Fix It In 2020

[YankeeRebel]

According to WALTERS, these are the best TEs available in the 2020 NFL Draft. Are any better than what the Patriots have today??

1. Jared Pinkney, TE, Vanderbilt
   Height: 6-4. Weight: 260.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.67.
   Projected Round (2020): 1-3.
   1/4/20: In 2019, Pinkney had 20 receptions for 233 yards and two touchdowns. A struggling passing attack held him back all season.
   
   8/17/19: Pinkney was a very good tight end for Vanderbilt in 2018 and one of the most dangerous receiving tight ends in college football. He hauled in 50 passes for 774 yards and seven touchdowns in a breakout season. Pinkney made a big improvement in production from 2017 (22-279-3) and 2016 (22-274-2). He has a good combination of quickness, size and athleticism. While being a receiving mismatch, Pinkney also contributes some as a blocker.
   
2. Albert Okwuegbunam*, TE, Missouri
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 260.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
   Projected Round (2020): 2-3.
   1/4/20: In 2019, Okwuegbunam caught 26 passes for 306 yards and six touchdowns. He is a mismatch weapon for the passing game, but his receiving production was hurt in 2019 by losing Drew Lock to the NFL and having Kelly Bryant replace Lock. Okwuegbunam's blocking looks somewhat improved year over year. Overall, his blocking is average for a receiving tight end. While Okwuegbunam is not a cowardly blocker like some receiving tight ends, Okwuegbunam lacks physicality and doesn't block to his size.
   
   8/17/19: Okwuegbunam was one of the most dangerous mismatch weapons in college football during 2018, even though Missouri did not always utilize him. When the Tigers did use him, he produced big plays for them via his speed to get down the seam and his size to wall off defenders or make catches over them when they were able to keep him from getting separation. In 2018, he had 43 receptions for 466 yards with six touchdowns. He also missed the last four games with a shoulder injury. Some team sources said that Okwuegbunam is not a bad guy, but he is high maintenance for his coaches.
   
   
   
3. Colby Parkinson*, TE, Stanford
   Height: 6-7. Weight: 240.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
   Projected Round (2020): 2-4.
   1/4/20: Parkinson made 48 catches for 589 yards and a touchdown in 2019. He dealt with an injury to starting quarterback K.J. Costello.
   
   
   
4. Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 239.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.60.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   1/4/20: Bryant was one of the top receiving tight ends in 2019, recording 52 receptions for 825 yards and three touchdowns. In the NFL, Bryant will have to be a rotational receiving tight end as he doesn't have size to be a three-down tight end who contributes as a blocker.
   
   
5. Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
   Height: 6-6. Weight: 251.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   1/4/20: On the year, Trautman had 70 receptions for 916 yards and 14 touchdowns. He earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
   
   
   
6. Matt Bushman, TE, BYU
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 245.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   1/4/20: Bushman had 47 catches for 688 yards and four touchdowns in 2019.
   
   
7. Jacob Breeland, TE, Oregon
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 248.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.76.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   1/4/20: In 2019, Breeland totaled 26 receptions for 405 yards and six scores.
   
   8/17/19: Breeland was a quality receiving tight end in 2018. The junior caught 24 passes for 377 yards and two touchdowns on the season. With Justin Herbert returning, Breeland could produce a huge senior year. As a sophomore, Breeland caught 18 passes for 320 yards and five touchdowns.
   
   
8. Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 245.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
   Projected Round (2020): 3-5.
   1/4/20: Hopkins had 61 catches for 830 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019.
   
   
   
9. Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic
   Height: 6-5. Weight: 240.
   Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
   Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
   1/4/20: Bryant recorded 65 receptions for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
   
10. 
    
11. Sean McKeon, TE, Michigan
    Height: 6-5. Weight: 246.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.78.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    1/4/20: McKeon did not have a prolific 2019 as a receiver, but he played well enough to earn a roster spot at the Senior Bowl. McKeon had 13 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns on the year. His best season for receiving production came as a sophomore with 31 catches for 301 yards and three scores. McKeon could gain some strength and get consideration as a Y - blocking - tight end in the NFL.
    
    
12. Stephen Sullivan, TE, LSU
    Height: 6-4. Weight: 250.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.80.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    1/4/20: Sullivan was able to get a Senior Bowl invitation despite not having a big season of production. Entering the National Championship, Sullivan has 12 receptions for 130 yards, but as a junior, he caught 23 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns. With Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and others it can be hard to get targets, but Sullivan played well enough to have the opportunity to impress team evaluators in Mobile.
    
