WR, what to do

[sarge]

What can the Pats really do at this point?

It is of course to early to tell. I know this. But I saw nothing out there from this receiving core (the receivers, the tight ends and backs looked good).

Reche's drop in the endzone was just that. A drop. Don't give me any crap about it wasn't a perfect pass. Brady hit him right in the hands. Did he split the 8 and 7 on his jersey? No. But he hit him right in the hands. And Caldwell dropped it. Very Todd Pinkstonesque of him. Looked like he washearing footsteps.

I saw nothing else.

Even if they somehow get Branch in this season, which I do not believe will happen till week 10 in the regular season, their receiving core will not be as good as last season.

Fortunately the running game will be good. But teams are gonna key on that.

What options are out there???

We can only hope that Jackson somehow makes it on the field and does something that virtually no rookie receivers, to say nothing of rookie receivers who miss significant camp time, ever do. And that is become productive in there first season.

And Possibly Caldwell just had a bad case of nerves and will prove that that drop was the exception and not the rule.

 

[PromisedLand]

I am not going to condemn Reche based on one drop but he needs to catch that at least 80% of the time. I still have hopes Jackson will make a major contribution this year, and hopefully Branch will come to his senses and realize he has nothing to gain by continuing his holdout. If we have all three of them (assuming Jackson is as good as he might be) along with Troy I think we will have a very decent group of receivers.

If on the other hand Reche is the #1 and Troy is the #2 we are in trouble. We had 3 (THREE!) receptions by WR's tonight, and only one by someone anyone ever heard of.

 

[maroneysgrill]

Why isn't Jackson playing?

Plus, I thought Branch did poorly last year without David Givens. That is why I thin kthe Patriots don't want to pay him big bucks. He isn't a TO/Moss/Harrison type receiver who steps on the field and can beat double coverage. Branch is good when he has someone else on the field who can take pressure off of him.

I think Jackson needs to be great in order for the WRs to click.

 

[BelichickFan]

When ****Breath (hey, don't blame me they're his initials) comes back and Jackson's hammy heals, things will look way better.

 

[Kdo5]

What can the Pats really do at this point?

It is of course to early to tell. I know this. But I saw nothing out there from this receiving core (the receivers, the tight ends and backs looked good).

Reche's drop in the endzone was just that. A drop. Don't give me any crap about it wasn't a perfect pass. Brady hit him right in the hands. Did he split the 8 and 7 on his jersey? No. But he hit him right in the hands. And Caldwell dropped it. Very Todd Pinkstonesque of him. Looked like he washearing footsteps.

I saw nothing else.

Even if they somehow get Branch in this season, which I do not believe will happen till week 10 in the regular season, their receiving core will not be as good as last season.

Fortunately the running game will be good. But teams are gonna key on that.

What options are out there???

We can only hope that Jackson somehow makes it on the field and does something that virtually no rookie receivers, to say nothing of rookie receivers who miss significant camp time, ever do. And that is become productive in there first season.

And Possibly Caldwell just had a bad case of nerves and will prove that that drop was the exception and not the rule.

Panic button, where the heck is it. He dropped a pass big deal, its the pre season, he has had a great camp no need to start bashing him over one drop. God forbid a drop in the pre season.

 

[patpatriot]

I'd try to get M Williams or Rodgers from Detroit for a conditional day 1 pick. Both of them are 3rd stringers at the moment. Either of them might blossom in a new system with a real QB (if they are not hopeless chuckleheads that is).

 

[BelichickFan]

I'd try to get M Williams or Rodgers from Detroit for a conditional day 1 pick. Both of them are 3rd stringers at the moment. Either of them might blossom in a new system with a real QB (if they are not hopeless chuckleheads that is).

I mentioned these guys on another thread - imagine Branch in Detroit on turf for Martz.

Branch for Mike Williams and Charles Rogers - I'd take a shot at that and Detroit would have Roy Williams, Branch and Bradford as their top three.

 

[patsox23]

what I think we should do about the WR situation:

STOP PANICKING.

BE PATIENT.

BREATHE.

 

[mcdonut16]

The book on Caldwell is that he lacks toughness over the middle, frequently alligator arming catches, and hearing footsteps.

He needed to make that TD catch last night as it hit his hands. You could tell he lost concentration on the ball and did not make a 100% effort to aggresively go after the ball and extend his arms.

He came to the Patriots with this reputation and did nothing but solidify this reputation last night. I think he can be effective working the deep routes and running routes outside, but you just can't count on this guy to make catches in traffic.

Life without Deion Branch will not be good.

 

[JoeSixPat]

The book on Caldwell is that he lacks toughness over the middle, frequently alligator arming catches, and hearing footsteps.

That's been my concern since day one, even though there were plenty who felt we were set with Reche at #2 and absolutely shouldn't waste a high draft pick on a WR

But I REALLY want to be wrong.

I think I'll chalk this up to everyone being rusty in the first game and hope that your assessment - while insightful - is in correct.

I know everyone's going to probably say that Watson is now a WR - especially with a 44 yd reception (which I did not see - was it yards after the catch or an actual deep route?)

