WR...free agency or the draft?

[MoLewisrocks]

You may be on to something Cousin.
I am disappointed Ocho had a rough start. I think BB loves the kid and but I think Brandy not so much. That is the real issue. Not work ethic or stupidity. TB saw what happened to Palmer and it was like his screens were up, yet he and Moss worked well. What bothers me is the fact that Ocho had what..... 22 snaps in the SB and was targeted once. Was I the only Pats fan who ever saw him open? And saw him open during the season? He was, and TB won't chuck it to him. Yep he ran a few wrong routes. It wasn't playbook but it was option errors. I blame O'Brien and TB on Ochos lack of targets. When a documented 75% on the balls go to Welker and Gronk (and who can blame him for that with those results), TB has a tendency to ignore another perhaps open guy (see Moss). If TB won't throw to Ocho, Chad needs to find another home.

TB loves Branch....why? He is slow, has had wrong routes run this year and we have seen he and TB jost (imagine that!) but yet Brady gives him some throws. I will bet anything that if Ocho had the targets Branch had the results might have been more catches and more yards than Branch. Slow midget receivers in the NFL are not the way to go.

TB prefers Branch....O.K. Tom fair enough. We get it. He was a stud for you once but remember he walked out on you as well. BB, you actually need to dump both of them. Your QB won't throw to one that I feel is trying his ass off and the other is a shell of his self , both small and now painfully slow.

Mo, your 3rd TE is in fact a thought of value. If Coby Fleener can be had at #49 in round two, I say grab him. He has the skill level between Gronk and Hernandez. He can block a bit. He has the speed of a Colson and Jackson in 2012 (who would run 4.6 ish today) who we are all hoping for either to land here, and Fleener can work the field. He can split wide. Why do we need Colson or Jackson? I tell you who I would rather Draft Alshon Jefferey at #31 if at all possible and go with Reggie Wayne.

They say speed is the issue, yet 4.46 is slow for a 237 lb WR? Give me Jefferey over Blackmon. The Game****s really had no outstanding QB play either!

Look at this tape versus Barron and Kirkpatrick from the Tide!

The Tale of the Tape: Alshon Jeffery vs. Calvin Johnson | Bleacher Report

On Offense give me Fleener (great idea) and Jefferey in the Draft and pick up Wayne. I's say Lloyd too but not enough footballs and look what happened to Ocho because of that. Was he slow to pick the "O' up? Yes. Could he have helped or made more of it? Not if TB ignores him.

So you have Welker, Hernandez, Gronk, Fleener, Jefferey and Wayne to rotate. Think there is match-up problems?

Defense should be a focal point. I am always in favor or a reasonable FA even over Draft picks because they have done it. The percentages of success are higher than a pick. I do like some Draft choices this year. Get me Ingram and Vinny Curry as your two new front seven Defensive pieces rotating with Anderson and Carter and as far as FA pieces, Finnegan, because he is nasty and when Adrian Wilson needs to be CAP cut ($6.5M for Cards), grab him at Safety (rated second best cover Safety in the league). Wilson is tough and plays hurt too. He is 32 but a couple years left in his tank.

Are we too nice on the Defense? Spikes, Chung and Wilfork bring it but I can't think of someone else who has that "streak". We miss the Seymour, Rodney,Milloy, Bruschi, Willie M., Law "I will smash you" mentality.
Give me Wilson and Finnegan to add to Spikes, Chung and VW!.

My last choice won't cost too much. He is Mike Wrightish and yet an upgrade on Mike Wright and had 5.5 sacks for a mediocre Skins defense. He's only 28. An upgrade on Ellis and Warren and at 6'6" and 315 can play in or out. Adam Carriker. He was hurt after he was drafted in the first round by the Rams after a decent Rookie season. The Skins stole him for a draft day move a year back. Now he would be one of those BB patented FA value "steals".
DW Toys

You still don't get it, cousin... I don't think you ever will. You got a little NEM in you in that regard... Only your axe to grind isn't with the OC, it's with the GM and the value, versatility, flexibility philosophy they adhere to that only gets them to half the superbowls contended annually in a 32 team league.

Read the Bedard piece where Boyer talks about what WR's are expected to do here. And understand that a 3rd TE isn't going to get the snaps to warrant first round selection now that the guys Bill located in the 2nd and 4th have blossomed into studs playing with that self absorbed QB you blather about.

And read Reiss' around the league wrap for some perspective, which your wish lists seem to be perpetually lacking.

 

[THELAWFIRM226]

I'm not sure how realistic this is, but I would absolutely LOVE to see the pats select Michael Floyd, the WR from Notre Dame. 6'3 225 and runs a respectable 4.54, I have watched him in college and he is a BEAST. He's also projected to go late 1st early 2nd so that puts us right in the mix if everything goes as planned. He played for Notre Dame so I'd say its safe to assume he's a pretty smart kid. While he's not exactly a burner, he's quick and can go up and get the ball from pretty much anyone. If not Floyd, I also hope we take a look at Alshon Jeffery, he's even bigger and perhaps more physical than Floyd. 6'4, 230, he's a bit slower than Floyd however at 4.56 but they're similar in my opinion and Jeffery is a projected 2nd round pick. I truly believe that either one of these guys could do wonders for our team.