    
13. Charlie Taumoepeau, TE, Portland State
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 240.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.68.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    1/4/20: Taumoepeau had 36 receptions for 474 yards and two touchdowns in 2019.
    
    8/17/19: Taumoepeau is a small-school prospect who made it on NFL teams' preseason watch lists. He is an undersized receiving tight end, but he has been productive, including a 2017 season in which he snatched 45 passes for 673 yards and three touchdowns. In 2018, Taumoepeau had 28 catches for 580 yards and five scores.
    
    
14. Josiah Deguara, TE, Cincinnati
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 240.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    1/4/20: Deguara is an undersized tight end for the NFL, but he has some h-back potential and was a dangerous receiver for the Bearcats in 2019. Deguara was a red-zone weapon, showing a nose for the end zone and ability to score. He had 39 receptions for 504 yards and seven scores. With his strong senior season as a receiver, Deguara earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl.
    
    
15. Jared Rice, TE, Fresno State
    Height: 6-5. Weight: 230.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.72.
    Projected Round (2020): 4-6.
    1/4/20: Rice had 32 catches in 2019, totaling 307 yards and four touchdowns.
    
    8/17/19: Rice was a productive receiving tight end for Fresno State in 2018, hauling in 55 receptions for 664 yards and three touchdowns. That was a big jump in production compared to his 2017 season of 22 receptions for 388 yards and two touchdowns. Scouts added him to their preseason watch lists for the 2020 NFL Draft. Rice could use more weight and strength as a blocker for the NFL.
    
    
16. Matthew Wilkerson, TE, Edward Waters
    Height: 6-6. Weight: 270.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.80.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    1/4/20: Wilkerson is a small-school sleeper who has generated some buzz in the scouting community. For Edwards Waters, Wilkerson showed off a good skill set and played both ways at tight end and defensive end. Wilkerson is said to have good quickness and athleticism to go along with his excellent size. It sounds like Wilkerson will compete at tight end for the NFL. If Wilkerson has a strong performance in an all-star game, he could rise in the leadup to the 2020 NFL Draft.
    
    
17. Devin Asiasi*, TE, UCLA
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 279.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.82.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    1/4/20: In 2019, Asiasi had 44 receptions for 641 yards and four touchdowns. He started out his collegiate career at Michigan before transferring to UCLA. Asiasi should have returned to UCLA for his senior year.
    
    
    
18. Mitchell Wilcox, TE, South Florida
    Height: 6-4. Weight: 245.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.75.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    1/4/20: Wilcox totaled 28 catches for 350 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. Some team sources say that Wilcox could be a Tyler Higbee-type tight end if he manages to stick in the NFL. Multiple sources are projecting Wilcox to the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft.
    
    
    
19. Charlie Woerner, TE, Georgia
    Height: 6-5. Weight: 245.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.68.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    1/4/20: Woerner had nine catches for 78 yards in 2019.
    
    8/17/19: Woerner had 11 receptions for 148 yards in 2018. That came off after little production in 2017 (9-100) and 2016 (5-50). Woerner still made it onto NFL teams' preseason watch lists.
    
    
20. Grant Calcaterra*, TE, Oklahoma
    Height: 6-4. Weight: 221.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.67.
    Projected Round (2020): 5-7.
    1/4/20: Calcaterra notched five catches for 79 yards in 2019. He missed game action with an undisclosed injury.
    
    
    
21. Rashod Berry*, TE, Ohio State
    Height: 6-6. Weight: 250.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
    Projected Round (2020): 6-FA.
    1/4/20: Berry had two catches for 20 yards in 2019. He missed a lot of time with an injury.
    
    
22. Luke Farrell*, TE, Ohio State
    Height: 6-6. Weight: 250.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
    Projected Round (2020): 6-FA.
    1/4/20: In 2019, Farrell made seven catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
    
    
    
23. Bryce Wolma*, TE, Arizona
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 252.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.79.
    Projected Round (2020): 6-FA.
    1/4/20: Wolma had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in 2019.
    
    8/17/19: Wolma had a solid 2017 season with 28 receptions for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He totaled five catches for 69 yards in 2018, but Arizona anticipates him having a bigger role as a junior.
    
