Name a top 10 WR in the NFL who would thrive in Brady's system and why?

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Wow - I am surprised at how many people think that these heavily talented receivers would thrive here despite compelling if not overwhelming evidence to the contrary. One main reason the Patriots don't often go for high-priced wide receivers is the very high bust rate in New England due to a very complex offense that requires a lot of chemistry, film breakdowns, and quick read-and-react. True, a lot of the guys we've brought in have been late in their careers, guys like Joey Galloway, Reggie Wayne, Chad Ochocinco, Torry Holt, etc., but reports have almost always said their reason for not making it is the playbook, since the Patriots weren't expecting blazing speed from these free agent bargains.

I don't think it's as simple as giving an incredibly talented player a few routes to run and figuring he will "stretch the field". The Patriots have very high standards for their WRs; in addition to the playbook and offensive philosophy, they are also looking for guys who can block well. Being a great route runner is part of the puzzle but by no means everything. You also have to analyze and understand which route to run. It helps to look at players who have thrived here despite that they may not be, or were not as, good in other offenses. Deion Branch comes to mind.

Yes, I realize that Randy Moss thrived here - for a couple of years - but Moss has been singled out many times by BB as a very intelligent wide receiver, and let's remember he initially came here at a very low cost. I really don't think you can just take a lot of guys and throw them into this offense to get similarly elite results. Not to say that some of the top-tier wide receivers wouldn't be great. DeAndre Hopkins has been brought up. Guys like Julio Jones and AJ Green - well, I'm guessing they would fit in, but still not 100% sure. I know there are certainly some players like Dez Bryant who would fail miserably despite having all the talent in the world.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If the Browns actually CUT Gordon then I wouldn't be at all shocked if he was picked up by NE... really no better place for a guy to get his career and life back on track. But don't see them trading anything for him.

And to think that dumbass organization **** on Lombardi for trying to get first round pick(s) for Gordon way back when. Keeping him and dumping Lombardi has really worked out well for them so far.

Pats are last in the waiver claim process.

Even with his problems, I'd be shocked if he fell to them.

 

[Triumph]

David Boston

Because NEM said so.

 

[Hael]

WRs that probably wouldn't do as well as you might think: Gordon, Bryant, Old Megatron, Julio Jones.

Big wrs can do well here, but they have to be capable of reading a D and having a full route tree and playing at full speed while thinking.

Someone like Fitzgerald would have broken every record in the book. Vincent Jackson would have absolutely crushed records as well.

 

[Todd Bradley]

Easy, Antonio Brown.

Small, tough, shifty and as fast as they come.

That's the prototypical Belichickian WR. Doesn't hurt that he's the best in the game.

 

[FCB02062]

Jeff Samardzija
Wanted him on the Pats so bad when he was in College

 

[Deus Irae]

Not having your top 10 list makes this a bit of a waste, but I'll do it this way and field follow ups, as needed:

Top WRs who'd work in NE:
Antonio Brown
Brandon Marshall
Jarvis Landry
A.J. Green
Julio Jones
DeAndre Hopkins
Emmanuel Sanders
Demaryius Thomas
Amari Cooper
Keenan Allen
Jordy Nelson (pre-injury)
Alshon Jeffery

Top WRs who'd struggle in NE:
Dez Bryant

Top WRs (or top WR capable) that I'm not yet sure of:
Sammy Watkins
Kevin White

Top WRs who would be fine talent wise, but have off-field/mental issues that could be problematic:
OBJ
Josh Gordon
DeSean Jackson

 

[Deus Irae]

Wow - I am surprised at how many people think that these heavily talented receivers would thrive here despite compelling if not overwhelming evidence to the contrary. One main reason the Patriots don't often go for high-priced wide receivers is the very high bust rate in New England due to a very complex offense that requires a lot of chemistry, film breakdowns, and quick read-and-react. True, a lot of the guys we've brought in have been late in their careers, guys like Joey Galloway, Reggie Wayne, Chad Ochocinco, Torry Holt, etc., but reports have almost always said their reason for not making it is the playbook, since the Patriots weren't expecting blazing speed from these free agent bargains.

