We Do Not Need Any More Receivers

[Ring 6]

Actually it seems to me that the Patriots offense failed to get a 1st down or two when it really counted, that would have kept Indy off the field and secured the game. An aging Troy Brown was Brady's go to guy at crunch time in the playoffs and his "next best" go to guy is Reche Caldwell.

I'll give Caldwell credit for a good season but when it counted most he didn;t deliver.

These are the two go to guys. They make one of any number of plays and we don't lose that game.

Maverick doesn't want a player who could have made those plays happen. I do. (though obviously the Defense deserves their share of credit/blame - it is a team sport after all)

But again, what we were lacking was not a 80 catch 12 yard per catch guy - we were lacking a healthy Tim Dwight or a Donte Stallworth that has the net effect of keeping pressure off everyone else, and making the other players on the field better.

We plain and simply did not have a deep threat last year. This is not debateable, and I think a deep threat could have made the difference in the outcome of a few games (giving us a bye or home field), including the AFC outcome of the championship.

Maybe others don't agree with that, but I just can't understand the actual OPPOSITION to a legitimate deep threat by quite a few fans. It makes no sense to me.

Tim Dwight? He was here and did nothing. Did he catch even 20 passes?

 

[JoeSixPat]

Tim Dwight? He was here and did nothing. Did he catch even 20 passes?

Yes - just 19 (averaging 17.5 yards per catch) and that's kindof my point.

20 catches at 20 yards per catch winds up having a much bigger impact on the offense than those stats alone indicate. Between he and Andre Davis (9 catches averaging 21 yards) we had a legitimate deep threat that this team lacked.

Having that threat on the field keeps the safeties in the backfield more often than not. Not having one frees them up to wreak havoc elsewhere. The Defense has to respect that and act accordingly. It doesn't happen every play but they don't know when its coming. When you're "deep" threat averages 12 yards a catch a defense doesn't really don't need to overload the secondary.

That's all I think we truly needs - a real deep threat, that can be counted on to pull in 30 passes a season (more would be nice but 1 or 2 a game serves the purpose). If given a choice between having the opposing secondary play 30 yards off the line of scrimmage or 15 yards off the line of scrimmage I'll take 30 every time. I don't know why anyone would prefer otherwise.

 

[maverick4]

Having that threat on the field keeps the safeties in the backfield more often than not. Not having one frees them up to wreak havoc elsewhere. The Defense has to respect that and act accordingly. It doesn't happen every play but they don't know when its coming. When you're "deep" threat averages 12 yards a catch a defense doesn't really don't need to overload the secondary.

That's all I think we truly needs - a real deep threat, that can be counted on to pull in 30 passes a season (more would be nice but 1 or 2 a game serves the purpose). If given a choice between having the opposing secondary play 30 yards off the line of scrimmage or 15 yards off the line of scrimmage I'll take 30 every time. I don't know why anyone would prefer otherwise.

I can agree with adding a speed guy who makes a catch or two a game. But I think the idea of a speed burner completely changing the way a defense defends is a little over-rated.

 

[maverick4]

Wes Welker at 6 years/18 Million was a PERFECT signing. It doesn't break the bank, Welker is versatile, and has shown some promise and is only 25/26 years old. He is not a speed burner like some here wanted, but I think he is a great slot guy who will get open in the middle. No big money or high picks on a receiver, please!

 

[cstjohn17]

Wes Welker at 6 years/18 Million was a PERFECT signing. It doesn't break the bank, Welker is versatile, and has shown some promise and is only 25/26 years old. He is not a speed burner like some here wanted, but I think he is a great slot guy who will get open in the middle. No big money or high picks on a receiver, please!

I like the Welker signing but it is a very curious move for a team that apprently does not need any more receivers.

Caldwell, Gaffney, Welker, Jackson and Kight.

I still see room for improvement, if there is value in round 1 it is more than feasible they take a WR (Ginn, Meachem, Bowe, Jarrett).

 

[JoeSixPat]

Wes Welker at 6 years/18 Million was a PERFECT signing. It doesn't break the bank, Welker is versatile, and has shown some promise and is only 25/26 years old. He is not a speed burner like some here wanted, but I think he is a great slot guy who will get open in the middle. No big money or high picks on a receiver, please!

Well the guy who started this thread is going to argue with you, since he thought we didn't need any more receivers - certainly not one that would require giving up a high draft pick as well as a higher salary.

Apparently BB & SP didn't agree that we didn't need any more WRs either.

I have a feeling they are not done with WR yet - either in the draft, free agency, or via trade.

 

[upstater1]

Here we go again...

 

[BradyManny]

OK, now we definitely don't need any more receivers. We're deep at the position, with a group guys who bring different strengths to the table.

