2017 The Rex Burkhead IS NOW A NEW ENGLAND CHAMPION PATRIOT thread
- Thread starter AlNipper49
- Start date
Burkhead also arranged for a 7 year old kid with cancer to get on the field and run for a touchdown at the 2013 Nebraska spring game. The video is neat.
I had a pretty good feeling this would get done. This is 100% just like the Hogan signing. Burkhead is going to be a stud in this offense!
Terms weren't announced. Guessing we'll hear tomorrow once the NFL office opens up. Wonder if the storm played a role in the delay.
Living in Omaha for the past decade and being forced to root for the Huskers, Rex was one of my favorite players. Underrated running back and a great guy. I can't believe how little the Bengals used him during his time there, I think he's really going to flourish in New England (which pains me as a Dolphins fan) and you'll love him.
I dunno....Burkhead failed to hold his block, and looked really slow setting up the sweep. Not impressed.
Combine measurable stats to Christian McCaffrey (who was a binky for me):
Vertical Broad Jump 3 Cone 20 Yd Shuttle 60 Yd Shuttle
Rex 39.0" 125" 6.85 4.09 11.51
CM 37.5" 121" 6.57 4.22 11.03
CM is faster at 4.48 on the 40 vs 4.73, but Rex busted out 21 reps on the bench vs 10.
Vertical Broad Jump 3 Cone 20 Yd Shuttle 60 Yd Shuttle
Rex 39.0" 125" 6.85 4.09 11.51
CM 37.5" 121" 6.57 4.22 11.03
CM is faster at 4.48 on the 40 vs 4.73, but Rex busted out 21 reps on the bench vs 10.
If you're really looking for a critique of that play then look at the kid. I know the play call was to the right, but the left side of that field was wide open. He started left and then got convinced to reverse field and go right. I know it worked out for the best and he ended up scoring anyway, but reversing field like that is seldom a good idea. The kid should have trusted his instincts and kept going left
Huh. He hits the hole hard, runs downhill, and I like the little jumpstep he has in the repertoire.
I'm interested.
And Dwayne Allen.
Is the Lord our Savior the new marketing efficiency?
Field YatesVerified account @FieldYates 1m1 minute ago
Source: Rex Burkhead's deal w/the Patriots is for 1-year, $3.15M. $1.1M signing bonus, $1.8M base salary, $250k in per-game roster bonuses.
Source: Rex Burkhead's deal w/the Patriots is for 1-year, $3.15M. $1.1M signing bonus, $1.8M base salary, $250k in per-game roster bonuses.
Everyone on Twitter blowing this up as "starter money". Not even close, people. The Pats have never been in the position to have a ton of cap space to pay a RB. They really wanted the player so they went up more than they usually do. He's going to have a role in the backfield plus in ST. This doesn't mean he's going to be the "starter" as the roles for RBs in the Pats system are so specialized that playing time will change from game to game based on need.
It's hard to parse contracts in the current market, but that's not nothing. Lewis got 2 years, $3 MM in 2015, and the Patriots didn't match Blount's 2-year, $3.85 MM deal from Pittsburgh three years ago. I kinda thought Burkhead would get something more in the Keshawn Martin / Clay Harbor cuttable range.
I still think they probably want a power back, but that guy might be more of a complementary guy than a primary guy given the presence of Burkhead, Lewis, and White.
Difference between Burkhead and Lewis, White, Blount is that Burkhead can play on all four downs. I guess Lewis theoretically can but he's always hurt and isn't the kind of back who can handle 15-20+ touches a game when the plan calls for it.
"Starter money" is a pretty meaningless term when it comes to the Patriots. I don't think anybody expects Burkhead to be a 15-20+ carry bellcow, but the Pats clearly view him as a core special teamer who will also be able to contribute regularly on offense. If he can give them as good or better special teams production than Bolden did, while also playing, say, 20-30 or so effective snaps a game at RB, with the ability to be a threat both running the ball and catching passes...That could be a pretty valuable player to a team.
"Starter money" is a pretty meaningless term when it comes to the Patriots. I don't think anybody expects Burkhead to be a 15-20+ carry bellcow, but the Pats clearly view him as a core special teamer who will also be able to contribute regularly on offense. If he can give them as good or better special teams production than Bolden did, while also playing, say, 20-30 or so effective snaps a game at RB, with the ability to be a threat both running the ball and catching passes...That could be a pretty valuable player to a team.
That's a little more than I expected, but speaks to the fact he's likely here for more than just a ST/depth role. Particularly since its a 1-year deal, so he's not insurance for White or Lewis leaving. I dont expect Blount back after this signing unless he really has no market and has to take the minimum
ain't no better marketers than Jesus's people. 2000 years' experience, they've won every marketing award you can win, despite literally selling vaporware the whole time.