I don't think it's as simple as giving an incredibly talented player a few routes to run and figuring he will "stretch the field". The Patriots have very high standards for their WRs; in addition to the playbook and offensive philosophy, they are also looking for guys who can block well. Being a great route runner is part of the puzzle but by no means everything. You also have to analyze and understand which route to run. It helps to look at players who have thrived here despite that they may not be, or were not as, good in other offenses. Deion Branch comes to mind.

Yes, I realize that Randy Moss thrived here - for a couple of years - but Moss has been singled out many times by BB as a very intelligent wide receiver, and let's remember he initially came here at a very low cost. I really don't think you can just take a lot of guys and throw them into this offense to get similarly elite results. Not to say that some of the top-tier wide receivers wouldn't be great. DeAndre Hopkins has been brought up. Guys like Julio Jones and AJ Green - well, I'm guessing they would fit in, but still not 100% sure. I know there are certainly some players like Dez Bryant who would fail miserably despite having all the talent in the world.

Please list all the top WRs who failed in New England while they were still top WRs. As far as my memory goes, I think the next one would be the first.

 

[Grizzafted]

brady would get to 07 type scoring numbers if we had antonio brown and gronkowski on the same team.

i used to imagine what it would have been like with megatron, brady was always missing that big fast target he could chuck the ball up to.

 

[Ring 6]

I disagree. The Pat's system requires a specific combination of aspects of intelligence that history has proven is uncommon. Regardless of you speed, athleticism and toughness, if you're not reading the situation the same way as the QB, you're not a fit for the Patriots system. It's not merely a matter of a presnap reads. It requires the receiver to engage at game speed while maintaining awareness of the coverage/blitzes, and adjusting routes the instant anything changes.

What WR failed here then did anything elsewhere.
That mysterious intelligence thing is a lot of hogwash.
All of the top WRs would thrive here.
But BB realizes that Brady can elevate an average group to a dominant offense so he doesn't spend a lot of his assets on the position

When you are dealing with mid-level talent being elevated by the GOAT QB seeing what he sees becomes more important and a lack of intellect in a mid-level talent becomes a bigger problem.

85 in his prime would have thrived with Brady, for example, but by the time he got here the skills were eroded so the dumb limited him.

 

[Grizzafted]

WRs that probably wouldn't do as well as you might think: Gordon, Bryant, Old Megatron, Julio Jones.

Big wrs can do well here, but they have to be capable of reading a D and having a full route tree and playing at full speed while thinking.

Someone like Fitzgerald would have broken every record in the book. Vincent Jackson would have absolutely crushed records as well.

nah man randy moss was not in full command of the playbook in 2007. he was just running routes and getting open

 

[Lansdowne]

Antonio Brown and Larry Fitzgerald would fit this offense like a glove.

 

[Danger Zone]

Antonio Brown...

... and whomever was responsible for scouting him.

 

[jimnance]

Julian Edelman.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Please list all the top WRs who failed in New England while they were still top WRs. As far as my memory goes, I think the next one would be the first.

Outside of Moss, they have never really brought in a top WR in his prime, so I can't provide a single name for you. You make a good point, but my larger point was that being a top WR does not necessarily mean they can grasp the New England offense. The fact that several veteran players who thrived in other systems - Chad Ochocinco, Joey Galloway - for example, are two that could not grasp the playbook. So, I am extrapolating that even in their prime, both players would not have been a fit here due to the philosophical challenges. Yet, if you had taken both players at their absolute peak, I think the same assumptions would have been made with these guys as players that are being listed now, like Antonio Brown or DeAndre Hopkins. I'm not saying that no elite wide receiver could thrive here, just that we really don't know about their abilities to grasp the concepts. And I do think one of the reasons why the Patriots tend to go after fewer top-tier, or even second-tier wide receivers in free agency, and why they seem to be even more careful in financial evaluations, is because of the fear the player could flop despite having the physical tools to succeed. Just look at all the talented draft picks who were unable to master the system; they weren't even really role players, just complete flops.