 

[skinnydog]

I would like to see the decision tree for the wideouts simplified so that a wideout not named Branch can run the right route.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

HAS to be a FA IMO...


Can't have a Chad Jackson all over again

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I would like to see the decision tree for the wideouts simplified so that a wideout not named Branch can run the right route.

Do that and you will have to upgrade the offense across the board. At the expense of the defense. Only works in your fantasy league. Not gonna happen as long as BB and especially Brady are here. Giving up what they bring to the table is foolsplay.

 

[Joker]

Brandon Lloyd's familiarity with McD's offensive philosophy has to make him a frontrunner in any free agent WR signing...you KNOW he can play in this system...you do NOT know if a Colston or Jackson will pick it up fast enough or not...if the Pats draft a WR to fill an outside need, I'd expect him to be versatile, probably at the expense of blistering speed.

 

[DW Toys]

You still don't get it, cousin... I don't think you ever will. You got a little NEM in you in that regard... Only your axe to grind isn't with the OC, it's with the GM and the value, versatility, flexibility philosophy they adhere to that only gets them to half the superbowls contended annually in a 32 team league.

Read the Bedard piece where Boyer talks about what WR's are expected to do here. And understand that a 3rd TE isn't going to get the snaps to warrant first round selection now that the guys Bill located in the 2nd and 4th have blossomed into studs playing with that self absorbed QB you blather about.

And read Reiss' around the league wrap for some perspective, which your wish lists seem to be perpetually lacking.

Hey I tried. You missed my whole point. Never mind. I never said anything about a first round TE. I was agreeing with you. That was a wiff.
DW Toys

 

[Wilfork#75]

I don't think that the draft and FA are mutually exclusive, why can't we do both. We need at least 2 new WR's, maybe even three to balance out the offense. FA is the way to go for one of those spots, with Lloyd being the obvious choice. But I don't think it is sustainable to continue to rely on FA to fill the WR need. First, it is much more expensive to bring in a Vet WR than a Rookie, especially if we don't know they can play in this system (see Chad Eighty-Five). Second, their shelf life is much shorter meaning they have to be replaced much more often. Welker and Lloyd will both be 31 to start the season, and Branch (if he returns, which I have doubts about) will be 33. Now is the time to bring in some rookies to learn the system, under these vets, without the pressure of being the main guy. Just because BB has had some misses in the past doesn't mean he will stop trying to draft them, just look at his TE history.

 

[ATippett56]

I don't think that the draft and FA are mutually exclusive, why can't we do both. We need at least 2 new WR's, maybe even three to balance out the offense. FA is the way to go for one of those spots, with Lloyd being the obvious choice. But I don't think it is sustainable to continue to rely on FA to fill the WR need. First, it is much more expensive to bring in a Vet WR than a Rookie, especially if we don't know they can play in this system (see Chad Eighty-Five). Second, their shelf life is much shorter meaning they have to be replaced much more often. Welker and Lloyd will both be 31 to start the season, and Branch (if he returns, which I have doubts about) will be 33. Now is the time to bring in some rookies to learn the system, under these vets, without the pressure of being the main guy. Just because BB has had some misses in the past doesn't mean he will stop trying to draft them, just look at his TE history.

Considering all the holes in the New England Patriots defense, I reasonably conclude the New England will only select one wide receiver in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Defensive Upgrades:

3-4 Defensive End
3-4 Outside Linebacker
Free Safety
Cornerback

 

[DonBlackmon55]

I'm not sure how realistic this is, but I would absolutely LOVE to see the pats select Michael Floyd, the WR from Notre Dame. 6'3 225 and runs a respectable 4.54, I have watched him in college and he is a BEAST. He's also projected to go late 1st early 2nd so that puts us right in the mix if everything goes as planned. He played for Notre Dame so I'd say its safe to assume he's a pretty smart kid. While he's not exactly a burner, he's quick and can go up and get the ball from pretty much anyone. If not Floyd, I also hope we take a look at Alshon Jeffery, he's even bigger and perhaps more physical than Floyd. 6'4, 230, he's a bit slower than Floyd however at 4.56 but they're similar in my opinion and Jeffery is a projected 2nd round pick. I truly believe that either one of these guys could do wonders for our team.

Michael Floyd is projected to be mid 1st. He is the 2nd best WR out there by some projections. He is a physical WR and I've also stated he could be a good pickup given his ties to Weis' system at ND.

That being said, i doubt Pats pull the trigger and draft a WR in round 1. They'll go for their obligatory 2nd or 3rd round WR who will be cut by 2013 season in the mode of Jackson, Tate, Price..

