Brandon Ford

[Oswlek]

I'll be very surprised if they don't still run a lot of 2TE sets. Bill has coveted that look since the 70's and if they ran a good deal of it back when it was Graham and Watson/Fauria, then they'll still run it this year. Even more so when you consider that WR isn't exactly loaded and 2TE plays into RB strength a little more.

 

[captain stone]

Instead of 2 TE/2 WR/1 RB or 3 WR/1 TE/1 RB, how about the radical idea of: 2 RB/2 WR/1 TE?
And the argument that we cannot throw from the 2 RB set, even if one of those RBs is Vonta Leach,
simply doesn't hold water. Of course, had Bill signed FB/TE James Casey during the off-season,
then a lot of our problems would already be solved.

As for Brandon Ford, I believe he has an excellent chance to make the 53 if Gronk is PUPed and
one of Dallas Clark/David Thomas/Travis Beckum isn't signed.

 

[Brady6]

Instead of 2 TE/2 WR/1 RB or 3 WR/1 TE/1 RB, how about the radical idea of: 2 RB/2 WR/1 TE?
And the argument that we cannot throw from the 2 RB set, even if one of those RBs is Vonta Leach,
simply doesn't hold water. Of course, had Bill signed FB/TE James Casey during the off-season,
then a lot of our problems would already be solved.

As for Brandon Ford, I believe he has an excellent chance to make the 53 if Gronk is PUPed and
one of Dallas Clark/David Thomas/Travis Beckum isn't signed.

I think you're on point with the 2RB/2WR/1TE. I could see them using Ridley and Vereen at the same time. I also think it would be a successful scheme. Maybe ever Washington and Vereen in passing situations.

 

[Sciz]

Of course, had Bill signed FB/TE James Casey during the off-season,
then a lot of our problems would already be solved.

This is a new low, even for you. You clearly expect Belichick to predict murders. With Hernandez on the team, there was no spot at all for Casey.

 

[supafly]

I expect Hernandez's role in the offense to be at least partially filled by players capable of succeeding in doing the things he did well, whether they have "TE" next to their name or not. Bigger slot receiver, H-back, split wide, in the backfield, run-after-catch threat, "designated match-up nightmare" if you will.

My first choice, if healthy, to assume those responsibilities would be some combo or Vereen and Edelman.

You may be correct, but on the other hand the whole "matchup nightmare" stemmed a lot from the ability to stay on the field in both running/passing situations, allowing us to run the hurry up 25% of the time while matching up vs LB/S personnel.

I think you could be onto something in the sense that someone like Vereen could pose a matchup problem for a LB though, but unless Edelman can block like Mark Bavaro I doubt he'd be able to stay in and be nearly as useful in running plays.

The ideal solution would be finding someone who can be effective at the position of TE--which was also the main argument for NOT making Hernandez a WR like many suggested in the past. You simply lose the ability to take advantage of the mismatch, which was one of the better attributes of the whole thing.

 

[Snake Eyes]

This is a new low, even for you. You clearly expect Belichick to predict murders. With Hernandez on the team, there was no spot at all for Casey.

The fact that Ahern had such an impact on the offense means another tweener TE should be on the roster as his backup.

 

[Sciz]

The fact that Ahern had such an impact on the offense means another tweener TE should be on the roster as his backup.

Not one that's making $4M a year to start for another team.

 

[jmt57]

Talent will get an undrafted rookie signed, but versatility is what will get an undrafted rookie on the football field.

Plenty of still photos and film breakdown in this article. If you are interested in Ford, it is well worth the read:

The Utility Man: Undrafted Patriots Tight End Brandon Ford | NEPatriotsDraft.com

The 6’3”, 237-pound Ford essentially had one year of production with the Tigers, spending 2010 and 2011 as the backup to current Indianapolis Colt Dwayne Allen. Nevertheless, Ford did collect 40 receptions for 480 yards and eight touchdowns during his redshirt senior campaign. He was listed on the midseason Mackey Award watch list. He was named First-team All-ACC. And by the time his college career ended, Ford found himself tied for most receiving TDs by a tight end in school history.

