Patriots sign rookie WR Brandon Tate
According to a league source, the Patriots have reached a deal with third-round pick Brandon Tate.
It is for four years with a $755,000 signing bonus. A wide receiver/kickoff and punt returner, Tate was the first of the Patriots' two third-round picks, taken No. 83 overall. He joins Darius Butler, Rich Ohrnberger, Myron Pryor, Darryl Richard and Sebastian Vollmer as Patriots draft picks to sign with the team.
Tate slipped in the draft due to a major knee injury that truncated his senior season and a report that he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.
The 6-foot, 1-inch, 195-pound Tate displayed explosive play-making ability during his four season at the University of North Carolina. Tate set an NCAA record for combined kickoff and punt return yardage with 3,523 yards -- breaking the mark of former Patriots cornerback Deltha O'Neal -- despite missing the final seven games of his senior seasons after he tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee.
He is one of only nine players in NCAA history to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game and he holds the Carolina records for career kickoff and punt returns for scores (six) and single-season combined kickoff and punt TDs (three).
In six games last season, Tate, who played opposite New York Giants first-round pick Hakeem Nicks, had 16 receptions for 376 yards (23.5 yards per reception) and three touchdowns. For his career at Carolina, he averaged 20.2 yards per reception on 46 catches.
Tate also ran the ball 11 times last year for 143 yards and a score, a 54-yard touchdown against Miami.
Tate is still recovering from his knee injury and did not participate in the off-season practices that were open to the media. He had surgery on Oct. 15 and could start the season on injured reserve.
Tate has only addressed the report of his positive drug test at the combine by saying "I know I made a mistake."
According to the NFL's substance abuse policy, draft-eligible players who test positive during the combine are eligible to enter the league's substance abuse program, as recommended by the league's medical adviser. While it is not automatic, most, if not all, first-time offenders end up in the program.
Comment
Permalink
Email
I'm kind of surprised that the Pats agreed to a deal with Tate so soon.
I though they might hold off until all the healthy draftees were signed.
If he was healthy, where would Tate have been projected to be drafted? 2nd round?
Mike,
Why would you say he might "start the season on IR" when he will probably start the year on PUP to leave the team the option to activate him later if they are struck by an injury? No one "starts" the year on IR. They either spend the entire year on IR or finish their year on IR. You know the Patriots will look to give themselves the most options.
Russ
Russ,
Mike didn't write this story smartguy
ahahahah, it was Gasper! And who really cares. We had 4 second round picks, and we got a potential deep threat/return guy for the future. It seems like a good move to me. That was funny Russted!
Another steal for the Pats, Hakeem Nicks got the reconigation(as he deserved) becos of Tate's injury but Tate is more explosive. Look for him to be the 3rd receiver in 2010...
Players on PUP are eligible to begin practicing with the team after Week 6, which is October 21 (counting Monday as part of Week 6). That would be just more than a year since Tate's surgery. But a player coming off PUP isn't required to be activated to the 53-man roster until Week 9 (1st game after the BYE Week for the Pats).
If this guy is really that good and has sufficiently recovered to begin practicing even at half-speed, and the team can afford to keep him on the active roster for the rest of the season, I don't think he'll go to IR. I think BB will want him available to practice with the team (legally) and go to school with Moss, Galloway, Welker, Brady, etc. to get up to speed as quickly as possible. If Tate's rehab has gone well, he could start making contributions in November, December, January and (we hope) February of THIS season.
If the knee holds up and is properly rehabbed, he is easily the equal of Nicks and was having a better senior year than Nicks prior to his injury. Steelersfan is right-- Could be a major steal.
I was really happy when they drafted this guy.....before he blew out his knee he was projected to be a high second rounder & possibly a late 1st......I actually hope the Patriots don't have to use him this year & just learn the offense, weight train & rehab himself back to 100% full recovery.......we are deep on WR & Edelman can fill in if someone gets hurt (God forbid).....I seriously think Tate has the potential to become a #1 reciever in the NFL, & to learn under Moss,Welker & Galloway & then have Brady throwing to him, well the sky's the limit should he decide to give it his all......I'm still hurting over us moving up to take chad Jackson instead of Jennings...& hopefully this willrectify that miscue!!!!!
This is a pick that could turn out very, very well.
Tate hasn't done anything this offseason as far as working with the team. He is still rehabbing and it is doubtful he will be on the PUP as they are loaded at receiver and really have no place for him this year. You are all forgetting Matthew Slater who can return kicks, play some receiver as well as D-back. BB loves versatility and that makes Slater a good bet to make the squad. Unless of course Edelman goes crazy and has a fantastic preseason. Then all bets are off.
Gasper and Reiss must be asleep at the switch because WEEI was reporting this afternoon that the Pats have reached an agreement with Ron Brace. That leaves Chung as the only unsigned significant draftee. I'm not counting McKenzie because he is already done for the year.
Thanks for the education on IR vs PUP...but, what's the consensus? Is Tate going to make it on the field this year or not? Even if the Pats are loaded at WR, does Tate present a better option than Galloway or Lewis based on his college film? Where does Tate play on the field? Split wide, slot, both?
Now he has 775k and a lot of time to heal. If he can make it through the summer without a positive drug test it would remove some of the question marks for me
went to school with Tate in High School he is a good guy and i wish him the best of luck with the Pats. They got a steal in the draft he will pay off in the long run
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Patriots Twitter
ask reiss
Questions will be considered for Mike's mailbagbrowse this blog
by categoryINside Boston.com