Patriots draft meetings

[BelichickFan]

AFAIK, he didn't miss a game in three years at Auburn.

He did get hurt here and there but also played through injuries. He shouldn't have played in the SECCG after his bad (dislocation I think) shoulder injury in the Iron Bowl. He may have gotten hurt a little too much but he'll play through it too. I like him, Auburn wasn't the same without him on the field - or when he played at well below 100%.

 

[maineman209]

He was constantly dealing with nagging injuries which limited him during that time, though. Especially in his final year. The team already has Brittle Burkhead and Gilly in the backfield, who have had their own injury issues. I don't want a guy coming out of college that had to deal with them, too. Give me someone that has shown the ability to stay relatively healthy at that level.

Players play through injuries if there's no backup who can carry the load in their stead, especially RBs. I think that's one of the reasons that BB prefers the 4-man RBBC to relying on one guy. It's rare that all of them are going to be dinged up simultaneously. And when one does get dinged, he can be allowed to fully recover.

Anyway, "Brittle" Burkhead?

 

[Kontradiction]

Players play through injuries if there's no backup who can carry the load in their stead, especially RBs. I think that's one of the reasons that BB prefers the 4-man RBBC to relying on one guy. It's rare that all of them are going to be dinged up simultaneously. And when one does get dinged, he can be allowed to fully recover.

Anyway, "Brittle" Burkhead?

Had to captain stone it and come up with a nickname for him. I’m still torn on that or IRex.

 

[maineman209]

He did get hurt here and there but also played through injuries. He shouldn't have played in the SECCG after his bad (dislocation I think) shoulder injury in the Iron Bowl. He may have gotten hurt a little too much but he'll play through it too. I like him, Auburn wasn't the same without him on the field - or when he played at well below 100%.

He ended up playing through his injuries at least in part because his backups weren't very good. With the Pats, he'd be sharing the load with White, Burkhead and one of Hill/Gillislee.

Also, in spite of playing through nagging injuries, he fumbled a total of three times in about 600 touches (returns included). That's elite-level ball security.

 

[maineman209]

Had to captain stone it and come up with a nickname for him. I’m still torn on that or IRex.

Well, he played 40-something consecutive games without an injury - mostly a few hundred ST snaps, where the injury/concussion rate is a couple times higher than in scrimmage play.

Then, he got his ribs cracked in a scrimmage play with the Pats. Not a particularly common injury, and not usually a chronic thing. He sat four games. He might've been "ready" to come back after two or three, but the Pats could afford to keep him out for extra time since there were three other healthy RBs capable of getting the job done.

Then, he dinged a knee late in the season. Must not have been too serious, since he was back on the field for the SB and performed well.

I don't think any of this make him particularly "brittle".

 

[Kontradiction]

He ended up playing through his injuries at least in part because his backups weren't very good. With the Pats, he'd be sharing the load with White, Burkhead and one of Hill/Gillislee.

Also, in spite of playing through nagging injuries, he fumbled a total of three times in about 600 touches (returns included). That's elite-level ball security.

Like I said, I wouldn't be overly upset if BB went that direction. At the position, if they're going to spend draft capital on it, I'd rather them go with guys that didn't have notable injury histories. I'd prefer Michel, Freeman, or Ballage over Johnson.

 

[maineman209]

Like I said, I wouldn't be overly upset if BB went that direction. At the position, if they're going to spend draft capital on it, I'd rather them go with guys that didn't have notable injury histories. I'd prefer Michel, Freeman, or Ballage over Johnson.

Fumble rates:

Johnson = once every 191 touches
Freeman = once every 114 touches
Ballage = once every 67 touches
Michel = once every 55 touches

 

[Kontradiction]

Fumble rates:

Johnson = once every 191 touches
Freeman = once every 114 touches
Ballage = once every 67 touches
Michel = once every 55 touches

Michel and Ballage, in particular, are fumbles waiting to happen. But something like that is at least coachable. I’d rather take a shot on that on day two than a guy coming in to the NFL with notable injuries.

 

[BelichickFan]

Like I said, I wouldn't be overly upset if BB went that direction. At the position, if they're going to spend draft capital on it, I'd rather them go with guys that didn't have notable injury histories. I'd prefer Michel, Freeman, or Ballage over Johnson.

Freeman misses time the same as Johnson and he has almost twice as many college carries and Johnson. I'm a Ducks fan so I like Freeman but I'm not sure his 1,000 or so touches is what you want over Johnson's less than 600.

 

[maineman209]

Michel and Ballage, in particular, are fumbles waiting to happen. But something like that is at least coachable. I’d rather take a shot on that on day two than a guy coming in to the NFL with notable injuries.

