Tag Archives: Tight End

Rex Burkhead’s Job is Safe in A Crowded Backfield

No Patriot has received more flack this offseason than Rex Burkhead. The latest buzz on Rex is he will be the odd man out this summer in the runningback rotation. Yet, I am here to pump the breaks on that belief.

Uncertainty Creates Opportunity

There are large uncertainties at both receiver and tight end. This makes it likely the Patriots will start the season with a few more runningbacks than normal.

Ben Watson’s suspension, Julian Edelman’s age, N’Keal Harry’s inexperience, and the current uncertainty the public has with who will be the number three receiver should all indicate that the Patriots might be grounded to start off the season. Then, once Ben Watson comes back and things start to make sense and click, things should open up more.

Losing Gronk, and Watson to start the season, the Patriots start 2019 with a less than stellar tight end group. This group does have guys like Ryan Izzo and Andrew Beck, who were very strong blockers in college, however, both have not played a regular season game yet.

Matt LaCosse looks like the front runner for the starting job and also has shown that he is a good blocker. However, he has never seen a role of this magnitude in the NFL before.

Not to mention, the tackle spots remain a question mark. Marcus Cannon may have come off a very strong campaign last season, but struggles to remain consistent in the NFL. And the even bigger issue continues to be the health of Isaiah Wynn, who so far has been forced to hand the lion share of left tackle reps to Joe Thuney, due to his inability to be at full go so far.

With all this uncertainty with the offense to start the season, the Patriots could use a back that can hit the hole fast and hard, embrace the contact, and run with excellent vision. No one on the Patriots does those things better than Rex Burkhead.

Familiar Spot for Rex

Not to mention, Rex has pretty much been fighting for his job his whole NFL career. In a season where everyone believes he is on the outside looking in, he has a lot to prove.

The biggest thing holding Rex’s roster spot in place has to be his contract. Cutting Rex Burkhead would cost the Patriots more money than keeping him on the team for the season.

Economic Fallout Would Be Unbelichickian

Trading him would do the same. Also, the trade market for runningbacks is ridiculously low at the moment. Several quality runningbacks like Jay Ajayi, Marshawn Lynch, and Alex Collins are yet to be signed this offseason.

Rex Will Survive

Giving all this evidence, the number of runningbacks the Patriots currently have might not matter. Rex Burkhead will survive the crowded backfield .

Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports for cover image

McAuliffe 1.0: 7 Round Patriots Mock Draft

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Scroll through to view all the potential picks in this latest Patriots mock.

Round 1

TJ Hockenson football team picture. 32nd in mock.

32nd overall- T.J Hockenson, TE (Iowa)

Round 2

Deebo Samuel class picture. 56th in mock.

56th overall- Deebo Samuel, WR (South Carolina)

Andy Isabella class picture. 64th in mock.

64th overall- Andy Isabella, WR (Massachusetts)

Round 3

Dre'Mont Jones football team picture. 73rd in mock.

73rd overall- Dre’Mont Jones, DT (Ohio State)

Tytus Howard at NFL Combine. 97th in mock.

97th overall- Tytus Howard, OT (Alabama State)

Will Grier football team picture. 101st in mock.

101st overall- Will Grier, QB (West Virginia)

Round 4

Sutton Smith football team picture. 134th in mock.

134th overall- Sutton Smith, DE (Northern Illinois)

Round 6

Lukas Denis class picture. 205th in mock.

205th overall- Lukas Denis, S (Boston College)

Round 7

239th overall- Tre Lamar, LB (Clemson)

Khalil Hodge football team picture. 243rd in mock.

243rd overall- Khalil Hodge, LB (Buffalo)

Penny Hart class picture. 246th in mock.

246th overall- Penny Hart, WR (Georgia State)

Alex Barnes class picture. 252nd in mock.

252nd overall- Alex Barnes, RB (Kansas State)

To see the full mock click here. The computer made the picks for the other teams, I only picked for the Patriots. I do not agree with some of the picks the computer made and will be releasing my own full mock soon.

The likelihood that all these players fall into the Patriots hands are somewhat slim but not unrealistic.

Many might point to T.J Hockenson and say he will be long gone before the 32nd pick. Actually, Hockenson by no fault of his own, might slide down draft boards just due to free agent signings and teams having bigger needs than tight end. Despite Hockenson’s unreal potential, teams will not so much pass him up but will more pass up the tight end position all together.

