Pats sign RB Kenjon Barner ?

ohiopatsfan said:

With Barner signed, the PR duties appear to be set. No big RB, however. Hope that doesn't become an issue.

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If we get yards on first and second downs it will be an issue.

Brady’s our big back.

I'd like to see them swap Darkwa and Tate for Barner and Fowler.

Coolade2 said:

3 fumbles last year...

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If I recall, he fumbled when the Eagles were trying to run out the clock on the Pats in 2015.

TBR said:

If I recall, he fumbled when the Eagles were trying to run out the clock on the Pats in 2015.

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Good memory!

TBR said:

If I recall, he fumbled when the Eagles were trying to run out the clock on the Pats in 2015.

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If he so much as bobbles the ball, I'm betting he's gone

reamer said:

Last year was his first season with extensive punt returning in the NFL. There's a good chance he's improved ball security -- or at any rate, that the Patriots will stress heavily the importance of hanging on to the ball in New England.

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Now, that aside, he's got a great skillset. Check out this catch when lined up wide:

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He really doesn't like to fair catch, it seems.

Burkhead and Michel both weigh 215. Both are bigger than Gillislee, who I guess people tabbed as the "big back" last season?

primetime said:

Burkhead and Michel both weigh 215. Both are bigger than Gillislee, who I guess people tabbed as the "big back" last season?

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Marshawn Lynch is also 215 (or was; he may be a good bit bigger now). Power doesn't always require size, and size doesn't always lead to power. Otherwise Devlin would take all our short yardage snaps, but I don't know if he has the vision and quickness for it, even though he's a great fullback. I miss the promise of what Hill offered, but let's not pretend like he was an established, integral part of this offense yet.

My favorite thing about Barner: look at that awareness pulling his teammate away from the ball.

Losing Hill really sucks since he showed in preseason an ability to catch the football in addition to being a tough inside runner. Darkwa doesn't really pose any threat to catch the ball and Barner is not a great runner.

reamer said:

Last year was his first season with extensive punt returning in the NFL. There's a good chance he's improved ball security -- or at any rate, that the Patriots will stress heavily the importance of hanging on to the ball in New England.

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Now, that aside, he's got a great skillset. Check out this catch when lined up wide:

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Nice catch..!

A poor mans Dion Lewis. Similar in size. Looks suited for the committee approach to running the ball in NE.

Kenjon Barner - New England Patriots - 2018 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

ohiopatsfan said:

With Barner signed, the PR duties appear to be set. No big RB, however. Hope that doesn't become an issue.

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Devlin is 6 - 3 and 255 lbs.

Jimke said:

I'd like to see them swap Darkwa and Tate for Barner and Fowler.

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Barner already has 4 years experience in Chip Kellys Oregon offense.

Seems like the learning curve would not be a great since the Pats have been noted for running the same concepts as Kellys. Barner really blew up the final year of school.
2012 Oregon Ducks Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com Tougher sledding in the NFL and the Pats will ease him in and see what happens.

The Brandon Five said:

Looks like he has....dare I say it? Paging @SammyBlueCat

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Clonamery said:

Barner is a burner?

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yes & yes

Like many I thought Tate would have been a better fit, at least in the short term. He knows the system, language and the culture well. IIRC he was a pretty dependable return man for the Bengal for 3 or 4 years, and could add some depth to the WR room. Wasn't he a back up to Edelman in the slot when he was here?

JMC00 said:

Were any of them the kind where he let the ball bounce of his helmet? If not then he's already an improvement.

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none were lost, he or his teamates recovered all of them.

patfanken said:

Wasn't he a back up to Edelman in the slot when he was here?

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IIRC, Tate was used mostly on simple go-routes for the Pats in 2010. His stat line was 24/46 (52% catch rate), 432 yards (18.0 ypc) and 3 TDs including a 65-yarder.

I've always thought that the Pats drafted Tate primarily as a returner, with the intention of developing him as a WR (parallel to Bethel Johnson).

I'm not sure what happened to him in 2011. Media observations from Camp - including Reiss - noted that he looked very tentative in drills and in scrimmage play. Speculation at the time ranged from "he hadn't worked hard enough at developing his receiving skills and his understanding of the playbook", to "he came down with a bad case of the yips on returns."

reamer said:

Good memory!

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Barner was carrying the ball high and tight, so it was a really great strip by Jamie Collins more than an error by Barner.