What does Hoo-man bring to the table?

[cupofjoe1962]

Please someone help me understand why is Michael Hoomanawanui on the Patriots team.
He can't block, and he is not much of a receiver.

What is he good at?

I was watching the game last week with some friends and someone asked that question and nobody
had a answer.

He has been in the NFL for 5 years and has caught a total of 40 passes (8 per season), and
only 3 this year. He does not appear to a special team specialist.

One guy did mention something about Kraft, pictures, and farm animals, but that is all I am going to say about that.

 

[DarrylS]

BB likes to keep folks on his 53 man roster who have no value to the team....

On a serious note no one else beat him out... so he made the team. In the past we have had up to 4 TE's on this team, and he is the 2nd or 3rd... he can catch the ball, but is seldom targeted and is considered a decent blocker.. last Sunday he played 41 snaps. So he has to be doing something right.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

BB likes to keep folks on his 53 man roster who have no value to the team....

On a serious note no one else beat him out... so he made the team. In the past we have had up to 4 TE's on this team, and he is the 2nd or 3rd... he can catch the ball, but is seldom targeted and is considered a decent blocker.. last Sunday he played 41 snaps. So he has to be doing something right.

His college scouting report called him a good blocker, with limited pass catching ability.
I seen him get blown away pass blocking last week, so the idea of him as a blocker was the
not anything that has ever caught my eye.

 

[Nikolai]

I agree with Darryl...he's kind of like 2014's version of Gary Guyton. He may not be the best, but he does enough and he'll be there until something better comes along.

 

[Family]

He missed some blocks last week, but overall they can't find a better blocking tight end who will work for nothing. Mike Mulligan might have beat him out, but someone paid him 50 cents more.

 

[Froob]

For the occasionally incredible catch.

 

[goheels22002]

Belichick loves guys who can fill multiple roles. Michael Hoomanawanui blocks, catches passes, and flies the team plane:

 

[varjao]

Daniel Fells is doing a good job in NY, I don't remember, did he get cut or got a better offer in the open market?

 

[Oswlek]

Daniel Fells is doing a good job in NY, I don't remember, did he get cut or got a better offer in the open market?

Cut, but there were whispers of something unusual about the guy. I have a feeling that wasn't entirely due to play on the field.

 

[Oswlek]

Belichick loves guys who can fill multiple roles. Michael Hoomanawanui blocks, catches passes, and flies the team plane:

View attachment 7688

Is Bill aware that he can circumvent both cap and roster limits in his pilot hires?

 

[Kontradiction]

I think he brings naked pictures of the coaching staff with farm animals because, for the life of me, I can't understand why he's on the team let alone getting playing time over Wright.

 

[New England Pride]

Cut, but there were whispers of something unusual about the guy. I have a feeling that wasn't entirely due to play on the field.

Interesting, do tell. Google found nothing unusual for me.

 

[Oswlek]

Interesting, do tell. Google found nothing unusual for me.

Nothing to tell, that's about it. I don't even recall where I heard it, but it wasn't in the usual channels, that's why I called it "whispers."

 

[Brewskies]

Good question, no major answers. I guess we will have to accept that Bill likes him.

 

[Tunescribe]

Fresh pineapple, obviously.

 

[varjao]

I would like to see Develin getting some targets and touches, he brings a different element I don't know I think he can be some kind of John Kuhn, a fan favorite player, who gets a first down and make the crowd push the team even more.

 

[Gumby]

He looks like he is moving more from a 3d TE quality to 4th option as the year progresses.

But you have to remember that IMO he was showing the opposite trend last year; going from like a 4TE-level to 3 and almost a 2TE (particularly when Gronk was hurting). He had flashes in the pass catching department. (IMO /IIRC he doesnt have as much a problem catching passes as he does getting open running routes to get the ball thrown his way).

So i think he made the roster at the beggining of the season with the expectation that he would continue to trend upward; but flat out HASNT. Since then as a previous poster noted; he played 41 snaps; so he is filling 'A ROLE'. Albeit not necessarily terribly successfully filling the role that it makes you go 'yeah'. And in an off-season market there are probably a lot of better options to compete with him; but IN DECEMBER???? you aren't finding much on the UDFA market out there stocking shelves at Walmart.

Personally I like the guy and he is still, to me, one of those type guys you "HOPE" will blossom; but have given up EXPECTING anything special.

 

[Gumby]

He looks like he is moving more from a 3d TE quality to 4th option as the year progresses.

But you have to remember that IMO he was showing the opposite trend last year; going from like a 4TE-level to 3 and almost a 2TE (particularly when Gronk was hurting). He had flashes in the pass catching department. (IMO /IIRC he doesnt have as much a problem catching passes as he does getting open running routes to get the ball thrown his way).

So i think he made the roster at the beggining of the season with the expectation that he would continue to trend upward; but flat out HASNT. Since then as a previous poster noted; he played 41 snaps; so he is filling 'A ROLE'. Albeit not necessarily terribly successfully filling the role that it makes you go 'yeah'. And in an off-season market there are probably a lot of better options to compete with him; but IN DECEMBER???? you aren't finding much on the UDFA market out there stocking shelves at Walmart.

Personally I like the guy and he is still, to me, one of those type guys you "HOPE" will blossom; but have given up EXPECTING anything special.

PS: With Gronk's injury history and the PLAIN VISUAL / and INTERNET-POSTED evidence that other players are head-hunting (knee-hunting as the case may be) for Gronk; you just have to have a backup plan. Again, who else is out there. Cut him and you have nobody when Gronk goes down in the AFCCG (god forbid).

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I would like to see Develin getting some targets and touches, he brings a different element I don't know I think he can be some kind of John Kuhn, a fan favorite player, who gets a first down and make the crowd push the team even more.

I generally don't like the pile on a player threads but I can't help myself here.

I am confounded as to why Hoo is on the 46 because we have options like an extra OT blocking or better yet, Devlin. He has shown himself time and again to be a fine run blocker. I do not understand why keeping D in the backfield to block on passing downs is not a better option than having Hoo whiff on the line. The FB is tasked with picking up/slowing down the 1st free pass rusher. Use him!

As to those saying (I'm talking to YOU here, Josh & Bill) that Hoo offers the option of being an occasional pass catching surprise threat, so is Devlin proven to be decent in that regard.

 

[Sicilian]

I don't think he's that bad a blocker, you just only notice him on the ones he misses. I think people are over thinking it. There just aren't that many starting tight ends in the league that can block like a lineman, and if you're already paying one like you're paying Gronk, you don't generally overpay for a guy in Hooman's role. He is what he is.