Please ?

not very hard, we dont throw to tight ends anyways so we'll find some 260-280 lbs tight end to block and a tight end who can catch 25 to 35 balls a year.. if the patriots want to be serious about TE though expect them to go after RFA Bo Scaife.

Mike Vrable

Adios Thomas

Rob Gronkowski. You can never have enough kowski's on your team.

we dont throw to tight ends ?????  Remeber Ben Coates ??  How about Russ Francies ????

In Response to Re: Who will be our tight end?:


Coates / Bledsoe/   Parcels   
Francis / Grogan/   Fairbanks

Hmmm 

Crumpler is stalling as much as possible to get something done in Tennessee. Word is that the two sides have had discussions about keeping him with the Titans. If not, his second choice is New England.

Intelligence-wise, at least he fits the mold Belichick looks for: choosing to play with Vince Young instead of Tommy Brady.

In Response to Who will be our tight end?:


Why spoil the surprise.

As of today,Alge Crumpler,Robbie Agnone and Rob Myers. Ask me again after the draft and I might say someone else. My guess would be one of these  guys after the draft:Colin Peek,Aaron Hernandez,Tony Moeaki,Dennis Pitta,Gresham,Graham I or II,Gronkowski or my new favorite TE/H-back Jameson Konz...Check out the stats on this guys College day workout Forty time of 4.41,shortshuttle 4.25,3 cone 6.93,vertical 46 inches,broad jump 10-8, and the only downsides are small college Kent State,one year on Offense! Stats are OK 21 balls caught 300 yards,he's also got the size at 6'4" 235...If they draft him they can start calling King Konz! This is an actual player not Mr.Imaginary...

I'll volunteer, LMCLAO!!

Crumpler was and is their #1 choice but they also can use a pick for a TE that will be able to at least be a decent blocker. I still think it gets done with Crumpler, and then we use a 3rd or 4th round pick for a TE. (I know we don't have a 3rd currently but we could always move a second round pick for a 3rd and a 5th).

For the Patriots, a better question is: What is a tight end? :)

A two TE "power" formation used to be part of the Patriot's offensive repertoire....and has morphed into a bona fide blocker to protect Brady.

Did it morph into that role because of our OL woes or was it a change of scheme? I don't know.

I think it would be great to have a TE who can help on offense a little more - other than protecting Brady; someone who can help block for the running game, someone who can catch the ball in the slot or mid length routes. This sorta goes back to the theme of how predictable our offense has become....

I think Gronkowski will be our man.  He's huge at 6'6" 265 and can catch as well. 

In Response to Re: Who will be our tight end?:


How about completely different systems in place?

Unfortunately it will mostly be the one on who BB will waste a high draft pick...

One of their tight ends will come from the U of Florida . . . but will it be Aaron Hernandez or Tim Tebow?

Looks life if this doesnt change I may have to suit up and go to camp!

"Not very hard, we dont throw to tight ends anyways so we'll find some 260-280 lbs tight end to block and a tight end who can catch 25 to 35 balls a year.. if the patriots want to be serious about TE though expect them to go after RFA Bo Scaife."

"For the Patriots, a better question is: What is a tight end? :)
A two TE "power" formation used to be part of the Patriot's offensive repertoire....and has morphed into a bona fide blocker to protect Brady.
Did it morph into that role because of our OL woes or was it a change of scheme? I don't know."

With these two sentiments, the first by r3sn-andsomeothernumbers, and the second by BubbaInHawaii, BOTH expressed the closest sentiments in regaards to how the TightEnd is used in NE's offense and How I believe Belichick personally sees the importance of TE position, and thus therefore-WHO will be our TightEnd...

I'll begin...  An undrafted rookie coverage Safety in New England's Brandon McGowan, This past 2009-2010 Season showed us ALL what could be done with NFL TightEnds...  BB in using McGowan as a 2nd/3rd dual-coverage Safety, HAS shown the NFL that even the very best TE's The NFL has to offer, can and will be almost entirely shutdown by some undrafted rook.  Now, McGowan's good and all, but BB's Safety scheme in having multiple mid-sized Safeties is the true factor in regards to covering TE's.  