That being said, if Hockenson is gone before the 32nd pick, the Patriots will most likely have a choice between Noah Fanta and Irv Smith. Both tight ends are also tremendous, however, Hockenson remains my favorite tight end prospect in a long time.

Please click on Dre’Mont Jones and TJ Hockenson’s names to see the already written scouting reports on them.

Analysis for the other draft picks are on the way and will be coming soon as the draft is roughly a month away.

Potiential Patriots: TJ Hockenson

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The more film watched on TJ Hockenson, the more it seems he will be long gone before the Patriots pick 32nd. However, one never knows these days as players get injured in practice (like Jeffery Simmons), poor combines or pro days hurt their value, and sometimes guys just slide due to demand.

Although historically the Patriots never really trade up in the draft, this Iowa tight end might be worth breaking the trend for. That is of course assuming he doesn’t miraculously fall into their hands at the end of the first round.

Here is what makes Hockenson so good:

Good jump off ball, quickly gets out of three point stance
Gets hands inside and doesn’t overextend, dominant blocking technique
Lowers pads
Keeps ball high and tight, protects the football
Nice awareness
Can outrun Big Ten linebackers and corners, making him hard to one on one with good RAC (run after catch)
Always gets lower than his man when blocking, gets good leverage on his guy
Really nice hands
Extremely athletic and agile for a man of his size
Fundamentally sound
Polished
Disciplined route runner
Physical
Good balance and control
Can adjust to the ball very nicely
Phenomenal focus and ability to get his feet down in bounds, great awareness of his surroundings

Hockenson is a future Pro Bowler. One of the easiest prospects to evaluate in this class. Good at pretty much everything. The only weaknesses I can come up with are that he doesn’t always high-point the ball and he can sometimes be too aggressive as a blocker at the 2nd level.
-Evan Lazar, CLNS Media

Hockenson just continues to demonstrate that he is the complete package in film review. His potential really is something to marvel over.

Cons:

There is very little to complain about in his game. The aggressive blocking and high-pointing, as mentioned in the quote by Evan Lazar, were somewhat of a concern, but not enough to not draft him for it. He seemed to always improvise during some minor mistakes.

Another con to mention was his hands when catching the football were sometimes spread too far apart, but like the other problems, he improvised and did not let it become an issue.

On this play versus Indiana, Hockenson high points the ball, adjusts his body and makes a leaping grab. Scoring the touchdown in the back of the endzone, with a defender draped on him, showing excellent awareness to get both feet down in bounds.

His teammate Noah Fant gets more coverage for his more flashy ability. Although, Hockenson will be a far better NFL player and it may not even be close.

TJ might just be the best tight end to come out of the NFL Draft since Hunter Henry or George Kittle.

Player Comparisons:

Hockenson has drawn comparisons to former Iowa tight end George Kittle before. Kittle just came off a phenomenal stat clinic of a season. Hockenson has also been compared to Dennis Pitta and a mini Gronk (A stretch but I have heard it). The one that suits him best would be Dennis Pitta, who when healthy was a very good tight end for Baltimore.

If the Patriots could get their hands on this guy, not only would a combo of Gronk and Hockenson be hard to stop in 2019, but Hockenson himself would be a deadly force for years to come.

Patriots Top Three Draft Needs Might Surprise

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Note: Pre-draft scouting reports on potential Patriots are on their way and will be posted regularly as the draft comes even closer.

A stockpile of picks, a bunch of needs, and a much needed injection of youth should make this draft interesting for all Patriots fans.

The most interesting aspect of this whole draft for the Patriots will be the direction they take. Do they aim more for day one contributors that can provide value at a second or third spot on a depth chart? Do they aim more for developmental pieces that may take longer to develop but better the team after the Brady era ends? This decision will greatly dictate how the Patriots draft and who they draft.

Obviously, the more valuable picks are the players that can provide some immediate value and can also continue to get better overtime. Let’s take a look at which positions the Patriots should find themselves emphasizing this year and how high up on the totem pole each one should be.

1. TIGHT END

Iowa’s TJ Hockenson is certainly on the draft board for the Patriots

Look for the Patriots to address tight end extremely early. TJ Hockenson should be their main priority going into the draft, as he can provide short-term and long-term benefits. Player comparisons for TJ span all the way from Dennis Pitta to a baby Gronk.

Adding Hockenson would provide immediate benefit to a team that loves their two tight end sets. He also has an extremely high ceiling that could answer the Patriots potential problems at tight end once Gronk retires.

