Is Caldwell done?

[Lampshade]

Nope. Stallworth is the only receiver I expect to see ahead of Caldwell on the depth chart.

Two horrible drops against Indy aside, he in no way fizzled out as the season went on.

62 catches, 796 yards, and 5 TDs in his last 13 games is not fizzling out.

 

[pats1]

At some point (I don't know when) he will be due a $300K bonus. I would expect the Pats to make a decision at that point.

Depending on the timing of the bonus, we may have to make a decision before he gets the chance to compete.

$300,000 is NOTHING.

It's .2 percent of the Pats' salary cap.

They're not going to cut a player who had 67 catches because he will decrease their cap space by .2%.

In fact, Caldwell has likely already received that bonus.

 

[ClevTrev]

Far too early to be making any assertions.

There's a looongggg way to go before the season starts. If everyone is healthy and there's no room for additional WRs in special teams roles, a WR could be traded for value - espcecially one with a contract like Caldwell.

But BB wanted depth at WR - something he didn't have last year - as well as a deep threat. He's got it now and isn't going to give it up in March.

Besides, Washington is very much all about size (6' 3") and potential - but not proven performance. Caldwell has a leg up on him in that area.

Well said, and you saved me some words!

Anything can happen between now and the season. Just like the team learned in stocking its roster with DBs, you can never have enough at one position. The most important thing is the team now has a happy QB. With a happy QB, you'll have a happy, effective offense.

 

[PATSNUTme]

 

[solman]

$1,000,000 is a healthy signing bonus?

That's less than 1% of the cap.

Yes it is. Smart FOs dont go around paying $1M bonuses to players who might not even make the team, and Belioli is one very smart front office.

 

[pats1]

Yes it is. Smart FOs dont go around paying $1M bonuses to players who might not even make the team, and Belioli is one very smart front office.

A player with about as much career production as Deion Branch is just a bit more likely to make the team than a David Terrell or Eric Warfield.

 

[BradyManny]

This Caldwell doubting really is a head scratcher. I just don't get where it is coming from.

 

[Clonamery]

This Caldwell doubting really is a head scratcher. I just don't get where it is coming from.

Borges has some free time on his hands.............

 

[Kdo5]

Folks here seem to be assuming that Caldwell and Gaffney will make the team, but with all the receiving talent that we have brought in that seems increasingly unlikely.

Caldwell will cost us nearly $1.9M in 2007. Its nice that Tom Brady is already familiar with him, but I don't think he has the talent to justify that kind of cap hit. Especially not as a fourth string receiver or worse.

I think that BB may be planning to drop Caldwell like a Tom Brady AFC Championship game pass.

Caldwell had more receptions than anyone on our team last year. A poor recieving corps but none the less he showed great improvement throughout the season. We problably wouldnt have been in the AFC Title game if Caldwell hadnt come through with a great fake and long catch. He really screwed up with those drops in the title game .

But I really am sick of the Caldwell bashing. There is no proof what so ever that Gaffney is any better than Caldwell aside from two great postseason games. Gaffney did nothing to note in his regular season games.

Also Caldwell as #4 reciever at best is the type of stuff that pisses me off. He is perfectly OK as a #2 reciever for us.

They may turn out great but all of a sudden when Stallworth walks in the door the majority of the people here declare him as our #1 reciever. I'll wait until the season is underway to see if Stallworth is really deserving of being #1 in the depth chart. His past seasons mean nothing.

Plus Reche was easily Brady's favorite target last year.

 

[solman]

Solman, your posts are very entertaining. Every time I read one, recently, I find my eyes bugging out while I'm saying "What???!!!???"

Caldwell is NOT done. Unless CJ comes on like gangbusters, none of our WR core is done. We need these guys, and I can explain why in one word: Hamstring.

You're being extraordinarily quick to make judgments. I just don't see the logic in this one.

We've got Stallworth, Welker and Washington. We need to get CJ playing time to see if he can achieve his potential or not. Gaffney is roughly as talented as Caldwell, and he costs 1/3 as much.

Caldwell would be paid $1.9M to be a 4th, 5th or 6th receiver. Cutting him after the last training camp before his bonus is due (whenever that is) seems like a smart move.

Maybe I don't understand your argument. Do you believe that Caldwell is a bigger talent that Stallworth, Welker or Washington?

 

[Kdo5]

We've got Stallworth, Welker and Washington. We need to get CJ playing time to see if he can achieve his potential or not. Gaffney is roughly as talented as Caldwell, and he costs 1/3 as much.

Caldwell would be paid $1.9M to be a 4th, 5th or 6th receiver. Cutting him after the last training camp before his bonus is due (whenever that is) seems like a smart move.

