Reiss' assessment of Pats' FA signings as roster locks

[fnordcircle]

If he doesn't make the team after us trading Chandler, there will be a lot of angry Pat fans!!!

Yeah but it's not like BB will care about that. God bless him!

 

[supafly]

I would move Harbor up to the Lock category

On what grounds? You feel that confident in the fact that:

1) We'll definitely be keeping 4 tight ends?

2) Not only will we be keeping 4 TEs, but no one will replace Harbor between now and week #1?

Seems like anything but a lock to me. I'd still have him at 60/40 or so, but not necessarily a sure thing.

 

[goheels22002]

Reiss' assessment strikes me as overly optimistic for some of these guys, so I'm curious about others' thoughts.

The obligatory ESPN link:
Assessing where all 13 Patriots offseason acquisitions fit

The summary:

SUREFIRE LOCKS

• TE Martellus Bennett
  
• G Jonathan Cooper
• WR Chris Hogan
• DT Terrance Knighton
• DE Chris Long
• LB Shea McClellin

MIDDLE GROUND

• CB E.J. Biggers
• RB Donald Brown
• TE Clay Harbor
• DT Markus Kuhn
• WR Nate Washington

LONGER ODDS

• LB Ramon Humber
• DT Frank Kearse

It's impressive seeing the full list.

Cooper is not a surefire lock. He needs to get his head screwed on straight and respond to Dante Scarnecchia's demands for perfection. He's got the talent to be good, but hasn't shown the temperament.

Who was the bigger Arizona Cardinals bust, Levi Brown or Jonathan Cooper?

 

[Fencer]

Of course they can be. The pats spent a lot of money and draft capital to acquire bennett, cooper, hogan, etc. they are not going to cut them before they play their first season with the team.

They paid Reggie Wayne $450K and he only lasted 12 days.

Report: Reggie Wayne felt playing for Pats was 'too tough' and 'not fun'

 

[Fencer]

Outside of injury, this team is likely to have

Edelman
Gronk
Bennett

as the top 3 targets, and in that order.

That's certainly possible. But defenses could also go consistently to "pack the middle of the field" kinds of schemes. Edelman and Gronk would still get plenty of production in such cases, but Hogan could easily be top 3 in that scenario.

 

[RobertWeathers]

That's certainly possible. But defenses could also go consistently to "pack the middle of the field" kinds of schemes. Edelman and Gronk would still get plenty of production in such cases, but Hogan could easily be top 3 in that scenario.

Part of me wonders if they will try to ease up on Jule's workload. Last year he was on a pace for 160 or so targets. That's a heavy workload. In 2014 he was in the 130s. In 2013 he was in the 150s.

With DA, Hogan, Bennett and more running attempts they could if they so desired.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

They paid Reggie Wayne $450K and he only lasted 12 days.

Report: Reggie Wayne felt playing for Pats was 'too tough' and 'not fun'

True, but I said free agents signings CAN be locks - it depends on the player. Besides Wayne left the team in his own.

 

[DarrylS]

I refuse to ignore who I consider the best Pats beat writer just because he works for ESPN... will not do so on the first day of the draft.. but overall his insight is usually spot on..

IMO Michael Williams might be odd man out and Harbor may take his place, then there is AJ Derby??...

 

[Fencer]

True, but I said free agents signings CAN be locks - it depends on the player. Besides Wayne left the team in his own.

Technically, Wayne was released. They don't grant release to everybody who asks for it.

As for somebody being a lock -- how do you know they are? $450K guaranteed money, for example, is not proof.

 

[Fencer]

Part of me wonders if they will try to ease up on Jule's workload. Last year he was on a pace for 160 or so targets. That's a heavy workload. In 2014 he was in the 130s. In 2013 he was in the 150s.

With DA, Hogan, Bennett and more running attempts they could if they so desired.

I think they have multiple angles for easing workloads, including but not limited to:

• Bennett taking snaps in 1-TE sets.
• Many guys taking touches from Edelman.
• Other RBs taking snaps from Lewis.
• As you say, possibly more running plays as well.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think they have multiple angles for easing workloads, including but not limited to:

• Bennett taking snaps in 1-TE sets.
• Many guys taking touches from Edelman.
• Other RBs taking snaps from Lewis.
• As you say, possibly more running plays as well.

Yep. Jules turns 30 in May so it's something to consider. With that said when Welker was 30 & 31 he saw 170+ targets.

I think thats the key thing with the Bennett acquisition. Its not just the 2TE sets that folks should be excited about. I'm certainly not advocating cutting Gronk's workload in 1/2 but having Bennett handle a little bit of the run/pass blocking responsibilities or some routes that are more conducive to contact that Gronk would have handled wouldn't be the dumbest thing in the world. Having Gronk still be a potent pass catching threat in his early 30s wouldn't be a bad thing.