Report (Unconfirmed) - Patriots sign Brandon Browner

[FoxboroFlyer]

I have a bad feeling Oakland is gonna throw some rediculous offer to Browner...I hope I'm wrong, but we are talking about the Raiders.

 

[Kontradiction]

I disagree. I think TE is going in Round 1 because after the top four TEs (Ebron, Amaro, ASJ, and Niklas), there's a significant drop off. If we pass on TE in Round 1, we'll have to cross our fingers on Niklas falling to us in Round 2.

Eh? Niklas and ASJ have not been pegged as first rounders and Amaro has fallen from everything I've seen. Now, if Ebron is available when the Pats pick, they should absolutely pull the trigger on him. If not, go DT/DE in the first and TE in the second. DE isn't a particularly deep group this year so I would prefer them go that way in round one.

Meanwhile, we could land D-Line guys later.

A guy I like, for example? Daniel McCullers from Tennessee. He's 6'7, 350 pounds and actually plays with good leverage. Additionally, he's proven he is scheme versatile by playing in the 3-4 and 4-3 the past two seasons and being equally effective as a run-stuffing, multi-man-engulfing blob.

DT seems to be a bit deeper. I'm not as high on McCullers as you are, though. Yeah, he's big. But he has a bad habit of keeping his pad level way too high. He needs to learn to get lower or else professional centers and guards are going to drive him right back into the defensive backfield.

The last point I want to make is that we need a TE not only because Gronkowski is coming off of injury, but because it will make both Brady and our subpar-to-average-at-best WR core immediately and immensely better. I do not think a Louis Nix or Hageman will make our defense that much better relative to 1) how much better one of the top 4 TEs can make our offense better 2) a couple of guys we can land between Rounds 2-5.

TE, like I said, can be filled in the second round. I like ASJ and think he is the most ready TE to contribute in our offense. Love Ebron but I think he will be gone. Like Niklas but he wouldn't be my first choice. Hot and cold on Amaro.

As for the DL, it was pretty clear that Chandler and Ninkovich broke down by the end of last season. That was due to lack of a rotation. Buchannon got snaps at the beginning of the year but got benched because he was routinely pushing too far into the backfield, leaving a wide open running lane for opposing QB's. We need an actual rotation to keep these guys fresh and, unless you see the team signing Allen or Peppers, it will more than likely come through the draft.

 

[TomPatriot]

If the Pats land Browner, all more cover one with a rover is coming to Foxboro. There's a lot Matt Patricia can do with that.

 

[Kontradiction]

I have a bad feeling Oakland is gonna throw some rediculous offer to Browner...I hope I'm wrong, but we are talking about the Raiders.

Browner would be crazy to go there. Oakland has zero conceivable plan in place and McKenzie looks like as good of a candidate as anyone to be fired next offseason.

 

[Kontradiction]

WEEI @WEEI .@AdamSchefter tells @DandCShow that the Pats are close with Brandon Browner, but that there's no deal yet.

 

[reflexblue]

I have a bad feeling Oakland is gonna throw some rediculous offer to Browner...I hope I'm wrong, but we are talking about the Raiders.

But is dead, does his son spend money like his father?

 

[FoxboroFlyer]

Browner would be crazy to go there. Oakland has zero conceivable plan in place and McKenzie looks like as good of a candidate as anyone to be fired next offseason.

I agree, but money talks and the Raiders have alot to spend to get to the cap floor.

Mckenzie should have been fired immediately after the Veldheer, Saffold debacle imo.

 

[Kontradiction]

I agree, but money talks and the Raiders have alot to spend to get to the cap floor.

Mckenzie should hae been fired immediately after the Veldheer, Saffold debacle imo.

That was bad, but I can see why he wasn't fired for that. He DID, after all, take that team out of Cap Hell.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Guys, Richard Sherman is his best bud, so if sherman tweets something like he did last night it must mean something.

 

[50-yard-line]

Guys, Richard Sherman is his best bud, so if sherman tweets something like he did last night it must mean something.

Kind of makes for an interesting dynamic, doesn't it? Heh, especially if they re-sign Blount.

