Jeff Thomas

[mosi's man]

Most for Edelman would be a second from TB.
More than likely a third is what most teams would part with

You may be correct, but I know of at least one team, just last year, that was willing to pay a second round pick for Mohammed Sanu, a far lesser player than Edelman....

 

[Uptown]

This year greater depth on the practice squad at the receiver position, especially at the slot, may be worthy of consideration. Suppose Stidham starts and is shaky for six games and the Pats go 2-4. Then he/Belichick rights the ship, the team begins to turn it around, but due to the schedule as well as their youth, they don't appear to be a team the will go deep in the playoffs. Do you trade Edelman to a contender at the deadline? He's unlikely to be resigned anyway and he might garner a late 1st/second round pick. Say what you want, but even in a perfect world the Pats probably aren't built to challenge for the Super Bowl next year, but with the cap space and the uncertainty going into 2021 along with a bunch of youth they may be poised to reload very quickly. If they have a promising wideout on the practice squad like Hastings who could slide into Edelmans' place and begin the transition, that might be something that Bill the Evil Genius would consider.

Edelman’s not garnering anywhere near a first/second rounder. It would be anywhere between a 3rd-6th rounder. He’s 34 years old AND TB isn’t desperate for WRs at all.

 

[luuked]

Do you trade Edelman to a contender at the deadline? He's unlikely to be resigned anyway and he might garner a late 1st/second round pick.

Edelman will not garner more in compensation than Sanders last year. A fourth round pick sounds about right. Maybe a third given his relatively affordable contract.

Personally, I think Edelman's presence as a leader in the locker room and as security blanket for Stidham is more valuable than a 3rd/4th pick but YMMV. If someone offers more than that all bets are off.

 

[luuked]

Edelman’s not garnering anywhere near a first/second rounder. It would be anywhere between a 3rd-6th rounder. He’s 34 years old AND TB isn’t desperate for WRs at all.

I think it is more likely the Lions or Dolphins would go after him than the Bucs.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

You may be correct, but I know of at least one team, just last year, that was willing to pay a second round pick for Mohammed Sanu, a far lesser player than Edelman....

Atlanta played on our desperation
Harry and Myers wasn’t pro ready Gordon lost to his demons. Thomas was traded prematurely and Antonio was a demon.
It was cluster and as a team we are use to being in the Super Bowl hunt we criminally overpaid for Sanu.
It’s because we embarrassed Atlanta to the world with the biggest melt down in Super Bowl history.
Calling them for that trade would be like calling your ex wife to hook you up with a nice girl.

 

[mosi's man]

Atlanta played on our desperation
Harry and Myers wasn’t pro ready Gordon lost to his demons. Thomas was traded prematurely and Antonio was a demon.
It was cluster and as a team we are use to being in the Super Bowl hunt we criminally overpaid for Sanu.
It’s because we embarrassed Atlanta to the world with the biggest melt down in Super Bowl history.
Calling them for that trade would be like calling your ex wife to hook you up with a nice girl.

So your take is that Belichick, the coldest mofo in the universe, is more likely to act "out of desperation" than other teams would (Texans, Packers, Saints, etc.), teams who rarely ever catch a whiff of the Super Bowl, if for example one of their featured wide outs was injured? Michael Thomas goes down, and you have an aging Drew Brees, you don't call your old friend Bill and swing a deal for a 1 or a 2? Outside the realm of possibility?

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

So your take is that Belichick, the coldest mofo in the universe, is more likely to act "out of desperation" than other teams would (Texans, Packers, Saints, etc.), teams who rarely ever catch a whiff of the Super Bowl, if for example one of their featured wide outs was injured? Michael Thomas goes down, and you have an aging Drew Brees, you don't call your old friend Bill and swing a deal for a 1 or a 2? Outside the realm of possibility?

How else can you explain it?

 

[mosi's man]

I explain it by pointing out that it's a common happening. In poker it's referred to as being "pot committed". When you have invested a great deal in winning at a certain moment in time and your investment doesn't look likely to pay off, many gamblers/coaches will increase their investment. So, if you are like the Rams, Saints or the Texans (all teams with heavy recent investments designed to "put them over the top"), who have loaded up this year and your chances appear to be slipping away, you make the deal. It's common. Hell, half the posters on this forum have yelled at Belichick for years for being unwilling to buy into this strategy.

 

[captain stone]

Why so much fuss about the 5th WR. Did the #5 last year have more than 1 catch per game? and that with no TE's.

Perhaps I should've placed Byrd/Thomas/Et Al as WR #5, because whoever wins this spot (I doubt more than one of this skillset is kept) will also serve as primary Returner - preferably for both KOs & Punts - as well as backup Slot; the number of scrimmage snaps admittedly won't be very high ...Then the winner of Meyers vs Lee will become our #4 and Next Man Up should something befall Snuze or Harry...

 

[ralmat55]

The new PS rules allowing PS players to be activated to the game roster will likely change how the 53 man roster is built. Before, you had to keep sufficient depth at each position to cover for injuries. Now that you can activate up to two players per game from the PS to cover depth shortages. I’m thinking teams might keep historically odd numbers at some positions by keeping players they don’t want exposed to waivers over veterans previously kept for depth but replaceable by a PSer if needed.

So, keeping 6 WRs (+Slater) might be done at the expense of a 9th OLineman or 4th or 5th DT.

