Camp Battle at WR - Kenbrell Thompkins vs Josh Boyce

[Danger Zone]

Not sure it says that, but Rex surely isnt.

Why did New York Jets cut Danny Woodhead? Rex Ryan's ego | NFL.com

Maybe it was Rex's ego as the writer suggests.

 

[goheels22002]

It's not a camp battle to me, both are locks to make the roster imo.

I doubt they'll both make the team. There are five locks: Amendola, LaFell, Dobson, Edelman, and Slater. That leaves one more slot at WR. Camp is a three-way race between Boyce, Thompkins and Gallon. The good news is that there's a lot of speed in that trio.

It would be nice for Slater to become a legitimate 6th receiver who could fill in when one of these guys gets hurt or is able to play but hobbling (Amendola's natural state.) It's unclear to me that he has the hands or route awareness to fill in.

Boyce seems like the best option due to his combination of size (5-11, 210) and speed. He's got the ability to go head-to-head with most corners on the outside, and be an effective blocker in bunch formations or on the edge on running downs. Gallon is a terror, but is so small (5'8, 183) that his role seems redundant with Edelman and Amendola manning the slot. Thompkins is the wild card. He seemed to develop chemistry with Brady in the first half of 2013, and was go-to guy until he got hurt.

 

[SalemPats]

Barring injuries and anything suprising this battle will come down to who is better on STs

 

[Bruins29]

I doubt they'll both make the team. There are five locks: Amendola, LaFell, Dobson, Edelman, and Slater. That leaves one more slot at WR. Camp is a three-way race between Boyce, Thompkins and Gallon. The good news is that there's a lot of speed in that trio.

It would be nice for Slater to become a legitimate 6th receiver who could fill in when one of these guys gets hurt or is able to play but hobbling (Amendola's natural state.) It's unclear to me that he has the hands or route awareness to fill in.

I dont think Lafell is a 100% lock and I think one of them is going on PUP which allows them to keep that extra guy around for a while.

 

[Nunchucks]

Because some receivers get open more than others.
You need to understand what progressions are.
You need to get over the fact that you think you are a better judge of where to throw the ball than Tom Brady, because its comical.
You have to be kidding me with the last comment.

Wow, you think I do not understand progressions?

Brady is throwing to his primary receiver, who is blanketed, sometimes he fits it in, other times he doesn't. Brady would benefit in some cases to go to the next receiver. When you are AT THE GAME YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE FIELD. YOU CAN SEE PRESSURE AND OTHER WRS.

Heck, when you are at the game, you can see the whole defense and what they are doing, playing off, zone or man, etc.....these are things you cannot tell from watching the on TV.

 

[Bruins29]

When you are AT THE GAME YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE FIELD. YOU CAN SEE PRESSURE AND OTHER WRS.

Heck, when you are at the game, you can see the whole defense and what they are doing, playing off, zone or man, etc.....these are things you cannot tell from watching the on TV.

Is it possible that perhaps Brady can't see the whole field like you can up in the stands. Maybe they should cut him?

 

[Nunchucks]

Is it possible that perhaps Brady can't see the whole field like you can up in the stands. Maybe they should cut him?

Yes, I was thinking that Mallet would be a better choice. They should trade Brady for half a sandwich and a bag-of-****s, if they can get that much for him.

 

[Nunchucks]

Is it possible that perhaps Brady can't see the whole field like you can up in the stands. Maybe they should cut him?

The other possibility of course is that he is staying with his primary read too long, hoping he can make a very difficult throw, instead of moving onto the next read because he doesn't "trust" the secondary receiver to be where he should be and to make the catch.

Of course Brady is so accurate, this often works out for him.

 

[supafly]

And yea, we will strongly disagree. KT torched man coverage all year

If you say so, Hael.

Like I said, this is why we have the forum--to hear each other's opinions.