Coachable?

It wasn't with Ridley. It took Faulk 3+ years under BB (most of a rookie contract). Even Maroney still had issues when he was traded.

Meanwhile, BGE never fumbled. Blount, who was never as bad as any of the three above, fumbled rarely with the Pats. White - the only RB drafted since Ridley - fumbled something like once every 256 touches in college.

If a player fumbles, it can cost the game. If a player gets injured, it's just "next man up."

The point for me is, why bother having to try to fix a prospect's fumbling issue (and perhaps fail), when you can get a guy you don't have to worry about and who's good enough to contribute within an RBBC situation that inherently insures you to a significant degree against the guy getting dinged up?

 

[Kontradiction]

Coachable?

Sure it is. Whether the guy takes the coaching is up for debate. Usually, it's just a change of carrying it low and away to high and tight.

It wasn't with Ridley. It took Faulk 3+ years under BB (most of a rookie contract). Even Maroney still had issues when he was traded.

Meanwhile, BGE never fumbled. Blount, who was never as bad as any of the three above, fumbled rarely with the Pats. White - the only RB drafted since Ridley - fumbled something like once every 256 touches in college.

If a player fumbles, it can cost the game. If a player gets injured, it's just "next man up."

And the next men up on first and second down have either all had injury issues throughout their career (Gilly) or in their time with New England (Burkhead). And while they do execute a RBBC committee approach, they need a true "lead off" back. That's not Gilly and it's not Burkhead. It's certainly not White. So the rookie should look to get the bulk of the touches. Again, I wouldn't kill myself if Johnson ends up being the one. He's talented and doesn't fumble often. But I'd rather them get a prospect that is coming into the league healthy instead of having a history of getting banged up, particularly in his final season in college.

The point for me is, why bother having to try to fix a prospect's fumbling issue (and perhaps fail), when you can get a guy you don't have to worry about and who's good enough to contribute within an RBBC situation that inherently insures you to a significant degree against the guy getting dinged up?

Every prospect has issues that need to be fixed. For Michel, it's fumbling. For Johnson, it's running upright and with high pad level, which will get him killed at the next level.

 

[manxman2601]

Did Josh McDaniels run Lamar Jackson’s workout?

 

[Luxusdk]

Did Josh McDaniels run Lamar Jackson’s workout?

Offensive coordinator (and likely coach of their next quarterback at some point) Josh McDaniels worked out Jackson in South Florida before he visited the facility.

 

[manxman2601]

Did Josh McDaniels run Lamar Jackson’s workout?

 

[long distance]

Did Josh McDaniels run Lamar Jackson’s workout?

One thing I have no doubt of: If BB WANTS Lamar (even if not for himself but for Nick & McD) LJ will be a Patriot.

 

[manxman2601]

One thing I have no doubt of: If BB WANTS Lamar (even if not for himself but for Nick & McD) he will be a Patriot.

With all this talk of Rosen and Lamar and trading up to first overall, whether the Patriots are interested in a QB is going to be a key narrative for Thursday night. It’s going to be interesting to see just how much legs it has. Ultimately I think we’ll end up with Rudolph, Lauletta, Falk or White and it’ll all be a damp squib but I have to say, I’m not completely sure.

 

[long distance]

With all this talk of Rosen and Lamar and trading up to first overall, whether the Patriots are interested in a QB is going to be a key narrative for Thursday night. It’s going to be interesting to see just how much legs it has. Ultimately I think we’ll end up with Rudolph, Lauletta, Falk or White and it’ll all be a damp squib but I have to say, I’m not completely sure.

Id guess the missing official visits are QBs as well..

 

[manxman2601]

Id guess the missing official visits are QBs as well..

Quite possibly although I doubt the top four were included (Rosen maybe). Unless of course B.B. really is planning to go big.

 

[zimmy]

I just have a feeling the Pats are planning something. Falk, White, Lauletta et al are nice developmental prospects but we are looking for our potential franchise QB of the future. I just don't see that in any of those guys. Jimmy G was a better prospect than those three and he had the benefit of time. We might need our guy to be ready next year.

I just feel if we took Lauletta or Falk we would be having this discussion about a franchise QB next year again.

I know its a cliche but you can't teach what Jackson has, but you can improve his mechanics, accuracy and pocket awareness. I would be so excited if we took him, even with a trade up to 14 ahead of Baltimore.

 

[maineman209]

I just feel if we took Lauletta or Falk we would be having this discussion about a franchise QB next year again.

We probably will be, regardless.