12/20: Patterson not at practice either; Slater practicing with WRs

[supafly]

I often hear how they came into 2018 with no good receivers.. Jordan Matthews, Kenny Britt and Malcolm Mitchell were anticipated to make an impact, but injuries made things much different..

I think the position was initially viewed as something of a strength back in the offseason, but that quickly changed during the summer. I’m not crazy about these three specific examples, though. All of these players were injured/coming off of injuries, so they were playing a volume game and likely crossing fingers that one would pan out.

For instance, neither Britt nor Mitchell ever got healthy enough to even compete for other teams after their releases, and all 3 players are injured right now to this day. Matthews is the success story of this hapless bunch, and he caught a total of 18 balls while playing in 3/4 of the season. I think it’s at least reasonable to wonder if they took a faulty approach to the roster building of the WR group.

 

[DarrylS]

Matthews is still making an (admittedly small but 287 yards would be 6th on the team) impact, but Bill decided that he'd rather have Eric Decker.

Considering Matthews has only had 25 targets difficult to make much of an assessment.. and not able to compare how he might have done with the Patriots..

 

[Mack Herron]

With the Patriots losing Josh Gordon to an indefinite NFL suspension on Thursday, it marked the team’s 26th transaction involving a wide receiver since training camp began in late July.

After trading Brandin Cooks, and then having Danny Amendola depart in free agency, did Bill Belichick and director of player personnel Nick Caserio miscalculate that they could find suitable replacements?

Consider some of the more notable receivers who had spots on the 53-man roster and ultimately didn’t stick: Jordan Matthews, Eric Decker, Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt, Chad Hansen, Amara Darboh, Corey Coleman, Bennie Fowler and now Gordon.

Because of that, quarterback Tom Brady has assumed a heavy burden.

Patriots' 26 transactions at WR this season highlight big struggle

 

[BritPat]

Time for Tom and Josh to earn their pay today. Hogan, Edelman, Dorsett, Gronk, White and Michel is till a better stable of receivers we had in 2005 and 2006, though.

I still have nightmares over THAT drop by Reche effin' Caldwell.

 

[maineman209]

Matthews is still making an (admittedly small but 287 yards would be 6th on the team) impact, but Bill decided that he'd rather have Eric Decker.

IDK.

Everything seemed fine at the WR position during the first spring practice right after the draft. Mitchell was rehabbing, but Britt was healthy, Matthews was healthy, and there hadn't even been a rumor yet that Edelman was going to be suspended (it wasn't announced until the first week of June).

Then, Britt injured his hammy right near the end of OTAs on 6/25 and was placed on PUP, which is also when Edelman's suspension became a done-deal. Cody Hollister was also placed on NFI at that time (FWIW), and Devin Lucien was signed.

Then, Matthews hurt his hammy in the first couple days of Camp (end of July). He obviously wasn't going to be able to contribute for awhile (probably most of Camp), and was sent to IR on 8/1. He was released with a settlement on 8/7.

Mitchell was still rehabbing at that point, but was not doing well, and was waived 8/6.

Britt had been on PUP from his late-June hammy, and was activated on 8/3, but still wasn't ready for full practices, and never got there. He ended up being waived on 8/22.

So, by 8/3, the Pats desperately needed a body at WR, and Decker seemed to be as likely to help as any other veteran who was available (and affordable) at the time. I really didn't see it as any kind of "preference" for Decker over Matthews. Anyway, it didn't work out, and Decker retired on 8/26.

Cutdowns were 8/31 and 9/1.

Although we don't know the terms (weeks) of Matthews' settlement release, it's possible that he would have been eligible to be re-signed by the Pats as early as week-4 or week-5. Anyway, he stuck around in Boston, and was still working out at BC with Edelman as late as the start of week-3 (there were photos posted on Twitter). It seemed at the time, that the Pats had intended to bring him back.

But then, the Pats traded for Gordon during wk-3, and Matthews took the offer from Philly.

There's no way to really know what might've happened with Matthews and the Pats, if Matthews had decided to wait another week or two. He might well have replaced Dorsett and leap-frogged Hogan into the #3WR spot.