The Tight End Dilemma

I would love them to come away with Two with upside as a Y TE in this Draft class. Not a fan of can't Block H Henry.

scott99 said:

True, but you also miss out on better talent. For instance, let’s say the Pats trade down from 31 to 38 and pick up an extra pick in the 3rd round. You miss out on better prospects at 31, and there’s a chance the guy you wanted at 31 is no longer there at 38. The 3rd round pick, well the odds are against it being a player that can help you. May be top 100, but there are no guarantees they become anything.

Looking at the history of the draft, there are so many misses by teams, so many busts, even in the 1st round, let alone a 3rd round pick.

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But this might be of those Drafts that's worth the Trade Down from 31: they're some Deep Positions that we're needy at. That said so glad the Former ain't shopping for the groceries.

scott99 said:

And that’s usually the case, similar grades picks 31-50. But if there’s a guy you love at 31, most likely an Edge or OT, don’t blow that chance at getting that guy. I rather trade up than down with the amount of picks the Pats have.

But you’re right in that it depends on their board. Who is left at 31, and how much they like those guys. The draft, though one of my favorite things, really is a crap shoot. Good discussion, I respect your thoughts on this topic (trading down vs trading up vs staying put).

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Agreed. I'm running to the podium if Iheanachor is on the board.

Water Boy said:

Agreed. I'm running to the podium if Iheanachor is on the board.

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Agreed 1,000,00%, would love that pick. Though if some crazy reason, if Sadiq is there, I want him.

Clonamery said:

Dippre couldn't beat out a back up tackle as TE3. The bar is very low.

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I agree.

However, we might not carry 3 TE's, given that we have add Hill and Gilliam.

Water Boy said:

Agreed. I'm running to the podium if Iheanachor is on the board.

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Only Miller and Mesidor could give Vrabel to think for more than a minute.

scott99 said:

The Pats have 11 picks, they don’t need more picks, they need to hit on the picks they do have. If anything, this is the year to trade UP.

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I think we could use 1 of each at OT, Edge, TE, RB, WR, LB, CB, S, OG, Nose, QB3 = 11. And there seems to be some quality well into the 200's at some of these positions.

I think Iheanachor has more upside than Miller.

I could see Miller falling to us, but I think Max is going to go quicker than assumed.

mgteich said:

Only Miller and Mesidor could give Vrabel to think for more than a minute.

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Agreed. If any of those 3 is on the board at 31, it's a great confluence of talent, value, and need.

Clonamery said:

Dippre couldn't beat out a back up tackle as TE3. The bar is very low.

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Despite his weight training background, Dippre was not a polished blocker. He had a 5th-6th round grade by Brugler coming out of Alabama where he wasn't used in the Red Zone. He was/is a project.

Saying that he couldn't beat out a 4th year Vet of an OT really is unfair. The Patriots saw enough of him in practice to sign him to the 53 when other teams came sniffing around.

If the Patriots don't draft a TE, then we know that they think VERY HIGHLY of Dippre and Westover. Personally, I think that guys like Kacmarek, Roush, Klare, Raridon etc offer more upside.. But we'll see what happens.

Below is Brugler's take on Dipper last year.

mayoclinic said:

Agreed. If any of those 3 is on the board at 31, it's a great confluencevof talent, value, and need.

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Would be thrilled with any of them but if those tackles are gone then we probably take the next best Edge and look for an OT later.

mgteich said:

I agree.

However, we might not carry 3 TE's, given that we have add Hill and Gilliam.

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I think that the Pats will carry 3 TEs and Gilliam. I wouldn't be surprised to see them carry 4 with them going HEAVY in the 2 and 3 TE sets this year to really push the running game..

Clonamery said:

Dippre couldn't beat out a back up tackle as TE3. The bar is very low.

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To be fair, there are not many TE3s that block better than a OT. Dippre was a good blocker at Bama and I am still hopeful that he will compete as the TE3.

DaBruinz said:

I think that the Pats will carry 3 TEs and Gilliam. I wouldn't be surprised to see them carry 4 with them going HEAVY in the 2 and 3 TE sets this year to really push the running game..

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The Pats got out-bullied by Seattle, and I don't think Vrabel was happy about it at all.

IMHO, one if the top priorities will be to be the bully kicking sand in everyone else's face on the beach. TE will be key to this.

""I love them. Give me nine of them. Get them all. Bring as many tight ends as we can get,"

Clonamery said:

Dippre couldn't beat out a back up tackle as TE3. The bar is very low.

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I completely agree the bar is not high, Dippre was a udfa for a reason, but there is a bar.

My point is do the Pats need a lower round (5th or lower) blocking inline TE, with good physical measureables but questionable receiving production? We have one of those already with a year in the system (plus Westover), unless a good camp competition is wanted. They also promoted him to the 53 after multiple teams tried to poach him off the practice squad though, so they see something worth developing. Whereas Roush at 95 or 125 is an upgrade.

I get your point about Munford, but not sure that is completely fair. Munford played that vital run of Bills, Ravens, Jets, Miami in weeks 15-18 when half the oline was injured and the division and seeding was still in play, plus the div and champ games against elite Ds. Do you throw in a undrafted rookie just elevated from the practice squad for his first snaps or a guy with over a 1000 snaps as tackle or tackle-eligible TE in over 3 years at the Raiders. I'd also like Munford back if drafting an OT doesn't work out, but that's another story.

When you look at the contact list on the OP: Boerkircher, Gyllenborg, Rogers, Castle, how much of an upgrade are they? Well they've worked them out so they will have a good idea.

I like really Raridon, he can block and receive with his basketball background, but has injury history with x2 ACLs tears in the same knee and only one year of production. Delp really should be with his athletic gifts but his actual production is nothing to write home about either. Villiari is a different type of player and career path as a former college QB which is why he really interests me. All 3 of those could be drafted and offer more or something different.

What is conspicuously absent from the TE contacts list are prospects who have good consistent receiving production over multiple years, and curiously this includes both the ones who can block inline, and the ones that can't. They are either not intetested or have hidden it well, but I suspect Klare is on the board.

Clonamery said:

Dippre couldn't beat out a back up tackle as TE3. The bar is very low.

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I would add a backup tackle that the Pats chose not to resign.