LaFell is a huge loss; Pats front office makes rare mistake

[Soul_Survivor88]

If LaFell, Gibson and Tyms were all 100% healthy Wayne would have never stepped foot in Foxboro. Yet apparently according to some in this thread BB was supposed to foresee the future and know Gibson and Tyms would be put on IR and LaFell would go on PUP to start the season and draft Tyler Lockett or Sammie Coates, both who have shown just as much as Chris Harper has in the nfl.

Before game 3 in the preseason, Tyms got injured and LaFell had long been out of the picture. That's why I'm a little aggravated they chose to let Gibson play in the middle of the fourth quarter. He was trending towards becoming the no. 4 receiver. It was too risky too leave him in the game at that point.

 

[JMC00]

Did they cut Scott Chandler?

No, they haven't cut the 6' 7" TE that split out wide and caught a TD pass in the preseason.

 

[Deflatemyballs]

This is not a bad thread despite what people say. A zillion good WRs have come out the last 2 years. Many of us who follow the draft were begging the Patriots to prioritize the position.

Jordan Richards may be that rare safety so hard to find.

But if you look at those draft threads, I promise you there are a lot of people who badly wanted guys like Tyler Lockett or Sammie Coates who went in the 3rd round.

I'd love to have either of them right now over Richards.

Sammie Coates can't even beat out Hayward-bey right now and anybody could pick up the steelers offense. Haven't been following Lockett at all to tell you the truth but I really doubt he would have been able to pick up this offense. The only rookie wr who is no doubt the real deal right now is cooper and he was a top ten pick

 

[eom]

@Ice_Ice_Brady I don't think your thread post deserves to be flagged with so many disagree ratings. It was a valid critique of a WR depth issue that concerns all of us.

I happen to agree with your view on the Reggie Wayne fiasco. The signing of Wayne shows how desperate Belichick was to add to the depth chart.

After the Pats failed to sign free agents Percy Harvin and Stevie Johnson in March, they didn't really have much of a back up plan in terms of FA signings. And they didn't bother getting a WR in this year's draft either. Their most promising free agent signing, Brandon Gibson, suffered a season-ending injury in the fourth quarter of a preseason game that quite frankly, he shouldn't have been in.

So now, with just one week to go before the season begins, we're in a somewhat precarious position.

But I trust the coaches to figure out what the team needs. They've managed to overcome far far worse (remember 2013?)



I'm glad someone pointed out this. We didn't draft one single WR this year, despite the many standouts.

Not saying it was a bad move....but it might've given us an additional option to work with.

stop

 

[eom]

Two consecutive years of drafts deep in the WR position, and Bill chooses a grand total of…Tiny Gallon.

Un-feckin-believable.

And the OP is correct: LaFell's loss is huge. Safeties will be able to clog the field and leave precious little room for Gronk, Edelman & Amendola to operate.

stop

 

[eom]

This is not a bad thread despite what people say. A zillion good WRs have come out the last 2 years. Many of us who follow the draft were begging the Patriots to prioritize the position.

Jordan Richards may be that rare safety so hard to find.

But if you look at those draft threads, I promise you there are a lot of people who badly wanted guys like Tyler Lockett or Sammie Coates who went in the 3rd round.

I'd love to have either of them right now over Richards.

stop

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I would prefer if he were playing but LaFell is not so good that this offense is in dire straits without him.

It sometimes appears the Patriots are specifically built on a foundation of as few 'in dire straits without him' players as possible.
I think your description is spot on. Stats and proven production say we are factually better with BL in the line up. Stats also say the probable mean loss of production is not so large to suggest it will cause a major shift in W-L probability.

If we stay relatively healthy BL's loss is close to palatable. However, we all know that lost games due to injury will accumulate to a ??? degree. By losing BL right out of the gate, for an extended period of time, is concerning from the standpoint of (what I will call) the "??? degree" margin of error.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

So..... shut down the forum until week 6, then?

If the Patriots get blown out of the water next Thursday, for the good of the patsfan community's mental health a 6 week shutdown just may be needed

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

stop

If you want me to stop eom, it's gonna take more than that

 

[supafly]

Before game 3 in the preseason, Tyms got injured and LaFell had long been out of the picture. That's why I'm a little aggravated they chose to let Gibson play in the middle of the fourth quarter. He was trending towards becoming the no. 4 receiver. It was to risky too leave him in the game at that point.

As much as I can respect your position and believe that it has merit, I think this is just a case where hindsight is 20/20.

At that particular moment, Gibson would've likely been on the team, but it was hardly a situation where it was such a sure thing that he shouldn't have been playing in the 4th quarter, especially with the possibility of the needed chemistry with JG.

