TE Michael Roberts

TomPatriot said:

This.

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If we subscribe to the belief a good 3 cone time indicates short -area quickness and agility, if he applies himself he should be quick to the spot in run/pass blocking.

Elijah said:

I don't think it'll be as bad as post-Gronk injury 2013, low as that bar is.

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Just for the sake of having some TE discussion, and opening it up to everyone:

The Patriots play the Steelers in week one. Over the past, say, 8 seasons, how have the Patriots generally attacked that Steelers defense?

SBLIII said:

And this could actually go for the full receiving group over the full season if Harry isn't a hit. Doesn't inspire a ton of confidence.

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The offensive personnel packages for weeks 1-4 should be very interesting.

IllegalContact said:

as long as we have TE's who are at least mediocre, I am comfortable with that as we are pretty loaded at the other skill positions.

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Have you looked at the WR depth chart lately?

Deus Irae said:

The offensive personnel packages for weeks 1-4 should be very interesting.

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...and by "interesting" you mean...?

captain stone said:

...and by "interesting" you mean...?

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garbage

SBLIII said:

garbage

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Garbage won't make it out of training camp.

Role players who can do something well will.

The question is their "something" good enough.

captain stone said:

...and by "interesting" you mean...?

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Last year seemed like a perfect time to go with more 4 and 5 WR sets, but the Patriots didn't choose to go that way, choosing instead to go with a heavier dose of the running game. This year, with even less to work with at the TE position as of now, I'd like to see this team mixing in the following with some regularity (again, this is as of now, and subject to change moving forward based upon personnel and apparent skill development):

1. OL as blocking TE in heavy formations
2. 4 WR, 1 RB
3. 5 WR
4. 3 WR, 2 RB, 0 FB
5. Watson as the seam threat upon his return

Obviously, the amount of use of several of the above options would be limited by poor OL play, but I'm going on the baseline assumption that Wynn, or whomever plays LT, is at least servicable.

But that's just my ruminations of the present. I'm interesting in reading the thoughts of the forum on the issue.

Flash said:

Lions fans say a 7th round pick for him is robbery for them, so tbh I'm not expecting him to make the camp but we will see. We need TEs bad and who knows maybe he will beat out Stephen Anderson.

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They might be right, but in general I don't trust the average fan to evaluate tight ends who aren't primarily receivers. I say this, because as an average fan myself, I don't trust ME to evaluate tight ends that aren't primarily receivers.

I strongly disagree. We signed Roberts who will cost us ZERO if he doesn't make he 53. We have committed $500K to LeCosse.

The signing of Roberts means very little. We may add another TE or two before the end of August. We need camp competition, camp bodies, and competition for the Practice Squad.

1) LeCosse will definitely be on the 53 to start 2019. IMO, he is also likely to be on the 53 to start 2020.

2) In addition to LeCosse who is a lock to make the 53 this year, Roberts will compete with Izzo, Anderson and Beck (and perhaps another acquisition) for an additional roster spot or two.

BOTTOM LINE
After 4 weeks, we will have Watson and LeCosse. We ill also have Develin on the 53. We will also have at least one TE on the Practice Squad; Beck seems most likely.

Finally, we may or may not have a 3rd TE on the 53 to start the year, and may or may not have a 3rd TE on the 53 when Watson comes back.

Wozzy said:

.

I'd give this kid (health provided) a leg up on all the other TE's not named Watson of making the team. Lacosse is an unknown as a blocker and receiver, Beck in an UDFA who's talented but more FB than TE, he could be Develin's replacement eventually. Stephen Anderson supposedly gained 10 pounds to improve his blocking, we'll see if that happened but again he's more in running as a fullback than TE. Izzo is probably the only competition Roberts faces as the blocking TE, and Roberts is a better athlete.

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Deus Irae said:

...This year, with even less to work with at the TE position as of now, I'd like to see this team mixing in the following with some regularity (again, this is as of now, and subject to change moving forward based upon personnel and apparent skill development):

1. OL as blocking TE in heavy formations
2. 4 WR, 1 RB
3. 5 WR
4. 3 WR, 2 RB, 0 FB
5. Watson as the seam threat upon his return

Obviously, the amount of use of several of the above options would be limited by poor OL play, but I'm going on the baseline assumption that Wynn, or whomever plays LT, is at least servicable.

