Why don't Pats make a play for big time receiver?

[Brady_to_Moss]

You realize that's a tight end,right?

 

[upstater1]

They need bigger red zone guys. We already have the small shifty guys. Dobson is big, but one more big guy can't hurt, and of course the team needs new TEs.

If it were me, I'd sign a couple DTs in FA and take care of that problem that way, and then I'd focus on at least 1 TE (if not 2) in the draft, 1 big WR to compete with Dobson, Thompkins and Boyce, and then the OL which needs a heckuva lot of work. In theory, having Vollmer, Cannon and Solder at T is a luxury that few teams have but we need Vollmer to come back strong, we're concerned about Solder, and Cannon is limited to RT. You must focus on bringing in guards and centers.

TE in the second round, WR maybe in the 3rd, best OL or even DL in the first.

 

[borg]

BB prefers concussion prone smurf WRs, tortoise impersonating LBs, 2nd round DBs that exit the league early, a zero depth DT grouping, an O coordinator that abandons the run and ignores play action, and a defensive scheme unable to find the QB.

Other than....we got 'em just where we want them.

 

[JMC00]

WR maybe in the 3rd

Absolutely not.

Edelman (if he re-signs)
Amendola
Dobson
Thompkins
Boyce
Harrison
Moe

Will all likely be in training camp next season. It is completely pointless to draft a WR in the 3rd round.

A TE in the 3rd round (maybe Fiedorowicz or Jensen) seems a lot more worthwhile and likely than a WR.

 

[Nehalem]

In the past 2 years Calvin Johnson has 203 receptions... and 4 fumbles. He would probably be benched by now if he was with the Patriots

 

[primetime]

That Alshon Jeffery sure is fun to watch. There's no reason our own Thompkins and Dobson can't develop into something similar.

Right, this is an important point. For all the talk about acquiring a wide receiver, assuming Edelman stays and the Patriots are happy with the progression of Dobson and (to a lesser extent, simply because I think he's a lesser talent) Thompkins, there won't be much room for another option. Gronk is the team's #1 receiver when he's healthy, and Edelman, Vereen, Dobson, and Amendola are the next 4 in no particular order. They could use a tight end to cover for Gronk, but if Dobson and Thompkins develop I don't think they're really in dire straits here.

 

[Brady6]

Breaks my heart to see guys like Megatron stuck on teams that absolutely suck, you can put dudes like Fitz and Gordon in that category too and i'm sure there are countless others.

You're gonna come back at me and talk about cap hit i say how about getting rid of the dead weight at O-line taking up all the salary that they don't deserve and bring a guy like Megatron onboard.

I'm pretty sure if you ask him 'hey how about playing with #12?' he's gonna forget that Detroit even exists and think about rings. I'd be willing to give up numerous picks and players teams would want to get an elite wideout even if it isn't Calvin.

Because the trade deadline has past.

 

[Patsrock]

Because the trade deadline has past.

And that it would cost Detroit $29M in dead cap money next year. And since Detroit is about 4M under cap next year, would need to release and additional 11M worth of players just to be cap complaint.

 

[jays52]

They wont make a play for a "big time" receiver because it's an inefficient expense. For the same cost of an elite outside receiver they can sign an elite defensive lineman. An elite defensive lineman is a far larger piece of the championship puzzle than an elite outside receiver.

 

[upstater1]

Absolutely not.

Edelman (if he re-signs)
Amendola
Dobson
Thompkins
Boyce
Harrison
Moe

Will all likely be in training camp next season. It is completely pointless to draft a WR in the 3rd round.

A TE in the 3rd round (maybe Fiedorowicz or Jensen) seems a lot more worthwhile and likely than a WR.

What is pointless is defending the Patriots outside the numbers right now because they can't hurt you there. if you could assure me that Boyce is #3, I'd say they don't need it. But seeing Collie, Edelman, and Amendola running around at the end of the game, was not a pleasant feeling. They need one more guy who can spell Thompkins or Dobson in case they get hurt. Just one guy. Having no one to threaten the DBs kills the offense.

 

[RayClay]

I find it criminal for what BB has given Brady for WR's though out his career.

You'd know, lol.

 

[Brady6]

you build inside out...wideouts are frosting on the finished cake. Josh Gordon is one incident from "barred from the league" IIRC. Alshon Jeffery was taken 45th in the 2012 draft, Tavon Wilson was taken three slots later by the Pats. Hindsight but...what if...

