New England Patriots Thread Mod Warning Post #253

ELM327

I guess this season is going some way to answering the Tom or Bill question. And it's not being answered how I would have expected.

AbusesToilets

ELM327 wrote: »

I guess this season is going some way to answering the Tom or Bill question. And it's not being answered how I would have expected.

Yes and no. This season is more a failing of Bill the GM, than Bill the coach.

eagle eye

ELM327 wrote:

I guess this season is going some way to answering the Tom or Bill question. And it's not being answered how I would have expected.

Brady joined a head coach whose never had a losing season.

We don't have a QB, that's our main issue. Our offense is a major issue. It was an issue last season too.
Lest you forget, Brady had his worst completion rate since very early in his career last season, he had his joint second least amount of passing touchdowns and threw for less yardage than any other season outside 2016, only 12 games, since 2010. His QBR was his worst since 2006.
Last year our defense won us a lot of games.
We need to invest in our offense big time in next year's draft. QB, WR and TE.

It's actually a good draft for those three positions.

eagle eye

I hope they give Stidham a start and a week to prepare for it. I'm not at all sold on him but I'd like to see what he can do with proper preparation.
I never though Brady would become what he did back when he was a rookie. Maybe put Stidham in a game manager role for a game and see how it goes.

Shedite27

eagle eye wrote: »

I hope they give Stidham a start and a week to prepare for it. I'm not at all sold on him but I'd like to see what he can do with proper preparation.
I never though Brady would become what he did back when he was a rookie. Maybe put Stidham in a game manager role for a game and see how it goes.

Yeah if we're looking for a new QB next year anyway, we might as well give him a month to see what he can do.

ELM327

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Yes and no. This season is more a failing of Bill the GM, than Bill the coach.

True. It does show how much Brady was carrying the team, along with the notable absences on Defense, in the last couple of years.

eagle eye wrote: »

Brady joined a head coach whose never had a losing season.

We don't have a QB, that's our main issue. Our offense is a major issue. It was an issue last season too.
Lest you forget, Brady had his worst completion rate since very early in his career last season, he had his joint second least amount of passing touchdowns and threw for less yardage than any other season outside 2016, only 12 games, since 2010. His QBR was his worst since 2006.
Last year our defense won us a lot of games.
We need to invest in our offense big time in next year's draft. QB, WR and TE.

It's actually a good draft for those three positions.

Yes, to all the above. I've not been following who's coming out in the draft but that appears to be the consensus. I don't think picking a QB at the top of the draft is a good idea, it;s a lot of capital that would be better placed upgrading the team as a whole. To the point that, if we end up picking in the top 10, I'd trade out of it. We have a lot of holes. Especially on offense. If you add back the covid opt outs our defense isnt that bad. It dominated the first half of last year.

eagle eye wrote: »

I hope they give Stidham a start and a week to prepare for it. I'm not at all sold on him but I'd like to see what he can do with proper preparation.
I never though Brady would become what he did back when he was a rookie. Maybe put Stidham in a game manager role for a game and see how it goes.

If I were Bill and I planned on staying around, I'd publicly commit to Stidham now, give him the rest of the season regardless of if he's throwing pick 6 left right center. Give him time on the field to improve and see what happens. We're not doing anything this year anyway.

trebor28

I wasn't that impressed with what I have seen of Stidham so far.

I was under the impression he was supposed to be a good passer. He should have been a step up in that regard compared to cam.

His throws haven't been that impressive so far, and if he keeps throwing picks then he won't last long.

I'm hoping there will be some sort of trade for wr before the window closes, otherwise there won't be too many wins this season.

How come the Steelers are able to find stud receivers, in what sense like every draft and patriots can't find anything.

BKWDR

Will we ever see it again....

AbusesToilets

ELM327 wrote: »

True. It does show how much Brady was carrying the team, along with the notable absences on Defense, in the last couple of years.






