David Patten

[Brady-To-Branch]

He's got a few decent red zone routes he runs as well... better than some of our other players... I'm sure you remember some of those great catches he made toward the back corner of the endzone after juking his coverage.

A few big plays doesn't make him a good WR. Patten has limitations as a player and it shows in his game-to-game consistency.

The one thing that most of the current WRs on the Pats have that David Patten doesn't is upside. It's the reason Bethel Johnson is still a Patriot. Patten will be 32 when the season starts and he's coming off a terrible season and a knee injury. Why would the Pats want him back? He's at best a #4 WR on most teams and there will be better WRs available over the summer.

 

[JackBauer]

I believe that everyone wrote him off in the 2003- 2004 training camps as well. Like the poster above, I liked his red zone routes & think he could find a place on this team.

See the post above.

 

[SamBamsFan]

See the post above.

I guess we disagree. I think Bethel will be long gone & Patton still playing. I see no one coming free over the summer that would help us as much as David.

 

[JackBauer]

I guess we disagree. I think Bethel will be long gone & Patton still playing. I see no one coming free over the summer that would help us as much as David.

And I'd rather keep Bethel in the slim chance that he's still got an iota of upside. Patten's not going to amount to much here, IMO, especially with the cadre of receivers (not just WR's) that we're got coming in.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

BB's philosophy is not to stand still but to constantly strive to improve each player and each position. While I was a Patten fan and did not like to see him leave (as he should have at the time for financial security) barring a WR injury blitz, I do not think BB would have any interest in Patten in 2006. Patten is old news. To improve the WR position, your later depth WR slots should be filled with young, cap inexpensive players with upside potential. Patten, a middling #2 WR years ago, would cost the better part of $1M and has no upside, only injury recovery downside.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Ok Patten doesn't have upside. I'll grant you that. And my response is so what? BJ has upside but no production. Upside without production doesn't win you football games.

A lot of people act like the Pats can't keep Bethel and Patten. Since Patten would be earning vet min and Bethel is still on his rookie contract, financially it is entirely possible to have both.

If BJ gets cut it will be because he just wasn't good enough to make the team, not because Patten is 'stealing a spot'.

Gotta go with the guys that can contribute. The added plus is that Patten KNOWS this offensive system already.

Anybody remember a little defensive back retread known as Otis Smith? He contributed plenty as the Pats 5th or so DB. Patten can play a similar role as the 5th or so WR. Maybe 4th if he knocks a guy lower on the depth chart.

I don't see a lot of prime receivers on the market right now. You improve the team where you can get it, even if it is just incrementally along the depth chart. What do you do if Caldwell, Branch, or Brown get hurt? Hummm?

I don't think Patten comes in as #2 like previous years, but he can certainly contribute as the 4th or 5th WR.

A few big plays doesn't make him a good WR. Patten has limitations as a player and it shows in his game-to-game consistency.

The one thing that most of the current WRs on the Pats have that David Patten doesn't is upside. It's the reason Bethel Johnson is still a Patriot. Patten will be 32 when the season starts and he's coming off a terrible season and a knee injury. Why would the Pats want him back? He's at best a #4 WR on most teams and there will be better WRs available over the summer.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

A few big plays doesn't make him a good WR. Patten has limitations as a player and it shows in his game-to-game consistency.

The one thing that most of the current WRs on the Pats have that David Patten doesn't is upside. It's the reason Bethel Johnson is still a Patriot. Patten will be 32 when the season starts and he's coming off a terrible season and a knee injury. Why would the Pats want him back? He's at best a #4 WR on most teams and there will be better WRs available over the summer.

His play here over the years proved that he was a good WR (Not great, but good. A solid #3 or #4 WR IMO)

Johnson has upside, but then again, so does Bam Childress. How much upside does a guy like Troy Brown have? The point is that a veteran player (aka known quantity) can still help your team... sometimes more than a guy like Johnson who seems to be an underacheiver.

Why would the Pats want him back?

He would probably play for cheap since he didn't live up to the Redskins contract that caused him to leave.

He knows the system already. He is a solid backup for a postion where we have one great player (Branch), a couple of unknown quantities with promiss (Jackson and Caldewell), one solid vet backup (Brown), and pretty much a bunch of question marks (Johnson and Childress being at the top of that list).

It never hurts to add another solid player that can possibly increase competition even if they don't make the team... give the guy a chance, maybe he will suprise us as he did when everybody wrote him off last time.

I would never advise throwing big money at him or expect him to be our #2 WR.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

His play here over the years proved that he was a good WR (Not great, but good. A solid #3 or #4 WR IMO)

"Good" WRs are #1s or #2s in my book, not #3s & #4s. Good WRs are also consistent and durable. The game logs show that wasn't the case with Patten.

Johnson has upside, but then again, so does Bam Childress. How much upside does a guy like Troy Brown have?

I choose my words carefully. I said most not all WRs on the Pats TC roster. Besides, Brown has been a far more established player than Patten.

The point is that a veteran player (aka known quantity) can still help your team... sometimes more than a guy like Johnson who seems to be an underacheiver.

The point is that Patten is a known quality. That's why the Pats never offered him a contract before he went to the Redskins. As for Bethel, it won't hurt the team to keep him through TC. At best, Bethel finally breaks out and becomes the player the team hoped he'd be. At worst, Bethel gets cut. Again the key word is upside and Patten has none. Personally, I don't think the Pats would keep Brown around if not for his acheivements, on and off the field.

Why would the Pats want him back?

He would probably play for cheap since he didn't live up to the Redskins contract that caused him to leave.

There's a point where cheap isn't enough. If the Pats don't think a player brings much to the table, as they probably do with Patten, then they won't have any interest. Moreover, Patten doesn't play on special teams. Bethel and Childress do.

He knows the system already. He is a solid backup for a postion where we have one great player (Branch), a couple of unknown quantities with promiss (Jackson and Caldewell), one solid vet backup (Brown), and pretty much a bunch of question marks (Johnson and Childress being at the top of that list).

Patten's best year with the Pats was arguably 2001, his first year with the team. He was an unknown quality then and he was only 27.

It never hurts to add another solid player that can possibly increase competition even if they don't make the team... give the guy a chance, maybe he will suprise us as he did when everybody wrote him off last time. I would never advise throwing big money at him or expect him to be our #2 WR.

Patten is 32 coming off a knee injury. He might not have anything left. However, I think you do have a good point. Bringing in a veteran like Patten might cause a stir. That is, if BB feels the WRs are slacking.

FWIW, I liked him too. It's just discouraging if the Pats are thinking of bringing him back. If Patten did return and even makes the team, that means Caldwell, Chad, and Bethel aren't stepping up. It would be a bad sign to say the least.

 

[flutie2phelan]

LOL, it's been over a year since he's left the Pats and we're still making "there's no way Patten DOESN'T get cut" posts. I love it.

Exactly!

Just finsihed reading the latest Klecko thread ... and was amused at the post saying he's sure good for this site
because of all the threads he generates.

And now, our reigning world champeen thread igniter - David !

 

[IcyPatriot]

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