#1 I really hope we DON'T need Watson as a WR. If he's playing WR that's bad because it means that injury or incompetence have forced the issue.

#2 I still question how many times you can go to the well to expect a 250lb guy to beat speedy CBs throughout the course of a game.

If Mills - who far too many wrote off as a FB - Thomas and Graham can all man the TE rotation that would give Watson the flexibility to go longer more often - which is a strategy that SHOULD be used even if we have a full WR corps - but counting on Watson to be a consistent deep threat throughout the game is not something that is a Plan A - and not something I'm convinced such a big guy can do consistently anyways.

I could be wrong - maybe the speed we saw against Champ Bailey last year is something that Watson can repeatedly and consistently draw upon - but my feeling is that Watson is a TE - not a WR - he just happens to be a TE with a higher speed reserve than most.

 

[mgteich]

I see no reason to have more than four WR on the 53 man roster. We can keep another three on the practice squad. That presumes that all four are ready to play for Game One. We have a balanced offense. We won't have many 3 wideout sets. When we do, Troy is still a fine slot receiver. In four wide-out sets, all the 4 TE's and Faulk are all capable of being one of the four (or even 5) receivers.

Branch,Caldwell,Brown,Jackson

BOTTOM LINE
I don't think we need a fifth unless we pick up a veteran and/or retrurner.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I really like the idea of trading for Mike Williams or Charles Rogers of Detroit, they really have some serious excess in the WR area, and may wind up cutting one of these guys (and they'd be gobbled up before we can get them). Could probably get Rogers for a 3rd rounder, I say get one of these guys in here NOW !! Hell, even if Branch was here, we still aren't very deep at WR!! If Branch decides he wants to hold out all season, I'd love to see him traded immediately for Oakland's Jerry Porter. I really, really like Deion Branch, but he is really hurting the team, and hurting his rep. I say it's now or never for Deion, he really doesn't have a leg to stand on (he's under contract), and if he had half a brain, he'd come into camp, catch 90 passes this season, become MVP of SB XLI, and then he can wave a blank check in front of someones face and name his price next year.

 

[Dragda]

Panic button, where the heck is it. He dropped a pass big deal, its the pre season, he has had a great camp no need to start bashing him over one drop. God forbid a drop in the pre season.

Go back and rewatch the game. How many drops did he have?

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Have to prepare to go the season without Branch and center the offense around Caldwell and (hopefully) Jackson. Deion Branch is not TO or Jerry Rice. Let him sit and rot, it'll only hurt him in the long run. IF he does sign, I hope the Foxboro faithful (like me) give this guy the long BOOING he deserves.

 

[italian pat patriot]

not so much to do; surely imho we have to hope that Deion Branch will return soon on the field

i also expect that Jackson will contribute to the team

then we have Troy Brown, surely the reliable WR we know

with Caldwell we could have 4 WR that could do their part

then, as we know, we have a very talented and deep TE corps (Watson, Graham and Thomas)

Faulk too will receive some passes too and our running game looks good

i am more perplexed about LB position...(Tedy pls return soon...)

 

[BelichickFan]

According to Detroit papers, Mike Williams and Charles Rogers are competing for one roster spot (not starting spot, roster spot). Belichick was chatting up Millen at the Owner's Meetings, I'd be giving Millen a call if I were Belichick. I'd prefer Williams, as would Detroit I think, but if it's for the #5 WR, Detroit might be willing to keep Rogers and a pick over Williams. I also would investigate trading Branch to the Lions, their #2 is Corey Bradford - he's pretty mediocre for a starter but would be a great #3 with Roy Williams and Branch as the starters.

 

[Remix 6]

you would involve a Branch for Rogers or Williams trade..your crazy

Rogers - had drug issue..but i would prefer him over BMW because hes faster..more upside

Williams - hes got the bad work ethic and nack for showing up late to practice/meetings which BB would no tolerate and hes a little overweight..big indeed though

Branch is better than both combined. Lets stop making up trade planes..Beioli never said they are looking for trading partners right now..Shannahan said Lelie was avaible and are taking offers..Davis-Shell said Porter is avaible for 2 first rounders..unbelievable.So why wouldnt BB send say anything about a trade here and why have their been no rumors or talks about Branch leaving..people hold out..you dont trade someone when they hold out becuase you just did the player a favor by sending them out and getting them paid and thats the way they get it

 

[BelichickFan]

you would involve a Branch for Rogers or Williams trade..your crazy

I didn't say I would trade him for one straight up. I would trade Branch for Williams and a #2 or Williams and flip flopping #1s though.

 

[patpatriot]

If as reported, Bramch is committed to holding out until game 10, your only real choices are to guarantee not to Franchise him which should trigger his reporting or make the best deal you can for him now. Since I want to win *this* year I'd get him in camp even though I knew he would walk next year. At the same time I would offer a *conditional* day 1 choice for either of Detroits excess baggage. This scenario should end the WR wrangling. Now, on to middle linebacker...sigh.

 

[dhamz]

The Lions are thinking seriously about cutting those guys if you believe the word coming out of Detroit.

And yet their are posts about trading a day 1 pick for one of them? That is just crazy talk.