 

[letekro]

There arent really enough balls to go around for 2 starting calliber WRs.
Welker, Gronk and Hernandez caught 291 passes for 3800 yards and 33 TDs.
To add 2 starting caliber WRs we would have to change the offense and direct it away from these 3.
That seems like change for change sake, but more importantly we need the cap money on the other side of the ball, IMO.

I don't see any problem adding two starting caliber WRs to, you know, start.

Welker Gronk and Hernandez are all running the same kind of routes in the middle of the field. Quality WRs will add to the diversity of the offense and make it more difficult to defend. If they get outside WRs that can play, they will take catches away from Welker, Hernandez and Gronkowski, but I fail to see why that is a bad thing.

 

[Ron Sellers]

I don't see any problem adding two starting caliber WRs to, you know, start.

Welker Gronk and Hernandez are all running the same kind of routes in the middle of the field. Quality WRs will add to the diversity of the offense and make it more difficult to defend. If they get outside WRs that can play, they will take catches away from Welker, Hernandez and Gronkowski, but I fail to see why that is a bad thing.

(5) offensive linemen
(1) quarterback
(2) tight ends
(1) running back
(1) slot receiver, wes welker
(2) additional wide receivers
__

That's twelve players on the field. You might get away with that for a play or two here or there, but sooner or later the other team and the officials are going to catch on.

Or would you propose that an off-season plan of intending on paying starting money for a what is intended to be a backup is a sound strategy?

 

[Patriot Missile]

(5) offensive linemen
(1) quarterback
(2) tight ends
(1) running back
(1) slot receiver, wes welker
(2) additional wide receivers
__

That's twelve players on the field. You might get away with that for a play or two here or there, but sooner or later the other team and the officials are going to catch on.

Or would you propose that an off-season plan of intending on paying starting money for a what is intended to be a backup is a sound strategy?

There are no huddle and spread formations where a rb isn't on the field. We use those probably more than any team in the NFL.

 

[Deus Irae]

There are no huddle and spread formations where a rb isn't on the field. We use those probably more than any team in the NFL.

The Patriots have also shown a willingness to put Hernandez in the backfield.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

I feel like we're due for a decent WR in the draft. Pierre Garcon would be my pick in free agency. Younger and waaaay faster than all the other options being mentioned.

I'm also interested in seeing how McDaniels runs this offense. I'd like to see him go more run heavy, a la 2008. Although having Cassel instead of Brady influenced that strategy a smidge.

 

[dhamz]

Saw a Tom Curran tweet that says Brandon Lloyd hired Tom Condon as his agent. Assuming that is true, I doubt he will be an option for the Pats.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Saw a Tom Curran tweet that says Brandon Lloyd hired Tom Condon as his agent. Assuming that is true, I doubt he will be an option for the Pats.

Peter King (I know) was talking about that in one of his tweets. He implied that was why Lloyd will not be a patriot next season.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I feel like we're due for a decent WR in the draft. Pierre Garcon would be my pick in free agency. Younger and waaaay faster than all the other options being mentioned.

I'm also interested in seeing how McDaniels runs this offense. I'd like to see him go more run heavy, a la 2008. Although having Cassel instead of Brady influenced that strategy a smidge.

I'm in the "both" camp as well - but I find it's best to keep expectations for rookie WRs very low - especially with the somewhat complicated offense the Patriots run (well, at least it appears to be too complicated for Ochocinco).

If you gain a free agent deep threat for the present - even one on the downside of his career, and a deep WR to develop, you're doing OK.

Really only one has to produce next season - but I think they take one in the draft and at least one in free agency.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't see any problem adding two starting caliber WRs to, you know, start.

Welker Gronk and Hernandez are all running the same kind of routes in the middle of the field. Quality WRs will add to the diversity of the offense and make it more difficult to defend. If they get outside WRs that can play, they will take catches away from Welker, Hernandez and Gronkowski, but I fail to see why that is a bad thing.

First its a bad thing because you would be paying 2 'starters' when there is only 1 spot for then.
Second, its a bad thing because you are directing play away from 3 guys who caught 291 passes for 3800 yards and 33 TDs. It is very doubtful changing the focus of the offense will make it better than that.
Change for change sake might be OK if you are ineffective. Change for change sake when you just had the 2nd highest passing yardage total in NFL history is foolish.

 

[ATippett56]

First its a bad thing because you would be paying 2 'starters' when there is only 1 spot for then.

By your logic, it was New England Patriots organizational mismanagement to have Deion Branch on the 53 man roster and trading a fith round draft pick in 2012 for Chad Ochostinko.

Second, its a bad thing because you are directing play away from 3 guys who caught 291 passes for 3800 yards and 33 TDs. It is very doubtful changing the focus of the offense will make it better than that.

Offensive diversification is a bad option?

Change for change sake might be OK if you are ineffective. Change for change sake when you just had the 2nd highest passing yardage total in NFL history is foolish.

All those passing yards were only good for 17 points scored in the Super Bowl. Less passing and more rushing leads to a more balanced and less predictable offensive attack.