But that's just my ruminations of the present. I'm interesting in reading the thoughts of the forum on the issue.

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1. Say Hello to Cole Croston, 4th OT (best case) & Jumbo TE...or Starting OT...

2-3. We barely have 3 decent WRs, never mind 4 or 5.

5. A 38-year-old seam threat?

captain stone said:

1. Say Hello to Cole Croston, 4th OT (best case) & Jumbo TE...or Starting OT...

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The specific OL chosen doesn't matter to me. The team has had some success taking the OL=TE approach in the past. I think it may be helpful again this year.

captain stone said:

2-3. We barely have 3 decent WRs, never mind 4 or 5.

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I'm not as down on the WR corps as you seem to be, particularly if one or both of the two biggest question marks (Gordon, Thomas) are able to play. I'd be a hell of a lot more confident if a certain WR from UMass had been drafted, but I still think this group can at least help out, again particularly if Gordon and/or Thomas can play.

captain stone said:

5. A 38-year-old seam threat?

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The pass to the TE down the seam has become a staple of the offense. There needs to be a TE to catch it in order for that to continue. Lacosse has yet to show me that he can be that reliable target, so Watson it is, as of now.

Another body to throw into the competition grinder. Who knows? Sometimes these work out well. More frequently they’re just forgettable roster tweaks that don’t amount to much.

We need proven offense. We have:
1) Edelman
2) a lot of good running backs
3) 11 risky WRs (except perhaps Dorsett)
4) bad options at TE

A team can easily defend what we have now unless this Roberts or one of the WRs makes an unexpected contribution starting week one. I’m not holding my breath. If DT somehow can be healthy by training camp or Harry is the real deal we have a chance. Big ifs.

A couple of thoughts:

1. I never heard of him before I read about the trade on PFT 5 minutes ago. But then again I'd never heard of Lacosse either. So its clear the Pats will have a group of no name TE's for the first 4 games of the season. But "no names"doesn't equal no talent. THAT is what we will have to see when TC comes around

2. Of the measurables that I've read about the kid there are a few that pop out. His size, his catch radius, his hand size, and lack of drops. But clearly the one that catches your eye is his 3 cone time. 7.1 is a great time for someone who is 6'5 and 275. This kind of time would seem to show great athleticism and explosiveness. YET on one report on him, one of his "weaknesses" was his lack of "explosive athleticism". One doesn't line up with the other. So we will have to see.

3. I just checked Gronk's combine results. The 3 cone was the same, but he was 2 tenths faster. 4.68 to 4.86.

4. The Pats had 13 picks going into this trade in next year's draft (5 in the first 3 rounds)...so far. So the draft pick they sent to the Lions is negligible. For what amounts to a throwaway pick they get a young TE with good measurables and upside. He's at least familiar with the "system" he's going to. It's all you can ask for in ANY transaction, low risk and high reward.

5. To me it looks like Roberts has a chance to be Dwayne Allen 2.0, but with better hands.

6. Just a personal aside. When I saw Roberts' 40 time it got me thinking about how the level of performance has grown over the last 50 years. His time was almost the same as mine, 4.8. (Back then you didn't get time that went into the 2nd digit. . ) But I was 6'1, 205 and played my last season in football as a safety. It's amazing to think a man who is 4 inches taller and SEVENTY pounds heavier can run THAT fast. And yet in today's game "that fast" is considered slow.

Dragda said:

Another body to throw into the competition grinder. Who knows? Sometimes these work out well. More frequently they’re just forgettable roster tweaks that don’t amount to much.

We need proven offense. We have:
1) Edelman
2) a lot of good running backs
3) 11 risky WRs (except perhaps Dorsett)
4) bad options at TE

A team can easily defend what we have now unless this Roberts or one of the WRs makes an unexpected contribution starting week one. I’m not holding my breath. If DT somehow can be healthy by training camp or Harry is the real deal we have a chance. Big ifs.

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a good point. A very real chance this receiving group is not improved at all compared to last, in fact it just might be even worse. Scary.

I hope he is KVN 2.0!

Thanks, Quinn!

11 1/2" hands... Google says that's 1/4" shy of the nfl record.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

Who?

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Michael Roberts.

SBLIII said:

who?

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Michael Roberts.

I have my work cut out