Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

[Brady6]

Before you go all in believing we need to sign a Decker, Jones or another bigger name WR take a look at the #s that other big name receivers put up in their rookie seasons compared to our 3 rookies this year.

• Decker|14 games|6 catches|106 yards|1 touchdown
• Cooper|13 games|7 catches|116 yards|1 touchdown
• Boyce|9 games|9 catches|121 yards|0 touchdowns
• Brown|9 games|16 catches|167 yards|0 touchdowns
• Tate|11 games|21 catches|227 yards|0 touchdowns
• D. Thomas|10 games|22 catches|283 yards|2 touchdowns
• Randle|16 games|19 catches|298 yards|3 touchdowns
• Jeffery|10 games|24 catches|367 yards|3 touchdowns
• Cobb|15 games|25 catches|375 yards|1 touchdown
• Thompkins|12 games|32 catches|466 yards|4 touchdowns
• Dobson |12 games|37 catches|519 yards|4 touchdowns
• Bryant|12 games|45 catches|561 yards|6 touchdowns
• Floyd|16 games|45 catches|562 yards|2 touchdowns
• Crabtree|11 games|48 catches|625 yards|2 touchdowns
• Wright|15 games|64 catches|626 yards|4 touchdowns
• Gordon|16 games|50 catches|805 yards|5 touchdowns
• Smith|16 games|50 catches|841 yards|7 touchdowns
• Hilton|15 games|50 catches|861 yards|7 touchdowns
• Jones|13 games|54 catches|959 yards|8 touchdowns
• Green|15 games|65 catches|1057 yards|7 touchdowns

 

[RIpats88]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

I had been saying this for awhile. our answers at WR might be right here. for Wide Receivers, the year 1 to year 2 jump is generally the biggest.

and compared to other rookie receivers, our receivers have had decent years.

 

[BlueThunder]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Let's see a full season of all 3 rookies healthy.

Boyce is the biggest ? IMHO.

 

[Sicilian]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Given we don't have a ton of cap space to work with this offseason, I think it's important to try to upgrade where we can get the most bang for our buck. For me, that's shoring up the interior of the offensive line, and upgrading the depth of talent at TE. It's not that I am 100% certain that the rookies will make the jump, or that I don't think they could be upgraded even if they do. It's that I think a guaranteed upgrade at WR (if there is such a thing in this offense) is going to cost the most out of any position on the offense. I'd rather improve the players closer to the ball, and see what the kids on the outside can do.

 

[50-yard-line]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

In full agreement with everything posted in this thread.

If we can land a Blackmon via trade, or grab a fairly inexpensive WR like Sanders or Cotchery or keep JA without breaking the bank, then great.

But that's a pricey position and we've got bigger needs. I expect all three of the kids to make a jump, and they're already serviceable.

 

[Deus Irae]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Dobson showed nothing which should lead us to thinking he's a WR1. Thompkins and Boyce showed nothing which should lead us to thinking they are more than WR4/WR5.

 

[50-yard-line]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Dobson showed nothing which should lead us to thinking he's a WR1. Thompkins and Boyce showed nothing which should lead us to thinking they are more than WR4/WR5.

So tell us what a cash-strapped team has to do.

I disagree on Dobson - he had early-season dropsies or his rookie year would have been truly outstanding (and was solid as it is).

Boyce has all the tools. Thompkkins came up big a few times.

If the Pats give up on these three, where do they go?

 

[Deus Irae]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

So tell us what a cash-strapped team has to do.

I disagree on Dobson - he had early-season dropsies or his rookie year would have been truly outstanding (and was solid as it is).

Boyce has all the tools. Thompkkins came up big a few times.

If the Pats give up on these three, where do they go?

First, I didn't say to give up on any of them, nevermind all three.

Second, one of the big problems on this board is that the herd doesn't think. It emotes. No, Dobson wouldn't have had a truly outstanding season even if he hadn't been dropping everything at the start. His season has been wildly overrated.

