Looks like Mitchell won't be ready for Week 1

[luuked]

Not that much in this regard; Mitchell can actually run routes where they are intended to be run, unlike Dobson.

My point on the Dobson comparison is in that many fans conclude a player is for real before they are actually shown to be for real. That is the crux of my comparison.

Not to defend Dobson because his hands were suspect in general but he is a textbook example of what happens to a rookie when he gets injured "early" and never is able to catch up - especially when it involves foot surgery. If he'd stayed healthy through his rookie season, never had a screw inserted into his foot and had been able to take part in the entire preseason in his second year he might have actually been a better receiver. He had the athleticism and wasn't dumb.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Wanna see deeper routes with mitchell. Everyone keeps mentioning amendola but he's not a guy that's build for the regular season. He shows up more during the playoffs. Mitchell's the big wildcard here. I worry if this guy has a sophomore slump. The depth isn't there after cooks and hogan. If one of those two guys misses a couple of games it would be tough.

 

[Oswlek]

Mitchell's the big wildcard here. I worry if this guy has a sophomore slump.

Why?

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Why?

Just not staying 100 percent. I guess we will see if he can take it up a notch.

 

[Oswlek]

Just not staying 100 percent. I guess we will see if he can take it up a notch.

Perhaps I'm dense, but I'm not following you completely. Are you saying you expect him to slump or that you think he won't be healthy?

I also think the Mitchell who played in the 2nd half of last year is plenty valuable even if he doesn't "take it up a notch."

 

[Ivan]

I have given up on predicting who or what Belichick will keep on the 53

 

[Ivan]

Since Boldin signed a contract with Buffalo he is on their reserve/retired list.

The Patriots would need approval from the Bills to talk to him (tampering).

The team would then need to work out a trade with Buffalo.

The Pats would then inherit Boldin's contract (one-year, $2,750,000).

It would be no different than another team trying to sign Rob Ninkovich.

That's without considering the learning curve of understanding the Patriots read and react offense, where it is critical the receiver and the quarterback see the same thing on defense and run the route accordingly. While many have been able to do so in their first year, they had six months of off-season to get that system down. A new arrival is going to have just a week to learn the offense. He's not going to be of much help in week one.

I hate the idea of signing Boldin, he's done, go young for the 5th WR spot.

 

[mosslost]

Should have kept Michael Floyd

 

[Oswlek]

Should have kept Michael Floyd

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Should have kept Michael Floyd

Ok, but how is he going to help in September while he's suspended for the first 4 games?

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Yeah, I think Martin is one of the more obvious options unless he left behind a sour taste. He looked serviceable when used correctly and the team would at least know what they are getting in him.

Someone asked Mike Reiss that and his answer was that he thinks there *was* a sour taste. Specifically he filed an injury grievance against the team last year.

 

[mosslost]

Ok, but how is he going to help in September while he's suspended for the first 4 games?

more than Edleman for the last 12 (15)

 

[mosslost]

Someone asked Mike Reiss that and his answer was that he thinks there *was* a sour taste. Specifically he filed an injury grievance against the team last year.

Burkehead knows the slot

 

[mgteich]

First, I don't understand all this discussion of the need to sign a slot receiver. Amendola and Hogan can both play the slot.

The issue, is having backup if Hogan or Cooks is out for a game or two. If Mitchell isn't close to 100%, I would think that the options are Carr and Lucien.

 

[mosi]

Dobson received so many targets because in 2013 Brady had no one else to throw to. Mitchell on the other hand earned targets on a stacked roster. Big difference.

And Mitchel has come up big when asked. Something tells me Dobson would never have. Brady has also stated that he trusts Mitchell which is huge in my mind. Again, I don't think Brady ever said the same thing about Dobson.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Just not staying 100 percent. I guess we will see if he can take it up a notch.

He wasn't 100% last year either. He ended last season as a solid receiver who's perfectly capable of being a significant threat on this current roster - I'd love to see a leap in his game, and I think we will see one, but even if we don't he still has a lot to offer.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

And Mitchel has come up big when asked. Something tells me Dobson would never have. Brady has also stated that he trusts Mitchell which is huge in my mind. Again, I don't think Brady ever said the same thing about Dobson.

I will never understand what the patriots draft scouts saw in Dobson over Keenan Allen. I mean, Allen was an absolute monster in college. He catches anything and everything and is an amazing route runner, he plays a style perfect for brady. Yes I know he has a poor attitude, but who cares. The guy balled! I watched him yesterday in the preseason, he's damm near uncoverable. Oh well. If he stays healthy this season, look for him to catch 120 balls

 

[Deus Irae]

First, I don't understand all this discussion of the need to sign a slot receiver. Amendola and Hogan can both play the slot.

The issue, is having backup if Hogan or Cooks is out for a game or two.

Hogan's best use is as a Swiss Army receiver, and Amendola's a shell of himself who doesn't have the cutting ability of Edelman. His ability to separate in short space has declined from when he first arrived, making that sort of difference even more marked.

I wouldn't call it a panic situation, but this is the Brady 3rd down binkie that's now gone for the season. Edelman is not the pure slot that Welker was, but he's both the slot guy (when they use it) and the chain mover. If they can find a viable alternative, they should seriously consider doing adding such a player, both for this year and for the future.

 

[luuked]

Someone asked Mike Reiss that and his answer was that he thinks there *was* a sour taste. Specifically he filed an injury grievance against the team last year.

I did forget about the grievance until you mentioned it. Most probably takes him off the board but given how all of this is just business I wonder if that would really big an issue if push would come to shove.

 

[maineman209]

First, I don't understand all this discussion of the need to sign a slot receiver. Amendola and Hogan can both play the slot.

The issue, is having backup if Hogan or Cooks is out for a game or two. If Mitchell isn't close to 100%, I would think that the options are Carr and Lucien.

Cooks and Mitchell can both run routes out of the slot, as well. So can Gronk, Allen, White, Burkhead, Lewis and Foster. Maybe even O'Shaughnessy or Hollister.

Carr and Lucien are options. But I don't think they're the only options.

Unless the Pats trade for a "slot receiver" like Landry, I kind of doubt that there will be any one guy, or even two guys, who instantly inherit the vast majority of Edelman's slot snaps beginning in Week-1 and for the rest of the season thereafter. I think it's more likely to be a fairly broad mix of different players for a few weeks as part of a process to figure out what works best. Even by the end of the season, it may still be a couple-three different guys.

EDIT:

Of course, now that I've said that, watch as BB shocks the crap out of everybody by keeping KJ Maye on the roster as The "slot guy".