Who is our #1 TE?

[PatsFan37]

I'm glad to provide chuckles. IMHO, Kyle Brady will have more TD's and be generally more important to the team than Watson this year. Brady is replacing Graham in all his roles. He is also being paid $2.65M per year. Watson is a wide receiver in a TE's body. His role as a receiver will be greatly reduced by the acquisitions of quality receivers.

Watson is a mismatch one-on-one with nearly every LB in the league. Brady is not. Watson can stay in on pass protection and keep a blitzing LB from getting to the QB, none of our WR's can do that.

Watson is the clear #1 TE. If healthy (yes, a big if) he will notch more plays than any other TE because of his versatility and speed down the seam.

The money example is a bad one. You can't compare Brady's salary to Watson's rookie salary without asking what Watson would get on the open market.

What makes this offense great is not a great set of WR's, it's the ability to block, pass, and run equally well. A one-dimensional team can be stopped. A multi-dimensional team is unpredictable and much harder to stop. That requires the kind of versatility that Watson has more than any other TE.

 

[Pat_the_Patriot]

If we were having a track and field meet, then Watson is the guy. If we're talking about football, though (which I think we are)... then I go with Thomas.

Brady is the man... clearly we are looking to him to replace some of the blocking that left town with Graham. I was (and am) very sad to see Graham go... I think that he was the best TE that we had last year... and I've got to think that BB and SP see something special in Thomas to let him hit open market (that and we couldn't afford to pay him what he was worth on the open market).

I voted for Thomas as he can and does actually catch the ball. Watson has that terrible volleyball habit of tipping a catchable ball into the air. I hope that Troy Brown is spending some time with Mr. Watson this offseason teaching him the "if you don't catch the ball, then no one does" rule... Graham understood this... it's one thing to be upset about not catching a catchable pass... it's completely another to tip balls repeatedly UP... so that the other team has a legit. shot at picking the ball off.

Watson is the fastest, he's the strongest, he's the prettiest... but Thomas catches the ball... IMHO, he blocks better.... Brady "might" be the best back for us this year... but Thomas has got to be the future.. I don't see Watson resigning with this team when his deal is up....not unless he can stop giving the ball to the other team rather than moving the chains us.

Again, just my humble opinion... and in BB I trust when it comes to football.. but I'm not sure how more fans aren't VERY wary of Watson when he is about to "catch" the football.

 

[patpatriot]

Thomas is Christian Fauria. Great route runner with excellent hands who isn't fast enough to get down the seam. A willing blocker who is too small to have much impact. If he weren't so one dimensional, would the Pats still have signed Brady?

 

[Pat_the_Patriot]

Thomas is Christian Fauria. Great route runner with excellent hands who isn't fast enough to get down the seam. A willing blocker who is too small to have much impact. If he weren't so one dimensional, would the Pats still have signed Brady?

That's a tough call, Pat... Thomas is coming into his own... he has injuries and is relatively young, I think that the Brady signing says a lot more about Watson's future with this team than it does about the future of Thomas. I'll take a Fauria-type player.... he was money in the bank on a multitude of short passes... do you feel as confident with Watson in that role? We don't "need" a superstar TE... IMHO, we need someone to catch the ball and move the chains... keeping it simple... Watson is a machine, but he gives me the shakes whenever he tips the ball into the air or drops another big catch in a big game.

Don't get me wrong... I love Watson's potential... I just hope he can turn it around and actually go out there and catch the ball.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Giselle

...hands down

:rocker:

 

[PittPatriot]

Don't get me wrong... I love Watson's potential... I just hope he can turn it around and actually go out there and catch the ball.

I'd like to see Watson get some passes in the flat or off some screens. If he has a moment to gather the ball and turn up-field, he can devastate a defense. I agree he has had inconsistent hands, but we are only kidding ourselves if we think 'journeyman' Kyle Brady or a very average guy like Dave Thomas is even in Watson's league.
Big Play TE come by rarely, we are lucky to have one in Watson. At his best, he is as good/better than Shannon Sharpe or Gates or Ben Coates. Dave Thomas may become Marv Cook.

 

[PatsFan37]

I've got to think that BB and SP see something special in Thomas to let him hit open market (that and we couldn't afford to pay him what he was worth on the open market).

Thomas and Watson are both signed through 2009. Neither is hitting the open market anytime soon.

Brady "might" be the best back for us this year... but Thomas has got to be the future.. I don't see Watson resigning with this team when his deal is up.

Watson's value on the market, if he were to reach it, is millions more than Thomas' value, so it's hard to compare the difficulty of re-signing these two players.

Again, just my humble opinion... and in BB I trust when it comes to football.. but I'm not sure how more fans aren't VERY wary of Watson when he is about to "catch" the football.

I've heard the same comments about Faulk repeatedly, but he is on the field on third down and in the 2-minute offense. One of the best third-down backs in the league. Remember how long it took him to 'cure' his fumbling problem, which still isn't cured. His production and team effort make up for that.

I just don't get this Thomas-love. Yes, great potential. Yes, one terrific game. He WILL have bad games. He WILL fumble and drop the ball. Count on it. And many of those who love him will start to shy away.

When he is better than Watson, and doesn't simply have the potential to be better, then he gets my vote.

Right NOW, Watson is #1.

P.S. I respect your opinion and humbly apologize for the Andy Johnson style of battering your post.

 

[F0nSY]

Ben Watson...

 

[TruthSeeker]

If you aren't geeking out thinking about this offense then you are not a Patriots fan.

Seriously !! Mills may be a secret weapon in this offense, OR may not even make the team, that's how sick (meaning, amazingly good) this offense can be. Moss, Stallworth, Welker, Watson, Thomas & Faulk on 3rd down, sheesh !!
That's only if we go 3-wide and 2 TE's. 4 Wide and Watson as our speed TE, sheesh.

 

[Pats Fanatic]

Russ Francis...

 

[skri65]

Thomas and Watson are both signed through 2009. Neither is hitting the open market anytime soon.
Watson's value on the market, if he were to reach it, is millions more than Thomas' value, so it's hard to compare the difficulty of re-signing these two players.

I've heard the same comments about Faulk repeatedly, but he is on the field on third down and in the 2-minute offense. One of the best third-down backs in the league. Remember how long it took him to 'cure' his fumbling problem, which still isn't cured. His production and team effort make up for that.

I just don't get this Thomas-love. Yes, great potential. Yes, one terrific game. He WILL have bad games. He WILL fumble and drop the ball. Count on it. And many of those who love him will start to shy away.

When he is better than Watson, and doesn't simply have the potential to be better, then he gets my vote.

Right NOW, Watson is #1.

P.S. I respect your opinion and humbly apologize for the Andy Johnson style of battering your post.

I don't see how anyone can honestly say that Thomas is our #1 TE when he has absolutely nothing to show for it. Watson has years of experience, as does Brady. Brady is a better blocker, Watson a better receiver. How can anyone say that Thomas, who has 159 yards to his career, will be our #1 TE. For those arguing that he is just our most complete TE, I don't see that argument either. Again, he has next to nothing to show for it.

Once Thomas shows us his stuff, both blocking and receiving, maybe then I will agree with you. Until then, I think it is nuts to consider Thomas either our #1 TE or our most complete TE.

 

[Deus Irae]

Watson will be the team's #1 tight end. If this team didn't feel that Watson could handle the job, they'd have found a way to keep Graham around instead of going after an NFL senior citizen like Brady.

Graham was primarily a blocker. Was he the #1 TE?

Did Graham turn white and age about 7 years? If not, let's not toss out red herrings.