Third, the Patriots have had options in the past, and they'll have options in the future. Many of us have already laid out suggestions, and more will come as cuts are made. However, easy examples:

If you want to keep going with the damaged goods = good value theory, Danario Alexander should be dirt cheap, Justin Blackmon could be looked into, and some troubled player (injury/attitude/etc...) will probably spring free before, or after, the draft.

If you want to go with a veteran for stability, Jerricho Cotchery would serve as a WR3/WR4 type.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

So tell us what a cash-strapped team has to do.

I disagree on Dobson - he had early-season dropsies or his rookie year would have been truly outstanding (and was solid as it is).

Boyce has all the tools. Thompkkins came up big a few times.

If the Pats give up on these three, where do they go?

I agree with you - we're in better shape at WR than most other position groups. I expect very good years from all three of the rookies.

 

[50-yard-line]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

First, I didn't say to give up on any of them, nevermind all three.

Second, one of the big problems on this board is that the herd doesn't think. It emotes. No, Dobson wouldn't have had a truly outstanding season even if he hadn't been dropping everything at the start. His season has been wildly overrated.

Well Moo right back at ya.

Third, the Patriots have had options in the past, and they'll have options in the future. Many of us have already laid out suggestions, and more will come as cuts are made. However, easy examples:

If you want to keep going with the damaged goods = good value theory, Danario Alexander should be dirt cheap, Justin Blackmon could be looked into, and some troubled player (injury/attitude/etc...) will probably spring free before, or after, the draft.

If you want to go with a veteran for stability, Jerricho Cotchery would serve as a WR3/WR4 type.

I've been pushing for Cotchery for a while. Danario Alexander will come dirt cheap for a reason - probably worth a look, sure. Same with Blackmon, as I said last year and agree this year.

And we'll just have to disagree on Dobson. He dropped a couple of early passes (Jets game in the rain, yeesh) that alone would have added 80 yards to his season. He could have easily been a 42 catch/625 yard rookie (in 12 games), and if that doesn't show you WR1 potential then very little ever will.

 

[Deus Irae]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

And we'll just have to disagree on Dobson. He dropped a couple of early passes (Jets game in the rain, yeesh) that alone would have added 80 yards to his season. He could have easily been a 42 catch/625 yard rookie (in 12 games), and if that doesn't show you WR1 potential then very little ever will.

At the start of the season, Dobson was a starter getting force fed the ball. He couldn't handle it, and the team suffered. I'm not saying he can't develop. I'm saying he didn't show WR1 level play, or anything to lead us to believe that he'll be one, in his rookie season. That shouldn't be taken as an insult to the kid, especially since he was a rookie WR, but it probably will be.

 

[RIpats88]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Who cares what he looked like at the beginning of the season. the fact is that he improved over the course of the season where you saw against Miami dolphins and Steelers he was productive and able to nail the back shoulder throw.

as a rookie he's had one of the most successful rookie campaigns for a receiver with the Pats. Year 2 is where you see if they made the jump.

Gronk only had 500yards his rookie year and then exploded in year 2

 

[Deus Irae]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Who cares what he looked like at the beginning of the season.

50-yard-line cared.

the fact is that he improved over the course of the season where you saw against Miami dolphins and Steelers he was productive and able to nail the back shoulder throw.

His production dropped like a stone over the course of the season, in part due to injury. He had 6 total catches in the regular season, after week 8.

as a rookie he's had one of the most successful rookie campaigns for a receiver with the Pats. Year 2 is where you see if they made the jump.

Yes, he was a rookie. He played like a rookie, looked like a likely WR2/WR3, and will have to show significant improvement to be a truly legit WR1 type of player. There's no shame in admitting that instead of insisting he was kicking ass and taking names on the field when he wasn't.

Gronk only had 500yards his rookie year and then exploded in year 2

Gronk's an excellent comparison to Dobson, demonstrating what I'm talking about. Gronk was clearly showing tremendous TE1 potential as a rookie. Dobson showed nothing like what Gronk was showing.

