Patriots and WR Anquan Boldin have mutual interest

[Adam Seward]

Aging Veteran WRs who have lost their legs (ochocinco, holt, Galloway, Wayne) typically do not do well in this patriots offense. Boldin might be in the same boat

True regarding those four but they all had speed at some point in their careers. Boldin has always been a physical route runner. If he can get the playbook, understand his reads in this system, I have no doubt he could be effective in a limited capacity. He sure as hell can run block and always fights for the ball. I wouldn't be upset to see him on the team.

Seems a little late for this to come to fruition though.

Besides, since when is "Anquan" a real name? Something fishy there.

No thanks.

Alright, "Thelonious".

 

[supafly]

The point is that he came in and was able to play almost immediately. It's not easy but it can be done.

He was lining up improperly, running poor rounded off routes, had an offsides or false start penalty and pretty much had no cohesion with Brady or the offense.

If you're seriously pointing to Michael freaking Floyd as an example of success in our offense, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

The bottom line is that he was forced in due to injury, and that there have been almost no other successful examples since Jabar Gaffney in 2006, which took some time as well.

 

[Ring 6]

He was lining up improperly, running poor rounded off routes, had an offsides or false start penalty and pretty much had no cohesion with Brady or the offense.

If you're seriously pointing to Michael freaking Floyd as an example of success in our offense, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

The bottom line is that he was forced in due to injury, and that there have been almost no other successful examples since Jabar Gaffney in 2006, which took some time as well.

Floyd got on the field immediately and contributed. Your concerns about how he played in one game notwithstanding. Rounding off routes, and jumping offsides have nothing to do with assimilating into the offense.
There are other examples as well, but we can just leave it at agree to disagree.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

He has the speed of a slow tight end at this point, but those marvelous hands... he can catch anything in a crowd, and his lack of speed ALWAYS leaves him in a crowd.

definite pass, though, unless 2+ additional WR injuries appear season-threatening.

for the rolodex, under the category "sure-handed vet WR"

 

[ivanvamp]

Edelman out.
Mitchell on IR.
Amendola out with a concussion.

Time to bring Boldin I. For a look-see. Can't hurt to see what he might have left. In tight spaces he still has great hands and a big body. Boldin seems to have had some interest in coming here.

No downside.

(Or would they have to trade with the Bills to get his rights?)

 

[RobertWeathers]

Edelman out.
Mitchell on IR.
Amendola out with a concussion.

Time to bring Boldin I. For a look-see. Can't hurt to see what he might have left. In tight spaces he still has great hands and a big body. Boldin seems to have had some interest in coming here.

No downside.

(Or would they have to trade with the Bills to get his rights?)

They need to cut a deal with the Jills.

If its more than a 6th rounder the should go to hell.

 

[rochrist]

I think they would need to let Hollister walk.

I'm not sold on it but what the heck

What are you going to give Buffalo for his rights?

 

[Bruins29]

What are you going to give Buffalo for his rights?

A bag of balls? New ones of course

 

[rochrist]

Why? He's old as dirt

I'm sure some UFA is 100 times better than him

Experience counts for a great deal. He caught 67 passes last year

A bag of balls? New ones of course

Experience counts for a lot in his game. He caught 67 balls last year for a pretty wretched Lions team.

Unfortunately, the Bills will want substantially more than a bag of balls.

 

[Bruins29]

Experience counts for a great deal. He caught 67 passes last year

Experience counts for a lot in his game. He caught 67 balls last year for a pretty wretched Lions team.

Unfortunately, the Bills will want substantially more than a bag of balls.

He was effective last year. Certainly brings experience and leadership. It was just a joke and in noway reflecting his value. I just dont want to give up much

 

[RobertWeathers]

What are you going to give Buffalo for his rights?

For Boldin?

I dunna know....a conditional 6th?

 

[ivanvamp]

Experience counts for a great deal. He caught 67 passes last year

Experience counts for a lot in his game. He caught 67 balls last year for a pretty wretched Lions team.

Unfortunately, the Bills will want substantially more than a bag of balls.