 

[Deus Irae]

Outside of Moss, they have never really brought in a top WR in his prime, so I can't provide a single name for you. You make a good point, but my larger point was that being a top WR does not necessarily mean they can grasp the New England offense. The fact that several veteran players who thrived in other systems - Chad Ochocinco, Joey Galloway - for example, are two that could not grasp the playbook. So, I am extrapolating that even in their prime, both players would not have been a fit here due to the philosophical challenges. Yet, if you had taken both players at their absolute peak, I think the same assumptions would have been made with these guys as players that are being listed now, like Antonio Brown or DeAndre Hopkins. I'm not saying that no elite wide receiver could thrive here, just that we really don't know about their abilities to grasp the concepts. And I do think one of the reasons why the Patriots tend to go after fewer top-tier, or even second-tier wide receivers in free agency, and why they seem to be even more careful in financial evaluations, is because of the fear the player could flop despite having the physical tools to succeed. Just look at all the talented draft picks who were unable to master the system; they weren't even really role players, just complete flops.

Ok, but bringing up Galloway (unwilling to learn, according to multiple reports, and all but finished) and Johnson (incapable of learning new tricks at that point, and all but finished), is not the same as bringing up top WRs in their primes. Even mid-level players have been able to make the transition. Moss made the transition. Welker made the Transition. Amend0la made the transition. Lloyd made the transition. LaFell made the transition. Hogan's making the transition.

Yes, you need receivers who can adapt on the fly, as needed. Yes, that means that a certain type of receiver (only willing to run certain routes, or only used to running routes with minimal adjustments) will struggle, or may wash out. But the underlying truth is that a huge part of the Patriots WR problems have been because the Patriots have largely brought in ****ty WRs, either because they were has-beens by the time they were brought in or because they were never-weres.

And, as for the "talented draft picks" portion of your post, I think you're equating "drafted high or has nice measurables" with "had real NFL-translated skills". Try to name a "talented draft pick" that the Patriots took, who thrived elsewhere after failing in N.E., and I think you'll see that.

C. Jackson - washout
B. Tate - washout
B. Johnson - washout
P.K. Sam - washout
T. Price - washout
J. Boyce - washout
A. Dobson - washout (to date)

 

[Ivan]

Emmanuel Sanders would kill it.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Wow - I am surprised at how many people think that these heavily talented receivers would thrive here despite compelling if not overwhelming evidence to the contrary. One main reason the Patriots don't often go for high-priced wide receivers is the very high bust rate in New England due to a very complex offense that requires a lot of chemistry, film breakdowns, and quick read-and-react. True, a lot of the guys we've brought in have been late in their careers, guys like Joey Galloway, Reggie Wayne, Chad Ochocinco, Torry Holt, etc., but reports have almost always said their reason for not making it is the playbook, since the Patriots weren't expecting blazing speed from these free agent bargains.

I don't think it's as simple as giving an incredibly talented player a few routes to run and figuring he will "stretch the field". The Patriots have very high standards for their WRs; in addition to the playbook and offensive philosophy, they are also looking for guys who can block well. Being a great route runner is part of the puzzle but by no means everything. You also have to analyze and understand which route to run. It helps to look at players who have thrived here despite that they may not be, or were not as, good in other offenses. Deion Branch comes to mind.

Yes, I realize that Randy Moss thrived here - for a couple of years - but Moss has been singled out many times by BB as a very intelligent wide receiver, and let's remember he initially came here at a very low cost. I really don't think you can just take a lot of guys and throw them into this offense to get similarly elite results. Not to say that some of the top-tier wide receivers wouldn't be great. DeAndre Hopkins has been brought up. Guys like Julio Jones and AJ Green - well, I'm guessing they would fit in, but still not 100% sure. I know there are certainly some players like Dez Bryant who would fail miserably despite having all the talent in the world.

Aj Green might not be great with Brady? ************



Actually there isn't compelling evidence at all. You named players holt Galloway ocho wayne who were so far past there prime there legs were shot. Tell me, what did any of those WRs go on to accomplish after New England released them? They didn't because they were physically washed up when New England signed them.


The only pro bowl caliber deep threat Brady ever played with was randy moss and they broke every record in history. No doubt Brady would make Aj green look like a god.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Emmanuel Sanders would kill it.

They wanted him. Just didn't get it done.

 

[ausbacker]

I'm not going to name why as it's Saturday morning and I'm feeling too lazy to elaborate but here are a few WRs I have in my top 10 I believe would flourish in the Patriots system.

1. Antonio Brown
2. Allen Robinson
3. Jordy Nelson