Patriots’ 2020 Rookies Are ‘Further Behind’ Than Ever, Bill Belichick Says

[Kontradiction]

Julian Dropman? So lame.

I would have went with Droplian Edelman myself.

 

[n6249c]

...
Also schemes are more complicated so in addition to a huge speed and talent upgrade you have to manage more in your head.

also Belichick is all about not beating yourself by making mistakes. So he’s not going to take the risk of playing any rookies that have not won his confidence. Or the confidence of their position coaches. The lack of practice reps has limited the ability for most rookies to do that. It’s amazing that Onwenu is getting as much playing time as he is. But he’s showing so well it’s easy to justify givingbhim more. Belichick has said that it’s all about what each player does with the opportunities they are given. Onwenu has done that, results show the effects. Other rookies haven‘t gotten the same opportunities. The rookie TEs have gotten chances to block, not yet targeted in the passing game. Hopefully we will see more chances for rookies as the season progresses, hopefully they also progress.

 

[Calhoun44]

I would have went with Droplian Edelman myself.

If we are coming up with cheesy nicknames for one of the most clutch receivers in NFL playoff history. How about "Julian EdelGod"
There is literally nothing he can do on the football field from this day forward that would ever make me disparage him.

 

[Kontradiction]

If we are coming up with cheesy nicknames for one of the most clutch receivers in NFL playoff history. How about "Julian EdelGod"
There is literally nothing he can do on the football field from this day forward that would ever make me disparage him.

What if he summarily executed people at the 50 yard line?

 

[Wheelman]

Honestly, isn't that the answer we expect from BB. I'd been surprised if he said they weren't.

 

[Pats2000]

Stidham wouldve thrown 30 TDs if he were a rookie on a different team last year. BB holding him back

Probably would have matched that with 30 interceptions.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Probably would have matched that with 30 interceptions.

I don't know that's a lot of Edelman drops

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I'm not the most knowledgeable on these things either. But, for what it's worth, a link to an old Pats playbook was posted once. I looked at it for about 5 minutes before my head almost exploded. I think it gets far more complex than college, and not only do the players have to learn it, but they have to learn it so well that there is no hesitation or false steps once they are on the field. Then there's the physical development aspect where some rookies need to get stronger, adjust to the speed of the game, wrs/cbs need to learn the finer points of route running and hand fighting, I imagine TEs have a ton on their plate with routes and blocking schemes to learn, etc.

I saw it too and was overwhelmed. What amazes me is that Gronkowski (and He-Who-Shall-Never-Be-Named) were said to have picked up the playbook right away rookie season. Impressive.

 

[Nikolai]

What if he summarily executed people at the 50 yard line?

Depends on the people. If it's the NFL headquarters staff, including Goodell, it might endear me more.

 

[Wheelman]

I saw it too and was overwhelmed. What amazes me is that Gronkowski (and He-Who-Shall-Never-Be-Named) were said to have picked up the playbook right away rookie season. Impressive.

Gronk has a very high football IQ. People just think he's a bimbo because he's Gronk. On top of that most fans don't understand football IQ or blocking. All they care about is highlight reels.

Oh and, you mean Aaron Hernandez? Loses his dad, becomes a thug, tows the BS line "Being a Patriot makes you a better person" after he signs his big contract, commits the murder, gets arrested, writes "love" letters to another penpal convict making people think he's gay, and then allegedly commits suicide. That guy right?

 

[JarOfMayo51]

I am very ignorant so before someone tells me I don't know **** about football for saying this, just know I agree.

I don't know why it's so hard for rookies to catch on. Other than becoming a professional and all the other side things that being paid to play football brings, how much different is the principle? Learn the playbook, learn your job. Is that really so hard that rookies need a whole damn year to pick it up? Do they really need months upon months of offseason workouts that bad to know "when this play is called, I do this." I just don't really get it

I don't remember who said it, but one analogy i heard is going from college to pros is like going from algebra to calculus

 

[mikey m]

Gronk has a very high football IQ. People just think he's a bimbo because he's Gronk. On top of that most fans don't understand football IQ or blocking. All they care about is highlight reels.

Oh and, you mean Aaron Hernandez? Loses his dad, becomes a thug, tows the BS line "Being a Patriot makes you a better person" after he signs his big contract, commits the murder, gets arrested, writes "love" letters to another penpal convict making people think he's gay, and then allegedly commits suicide. That guy right?

Could you be more specific please? That could be any number of people.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Uche and Jennings should be taking over for "feel good stories" Simon and Calhoun soon. If not, that's disappointing.

Asasi and Keene not being able to beat out Izzo of all people says how bad they are. Just showing up should've been enough to beat him out.

And seeing all these 1st and 2nd year WR's doing just fine is irritating as hell. Design some plays for Harry and thrown him the damn ball further than 1-5 yards and see what he can do. At least they got the memo to cut that s*** out with the jet sweeps.

 

[Wheelman]

Uche and Jennings should be taking over for Simon and Calhoun soon. If not, that's disappointing.

Asasi and Keene not being able to beat out Izzo of all people says how bad they are. Just showing up should've been enough to beat him out.

And seeing all these 1st and 2nd year WR's doing just fine is irritating as hell. Design some plays for Harry and thrown him the damn ball further than 1-5 yards and see what he can do. At least they got the memo to cut that s*** out with the jet sweeps.

Yes some rookies with no preseason and limited training camp should beat out two veteran players who have had time in the system. Yeah, ok....

Are you not aware that the TE position is the hardest position to learn after QB in the Pats offense? Brady has said this. Someone recently pointed this out. Let's wait it out.

Again, our offense is complicated, it's not easy for wide receivers either.

 

[tasmlab]

I am very ignorant so before someone tells me I don't know **** about football for saying this, just know I agree.

