2021 NFL Season Thread Football • Page 5

I saw a mock that was Pitts at 15, Mac Jones at 46, and my heart began to flutter

 

I’m begging that Pitts having average blocking makes him slide down to our LAR pick

Should he go in the mid first? Yes, but blocking is the difference between TJ Hockenson and Noah Fant. Fant fell to pick 20. Typically teams want the full package before they take a TE early and it’s common for really good receiving guys to slide.

 

As a receiver, I don’t care at all that Pitts doesn’t have good long speed.

It’s the acceleration that stands out to me. He is so good at separating at the last second with two fuckin huge ostrich long-strides, there is no sluggishness or delay in his burst. Most the game he’s very careful to throttle down and only run his hardest when it’s time to get open. He’s sneaky quick, and creative about lulling defenders to sleep with his routes, even though he probably won’t run a good 40.

When you combine that with being 6’6” and having hands / ball tracking / adjustment skills like that... he’s the kinda guy you cover perfectly through the whole route and then still lose at the catch point. I’m head over heels for Pitts as a receiving TE. That guy will be hard as fuck to stop.

 

I would never take a TE in the top 15

Like, ever

 

Honestly, me neither. I'd have to feel like they were incredibly special and i'd have to have very few if any other holes.

 

I'd absolutely take a TE in the top 15 if that's what I needed. The Pats though? That'd be INCREDIBLY dumb.

 

Tbh, George Kittle should've been a top 15 pick

 

This is kinda where I'm at. We're old EVERYWHERE. Ideally, we're taking a QB in the first, but if not, we need a lot of help everywhere and just spent two picks last year on TE.

 

I feel like it's just a meme at this point. Every year since Gronk got hurt the last time you guys were mocked a TE in the first or second round. Literally every time. It's ABSURD haha

 

This made me happy lol

 

A+ draft.

 

i feel like the whole NFL undervalues TEs

they’re clearly more important now than they’ve ever been

 

A good TE makes a huge difference both in the running and passing game. It’s undeniable.

When you have a guy who can really block especially its like having a 6th OL whenever you want. Giant boost to your rushing attack. Teams with great blocking TE are the ones making average runningbacks look good. Baltimore, San Fran, Pittsburgh, etc now that power spread / read-option oriented offenses are becoming a widespread thing in the NFL, the TE is the glue that holds that system together and keeps your playcalling ambiguous.

 

sure, but how many good receiving TEs are actually an asset blocking wise? Kittle is tremendous at it, Gronk obviously but he is basically on his last legs

and Pitts cannot block, so yeah

 

Good blocking TEs are out there and I’m not just talking about the famous / talented ones. Marcedes Lewis had a lot to do with MJD being so consistent.

to have both excellent receiving AND blocking talent is definitely rare, but that’s why I’d take a guy who has both in the top 15.

 

Is Pitts bad at blocking? I know it’s not his strong suit but he don’t look hopeless on tape. He knows how to use his size / length a lil bit.

 

I would put it in the lower tier of positions I value and as such, wouldn't prioritize it unless I felt very comfortable with my: QB, OL, DL, CB, LB first.

 

Darren Waller, Mark Andrews, Evan Engram, and Noah Fant are good cases for primarily receiving TEs.

Also, Dallas Goedert was knocked a lot for being a weak blocker and he's become one of the better run blocking TEs in the NFL.

 

TE depends entirely on the offense. Like imagine saying TE is a secondary position to Kyle Shanahan. At the same time, imagine saying it's a priority position to Seattle.

It's a weird one for sure because having a mediocre one doesn't affect you that much but having a great one is a complete and total game changer. It's pretty much up to what you wanna do and run. I don't prioritize it that much but I think that getting Pitts would help this offense blow up.

 

Right, that's why I specifically said in terms of what "I" value. I've def seen the perks of having the best all-time Tight End and when it's right, it's right. It's just not what I would prioritize when basically starting from scratch if I were running the Patriots.

 

oh no absolutely not. for you guys i wouldn't even draft one this year anywhere

 

ehhh it’s more fluid than that for me.

There are some years where the mid round options at CB or LB or IDL are incomplete prospects... and I’d take a matchup beating TE who also blocks really well over a CB I’m not totally sold on. If a CB is truly a lockdown CB who also tackles well, I’ll take that CB over any TE... but it just depends. Outside of drafting a QB, DE, or offensive tackle, I’m goin for the rarest skillset.

 

I also agree with @CarpetElf that it really makes sense for us... we have everything else in place weapons-wise but our TEs are garbage. Thats how how we could be giving a new QB better matchup options over the middle of the field

 

Yeah, Chark-Shenault-Pitts is a great group. Plus whatever we throw out in the slot. Wouldn't be upset with a Keelan Cole extension.

 

And James motherfucking Robinson who has just been shocking this year