Tight End - A Very High Draft Need

[Deus Irae]

A million times, this.

People are actually talking seriously about taking another TE with the first pick?...

The Patriots lost the Super Bowl. We've already had the idiotic "Trade Brady" stuff, the "Wes should go" stuff, etc...

The stupidity is just beginning...

 

[Trycked]

There is 0% need of using a pick on a tight end. There are plenty in the free agency pool who can fill in the 3rd TE role.

Says you. Gronk needs a dance partner and Hern needs someone to smoke with, besides you can't really be called the Boston TE PARTY with just two people at the party.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I know you like to troll, but do a better job of it.

1.) I didn't say anything about backups not being needed and/or wanted moving forward.

2.) As so many on this site, and throughout the country, spent the year saying, there aren't many Gronks out there. Many here spent time trying to insist that Hernandez was a top 5 TE, and some argued that he belonged even higher on that totem pole. In other words, troll, the backups are going to be just that.... backups who aren't as good as the players they replace. You can pull one of those off the FA market.

Now, back under your bridge...

Fleener could fill in either Ahern or Gronk's role, he could line up as a WR or TE, and could be on the field at the same time as the other two. That's not just a backup.

Also, it's pretty bad form to call someone a troll simply because you disagree with them.

 

[Rob0729]

Solder was not projected or drafted as a backup anything. He was drafted to be a starting LT for a decade. But the lockout and Light eventually re-signing made it so he didn't have to be.

The demand for TE's will overvalue the draft market. We need a 3rd TE as a backup to Gronkowski primarily. A WR could be the backup to Hernandez. Three will seldom be on the field together, and when they are at least one of them will be primarily blocking...

I agree. The Pats, Saints, and Packers have made getting a top TE en vogue. The three best offenses in the league had four of the best TEs in the league. No way will the Pats take a TE early because a lot of teams are going to be looking for the next Gronk, Graham, Finley, or Hernandez.

I also disagree with the premise that TE will be a pressing need in the draft. They need a blocking TE, not a receiver. I could see them picking up a veteran a la Alge Crumpler in 2010.

 

[Triumph]

KFFL - 2012 NFL Free Agents

 

[Fencer]

The Patriots need 3 outstanding receivers on the field at once, where by "outstanding" I mean "able to routinely punish single coverage".

That means they need at least 4 on the roster, for reasons of injury depth. Assuming Welker is retained -- and since I think he's worthy of the franchise tag I think the Patriots do indeed control his rights -- the Pats are starting the off-season with three such receivers. So yes -- they need another one.

I'm pretty agnostic as to which style or kind of receiver that is.

 

[ProudestRyno]

Fleener could fill in either Ahern or Gronk's role, he could line up as a WR or TE, and could be on the field at the same time as the other two. That's not just a backup.

Also, it's pretty bad form to call someone a troll simply because you disagree with them.

Just ignore him. He's pathetic and gets off at putting down others around here when they disagree with his flawed opinions.

 

[Triumph]

I agree. The Pats, Saints, and Packers have made getting a top TE en vogue. The three best offenses in the league had four of the best TEs in the league. No way will the Pats take a TE early because a lot of teams are going to be looking for the next Gronk, Graham, Finley, or Hernandez.

I also disagree with the premise that TE will be a pressing need in the draft. They need a blocking TE, not a receiver. I could see them picking up a veteran a la Alge Crumpler in 2010.

Ive always like Mercedes Lewis.

Not sure how good a blocker he is though

 

[patsderoer]

I know you like to troll, but do a better job of it.

1.) I didn't say anything about backups not being needed and/or wanted moving forward.

2.) As so many on this site, and throughout the country, spent the year saying, there aren't many Gronks out there. Many here spent time trying to insist that Hernandez was a top 5 TE, and some argued that he belonged even higher on that totem pole. In other words, troll, the backups are going to be just that.... backups who aren't as good as the players they replace. You can pull one of those off the FA market.