I don't know why it's so hard for rookies to catch on. Other than becoming a professional and all the other side things that being paid to play football brings, how much different is the principle? Learn the playbook, learn your job. Is that really so hard that rookies need a whole damn year to pick it up? Do they really need months upon months of offseason workouts that bad to know "when this play is called, I do this." I just don't really get it

I think it varies by position on the Patriots:
- Downhill back: good to go rookie year
- Scat/3rd down back with protections: 2 years to figure it out (White, Vareen)
- Patriots-drafted WR: A million years or never.
- Patriots-drafted 2nd round DB: Two years, then traded for a 7th round pick.

 

[Captain Cliche]

It might have been Michael Lombardi that said it is also a huge hit to their ego.

They used to be "The Man" now they're a lowly scrub that can't do anything right, get yelled at for being a dumbass, and buried on the depth chart behind JAGs like Ryan Izzo. We've all been there where you're so nervous about screwing up that you screw up. A self fulfilling prophecy.

He said some can't handle the pressure.

NFL is a big business and they can't wait forever for you to get your ****e together.
I think that is another area where the Pats have a huge edge. They will take the time and can afford to be patient with rookies and reclamation projects. Find out what you can do well and work from there. Not all work out, but some do.

Other franchises don't have that luxury or stability. They hope/need production from rookies to field a competitive team.

I don't remember the players name, but they picked up a QB once and BB said he was too messed up and it was going to take too much time and effort to correct. There are also the dumbasses that will never get it.

 

[203Pat]

If we are coming up with cheesy nicknames for one of the most clutch receivers in NFL playoff history. How about "Julian EdelGod"
There is literally nothing he can do on the football field from this day forward that would ever make me disparage him.

Some of these "fans" will turn on anyone. (Not talking about Kontra)

 

[Kontradiction]

Uche and Jennings should be taking over for "feel good stories" Simon and Calhoun soon. If not, that's disappointing.

Asasi and Keene not being able to beat out Izzo of all people says how bad they are. Just showing up should've been enough to beat him out.

And seeing all these 1st and 2nd year WR's doing just fine is irritating as hell. Design some plays for Harry and thrown him the damn ball further than 1-5 yards and see what he can do. At least they got the memo to cut that s*** out with the jet sweeps.

Harry, to date, has not been able to get open on those deeper and intermediate routes. He can’t even beat single coverage on those routes, let alone when there’s a deep safety shaded to his side. 9 yards per reception on his career. That’s... not good.

 

[captain stone]

I think that is another area where the Pats have a huge edge. They will take the time and can afford to be patient with rookies and reclamation projects. Find out what you can do well and work from there. Not all work out, but some do.

Other franchises don't have that luxury or stability. They hope/need production from rookies to field a competitive team.

What "huge edge"?

We have received NOTHING from ANY drafted WRs & TEs for quite awhile now, and have lost football games (including PO games) because of them...And which of those with whom we have shown patience has worked out anyway?

Asiasi & especially Keene were over-drafted and what's worse were over-drafted after Bill traded UP for both of them when there were better prospects still available without having to trade up for them at all...

Scouting & player development staffs, including the TEs & WRs coaches, need a Complete Overhaul.

 

[Batman]

I am very ignorant so before someone tells me I don't know **** about football for saying this, just know I agree.

I don't know why it's so hard for rookies to catch on. Other than becoming a professional and all the other side things that being paid to play football brings, how much different is the principle? Learn the playbook, learn your job. Is that really so hard that rookies need a whole damn year to pick it up? Do they really need months upon months of offseason workouts that bad to know "when this play is called, I do this." I just don't really get it

It's difficult for a multitude of reasons, some players are use to being a star because put frankly they were genetically better than their opponents previously. In the NFL thats is rarely the case because in college you're one of 26,000 D1 players that season with a frame work of being between 18-24 generally. In the NFL you're one of 2000 including practice squad. So there is a lot less variance in physical ability compared to lower levels. Hence Harry's struggle to get open his size and lack of top end speed make it an issue although he can make contested catches it seems.

Previous years our O had the additional complexity of a lot of WR routes being options based on coverage/leverage, this meant the QB and WR needed to know the same set of options but also read it the same way too, the QB then needs to know your timing on a route to throw you open. Chad Johnson struggled because he could not read things the same as Brady, despite knowing the options.

There is also the need to understand a play holistically, not just what you have to do. An example would be two route: combo's double slant and slant out, in both cases Z runs a slant Y runs two different routes. The design of each play is to do very different things double slant create a vertical constraint on a #2 defender where slant out creates horizontal constraint. The Z needs to know that so they can vary their route based on defenders movement but also on how Y ran their route or if they contacted. A playbook is often 200 pages but shortened into a game plan but you need to know more than just your own route, plus the names its given and any hand signal for it that week. College playbooks are often simpler in concept and many players redshirt or see reduced time as a freshman which is not dissimilar to the NFL taking time to learn.

This is often why it's talked about as designing plays to get a player involved so they have less to learn and can contribute earlier. If our O was more west coast, air raid or air Coryell in it principles rather than Erhardt-Perkins it would be simple to integrate players but maybe less effective too. With Cam it's certainly simplified lets hope that means we can involve players quicker once they have the coaches trust in assignments. So sadly it's not as simple as "when this is called, I do this"

There are also in-depth details for TE, LB, C and S but my speciality knowledge is in QB/WR and I won't go into the mental aspect of everything in college planned for you vs pro you have to be in control. Unless you want me to write up about a typical week for a college player, I can't really do the same for a pro as a comparison.

This is pure speculation on my part: I believe BB holds our rookies back so they have earned their spot rather than it being a given for them which is something many won't have faced, I believe some fail at this test and struggle others come out much better players because of it.