Yes, to all the above. I've not been following who's coming out in the draft but that appears to be the consensus. I don't think picking a QB at the top of the draft is a good idea, it;s a lot of capital that would be better placed upgrading the team as a whole. To the point that, if we end up picking in the top 10, I'd trade out of it. We have a lot of holes. Especially on offense. If you add back the covid opt outs our defense isnt that bad. It dominated the first half of last year.






If I were Bill and I planned on staying around, I'd publicly commit to Stidham now, give him the rest of the season regardless of if he's throwing pick 6 left right center. Give him time on the field to improve and see what happens. We're not doing anything this year anyway.

Have to disagree on the drafting QB part. Having an elite talent on a rookie deal is the best path to achieving success.

eagle eye

I'm wondering if bringing in Cam is an experiment. Look at all the top QB's today, they can all run. Even Rodgers mightn't do it so often anymore but he certainly can run when it's needed.
When you look at next year's draft all the top rated QBs can run.
Personally I really like Trey Lance from North Dakota State, composed in the pocket but has serious wheels when he needs them.
Just another thought, when people look at other teams and what they draft. We've won more than any of them and I don't think you can say we've ever had massive talent at WR outside of Randy Moss. In Belichick's time we've had Troy Brown at the end of his career, Deion Branch, Wes Welker, Randy Moss and Julian.
We only drafted one of them in Belichick's time here, Branch, and picked up Julian as an undrafted free agent.
Obviously Gronk was a freak and a great receiver too.
Belichick does things differently but it results in success. If we end up below
.500 this year it'll be our first time in 20 years which is incredible.
It was clear towards the end of last year that we were struggling. Losing the GOAT obviously makes things worse but that is one bad season. Gotta stay calm and see how we rebound.

ELM327

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Have to disagree on the drafting QB part. Having an elite talent on a rookie deal is the best path to achieving success.

Or even seeing if you have one already in Stidham?
Having elite talent on a rookie deal is absolutely the best path, but giving up the draft capital to get a high first round QB that is a crap shoot on whether they work in the NFL or not is too risky IMO. I'd prefer a few lower picks.

eagle eye

ELM327 wrote:

Or even seeing if you have one already in Stidham? Having elite talent on a rookie deal is absolutely the best path, but giving up the draft capital to get a high first round QB that is a crap shoot on whether they work in the NFL or not is too risky IMO. I'd prefer a few lower picks.

I agree we have to see what we have in Stidham.
I'm not so sure about him myself but unless you get named starter and get a couple of weeks as the man you will really never know what a QB is like.

AbusesToilets

ELM327 wrote: »

Or even seeing if you have one already in Stidham?
Having elite talent on a rookie deal is absolutely the best path, but giving up the draft capital to get a high first round QB that is a crap shoot on whether they work in the NFL or not is too risky IMO. I'd prefer a few lower picks.

I'd generally agree re the unpredictable nature of the draft, however most of the top ranked QB prospects have proven themselves since coming to the NFL. Rosen and Darnold maybe being the counterpoint, Mayfield to a lesser extent, but they've been stuck on **** teams. Look at Tannehill since he went to the Titans. If the team has a shot Lawrence or one of the others, they should take it. We could've had Lamar after all, fresh off a Heisman victory. Can't be passing up talent like that. QB is just too much of an important position.

el Fenomeno

ELM327 wrote: »

I wouldnt be drafting a QB.
We need about 3 WRs and TEs to make even a passable - pardon the pun - offense. I'm happy enough with the o line for now.

I think we'll need a franchise QB rather than a passable veteran if we want to contend for Super Bowls again. I'd rather take a first round QB (provided there's one on the board worth of taking) over a first round WR or TE given our track record of drafting, especially at WR.

The WR free agent class is better than the QB one for sure. I'd like us to make a run at someone like JuJu Smith Schuster or Chris Godwin or Kenny Golloday or Allen Robinson if their teams let them test free agency. I'd say JuJu realistically could hit FA. There's also some players who've really flashed at times that could flourish in the right team - Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook, Rashard Higgins, Demarcus Robinson - they could be solid WR2s to supplement a big name signing. Also vets like Hilton, Agholor, Watkins etc. will be out there.

