- Joined
- Feb 8, 2005
- Messages
- 43,576
- Reaction score
- 24,152
Registered Members experience this forum ad and noise-free.
CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.that the Pats go after a WR early in the draft again?
that the Pats go after a WR early in the draft again?
that the Pats go after a WR early in the draft again?
Dabruinz, this post isn't really directed at your question of should the Pats be considering drafting a WR with the release of Gabriel. That is a fair question, although how high IS the subject here. This post is directed to anyone who still feels the Pats should be looking to draft a WR in the 1st round, or worse, trade the best part of our draft to move up high and draft a "stud" WR.
Can we finally put to rest any ideas that the Pats should trade up to draft a WR in the 1st round, or that they should draft a WR in the 1st round period?
It is the rare WR who does much in his first year, and a large percentage of highly drafted WRs could be considered busts, WR has one of the highest failure rates of high round draftees.
The following is a list of all 1st round WRs drafted since 2000 (overall in parenthesis) and a few others from later rounds, you can draw your own conclusions.
2000
1(4) Peter Warrick, 1(8) Plaxico Burress, 1(10) Travis Taylor, 1(21) Sylvester Morris, 1(29) R. Jay Soward
3(78) Lavernues Coles, 3(80) Darrell Jackson, 5(153) Dante Hall
2001
1(8) David Terrell, 1(9) Koren Robinson, 1(15) Rod Gardner, 1(16) Santana Moss, 1(25) Freddie Mitchell, 1(30) Reggie Wayne
2(36) Chad Johnson, 4(124) Justin McCareins, 7(204) T.J. Houshmandzadeh
2002
1(13) Dante Stallworth, 1(19) Ashley Lelie, 1(20) Javon Walker,
2(48) Reche Caldwell, 2(65) Deion Branch, 7(253) David Givens
2003
1(2) Charles Rogers, 1(3) Andre Johnson, 1(17) Bryant Johnson,
4(124) Brandon Lloyd, 5(167) Doug Gabriel,
2004
1(3) Larry Fitzgerald, 1(7) Roy Williams, 1(9) Reggie Williams, 1(13) Lee Evans, 1(15) Michael Clayton, 1(29) Michael Jenkins, 1(31) Rashaun Woods
4(108) Jerricho Cotchery, 5(157) D.J. Hackett, 5(164) P.K. Sam, 7(216) Patrick Crayton
2005
1(3) Braylon Edwards, 1(7) Troy Williamson, 1(10) Mike Williams, 1(21) Matt Jones, 1(22) Mark Clayton, 1(27) Roddy White
2006
1(25) Santonio Holmes,
2(36) Chad Jackson, 2(52) Greg Jennings, 7(252) Marques Colston
In another thread someone suggested that the Pats trade up to draft Calvin Johnson. Let’s be conservative and say that he goes top 10, now which of these top 10 WRs since 2000 would you like in return for our choices. At best you get Larry Fitzgerald…would Andre Johnson or Braylon Edwards be a good return for this investment? How about Plaxico Burress?
More likely you get the contacts of Charles Rogers, Peter Warrick, David Terrell, Koren Robinson, Troy Williamson, or Mike Williams.
In fact if you are drafting WR in the 1st round you are more likely to get a guy who can play outside of the top 10, Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Javon Walker, Lee Evans, Michael Clayton, Matt Jones, Mark Clayton. This group is a bit better, but do you still want to trade both #1s for any of these guys?
I wouldn’t, and fortunately I don’t think BB and SP will either. Would you trade a top 20 pick for Deion Branch, at 6 million a year? I wouldn’t, but I’m happy that Seattle would.
I would be surprised if the Pats don’t use their top 3 picks on DB/LB, and stunned if they use one on a WR. We’ve got lots of picks this year, and I think a couple of picks from the 3rd round and later is a good time to take a flyer on WR, and the chance at success is not much worse than a much higher pick.
What we need more than anything at WR is health and reps. Troy Brown is still good because he is not a typical WR prima donna type and has tons of practice with Brady. Even Reggie Wayne took a while to blossom in Indy and I think that is due to reps with Peyton Manning as well as talent. We’re making progress this year just by getting Brady reps with guys who will hopefully be here in future years, like Caldwell, Jackson, and Gaffney. The biggest loss when Branch and Givens left is more related to their familiarity with Brady and the lack of familiar replacements than with actual lost talent, and losing Branch was unexpected this year.
In conclusion if anyone has their heart set on watching the latest hot shot WR wearing the colors of your favorite team then switch to the Lions, they need fans.
I can’t do that, I’m addicted to following a winner.
I hope not. WR is hit or miss and apparently the Pats aren't good at picking them or their system is too complex for a good combine, production in college to be indicative of future success with the Pats.
This year you have Caldwell, a waiver wire guy, being productive. There always seem to be a ton of guys like him available in later rounds. I think people are oversold on "speed". Chad Johnson didn't run that fast out of college...but plenty of guys who did were busts.
McBee -
Caldwell wasn't a waiver guy. Shows how much you've been actually following things.