Pats sign a tight end, Nate Byham...

[Brady6]

The targets are not higher because he simply can't get open on a consistent basis. Anyone who has even given him cursory viewing in a game can tell this. The plan is to build the best and deepest team that you can possibly get. After Gronk, the quality of the TE's basically falls on a cliff. We're left to either hope Gronk plays the entire season or the team makes a move to bolster the depth after him.

I consider Hooman to be a solid depth TE. I don't think he excels at anything but I also wouldn't consider him garbage at anything. So overall I agree with your position that the drop off is significant I just don't consider Hooman to be garbage as a receiver.

 

[Kontradiction]

I consider Hooman to be a solid depth TE. I don't think he excels at anything but I also wouldn't consider him garbage at anything. So overall I agree with your position that the drop off is significant I just don't consider Hooman to be garbage as a receiver.

He is. The team could have looked in quite a few places to do better than him. Just hope that Gronk doesn't suffer an injury and we should be alright at the TE position. Otherwise, they probably have the worst group of TE's in the league outside of him.

 

[Deus Irae]

What's the line on him lasting long enough to take snaps in an exhibition game?

Well.....

On Friday, the team released tight end Nate Byham, who signed with the Pats five days ago. The 26-year-old is a four-year veteran who played for two seasons in San Francisco and Tampa Bay. He was considered more of a blocking tight end.

Patriots release tight end Nate Byham | The Providence Journal

 

[Joker]

Buh Bye Ham!....

 

[DarrylS]

Nate Byham we hardly knew ye...

That was a quick one...

 

[patfanken]

I think THIS season if Gronk went down, I think you'd see Brady a lot more comfortable throwing to Hooman and 30-40 catches being more of a number we'd likely see out of him. In 2 TE sets WITH Gronk, Homan would like be the inline TE while Gronk would line up as the "Joker"

BTW- Nate was out there with the rest of the TE's yesterday and didn't seem to do anything that would get him cut. He actually looked more athletic than I thought he'd be. It probably had more to do with how Jones and Watson are developing than anything he did wrong

 

[Clonamery]

Buh Bye Ham!....

Dead meat.

 

[captain stone]

Nate Byham = no loss whatsoever.

 

[BradyFTW!]

That would be the guy who's too hammered to set up his tent. Seen it on the Saco many times.

Oh god, I grew up in a house along the Saco. Once watched a guy tip his canoe and try to salvage the situation by replacing it with a picnic table. I tried to tell him that it wouldn't float, but I guess he just had to see it for himself.

 

[meatface]

And he is gone. Don't worry Dustin Keller will sign any second now

 

[supafly]

And he is gone. Don't worry Dustin Keller will sign any second now

That would be nice, because I think that Hooman is a fine blocking TE, but he's definitely not fooling anyone in terms of acting as a capable receiving option.

Who knows what's going on with Keller at this point, though? If it goes another 10-14 days, I think we can safely cross him off the wishlist. My fear is that it may be too deep into camp for him to effectively pick up the system, although my opinion is that TEs are nowhere as near as complex as WRs, so I could be off with my assessment just the same.

 

[meatface]

That would be nice, because I think that Hooman is a fine blocking TE, but he's definitely not fooling anyone in terms of acting as a capable receiving option.

Who knows what's going on with Keller at this point, though? If it goes another 10-14 days, I think we can safely cross him off the wishlist. My fear is that it may be too deep into camp for him to effectively pick up the system, although my opinion is that TEs are nowhere as near as complex as WRs, so I could be off with my assessment just the same.

I kind of get the feeling that if he or Finley were going to sign with someone then they would have done it already. I think we will see a lot of Devlin at TE and FB in the preseason

 

[obgod3]

Yeh I was a little disappointed they didn't take someone in the top four rounds, seemed like there were a few guys decent enough to give a shot. But offense has not been this teams problem, gronk or not. I worry about gronk getting broken again but I think they will carry an extra receiver in the end anyway and while it won't cover gronk in an absence it would still give the pats a productive offense. I love the big offense but they won SB's on defense and a decent amount of good plays on offense.

I think the pats will still sign someone but get a discount and make the deal late.