With Boyce being the WR who has clearly stood out in OTAs so far, plus the one who will have special teams contributions, I expect Thompkins to have his work cut out for him. Then again, the health of Dobson (and any other potential injuries) could become a factor that points to KT making the team as well.

I highly doubt that he'd make it if all of the WR corps were healthy, but that's just where I stand.

 

[captain stone]

In other news water is wet. Do you have a point here?

Yeah, my point is that if there's a way out for Dobson, he'll find it.

 

[Brady6]

I dont think Lafell is a 100% lock and I think one of them is going on PUP which allows them to keep that extra guy around for a while.

Amendola is entering his seventh season, Edelman is entering his sixth and they both have less yardage and touchdowns in their careers then LaFell who is entering his fifth season. I cannot see how you could label the other two locks but not LaFell.

Personally, I see Edelman, Dobson, and LaFell as locks and think Amendola, Boyce, Thompkins, and Gallon are competing for 2-3 spots. I see Amendola and Boyce as the most likely to be on the roster of that group.

 

[Bruins29]

Amendola is entering his seventh season, Edelman is entering his sixth and they both have less yardage and touchdowns in their careers then LaFell who is entering his fifth season. I cannot see how you could label the other two locks but not LaFell.

.

Great! Stats! I think Lafell should be here and he is a good player but you know what...this is the patriots. Maybe Lafell dosent get on the same page as Brady. Who knows...but nothing is ever 100% in these FA situations.

 

[Brady6]

If you say so, Hael.

Like I said, this is why we have the forum--to hear each other's opinions.

With Boyce being the WR who has clearly stood out in OTAs so far, plus the one who will have special teams contributions, I expect Thompkins to have his work cut out for him. Then again, the health of Dobson (and any other potential injuries) could become a factor that points to KT making the team as well.

I highly doubt that he'd make it if all of the WR corps were healthy, but that's just where I stand.

Thompkins has had good OTAs as well. The way I see it is we have 6 wide receivers (maybe 7 with Gallon) that could be productive and we have 2 tight ends that are worthy of roster spots. Unless one of the UDFA tight ends proves otherwise I cannot see why we would keep a lesser player just to fill a position quota.

 

[Brady6]

Great! Stats! I think Lafell should be here and he is a good player but you know what...this is the patriots. Maybe Lafell dosent get on the same page as Brady. Who knows...but nothing is ever 100% in these FA situations.

He is one of the best blocking WRs in the NFL, and can play inside or outside, along with some flex TE. I agree nothing is guaranteed but it seems highly unlikely. Amendola and Edelman both have durability concerns, and Dobson, Thompkins, and Boyce all finished their rookie seasons injured so if there is any position that would benefit from an extra body It is wide receiver. I think we keep 7 including Slater, actually unless one goes to PUP I would be shocked if we didn't.

 

[RayClay]

I doubt they'll both make the team. There are five locks: Amendola, LaFell, Dobson, Edelman, and Slater. That leaves one more slot at WR. Camp is a three-way race between Boyce, Thompkins and Gallon. The good news is that there's a lot of speed in that trio.

It would be nice for Slater to become a legitimate 6th receiver who could fill in when one of these guys gets hurt or is able to play but hobbling (Amendola's natural state.) It's unclear to me that he has the hands or route awareness to fill in.

Boyce seems like the best option due to his combination of size (5-11, 210) and speed. He's got the ability to go head-to-head with most corners on the outside, and be an effective blocker in bunch formations or on the edge on running downs. Gallon is a terror, but is so small (5'8, 183) that his role seems redundant with Edelman and Amendola manning the slot. Thompkins is the wild card. He seemed to develop chemistry with Brady in the first half of 2013, and was go-to guy until he got hurt.

Slater...is...not...a...receiver. In six years he has one more catch than I do. He is a special teams all pro. If you're giving six slots, that means Thomkins and Boyce probably both make it.

From Reiss's chat today...

Chat with Mike Reiss | 6/12/2014 | ESPN

"What about Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce stood out to you today?

