TE situation? Dallas clark envy

by Steven Gelbart on Mar 20, 2010 10:12 PM EDT

Maybe the pats are looking for a hybrid receiver TE. A hybrid TE could get into the secondary with out routes creating mismatches. Watson was fast but didnt have the hands to be a reliable ball catcher. The pats seem to be saying "if we dont have a great TE ,than we might as well get cheap large blockers." The patriots running game has not been great over the last 2 years. Maybe the extra help can open up running lanes. The way I see it the pats have two options. 1) draft a fast hybrid receiving TE (this would require a top 4 pick) or 2) use TE as blockers and hope to improve the run game.

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Colts fan here

Some Pats fan laughed at my idea of Dennis Pitta at the end of round 2 since he was more of a hybrid TE. But looking at the success that hybrid TEs like Dustin Keller, Dallas Clark, and Owen Daniels have had, and now that the Pats signed Alge Crumpler, I would not be surprised if the Pats go with Pitta at the end of round 2.

by chad72 on Mar 20, 2010 11:42 PM EDT reply actions

It could happen

but I still suspect that if the Pats are wanting a receiver, they’ll take an ‘actual’ WR, rather than a hybrid TE, reason being is that Watson could have been a flex-TE option and they never even tried him as one. Even if you didn’t like Watson’s catching ability (and I personally think he would’ve been a better catcher if they’d thrown to him more and allowed him to get a rhythm), his sheer speed and size meant he would’ve been dangerous. Hell, people gave TO passes, and he dropped every other one for 10 years. Braylon Edwards has iffy hands, but teams lined up for his services. Watson couldn’t have done the same as a flex-TE? If they didn’t give him a shot, I don’t see a rookie getting a bigger or better role in the passing game either.

Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.

by Comedic.Sans on Mar 21, 2010 5:57 AM EDT up reply actions

i wouldn't mind getting pitta, but there are other TEs that we can get in the draft. We have needs on defense.

For the record, watson had great hands, and a very good blocker. It’s too bad we didn’t utilize our TEs more last year.

I wouldn’t doubt that belichick will o for a TE in the 2nd round, but I think we can get a nice TE around the 5th round or so.

by patriotguy on Mar 21, 2010 1:32 AM EDT reply actions

Even Dallas Clark had trouble catching when he wasn't thrown to regularly

If you look at the Superbowl, there were a couple of relatively long stretches of time where he wasn’t targeted by Manning. Clark lost his rhythm and made uncharacteristic drops of easy catches in space. That’s not a slight on Clark; it happens to most pass-catchers when they’re taken out of a game and don’t get into a rhythm and get a feel for catching in the situation.

Watson was pretty much always in that position – he was only targeted sporadically, and it was a very rare game where he was picked out more than 5 times. The very fact he could catch it with so few looks was impressive – he never really got into a groove and was never allowed to take over the game like Clark does often, because he was almost never given a 10-reception game.

Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.

by Comedic.Sans on Mar 21, 2010 4:42 AM EDT reply actions