Jahmyr Gibbs - slot RB?

[stinkypete]

So Zay Flowers to the Patriots is emerging as the prevailing mock draft wisdom. I agree with the masses that Flowers looks like the best WR in this draft, the best fit for this team. He is the only WR I really like with any pick higher than a 3rd. Problem is, I don't see Flowers lasting to pick 14. I think Houston takes him at 12, or a team like Green Bay or the Chargers move up to take him ahead of the Patriots.

Enter the recent rumors that the Patriots are eyeing a blue chip RB. The idea seems like a roster redundancy and poor value at first, but what if that RB can replicate the work of a slot WR? Gibbs led Alabama in receptions in 2022. He is the same height as Flowers, 20 pounds heavier, ran a faster 40, has a virtually identical 10 meter split. Scouting reports cite his route running, ability to fake out defenders to opern up lanes, soft hands, short-area explosiveness, ability to make yards in tight windows, His pro comps have been Austin Eckeler, Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Charles.

We have a need to a quick twitch slot and a recieving back, why not get both in the same player?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I remember Lance Zierlein asking if they could just give CMC to the Pats, because he was a perfect fit for the offense. . . .

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I know Saban loves Gibbs and recruited him hard and never stopped trying until he got him. Saban doesn't gush over most players but he loved Gibbs. I'm on board late 1stor early 2nd if our intentions are rec > running bc hes not near close the best back running between the tackles. Still though you could put him on the field with Rham and just torture defenders. Moving 2nd level defenders around like a video game.

I'm just a little perplexed with Rham, Strong, Robinson and Harris in the mix. Definitely see the need for a true rec back but it's tough when you look at other positions like Edge, WR and Tackle. Where we have almost no one signed after this year.

 

[stinkypete]

I know Saban loves Gibbs and recruited him hard and never stopped trying until he got him. Saban doesn't gush over most players but he loved Gibbs. I'm on board late 1stor early 2nd if our intentions are rec > running bc hes not near close the best back running between the tackles. Still though you could put him on the field with Rham and just torture defenders. Moving 2nd level defenders around like a video game.

I'm just a little perplexed with Rham, Strong, Robinson and Harris in the mix. Definitely see the need for a true rec back but it's tough when you look at other positions like Edge, WR and Tackle. Where we have almost no one signed after this year.

I agree that it would cause an absolute clustercuss at the position on paper, though I don't assume that Strong or Harris are any kind of guarantee to make the roster. They showed flashes in very limited action, but who knows.

IMO, we almost have enough talent and depth to contend with an average QB, but there are three specific, unfilled roles that are necessary for the offense to function at full potential - a true blocking TE, a middle of the field guy with the quickness to get open in a short time frame, and a home run threat. Adding another WR or TE will only improve the offense if that player fills one of the missing roles, otherwise, the player is a redundancy. For example, keeping Meyers and adding JuJu would not improve the roster, because both players fill the same role. Similarly, trading for Allen Robinson would not help because Parker fits the same role (and because Robinson is washed).

Gibbs, in theory, fits the athletic profile to fill two of the three roles (quick mid field pass catcher and home run threat). The philosophical question in play is whether the defined position matters if the player carries the same skillset to carry out a role with comparable effectiveness. In theory, I prefer a player with a RB build to fill a Welker/Edelman role over one of the field of 170 pound guys in this draft class, provided the pass catching and route running skillset is comparable. I also see potential for exploitation of value. A "RB" has less "value" than a "WR", even if their

In 2010 - 2011 we ran a top 3 offense with essentially two WRs in the skill rotation. Granted, we had the GOAT TE and an all pro slot WR, but I think a skill position group of, say, Rham, Gibbs, JuJu, Gisecki and Bourne would be very hard to gameplan around.

 

[PatsFan2]

I agree that it would cause an absolute clustercuss at the position on paper, though I don't assume that Strong or Harris are any kind of guarantee to make the roster. They showed flashes in very limited action, but who knows.

IMO, we almost have enough talent and depth to contend with an average QB, but there are three specific, unfilled roles that are necessary for the offense to function at full potential - a true blocking TE, a middle of the field guy with the quickness to get open in a short time frame, and a home run threat. Adding another WR or TE will only improve the offense if that player fills one of the missing roles, otherwise, the player is a redundancy. For example, keeping Meyers and adding JuJu would not improve the roster, because both players fill the same role. Similarly, trading for Allen Robinson would not help because Parker fits the same role (and because Robinson is washed).

