Brandon Tate -Thoughts?

[Deus Irae]

Just because you picked the team to win the division does not change the age of the players on the roster. I don't know how you can look at the defense and not say it was rebuilding this year when it often featured 4 rookies and 8 new starters. They played great and expectations were raised exponentially but that doesn't change the roster turnover from 09.

The age of the players is irrelevant. They were expected to win the division/get a wild card by pretty much everyone. The thought was that the defense would struggle early and improve over the course of the year. That's what we saw.

Woodhead was not a rookie and Tate essentially was. Woodhead is catching screen passes and high percentage short passes while tate was asked to go deep.

Woodhead wasn't getting half of his team's snaps the year before, by any stretch of the imagination (15 total rushes and 8 catches), and Tate was able to spend some of his rookie season practicing and all of that season studying. It's not as if the guy went on IR during OTAs, after all. Tate's behind Woodhead in terms of experience, but he's not miles behind.

Tate had a grand total of 24 catches, while playing in all 16 games. That's only 1.5 receptions per game for the team's #2/#3 wideout.

Tate averaged 18 yards a pop in doing so. Again I'm not saying I don't expect more from Tate or Tate somehow had a good year. I'm just preaching patience with his development. Next year will be crucial for him.

You're changing your argument now, and I'm not going to play that one. What his future holds isn't what I'd posted about, since I've not said that the team should ditch the guy. I've simply said that they should bring in other receivers and let them all compete, or get a top shelf deep/speed receiver in free agency. What you posted that I'd originally responded to was I

agree with that. People are really quick to label and I think its because everybody, including myself, is bitter after that loss. I think its funny after one poorly executed gameplan people are immediately going back to the "We need a receiver over six foot' argument. This team averaged over 32 points a game with the current personnel, that's not to say they couldn't be improved upon but its far from a team full of castoffs and JAGs.

Tate was a picture perfect example of a JAG this year. He tallied a whopping 4 more catches this year than Aiken had last year, while playing in 2 more games and getting 3 more starts. I'd love to seem him make a big improvement next year. I'm just not down with the notion of staying pat and relying upon it. The team could certainly find a way to massage the roster and add another wideout, after all.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I want to re-sign Light, and would even consider franchising him. That being said, if Light goes, I would expect Kaczur to play LT as he did in his rookie year, perhaps being pushed by a rookie. IF NICK IS HEALTHY, he would be a step down from Light, but we would somewhat make up for this with continued improvement from Vollmer at RT.

If Mankins were re-signed, we would have Neal and Connolly sharing a roster spot going into the draft.

Kaczur, Mankins, Koppen, Neal/Connolly, Vollmer
Barring starting a rookie, there would only be one change from 2010.
I think this line would work out fine.

Any of the rest can be upgraded
OG/C Wendell, Ohrnberger/Bussey
OT Ojinnaka, LeVoir/Maneri

If Light walks, there's no way that Kaczur plays RT. If anything, we'd have Vollmer at LT and Kaczur at RT.

 

[Coach42]

The age of the players is irrelevant. They were expected to win the division/get a wild card by pretty much everyone. The thought was that the defense would struggle early and improve over the course of the year. That's what we saw.



Woodhead wasn't getting half of his team's snaps the year before, by any stretch of the imagination (15 total rushes and 8 catches), and Tate was able to spend some of his rookie season practicing and all of that season studying. It's not as if the guy went on IR during OTAs, after all. Tate's behind Woodhead in terms of experience, but he's not miles behind.

Tate had a grand total of 24 catches, while playing in all 16 games. That's only 1.5 receptions per game for the team's #2/#3 wideout.




You're changing your argument now, and I'm not going to play that one. What his future holds isn't what I'd posted about, since I've not said that the team should ditch the guy. I've simply said that they should bring in other receivers and let them all compete, or get a top shelf deep/speed receiver in free agency. What you posted that I'd originally responded to was I

Tate was a picture perfect example of a JAG this year. He tallied a whopping 4 more catches this year than Aiken had last year, while playing in 2 more games and getting 3 more starts. I'd love to seem him make a big improvement next year. I'm just not down with the notion of staying pat and relying upon it. The team could certainly find a way to massage the roster and add another wideout, after all.

I'm not changing the argument at all. If you read what I originally posted that is exactly what I have been saying you jumped into the discussion I was having with someone else who felt it was fair to say that Tate was Bethel Johnson and that he is already a bust. I felt it wasn't fair to close the book on him so early. For me a jag is a guy like Whilite, McGowan, or Connolly a guy who can contribute but can also be replaced with no real significant improvement. That, by my definition, is not Brandon Tate yet. Maybe you have another definition I don't know but all I have ever said about Tate is that its not time to close the book.

Again just because they were picked to win does not change that fact that the team is rebuilding.

 

[Sciz]

Tate is the #3 wideout, but the #5 receiver.

Fewer plays + Deeper routes = Fewer targets
Fewer targets + Low-completion routes = Fewer catches

 

[sbpatfan]

I think some people forget Tate was practically out of football for two years. He probably won't live up to the high expectations set for him but I wouldn't give up on him yet. The only time Brady threw at him was when he was 40 yards down field anyways. Brady hasn't been good with those throws since 2007.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

Price will beat Tate to starting opposite Branch next season. Based on what we saw against MIA, I'm not sure why he didn't play more though. Seemed to be a physical presence we lack.

 

[Dufflebagz]

Price will beat Tate to starting opposite Branch next season.