Jeffries is an impressive young man; he has really made the leap to upper echelon receiver in his second season. In defense of the Patriots they had just signed Brandon Lloyd and probably thought he would give them more than he did in terms of a deep threat/outside receiver.

The assertion that Belichick has not given Brady better receivers to work with off base in my opinion, Belichick has tried to bring in players to fill that outside receiver roll and invested as much as any team in the league in that position unfortunately the moves did not work out.

Draft picks (offensive skill positions)
1. Brandon Tate WR
2. Julian Edelman WR
3. Rob Gronkowski TE
4. Taylor Price WR
5. Aaron Hernandez TE
6. Shane Vereen RB
7. Stevan Ridley RB
8. Lee Smith TE
9. Jeremey Ebert WR
10. Aaron Dobson WR
11. Josh Boyce WR

So they drafted 6 wide receivers, 3 tight ends and 2 running backs in the last 5 drafts.

Notable Veterans (offensive skill positions)
1. Danny Amendola WR
2. Donald Jones WR
3. Greg Salas WR
4. Michael Jenkins WR
5. Lavelle Hawkins WR
6. Visanthe Shiancoe TE
7. Daniel Fells TE
8. Brandon Lloyd WR
9. Donta Stallworth WR
10. Anthony Gonzalez WR
11. Chad Ochocinco WR
12. Jabar Gaffney WR
13. Jake Ballard TE
14. Hoomanawanui TE
15. Kellen Winslow TE
16. Torry Holt WR
17. David Patten WR
18. Joey Galloway WR

I look at this and I see a team that tries to put good players on the field but unfortunately adversity or poor decision making is limiting it from coming to fruition.

 

[Brady6]

I find it criminal for what BB has given Brady for WR's though out his career.

What are you talking about? Belichick has gone the criminal route 2 times in the past few years. We brought in Johnson the wife beater, that didn’t work out so Belichick stepped up and went got a murderer which was going well until the freaking North Attleboro police department had to come along and screw things up…

 

[Froob]

You realize that's a tight end,right?

Pretty sure he catches passes. I may be wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Not only that, but I'd rather have a reinforced offensive line at this point than add another weapon on offense. If Brady has time (and maybe more importantly, FEELS like he has time), he can go through progressions and find an open guy. It's when he feels he needs to get the ball out quickly that he seems to focus in on one player, IMO.

Beef up the O-Line, see what you've got with the collection of solid weapons you have, THEN think about making a splash with a monster talent if it becomes available. Until then, you're trying to put aluminum siding on a house with a crumbling foundation.

Beautifully put.

 

[TonyTucker]

Agreed, o-line should be their top priority, followed by DL/TE. Give these new receivers a little bit of time before we freak out and clamor for Larry Fitzgerald.

 

[JMC00]

What is pointless is defending the Patriots outside the numbers right now because they can't hurt you there. if you could assure me that Boyce is #3, I'd say they don't need it. But seeing Collie, Edelman, and Amendola running around at the end of the game, was not a pleasant feeling. They need one more guy who can spell Thompkins or Dobson in case they get hurt. Just one guy. Having no one to threaten the DBs kills the offense.

Harrison...

 

[Sicilian]

What is pointless is defending the Patriots outside the numbers right now because they can't hurt you there. if you could assure me that Boyce is #3, I'd say they don't need it. But seeing Collie, Edelman, and Amendola running around at the end of the game, was not a pleasant feeling. They need one more guy who can spell Thompkins or Dobson in case they get hurt. Just one guy. Having no one to threaten the DBs kills the offense.

That may be true, but given all of our outside receivers are rookies this year, maybe the draft isn't the best place to add depth there. Seems to me if you want to add depth to that skill set you find a mid level vet.

 

[PatriotReign]

I'd rather see Wendell and Connoly replaced and maybe a LG drafted to light a fire under Mankins.

 

[PATRlOT]

Right, this is an important point. For all the talk about acquiring a wide receiver, assuming Edelman stays and the Patriots are happy with the progression of Dobson and (to a lesser extent, simply because I think he's a lesser talent) Thompkins, there won't be much room for another option. Gronk is the team's #1 receiver when he's healthy, and Edelman, Vereen, Dobson, and Amendola are the next 4 in no particular order. They could use a tight end to cover for Gronk, but if Dobson and Thompkins develop I don't think they're really in dire straits here.

You think our undrafted rookie has more talent than our 2nd round WR?