Hockenson being available at #32 might be a stretch. Which if it so happens that his name gets called before the Patriots selection, plenty of options will still be available at tight end. This tight end loaded class features many potential options, however none as appealing or exciting as TJ.

Gronk will not play forever, therefore the time has come to find his eventual replacement.

2. FRONT SEVEN

Mississippi State’s Jeffery Simmons remains the wild card

Do not let the great play by this group in the playoffs overshadow the regular season and regular seasons prior. This front seven still needs a major revamp.

Linebacker happens to be less of a need than expected, due to the emergence of Van Noy and the glimpse everyone received of Ja’whaun Bentley. Yet, Hightower gets no younger and carries a tremendous cap hit next season. Adrian Clayborn did not live up to his unreasonable expectations and also costs a pretty penny next year. Flowers needs to be resigned to a ground-breaking deal. Shelton and Brown also appear set to at least hit the market, whether they return remains unknown.

Harsh reality here, the Patriots front seven has been inconsistent and has struggled in countless areas. Much turnover looks likely for the group and defensive coaches are leaving this team left and right.

The best strategy would be to draft quality front seven players that fit the ideology of the new incoming coaches. Therefore, the Patriots should bring some much needed youth to a core that needs a new direction.

Keep an eye on Jeffery Simmons, who has his red flags and also just tore his ACL but if he slides enough, the Patriots could potentially snag him on day two. Simmons being a top ten talent in most people’s minds, would certainly be worth the risk if available on day two.

3. OFFENSIVE TACKLE

With the right coaching for Northern Illinois’ Max Scharping, he can be a deadly force in the NFL

Expect the Patriots to at least think about grabbing another offensive tackle to eventually pair with Isaiah Wynn.

The future remains unclear on whether the Patriots will resign Trent Brown but regardless the Patriots will have to choose between either Brown and Wynn or Cannon and Wynn.

Brown will not be cheap to resign and the Patriots will have to take a look at Wynn’s recovery from the Achilles injury that sidelined him this season. Wynn should be ready to go for week one but might see some drawbacks in his game. If Wynn for some reason really does not appear like he should be starting week one, well then, a Greek tragedy arises. A travesty occurs. Shakespeare would call this play Isaiah of Foxboro (Timon of Athens reference).

If Wynn’s health does not seem up to par, that would mean the Patriots would likely have to sign Trent Brown to a huge contract and retain Marcus Cannon’s cap hit as well. Meaning the first round pick would be struggling, the Patriots would pay a king’s ransom, and they would also likely forfeit a potential third round comp pick that they would likely acquire if they let Trent Brown go.

Bottom line is that the Patriots will look at Wynn’s health and likely look to dump either Brown or Cannon. This would inevitably require them to find a tackle that could backup for the meantime and later step into a full role.

The guy to watch out for here is Max Scharping. His draft stock entirely depends on his combine and Pro day. He could end up falling anywhere between rounds one through four depending on his combine and Pro day. Assuming he falls a bit, he would be a perfect developmental player for New England. Max is someone who could end up starting for them for a long time under Scarnecchia’s influence and guidance.

Brady’s at his best when spreading the ball around

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Who’s the Best Receiver? The Open One

Throughout Tom Brady’s illustrious career he’s always had the ability to find the open receiver, which is always the best option.

The Patriots played the lowly Jets on Sunday, a team that was depleted, and about to fire their Head Coach. Tom Brady looked sharp throughout the game, hitting four different players for TD passes. Phillip Dorsett and Chris Hogan saw an uptick in playing time and targets.

Brady’s Best Option In The Playoffs

The month of January has usually been dominated by Rob Gronkowski. Gronk has not seen his usual targets this season, but now it’s crunch time. He is the NFLs all time leader in targets (111), receiving yards (972) and TDs (12) by a Tight End in the postseason. He’s still a dangerous weapon for the Patriots when targeted.

The Patriots offense in 2018 has looked quite different then what fans are accustomed to. Tom Brady albeit against the Jets showed a glimpse of what’s to come in the playoffs. The key is to get back to what makes him great, spreading the ball around and getting guys involved early.

It’s Time For Everyone’s Best

The loss of Josh Gordon has now opened the door for Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan and Patterson. Hogan had 11 targets last week and was an overthrown ball by Brady from having a TD as well. Gronkowski didn’t see many targets again, but he showed everyone he still has gas left in the tank. One player to keep you’re eye on is Phillip Dorsett, he took a backseat when Gordon came to New England. The wide receiver now has a chance to be a big part of a super bowl run. He’s caught 16 passes on 16 targets since October, now that Gordon is gone Dorsett should be seeing more looks from Brady. TB12’s passer rating when throwing to Dorsettt is 120.1 and now the WR is in line for more action.

