Aaron Dobson

[JackBauer]

Who has been saying that the team mishandled the care in treating his stress fracture?

1st I'm hearing of it.

Sorry if I gave the wrong implication; perhaps fiasco was a poor word choice. Just saying that there's no reason to rush his return given the previous experience with his foot injury.

 

[JMC00]

But all of them were on the field, for the most part, for their first two years.

Only Deion Branch.

Givens was targeted 15 times his rookie reason
Edelman was targeted 15 times his 2nd season and only 8 times his 3rd year.

 

[New England Pride]

Who has been saying that the team mishandled the care in treating his stress fracture?

1st I'm hearing of it.

Me and @shmessy have been pounding the tables on that one for 18 months now.

 

[JMC00]

Givens and Branch were proven starters entering their 3rd seasons. Edelman, yes, he developed over time. He was also converting from a different position.

Only Branch was a proven starter. Givens 2nd year statistically was nearly identical to Dobson's rookie year.

 

[JMC00]

Edelman, yes, he developed over time. He was also converting from a different position.

That's a ******** argument. Edelman was targeted 54 times his rookie season and had 40 catches and just under 400 yards.

 

[Tunescribe]

Unfortunately, the Patriots have a history of third year wideouts being cut:
Jackson
Tate
Price
Bethel Johnson made it 3 years and then got cut

What the hell is wrong with WRs anyway? Folks conclude the Patriots are just bad at drafting good ones, but something about playing WR seems always to attract idiots and head cases. I suppose because it's a high-profile glamour position, but looking at that list you have to just shake your head. All four of those guys had the physical tools to succeed.

 

[Concussion Protocol]

Only Branch was a proven starter. Givens 2nd year statistically was nearly identical to Dobson's rookie year.

If Brady had Branch and Brown to throw to and attempted 100 fewer passes, Dobson's 2013 probably wouldn't have seen as many targets

 

[Concussion Protocol]

That's a ******** argument. Edelman was targeted 54 times his rookie season and had 40 catches and just under 400 yards.

Wow, that escalated quickly.
You cite his rookie season, but remember that he then went downhill for 3 years to the point where Belichick let him walk after 2012, signed Amendola, then brought JE back for very little on a 1-year deal.

 

[dales804]

Only Deion Branch.

Givens was targeted 15 times his rookie reason
Edelman was targeted 15 times his 2nd season and only 8 times his 3rd year.

Edelman played in 15 games his second year, too. He was on the field. Givens was targeted 15 times his rookie year and played in 12 games and then targeted 54 times his 2nd year while playing in 13 games. And both Givens and Edelman play(ed) special teams, which Dobson does not.

 

[Concussion Protocol]

What the hell is wrong with WRs anyway? Folks conclude the Patriots are just bad at drafting good ones, but something about playing WR seems always to attract idiots and head cases. I suppose because it's a high-profile glamour position, but looking at that list you have to just shake your head. All four of those guys had the physical tools to succeed.

BB doesn't ever seem to target polished route runners, which is odd in an offense that requires polished routes.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Me and @shmessy have been pouring the tables on that one for 18 months now.

That's fine but in your collective views how did they mishandle it?

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

What the hell is wrong with WRs anyway? Folks conclude the Patriots are just bad at drafting good ones, but something about playing WR seems always to attract idiots and head cases. I suppose because it's a high-profile glamour position, but looking at that list you have to just shake your head. All four of those guys had the physical tools to succeed.

Most colleges do not run "pro Style" offenses now, so the adjustment is hard. Plus most of the Patriots routes are "option routes" so if the DB is playing you to the inside you break to the outside, etc. So not only do you have to learn a new route tree, you have to learn the verbage, and then learn how to quickly read the DB and adjust your route accordingly.

The Pats have had great success in bringing in WR from other NFL teams (Moss, Welker, Patton, LaFell) all had very good to great years their first year in NE, rookies, not so much.

I thought that Amendola had a great playoff run, Edlema's play was MVP worthy. LaFell is a lock, they only need one more WR. Unfortunately, I have little hope for neither Dobson nor Boyce, Reggie Wayne might be a better choice.

 

[mgteich]

So, we know from history that Dobson is like it to make the roster or not.
====================
My thought that Dobson is inexpensive and could have an impact. That being said, I think that Dobson is competing against himself for a roster spot. If he's healthy, I think Dobson will make the 53.

Presuming at LaFell is back, we have
Edelman, LaFell, Amendola, Gibson

If LaFell is ready, these for are plenty. However, Dobson is a good addition.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Dobson & KT played a key role in Brady having the second worst season of his career apart from 2006. They weren't good, at all.

There is little evidence he can even be an effective NFL WR. He's also injury prone.

Bringing up his rookie stats are nonsense because 1. The only other options were Collie and Slater 2. The NFL has changed big time. Check out all the rookie WR stats from 2014.

Put 2002 rookie Branch in Dobson's 2013 situation and his stats are much different.

I have low expectations. We'll see. Tough to see him cracking the field when Lafell comes back.

 

[JackBauer]

Dobson & KT played a key role in Brady having the second worst season of his career apart from 2006. They weren't good, at all.

There is little evidence he can even be an effective NFL WR. He's also injury prone.

Bringing up his rookie stats are nonsense because 1. The only other options were Collie and Slater 2. The NFL has changed big time. Check out all the rookie WR stats from 2014.

Put 2002 rookie Branch in Dobson's 2013 situation and his stats are much different.

I have low expectations. We'll see. Tough to see him cracking the field when Lafell comes back.

I think you're being a wee bit harsh in your assessment here.

 

[stcjones]

I think he is injury prone/plagued and is going to unfortunately be yet another WR bust here .....now it's the hamstring...what's next??? We shall see

I don't have high hopes. He needs to get on the field. You are worthless to the team if you're constantly injured. He showed flashes his rookie year (Steelers, Dolphins game) that prove his talent. I think he can be a good WR but injuries are derailing any chance of that happening.

I think he gets cut, too, if he doesn't consistently get on the field by end of TC.

 

[BradyFTW!]

First 2 seasons in the NFL:

Demaryius Thomas - 21 games played, targeted 109 times, 54 catches, 834 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 8 drops.
Aaron Dobson – 16 games played, targeted 77 times, 40 catches, 557 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 7 drops.

Did 80% of the Broncos forum have Thomas on the roster bubble entering his 3rd season?

DT's first two seasons were spent with Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow at QB. If he'd put up those numbers with Tom Brady throwing him the ball, then yeah, he probably would've been on the bubble, since it would be a pretty solid indication that he wasn't very good.

Making this kind of comparison requires omitting a ton of key factors. It's similar to all the Jets fans who were convinced Sanchez would still be awesome after 3 years of subpar performance, since Aikman sucked for a couple years too.

 

[50-yard-line]

We better hope Dobson can step up.

LaFell is still gimpy, apparently.
JE and DA are not known as iron men out there.

It wouldn't take much for the Pats to all of a sudden look extremely thin at WR.

 

[Froob]

Guessing it's Edelman, LaFell, Dola, Gibson, and then one spot for someone else. It sounds like Slater is catching more passes than usual and might be an actual wide out this year. If Dobson can be anything close to his rookie year he should be an easy lock but that remains to be seen.

 

[Kontradiction]

We better hope Dobson can step up.

LaFell is still gimpy, apparently.
JE and DA are not known as iron men out there.

It wouldn't take much for the Pats to all of a sudden look extremely thin at WR.

That's why many of us wanted to invest in the position during FA and the draft. The Pats were extremely fortunate to be healthy at that position last year.