Next best TE draft prospect?

[maineman209]

While I’ll agree with you he was on a somewhat Gronkian pace, his last 4 games has been an an almost Hollister/Allen type pace. His blocking is invaluable though.

26 catches for 405 yards and 1td through the first 6 games.


Was on pace for 69 catches (hehe) for 1080 yards & 3 tds.


But Last 4 games (including 1 playoff game), 5 catches for 70 yards 0 tds.

So, the healthy Gronk from the first six games of the season looked like his old self, but the Gronk with the bad back since then hasn't done much as a receiver?

Shocker.

 

[scott99]

So, the healthy Gronk from the first six games of the season looked like his old self, but the Gronk with the bad back since then hasn't done much as a receiver?

Shocker.

What part of shell of his old self “pass catching wise” part of my statement is wrong ? I didn’t say he’s not hurt. But given his injury history, and his talk of retirement, it MIGHT be the right move to get a pass catching TE on this team. Been saying this for 2 years. The few times this offense had 2 HEALTHY PASS CATCHING TEs, this offense was unstoppable.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Unfortunately Bill traded the pick i have reserved for Kittle for O'Shagnasty . and no, im still not over it..

He can make amends w Iowa brother Hockenson this year . which means he probably won't (although he loves Iowa players and might bring more than one this year) . but this year it would be hard to miss on TE..

(A) He's never drafted an Iowa player.
(B) The O'Shaughnessy trade didn't matter; that was a pick at the end of the 5th round, while SF took him at the beginning.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

He messed up last off season not working on weight training and strength and instead doing the Brady program.

Lol

 

[BelichickFan]

(A) He's never drafted an Iowa player.

Which is really weird given his respect for Kirk Ferentz. You would think Iowa players would be the smart, well coached types that Bill would like.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Which is really weird given his respect for Kirk Ferentz. You would think Iowa players would be the smart, well coached types that Bill would like.

I've never understood how it works. For example, it seems like he uses Ferentz as a resource. He's brought in a bunch of Iowa players as UDFAs, but never in the draft. But then he's gone and drafted players like Jamie Collins, who played on a winless team his senior year, and hired Bill O'Brien from Duke back when Duke had just about the worst offense in the NCAA.

 

[Snooky97]

This is the best breakdown of Fant blocking.

 

[Double TE]

I like him but there’s no way I’d feel comfortable thinking he can finish a season healthy.

And given your username I’m shocked you feel this way.

LOL - Yes, well I'd rather use draft capital on fast linebackers and DBs. Maybe a pass rusher or a run stuffer since Brown is not returning. I would not be against them signing Jared Cook or taking a shot at Tyler Eifert.

 

[maineman209]

What part of shell of his old self “pass catching wise” part of my statement is wrong ? I didn’t say he’s not hurt. But given his injury history, and his talk of retirement, it MIGHT be the right move to get a pass catching TE on this team. Been saying this for 2 years. The few times this offense had 2 HEALTHY PASS CATCHING TEs, this offense was unstoppable.

"Gronk became a shell of his old self for the remainder of this season, pass-catching wise, after he hurt his back (again)," just seems more accurate to me.

I don't know whether or not he can recover his early 2018 form by next season. I don't know whether or not he'll retire, or if he is actually even currently talking about doing so. I've only seen media speculation that he may be talking about it.

In terms of it being "the right move" to acquire another "TE who can catch" for the Pats, that's probably been the case since the moment that Hernandez was arrested for murder in 2012. In terms of acquiring a TE who can at least partially compensate for Gronk's absence - a TE who can both block and catch - I'd guess that's been at least someplace on the Pats agenda since at least 2013 or 2014. I don't see the situation as being all that different now, although there may be a few more opportunities this spring than there have been in recent years.

In any case, in the event that the Pats don't come up with two pass-catching TEs (at least one of whom is a very good blocker), the offense will probably just evolve in a different direction. And, it may already be doing that.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I wouldn't worry too much about the TE prospects who the media promotes as 1st/2nd-rounders. More often than not, those guys are pretty much one-trick-ponies who can catch but who block like Betty White (if they have any inline blocking experience at all).

And, no, NFL-level inline blocking skills are not easily or quickly learned, at least not before the end of a rookie contract.

Anyway, TE prospects who have a more complete skill set, but who are not top receivers in college, are typically undervalued by other teams, as well as by media draft gurus. Such guys may be found in the 3rd-5th rounds.

BB may double dip on this position as he did years ago for TE. That worked out really well...until one of them started killing people.

 

[maineman209]

LOL - Yes, well I'd rather use draft capital on fast linebackers and DBs. Maybe a pass rusher or a run stuffer since Brown is not returning. I would not be against them signing Jared Cook or taking a shot at Tyler Eifert.

Tyler Eifert? The guy who's been healthy enough to participate in only 43 of his 96 games over the past six seasons? THAT Tyler Eifert? Are you serious?

 

[maineman209]

BB may double dip on this position as he did years ago for TE. That worked out really well...until one of them started killing people.

Ray Lewis was apparently his role model.

 

[Ring 6]

Lol

Why is that funny?

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Why is that funny?

Stick to football, not exercise science. Please.

 

[Ring 6]

Stick to football, not exercise science. Please.

He is a TE. He needs to lift weights. The consequences are pretty obvious.

 

[maineman209]

BB may double dip on this position as he did years ago for TE. That worked out really well...until one of them started killing people.

I haven't really looked at many TE prospects yet, honestly. As always, I'll be looking first for guys who are solid inline blockers who can catch. After that, guys who are good receivers who can at least run-block fairly well. One of each would be ideal.

The media is representing this as a very deep TE class. If they're not blowing smoke (again), a double-dip certainly seems possible, especially if one includes potential UDFAs (in which case, it may end up being 3 or 4 new TEs on the 90-man roster), not including potentially snagging a free agent TE (not named Tyler Eifert).

 

[WaterfallJumper]

He is a TE. He needs to lift weights. The consequences are pretty obvious.

I'm not going to engage further, but you're not even remotely correct. Please sit this one out.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

LOL - Yes, well I'd rather use draft capital on fast linebackers and DBs. Maybe a pass rusher or a run stuffer since Brown is not returning. I would not be against them signing Jared Cook or taking a shot at Tyler Eifert.

LBs for sure. We have 6 picks in 3 rounds. We desperately need some youth added at TE and WR. Eifert to me is in the same boat as hollister, how many games before he goes down? We need to hit on the front 7 defensively and rebuild at TE and Wr. The way I look at it is we already have 2 draft picks for 2019 in Wynn and Dawson. If I’m looking defensive backfield it’s at safety as Chung and mccourty are getting older.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

Which is really weird given his respect for Kirk Ferentz. You would think Iowa players would be the smart, well coached types that Bill would like.

It’s tough to wash off that Iowa stench once you’ve been in that program a few years. Bill understands this.

That being said, I would love hockenson as I see him as a similar player to kittle.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm not going to engage further, but you're not even remotely correct. Please sit this one out.

Of course I am correct.