanent work-ethic/"getting it" problem. At least one guy here takes the position I used for my "optimist" POV, that Bethel is ready to "break out." Trouble is there is never any indication that he has ever worked beyond the bare minimum, or that he will ever do so. Of course I am not privy to goings-on at the Razor - maybe he is an obsessive student of the game, rather than the serial sulker he appears to be via the lens of the media. If so, it's just sad that he still cannot run a route other than a long downfield pattern.

By the way, my own post on this thread sucks because I omitted Bam... Mea Culpa.

PFnV

I agree..I am very pessimistic as well..I HOPE he gets it someday..but I really wonder if/when he does it will be here... If he doesn't, then it's rather sad, but what can one do?? Hopefully. there will be a surprise in camp..someone to step it up from the peripheral...

 

[Johnny Z]

I thought Bam Childress looked good in preseason last year.

So:

Z - Branch
X - Childress
Zebra - Jackson
E - Johnson
H - Brown

 

[gomezcat]

We only hope Bethel is immature, because that implies he'll eventually blossom, but it's starting to look like he just has a permanent work-ethic/"getting it" problem. At least one guy here takes the position I used for my "optimist" POV, that Bethel is ready to "break out." Trouble is there is never any indication that he has ever worked beyond the bare minimum, or that he will ever do so. Of course I am not privy to goings-on at the Razor - maybe he is an obsessive student of the game, rather than the serial sulker he appears to be via the lens of the media. If so, it's just sad that he still cannot run a route other than a long downfield pattern.

By the way, my own post on this thread sucks because I omitted Bam... Mea Culpa.

PFnV

I agree with you re: Bethel. He doesn't seem that interested. I'm guessing that he'll be a guy in on multiple receiver sets and kick returns.
My depth chart is like everyone else's: Branch, Caldwell/Jackson, Brown, Childress/ Johnson...