2023 Pats: Offseason
- Thread starter BaseballJones
- Start date
He cares so much about optics-or more precisely about not giving anyone else any relevant information.
Onwenu starts training camp on PUP.
https://www.patriots.com/news/three-patriots-open-training-camp-on-pup
https://www.patriots.com/news/three-patriots-open-training-camp-on-pup
This guy is textbook definition Prototypical Pat's WR draftee and/or 3rd round pick:
- Missed all but one game senior year of HS because of an injury
- Started college and played 3/4 seasons at a position other than WR (RB)
- Drafted more on potential for growth/improvement than results in college
- Finished the his first three NFL seasons on IR with no games played or stats accumulated
Good interview with Jalen Hurd, from 2019:
https://draftwire.usatoday.com/2019/03/07/2019-nfl-draft-prospect-interview-jalen-hurd-baylor-tennessee/
His college stats:
2014 Tennessee - 190 rushes, 899 yds, 4.7 y/a, 5 td, 35 rec, 221 yds, 2 td
2015 Tennessee - 277 rushes, 1285 yds, 4.6 y/a, 12 td, 22 rec, 190 yds, 2 td
2016 Tennessee - 122 rushes, 451 yds, 3.7 y/a, 3 td, 10 rec, 81 yds, 2 td
2017 Baylor - 48 rushes, 209 yds, 4.4 y/a, 3 td, 69 rec, 946 yds, 4 td
Unofficial 40 time of 4.47.
He's huge (6'4 3/4", 227 lbs), with good (not electric, but good) speed, and is very strong (23 reps of 225, which is outstanding for a WR). Obviously has very good skills at RB (which is crazy given his height) - you don't run for 1285 yds (4.6 y/a) and 12 td at Tennessee, in the SEC, unless you're pretty good. But he obviously did a good job transitioning to WR. 946 yds at 13.7 ypc is pretty good too.
Very very interesting pickup by the Patriots. Might amount to absolutely nothing - and his injury history is worrisome - but man, this could be one of those great finds BB seems to come up with.
https://draftwire.usatoday.com/2019/03/07/2019-nfl-draft-prospect-interview-jalen-hurd-baylor-tennessee/
His college stats:
2014 Tennessee - 190 rushes, 899 yds, 4.7 y/a, 5 td, 35 rec, 221 yds, 2 td
2015 Tennessee - 277 rushes, 1285 yds, 4.6 y/a, 12 td, 22 rec, 190 yds, 2 td
2016 Tennessee - 122 rushes, 451 yds, 3.7 y/a, 3 td, 10 rec, 81 yds, 2 td
2017 Baylor - 48 rushes, 209 yds, 4.4 y/a, 3 td, 69 rec, 946 yds, 4 td
Unofficial 40 time of 4.47.
He's huge (6'4 3/4", 227 lbs), with good (not electric, but good) speed, and is very strong (23 reps of 225, which is outstanding for a WR). Obviously has very good skills at RB (which is crazy given his height) - you don't run for 1285 yds (4.6 y/a) and 12 td at Tennessee, in the SEC, unless you're pretty good. But he obviously did a good job transitioning to WR. 946 yds at 13.7 ypc is pretty good too.
Very very interesting pickup by the Patriots. Might amount to absolutely nothing - and his injury history is worrisome - but man, this could be one of those great finds BB seems to come up with.
This is the understatement of the century. Am I missing something, or has he not yet played a snap in the NFL due to injury, despite being drafted in 2019? That's 4 seasons without seeing the field in a competitive game.
You are not missing anything, I don't think. He's yet to be in an actual NFL game. So we shall see. Wouldn't be the first guy to have what might have been a promising career totally derailed by injuries. Nor would he be the last.
View: https://twitter.com/schultz_report/status/1685291443768672256?s=46&t=SM8KNBQ5qkrf8EOqnMV5BQ
Source: 2x All-Pro RB Ezekiel Elliott is visiting the #Patriots today.
This could impact the RB-needy AFC East, as well as the Dalvin Cook derby, since he and Elliott are considered the top backs available.
Zeke looked terrific in the videos he posted of his workouts.
Source: 2x All-Pro RB Ezekiel Elliott is visiting the #Patriots today.
This could impact the RB-needy AFC East, as well as the Dalvin Cook derby, since he and Elliott are considered the top backs available.
Zeke looked terrific in the videos he posted of his workouts.
He's no longer a stud. Last three seasons:
4.0 ypc
4.2 ypc
3.8 ypc
With a same offensive line that allowed Pollard to average:
4.3 ypc
5.5 ypc
5.2 ypc
But he's good in pass pro, and he's a good receiver, knows what he's doing out there, and is still just 28 years of age. Solid veteran backup to Rham if they decide to sign him. You could do much, much worse.