Mike
(3:28 PM)


Bryan, they caught everything thrown to them. And there were quite a few footballs thrown in their direction, by both Brady and Garoppolo. With Dobson and LaFell not practicing, Thompkins stepped in and ran quite a few routes alongside Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola as more of that outside presence. At one point, Tom Brady connected with him and was so fired after the play that he went up to him and butted his helmet with his own helmet. As for Boyce, I think I counted three touchdown catches for him. He looks to be playing faster, making good reads after the snap, and playing with more confidence. I would caution anyone from getting too excited about a June passing camp practice, but I will admit I had this thought afterwards, "Is this what it could look like when the light goes on in that first-to-second-year jump?"​

 

[captain stone]

My prediction:
Minitron
ToughGlass
LaFell
Boyce
Thompkins
Gallon

Dobson to PUP.

 

[supafly]

And yet somehow, just about everyone counts Slater as a WR, so I'm not sure why we'd stop now? :

2013 opening day roster

Wide receivers (6) – Danny Amendola, Josh Boyce, Aaron Dobson, Julian Edelman, Matthew Slater, Kenbrell Thompkins

New England patriots: Matthew Slater | patriots.com

All of the media counts him as a WR, the patriots.com official homepage counts him as a WR, and most of us will continue doing so for the exercise of trying to determine the 53 man roster.

If you are one of the minority that chooses not to count him as a WR for this exercise, then you could simply take one of the WR positions away, thus making the normal average 5 instead. The same principle is applied with Dobson, Edelman, Amendola, LaFell taking up all but one of the spots.

Of course some assume that we'll be keeping an extra man at the position this year, so that will be something to keep an eye on, and something that would obviously help anyone on the bubble such as Thompkins/Boyce/Gallon.

 

[supafly]

My prediction:
Minitron
ToughGlass
LaFell
Boyce
Thompkins
Gallon

Dobson to PUP.

No doubt that if Dobson is that set back that he can't practice for the entire training camp/preseason, we'd likely be keeping both of Boyce/Thompkins.

Not so sure that we'd be keeping ALL of Thompkins, Boyce, and Gallon though, since one of them would be axed with Slater in the mix and Dobson coming back after his stint on PUP. No way that we'd be keeping EIGHT wide receivers. I suppose that's why these exercises are pointless in the middle of June though, even if we don't have anything better to talk about

The camp battles and injuries that will occur can't be determined at this point in time. We should be hearing much more on Dobson in the next month, possibly even next week during mandatory minicamp.

 

[RayClay]

And yet somehow, just about everyone counts Slater as a WR, so I'm not sure why we'd stop now? :

2013 opening day roster

Wide receivers (6) – Danny Amendola, Josh Boyce, Aaron Dobson, Julian Edelman, Matthew Slater, Kenbrell Thompkins

http://www.patriots.com/team/roster/Matthew-Slater/c78a0338-8e72-4dd1-b220-ef67bf22fb8a

All of the media counts him as a WR, the patriots.com official homepage counts him as a WR, and most of us will continue doing so for the exercise of trying to determine the 53 man roster.

If you are one of the minority that chooses not to count him as a WR for this exercise, then you could simply take one of the WR positions away, thus making the normal average 5 instead. The same principle is applied with Dobson, Edelman, Amendola, LaFell taking up all but one of the spots.

Of course some assume that we'll be keeping an extra man at the position this year, so that will be something to keep an eye on, and something that would obviously help anyone on the bubble such as Thompkins/Boyce/Gallon.

No problem. But, Since I have only one less catch than him in six years full years of my career, I hope you count me as a free agent receiver anytime you're making a list

 

[ripatsfan91]

Would people be shocked if Thompkins beat out LaFell? I could see it happening.. Gallon is PS player his first year too much redundancy with Edelman/DA. An injury could very well decide this competition. Team could also choose to carry an extra receiver and fewer tight ends.

My Early Projection:
Edelman
Amendola
Dobson
Boyce
Thompkins
LaFell
Slater