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

OK, now we definitely don't need any more receivers. We're deep at the position, with a group guys who bring different strengths to the table.

id think they might want to add another 1 or 2.

caldwell has a history of injury and while he and jabar came on at the end of last season/ chad jackson is still somewhat of an unknown at this point. i do not feel that all 3 of them are sure bets to be big contributors. but i think if all 3 or 2 of the 3 contribute with the addition of welker they can still afford to have at least one rookie developing and a cheap fa for insurance in case of injury. maybe that cheap fa will be #80

 

[BradyManny]

id think they might want to add another 1 or 2.

caldwell has a history of injury and while he and jabar came on at the end of last season/ chad jackson is still somewhat of an unknown at this point. i do not feel that all 3 of them are sure bets to be big contributors. but i think if all 3 or 2 of the 3 contribute with the addition of welker they can still afford to have at least one rookie developing and a cheap fa for insurance in case of injury. maybe that cheap fa will be #80

Gaffney is a sure thing. His production has been steady and pretty solid all throughout his career. His numbers aren't overwhelming, but he is a solid receiver.

Caldwell's production last season was as good as Deion Branch's.

The experience that these two gained with Brady towards the end of the season can't be underestimated.

Jackson is certainly an unknown, but you're going to have unknowns going into the season, and I think Belichick seems confident that when healthy, he will be a great receiver.

If Troy Brown comes back, then there's more insurance.

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

Gaffney is a sure thing. His production has been steady and pretty solid all throughout his career. His numbers aren't overwhelming, but he is a solid receiver.

Caldwell's production last season was as good as Deion Branch's.

The experience that these two gained with Brady towards the end of the season can't be underestimated.

Jackson is certainly an unknown, but you're going to have unknowns going into the season, and I think Belichick seems confident that when healthy, he will be a great receiver.

If Troy Brown comes back, then there's more insurance.

i agree that gaffney is as close to a "sure thing" as it gets he sure showed it in the playoffs

i think more of the question is relying on caldwell again, but hopefully welker will step in and be a "go to" guy so it takes pressure off of all of them and makes everyones life a little easier:singing:

 

[maverick4]

This is off topic, but Wes Welker reminds me of that receiver on 'Varsity Blues'.

 

[Jimke]

You never have enough good players at any position. Wes Welker

would be an improvement over Jonathan Smith, Bam Childress, Kelvin

Kight, an injured Chad Jackson, and probably a 36 year old Troy Brown.

I expect the Pats to have Caldwell, Gaffney, and Welker compete for the

starting spots.

 

[F0nSY]

Men,we have got Brady

 

[Fumblerooski]

I like the Welker signing but it is a very curious move for a team that apprently does not need any more receivers.

Caldwell, Gaffney, Welker, Jackson and Kight.

I still see room for improvement, if there is value in round 1 it is more than feasible they take a WR (Ginn, Meachem, Bowe, Jarrett).

The Welker move was finding an immediate impact player to replace Troy Brown who is probably going to retire.

That leaves one more spot for a WR be he a rookie or FA. That spot would be taken by Troy Brown if he doesn't retire.

I seriously doubt the Pats take a WR in the first round. IMHO, they will target an ILB, CB, and DL with their first 3 picks.

 

[cstjohn17]

The Welker move was finding an immediate impact player to replace Troy Brown who is probably going to retire.

That leaves one more spot for a WR be he a rookie or FA. That spot would be taken by Troy Brown if he doesn't retire.

I seriously doubt the Pats take a WR in the first round. IMHO, they will target an ILB, CB, and DL with their first 3 picks.

Adding Welker, a draft pick or another FA sounds like more receivers have been added. I thought we didn't have to add any.

The draft is impossible to predict... but I will try:
24 - CB - Hall, Houston, Ross
28 - WR - Jarrett
90 - ILB/OLB - DeOssie

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

Adding Welker, a draft pick or another FA sounds like more receivers have been added. I thought we didn't have to add any.

The draft is impossible to predict... but I will try:
24 - CB - Hall, Houston, Ross
28 - WR - Jarrett
90 - ILB/OLB - DeOssie

i know kiper had us picking anthony gonzalez in the 1st w/ #28 before welker does anyone know who that greaseball has us picking now (just for humor):bricks:

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

The Welker move was finding an immediate impact player to replace Troy Brown who is probably going to retire.

.

If he does, I hope they keep him on as a coach ( ala Johnny Pesky with the Sox-great player who stays on....) so if they find themselves short at WR during the season, he can unretire.........

 

[JoeSixPat]

Gaffney is a sure thing. His production has been steady and pretty solid all throughout his career. His numbers aren't overwhelming, but he is a solid receiver.

Caldwell's production last season was as good as Deion Branch's.

The experience that these two gained with Brady towards the end of the season can't be underestimated.

Jackson is certainly an unknown, but you're going to have unknowns going into the season, and I think Belichick seems confident that when healthy, he will be a great receiver.

If Troy Brown comes back, then there's more insurance.

I'm being a little facetious here, playing devil's advocate, but, who do you consider to be our deep threat?

Welker averaging 10 ypc? Caldwell pushing safeties back another 2.5 yards? Or Gaffney and Watson pushing defensive backs an entire 13 yards off the line of scrimmage?

Contrary to popular opinion around here, keeping DBs playing 20 yards plus back is actually a GOOD thing if you are a QB, RB, TE or fellow WR playing the slot.

 

[JoeSixPat]

With Welker signed and now the word that Stallworth is in town tonight, I think it's now clear that BB isn't wasn't sold on Maverick's logic about not needing any more recievers than Caldwell and Gaffney.