Homers Only: Throw on Your Rose Colored Glasses and Get in Here

[Real fan 02]

We do need to add another RB, but we will.

Harris, rham, Gibson not good enough?..

 

[mgteich]

Harris, rham, Gibson not good enough?..

I believe that there will be low-cost upgrades available who are much better than Harris.

The team is always looking for upgrades. RB seems possible. Also, defensive back seems likely, especially since many posters want to keep 11 defensive backs plus Schooler.

 

[Real fan 02]

I believe that there will be low-cost upgrades available who are much better than Harris.

The team is always looking for upgrades. RB seems possible. Also, defensive back seems likely, especially since many posters want to keep 11 defensive backs plus Schooler.

Oh while I agree.. we have to look at what Harris will be asked to do. RB isn't really a pressing need on the offense right now.. Harris can get short yards, goal line stuff.. he would be a capable fill in should gibby or rham miss time.. I'm sure we will pick up another back somewhere along the way.. but for now I think we are ok..

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Homers only??

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

That's because You are not wearing the rose-colored glasses

TBH I believe Zappe gives them their best chance to win, and the more experience he gets the better he (and the Pats) will be.

Since OB left OSU and is back in town I feel a little worse about badmouthing a guy I've never met, but I'll just say this offense will be drastically better without him. Drastically. Better.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Harris, rham, Gibson not good enough?..

Harris is not good enough. Rham and Gibson are good.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Harris, rham, Gibson not good enough?..

Harris is not good enough. Rham and Gibson are good.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I had posted someplace here a few months back a twitter thread showing he did fine against Judon and mostly fine against another high-end DE.

I hope you are right. That would be great. Today Judon abused Oka with 2 sacks.

 

[Real fan 02]

Harris is not good enough. Rham and Gibson are good.

We've only seen Harris in limited roles... he was good enough in a terrible offense the last 2 seasons... he will be serviceable is if has to play...

 

[Wozzy]

We've only seen Harris in limited roles... he was good enough in a terrible offense the last 2 seasons... he will be serviceable is if has to play...

Harris looked really good to end the season last year, he looked good if inexperienced as a rookie. I don't get this "he isn't good enough" talk, based off what?

Rhamondre sat behind Damien Harris until he was ready to take the job, he literally got benched at one point for failing to pass block. Damien Harris sat behind Sony Michel until he was ready to start. Sony was drafted high because he could start immediately as a rookie and that's what the team needed, he understood complex pass blocking schemes and was good at it... literally the reason he was taken in the first round. James White sat behind Shane Vereen until he was ready to take that third down role...

There's a depth chart... it exists. A rookie doesn't just come in and get handed a job, he has to earn the trust of his coaches and fellow players. Even if he does, there is often a veteran ahead of him making a lot more money than he is and who earned those snaps long before he did... that older guy doesn't just disappear. It takes the veteran player to get hurt, retire or move on in free agency for that young player to get his opportunity. Then and only then does that young player get a chance to prove himself on the field and shine.

This is true for Kevin Harris sitting behind Rhamondre and Zeke, it's true for Mapu sitting behind Duggar, Peppers or Mack Wilson if you only consider him a weak side linebacker... players don't suck simply because they don't play, they suck when they do play and stink at the job. Harris broke off some great runs and receptions in limited time last year behind a bad OLine, he showed he could pass protect... his opportunity is ahead of him. We'll see if he's good enough when his opportunity presents itself and if his line is any good at blocking.

 

[State]

Ja’Lyn Polk is going to be awesome. Playing like he should have been a first round pick.

LT is really all we need. Still.

 

[State]

Polk is the next Jakobi Meyers.

Wrong. Try Jerry Rice. Polk is legit going to be great. This is something I’ve learned after the draft.

 

[Dec54]

Wrong. Try Jerry Rice. Polk is legit going to be great. This is something I’ve learned after the draft.

I hope you are right, he does look good though.

 

[Dec54]

Harris looked really good to end the season last year, he looked good if inexperienced as a rookie. I don't get this "he isn't good enough" talk, based off what?

Rhamondre sat behind Damien Harris until he was ready to take the job, he literally got benched at one point for failing to pass block. Damien Harris sat behind Sony Michel until he was ready to start. Sony was drafted high because he could start immediately as a rookie and that's what the team needed, he understood complex pass blocking schemes and was good at it... literally the reason he was taken in the first round. James White sat behind Shane Vereen until he was ready to take that third down role...

There's a depth chart... it exists. A rookie doesn't just come in and get handed a job, he has to earn the trust of his coaches and fellow players. Even if he does, there is often a veteran ahead of him making a lot more money than he is and who earned those snaps long before he did... that older guy doesn't just disappear. It takes the veteran player to get hurt, retire or move on in free agency for that young player to get his opportunity. Then and only then does that young player get a chance to prove himself on the field and shine.

This is true for Kevin Harris sitting behind Rhamondre and Zeke, it's true for Mapu sitting behind Duggar, Peppers or Mack Wilson if you only consider him a weak side linebacker... players don't suck simply because they don't play, they suck when they do play and stink at the job. Harris broke off some great runs and receptions in limited time last year behind a bad OLine, he showed he could pass protect... his opportunity is ahead of him. We'll see if he's good enough when his opportunity presents itself and if his line is any good at blocking.

