Do you want Martellus Bennett back?

[PrairiePat]

I like Bennett as a person, but he's (1) injury-prone, (2) getting older, (3) drops a ton of catchable balls. No thanks.

 

[GoBlue]

Gronk not going to play many more years at the level he has played at. He's incurred so many injuries and the concussions nothing to fool around with. Bennett just a stop gap. Between the two of them we might get a complete season. It's smarter to draft a new TE.

 

[ivanvamp]

Agree. I don't think hes a 800 snap guy anymore but as a TE2 who can give the team 20-25 snaps a game?

Only way he comes back is if he has a clean bill of health.

With both Gronk and Bennett on the team, you could manage both their snaps effectively, making both of them basically part-time players with Hollister making up the difference. That way you enter the playoffs (hopefully) with Gronk and Bennett both healthy, and the offense becomes more impossible to stop.

Retain Bennett, Amendola, Lewis, and Burkhead (who was super effective in limited snaps in the SB - he should have gotten the ball more IMO), get back Cannon and Edelman and hope Cooks' brains aren't scrambled, and the offense will be a juggernaut.

It's on the defensive side of the ball that's the concern. They need another quality CB - though I'd see if Jonathan Jones can actually hold that spot...his injury was a pretty significant one as it turns out - they need Hightower back and healthy, and they need to get faster at LB. Much faster.

 

[RobertWeathers]

With both Gronk and Bennett on the team, you could manage both their snaps effectively, making both of them basically part-time players with Hollister making up the difference. That way you enter the playoffs (hopefully) with Gronk and Bennett both healthy, and the offense becomes more impossible to stop.

Retain Bennett, Amendola, Lewis, and Burkhead (who was super effective in limited snaps in the SB - he should have gotten the ball more IMO), get back Cannon and Edelman and hope Cooks' brains aren't scrambled, and the offense will be a juggernaut.

Assuming health this is a 32ppg offense. Easy.

It's on the defensive side of the ball that's the concern. They need another quality CB - though I'd see if Jonathan Jones can actually hold that spot...his injury was a pretty significant one as it turns out - they need Hightower back and healthy, and they need to get faster at LB. Much faster.

They need 3-5 impact players on the front 7.

 

[patriot1136]

Bennett is great when he wants to be. The injuries and his desire are the main concern. I'd bring him back if cap friendly. Maybe Bennett would start on PUP or something so we wouldn't activate him till week 8 or so. Limit his snaps and keep him fresh.
I would like to see us develop Hollister more. As others have said, he may be a poor man's A-Hern.

 

[dannydyn]

I'll take him back, but I'd rather have a younger body like Eifert.

 

[holyredeemer]

My reaction to Bennett coming back would be a shrug of the shoulders and saying “cool”. He would have to come back cheap. I like Bennett, but he seems like he is always on the verge of breaking down physically and emotionally. A lot of ppl talk down on Allen, but if we can bring him back at a much cheaper salary, and if Hollister makes that 2nd year jump, I think we’ll be good at TE.

 

[ivanvamp]

Assuming health this is a 32ppg offense. Easy.

Easy. I could see that offense, if healthy, putting up 35+ a game on average. It's so diverse.

They need 3-5 impact players on the front 7.

Two fast, young, attacking linebackers, one emerging corner (through the draft or maybe Jonathan Jones), and one good pass rusher. I think (again, health being key) the middle is solid with Guy, Brown, Butler, and Valentine. I love Trey Flowers. I'd actually be ok with Harrison for another year if they manage his snaps. He was the only one who got any pressure on Foles at all - and was held constantly. Could Wise or Rivers be that next pass rusher? I don't know. I'd like to see another guy through the draft or free agency.

So my priorities would be:

- 2 fast linebackers
- 1 edge rusher (d%#*!@t it is enormous that Easley didn't work out because he got great push up the middle, which helps the edge rushers out too)
- 1 corner (Jones or someone else)

Those can be acquired through the draft or free agency (trades too, I guess). LB speed is huge for this team. If they had a defense that looked like this, I'd be excited:

DL: Flowers, Brown, Guy, Edge Rusher (Rivers? Wise? Draft pick? FA?)
LB: Fast young OLB, Hightower, Fast young OLB
CB: Gilmore, Quality CB (Jones?)
S: Chung, McCourty

I think they need to come up with four quality defensive players to make the defense very good. That's possible - they have a first, two seconds, and either a third or a fourth (depending on the compensation to Philly for Rowe).

