Reaction to the Derby Trade: Absolutely Puzzling Move by Belichick

[Joey007]

I will be mega pissed if he goes all Owen Daniels on us when we face them next.

 

[Ian]

I think if Gronk or Bennett go down we become a 1 TE offense whether derby stayed or was gone. The replacement is the 3rd WR.

I don't disagree - it's just tough because with Derby you're talking about a player who is 6'5", athletic and not a bad pass-catcher. Losing either tight end costs them a big target, so he's a guy who I felt could have at least provided that. The problem with both Gronk and Bennett is they're also both great run-blockers, which the more I think about it, I wonder if that was the thing working against him so I'm thinking that will be a strength of whoever they replace him with.

I'm just disappointed by the fact he won't get another year to develop behind these two and hate he went to Denver. Like I said, shipping him to the NFC would have at least been reasonable. But now that he's headed to the Broncos, that irks me.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't disagree - it's just tough because with Derby you're talking about a player who is 6'5", athletic and not a bad pass-catcher. Losing either tight end costs them a big target, so he's a guy who I felt could have at least provided that. The problem with both Gronk and Bennett is they're also both great run-blockers, which the more I think about it, I wonder if that was the thing working against him so I'm thinking that will be a strength of whoever they replace him with.

I'm just disappointed by the fact he won't get another year to develop behind these two and hate he went to Denver. Like I said, shipping him to the NFC would have at least been a consolation. But now that he's headed to the Broncos, that irks me.

You may be overrating him however.

 

[Ian]

You may be overrating him however.

I wasn't rating him right now as anything other than what I thought a decent option as a #3 tight end and a player who at least gave them some depth, along with the fact that they had no healthy option behind him on the roster.

Steve Balestrieri and I were talking earlier and wondering whether or not they might look to sign Bryce Williams off the Rams' practice squad. He seemed like he had a good camp and given the fact they'll play them down the road, it seemed like a potential fit.

 

[Tuck]

I don't get the argument that Derby is a back up to either Gronk or Bennett. He's really not a blocking tight end. He may be listed at 6'5" but I don't believe it he seems small when you see him in person. I'm more concerned with the fact they just made Denver a little stronger and you can bet that he and Kube have already started talking about the patriots roster.

 

[goheels22002]

Obviously Aqib Talib ceased providing valuable secrets from behind the Orange Curtain. Derby will open the spigot of intel that Belichick needs to lay bare John Elway's soft underbelly.

Don't be surprised if Derby walks out on the Broncos for lack of touches should Gronk or Bennett go down. LeGarrette Blount designed the door through which all Patriots re-enter the Death Star.

 

[captain stone]

Considering that I wouldn't have spent even a 6th-rounder on Derby during the 2015 draft, receiving
a 5th-rounder for him is good value.

However…why then get rid of Clay Harbor, only to have his roster spot filled by useless trash?

 

[Froob]

"Bledsoe would have beaten the Giants, Mike!"

 

[Ochmed Jones]

This is a strange turn of events, hopefully no te starters get injured.

 

[Ian]

I don't get the argument that Derby is a back up to either Gronk or Bennett. He's really not a blocking tight end.

Me talking about Derby compared to Gronk and Bennett is like talking about Freeny compared to Collins and Hightower. Freeny isn't either of those two players, but he's a guy who obviously filled a useful role behind those two, which was sort of what I was trying to say about Derby. One key difference is obviously the fact we know Freeny could play in an expanded role, which we don't yet know about Derby.

 

[Deus Irae]

Me talking about Derby compared to Gronk and Bennett is like talking about Freeny compared to Collins and Hightower. Freeny isn't either of those two players, but he's a guy who obviously filled a useful role behind those two, which was sort of what I was trying to say about Derby.

Serious question, not meant to be leading in any direction: Has Derby shown you anything to make you think he's more than a replacement-level TE? If you're comparing him to Freeny, the answer would seem to be no.

 

[supafly]

Got something for a guy who has contributed nothing.

I think they received quite a bit (5th) for a guy who has contributed nothing. I never would've guessed that it'd have been that high, which could be why BB felt comfortable enough to send him to DEN.

 

[captain stone]

Me talking about Derby compared to Gronk and Bennett is like talking about Freeny compared to Collins and Hightower. Freeny isn't either of those two players, but he's a guy who obviously filled a useful role behind those two, which was sort of what I was trying to say about Derby. One key difference is obviously the fact we know Freeny could play in an expanded role, which we don't yet know about Derby.

Freeny sucks too. I'm happy that he's on IR, along with Gregg Scrubbs. Good riddance.

 

[Aßßynormal]

There are ZERO possibilities that Derby would've gotten past the Jet's if cut. It's pick your poison, I'll take the poison with the 5th round pick to a declining team. We have at least two players coming off the PUP soon.

 

[The Gr8est]

My biggest issue is just the fact that they don't have another pass-catching threat behind either of those two if - God forbid - either gets hurt. The only other thing I'm wondering is if he has an issue as a run-blocker and they're making a move to shift to a replacement that might be better suited for that if they're changing something scheme-wise, which would at least make some sense if that's the case. But again, it's the same issue. If Gronk or Bennett go down, it definitely hurts them in the passing game, although granted he's not close to either one of those players. If Harbor was still here, I'd understand it.

Otherwise, I certainly don't see him doing a Gronk on us, but if he helps Denver win a game or two, that makes it counterproductive. Had Belichick shipped him to Chicago or Tampa, I wouldn't hate it, but I don't understand shipping him there, let alone weakening their depth chart considering how much Belichick values that position.