Let's just not do this.
The only holy wars in here should be between Patriots fans and fans of the other crappy teams.
"The test of a good religion is whether you can laugh about it." - G.K. Chesterton
By that definition, I'm not sure the Belichick-led Patriots Nation qualifies.
By that definition, I'm not sure the Belichick-led Patriots Nation qualifies.
Obviously, BB made a deal down 28-3.
Also, they'll be in the market for a new backup qb once they trade JG...just have to wait for the Mets to cut Him.
Contract:
1 year, $3.15 million
$1.1 million signing bonus, $1.8 million base salary
$250k in per-game roster bonuses
Providence Journal
Hope you've still got some tissues left, SSF, 'cause he's gonna be getting a lot of burn at those numbers.
1 year, $3.15 million
$1.1 million signing bonus, $1.8 million base salary
$250k in per-game roster bonuses
Providence Journal
Hope you've still got some tissues left, SSF, 'cause he's gonna be getting a lot of burn at those numbers.
What are we getting with Burkhead? SSS but when you combine his poor 40 time 4.73 with the fact he has never had a run longer than 20yds nor a play of at least 30yds I do get concerned that he can't past the 2nd level or gets caught if he does.
He also has two fumbles in 120 touches.
He also has two fumbles in 120 touches.
I noticed the ball appears to be punched loose in one of the runs in his highlight reel. I'm excited for the signing and realize he hasn't gotten much play in the NFL, but that wasn't super encouraging.
With two awesome blocking tight ends and Cooks being versatile either close or to take pressure off by remaining a deep threat, the short game is going to look like a buzzing beehive with Edelman, White, Lewis, Burkhead, Hogan
Surprised it's only a 1 year deal. Is either side incentivized to minimize the number of years on this?
Just guessing, Burkhead might be if he was told (or at least got the impression) he'd have an expanded role that could lead to a larger payday as a UFA next year. For the Patriots, with cap money to spend now, it avoids dead money in case he sucked and they had to cut him after year 1. These are more general than anything specific about this deal. but for a guy who has never had much of a regular $$$-producing role, he might be willing to gamble on that and the "Patriots' effect."
Fewer years is better for the player, generally speaking. If he signs a four-year deal and emerges as a starting RB in year one, he's locked into his contract. Meanwhile, if he stinks, the team can move on, depending on the guaranteed money remaining.
I don't think the expectation is they are getting a back capable of ripping off 60 yard TD runs. He shows good bursts at the line and seems to be quite decisive with his cuts and gets the most out of each play.
Taking this from a SeoulSoxFan post a few pages back.
@SharpFootball
Rex Burkhead (visiting NE) was #2 in success rate for RBs. But on plays that weren't successful, he was the #1 RB in fewest missed yards.
Asking because I don't know: why do people say he can play every down whereas, e.g., White can't?
That and White's not a guy they typically play on first and second down. He's pretty much exclusively a passing down back. I mean, Burkhead had more carries last season than White has had in his career. In 2015, when both Blount and Lewis went down with injuries, the Pats signed the corpse of Steven Jackson and gave him early down carries over White.
Blount, on the opposite end of the spectrum, is exclusively a first-second down back with almost zero value on passing downs.
Lewis is the only other RB who poses a threat both in the running game and the passing game, but he's basically made of glass.
Very excited to hear that we signed the second coming of Gale-Sayers-crossed-with-the-Juggernaut!
I should have worded my question better. Is Burkhead powerful enough to be a regular 1st-down back?
I noticed that too yesterday when looking at the video. He has two total fumbles (one lost, one recovered by Cin) in 42 games. That includes 87 rushing attempts and 34 receptions. Because that's a relatively small sample size I found numerous scouting sites that touted his ball security at Nebraska. In 720 touches, he had only four fumbles.
I took it more to be about his limited work in the pros and the poor editing of his highlight reel. Not quite Kenny Powers level, but could've been a bit tighter, slicker and better cut.
Haha...okay. By the way, a frequent tidbit popped up in his college scouting reports. Apparently he could easily dunk a basketball as a 5'8" kid...in Junior High School.
Thanks for looking this up. He seems to carry the ball away from his body at times but hopefully the fumble rate stays down.
Another reason to hate the bench press as a combine metric. He actually looks like he has a very strong lower body, but with only 10 reps at 225 pressing, he gets labeled as lacking strength.
Really don't disagree at all about using reps of 2 plates to measure football strength, but he put up 21 reps.
You're right, of course. I misread the chart someone posted above. 21 reps is beastly.