You'd have Richard Sherman's best bud playing right next to Revis...and Aquib Talib's best bud on the same team.

 

[HarvardBruin]

Eh? Niklas and ASJ have not been pegged as first rounders and Amaro has fallen from everything I've seen. Now, if Ebron is available when the Pats pick, they should absolutely pull the trigger on him. If not, go DT/DE in the first and TE in the second. DE isn't a particularly deep group this year so I would prefer them go that way in round one.

ASJ and Amaro are borderline 1st/early 2nd guys. Niklas looks to be a second rounder. Ebron is a potential top 10 pick, with little chance he slips out of the top 15 - there is literally no way he drops to us. Moreover, the way I wrote my post was to suggest that if we don't draft ASJ or Amaro in Round 1 - assuming both are there - then we'll have to hope we can get Niklas at the end of Round 2 because the guys after him are highly unlikely to make the impact that any of the top four can.

DT seems to be a bit deeper. I'm not as high on McCullers as you are, though. Yeah, he's big. But he has a bad habit of keeping his pad level way too high. He needs to learn to get lower or else professional centers and guards are going to drive him right back into the defensive backfield.

I noted in my post that I was aware of the initial perception regarding his height and how that can lend itself to a higher propensity to play with poor leverage. And, logically, that makes sense. But, he is actually quite good at playing down and consistently pushing guys back, as he should given his size and strength.

TE, like I said, can be filled in the second round. I like ASJ and think he is the most ready TE to contribute in our offense. Love Ebron but I think he will be gone. Like Niklas but he wouldn't be my first choice. Hot and cold on Amaro.

No, the only TE that has a chance of falling to us at the end of Round 2 is Niklas. As stated previously, Amaro and ASJ are borderline first rounders; they will not fall to #62 overall.

As for the DL, it was pretty clear that Chandler and Ninkovich broke down by the end of last season. That was due to lack of a rotation. Buchannon got snaps at the beginning of the year but got benched because he was routinely pushing too far into the backfield, leaving a wide open running lane for opposing QB's. We need an actual rotation to keep these guys fresh and, unless you see the team signing Allen or Peppers, it will more than likely come through the draft.

I never disputed the need for a rotation; in fact, I advocated for it. Nonetheless, I feel that rotational guys can be found Rounds 2-5. And, like I stated in my initial post, I do not think the value that a first round defensive lineman would bring to us would come close to what a first round TE can give us immediately.

Beyond the reasons I've already mentioned, we have to realize Brady will be 37 by the beginning of the season. We have to realize that Gronk may never be the same. And what if we can't get Edelman back, which looks likely at this point? That'll be two consecutive years that Brady loses his number one guy. We simply cannot neglect the need for weapons that Brady can have at his disposal.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Price check on aisle boom.

With a chance to repeat history on that particular play.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Thought I would wake up to this being done. The longer it drags on, the less likely the outcome is favorable for us I'd think.

 

[mayoclinic]

ASJ and Amaro are borderline 1st/early 2nd guys.

I do not think the value that a first round defensive lineman would bring to us would come close to what a first round TE can give us immediately.

You're obviously entitled to your opinion, but granting your assessment of ASJ and Amaro is correct, I don't think that reaching for a TE in the 1st round is good draft practice.

 

[yopats]

If the Pats land Browner, all more cover one with a rover is coming to Foxboro. There's a lot Matt Patricia can do with that.

Expand on this please

 

[upstater1]

I'm with Kontra on the TE debate. I do not spend a 1st rounder on a TE unless it's Ebron. Amaro and ASJ have big bust potential, and I don't like Niklas at all until the 4th round. Stone hands and not a gamebreaker.

Amaro fits the bill athletically and size wise but was stiff and couldn't adjust to balls thrown to him at the combine.

ASJ looks great, has great hands, but plays like a dog, rarely taking it to the whistle. Both are definitely worth it in the 2nd round, but if you come out of the first round with a potential bust, in this the deepest draft in 30 years, you might cry.

Don't be surprised at all if the Patriots go for a WR like Jordan Matthews or a CB in the 1st, assuming DLs Hageman, Donald and Jernigan are gone.

