WR - Free Agency, Trade, or Draft?

[RyanP421]

Wow, that's a pretty impressive list of excuses you got there.

If by "list of excuses", you mean "examples that legitmately damage" your lost opinion, than you'd be right!

 

[furley]

How do you think the Pats should go about addressing their need at WR?

Notable Draft Prospects
Dez Bryant - Oklahoma St.
Brandon Lafell - LSU
Damian Williams - USC
Golden Tate - Notre Dame
Arrelious Benn - Illinois
Jordan Shipley - Texas
Demariyus Thomas - Georgia Tech
Mardy Gilyard - Cincinnati
Mike Williams - Syracuse
Dezmon Briscoe - Kansas
Eric Decker - Minnesota
Taylor Price - Ohio
Jacoby Ford - Clemson
Riley Cooper - Florida

Those that I'd bold faced, I've an interest in drafting. I'm not convinced that Tate will contribute next season anymore than on special teams. So drafting a wide receiver maybe New England's best option for young depth. Because unrestricted free agents such as Kevin Walter, Domenik Hixon, Lance Moore and Demetrius Williams are intriguing but might be just out of their grasp if teams should overspend or the Patriots simply lack interest.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Those that I'd bold faced, I've an interest in drafting. I'm not convinced that Tate will contribute next season anymore than on special teams. So drafting a wide receiver maybe New England's best option for young depth. Because unrestricted free agents such as Kevin Walter, Domenik Hixon, Lance Moore and Demetrius Williams are intriguing but might be just out of their grasp if teams should overspend or the Patriots simply lack interest.

I was high on Shipley earlier in the season, but after watching him struggle to get off the jam vs Alabama, I'm starting to have my doubts. Plus I see him as more of a slot WR and we have Edelman and hopefully a recovered Welker.

Never been a huge fan of Eric Decker, but I know some on here like him.

Demaryius Thomas is the interesting one. I've read on a few sites that there is a concern about his ability to separate, which reminds of Dwayne Jarrett who used his size more than his quickness to be successful in college. However, from what I've seen, Thomas definitely has better deep speed than Jarrett. I think the concern is on intermediate and underneath routes, which is concerning b/c we have our deep threat in Moss. The good thing about playing in the triple option means that he has a lot of experience blocking at WR so I'd expect him to be good at blocking on screens and in the running game. But the downside to that is he's run a very limited number of routes b/c GT's offense is extremely run heavy.

Some guys I like in the 2nd for our #2 WR position are Benn, Tate, Williams, and Lafell.

 

[MaineMan]

Frankly, college stats don't mean a lot to me. Can the guy run crisp routes? Can he adjust those routes appropriately? Has he consistently gotten some separation on every route type against every type of coverage against better coollege defender? Does he have a good catch radius? Can he shield the catch from defenders? Can he hang onto the ball?

If he's got all the above, then height is simply a bonus. Even speed under about 4.55 is a bonus.

Right now, I'm not convinced that Benn or Thomas have answered any of the questions above. And TDs and other stats aren't going to answer those questions.

 

[furley]

Some guys I like in the 2nd for our #2 WR position are Benn, Tate, Williams, and Lafell.

I think at least Dez Bryant and Golden Tate go in the first round before selection #22. But I do think you could see a lot of the other wide receivers going in the second and third round. Of course, it depends on which teams need a top wide receiver. That is, teams such as Tampa Bay (#3), Seattle (#6 & #14), Cleveland (#7), Buffalo (#9), Denver (#11), Miami (#12) and Baltimore (#25) could target a wide receiver but might not do so necessarily.

If Shipley is an upgrade over Edelman (he may not), then you take a chance on him. I've a feeling Welker won't be ready by the beginning of the regular season. We'll see...

