Jaheim Bell

[Patsfan1645]

And now he has two years of practice doing that, one at Florida State and last year with the Pats. The guy was a 7th rd pick due to his lack of exp at any one position. Devlin was converted to a FB in the damm arena league and bounced around a couple of PS years before he even go to the pats. My kid was also at brown at that time so we were kind of interested in his career.

Edit. As far as the poll goes, Yeah, I dont think he makes the 53 cut down, but makes the team after 2 or 3 guys get the foxboro flu before the 1st game.

He may very well stick around but I don't think he will be used as a FB, he could possibly do some hybrid stuff from the backfield. We will know soon enough how this TE group shapes out. I am actually more curious about how the WR room goes.

 

[rkarp1]

We need a fullback in a Josh Offense, full stop. We could certainly sign a veteran free agent during camp or even later. Or, one of the UDFA's could win the spot. And, yes, the FB needs to be able to play ST's, presumably being the protector for the punt returner.
=========
I'm not at all sure that we need a 3rd TE on the 53. But, for me, that is a different issue from the need for a fullback. One our OT's can be an extra blocker in our jumbo set. The FB might able to be a backup blocking TE. I certainly expect that we would have a TE on the Practice Squad.

I expect that having a 3rd TE on the 53 might be competing with having a 6th WR.

and competing with a 4th rb, a fb, a 9th or 10th te.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I think that says more about the current state of roster depth than anything else. I find it concerning. Oh well. You can only fill so many holes in one offseason I guess.

I disagree. Last year Polk, Baker, Wallace etc….were locks to make the 53, this year they are fighting for the last roster spots on their units, in other words they are fighting to be the depth. I’m not suggesting they are a finished product, but I think they were able to turn many of last years starters, at least the ones who remain here, into those competing to be the depth players on their units. That said there will be plenty more work to be done next offseason to get them where they really want to be.

 

[Huckleberry1]

He may very well stick around but I don't think he will be used as a FB, he could possibly do some hybrid stuff from the backfield. We will know soon enough how this TE group shapes out. I am actually more curious about how the WR room goes.

I think it’s going to be tough for him to beat out Lampe. Bell is really an H-Back, and Lampe can give them some work in the passing game, as well as being a true FB, and in the end I think MacDaniels will value the ability to be a true blocking fullback, ala James Devin, over the difference in receiving ability between Bell and Lampe. Especially given that they already have so many good pass catching running backs in their backfield. And with Henderson’s pass protection skills, and explosive receiving ability, he’s likely to get the bulk of those plays.

 

[JayNM]

Pretty sure our 3rd TE as it stands fights with a FB and a Hollins + Rookie in any of these positions

 

[Huckleberry1]

Pretty sure our 3rd TE as it stands fights with a FB and a Hollins + Rookie in any of these positions

I think Hollins is a lock. Polk and Baker are the ones who have to worry, especially if Chism shines in August.

 

[JayNM]

I think Hollins is a lock. Polk and Baker are the ones who have to worry, especially if Chism shines in August.

To me its clearly to see if any rookie capiches

 

[signbabybrady]

Gee Scott is better than J Bell as a back up to Henry/Hooper

For now I'm putting Bell slightly ahead of guys like that just based on that Bell has made an NFL roster already. I think he can easily be beat but before I move UDFAs ahead of him I want to see more.

I like the name though.

 

[Huckleberry1]

To me its clearly to see if any rookie capiches

I don’t, I think MacDaniels has a clear role in mind for Hollins, and his special teams abilities give him a huge advantages over guys like Baker and Polk, who contribute nothing on special teams.

 

[signbabybrady]

I don’t, I think MacDaniels has a clear role in mind for Hollins, and his special teams abilities give him a huge advantages over guys like Baker and Polk, who contribute nothing on special teams.

I agree with this but that role easily goes away if 2 out of 4 things happen.

Polk actually performs in camp to the level you'd expect a guy picked early in the second round.

Bourne returns to pre injury form specifically the way he played under McD last time.

Baker and/or Chism show too much to expose them to waiver wires.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I agree with this but that role easily goes away if 2 out of 4 things happen.

Polk actually performs in camp to the level you'd expect a guy picked early in the second round.

