Patriots exploring trade options with Mitchell; team is high on Kenny britt

[RayClay]

Assuming this report is accurate:

1.) With Edelman out...and Mitchell being traded for anything...we now have:

Hogan, Slater (Gunner), Matthews, and Patterson as locks, IMO.

Britt, Dorsett, Berrios, and McCarron are all competing for 2 spots...and one of them will have to show a lot in the first 4 weeks to stick around.

2.) Britt starting camp on PUP is not good news, IMO. Hollister too....NFI list.

3.) I liked the Lucien re-sign. He was great in camp in the summer of 2016...catching everything in sight when I watched him myself.

Yes, Slater is a lock on ST. Which has zero to do with our WR depth.

 

[RayClay]

So who won the trade?

Arizona:

Chandler Jones. Lead all lineman in sacks, QB pressures, and set the edge at a high level. Top 3 finalist for NFC defensive player of the year.

New England:

Malcolm Mitchell: injury prone, trading block, May be out of the league soon

Joe Thuney: struggling. might be regulated to a backup role

Jonathan Cooper: out of the league

Do we disregard the contract and the psychotic break in the police station?

 

[supafly]

Do we disregard the contract and the psychotic break in the police station?

Both played a part. Especially the former.

 

[HailHydra]

Do we disregard the contract and the psychotic break in the police station?

I prefer the comparison of $ for Jones = $ for Gilmore. Which one?

 

[Snooky97]

Don’t want to Malcom to leave, really loved him and he was a huge importance for the Last super bowl

 

[rochrist]

Ill never forget that contribution but It be nice to draft a receiver and get long term production.

Sure, the point is that he was a 4th rounder. And he was a 4th rounder because the odds were good he wasn't going to be able to stay healthy.

 

[Triumph]

The damn Steelers could put draft WR names in a hat and pick a stud.

I never seen a team draft WRs like there is no tomorrow.

 

[HailHydra]

The damn Steelers could put draft WR names in a hat and pick a stud.

I never seen a team draft WRs like there is no tomorrow.

Essentially renders the "we always draft at the worst positions" argument null

 

[Triumph]

Essentially renders the "we always draft at the worst positions" argument null

They drafted Emanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown in the same draft.

Crazy.

 

[Deus Irae]

Well, if he's out or gone, and with Edelman on the shelf for four weeks, the WR battles would at least seem to have some more clarity. Injuries happen, and moves can still be made but, keeping it in house would seem to make things pretty clear, barring unexpected performances by one of the theoretically bottom 4.

Probable top 5 (alphabetical order):

Britt
Dorsett
Hogan
Matthews
Patterson

Probably vying for P.S. slots:
Berrios
McCarron
Hollister
Lucien

 

[Triumph]

Britts hands are questionable, but I believe NE coaching can work wonders.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Kenny Britt

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Mitchell is a good kitten er eh kid he just cannot stay healthy.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Why did Mitchell wait until today to have the procedure on his knee?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Well, if he's out or gone, and with Edelman on the shelf for four weeks, the WR battles would at least seem to have some more clarity. Injuries happen, and moves can still be made but, keeping it in house would seem to make things pretty clear, barring unexpected performances by one of the theoretically bottom 4.

Probable top 5 (alphabetical order):

Britt
Dorsett
Hogan
Matthews
Patterson

Probably vying for P.S. slots:
Berrios
McCarron
Hollister
Lucien

If Matthews doesn't play STs, that could open the door for one of the young slot WRs.

 

[supafly]

If Matthews doesn't play STs, that could open the door for one of the young slot WRs.

I think there’s a chance that both Matthews and one of the young slot WRs makes it. I’m skeptical that both Britt and Dorsett are Patriots this year. I guess we’ll know a lot more in about a month.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Well, if he's out or gone, and with Edelman on the shelf for four weeks, the WR battles would at least seem to have some more clarity. Injuries happen, and moves can still be made but, keeping it in house would seem to make things pretty clear, barring unexpected performances by one of the theoretically bottom 4.

Probable top 5 (alphabetical order):
Britt
Dorsett
Hogan
Matthews
Patterson

(Just returned from vomiting.) This is why you don’t draft for need, since there are such drastic changes from year to year. Last year at this time, we were wondering which reliable, highly productive receiver was going to be cut since the position was so stacked. Now we may be a Hogan injury away from a 2012/2013 type of historical riches to rags story again. For weeks 1-4 anyway.

 

[luuked]

So who won the trade?

Arizona:

Chandler Jones. Lead all lineman in sacks, QB pressures, and set the edge at a high level. Top 3 finalist for NFC defensive player of the year.

New England:

Malcolm Mitchell: injury prone, trading block, May be out of the league soon

Joe Thuney: struggling. might be regulated to a backup role

Jonathan Cooper: out of the league

We gave up one season of Jones for a guard who started 32 games and a WR who had known knee issues but still was instrumental in a SB win. And lets not forget about some cap room while we are at it.

I dont see how having CJ in 2016 could have made the season a bigger success than it ended up being anyway and we were never gonna resign him because at market price he was neither fit nor value for what a DE needs to do here.

We certainly didn't lose that trade unless you somehow absurdly believe that a CJ extension was on the table. If you do you might be as high as CJ was when he walked in that police parking lot before the KC playoff game.

And given where the Cardinals have been in the last two years I dont see what exactly they have won about it either.

 

[supafly]

(Just returned from vomiting.) This is why you don’t draft for need, since there are such drastic changes from year to year. Last year at this time, we were wondering which reliable, highly productive receiver was going to be cut since the position was so stacked. Now we may be a Hogan injury away from a 2012/2013 type of historical riches to rags story again. For weeks 1-4 anyway.

I doubt it’s quite as bad as 2013 or 2006 (at least yet), but you make an excellent point that I had brought up this past weekend while talking to my wife. What was once considered a position of strength is now a position of uncertainty. Like you stated, one more injury changes things a lot.

I’m not surprised about the news regarding Mitchell, but the loss of Edelman for the first month will pose quite the challenge. I hope that I’m wrong, but the thought of having to rely on guys like Dorsett or Britt makes me queasy. Maybe they can get the running game in order. That would be enormous.

 

[dafoe2016]

This WR corps is going to be a mess. Especially for the first four weeks. Look to see a lot of balls forced into double and triple coverage to Gronk.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

So who won the trade?

The Patriots almost certainly lose the Super Bowl to the Falcons without Mitchell. So whatever Jones may have done, or not done, in that game the Patriots win that trade for me.