Meet Tim Wright

[mayoclinic]

It's always fun being a Patriots fan seeing things move around from the efficient passing to the Moss years to the 2 TE years and now to a zillion receiving options with the WR, Gronk and Vereen. With a creative OC we could set a record for personnel groupings (combined with where on the field the personnel is) this year. I know I wouldn't want to tro keep up especially with several of them being able to play multiple WR positions.

I think we can assume that Gronk and Edelman will be on the field most of the time they are available. That leaves 7-8 guys crowding for reps at the remaining 3 offensive skill positions, with a ton of different personnel groupings. Power sets, spread sets, 2 TE sets, 2 RB sets, bigger receivers, quicker receivers, you name it. This could be a fun offense to watch.

 

[VrabelJr]

What I like also, is Brady seems so much more comfortable with the 2nd year guys than he was last year, besides the usual Brady/Edelman comfort level, he seems to be on the same page with Thompkins, Amendola and the new guy Lafell. Brady seems like the Brady we know, not the guy who struggled to out up points last year.

The only second year player Brady has been throwing the ball to is Thompkins. Dobson has been injured and I don't think Boyce isn't even reading the same book as Brady at this point, let alone being on the same page as him.

 

[BelichickFan]

The only second year player Brady has been throwing the ball to is Thompkins. Dobson has been injured and I don't think Boyce isn't even reading the same book as Brady at this point, let alone being on the same page as him.

I don't think it will be long until Dobson is playing a lot. He and Brady didn't seem to have a lot of communication issues as the season progressed, Dobson seemed close to breaking out right before he got hurt. It might be rough very early on but I expect Dobson to be just fine in short order (assuming he stays healthy).

 

[mayoclinic]

Shaun O'Hara plays up the red zone efficiency effect of having "twin towers" on offense:

Shaun O'Hara: Patriots have 'twin towers' with addition of Tim Wright - Patriots.com

 

[TruthSeeker]

The only second year player Brady has been throwing the ball to is Thompkins. Dobson has been injured and I don't think Boyce isn't even reading the same book as Brady at this point, let alone being on the same page as him.

Actually, I mentioned Amendola as a 2nd year guy, since this is his 2nd year in this offense. Brady seems more in sync with him than last year, as well as Thompkins. Hopefully he's been throwing to Dobson in practice.

 

[Mack Herron]

In case it hasn't been mentioned, for now at least, Wright is bringing #81 back to the Patriots . . .

Harkening back to Russ Francis, no doubt.

 

[BelichickFan]

For the few who over reacted to Lovie's comments about Wright and thought he might be released :

Tom E. Curran ‏@tomecurran9 mins
Asked source if Tim Wright was in danger of being released had he not been dealt..."No chance he was going to be cut."

 

[Rob0729]

For the few who over reacted to Lovie's comments about Wright and thought he might be released :

Tom E. Curran ‏@tomecurran9 mins
Asked source if Tim Wright was in danger of being released had he not been dealt..."No chance he was going to be cut."

I said in the other thread it would be stupid to cut a second year player who second on the team in receptions, yards, and TDs as a rookie. I never bought the Wright was going to be cut BS.

 

[brownj12]

Tim Wright 2013 Highlights:

I think the biggest thing he brings that has been missing since Hernandez left is his ability to burn a LB in coverage. With the 2 TE sets with Hernandez, there was always talk about the fact that the defense had to keep a smaller package in to have some one who can cover Hernandez. That hasn't been necessary since for any of the other TEs not named Gronk.

I just wish he could have been in camp all summer, the sooner Brady gets comfortable with him the better.

 

[patchick]

Tom E. Curran ‏@tomecurran9 mins
Asked source if Tim Wright was in danger of being released had he not been dealt..."No chance he was going to be cut."

OK...so the latest on Wright is that he's been playing at 235 lbs, not 220, had long since climbed out of Lovie's doghouse after one bad day of practice, and was firmly in the team's plans for the year. (As Rob 0729 said, I could hardly imagine TB waiving a guy who was so productive as a rookie, given the shallowness of their receiver corps.)

In sum, the Pats now have a promising young h-back on a cheap multiyear deal. And posters who just recently were excoriating the team for not drafting prime head case Colt Lyerla or signing the corpse of Owen Daniels seem to care not a whit about Wright, because he happened to be acquired in the same transaction that sent Mankins packing.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think the biggest thing he brings that has been missing since Hernandez left is his ability to burn a LB in coverage. With the 2 TE sets with Hernandez, there was always talk about the fact that the defense had to keep a smaller package in to have some one who can cover Hernandez. That hasn't been necessary since for any of the other TEs not named Gronk.

I just wish he could have been in camp all summer, the sooner Brady gets comfortable with him the better.

With Wright and Vereen/White, the Pats have the ability to make it very tough on opposing LBs. A red zone group of Gronk, Wright, Dobson/LaFell, Edelman and Vereen would also present some really tough dilemmas for opposing defenses.

 

[mayoclinic]

OK...so the latest on Wright is that he's been playing at 235 lbs, not 220, had long since climbed out of Lovie's doghouse after one bad day of practice, and was firmly in the team's plans for the year. (As Rob 0729 said, I could hardly imagine TB waiving a guy who was so productive as a rookie, given the shallowness of their receiver corps.)