The Bills don't really want to help New England but they're not competing for anything this year - they're in major rebuild mode there. And Boldin certainly isn't a long term fix for NE.

Boldin is retired and right now Buffalo is getting objectively nothing from him so a 7th round pick would still be better for them than keeping a retired Boldin.

I'd kick the tires if I was BB.

 

[supafly]

1)Cooks--first year, certainly still developing and trying to improve upon the chemistry in the offense

2)Hogan--second year, more of a threat outside of the numbers. At the moment our most reliable WR

3)Amendola--currently out with a concussion. Also has durability issues

4)Dorsett--still trying to find the WRs meeting room. May have 10% of the playbook down by next weekend, if he works hard at it. Will be forced to be active again


Yes, I would consider bringing in another WR, and it obviously may cost a draft pick. If a guy like Boldin somehow becomes available, I think you pull the trigger based on physicality, blocking ability, guts, intelligence, and experience

 

[Bruins29]

Yes, I would consider bringing in another WR, and it obviously may cost a draft pick. If a guy like Boldin somehow becomes available, I think you pull the trigger based on physicality, blocking ability, guts, intelligence, and experience

Yeah, they need a body. As great as DA is I would rather him be a role player and good to go for playoffs then have him catch 6-10 balls a game (which he can do) and either end up injured or hobbled a la 2015.

They need that 5th guy anyway. Hopefully by week 8 it sorts itself out.

 

[Jackson 2]

It takes all of OTAs, non-team workouts in the off-season, all of training camp and even then some of the best WRs who have come here still can't get on the same page with Brady. The guys on the current roster are going to have to do.

 

[supafly]

It takes all of OTAs, non-team workouts in the off-season, all of training camp and even then some of the best WRs who have come here still can't get on the same page with Brady. The guys on the current roster are going to have to do.

While no one here is likely to agree with you more than I would on this topic, the fact remains that one of our currently healthy three WRs just got here about a week ago and is already being forced to play (Dorsett). He isn't even on par with a rookie, since a rookie would've had 5-6 months of learning the playbook by now.

In other words, how much difference would it make to bring in an experienced slot veteran who has thrived in multiple systems, and at the very least, is physical and blocks well? In my opinion, that's going to get you farther than most other options available. After all, they're most definitely going to have to bring someone else in at some point, right? As it stands today, there are 3 WRs. Of course, the fact that BUF controls his rights likely makes the whole idea moot, but if we're throwing it out there, he seems to be as good as any other option I can think of.

The bottom line is that we're going to go as far as Danny Amendola can take us, since the intermediate routes are what makes this offense tick. Aside from that, they'll have to get creative and try to move some parts around, but the fact that they didn't even really attempt that on Thursday tells me that is going to be quite a challenge to overcome. In other words, they're basically going to have to start at something close to square one, anyway. I don't know how big the gap would be in terms of Rex Burkhead vs. Anquan Boldin playing the slot, but it may be something worth pondering.

 

[luuked]

He isn't even on par with a rookie, since a rookie would've had 5-6 months of learning the playbook by now.

I agree with most of what you have written except that part. While the rookie might have a theoretical jump in terms of playbook knowledge a player like Dorsett has been through multiple training camps, has his body in NFL shape, knows what to expect in against NFL level defenders and so on..

 

[supafly]

I agree with most of what you have written except that part. While the rookie might have a theoretical jump in terms of playbook knowledge a player like Dorsett has been through multiple training camps, has his body in NFL shape, knows what to expect in against NFL level defenders and so on..

Sure, that obviously counts for something, but in terms of knowing the system and learning the playbook/audibles/blocking responsibilities, etc, he's lost.

No OTAs, mini camp, training camp, film study, reading the playbook at night, running routes with Brady, etc. That's huge and really evens the field in limiting what he can contribute.

I think a guy like Boldin would know what to expect from NFL defenses, has been through plenty of TCs and all of the other good points that you bring up.

 

[Joker]

in a related (sorts) development, I have a mutual interest with Rene Russo...I want to rub up against her and she wants to rub me out..

 

[patsinthesnow]