Bold prediction

 

[RobertWeathers]

Price will beat Tate to starting opposite Branch next season. Based on what we saw against MIA, I'm not sure why he didn't play more though. Seemed to be a physical presence we lack.

Price has played exactly 1 game against a team that mailed it in.

My take on Price is that he doesn't have the straight-line speed that Tate does.

Thats not to say Price is or is not a better receiver. We don't know yet.

Edelman had 37 catches last year and myself included, thought he was ready to be a regular in the WR rotation.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm not changing the argument at all. If you read what I originally posted that is exactly what I have been saying you jumped into the discussion I was having with someone else who felt it was fair to say that Tate was Bethel Johnson and that he is already a bust. I felt it wasn't fair to close the book on him so early. For me a jag is a guy like Whilite, McGowan, or Connolly a guy who can contribute but can also be replaced with no real significant improvement. That, by my definition, is not Brandon Tate yet. Maybe you have another definition I don't know but all I have ever said about Tate is that its not time to close the book.

Again just because they were picked to win does not change that fact that the team is rebuilding.

I responded to your notion that the wide receiver spot wasn't being manned by castoffs and JAGS. Other than Welker, that's precisely what the case was. Let's not pretend that this was anything more than that. Tate was JAG this year. He could easily have been replaced. He was basically Aiken running deeper routes.

And I'm someone who defended the pick when it was made and expects that Tate will show some improvement next year.

As for the rebuilding, sorry, but that's simply not the case.

 

[andrewgarrr]

I responded to your notion that the wide receiver spot wasn't being manned by castoffs and JAGS. Other than Welker, that's precisely what the case was. Let's not pretend that this was anything more than that. Tate was JAG this year. He could easily have been replaced. He was basically Aiken running deeper routes.

And I'm someone who defended the pick when it was made and expects that Tate will show some improvement next year.

As for the rebuilding, sorry, but that's simply not the case.

Tate was a JAG last year. But he still has tremendous upside.

I don't like the term 'rebuilding', but the team certainly had a lot of new players this year, and a lot of players that haven't played significant roles had to step up. This should never be an excuse for losing, but it does make me feel a lot better about the future because I think most of these players will improve. (e.g. Tate)

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Price has played exactly 1 game against a team that mailed it in.

My take on Price is that he doesn't have the straight-line speed that Tate does.

Thats not to say Price is or is not a better receiver. We don't know yet.

Edelman had 37 catches last year and myself included, thought he was ready to be a regular in the WR rotation.

Those snaps that Edelman arguably "should" have gotten went to GRONK, Hernandez, Moss, and Branch.

 

[JoeSixPat]

There's "proven talent", and there's "potential".

Tate is potential.

We need proven talent to give Brady the added weapon of a speedy deep threat WR

Maybe Tate ultimately pulls a BJGE but we'll still have to bring in some proven talent.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Those snaps that Edelman arguably "should" have gotten went to GRONK, Hernandez, Moss, and Branch.

Theoretically, but he didn't earn them by being consistent in catching the ball.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Theoretically, but he didn't earn them by being consistent in catching the ball.

It's a chicken-and-egg situation: they don't use him more b/c he's inconsistent, but he's inconsistent b/c they don't get him on the field enough.

In the games where he's gotten snaps in practice, and been utilized a fair amount, he's looked pretty darn good.

 

[serifyn]

He saw alot of action in the KR game with all of the points this team let up earlier this year, he probably touched the ball more than most players out there did, but i cant remember the last time he had an impact KR.

other than that, he isnt feared because he isnt utilized. brady develops a certain relationship with his receivers, the more often they catch the ball the more often they are thrown to, gronkowski for instance at the beginning of the year had very few catches, but at the end, he was one of brady's main targets.

Most sets the patriots had included a RB, 2 TEs and 2 WRs, obviously the 2 WRs are welker and branch and it is very difficult indeed to get ahead of those guys in the depth chart.

you get an image in your mind of what a player is like, but while tate has made some great plays and made some horrendous plays as well, his biggest problem is that he cant get on the field for anything more than trick plays, and 3-4 WR sets on 3rd and long where he is the 3rd or 4th read.

Tate is basically in his 1st year, he was injured coming out of college and was shortly after injured again, he will improve in his 2nd year, but if i were him, i would focus more on KRs since that is where he has the chance to make the biggest impact on this team right now.

 

[Dufflebagz]

but if i were him, i would focus more on KRs since that is where he has the chance to make the biggest impact on this team right now.

:agree:

He just kind of disappeared on kickoffs....next season I want to see a multiple repeats of his TD against Cincy.....that was beautiful.

Edit: I think he should focus on catching the ball but I agree that his biggest impact is as a KR.

 

[mmasterkillah]

He reminds me of Bethel Johnson 2.0, but WAY slower.

 

[Deus Irae]

He reminds me of Bethel Johnson 2.0, but WAY slower.

He's got a long way to go, but he's already a better receiver than Bethel was.

 

[robbomango]

speed seems to be a bit overrated at WR. Jerry Rice never had top speed his bigger assets were great hands, great rout runner just to point out 2 i feel more strongly about. Chris carter was known for having great hands and athleticism.

I remember watching big ben coates lumber down the field in slow motion and grab passes adjusting his body(he's TE but still)

If speed is tates biggest asset, i'll pass

 

[Patspsycho]

Again, a reminder (which most people seem to ignore):

This is Tate's first year back from ACL surgery on top of which this is his first year in the NFL. Players coming back from ACL surgery are very rarely 100% their first year back (not even Welker is except to this rule as he's had more dropped pass than usual).

Let's see what he does this fall before we pass judgement on him.