 

[jboston19]

If he's healthy, absolutely. Love him as a player and his offfield personality.

Having said that, I certainly think he's going to call it a career.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Easy. I could see that offense, if healthy, putting up 35+ a game on average. It's so diverse.



Two fast, young, attacking linebackers, one emerging corner (through the draft or maybe Jonathan Jones), and one good pass rusher. I think (again, health being key) the middle is solid with Guy, Brown, Butler, and Valentine. I love Trey Flowers. I'd actually be ok with Harrison for another year if they manage his snaps. He was the only one who got any pressure on Foles at all - and was held constantly. Could Wise or Rivers be that next pass rusher? I don't know. I'd like to see another guy through the draft or free agency.

So my priorities would be:

- 2 fast linebackers
- 1 edge rusher (d%#*!@t it is enormous that Easley didn't work out because he got great push up the middle, which helps the edge rushers out too)
- 1 corner (Jones or someone else)

Those can be acquired through the draft or free agency (trades too, I guess). LB speed is huge for this team. If they had a defense that looked like this, I'd be excited:

DL: Flowers, Brown, Guy, Edge Rusher (Rivers? Wise? Draft pick? FA?)
LB: Fast young OLB, Hightower, Fast young OLB
CB: Gilmore, Quality CB (Jones?)
S: Chung, McCourty

I think they need to come up with four quality defensive players to make the defense very good. That's possible - they have a first, two seconds, and either a third or a fourth (depending on the compensation to Philly for Rowe).

Spot on.

 

[Marqui]

Yes, on a reduced contract. I don't want to have to spend any more extra resources on offense.

 

[libra957]

probably should retire.

 

[PatsDeb]

No, too injury prone. Time to find the next young stud at TE.

 

[maust]

The poll needed a 3rd option: Only on an affordable contract

 

[maineman209]

Of course not ... but Hollister can be a competant 3rd TE who can also get in some WR packages. No way Bennett lasts a season ... too much bone on bone in that man's joints. Developing a TE will be a much better path.

I'm not sure yet that Hollister "can" be a competent TE. I really didn't see a whole lot of progress in his blocking or route-running skills over the course of 2017. He did, however, become a core special teamer, which seems likely to have been the main reason he was active for weeks 2 thru 17. In weeks 2 thru 5, his snaps counts were 34-offense/25 ST. From week-6 onward, they were 52-offense/163 ST.

I'm definitely not "giving up on him", but I think what happens with him depends on how much immediate impact the Pats want out of the TE position for 2018 versus how much they think Hollister may provide.

So, it may also depend on whether or not Allen can increase his receiving production to something closer to his average contributions in Indy (even 20/32 for 200-something yards and 3 TDs might be acceptable, given his blocking prowess). It may also depend on what Bennett might still be able to produce - IF he agrees to play at a much lower rate than his current contract.

Will Tye (6021/262 - on the PS since mid-October) has signed a futures contract, so he seems likely to be in the mix at least. He caught 90/132 (68%) for 859 yards (9.5 YPC) and 4 TDs in his first two NFL seasons (NYG, 2015 & 2016).

Both Hollister and Tye, with their transition to the NFL already under their belts, would have an advantage over a late-round or UDFA "developmental rookie.

 

[Deus Irae]

If he's healthy, and wants to play, having him back would be a very smart move.

 

[Le Numéro Douze]

Sure.

Is he ready to take a lesser role and restructure his contract. If he is ready to do both, I would welcome him back with open arms. If not, let's just shake hands and move on.

 

[Simpelton]

We don't have the time to develop young talent right now. The time for that is after Brady is gone. We can not afford development years right now.

 

[Foxypats]

Yes, no question of it. As long as Gronk is on the field the two of them would be great together. Hopefully he wants to play in New England .

 

[Nunchucks]

That is a lot of money tied up with TEs. I have no idea, if the coaches think he should come back, then sure.