Bourne returns to pre injury form specifically the way he played under McD last time.

Baker and/or Chism show too much to expose them to waiver wires.

Polk is going to have to be a completely different player to survive, especially if he isn’t contributing on special teams. Baker is in even bigger trouble, because the word late last season was that he couldn’t understand Van Pelt’s playbook, and that’s like expecting someone who couldn’t do college algebra to learn trigonometry in a 1/4 of the time they had previously. No way do I see a receiver who can’t learn the playbook making this team. Bourne is another guy who doesn’t contribute on special teams, and every team needs their 4th and 5th receivers contributing on special teams, so I see Bourne being traded for a late round pick to a team like the Cowboys. If I were to predict their receiver room right now it would be:

Diggs
Williams
Hollins
Douglas
Chism

I think they will try to get the rest to the practice squad, but they ( the players) may just want to try their luck elsewhere. I don’t think their 2024 draft status will save them. It’s a new regime, and they don’t care who was drafted and who wasn’t, they only care about filling all of their needs and putting the best team they can on the field. And guys like Chism and Larison will contribute big time on special teams, which will give them a big advantage at the final cutdown.

 

[Love The Drake]

Polk is going to have to be a completely different player to survive, especially if he isn’t contributing on special teams. Baker is in even bigger trouble, because the word late last season was that he couldn’t understand Van Pelt’s playbook, and that’s like expecting someone who couldn’t do college algebra to learn trigonometry in a 1/4 of the time they had previously. No way do I see a receiver who can’t learn the playbook making this team. Bourne is another guy who doesn’t contribute on special teams, and every team needs their 4th and 5th receivers contributing on special teams, so I see Bourne being traded for a late round pick to a team like the Cowboys. If I were to predict their receiver room right now it would be:

Diggs
Williams
Hollins
Douglas
Chism

I think they will try to get the rest to the practice squad, but they ( the players) may just want to try their luck elsewhere. I don’t think their 2024 draft status will save them. It’s a new regime, and they don’t care who was drafted and who wasn’t, they only care about filling all of their needs and putting the best team they can on the field. And guys like Chism and Larison will contribute big time on special teams, which will give them a big advantage at the final cutdown.

I

 

[Love The Drake]

Im pulling for Baker, a lot of natural talent.
Maybe he will get it.
Polk in my opinion was like trading for Sanu.
He’s just Ok you don’t spend serious resources for that level of physical talent.

 

[signbabybrady]

Polk is going to have to be a completely different player to survive, especially if he isn’t contributing on special teams. Baker is in even bigger trouble, because the word late last season was that he couldn’t understand Van Pelt’s playbook, and that’s like expecting someone who couldn’t do college algebra to learn trigonometry in a 1/4 of the time they had previously. No way do I see a receiver who can’t learn the playbook making this team. Bourne is another guy who doesn’t contribute on special teams, and every team needs their 4th and 5th receivers contributing on special teams, so I see Bourne being traded for a late round pick to a team like the Cowboys. If I were to predict their receiver room right now it would be:

Diggs
Williams
Hollins
Douglas
Chism

I think they will try to get the rest to the practice squad, but they ( the players) may just want to try their luck elsewhere. I don’t think their 2024 draft status will save them. It’s a new regime, and they don’t care who was drafted and who wasn’t, they only care about filling all of their needs and putting the best team they can on the field. And guys like Chism and Larison will contribute big time on special teams, which will give them a big advantage at the final cutdown.

I agree with just about everything you said.

Except I would say it's not about 2024 draft status saving anyone it's about wether they can reach the potential that made them get picked so high.

Also I get the excitement over Chism. He seems like a ideal candidate for the slot in this system and there was a little bit of a bidding war for him as a UDFA but he's still a UDFA I hesitate to anoint any of them so early in the process.

I'd also expect that if we did a deep dive into numbers that we'd find there are more 2nd round picks who struggle as rookies who make a roster than rookie UDFAs making a roster through out NFL history but that's just an educated guess.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I agree with just about everything you said.

Except I would say it's not about 2024 draft status saving anyone it's about wether they can reach the potential that made them get picked so high.

Also I get the excitement over Chism. He seems like a ideal candidate for the slot in this system and there was a little bit of a bidding war for him as a UDFA but he's still a UDFA I hesitate to anoint any of them so early in the process.