I agree with your position that some are coming down too hard on the OP, although that may have something to do with the way that he worded his position.

 

[supafly]

Sammie Coates can't even beat out Hayward-bey right now and anybody could pick up the steelers offense. Haven't been following Lockett at all to tell you the truth but I really doubt he would have been able to pick up this offense. The only rookie wr who is no doubt the real deal right now is cooper and he was a top ten pick

Yeah, I'm not sure that this past year was the best example for him to choose in terms of WRs.

Overall, I do agree with his point that the position should've been addressed a bit more, although it's virtually impossible to try and project how any other WR would do in this system and in this environment.

Who knows? Maybe Chris Harper or Aaron Dobson can show some progress and impress.

 

[fnordcircle]

Come on, that is a straw man. The Patriots were lucky last year that LaFell stayed healthy, too.

Any team that doesn't have 5 pro bowl WRs is run by a **** GM, I agree.

 

[Joker]

Maybe Goodell can suspend Pats fans for imitating a copyrighted chicken...

 

[eom]

Yeah, I'm not sure that this past year was the best example for him to choose in terms of WRs.

Overall, I do agree with his point that the position should've been addressed a bit more, although it's virtually impossible to try and project how any other WR would do in this system and in this environment.

Who knows? Maybe Chris Harper or Aaron Dobson can show some progress and impress.

yeah, what we really needed was a rookie receiver to get us over the hump like that other guy.....hang on,I'm blanking on the name.....that rookie receiver who came in and blew up....ummmm...remember him --- he had that big catch, or something...?

 

[eom]

meanwhile, jets went out and scooped brandon marshall right out from under our noses.
buffalo drafted watkins.
I'm sure miami did something

we are losing the arms race!!

 

[supafly]

yeah, what we really needed was a rookie receiver to get us over the hump like that other guy.....hang on,I'm blanking on the name.....that rookie receiver who came in and blew up....ummmm...remember him --- he had that big catch, or something...?

I don't know that UDFA Kenbrell Thompkins is your best example in this case, since they really didn't commit anything in terms of draft resources to bringing him in. As I mentioned, 2nd rounder Dobson is still a possibility.

Either way, there's nothing wrong with anyone suggesting that additional resources may have been used at the position. I think a lot of people can get on board with that thought. It doesn't do any good whining or trying to project how another WR would've done, but you can't blame someone for having the opinion that they'd have liked to see another pick or two taken at WR.

 

[Gumby]

Robert, you should've heard Josh McDaniels yesterday in his press conference. When asked about how the coaches felt about Dobson coming into this year, he didn't exactly give a ringing endorsement

Q: Do you think Aaron Dobson has done enough in the preseason to secure a spot on the roster?

JM: I think our receiver position, it's a competitive situation. I think we had a lot of guys that had opportunities and came in and did some good things with them. Certainly, he's a guy who made some plays for us and went out and tried to do the best he could with his chances. I think ultimately those decisions are going to be made here in the next few days, and Coach [Bill Belichick] will make those final choices as to who will and won't be on the roster.

I think the coaches are gonna do what they can to get the most out of Dobson this season, but it doesn't sound as though they are thrilled about his reliability and effectiveness. I doubt they will lean too heavily on him.

I'm not sure how much that is an indicator of McDaniel's feelings about Dobson; it appears to me a much better indicator that McDaniels has graduated with a masters cert from the BB School of Public Affairs.

 

[eom]

I don't know that UDFA Kenbrell Thompkins is your best example in this case, since they really didn't commit anything in terms of draft resources to bringing him in. As I mentioned, 2nd rounder Dobson is still a possibility.

Either way, there's nothing wrong with anyone suggesting that additional resources may have been used at the position. I think a lot of people can get on board with that thought. It doesn't do any good whining or trying to project how another WR would've done, but you can't blame someone for having the opinion that they'd have liked to see another pick or two taken at WR.

yes I can

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

As much as I can respect your position and believe that it has merit, I think this is just a case where hindsight is 20/20.

And that's exactly why I try to avoid second-guessing the coaches. My only point was that Gibson was likely to make the team. When the WR position starts to thin out, you should try to preserve a player like that and not expose him to that kinda risk.

It's the 4th quarter of a preseason game. Hell, let the rookies play it out. Throw the ball to someone like Zach D'Orazio for all I care! lol

I'm not sure how much that is an indicator of McDaniel's feelings about Dobson; it appears to me a much better indicator that McDaniels has graduated with a masters cert from the BB School of Public Affairs.

lol, I wouldn't doubt that. But there's a little hint of uncertainty when you listen to the audio.

 

[Joker]

off topic for a sec but Fnord's avatar just hit me....I mean...YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!