In sum, the Pats now have a promising young h-back on a cheap multiyear deal. And posters who just recently were excoriating the team for not drafting prime head case Colt Lyerla or signing the corpse of Owen Daniels seem to care not a whit about Wright, because he happened to be acquired in the same transaction that sent Mankins packing.

The Pats have apparently been very high on this guy for a while, and would have tons of information on him from Rutgers (McCourty, Ryan, Harmon) and TB teammates (Revis), and especially from Greg Schiano. I think it's fair to say that he wasn't a throw-in in a Mankins cast-off deal, but was the Pats' preferred target to address a major need.

Looking at some film of Wright, what stands out is his red zone capability and his hands. What stands out the least is his YAC, but that could also be partly a function of his role in the offense and the QBs he played with - a lot of the catches that I saw were in traffic and heavily contested, leaving little room for YAC. I don't yet have a good sense for what he could do with a little bit of room.

 

[varjao]

I believe we will have an emphasis on the passing game this season, I expect Brady around 5000 yards again. Not that I care much but it's going to be nice if he break Peyts numbers from last year.

 

[VrabelJr]

The Pats have apparently been very high on this guy for a while, and would have tons of information on him from Rutgers (McCourty, Ryan, Harmon) and TB teammates (Revis), and especially from Greg Schiano. I think it's fair to say that he wasn't a throw-in in a Mankins cast-off deal, but was the Pats' preferred target to address a major need.

Looking at some film of Wright, what stands out is his red zone capability and his hands. What stands out the least is his YAC, but that could also be partly a function of his role in the offense and the QBs he played with - a lot of the catches that I saw were in traffic and heavily contested, leaving little room for YAC. I don't yet have a good sense for what he could do with a little bit of room.

From the plays I went back and watched of him he seemed to play in the slot a lot and run routes in the middle of the field. I am questioning his speed though. A lot of LBs had decent coverage on him. He still made plays though. He could still be better at staying on his feet, but then again maybe the QB wasn't hitting him very well. We will just have to wait and see.

 

[pdangle]

I believe we will have an emphasis on the passing game this season, I expect Brady around 5000 yards again. Not that I care much but it's going to be nice if he break Peyts numbers from last year.

With not even half as much media coverage, of course... but I guess that goes without saying - so I'm saying it I guess.

 

[mayoclinic]

I believe we will have an emphasis on the passing game this season, I expect Brady around 5000 yards again. Not that I care much but it's going to be nice if he break Peyts numbers from last year.

The biggest difference I think we will see this year is much more of an integration of the RBs into the passing game, including some 2-back sets with both White and Vereen. That's one thing that I'm interested to see with Wright (who played some HB in high school, according to the Rutgers bio; he also played some CB and S in high school) - I wouldnt be surprised to see some of Chip Kelly's moves in terms of motioning guys into and out of the backfield.

 

[Mack Herron]

From the plays I went back and watched of him he seemed to play in the slot a lot and run routes in the middle of the field. I am questioning his speed though. A lot of LBs had decent coverage on him. He still made plays though. He could still be better at staying on his feet, but then again maybe the QB wasn't hitting him very well. We will just have to wait and see.

He is smaller and slower than Mark Harrison, but appears to have speed consistent with his reported 40 time (4.6), which is similar to Hernandez. Differentiators are that AH was much quicker while TW is longer, which is a big reason (along with soft hands) he made so many plays despite close coverage. Nobody is better than Brady at putting the ball in the right place for big YAC, so as you said, we will see.
NFL Draft 2013: Departing Rutgers Scarlet Knights Likely To Be Drafted | Bleacher Report
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=85049&draftyear=2013&genpos=WR
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=68947&draftyear=2010&genpos=te

 

[rochrist]

From the plays I went back and watched of him he seemed to play in the slot a lot and run routes in the middle of the field. I am questioning his speed though. A lot of LBs had decent coverage on him. He still made plays though. He could still be better at staying on his feet, but then again maybe the QB wasn't hitting him very well. We will just have to wait and see.

Regarding his speed, going back to the dreaded combine numbers, Aaron Hernandez ran a 4.64 40 and Wright turned in a 4.65 40. (actually pro day numbers, it looks like neither of them actually were at the combine).

 

[Patsgofor4]

For the few who over reacted to Lovie's comments about Wright and thought he might be released :

Tom E. Curran ‏@tomecurran9 mins
Asked source if Tim Wright was in danger of being released had he not been dealt..."No chance he was going to be cut."

Curran needs to stop lying. Deus Ira said that Wright was going to be cut and he is never wrong so that must be true. BB once again gets duped by Lovie Smith. What a dope.

 

[VrabelJr]

Actually, I mentioned Amendola as a 2nd year guy, since this is his 2nd year in this offense. Brady seems more in sync with him than last year, as well as Thompkins. Hopefully he's been throwing to Dobson in practice.

That's fair. Though coming out of camp last year Amendola and Brady already were pretty locked in (see Amendola's game versus Buffalo). An extra year can only help though!