Ford blossomed in 2012 due to his adaptability. The 23-year-old showcased the skillset to do an array of things out of the spread offense. That array of things likely caught the eye of New England head coach Bill Belichick, who believes that the more you can do, the more ways you can help the team win.


...


Ford isn’t in the mold of an in-line “Y” tight end. He’s more so a utilitarian tight end who prevalently shadows the offensive line. Putting that description into football terms, he’s an H-back.

From this position, Ford can be disguised as a fullback-type without much offensive potency.


...


While Ford lacks the burly size most successful blocking tight ends possess, he is still more than capable of disrupting aggressors. Out of the H-back role — as well as an occasional fullback role — Ford has been able to make his presence felt on run plays.


...


Ford isn’t elusive, per say. According to NFLDraftScout.com, he ran a 4.74 40-yard dash as his pro day, a 1.73 10-yard dash and a 7.13 three-cone drill. That being said, he is still a mismatch when aligned in the slot.

A converted wide receiver who was ranked in the positional Top-50 by Rivals.com coming out of high school, Ford looks at home in the seam. And giving consideration to his experience as a former basketball player and long jump track athlete, there’s a lot to like about implementing Ford out wide.

That was evident against the Florida State Seminoles...


...


Ford may not have breakaway speed, but he is plenty quick enough in and out of breaks to dislodge linebackers and overpower defensive backs. As a result, he was able to produce long-distance plays of 40 and 69 yards last year.

Whether he’s in the backfield out split outside, there’s enough athleticism and positional flexibility for Ford to be effective in an offense. There’s no brute force in his blocks and there’s no jaw-dropping footwork in his routes, but Ford has shown he can help keep drives alive in one facet or another.

Will his stay in Foxboro be an extended one? That remains to be seen. Although based on his late-blooming performance in college, his toughness and his widespread use, there’s reason to believe a niche is out there for Brandon Ford.

He’ll just have to carve it.
​

 

[captain stone]

The fact that Ahern had such an impact on the offense means another tweener TE should be on the roster as his backup.

Exactly. I'd been pimping Casey long before the Odin Lloyd situation; at the very start of free agency, in fact.
He could've served as both Move TE #2 and as FB #1, thus saving a roster space for another position.
His signing also would've made the departure of Woodhead understandable.

 

[Brady6]

You may be correct, but on the other hand the whole "matchup nightmare" stemmed a lot from the ability to stay on the field in both running/passing situations, allowing us to run the hurry up 25% of the time while matching up vs LB/S personnel.

I think you could be onto something in the sense that someone like Vereen could pose a matchup problem for a LB though, but unless Edelman can block like Mark Bavaro I doubt he'd be able to stay in and be nearly as useful in running plays.

The ideal solution would be finding someone who can be effective at the position of TE--which was also the main argument for NOT making Hernandez a WR like many suggested in the past. You simply lose the ability to take advantage of the mismatch, which was one of the better attributes of the whole thing.

Ford seems to offer some of the traits Hernandez had, and one has to believe he is more intelligent so that has to help in those underneath coverages.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profilexnews.php?pyid=68947&draftyear=2010&genpos=TE

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=82641&draftyear=2013&genpos=TE

 

[jmt57]

Exactly. I'd been pimping Casey long before the Odin Lloyd situation; at the very start of free agency, in fact.
He could've served as both Move TE #2 and as FB #1, thus saving a roster space for another position.

His signing also would've made the departure of Woodhead understandable.

While having Casey on the roster would have been nice, as Sciz pointed out it would have been difficult to do so given the realities of the salary cap.

Casey was given a 3-year, $12 million contract by the Eagles. That included a $3.3 million signing bonus; his cap figure is over $4 million for this season. It would have been tough to justify that much cap space for him back in March; that would make his cap figure the 6th highest on the Pats roster.