I'd also expect that if we did a deep dive into numbers that we'd find there are more 2nd round picks who struggle as rookies who make a roster than rookie UDFAs making a roster through out NFL history but that's just an educated guess.

One of the reasons I’m inclined to go with Chism is this -toughness. I really like Douglas as a player, but the Welker /Edelman role of getting open instantly underneath requires a player to take a severe beating, and they brought in 2 guys in Larison and Chism who are known to be really tough players, and Chism fits that Welker/Edelman a lot profile perfectly. Douglas is a good player who can get open, but I don’t think he can take the pounding required for that specific role. I think Douglas will stick, but it won’t be in that slot role. Both Baker and Polk play outside the hashes, so they will have to beat out Hollins, because Williams isn’t going anywhere, and as I said in the previous post I think the multiple roles Hollins can play gives him a huge advantage over both of them.

 

[Huckleberry1]

And I think Mcdaniels wants a guy that can catch and run and not just lead block.

There is only going to be a very limited receiving role for the Fullback, because their backfield is loaded with pass catchers, and Henderson is going to get most of those touches. The lead blocking role will be more important than a receiving fullback role because Henderson will be the primary back on passing downs.

 

[signbabybrady]

One of the reasons I’m inclined to go with Chism is this -toughness. I really like Douglas as a player, but the Welker /Edelman role of getting open instantly underneath requires a player to take a severe beating, and they brought in 2 guys in Larison and Chism who are known to be really tough players, and Chism fits that Welker/Edelman a lot profile perfectly. Douglas is a good player who can get open, but I don’t think he can take the pounding required for that specific role. I think Douglas will stick, but it won’t be in that slot role. Both Baker and Polk play outside the hashes, so they will have to beat out Hollins, because Williams isn’t going anywhere, and as I said in the previous post I think the multiple roles Hollins can play gives him a huge advantage over both of them.

I don't know why you question Douglas' toughness. In 2 seasons he's missed a total of 3 games for Concussions. 31 out of 34 games.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Which people want it both ways? Most posts I have seen say that Maye was an obvious pick, but give credit to Wolf for the pick.

Similarly I have seen Wolf credited for signing Hooper and Gibson.

Saying that, most people I see agree that overall the 2024 draft and FA signings by Wolf were poor, to put it nicely.

Toofy said the credit for the Maye pick should go to Kraft, and that’s what I was responding to, and yes, I have argued with many here who gave Wolf no credit for the Maye pick, saying it was a no brainer, when in fact I argued for months against people who wanted them to trade out of the 3rd pick, and those same people blamed Wolf for the rest of that draft. And they may well be right, and we could see all of that draft go poof at final cutdown, but anyone saying Wolf’spicks sucked should also acknowledge that he made a good pick in Maye.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I don't know why you question Douglas' toughness. In 2 seasons he's missed a total of 3 games for Concussions. 31 out of 34 games.

That’s just my opinion. I don’t think he’s been used in that Welker/Edelman role of get open immediately as the quarterback’s safety valve, and that’s the role i see Chism taking. I think Douglas has played in the slot, but also used out wide. And I’m not saying he isn’t tough, but I am saying that role requires another level of toughness altogether. There are many players in the NFL who play in the slot but never face the kind of beating those 2 took. And unfortunately I think they are going to pay for it for the rest of their lives. Diggs also plays in the slot, but again it’s not the same slot role that I am referring to with Welker and Edelman.

 

[signbabybrady]

That’s just my opinion. I don’t think he’s been used in that Welker/Edelman role of get open immediately as the quarterback’s safety valve, and that’s the role i see Chism taking. I think Douglas has played in the slot, but also used out wide. And I’m not saying he isn’t tough, but I am saying that role requires another level of toughness altogether. There are many players in the NFL who play in the slot but never face the kind of beating those 2 took. And unfortunately I think they are going to pay for it for the rest of their lives. Diggs also plays in the slot, but again it’s not the same slot role that I am referring to with Welker and Edelman.

Yeah I think Pop is probably a little more similar to Branch than the super slot guys. Even still if Chism makes the roster he's still probably playing behind Pop at least for a year or 2.