The funny thing about the trade of Lewis is that it involved one team that’s not talented at wide receiver and another team that is talented at wide receiver. Lewis is the right fit for the Patriots because he’s an outside wide receiver who can make plays outside the numbers and will be away from Randy Moss, who will draw all the doubles and rolled coverage. Lewis will be one-on-one on the outside, and this is where his “down the field” speed will be able to create some match-up advantages.
The Jets game in Foxboro, where Ty Law came over and tried to cover Jabar Gaffney one-on –one, was an example of teams rolling the coverage to the other side of the offense and leaving a corner exposed. Gaffney had seven catches for 86 yards and one touchdown in that game. The Jets wanted the ball to go to Gaffney, and they dictated this with their coverage. Wes Welker made his presence felt in the game because of his ability to get open when not doubled in the slot. Slot wide receivers are tough to double when you have a speed player lined up to the outside like Moss. The reason for signing Lewis is that he’ll make a few catches a game but have a huge average per catch. If teams want to roll into Moss, the Patriots need a third wide receiver to make plays and win against man-to-man. Lewis has the speed to get open, but he’ll need to prove he can consistently catch the ball.
My question: How can the Eagles, who lack talent at wide receiver, trade a wide receiver? The answer is, Lewis is not a fit for every team, but his specialized skill fits what the Patriots want for their offense. In addition, Lewis’ inconsistent hands made him expendable in Philadelphia.