    
24. Cheyenne O'Grady, TE, Arkansas
    Height: 6-4. Weight: 251.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.74.
    Projected Round (2020): 7-FA.
    1/4/20: In 2019, O'Grady notched 33 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns. Team sources say they gave him a late-round and free agent grades.
    
    8/17/19: O'Grady went under the radar in the SEC playing for a bad team, but he produced well as a junior given his circumstance, totaling 30 receptions for 400 yards and six touchdowns. He made NFL teams' preseason watch lists.
    
    
25. Daniel Imatorbhebhe, TE, USC
    Height: 6-4. Weight: 250.
    Projected 40 Time: 4.80.
    Projected Round (2020): 7-FA.
    1/4/20: Imatorbhebhe did not play in 2019.
    
    8/17/19: Imatorbhebhe missed the 2018 season due to a hip injury. He flashed as a freshman with 17 receptions for 250 yards and four touchdowns. His second season didn't go as planned because of his hip injury, which extended into the spring of 2018. Imatorbhebhe started out his collegiate career at Florida before transferring to the Trojans.
    

I thought Kmet from ND was coming out?

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

Belichick manages the cap exceptionally well. The Pats have a solid amount of cap space and the potential to add a lot more. The cap will not hinder the Pats from re-signing Brady, nor will Brady’s cap hit if he’s re-signed hinder the team from making other needed moves.

 

[Southieinnc]

Release Sanu and Harry....


Or is there any hope for these 2?

I have high hopes for both of them.

 

[redseat]

I have high hopes for both of them.

Hope's for sure. Expectations not so much

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Does anyone think BB also playing defacto DC this year had anything to do with the offensive struggles?

The D didn't have many issues.

Wade Phillips is available.

 

[Shoeshine Boy]

I thought Kmet from ND was coming out?

He is. Weird WF didn't have him on their list for either 2020 or 2021.

I also wonder whether he might not go off the board before 23?

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Does anyone think BB also playing defacto DC this year had anything to do with the offensive struggles?

The D didn't have many issues.

Wade Phillips is available.

Nah.
I think Mayo will do fine.

We may need an OC though.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Nah.
I think Mayo will do fine.

We may need an OC though.

Agreed.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Agreed.

Oh I agree. I had no issues with Mayo however very BB-Like he wasn't given the title of DC. So how much say did he really have?

We should know shortly if NE will need a new OC or not?

 

[redseat]

Does anyone think BB also playing defacto DC this year had anything to do with the offensive struggles?

The D didn't have many issues.

Wade Phillips is available.

I don't think so. BB can't block and catch the ball and run the correct routes.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

I don't think so. BB can't block and catch the ball and run the correct routes.

I'm just curious if he spent too much time working defensive issues?

 

[redseat]

I'm just curious if he spent too much time working defensive issues?

Possible. He might have figured Brady would get the offense into shape as well

 

[BigKen]

2020 will be a pitch and putt year.

There are two potential starting OL on IR and both could fill what will be huge holes. Thuney is gone. There's just no way that BB will belly up to the bar and pay him between $15M-$18M a year. The ideal thing would be to move Wynn to LG and sign an experienced LT for reasonable money. Here are few LT that I think BB could bring in and play immediately because they've all played in the NFL and all are looking for new teams..

Kevin Beachum 30 $8M (2019)
Jason Peters 38 $6M "
George Fant 28 $3M "
Chris Clark 34 $1M "
Dakota Dozier 29 $835K
Cornelius Lucas 29 $815K

Beachum might be looking for that monster final contract, but the others have played and have experience. It would be worth having cheap vets until the final cuts and create some competition in camp.

A position that no one seems to think is a problem is RB. I think it's a huge problem. The Patriots were in the Red Zone twice against the Titans and both times were inside the five and could not punch the ball into the end zone. They had six plays that were run and five were running plays. two were for no gain and three lost yardage. That pretty much put the second half of the season in a nutshell that said that Brady didn't think that the WRs could catch the ball or get open. That's another problem because that shows a bad attitude by Brady and by Josh McDaniels. That lack of confidence might have been the difference between winning and losing a lot of games. Like my wife says, "It's Over." learn from what went wrong and do something, anything to at least ""TRY"" to fix it. Which brings us back to the spring of 2019 when this team didn't appar to need much to fix. The few things that it did need were totally ignored. TE and LT were evident holes that were not addressed in FA or the Draft. Isaih Wynn was already given the job and he got hurt. That lack of planning was as much a problem at the beginning of the season as it was at the end.

