If you ever listen to Michael Lombardi on The Ringer or his other outlets, he'll often say that you want to have a team's receiving corps built like a basketball team, with different types of players with different physical attributes and jobs. With that in mind, I'll try to flesh out the metaphor and categorize the various Patriots receivers over the years in terms of their equivalent basketball positions. Do you agree with where I placed people?
"The Center" - Physically dominant, able to shield off defenders and catch balls even when closely guarded. Patriots examples: Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, Josh Gordon
"The Power Forward" - Receiver with large catch radius able to use body positioning to win one on one battles on the sidelines and box out defenders over the middle. Patriots example: David Givens, Daniel Graham, Aaron Dobson, Brandon Lloyd
"The Small Forward" - Versatile performer who can do some aspects of all of the various positions. Patriots example: Julian Edelman, Aaron Hernandez, Ben Watson, Cordarelle Patterson, Phillip Dorsett, Malcolm Mitchell
"The Shooting Guard" - Long range threat whose deep strike prowess must be respected. Patriots example: Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, Donte Stallworth, Bethel Johnson, Brandon Tate
"The Point Guard" - Shifty and quick, able to gain small advantages in tight spaces or be dangerous with screens. Patriots examples: Wes Welker, Troy Brown, Danny Amendola, Deion Branch, David Patten, all the receiving backs
Taking a look at these categorizations and our current roster, I'd say that we don't have many reliable Power Forward/Center type of guys beyond Gronk (presuming Gronk plays) unless Lacosse or another TE becomes a reliable target and/or Josh Gordon can stay on the field. We have point guards aplenty and versatile small forwards in Dorsett and Edelman. We do not seem to have a deep threat shooting guard at the moment.
Hopefully we draft a shooting guard and power forward type in the draft or via trade.
"The Center" - Physically dominant, able to shield off defenders and catch balls even when closely guarded. Patriots examples: Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, Josh Gordon
"The Power Forward" - Receiver with large catch radius able to use body positioning to win one on one battles on the sidelines and box out defenders over the middle. Patriots example: David Givens, Daniel Graham, Aaron Dobson, Brandon Lloyd
"The Small Forward" - Versatile performer who can do some aspects of all of the various positions. Patriots example: Julian Edelman, Aaron Hernandez, Ben Watson, Cordarelle Patterson, Phillip Dorsett, Malcolm Mitchell
"The Shooting Guard" - Long range threat whose deep strike prowess must be respected. Patriots example: Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, Donte Stallworth, Bethel Johnson, Brandon Tate
"The Point Guard" - Shifty and quick, able to gain small advantages in tight spaces or be dangerous with screens. Patriots examples: Wes Welker, Troy Brown, Danny Amendola, Deion Branch, David Patten, all the receiving backs
Taking a look at these categorizations and our current roster, I'd say that we don't have many reliable Power Forward/Center type of guys beyond Gronk (presuming Gronk plays) unless Lacosse or another TE becomes a reliable target and/or Josh Gordon can stay on the field. We have point guards aplenty and versatile small forwards in Dorsett and Edelman. We do not seem to have a deep threat shooting guard at the moment.
Hopefully we draft a shooting guard and power forward type in the draft or via trade.