LaFell would be an ideal longterm replacement for Moss--I don't see him resigning. Demaryius Thomas is a nice consolation prize. But none of these taller wide receivers have Moss' speed.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

I think at least Dez Bryant and Golden Tate go in the first round before selection #22. But I do think you could see a lot of the other wide receivers going in the second and third round. Of course, it depends on which teams need a top wide receiver. That is, teams such as Tampa Bay (#3), Seattle (#6 & #14), Cleveland (#7), Buffalo (#9), Denver (#11), Miami (#12) and Baltimore (#25) could target a wide receiver but might not do so necessarily.

If Shipley is an upgrade over Edelman (he may not), then you take a chance on him. I've a feeling Welker won't be ready by the beginning of the regular season. We'll see...

LaFell would be an ideal longterm replacement for Moss--I don't see him resigning. Demaryius Thomas is a nice consolation prize. But none of these taller wide receivers have Moss' speed.

I could see Bryant and Tate going first round as well, but I remember in 2008 there were some WR projected to go first round and no one did and they all fell to the 2nd. Last year we didn't see that b/c guys like Crabtree,Harvin, Maclin were considered gamebreakers or electric playmakers. That's why this year I could see Bryant and maybe Tate going first round. Its not as top heavy as last year IMO.

I don't think Welker will be ready either, but hopefully Brandon Tate will. Edelman can take over for Welker in the slot and maybe Tate can help on special teams and 4 WR sets. I think we have a big need at the #2 WR across from Moss. Galloway didn't pan out and Aiken is not an adequate weapon. That's why I'm personally hoping to get a #2 WR this year through the draft or via trade/free agency b/c we've still got Moss for 1 more year.

After 2010, I agree that Moss is let go. And as you said none of the WR's in this year's draft have Moss-like speed. That's why I said in my original post in the 2011 draft I'd love to see Patrick Peterson with that Raiders pick and a possible trade up of our 1st round pick to grab one of those stud WR's of the "Fab Four." Right now my two favorite are Green of Georgia and Baldwin of Pitt. Floyd and Jones could be options as well.

Should be interesting to see what we do.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

If by "list of excuses", you mean "examples that legitmately damage" your lost opinion, than you'd be right!

Chris Duvalt and Jeff Cumberland are two wide receivers that have been at Illinois as long as Arrelious Benn. Both of them receive some playing time. One is a former CB and the other a future TE. There's even a youtube video of Cumberland that is comedic gold. These two just aren't very impressive.

Now, the only reason I bring these guys up is because they both have outproduced Benn in the TD department. In the last three seasons Cumberland has 10 TDs and in Duvalt's two seasons as a WR Duvalt he has 7 TDs. These two are getting open for scores more than Benn, but they receive fewer opportunities.

A playmaker of Benn's purported calibre should be able to beat college level double-teams. A speedster like Duvalt most certainly has a man over the top and he scores more. Illinois throws the ball 40% of the time. This isn't Navy. Perhaps if Benn were able to get open for scores more readily his coaches would notice and get him the ball. Perhaps if Benn were a real playmaker his offense wouldn't be so bad.

Playmakers make plays and win. Wannabes receive excuses.

 

[alvinnf]

Chris Duvalt and Jeff Cumberland are two wide receivers that have been at Illinois as long as Arrelious Benn. Both of them receive some playing time. One is a former CB and the other a future TE. There's even a youtube video of Cumberland that is comedic gold. These two just aren't very impressive.

Now, the only reason I bring these guys up is because they both have outproduced Benn in the TD department. In the last three seasons Cumberland has 10 TDs and in Duvalt's two seasons as a WR Duvalt he has 7 TDs. These two are getting open for scores more than Benn, but they receive fewer opportunities.

A playmaker of Benn's purported calibre should be able to beat college level double-teams. A speedster like Duvalt most certainly has a man over the top and he scores more. Illinois throws the ball 40% of the time. This isn't Navy. Perhaps if Benn were able to get open for scores more readily his coaches would notice and get him the ball. Perhaps if Benn were a real playmaker his offense wouldn't be so bad.

