Reciever Situation,Really that bad?

[PatsFanInVa]

Overall, this is the BEST receiver corps in the NFL...OVERALL, not as individuals, but overall....

Including Watson and Graham....

Branch, Reche, Caldwell, Jackson, Brown, Graham, Watson...

Faulk and Maroney both are outstanding receivers, too.

I dont see why anyone should be worried.

NEM, come on. Look at your Cardinals, your Lions, your... oh that's right, they're all perenniel losers. But still, the NE receiving corps consists of a rook, a non-#1 #1 who is (at present) holding out, and a guy that's lucky to rack up 40 catches in a year. Oh yeah and Troy Brown, can never forget Troy, but for God's sake, they got a break on his salary because he gets social security.

My take? They're good enough to get the job done that the Pats assign the receiving corps. a couple touchdowns on a good day, a single touchdown on a bad day, three touchdowns on an outstanding day, zero touchdowns on a nightmare day. Those are the parameters thus far... no Colts-esque five and six touchdown days. Just ain't gonna happen. And this is actually a good thing.

It points to the Pats' philosophy of ball control and defense -- although defense was not really substantially addressed this offseason. The Pats haven't built themselves to score six TDs via the air, because they don't need to score six TDs to win. But those teams that do need to do so, need to collect that flashy wideout talent. In doing so, they build better receiving corps, plain and simple.

Despite my above negative characterizations, here are the positives: Jackson has huge upside, possibly not for a couple more years, but possibly right away. Watson and Graham, to my eye, are the best tandem of tight ends you could want in NE's system (and I hope they stay a tandem.) Brown could still bring in 40 balls a year if called upon, Caldwell could blossom into a 70 catch guy, Deion could realize he's got to get a 1,000 yard season to crow about being a #1, and routinely elude double coverage.

So which is going to happen? Hey, that's why they play the games. But from what we do know, we can't call the Pats' receiver corps the best in the league.

PFnV

 

[SunnyDenmark]

. Oh yeah and Troy Brown, can never forget Troy, but for God's sake, they got a break on his salary because he gets social security.

PFnV

Thats the best one all day - ROFL. Thanks! Seriously, I agree - it is good enough - Pats 3 rings were with average/above average WR/TE talent - nothing more. Give me a good running attack any day - thats why the Colts score 5 TD's a game - as they have (had) BOTH-rushing/ receiving talent - not to mention a QB as well.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Overall, this is the BEST receiver corps in the NFL...OVERALL, not as individuals, but overall....

Including Watson and Graham....

Branch, Reche, Caldwell, Jackson, Brown, Graham, Watson...

Faulk and Maroney both are outstanding receivers, too.

I dont see why anyone should be worried.

I rest my case.

Last year when I was a little bit sketchy about our WR depth you predicted that our WR corps would be the BEST in the LEAGUE top to bottom... citing the predicted excellent play of David Terrell, PK Sam, Andre Davis, and Tim Dwight.

 

[DaBruinz]

DABruins: So do you think that Reche and Branch are not injury prone? It just seems like we have the absolute minimum of depth and a lot of 'hope' that everybody works out. Or are you just suggesting that we are underestimating Caldwell?

I didn't say anything about Branch. I said Caldwell wasn't injury prone. And one major injury doesn't make one injury prone. And that is all Caldwell has had. I'm suggesting that some people are underestimating Caldwell. I honestly believe that he will be a solid #2 receiver who could develop enough to push Branch.

 

[patpatriot]

Well..

The WR situation is not bad but it is a lttle dicey given that 2 wrs are new to the Pats system and one is new to the NFl. I think people underestimate how long it takes to become productive in any new offensive system so I don't see how we can exactly count on Caldwell and Jackson despite their physical skills. Actualy I think Bam Morris is the wild card. His DB skillls could buy him a place on the roster ala Troy Brown.

That being said, I wonder what it would take to pry Bryant Johnson (former #1 pick from Penn State...buried behinnd Bolden and Fitzggerald) away from the Cards?

 

[JoeSixPat]

I didn't say anything about Branch. I said Caldwell wasn't injury prone. And one major injury doesn't make one injury prone. And that is all Caldwell has had. I'm suggesting that some people are underestimating Caldwell. I honestly believe that he will be a solid #2 receiver who could develop enough to push Branch.

Between them, over a collective 8 full seasons of football, Branch and Caldwell have combined to play a full 16 game schedule just 3 times. Once for Branch in 4 years and twice for Caldwell in 4 years.

I'm hopeful Caldwell will prove his detractors wrong too, but generally I find that past production is a good indicator of future production, and in Caldwell's case, his career high is 28 receptions for a season.