 

[OhExaulted1]

What kind of an agent are you when you are busy playing hockey in the free agency period instead of trying to find the player you represent a new team to play for.

My guess is he's 1 of the 55 Canadiens.

 

[HarvardBruin]

You're obviously entitled to your opinion, but granting your assessment of ASJ and Amaro is correct, I don't think that reaching for a TE in the 1st round is good draft practice.

My assessment, which is in line with the consensus, is that both are late one, early two guys. Selecting them at #29 overall falls in line with that expectation.

 

[Kontradiction]

ASJ and Amaro are borderline 1st/early 2nd guys. Niklas looks to be a second rounder. Ebron is a potential top 10 pick, with little chance he slips out of the top 15 - there is literally no way he drops to us. Moreover, the way I wrote my post was to suggest that if we don't draft ASJ or Amaro in Round 1 - assuming both are there - then we'll have to hope we can get Niklas at the end of Round 2 because the guys after him are highly unlikely to make the impact that any of the top four can.

The only TE that is borderline is Amaro, and he just had a not-so-good Combine. ASJ should fall into the second round given the off the field concerns as well as the recent surgery. With that being stated, the team has shown in the past that it could move around in the draft and trade up if they like ASJ enough. Gronk is a good example of that. If not, I would be fine with Niklas as well.

I noted in my post that I was aware of the initial perception regarding his height and how that can lend itself to a higher propensity to play with poor leverage. And, logically, that makes sense. But, he is actually quite good at playing down and consistently pushing guys back, as he should given his size and strength.

I thought he was inconsistent in his pad level when I watched whatever footage I could get on him. Like you, his size intrigues me. I live in SEC country as well (Gator fan) and have watched quite a bit of Tennessee. The thing I see about him is that, when it gets late in the game, is when he gets driven back the most. That tells you that the pad level concerns are legit, but may be linked to fatigue as well. If they can fix that, I would be fine with McCullers.

No, the only TE that has a chance of falling to us at the end of Round 2 is Niklas. As stated previously, Amaro and ASJ are borderline first rounders; they will not fall to #62 overall.

Amaro might not. But I could easily see ASJ falling that far.

I never disputed the need for a rotation; in fact, I advocated for it. Nonetheless, I feel that rotational guys can be found Rounds 2-5. And, like I stated in my initial post, I do not think the value that a first round defensive lineman would bring to us would come close to what a first round TE can give us immediately.

Can you give me some names then? I would suspect that you're talking about Martin, Murphy, Smith, and Jeffcoat but I can't be sure.

Beyond the reasons I've already mentioned, we have to realize Brady will be 37 by the beginning of the season. We have to realize that Gronk may never be the same. And what if we can't get Edelman back, which looks likely at this point? That'll be two consecutive years that Brady loses his number one guy. We simply cannot neglect the need for weapons that Brady can have at his disposal.

I'm not disagreeing with that. What I'm pointing out is that TE seems to be a deeper position in this draft than DE. You can still get talented guys like Murphy, Martin, Smith, and Jeffcoat in rounds 2-3. But, at least IMO, there's a drop off in talent level between guys like that and Ealy and Ford. That said, if the team goes TE in round one, I wouldn't explode in anger over it like I did when Tavon Wilson was drafted that high. I would just hope they get Trent Murphy in round two.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

I'm with Kontra on the TE debate. I do not spend a 1st rounder on a TE unless it's Ebron. Amaro and ASJ have big bust potential, and I don't like Niklas at all until the 4th round. Stone hands and not a gamebreaker.



Amaro fits the bill athletically and size wise but was stiff and couldn't adjust to balls thrown to him at the combine.



ASJ looks great, has great hands, but plays like a dog, rarely taking it to the whistle. Both are definitely worth it in the 2nd round, but if you come out of the first round with a potential bust, in this the deepest draft in 30 years, you might cry.



Don't be surprised at all if the Patriots go for a WR like Jordan Matthews or a CB in the 1st, assuming DLs Hageman, Donald and Jernigan are gone.

If the Pats draft a CB in the 1st I will be inconsolable. Would be a gross mismanagement IMO.