Super Bowl Bound

The running backs are also a major part of the passing game, each RB can take it to the house, or catch passes from anywhere on the field. Brady may not have all pro weapons at his disposal, but that’s never stopped the Patriots before. The collection of players at his disposal could make it back to the Super Bowl once again.

My personal thoughts on this offense-spread the football around to everyone, get Gronk involved early. The Patriots Dynasty is far from dead. January is New England’s month, and in February anything is possible.

Brady and New England’s Offense on Fire

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Patriots Offense Coming Together

New England started 2018 without Julian Edelman and Tom Brady had some new faces to get used to. With injuries and Edelman’s absence, the Patriot offense didn’t start off so hot. Since Week 4, New England’s offense has really picked up the pace, and they are looking to get even better.

Patriots Offense has picked up since Edelman’s return

Weeks 1-3 compared to weeks 4-7, New England’s Offense has seen a major uptick in production. Points per game jumped from 19.0 to 39.3. These Patriots have lead the NFL in this category since week 4. Total yards per game have jumped from 300.0 to 467.7, pass yards per game are also up 202.3 to 303.8.

Sony Michel and James White are key pieces as well, rushing yards per game have gone up from 97.0 to 138.3 since Week 4. Offensive numbers are all up compared to weeks 1-3 and offensive touchdowns are also number 1 in the NFL Weeks 4-7 at 17. New England is playing on a different level lately and it is a group effort.

Everyone In the Offense Doing Their Part

New England’s offense is starting to come together. Josh Gordon loves it here, and he’s quickly earned Tom Brady’s trust. Brady said it takes receivers years to understand this offense, and he is very impressed with Gordon. Phillip Dorsett and Julian Edelman have been a big part of Gordon’s success thus far along with Brady. Everyone is doing their part for the team and it shows on Sundays.

(Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Since the NFL merger, only four teams have been able to score 38 points in four straight games, the Patriots are now the fifth team. New England joins the 2014 Cowboys, the 2004 Colts, 2000 Rams and the 1998 Vikings. Brady and the 2006/2007 offense did it, but it was the final game of the 06 season and the first 3 games of the 2007 season so it’s not technically four straight games. Any time you are comparing numbers with the Patriots of 2007, something great has to be going on.

James White has been great like usual, and is on pace to break a couple records this year. White is on pace for 103 catches which would break Matt Forte’s single season record for receptions by a running back. He is also on pace to break Charlie Taylor’s record of 12 receiving touchdown’s with 14. A record that has stood since 1966.

New England will look to continue this offensive production against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. Rob Gronkowski is still questionable for the game, as the Patriots try to distance themselves in the AFC East.

Those Pesky Gronk Rumors Explained

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The Value of a Rumor in the NFL

As we head into the beginning of the NFL season news broke that star tight end Rob Gronkowski attempted to discourage the New England Patriots from trading him. On the surface and out of context this would seem to play into the big bad, evil image of Bill Belichick. The problem with rumors in the football world is that they come out in dribs and drabs. The Gronk rumors appear to come out of the end of a long offseason drama series. And the Patriots attempted to nail down what his plans were for the upcoming season. Let’s take a look at each rumor in chronological order and see if the entire picture makes anymore sense.

Rumor #1: After the Super Bowl loss Rob Gronkowski contemplated retirement.

This is understandable looking back. He was coming off serious back surgery that ended his 2016 season. Gronk injured his groin in Week 2 that no doubt lingered for multiple weeks. The frustration over penalties culminated in the body slamming incident of Bill’s cornerback White. His suspension in Week 14 was an unpleasant punishment. Then the normal aches and pains that an NFL player goes through each week in order to suit up. And a concussion in the AFC Championship game. Reaching the Super Bowl and playing a spectacular game only to fall in the end. Elite athletes that put it all on the line to achieve their ultimate goal understandably suffer a severe letdown in the immediate aftermath.

Rumor #2: Rob Gronkowski was angling for a new deal.

Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end in the NFL. Full Stop. His contract is not paying him like that. The team and the player have been locked in negotiations for several years to come up with inventive solutions to rectify this. The team of course could cave and give Gronk’s camp everything they want and be completely unprotected and set a dangerous precedent. They don’t do this for anyone. They will continue to be tough negotiators in order to get the best deals for the team. A little sweetener, such as what he received after training camp was nearly done may have headed this off, or it may have not.