4.0 ypc
4.2 ypc
3.8 ypc
With a same offensive line that allowed Pollard to average:
4.3 ypc
5.5 ypc
5.2 ypc
But he's good in pass pro, and he's a good receiver, knows what he's doing out there, and is still just 28 years of age. Solid veteran backup to Rham if they decide to sign him. You could do much, much worse.
I’d still rather have Dalvin but would rank Zeke ahead of Fournette. Really want one of the three.
Yup, I think he's still potentially a solid, professional piece of a backfield, but as a rusher I really don't think there's much left in the tank there. Would rather start the season with him than Kevin Harris as a backup, though.
Zeke is also a zero as a receiver. Had one catch for 31yds last season and somehow averaged 3.8YPC on his other 16 catches. I guess if he can pass block and fall into the endzone there is some value to that but honestly would rather see what Pierre Strong or a random street FA can do at this point.
Didn't he follow a 75 catch season with back to back 50 catch seasons a couple years back? I mean he may be a shadow of his former self but it's not like he can't catch at all? Maybe it was more a usage thing ?
Elliott receiving stats by year:
2016 - 39 targets, 32 rec, 363 yds, 11.3 y/c
2017 - 38 targets, 26 rec, 269 yds, 10.3 y/c
2018 - 95 targets, 77 rec, 567 yds, 7.4 y/c
2019 - 71 targets, 54 rec, 420 yds, 7.8 y/c
2020 - 71 targets, 52 rec, 338 yds, 6.5 y/c
2021 - 65 targets, 47 rec, 287 yds, 6.1 y/c
2022 - 23 targets, 17 rec, 92 yds, 5.4 y/c
So clearly usage as a receiver has gone way down. Are his low stats a function of just a change in how Dallas used him, or did they change how they used him because he was no longer a good receiver? I don't think that at age 28, he's suddenly completely lost it, but it's probably a little of both. He's not as effective as he used to be, but his stats are also probably in part a function of a change in philosophy. Dallas didn't throw to their backs much at all last year, which is probably in part a philosophy kind of thing. (Pollard only had 39 targets himself)
2016 - 39 targets, 32 rec, 363 yds, 11.3 y/c
2017 - 38 targets, 26 rec, 269 yds, 10.3 y/c
2018 - 95 targets, 77 rec, 567 yds, 7.4 y/c
2019 - 71 targets, 54 rec, 420 yds, 7.8 y/c
2020 - 71 targets, 52 rec, 338 yds, 6.5 y/c
2021 - 65 targets, 47 rec, 287 yds, 6.1 y/c
2022 - 23 targets, 17 rec, 92 yds, 5.4 y/c
So clearly usage as a receiver has gone way down. Are his low stats a function of just a change in how Dallas used him, or did they change how they used him because he was no longer a good receiver? I don't think that at age 28, he's suddenly completely lost it, but it's probably a little of both. He's not as effective as he used to be, but his stats are also probably in part a function of a change in philosophy. Dallas didn't throw to their backs much at all last year, which is probably in part a philosophy kind of thing. (Pollard only had 39 targets himself)
Cooked as in, doesn't deserve to be in the mix behind behind Stevenson? Honestly the bar is pretty low for him to have some use on this team.
I don't think anyone thinks he has a ton left in the tank, and I'm sure his knee is pretty trashed (like many of these guys by age 28). But if it's on a team friendly deal and he isn't going to complain about touches (I'm sure he's humbled by now), seems like he could be of some moderate use.
Agree he should be higher on the list than Fournette. And Cook seems both more unlikely and more costly.
Those Parker House rolls look good. Tony Soprano needs to have a talk with the dudes wearing the hats though.
Are Mac and Zeke on an intimate date and sharing dessert sitting on the same side?
Both of them appear to be contemplating how to end this date without hurting anyone’s feelings while they wait for the check.
Looks like four guys not engaged in conversation waiting for the rest of their party to arrive and fill in the table.
https://dailysnark.com/2023/09/07/bill-belichicks-break-up-with-longtime-gf-has-patriots-execs-on-edge-about-what-shed-post-on-social-media/
BB and longtime girlfriend Linda Holliday have broken up.
BB and longtime girlfriend Linda Holliday have broken up.
They link to Page Six, which does seem to break a lot of gossip stories. I have no idea what that ‘Pats execs are on edge’ comment is about - seems like a tabloidy veneer that means nothing.
Yeah, that part seems very click bait to me. Like, if all the things to occupy their minds going into the season, that has them on edge?
Not particularly but...
Page Six is a bit more reliable, I thought it was an interesting story although the headlines are definitely outlandish.
Am I a bad person that I hope someone asks him about this at his next press appearance? I want to see if he can make someone’s head explode telepathically.
This is going to be brutal when Cam Achord reminds him every Sunday about outkicking his coverage.
I heard this a few months ago from people who know team members. Apparently, was a long time in the making and not a well-kept secret for people around the team. Good news - more time for BB to gameplan!