Playmakers make plays and win. Wannabes receive excuses.

Perfect segway into Golden Tate lobbying. That guy has produced and against good competition. He knows our system. We are going to need a FA to step in right away and a young guy who can make plays. Welker was our best running back and he's probably gone till turkey day........

 

[DaBruinz]

Those that I'd bold faced, I've an interest in drafting. I'm not convinced that Tate will contribute next season anymore than on special teams. So drafting a wide receiver maybe New England's best option for young depth. Because unrestricted free agents such as Kevin Walter, Domenik Hixon, Lance Moore and Demetrius Williams are intriguing but might be just out of their grasp if teams should overspend or the Patriots simply lack interest.

Lance Moore (4 years) , Dominique Hixon (4 years) and Demetrius Williams (4 years) are likely to be RFA not UFA due to the uncapped year.

 

[DaBruinz]

Chris Duvalt and Jeff Cumberland are two wide receivers that have been at Illinois as long as Arrelious Benn. Both of them receive some playing time. One is a former CB and the other a future TE. There's even a youtube video of Cumberland that is comedic gold. These two just aren't very impressive.

Now, the only reason I bring these guys up is because they both have outproduced Benn in the TD department. In the last three seasons Cumberland has 10 TDs and in Duvalt's two seasons as a WR Duvalt he has 7 TDs. These two are getting open for scores more than Benn, but they receive fewer opportunities.

A playmaker of Benn's purported calibre should be able to beat college level double-teams. A speedster like Duvalt most certainly has a man over the top and he scores more. Illinois throws the ball 40% of the time. This isn't Navy. Perhaps if Benn were able to get open for scores more readily his coaches would notice and get him the ball. Perhaps if Benn were a real playmaker his offense wouldn't be so bad.

Playmakers make plays and win. Wannabes receive excuses.

And idiots just spew stuff without having actually done any research.

You mention Duvalt and Cumberland having "outscored" Benn. Yet you don't talk about the fact that Benn drawing double teams in the red zone would open up these two for more TDs. And how that having a poor QB would affect that.

You mention that Illinois passed the ball just 40% of the time. That means they ran it 60% of the time. Yet you mention nothing about how much they ran in the red zone.

There is a reason that Benn is rated a 2nd round pick right now. It's because scouts recognize that there are numerous factors that go into evaluating a player.

OH, btw, here is another example for you. Prior to joining the Patriots, Wes Welker had 1 CAREER receiving TD. Since then, he's put up 15 in 3 seasons with the Pats. That should be proof enough to you that players aren't always used properly. And that could, very well, be the case with Benn. And, by all reports, is the case.

 

[alvinnf]

And idiots just spew stuff without having actually done any research.

You mention Duvalt and Cumberland having "outscored" Benn. Yet you don't talk about the fact that Benn drawing double teams in the red zone would open up these two for more TDs. And how that having a poor QB would affect that.

You mention that Illinois passed the ball just 40% of the time. That means they ran it 60% of the time. Yet you mention nothing about how much they ran in the red zone.

There is a reason that Benn is rated a 2nd round pick right now. It's because scouts recognize that there are numerous factors that go into evaluating a player.

OH, btw, here is another example for you. Prior to joining the Patriots, Wes Welker had 1 CAREER receiving TD. Since then, he's put up 15 in 3 seasons with the Pats. That should be proof enough to you that players aren't always used properly. And that could, very well, be the case with Benn. And, by all reports, is the case.

There is also a reason why this team had success taking a seventh round QB and plugging him in. You have to be able to read the Defense and make all the sight adjustments. I would wonder how much that would affect their decision to bring someone in who not only does'nt have great production but also isn't supported by a passing system. I think the absence of Welker this year will have the team leaning more on guys who can make an immediate impact. A player like Benn might be a great reciever, I just doubt there's enough there for them to take him where he is more than likely to go, 2nd round.