I want to see Mapu break out, checked him out before he was drafted and liked him then.

 

[AQPE]

The general consensus is as goes the OL, so goes the season.

On that front Bedard did a two-game tape review of Okarafor and came away pretty positive.

Bedard's Breakdown: Could Chukwuma Okorafor be a potential steal for Patriots at left tackle?

If Okorafor can get stronger (he's still relatively young) and if offensive line coaches Scott Peters and Robert Kugler can develop any effective punch and make Okorafor more consistent, the Patriots might have something here.

www.bostonsportsjournal.com

For non subscribers, the TLDR is that he likely got canned by Pittsburgh after he criticized the OC (who got fired himself two weeks later) and that he looks to be a fairly competent tackle, potentially better as a LT than as a run-first RT. He often gives up a lot of ground in pass protection and often looks to be beat before somehow always recovering. He plays faster than his measurables which aren't great. No punch, but maybe that can be fixed.

I had posted someplace here a few months back a twitter thread showing he did fine against Judon and mostly fine against another high-end DE.

Regarding Okorafor, it must be remembered that at the start of the season he was ahead of Broderick Jones, who Pittsburgh had traded up to select #14. Then this year they picked Fautanu at #20 who I liked a lot at OT but who could wind up at OG, and Frasier, a C, in round #2, telling you that they weren’t just upgrading RT but rather are rebuilding their OL.

I think they were intent on getting Jones in there and Chuks knew it, and didn’t play well enough to stop it, assuming he even had a chance no matter what.

I think the guy is mediocre but for the Pats the question is whether he will be an improvement over the out of shape bad attitude Trent Brown or Conor McDermott or Vederian Lowe crap they had there last year. I’m optimistic he will be an improvement but also don’t see Chuks being a long term option.

They must get their future long term LT1 into the building to start 2025. If they are picking in the top 10 this must be the choice, unless there is someone at any position that is an immediate difference maker (if you think the next Randy Moss or Lawrence Taylor or Deion Sanders is sitting there you don’t pass on them obviously), and in that case you take the alpha talent and do what is necessary to trade up to get your LT1.

 

[mgteich]

Regarding Okorafor, it must be remembered that at the start of the season he was ahead of Broderick Jones, who Pittsburgh had traded up to select #14. Then this year they picked Fautanu at #20 who I liked a lot at OT but who could wind up at OG, and Frasier, a C, in round #2, telling you that they weren’t just upgrading RT but rather are rebuilding their OL.

I think they were intent on getting Jones in there and Chuks knew it, and didn’t play well enough to stop it, assuming he even had a chance no matter what.

I think the guy is mediocre but for the Pats the question is whether he will be an improvement over the out of shape bad attitude Trent Brown or Conor McDermott or Vederian Lowe crap they had there last year. I’m optimistic he will be an improvement but also don’t see Chuks being a long term option.

They must get their future long term LT1 into the building to start 2025. If they are picking in the top 10 this must be the choice, unless there is someone at any position that is an immediate difference maker (if you think the next Randy Moss or Lawrence Taylor or Deion Sanders is sitting there you don’t pass on them obviously), and in that case you take the alpha talent and do what is necessary to trade up to get your LT1.

Okorafor wasn't signed as a long-term starter at LT. He should be fine as a bridge to the next starter. It seems likely that Wallace could be a long-term solution at RT. He can even be tried at LT. In any case, we have likely added one starter for the future. Adding one OL a year seems fine to me. Of course, we added four this year: Okorafor, Leverett, Wallace and Robinson (plus bring back Anderson after his illness). That A LOT to absorb.

 

[Since1960]

D. Maye proves he’s not the second coming of Hugh Millen. Tyquon Thornton becomes our “Eight Catch Wonder” rather than our current “One Catch Wonder”. Falcons trade Tristen Wirfs for Bailey Zappe after losing Mayfield to an ACL injury during game 2. Gronk unretires to sign with the Pats and leads all TE’s with receptions and TD’s. Tee Higgens traded to Pats for a #2 pick and becomes Pats WR1. Pats finish 12-5 led by their rookie QB and #1 rated defense with the leagues MVP - LB Marte Mapu, Rookie Coach Jerod Mayo leads the Pats to their 7th Super Bowl win! Not wearing “Rose Colored Glasses” but those Margaritas were pretty good tonite!!

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

D. Maye proves he’s not the second coming of Hugh Millen. Tyquon Thornton becomes our “Eight Catch Wonder” rather than our current “One Catch Wonder”. Falcons trade Tristen Wirfs for Bailey Zappe after losing Mayfield to an ACL injury during game 2. Gronk unretires to sign with the Pats and leads all TE’s with receptions and TD’s. Tee Higgens traded to Pats for a #2 pick and becomes Pats WR1. Pats finish 12-5 led by their rookie QB and #1 rated defense with the leagues MVP - LB Marte Mapu, Rookie Coach Jerod Mayo leads the Pats to their 7th Super Bowl win! Not wearing “Rose Colored Glasses” but those Margaritas were pretty good tonite!!

 

[TheRazorsEdge]

Wrong. Try Jerry Rice. Polk is legit going to be great. This is something I’ve learned after the draft.