Now, back under your bridge...

Get lost troll. Pull one off the FA market? Who is comparable with Gronk? At the same cheap price? Ha. Your idiotic posts seem to never end.

Fleener can also be used as WR, an outside WR, inside WR, roaming around anywhere inside Brady's safe zone 30 yards. He's big, great catcher, great leaper. 2 Birds with one stone. Backup to TE and a great outside WR who can make physical leaping plays. It would be better for the Pats to have him than one of the adversaries.

 

[ATippett56]

the have zero TE depth. the only 2 they have are starters. if the TE emphasis will continue, they should actually have 2 gronk types and 2 hernandez types and reduce the roster by 1 RB and 1 WR.

The New England Patriots have zero wide receiver depth after Wes Welker unless you are willing to take another chance on a slow and injury prone Deion Branch for another season. Over reliance on the tight end position is one of the reasons the New England Patriots lost the Super Bowl since the New England Patriots offense did not offer enough diversity, especially in the passing game.

 

[Gronkandez]

The Patriots lost the Super Bowl. We've already had the idiotic "Trade Brady" stuff, the "Wes should go" stuff, etc...

The stupidity is just beginning...

We have two first round picks. It would be wise to use them both on TE's. :rocker:

 

[Deus Irae]

Fleener could fill in either Ahern or Gronk's role, he could line up as a WR or TE, and could be on the field at the same time as the other two. That's not just a backup.

Also, it's pretty bad form to call someone a troll simply because you disagree with them.

I called him a troll because he's been trolling since he signed up. Also, putting your 3rd TE on the field on occasion is still having him as a backup.

 

[Deus Irae]

Get lost troll. Pull one off the FA market? Who is comparable with Gronk? At the same cheap price? Ha. Your idiotic posts seem to never end.

Fleener can also be used as WR, an outside WR, inside WR, roaming around anywhere inside Brady's safe zone 30 yards. He's big, great catcher, great leaper. 2 Birds with one stone. Backup to TE and a great outside WR who can make physical leaping plays. It would be better for the Pats to have him than one of the adversaries.

Thanks for making my point for me, troll.

 

[JackBauer]

For Christ's sake, we already have a TE who can be lined out wide.

The need at WR is about 10,000x the need at TE.

Is today I holiday I wasn't made aware of? Are people drinking early, or something?

 

[Snake Eyes]

I called him a troll because he's been trolling since he signed up. Also, putting your 3rd TE on the field on occasion is still having him as a backup.

I never said "on occasion", because of his versatility Fleener can get as many snaps as Gronk and Ahern.

 

[patsderoer]

The New England Patriots have zero wide receiver depth after Wes Welker unless you are willing to take another chance on a slow and injury prone Deion Branch for another season. Over reliance on the tight end position is one of the reasons the New England Patriots lost the Super Bowl since the New England Patriots offense did not offer enough diversity, especially in the passing game.

No, the Patriots lost because they couldnt replace Gronk with a similar quality TE. If they could, the Patriots would be Superbowl champs right now.

 

[Snake Eyes]

For Christ's sake, we already have a TE who can be lined out wide.

The need at WR is about 10,000x the need at TE.

Is today I holiday I wasn't made aware of? Are people drinking early, or something?

Is there some rule saying we can't hire a WR is we also aquire a TE?

 

[Deus Irae]

I never said "on occasion", because of his versatility Fleener can get as many snaps as Gronk and Ahern.

Are you trolling now, too?

 

[VrabelJr]

Threads like these make me not want to come to fan sites like this. We have two All-Pro capable TEs but you want to spend a high pick on a 3rd? We understand how important Gronk and Hernandez are to this offense but using a high pick on another possible (while most likely not) elite TE is just flat out being paranoid.

 

[JackBauer]

Is there some rule saying we can't hire a WR is we also aquire a TE?

No, but there is a rule stipulating that a first round TE is madness.