 

[Jlaff]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Much in the same way posters on this board are aware, I believe BB knew that drafting WRs is done with an understanding that development will take place over a period of time.

If he wasn't willing to develop these receivers and evaluate them over at least two years, he wouldn't have drafted them. I think the production was sufficient to warrant waiting at least another year before you look to make major changes to this group. Couple this with the defensive victory that took place on Sunday, and I don't see Belichick's spending much of the available money on a new wide out. Unless it's Fitzgerald...

 

[voluntarysaftey]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

This type of list is meaningless unless you also have a list of players with similar rookie numbers who either did nothing afterwards or were mediocre.

(As an exaggeration to the original post), I'm sure you can find a dozens of recent rookie QBs who put up numbers better than brady's rookie (or second) season and then did nothing close to brady afterwards.

 

[PatsFan2]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

I am not buying our WR's are right here we have to take injuries into account we DON'T know if any of these guys might turn out ot be injury proned. I want a SURE thing in here with EDELMAN just in case. We DONT want any JAG WR's that has not worked for us!

 

[PatsFan2]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

Much in the same way posters on this board are aware, I believe BB knew that drafting WRs is done with an understanding that development will take place over a period of time.

If he wasn't willing to develop these receivers and evaluate them over at least two years, he wouldn't have drafted them. I think the production was sufficient to warrant waiting at least another year before you look to make major changes to this group. Couple this with the defensive victory that took place on Sunday, and I don't see Belichick's spending much of the available money on a new wide out. Unless it's Fitzgerald...

Fitzgerald is DONE and he wasn't a Speed guy to begin with. If BB went that route I think he needs brain surgery.

 

[50-yard-line]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

I am not buying our WR's are right here we have to take injuries into account we DON'T know if any of these guys might turn out ot be injury proned. I want a SURE thing in here with EDELMAN just in case. We DONT want any JAG WR's that has not worked for us!

So you just said to take a "sure thing" against injuries by signing Julian Edelman...

 

[DW Toys]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

At the start of the season, Dobson was a starter getting force fed the ball. He couldn't handle it, and the team suffered. I'm not saying he can't develop. I'm saying he didn't show WR1 level play, or anything to lead us to believe that he'll be one, in his rookie season. That shouldn't be taken as an insult to the kid, especially since he was a rookie WR, but it probably will be.

I agree. Good post. I say one of three will be decent and two, jags. I just did not see the talent. Most of all did not see separation. They need a true #1 guy to allow one of the others to work in as a support WR (#2 OR#3).

I noticed Decker had minimal separation which was not great. Bolden gets open with limited speed. Troy Brown was the same. Those two "will" themselves open. Cotchery is similar. He always kills us.

The Hawks receivers were o.k. (Harvin will be scary in 2014) but I think SF has a better core. On a whole I think when healthy with Wayne, Indy has a better core of receivers.

I would look at Blackmon or if Rice recovers, both for size and speed. If Blackmon can get his head out of his ass he has more talent than any of our three.

DW Toys

 

[Deus Irae]

re: Dobson, Thompkins & Boyce – rookie WRs over the past 5 seasons…

I agree. Good post. I say one of three will be decent and two, jags. I just did not see the talent. Most of all did not see separation. They need a true #1 guy to allow one of the others to work in as a support WR (#2 OR#3).

I noticed Decker had minimal separation which was not great. Bolden gets open with limited speed. Troy Brown was the same. Those two "will" themselves open. Cotchery is similar. He always kills us.

The Hawks receivers were o.k. (Harvin will be scary in 2014) but I think SF has a better core. On a whole I think when healthy with Wayne, Indy has a better core of receivers.

I would look at Blackmon or if Rice recovers, both for size and speed. If Blackmon can get his head out of his ass he has more talent than any of our three.

DW Toys

You've mentioned Blackmon, and he'd be a very interesting option (IMO) to explore if he were available, but I haven't seen anything about JAX looking to move him. Have you got a link about it, or anything like that?