No. My position is that Parker's not a #1, and is not really a #2, in the Patriots offense because, in the Patriots offense, the TEs are supposed to be the guys making the contested catches. The WRs are supposed to find space, and that's not Parker's game. You may recall me talking about the bust formerly known as N'Keal Harry as a guy who should have been shifted to TE. It was because of this same sort of situation.
Parker runs a 4.45 40. Harry was another 4.6 guy wasn't he?
Which of these were contested catch wrestling matches when we played them in '19?
When he pantsed Gilmore on that first catch, tell me how Gilmore was contesting it. And he
kept beating Gilmore. Tell me what about this particular 137 yard perfomance was about contested balls. He's big and strong, but he's also fast--or, you could argue, he
was, I'm just asking you to tell me how and when Davante Parker became so damaged that it's a slam dunk you should sit him on the bench in favor of the "guy who was most underrated no. 2 receiver before the upgrade and is salty about the new offense."
Or show me any other source that says he can't get open and he's a wrestler playing wide receiver, other than some guy on PatsFans saying he's "not explosive." I mean, I can buy he wasn't Sunday, but his problem has been more staying healthy than getting open. That said, he had that big 16.7 yard per catch average, 1200 yards, 9 TD in '19, and since then he's been in the 12s (in terms of YPC). But no, not a 78.6% catch rate, in the 50s and 60s. Bourne had a great 2021, touching 800 yards for the first time. If he is okay with the offense we run, and the coaches are okay with him, he might have a great 2022. I dont think we know a whole lot right now, other than everybody's mad he wasn't annointed King of the Receivers, because we lost our first game.
If that was the only example of Bourne with the Patriots, I'd be with you. However, we have all of last season to look at, as well: 55 catches on 70 targets (78.6% catch rate), and a 14.5 yards per catch average.
Super-efficient year, super in-tune with Mac, and I'm not saying he sucks. I'm saying we added a second tight end, and reportedly he was upset about
that. I won't speculate past what I've read and I'll only half-believe
that, because who actually knows jack about it. He's the sexy "most underrated" guy. He's just in the same continuum as the other starters, and by the way, the guys they've added have been a speed upgrade... over BOTH guys who carried us last year. Coincidence? I look forward to looking back at this season
edit: I know we didn't add Jonnu in 2022. We added throwing to him in 2022. (i.e., more 2 TE sets)
No, I want the team to put the best players on the field. I don't happen to think that includes Jonnu Smith, but the team either thinks it does or is trying to force Smith out of hope that he becomes that. But, if you're going to have the 2 tight ends, your receivers need to be Bourne and Meyers, at least until/unless one of them actually plays himself out of that slot. Parker and Agholor need to be the WR3/WR4 guys.
And don't give me the "Practice" stuff:
You lost me on "practice."
I'm not against him. I'd say he's intriguing on the efficiency axis, he's not this monster, at least not yet, he wouldn't have likely made the difference Sunday, but yeah, if he is better than the guy you went out and bought as having a legit no. 1 potential, Parker, he's better than the guy who was his (at least) "co no. 1" except they both produced like 2s.... he's better than Agholor, guaranteed, because we got Bad Agholor last year instead of Good Agholor, as in, 2020 with the Raiders...
Yeah, Kendrick Bourne is the one only guy who might could possibly have an argument to see the field. So much so that he can have (reported) attitude problems about how the offense is supposed to be run, and
still vault ahead of the other guys, right?
You know because that one year, he had a 14.something per catch average and that (legitimately eyepopping) 78% catch percentage.