Gibbs, in theory, fits the athletic profile to fill two of the three roles (quick mid field pass catcher and home run threat). The philosophical question in play is whether the defined position matters if the player carries the same skillset to carry out a role with comparable effectiveness. In theory, I prefer a player with a RB build to fill a Welker/Edelman role over one of the field of 170 pound guys in this draft class, provided the pass catching and route running skillset is comparable. I also see potential for exploitation of value. A "RB" has less "value" than a "WR", even if their

In 2010 - 2011 we ran a top 3 offense with essentially two WRs in the skill rotation. Granted, we had the GOAT TE and an all pro slot WR, but I think a skill position group of, say, Rham, Gibbs, JuJu, Gisecki and Bourne would be very hard to gameplan around.

Based on history most of our Second Year RB's make the Year 2 jump I think RB is going be a very strong position for us come TC. Kevin Harris reminds me a little bit of Rham I think Harris' pass catching ability is much better than regarded. Regarding P Strong he has game breaking speed that should be on display in year 2.

 

[scott99]

Gibbs is the perfect James White replacement. He has GREAT hands as a receiving back. And he’s a phenomenal running back as well. I would not be shocked if he winds up as a Patriot. Obviously O’Brien loves him and would find a way to use him. He’s just an explosive weapon. I would say, as a running back, he would offer more in the running game than even White did (who was pretty good). So he would be someone who would be unpredictable in the offense, he’s not just a receiving threat, so opponents defense’s wouldn’t know if it’s a run play or a pass play.

That being said, they would probably have to trade down from 14 to gain another 2nd round pick to move up to grab Gibbs.

 

[scott99]

Based on history most of our Second Year RB's make the Year 2 jump I think RB is going be a very strong position for us come TC. Kevin Harris reminds me a little bit of Rham I think Harris' pass catching ability is much better than regarded. Regarding P Strong he has game breaking speed that should be on display in year 2.

Agreed. In the small snippets we saw them, and I mean SMALL, they both showed promise and each scored a TD. I would not be surprised to see Strong make a big jump in both the running game and passing game. Strong only had 10 carries, but averaged 10 yards a carry. I liked Harris as well, just not as much as Strong.

If they truly are infatuated with a RB in this draft (the rumor was Bijan Robinson), one of the backs from last year will probably get cut.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Seems similar to Kamara

 

[Gator Mike]

Speaking of versatile, dynamic, play-making RBs that the Patriots might be infatuated with, this is from Peter King's latest column...

That brings me to Robinson, the talented Texas back. He’s a great runner, first. But watch this clip (this link is set to begin right at 3:00, on the exact play I want you to see) of a deep route run out of the slot by Robinson to see his versatility and hands—and to see why his college coach, Steve Sarkisian, thinks Robinson could be a full-time receiver if that’s how a team wanted to use him.



My point: If you only had Robinson for five years—four years plus exercising the fifth-year option as a first-round pick—and he played behind the kind of offensive line in, say, Philadelphia, are you telling me he wouldn’t be worth the pick? Not to fixate on Philly, but two of the last four top picks (Jalen Reagor, Andre Dillard) didn’t work out anyway. The average first-contract cap number for Robinson in Philadelphia would be $5.5 million. But let’s not stick to Philly. Go to mid-round, and pick 18, where Detroit would certainly be in contention to draft Robinson. His cap number in the first four years as the 18th pick: $2.8 million, $3.5 million, $4.2 million, $4.8 million … between 1 and 3 percent of your cap each year.

I asked Sarkisian if he thought Robinson was an exception to the rule about taking running backs high in the draft. “I definitely think he is,” he said. “Bijan is not your typical first- or second-down back. He’s not your typical third-down back. He is an every-down back who can run between the tackles, can make people miss on the perimeter, is extremely difficult to get on the ground in space, and can run routes like receivers. He can catch the ball like a receiver. I think the game of the NFL is really fit for his skill set, maybe to some degree a little better than college quite frankly.”