A look at recent SB matchups shows that it's generally franchise QBs lining up against each other, and we know what a goldmine it is to get one on a rookie contract. We don't have to necessarily trade up, the likes of Mahomes and Jackson were all available outside the top picks.

el Fenomeno

I wonder has he been told that we're trying to sort a trade.

https://twitter.com/tomecurran/status/1321494259250434049?s=19

eagle eye

Bill said he doesn't know anything about it.
Anyways it's confirmed from good sources that his house is for sale.

We don't know if that means he's bought a nicer pad or if something is in the works.
Last time somebody sold their house he left.
There is a thinking that this is a really good time to sell as there's a lot of question marks is over the combine for college due to covid. The East West Shrine game has already been cancelled and it looks like the senior bowl might follow.
Even college pro days are looking dodgy now.

So it's likely you get a higher price from a proven elite talent as there may be multiple teams interested.

I'm not against it if we get a couple of picks including a first rounder. We are an old team right now, especially on defense with the McCourtys both 33, Chung the same. Gilmore is 30 so if we got a great deal for him I'd take it.
We have Jonathan Jones and JC Jackson who looks top notch and Williams looks like he's ready to go now.

Shedite27

el Fenomeno wrote: »

I think we'll need a franchise QB rather than a passable veteran if we want to contend for Super Bowls again. I'd rather take a first round QB (provided there's one on the board worth of taking) over a first round WR or TE given our track record of drafting, especially at WR.

The WR free agent class is better than the QB one for sure. I'd like us to make a run at someone like JuJu Smith Schuster or Chris Godwin or Kenny Golloday or Allen Robinson if their teams let them test free agency. I'd say JuJu realistically could hit FA. There's also some players who've really flashed at times that could flourish in the right team - Keelan Cole, Dede Westbrook, Rashard Higgins, Demarcus Robinson - they could be solid WR2s to supplement a big name signing. Also vets like Hilton, Agholor, Watkins etc. will be out there.

A look at recent SB matchups shows that it's generally franchise QBs lining up against each other, and we know what a goldmine it is to get one on a rookie contract. We don't have to necessarily trade up, the likes of Mahomes and Jackson were all available outside the top picks.

Yeah bringing in veteran QB's only works if the rest of the team is setup to win now. NE are better off rebuilding for a few years now. Hopefully Belichek has the appetite for a rebuilding project before passing it off to someone

ScrubsfanChris

Confirmed Edelman had knee surgery and will be "out for some time"

eagle eye

Jeez we really are in bad shape now.

Was just thinking back a couple of years ago when we had the two hollister brothers as udfa's and they both looked great in preseason but we didn't keep either if them. You see Jacob in Seattle now catching a couple of passes, looks better than any of our TE's as a pass catcher and I seen Cody catching a pass for the Titans a week or two ago.
I'd live to have both of them now.

el Fenomeno

5 WRs active today - all undrafted free agents.

AbusesToilets

Astounded that the Bills are struggling so much here. What was that call at the end? We should've QB sneaked for the 1st, then done a quick spike. Given us 2 shots into the end zone.

AbusesToilets

Cam is done. I'd bench him for Stidham going forward. Maybe try to trade Cam to Dallas, get a pick for him.

paulie21

Good to see Uche making plays

eagle eye

el Fenomeno wrote:

5 WRs active today - all undrafted free agents.

And don't forget that Julian was also a udfa.

paulie21

We have a tied ball game

ScrubsfanChris

It's a TD!
Break out the champagne

paulie21

Ugh needless onside kick sets them up at midfield

el Fenomeno

eagle eye wrote: »

And don't forget that Julian was also a udfa.

No he wasnt. He was drafted.

ScrubsfanChris

That was, dare I say it, a good drive.

eagle eye

That should be Cam's last snap for a couple of weeks at least. .