Reiss revisits Chad Jackson trade

[BradyManny]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Jackson doesn't have to replace Stallworth, he has to get on the field. He'll see plenty of passes once that happens.

Stallworth didn't exactly seem to have a great grasp on this offense. And it turns out he wasn't the deep threat we thought - he doesn't time his jumps well, lets the receiver make plays on the ball, and doesn't have the best hands.

Stallworth's best attribute was undoubtedly his YAC. Jackson has the size and speed to match, and Jackson should be a better deep threat. So if all Jackson manages to do is catch quick screen passes AND occasionally haul in a deep pass, he'll be surpassing Stallworth in my mind.

Frankly, I think he can do a lot more. But we'll see.

 

[SVN]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

chad jackson has to stay healthy but also brady has to trust him. From the little we have seen before brady hasnt thrown much to him even if he was on the field unless the play was called for a pass to jackson. remains to be seen how well jackson has picked up the offense and brady's comfort level with him.i expecting more out dave thomas this season than jackso as i think he can really help the team out.

 

[bradmahn]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Also do not forget what a healthy Dave Thomas could mean at tightend as well..He was Vince's go to guy..so he could play a larger role in time.

If Dave Thomas and Watson are healthy they'll be great compliments for the offense. They both have the tools to become very good all-around TEs who can catch the ball but are also average-to-above-average blockers. At the end of the season last year, with Watson nursing injuries and KBrady hurt/not a presence in the passing game, we saw a serious decline in production from our TEs.

On paper, the versatility is jaw dropping. Having at least three dynamic WRs who all seem to compliment one another, a deep and versatile RB corps, two TEs, a solid FB and a tremendously cerebral quarterback who can make just about any throw allows them to play a huge variety of packages and take advantage of mismatches or weaknesses. If Jackson and Thomas earn the playing time and the team is fortunate enough to stay relatively healthy, I think this offense could be scarier than last year.

And if the offensive line masters zone blocking, fuggetabouit...

 

[PatsFan37]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Also do not forget what a healthy Dave Thomas could mean at tightend as well..He was Vince's go to guy..so he could play a larger role in time.

I've always liked this guy, so yes, I haven't forgotten about him. All depends on his health. He must have suffered some kind of setback for his foot to still be hindering him.

It's all about rapport with Brady. Gaffney has it. Moss loves it. Welker owns it.

Dave Thomas seemed, in that one game, to show signs of it. Jackson needs to demonstrate that he has it, too.

When they're all on the same page with the superstar, that offense is unstoppable.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

So the Pats are going to take the best deep ball threat the game of football has ever known and only once in awhile use him deep as a twist to confuse defenses?

Well, that is one strategy I guess.

Ah No! How do you turn the best deep threat in the league into a mid-range receier. i don't think so.

No kidding, sounds more like something only NEM would propose...

 

[RayClay]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

It's silly to go back over draft picks, especially when one of them has had serious injuries.

So Green Bay got two serviceable players out of the deal. Good for them, that's why you make trades. They had nobody special they wanted with that pick and we did. Most trades are like that, rarely are they mismatches at the time.

No one knows what's going to happen with Jackson, even Miss Cleo. After seeing the shape he was in this winter and his athletic ability earlier, I can guarantee he's not going to be an average player. Either he doesn't "get it" or he's going to be superstar potential or close. He is a monster physically.

 

[PonyExpress]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Reiss has taken a skeptical view of CJ this offseason, throwing some cold water on hyperbole from other media sources. Reiss rarely shows his hand or airs an opinion without an inside source. That does not mean he is infallible, but it suggests there are people within the organization who doubt Cj's ability to live up to his potential. Hopefully they're all wrong.

 

[unoriginal]

Re: Trade Revisted

In addition to the logical flaw pointed out elsewhere that odds are the Pats would likely not have taken those guys and GB might not have taken Jackson, even looking at it that way, would Spitz have started over Neal or Mankins? And who did Jennings have to beat out? certainly not Moss, Welker, and Stallworth.

My understanding of the situation in Green Bay is that Spitz had essentially no competition between him and a starting guard spot. It was him, two other rookies and some practice squaders, and all the rookies ended up starting. Mankins at least had to beat out Hochstein. In addition the interior of that line is still nothing to brag about, Clifton and Tauscher do the good work at the tackles.

Jennings looks like a very good wide receiver though, no lie. Looks like he'll turn into a Lauverneus Coles-caliber receiver.

 

[dhamz]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Reiss has taken a skeptical view of CJ this offseason, throwing some cold water on hyperbole from other media sources. Reiss rarely shows his hand or airs an opinion without an inside source. That does not mean he is infallible, but it suggests there are people within the organization who doubt Cj's ability to live up to his potential. Hopefully they're all wrong.

I think Reiss has shown a realistic view of Jackson. The Pats are not counting on him being a factor and that is what Reiss comments refelct. Right now the only people who are expecting big things from him are his vocal Patsfans.com fan club. He is a guy who needs to make the team and prove he can contribute. No one is rooting against him and everyone will be thrilled if he lives up to his draft hype but the WR group on this team was built to be effective without him.

 

[bradmahn]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

He is a guy who needs to make the team and prove he can contribute.

I doubt Jackson is (or was) in danger of being cut.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

That assumes Moss and Welker have the same astronomical year they had in 2007. It's unlikely. Both were in prove-it years, both stayed healthy, and the stars seemed to be aligned for the passing game.

I think for one reason or another -- health or craftier opposing defenses or simple probability -- neither player will have that kind of marquee year, which leaves an opportunity. That's why Jackson had better be ready. If he isn't, Gaffney and Washington will eat his lunch.