The problem facing this team now is that there may be too many problems and addressing them all will be one more problem.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Oh I agree. I had no issues with Mayo however very BB-Like he wasn't given the title of DC. So how much say did he really have?

We should know shortly if NE will need a new OC or not?

Very BB like to groom him and at the same time shield him for excess scrutiny.

 

[BigKen]

Great piece by Mike Reiss. Odds of 11 Free Agents returning to the Patriots next year....

Breaking down the odds of 11 key Patriots free agents returning

 

[Rex Racer]

Does anyone think BB also playing defacto DC this year had anything to do with the offensive struggles?

The D didn't have many issues.

Wade Phillips is available.

I'd be OK with Wade at DC. He prefers a fast, attacking defense and so do I.

The offense struggled because the O-line was pathetic and the was before David Andrews career was derailed. Thuney and Andrews were holding up their end of the bargain, but Marcus Cannon regressed badly, Newhouse is/was and always will be a turnstile that scares no one and not having Gronk (or any other TE that could block) was a serious problem as well.

Brady has done well in the past with mediocre, no name receivers, but he had awesome offensive lines that gave him time and an all world, healthy slot receiver for a safety valve. This year he was getting his ass kicked and Edelman, while still very good, had shoulder, knee and rib injuries that affect his quickness, consistency and clutch level. My understanding is that Julian will have shoulder and knee surgery about two weeks apart in the very near future.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

I'd be OK with Wade at DC. He prefers a fast, attacking defense and so do I.

The offense struggled because the O-line was pathetic and the was before David Andrews career was derailed. Thuney and Andrews were holding up their end of the bargain, but Marcus Cannon regressed badly, Newhouse is/was and always will be a turnstile that scares no one and not having Gronk (or any other TE that could block) was a serious problem as well.

Brady has done well in the past with mediocre, no name receivers, but he had awesome offensive lines that gave him time and an all world, healthy slot receiver for a safety valve. This year he was getting his ass kicked and Edelman, while still very good, had shoulder, knee and rib injuries that affect his quickness, consistency and clutch level. My understanding is that Julian will have shoulder and knee surgery about two weeks apart in the very near future.

This kind of goes off topic.
I don't disagree with you but there were ample times Brady had plenty of time and missed receivers by a country mile.

I just wonder if BB had been the OC ( we know that wouldn't ever happen) but would he have aquired different players on the offense?

 

[Rex Racer]

This kind of goes off topic.
I don't disagree with you but there were ample times Brady had plenty of time and missed receivers by a country mile.

I just wonder if BB had been the OC ( we know that wouldn't ever happen) but would he have aquired different players on the offense?

TB had his issues for sure, a foot injury and tendinitis in his throwing elbow that we know of. I wish I had a solid count on how many times Brady started to drop back and had the throw the ball down to avoid the sack and death. Those count as incomplete passes and skew his comp % a bit. I don't think I'm out of line remembering 20 of them at least ovr the course of the season. Certainly more than I'd ever seen from him.

Another issue I had was McDaniels' play calling at times. I know he had shit for an O-line and Sony Michel is not a beast like Henry, but it just seems like too many called plays were too cute by a half given the situation.

 

[BigKen]

I know that this has been previously posted but I couldn't find it so I figured I'd stick it here...

Patriots 2020 Draft Picks

- 1st round (own)
- 3rd round (own)
- 3rd round (projected compensatory pick: Trey Flowers)
- 3rd round (projected compensatory pick: Trent Brown)
- 4th round (via Chicago Bears)
- 6th round (via Houston Texans: Keion Crossen trade)
- 6th round (via Denver Broncos: Duke Dawson trade)
- 6th round (projected compensatory pick: Malcolm Brown)
- 6th round (projected compensatory pick: Cordarrelle Patterson)
- 7th round (via Seattle Seahawks)
- 7th round (via Falcons)
- 7th round (via Philadelphia Eagles)

 

[cheerupcharlie]

At first it didn’t bother me when we traded our 2nd rounder for Sanu. I thought he would really excel here. Boy was I wrong. And when I see that list of our draft picks and no 2nd rounder, it kills me.