Why not trade Tate to Arizona or San Fran???

[lurker1965]

Just a random guess, but probably because no one would give anything for him? Maybe a bag of footballs or a tackle dummy.

Why would we care if he doesn't pass through waivers if cut? Waiver claim or not somebody's going to pick him up.

They'd be lucky to get a 7th for him.

Bingo! They have bingo!

I don't see how our best KR and one of the best in the league and a good depth guy as a WR will get cut while someone like Slater stays on the team. I'm sure someone else can step up as a gunner for this team. What else is Slater good for?

Let me defend Slater for a second. I don't know what he does exactly but kick returns with him as a blocker seem to get more yards. I have no numbers to support that, but assume Bill does - and knows what Slater is doing.

OK, times up. He sucks as a WR! (Or is he listed as a CB? I forget.)

 

[dhamz]

I'm I the only one that remembers that Tate was one the the most dangerous KO return guys in the league last year????

You realize after a great start he was a total non-factor in the return game the last 12 games and in the playoff game.

 

[BaltimorePatsFan]

Arizona and San Francisco would probably give up a good turkey sandwich for Tate but not much more.

 

[Sciz]

You realize after a great start he was a total non-factor in the return game the last 12 games and in the playoff game.

A big part of that is that his role went from Branch's when Moss was a Patriot to Moss' when Branch was a Patriot. Much easier to produce in Branch's role.

 

[eom]

I think the real question to be answered is Why not trade Tate to Arizona or San Fran for a first round pick???

 

[DaBruinz]

I don't see how our best KR and one of the best in the league and a good depth guy as a WR will get cut while someone like Slater stays on the team. I'm sure someone else can step up as a gunner for this team. What else is Slater good for?

You ask this question about Slater every year and every year you get told the same thing.

Slater is not just a gunner. He plays on all 6 special teams units. If the positions he plays were so easy to fill with someone else, don't you think that Belichick would do so??

Also, based on some of the TC reports, Slater is actually doing something as a receiver. Which could put pressure on Tate.

In all honesty, there has been such a mish mash of reports out of TC as to who is performing well and who isn't, I'm not sure how anyone can say any person is doing good or bad. Particularly when it comes to Price, Tate, Slater, Cunningham, etc.

There have been stories about all those guys being good and being bad. You have mediots saying Cunningham is doing poorly, but you have Bruschi saying he's improved alot. You have mediots bagging on Tate, but you got Welker and Branch saying the kid is getting it and will be a valuable member of the team.

Price supposedly got his rear-end reamed by Brady and looked like crap. Then, he's supposedly been great.

So, who knows. We certainly don't.

 

[DaBruinz]

You realize after a great start he was a total non-factor in the return game the last 12 games and in the playoff game.

But was it just him or was it the blocking that was an issue??? The kick return game isn't just about the guy running the ball back.

 

[stcjones]

Chad Jackson 2.0
Taylor Price , the next.

Disagree on Price....I see him having a break out year this year. Matter of fact I'm going to be the FIRST ONE to say it....Price is going to have a break out year!!!.......but yes tates a bust I'm afraid. Cant hold a roster spot open for a "decent" KR!

 

[Patriot Missile]

Please make this thread go away. Utterly ridiculous waste of typing going on here.

 

[condon84]

You ask this question about Slater every year and every year you get told the same thing.

Slater is not just a gunner. He plays on all 6 special teams units. If the positions he plays were so easy to fill with someone else, don't you think that Belichick would do so??

Also, based on some of the TC reports, Slater is actually doing something as a receiver. Which could put pressure on Tate.

In all honesty, there has been such a mish mash of reports out of TC as to who is performing well and who isn't, I'm not sure how anyone can say any person is doing good or bad. Particularly when it comes to Price, Tate, Slater, Cunningham, etc.

There have been stories about all those guys being good and being bad. You have mediots saying Cunningham is doing poorly, but you have Bruschi saying he's improved alot. You have mediots bagging on Tate, but you got Welker and Branch saying the kid is getting it and will be a valuable member of the team.

Price supposedly got his rear-end reamed by Brady and looked like crap. Then, he's supposedly been great.

So, who knows. We certainly don't.

I know Slater contributes to all aspects of special teams. I was merely making an argument that IMO Tate is more valuable because of the impact he can make on KR plus the depth he provides at WR. While Slater does play a lot of special teams, how much are we going to lose if he is let go versus how much we lose if we let one of the best KR in the league go?

Slater reminds me of Pierre Woods. I don't know how he stuck around for so long and why he got so many opportunities, but he was Belichick's guy and he was around for longer than he should.

 

[PlainOldEd]

In all honesty, there has been such a mish mash of reports out of TC as to who is performing well and who isn't, I'm not sure how anyone can say any person is doing good or bad. ........ So, who knows. We certainly don't.

This.

I seem to recall several years when media and fans alike said the writing was on the wall, Cassel was going to be cut.... how did that work out?

We can have fun speculating, but the bottom line is only BB really knows how anyone is doing. And that is just fine with me.

 

[patchick]

I know Slater contributes to all aspects of special teams. I was merely making an argument that IMO Tate is more valuable because of the impact he can make on KR plus the depth he provides at WR. While Slater does play a lot of special teams, how much are we going to lose if he is let go versus how much we lose if we let one of the best KR in the league go?

...which is why I keep mentioning that a KR projects to < 2 returns a game, while an every-play ST guy projects to many times that many plays. And if having the best chance of breaking a big return is valuable, isn't having the best chance of preventing a big return valuable too?

 

[Synovia]

I know Slater contributes to all aspects of special teams. I was merely making an argument that IMO Tate is more valuable because of the impact he can make on KR plus the depth he provides at WR. While Slater does play a lot of special teams, how much are we going to lose if he is let go versus how much we lose if we let one of the best KR in the league go?

Slater reminds me of Pierre Woods. I don't know how he stuck around for so long and why he got so many opportunities, but he was Belichick's guy and he was around for longer than he should.

I'm convinced that 80% of fans (you included) think of special teams as just a bunch of guys running around in circles while the KR does awesome things all by himself.

Slater wouldn't be an FA for longer than about 8 hours. He's a valuable contributer.