 

[captain stone]

If that rationalization is used for not signing Casey, then that's a fair point.
His first rationalization, that I was ragging on Bill for not being able to predict the future, was BS.

 

[Brady6]

If that rationalization is used for not signing Casey, then that's a fair point.
His first rationalization, that I was ragging on Bill for not being able to predict the future, was BS.

They should of signed or drafted a viable backup for Hernandez simply based upon the fact he has never played more than 14 games in a season and was injured most of 2012.

Never-mind predicting he become a murderer. You do it because you're foolish not to have depth behind your go to players.

 

[Oswlek]

They should of signed or drafted a viable backup for Hernandez simply based upon the fact he has never played more than 14 games in a season and was injured most of 2012.

Never-mind predicting he become a murderer. You do it because you're foolish not to have depth behind your go to players.

NE's behavior in prior A-Perp absences suggests that they feel that adjusting the approach is a better option than just substituting a backup Hernandez on the field. Can't really blame them, considering how much success they typically have.

Of course, that could be because they didn't have a quality backup, but the question still remains why you would have one of your highest cap numbers in a backup player. Or frankly, why a guy who is worth that much would want to sign here to be a backup. It isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility that NE did express some interest and Casey turned them down.

All told, I see no reason whatsoever to get on NE's case about this. WR, passing rushing DL and defensive backfield were much higher priorities than TE heading into the offseason and that is pretty much where all the investments went. The only real exception is Collins and I think we can all agree that a LB with coverage abilities was a bigger need than move TE as well.

So, all the prime capital went to positions of greater need and NE didn't even have the 4th, 5th or 6th rounders that might've been used on a higher profile backup option.

 

[PatriotReign]

NE's behavior in prior A-Perp absences suggests that they feel that adjusting the approach is a better option than just substituting a backup Hernandez on the field. Can't really blame them, considering how much success they typically have.

Of course, that could be because they didn't have a quality backup, but the question still remains why you would have one of your highest cap numbers in a backup player. Or frankly, why a guy who is worth that much would want to sign here to be a backup. It isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility that NE did express some interest and Casey turned them down.

All told, I see no reason whatsoever to get on NE's case about this. WR, passing rushing DL and defensive backfield were much higher priorities than TE heading into the offseason and that is pretty much where all the investments went. The only real exception is Collins and I think we can all agree that a LB with coverage abilities was a bigger need than move TE as well.

So, all the prime capital went to positions of greater need and NE didn't even have the 4th, 5th or 6th rounders that might've been used on a higher profile backup option.

Chris Gragg was available in the 7th round.

 

[captain stone]

They also could've kept Dorin ****erson.

 

[Brady6]

NE's behavior in prior A-Perp absences suggests that they feel that adjusting the approach is a better option than just substituting a backup Hernandez on the field. Can't really blame them, considering how much success they typically have.

Of course, that could be because they didn't have a quality backup, but the question still remains why you would have one of your highest cap numbers in a backup player. Or frankly, why a guy who is worth that much would want to sign here to be a backup. It isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility that NE did express some interest and Casey turned them down.

All told, I see no reason whatsoever to get on NE's case about this. WR, passing rushing DL and defensive backfield were much higher priorities than TE heading into the offseason and that is pretty much where all the investments went. The only real exception is Collins and I think we can all agree that a LB with coverage abilities was a bigger need than move TE as well.

So, all the prime capital went to positions of greater need and NE didn't even have the 4th, 5th or 6th rounders that might've been used on a higher profile backup option.

Good points. I think what I posted is easier said than done. Ford actually offered the best potential to backup Hernandez as anyone experienced within their price range anyway.

 

[Oswlek]

Chris Gragg was available in the 7th round.

I guess we'll just have to let things play out to see if Gragg becomes a better pro than the B brothers or even Blount. Hey! I didn't even realize Blount was a "B" guy as well.