 

[ralmat55]

Perhaps I should've placed Byrd/Thomas/Et Al as WR #5, because whoever wins this spot (I doubt more than one of this skillset is kept) will also serve as primary Returner - preferably for both KOs & Punts - as well as backup Slot; the number of scrimmage snaps admittedly won't be very high ...Then the winner of Meyers vs Lee will become our #4 and Next Man Up should something befall Snuze or Harry...

The PR/KR could be Dugger instead. That might be the best way to get a contribution from him this season. Olszewski came from Division III last year to take those duties initially. Dugger should be able to step up from Division II to do it this year.

 

[luuked]

How else can you explain it?

What is there to explain ?

Sanu was on a very affordable 1.5 year deal and it was midseason. If he was on an expiring deal it would have been most probably a third round pick instead. This way they got a vet player they wanted to sign multiple times in the past for more than a couple games.

Exactly how could anyone predict that he'd suffer a severe high ankle sprain that needed surgery in the offseason 2 games later. ****ty timing but that is in the past now.

 

[mgteich]

.

Do you trade Edelman to a contender at the deadline? He's unlikely to be resigned anyway and he might garner a late 1st/second round pick. S..

This is the worst analysis in a long time. Edelman's agent wouldn't expect us to get a late second for him if he were traded near the trade deadline.

 

[mgteich]

also we may see 1 or 2 extra WR on the 53 since Jarret much like a younger Tom is willing to throw to young WRs.

Sop, because is Stidham is found, you would have an inacti

Perhaps I should've placed Byrd/Thomas/Et Al as WR #5, because whoever wins this spot (I doubt more than one of this skillset is kept) will also serve as primary Returner - preferably for both KOs & Punts - as well as backup Slot; the number of scrimmage snaps admittedly won't be very high ...Then the winner of Meyers vs Lee will become our #4 and Next Man Up should something befall Snuze or Harry...

fair enough.

However, I expect that Duggar will be our punt returner. Belichick won't hesitate to use a backup DB as a punt returner. After all, Edelman was the primary punt returner for years.

So, I expect that the #5 WR will be need to be at least the backup PR.

 

[Zuma]

also we may see 1 or 2 extra WR on the 53 since Jarret much like a younger Tom is willing to throw to young WRs.

For whatever reason (lack of talent or trust) Tom has been throwing less to WR4 through WR6 in his later years...so why burn roster spots if they very rarely get the ball? Stid is going to try to throw to his main options and if they aren't open...then throw to whoever is open...he is not going to give a rats ass who they are. IMO there is a better chance more WR's are involved in the offense in 2020 then in 2019 for example. So yeah...I think it's "possible" we may see an extra WR or 2 on the roster in 2020.

 

[mgteich]

For whatever reason (lack of talent or trust) Tom has been throwing less to WR4 through WR6 in his later years...so why burn roster spots if they very rarely get the ball? Stid is going to try to throw to his main options and if they aren't open...then throw to whoever is open...he is not going to give a rats ass who they are. IMO there is a better chance more WR's are involved in the offense in 2020 then in 2019 for example. So yeah...I think it's "possible" we may see an extra WR or 2 on the roster in 2020.

Is it your position that the inactive 5th and 6th receivers will get lots of reps and receptions?

 

[Zuma]

Is it your position that the inactive 5th and 6th receivers will get lots of reps and receptions?

You know my position. Less ST only players and more WR's.

 

[luuked]

For whatever reason (lack of talent or trust) Tom has been throwing less to WR4 through WR6 in his later years...so why burn roster spots if they very rarely get the ball? Stid is going to try to throw to his main options and if they aren't open...then throw to whoever is open...he is not going to give a rats ass who they are. IMO there is a better chance more WR's are involved in the offense in 2020 then in 2019 for example. So yeah...I think it's "possible" we may see an extra WR or 2 on the roster in 2020.

I understand where you coming from but I think that @mgteich is right that the math will just not work out.

How many snaps and targets do you think a WR4 will get given our RB group and additions at TE ? How often do you think we will come out with 4-5 WR ?

Practically any niche player on defense or specialist on ST will be more valuable than WR5/6. That is unless we suffer multiple serious injuries at WR but that is a different story.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

I understand where you coming from but I think that @mgteich is right that the math will just not work out.

How many snaps and targets do you think a WR4 will get given our RB group and additions at TE ? How often do you think we will come out with 4-5 WR ?

Practically any niche player on defense or specialist on ST will be more valuable than WR5/6. That is unless we suffer multiple serious injuries at WR but that is a different story.

I think in today's NFL you need more receivers.
What if we go with 2 tight ends both Rooks one full back and Say 3 running backs.
Michel White and Harris
With JJ Taylor on our PS.
That opens the door for 1 or 2 more wrs.
As we have seen with this team Running back has been easier to plug and play than finding decent receivers.

 

[boodog]

I don't know if it has been mentioned, (sorry if it has) but if you are interested in more background info and context about Jeff Thomas, there is an excellent documentary about East St Louis football called 89 blocks. The doc is about the success of the football team despite being in a city with a very high crime rate. Jeff is plays a prominent roll. He seems like a good kid who has had a rough upbringing. Has a problem with making commitments to the team. The talent is definitely there. Here is a trailer and it is available from FOX Sports on demand (streaming).
https://www.si.com/high-school/2017...ts-films-si-production-east-st-louis-football