Maybe I don't understand your argument. Do you believe that Caldwell is a bigger talent that Stallworth, Welker or Washington?

Are you out of your mind? He is NOT a a fourth, fifth or sixth reciever. He has plenty of talent to be a #2 or #3. He was productive as a starter last year.

I dont know, perhaps you'd just like to stick Brady's favorite target at the very bottom of the depth chart or even worse, cut him?

And you think Washington is more talented or better than Reche???! You are frigging crazy man.

 

[primetime]

I expect Caldwell to be a #2 receiver in the David Givens mold, while Stallworth is #1, and Welker plays the Troy Brown #3 Mr. Reliable. Jabar Gaffney and Kelley Washington round out the group, while CJ is on PUP... or the team carries 6 WRs, which is certainly a possibility.

 

[FulhamPatriot]

Maybe I don't understand your argument. Do you believe that Caldwell is a bigger talent that Stallworth, Welker or Washington?

Seriously - what has Kelley Washington ever done to show that he's a bigger talent than Reche?

 

[mikiemo83]

I liked Gaffney while he was in Houston and appreciate what Caldwell did - neither is going to be cut, the Pats are covering their arse in case Mr. Jackson's injury is more severe than originally thought.

My issue is that Washington has 2 tackles on special teams - not enough for a no. 4 WR in the Pats system, and neither of Caldwell or Gaffney are much better

 

[bradmahn]

We've got Stallworth, Welker and Washington. We need to get CJ playing time to see if he can achieve his potential or not. Gaffney is roughly as talented as Caldwell, and he costs 1/3 as much.

Caldwell would be paid $1.9M to be a 4th, 5th or 6th receiver. Cutting him after the last training camp before his bonus is due (whenever that is) seems like a smart move.

Maybe I don't understand your argument. Do you believe that Caldwell is a bigger talent that Stallworth, Welker or Washington?

I don't know exactly who you are speaking to, but I think Caldwell is more polished, successful and proven than Washington. Can play on the outside and be effective, something Welker hasn't proven. And is already a full season and offseason conditioning program into his tenure with the Pats. Caldwell put up his really good numbers last season without having the benefit of another threat opposite him. If he plays with Welker and Stallworth he will only have more opportunities to make plays. Gaffney had two good games, let's all put the anointing oils away. I don't give a **** about ranking our receivers, or giving them numbers, but my money is on Stallworth, Caldwell and Welker to be the three primary starters in the pats 3 receiver sets.

 

[Keegs]

Wow, the ignorance on this board pertaining to certain players is getting crazy. The (Let's lynch Caldwell crowd) is in full force like a blood thirsty mob.

If what Caldwell did last yr. was something most NFL receivers could do, then why was he the only dependable one we had. Why couldnt we find anyone else? If Caldwell shows up to camp with the attitude that he is competing for a spot on this roster, and continues to build on last yr. Then he will make this team.

You're all just jealous of those BIG beautiful eyes of his, arent you?

The "ignorance" is getting "crazy"? huh? looks like you put a little too much effort into that one. Take it down a notch.

Caldwell did nothing special last year.
Not one damn thing.

he had a nice catch in San Diego. A catch that most receivers could have made. He had the numbers that he had b/c there was no one else.

When we needed him the most he let us down.

It's very simple.

He cannot be trusted.

 

[solman]

Are you out of your mind? He is NOT a a fourth, fifth or sixth reciever. He has plenty of talent to be a #2 or #3. He was productive as a starter last year.

I dont know, perhaps you'd just like to stick Brady's favorite target at the very bottom of the depth chart or even worse, cut him?

And you think Washington is more talented or better than Reche???! You are frigging crazy man.

Clearly I have a much lower opinion of Caldwell's ability than most of the other folks here. I think that the only reason why he got the 2007 numbers that he did is that Brady didn't have any better options. Now he has several.

We may never again see a playoff caliber team with as good a QB as Brady have as poor a set of receivers as he did in the 2006 season.

Since I'm having so much fun, does anybody here want to take even money action at $25 or $50 that Caldwell is not on the 53 man roster at the time the Patriots play their first game of the 2007 season?

 

[Dagg]

Caldwell benefitted from the Tom has to throw it to someone year. IMO another reciever making those catches does more, IE more YAC. 700yds could have been 900. He just doesnt give you much after making the catch.

 

[BradyManny]

Since I'm having so much fun, does anybody here want to take even money action at $25 or $50 that Caldwell is not on the 53 man roster at the time the Patriots play their first game of the 2007 season?

Caldwell will be on the field for the first offensive play of the 2007 season.

 

[upstater1]

1.X is a big cap hit?

I don't think so.

It won't be very long before 1 million is the veteran minimum.