Again, I don't think he's great now, but he looked like a guy who played well and could develop into a pretty good player while learning from two of the best. As I wrote, I liken him to O'Leary and felt like in another year or so he could have been a nice fit behind the starters. With only two on the depth chart I'm assuming a move is coming, so I'd like to assume there's a method to his madness on this one. I'm normally pretty reserved, but this one surprised me given that they had pretty good depth there before the trade.

Simian will be the QB throwing to him.

That doesn't fill me with dread.

 

[Canuck]

I look on Derby as a Tim Wright type TE. It didn't work out for Wright and I suspect Derby was just another version of Tim Wright that didn't work out. Lets look at Derby's production. 35 snaps on offense and no catches. 33 snaps on ST.

Game 1: Gronk out, Derby paired with Bennett. 20 snaps on offense and 6 on ST.
Game 2: Harbor gets his chance. Derby no snaps. Harbor 39 snaps 22 on offense and 17 ST
Game 3: Gronk is back with limited snaps. Harbor 3 on off 14 ST, Derby again no snaps

I think here is when BB is unhappy with Harbor and Derbys production. TE Scruggs is added to the 53 man roster.

Game 4: Gronk and Bennet now take the off snaps. Derby gets 1 off 7 ST, Harbor only 8 ST
Game 5: Harbor gone, Derby gets another chance 11 on off 8 on ST
Game 6: Bye Scruggs, you never got a chance. Derby 3 on off 11 ST
Game 7: ah oh, Derby no snaps. BB has seen enough. Derby Traded.

Here is my take on it. BB was not happy with Derby and that's just after 1 game. BB decides to give Harbor a shot. Gronk comes back and Harbor sees mostly ST, Derby still in doghouse and MIA. BB has seen enough from Harbor and he is gone. Derby is given another limited look on offense. Derby fails to impress again and is back to ST. BB has seen enough from Derby and is traded.

It seems clear that BB was thinking of cutting Derby and was looking for a trade partner. Denver probably offered the best trade and could have been the only trade partner. I don't think BB fears Derby going to Denver.

So we are now a little short at TE. We know BB always has a plan but what is it? Is another trade in the works? Oh, we do have another Gronk on the PS. Is BB a mad genius and going to try two Gronks at TE or move Devlin to blocking TE and little Gronk to FB.

 

[rookBoston]

My slant on this:

Derby was a good looking prospect for the Pats in preseason, athletic, effective. He's making a position change, had a red shirt rookie year and legitimately beat out Clay Harbor for the #3 TE role. Good young TE with upside. Not (yet) anywhere close to Gronk or Bennett, but who knows what his ceiling is?

He's recently won a few team awards for Practice Player of the Week, so he's a hard working kid with the respect of the staff.

Lots to like.

But we all know BB is an unsentimental GM and a value hawk. A 5th round pick for an unblooded hard working kid that they're grooming is a pretty good offer.

I think it's a tricky thing managing the bottom of the active roster. Realize that BB just waived Anthony Johnson hoping to clear him to the PS-- that's another good young player who's been doing well for us at a position of need. Geno Grissom has been on the PS for a good chunk of the season, recently activated.

There's a game involved in managing a roster of players that is 60+ good players deep when the roster can only carry 53 of them. About seven of them at any time could just disappear, in exchange for nothing.

And although Derby is an injury away from being really important for us, and a promising long term prospect to boot, recognize that the ENTIRE ROSTER is like that.

Remember all the good young CBs who we had in training camp that we had to waive (for no compensation) because we couldn't carry any more. And that was before BB traded for Rowe. Talent is so good Cyrus Jones has been healthy inactive for consecutive weeks.

Grugier-Hill, too, victim of talent depth, and now playing for... the Eagles, iirc. Lost for no comp, and not because he didn't look good.

There is an entire cohort of good young players on the fringe of the roster, who will be good players in the league: Jonathan Jones, Ted Karras, DJ Foster...Derby too...these guys have survived a number of cut downs with tough competition. They're all assets for the team and one injury away from being even more important to the team. But they're also in the very fringe of getting waived to the PS to make room for an injury replacement, on any given day, and through no fault of their own.

If another GM were to step forward with a 5th round offer for ANY of these guys, of course BB is going to listen. Because he's got other quality and promising kids in the pipeline who deserve that roster spot too.

With all the depth, BB the GM needs to liquidate some of it and convert it into more portable assets that he can spin forward, or risk losing even more of them on the waiver wire for nothing.

Derby flashed enough in the preseason to attract the attention of the Broncos. Good for him, good for them, good for us too in the long run. And it can help ease some of the density at the bottom of the roster, made worse after acquiring Mingo, Rowe and Van Noy.

I am really sorry to see Derby go, he was a binky for me this offseason. But this is good business.

Hopefully we can mine more like him over time, and I'll be rooting for him in Denver, except when he's playing the Pats.

 

[strngplyr]

Man, what a disaster, we traded 0 NFL level production for a 5th round pick!

I'll be really upset when he becomes the next Lee Smith of our drafts.

 

[supafly]

Man, what a disaster, we traded 0 NFL level production for a 5th round pick!

I'll be really upset when he becomes the next Lee Smith of our drafts.

Zach Sudfeld comes to mind, as well.

 

[stelfans]

I remember when cutting Sudfeld was such a devastating move, then he went to the Jets and would kill us when we faced them..that work out great for the Jets.

Granted, the Broncos actually have a team in place rather that thing the Jets have down there but still, simply put, this is a big big overreaction.