Rumor #3: Patriots quietly attempted to trade Gronk heading into the draft.

The bizarre press conference in late April with Gronkowski appearing in dirt bike uniform, standing at a podium talking about his biking skills. Rumors of a wrestling career, acting career and no clear statement from the tight end that he was preparing for a 2018 season came to a head. Belichick clearly believes in attempting to get the most value out of an asset if it’s good for the team. The antics of the player may have been wearing on the front office. And prompted them to reach out to some organizations in order to gauge interest and prices. According to news reports, the 49ers, Lions and Titans were all involved. This make sense as they either have ties to the Patriots or have been recently been involved in quiet deals.

Rumor #4: Gronk makes his announcement.

Then the news that broke on Sunday just prior to the 2018 season that Gronk “protested strongly” any potential trade. This was accompanied by a powwow between the player, his agent and Patriots brass. Then on April 24th Gronkowski posted on his Instagram feed that he was coming back to the Patriots for the 2018 season. I’m sure the details regarding his involvement were all worked out ahead of time. Including his absences from voluntary team practices and his attendance at the mandatory ones. The result was that after a full participation in training camp and a healthy mindset, they inked a new set of incentives designed to give him up to a potential $4+ million dollars more.

Rumors and reports floating around breaking at different times during the offseason. Many times weeks or months after the actual events, it creates confusion. What is clear is that the franchise cornerstone is healthy, and ready to go. I’m sure there may be more rumors and hearsays in the months following another successful season. Just remember that these are business people and adults that all have a common goals. I’m going to ignore any more rumors and look to great games this season and a hopeful sixth championship at the end.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32

Jacob Hollister’s Opportunity

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“That’s where a lot of players, I’d say almost all players make a big jump—whether that is reflective in their status on the field, that’s another question. But just from a development as a football player, that second year is a big year. It’s a great opportunity for them to take that first-year knowledge that they don’t have as a rookie and be able to apply it in their job now.”

Bill Belichick.

The head coach of the New England Patriots often stresses the importance of making sure that a player is constantly progressing in his skill set and evolving his talents. A player’s biggest jump will be from year one to year two, BB is credited with saying. Many reasons factor into this. Familiarity in the system, a normal player off-season, NFL quality nutrition and strength training, among others.

Opportunity

On the Patriots there is one individual poised to make the most of his opportunity. He is part of a future trivia question: what team had not one, but two sets of twins on its roster and what season? The answer is the New England Patriots and the 2018 offseason. Time will tell if all four of them make the team. But Devin McCourty is a lock, and his brother Jason is not too far behind him. The other twins are a little more obscure. Cody Hollister is a wide receiver who spent his rookie year on the practice squad. His roster spot is always tenuous. The competition for the wide receivers will be fierce during training camp. His brother has a much clearer path.

Making the Most of It

Jacob Hollister already beat out one NFLer for a roster spot his rookie season. Late in camp last year, Jacob won the third tight end spot after the team cut James O’Shaughnessy. Hollister saw action sparingly as Gronk stayed healthy and Dwayne Allen contributed as a good blocker all season long. Tallying only 4 catches for 42 yards, his rookie season was still a valuable learning experience. He is showing up in offseason activities ready to compete.

The Skill Set

The Patriots have him listed at 239 pounds and 6’4″. The reviews from around the latest mini camp are that he has added some really good weight. He worked with Kevin Boss in Oregon to increase his skills as an in-line blocker. The increased familiarity of the system will aid him in his quest for a covered NFL roster spot. He seemed to take advantage of Gronk’s decision to sit out voluntary activities and put himself at the head of the pack heading into training camp.

“I think it’s just becoming reliable and earn the trust of your teammates,” Hollister said. “Obviously, you’ve got to earn the trust of your quarterback and earn the trust of everyone on the team, really.”

And he’s obviously been reading the Patriots manual on talking to the media as well.

The Mission

Carving a role for Hollister is key to making the roster for his sophomore season. Backing up Gronk and being a viable option for three TE sets will go a long way in keeping the offense balanced and the formations complex. The key to this is his blocking ability. If he proves that he can hold his own against the professionals on defense, he’s a lock for the third tight end spot at least. And should Gronk or Allen miss extended time at all, we could hearing his name a lot more this season.