Last I checked, $5.5M signing bonuses--as Welker got--are not usually components of prove-it deals (cf. the 2007 signing bonuses for Stallworth, Washington, and Moss, of $1M, $300K, and $0, respectively).

 

[Metaphors]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

I think Reiss has shown a realistic view of Jackson. The Pats are not counting on him being a factor and that is what Reiss comments refelct. Right now the only people who are expecting big things from him are his vocal Patsfans.com fan club. He is a guy who needs to make the team and prove he can contribute. No one is rooting against him and everyone will be thrilled if he lives up to his draft hype but the WR group on this team was built to be effective without him.

Wow. Not being a factor? Seriously? Dude is 23 years old and is effectively entering his sophomore year in the league. The Pats have roles for everyone with associated expectations. I don't know what the role is going to be for CJack but I find it hard to believe it will be "non-factor". What are the Pats expectations for DThomas? Mayo? Hobson? The Pats didn't draft or sign a WR this offseason (Aiken is a ST guy). The means they expect someone to step up and take on additional responsibilities.

Gaffney? Possible but not a good positional fit. He does his best work in the same routes and short zones as Welker. That makes him an ideal 4th WR and replacement slot WR if Welker is not on the field. He is not a natural outside guy (difference between split end and flanker don't mean much for the Pats since Moss does both). Takes too long to separate down the field and can be taken out of a game with single coverage against a good #2 CB.

Washington? Certainly possessed the needed skill set coming out of college to play outside. Hasn't been healthy enough to take the next step in development since his early Cincy days and he will be 29 this season. Interesting but probably not happening.

That leaves CJack. If he doesn't step up and get meaningful reps outside this year, the Pats will feel it. Moss and Welker will be effective regardless but the Pats become much easier to defend with Gaffney or Washington playing opposite Moss. If the Pats had no expectations of getting a contribution from CJack in 2008, they would have drafted or signed an outside WR and make him fight for a roster spot. They didn't and I think that speaks volumes about what they are counting on from CJack. Now he just has to step up and deliver.

 

[dhamz]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

The Patriots return guys who caught 86% of their regualr season receptions and 87% of their post-season receptions. They return their top 3 pass catchers and 5 of the 6 guys who caught more than 35 balls last year. I would say they are built to have the best passing game in the league without counting on a single catch from Chad Jackson.

 

[Char2na]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Watch hell have huge game 1 and 2 performances, hurt himself in game three, and then 2009/2010 will be the Make or Break season for Chad Jackson.

 

[bradmahn]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

The Patriots return guys who caught 86% of their regualr season receptions and 87% of their post-season receptions. They return their top 3 pass catchers and 5 of the 6 guys who caught more than 35 balls last year. I would say they are built to have the best passing game in the league without counting on a single catch from Chad Jackson.

Moss and Welker will get theirs, so to speak (although a good third receiver will make them better), but if some combination of Chad and Gaffney does not give them a strong, consistent third WR, the TEs and RBs may not even be able to match last season's production, let alone make up for the missing 14% (fifty-five receptions, 46 of which were Donte's).

For most of 2007, the Pats were able to use a combination of Stallworth and Gaffney on the outside to get good production and playing time out of the position. Stallworth's gone and Gaffney noticeably regressed in the playoffs. They need someone to step up and do the same for this season. I don't think Gaffney can do it himself, so we need Jackson to perform well.

 

[Metaphors]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

The Patriots return guys who caught 86% of their regualr season receptions and 87% of their post-season receptions. They return their top 3 pass catchers and 5 of the 6 guys who caught more than 35 balls last year. I would say they are built to have the best passing game in the league without counting on a single catch from Chad Jackson.

No doubt, but a little misleading. The Pats could have the best passing team in the league with Wilfork lined up opposite Moss. Brady, Moss and Welker are so exceptional at what they do it is easy to discount the value of the "other guy".

My point is that Gaffney is ill-suited to take advantage of the opportunities outside with single coverage (Moss and Welker getting all the attention). CJack has the physical skills to be a difference maker in that scenario. He has to show enough between the ears to get on the field first.

I don't believe the Pats care about having a record-setting offense in the regular season. Been there, done that. It is all about having an offense that is difficult/impossible to scheme against in the playoffs. The Jags employed the single most idiotic defensive gameplan in recorded history and got smoked. The Bolts and Giants showed that you can slow the Pats down if you double Moss, pinch Welker at the line and bring pressure from all over the field.

The WR opposite Moss should have been huge in those games but Gaffney was nowhere to be found. Not a knock on Gaffney, but just an illustration that he is limited physically in those situations. The Pats will likely be faced with that again next January. If you think the Pats are more prepared now to face those situations without CJack mucking in, you are fooling yourself.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

I think Reiss has shown a realistic view of Jackson. The Pats are not counting on him being a factor and that is what Reiss comments refelct. Right now the only people who are expecting big things from him are his vocal Patsfans.com fan club. He is a guy who needs to make the team and prove he can contribute. No one is rooting against him and everyone will be thrilled if he lives up to his draft hype but the WR group on this team was built to be effective without him.

I would agree with this. there's a lot more to becoming a reliable player than physical ability.

If he does have the right stuff, though, his athleticism has to be off the charts.

 

[PatsFan37]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Last I checked, $5.5M signing bonuses--as Welker got--are not usually components of prove-it deals (cf. the 2007 signing bonuses for Stallworth, Washington, and Moss, of $1M, $300K, and $0, respectively).

Different kind of prove-it. Welker is not the kind of guy to need a contract prove-it. It was more of a 'finally got a QB' prove-it.

 

[rabthepat]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Chad is a bust. Plain and simple.

 

[PatsFan24]

Re: Chad Jackson trade revisited

Chad could still have a very solid career, he just has to stay healthy long enough to play