The TE used to be a freak spot: Faster than LBs with more limited speed and covering qualities than needed to contain a TE, Bigger and far stronger than CBs who HAD that speed and covering qualities, and in regards to the formerly two differing Safety positions on the field, both the Strong and Free Safety...these guys, when used on a TE effectively "show their hand" to audibling QB's for one.  For two, IF when using either a SS Or FS, the now very adept and quite numerous number of NFL audibling QBs would and WILL simply change the play in order to exploit the D's weakness now-
     Bring a SS up and either throw a mid-route/throw to the slot, or perhaps send the TE to play smashmouth with the SS on a screen or run/or perhaps simply send the SS on a decoy route to take the SS out of the play.  Now the FS is even a easier call: Throw a mid-deep route with your #1 or #2 wideout now in single coverage with a CB with no deep Free Safety help...no brainer imo.  You CANNOT nor should not have either the FS nor SS as a mere TE "watcher" all game...their roles are needed elsewhere.
     But see, Having Multiple (standard 2, or even 3) mid-sized Safeties, who are good in coverage like a free safety and big enough to tackle and play a little smash-mouth near the line of scrimmage like a strong safety, WILL limit someone like a TE's effectivity.  Sure a bigger hard-pounding SS and a faster better covering smaller FS has their benefits, but again-the trumping factor is that it "forces your hand" on a Defense in regards to the covering schemes, the far more obvious defensive looks you'll be able to give to the oppossing offensive team. 

So, onto what an undrafted rookie in a Belichickean dual-coverage (or 3) safety scheme In Brandon McGowan, has done to the best NFL TE's...  Just go back and look at the stats this year:  Buffalo's TE-shutdown, Jet's TE-shutdown, Indy's TE Dallas Clark-shutdown, Atlanta's TE-Tony Gonzalez-shutdown.  Brandon McGowan as a mid-sized coverage TE.  And more and more teams stared using these schemes to limit TE's as the season progressed, and more and more teams WILL continue to do so next year.  Overall the TE position needs to evolve...

BUT, The TE spot IS important...  Someone made mention that NE could put an extra O-Lineman on the Offensive Line to block even better than with a TE.  Dear god no...at least, sheez, Not ALWAYS.  You at least need the semblance of a pass-catching threat there.  WHY on earth force your hand and telegraph that he's no threat...Simply for a litle bit better of a blocker?  Forget that, ALL the time.  THEN, ANY team will simply load the box with more men, use their D-Lineman to spear gaps for the running lanes/to get o the QB, and probably blitz like he!! to try to force a bad throw and altogether force an INT...  Dear geez.
You STILL need to have that threat there imho...The simple even "potential" pass-catching threat of having a TE again trumps the just somewhat better blocking abilities of having an extra O-Lineman.

Now, I saw 1 mock-draft where NE where NE selected in Round 1 the nation's best draftable TE, Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham...  I Hope NOT.  Again, the spot has to evolve, but as it stands TODAY with those multiple mid-sized coverage Safeties, the VERY Best NFL TE's are limited.  So why on earth waste such a high selection right now?  And likewise, as some have suggested, WHY on earth waste MULTIPLE selections within the 1st-4th rds on 2! TEs!  Again, I dearly hope not...

So who'll be NE's TightEnd this year?  Who cares imo?  They can find a decent enough decent-blocking TE who can also run a simple route and not let the ball bounce off his helmet in the oft chance he gets a few passes thrown his way in a game, right?  Seriously, NE WILL find a suitable TE in later free agency, or even after first cuts in the summer even...The TE spot as NE now uses it, would not be hard to figure out for any vet with a pea-sized brain.  Also, I really DON'T have any problem with NE using just 1 of their 2nd rders on a decent TE, OR their 4th rder.  A 2nd could absolutely secure the nation's No. 2 TE in Rob Gronkowski-a very good blocker, and a definately decent enough pass-catcher, but it might be early for someone like Jimmy Graham-more freakish physical skills, but less overall experience and not as good a blocker as Gronkowski...  A 4th could secure Dennis Pitta-Ideally should be somewhat bigger, but utterly great work-ethic and football instincts, and excellent pass-catcher.  Hernandez-NO...bad blocker and too small-NO FIT and no point.  Tebow-yea, Go smoke something else...  

In Response to Re: Who will be our tight end?:
Gronkowski might be the next Patriot TE but first you have to get him out of traction.

Crumpler!

looking like crumpler is one of them

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/clubhouse_relatednews.aspx?sport=NFL&majteam=NE

I hope they dont waste a 1st rd pick on a TE.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2010/03/gresham_hasnt_h.html

      GRONKOWSKI IS A PHYSICALLY GIFTED TIGHT END,WHO,ALONG WITH GRESHAM,ARE THE TWO BEST ALL-AROUND T.E.'S IN THIS YEARS DRAFT(BOTH VERY GOOD BLOCKERS WHO CAN CATCH THE BALL,THOUGH NEITHER IS A LEGITIMATE DEEP THREAT).MY GREATEST CONCERN,IN FACT MY ONLY CONCERN,WITH GRONKOWSKI IS THAT HE HAS HAD BACK PROBLEMS AND THAT IS A SITUATION THAT COULD PLAGUE HIM THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.ONE WOULD THINK THAT THE PATS WOULD HAVE TO BE SURE THAT THE PROBLEM ISN'T A SERIOUS ONE BEFORE THE DRAFT IF HE IS ON THEIR DRAFT BOARD.