Volin: Several teams wanted to get their grubby hands on AJ Derby

[Wheelman]

Right. The number of 5-tool TEs (catch near, catch far, run block, pass block and has speed) is a dying breed. In fact, there is really one, maybe two in the whole league and they are in Foxboro.

I'm dont know what kind of blocker Derby is but he seems to meet the minimum standard here - which means hes can do it.

Derby's blocking blows. Average at best. He looked ok in pass blocking backups from the Giants though. You forgot about Jason Witten.

 

[Fencer]

Please note that leaking this story to Volin not only boosts Derby's potential in-season trade value -- it also boosts Harbor's. The better the guy is who beats out Harbor, the more the Pats can say with a straight face they want for him in trade (or else they'll just keep him and not open up that roster slot).

 

[mikey m]

Of course the pats turned down the offers. You can't run 4-TE sets without 4 TEs duhhh. The other 31 are so stupid

 

[RobertWeathers]

Derby's blocking blows. Average at best. He looked ok in pass blocking backups from the Giants though. You forgot about Jason Witten.

Witten is old. Not same class anymore

 

[Froob]

Can't really selectively believe people, he either has credentials or he doesn't. But, good speculation by him because it's probably true.

 

[Tunescribe]

Right. The number of 5-tool TEs (catch near, catch far, run block, pass block and has speed) is a dying breed. In fact, there is really one, maybe two in the whole league and they are in Foxboro.

I'm dont know what kind of blocker Derby is but he seems to meet the minimum standard here - which means hes can do it.

Glad you brought up blocking ability. I'm wondering if carrying four TEs has anything to do with the offensive line and blocking schemes. Just a thought.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Glad you brought up blocking ability. I'm wondering if carrying four TEs has anything to do with the offensive line and blocking schemes. Just a thought.

Not sure either. We know what Gronk and Marty are. They can do it all.

Seems Derby isn't much of a blocker so maybe he's a Owen Daniels type.

Harbor is a move TE and not much of a blocker.

If all 4 of those guys are put there that's a bad situation for LBs that stink in coverage or DBs that are undersized.

For run blocking , seems like the might do some more pulling and trapping and less in-line as they stink at it anyway.

 

[patman52]

Tyler Eiffert
Travis Kelce
Julius Thomas
Say hi.

Run Block? Pass block a DE?

 

[patman52]

Overpaid

But he knows how to use Wiki as a source!

 

[TomPatriot]

For run blocking , seems like the might do some more pulling and trapping and less in-line as they stink at it anyway.

They will zone block mostly, especially with Scar back.

 

[Wheelman]

Witten is old. Not same class anymore

Where have you noticed Witten regressing? Is he still playing every snap?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Where have you noticed Witten regressing? Is he still playing every snap?

He is still playing every down. Just to my eyes he seems a tad slower in his breaks.

 

[Ring 6]

Pretty much confirms he wasn't making it to the practice squad.

I wonder how high of a pick the Pats could have gotten...4th, 5th?

Conditional 7th

 

[patfanken]

Some comments on the comments:

1. Volin's a joke: Wow, it's really a big stretch to think a Big TE with 15 catches and almost 200 yds in limited playing time wouldn't raise some interest in a league desperate for someone with his skills. REALLY?! Tell me, how many people on the board expected Derby to make it to the PS if the Pats didn't keep him? That's right, ZERO....and none of us have any of Ben Volin's many "sources".

....And tell me again why Volin's social media gets to run on our board?

2. We've seen the kid block for 4 preseason games in limited action. Let us not label the kid after this short playing sample. Christ, the kid was a QB until his Senior year in college. He has a LONG way to go before we see what kind of TE he eventually will be.

3. Keeping 4 TE's on the roster, when it was common wisdom that we'd keep on 3, has more to do with what Josh wants the offense to be, as much as keeping Derby with us. I guess when BB finally gave up on Dobson, he decided to look to his TE's as his "big receivers". Gronk split out wide is just as scary to defenses as someone like Brandon Marshall or the kid from Carolina. I'm hoping Bennett will be as well.

But that being said, you have to think that this team is going to pound the football the first 4 weeks and having 2-3 TE's out there who can also catch the ball is going to be tough for defenses to cope with.....especially since the trend the last few years has been to go light and fast on D