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Archives for September 3, 2018

Breaking Down Patriots’ New Waiver Receivers

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With two open roster spots and just three wide receivers on the initial roster, it was little surprise that the Patriots signed two wideouts off the waiver wire. Chad Hansen and Amara Darbo are both second-year receivers who had nine catches as rookies with their respective teams.

Can we count on either to step in and contribute? The track record for in-season receivers is pretty poor outside of Jabar Gaffney in 2006.

Neither name has the sexiness of a Dez Bryant, but both are clearly Patriots-type receivers. Let’s take a quick look at them both.

Amara Darbo

A third-round pick by the Seahawks out of Michigan, Darbo’s best trait is his size and toughness. At 6’2″ with good arm length, Darbo is willing to do the dirty work even if he isn’t the fastest or quickest receiver. Usually that kind of player screams special teams and he did play a third of the Seahawks ST snaps last season.

The biggest concern with Darbo is his hands, with PFF making an apt comparison to Brandon LaFell in Darbo’s scouting report. That tells you what kind of fit he is and that he’ll likely looked at more on the outside at first, a spot where he’ll be behind Dorsett and Hogan.

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Patriots Set Initial Practice Squad

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It’s important to remember that everything is fluid at this time of year, and really for most of the season. The Patriots never stop churning at the bottom of their roster, bringing guys in, sending guys out, recycling those same guys a week or two later. Roster building is never done, but they have to start somewhere so here’s the initial 2018 practice squad and some notes on each player.

Danny Etling — As expected the Patriots hung on to the rookie quarterback who will now be best known for his long preseason touchdown scamper against the Giants. I’ll say this all year: the Patriots should bring in any quarterback that they can. Finding Tom Brady’s eventual successor doesn’t have to be neatly tied up in a high-round-pick bow. It could come from anywhere so it’s important to not only keep Etling, but to stay vigilant for any quarterback who might blossom with the team.

Vincent Valentine — My favorite keep of the practice squad, Valentine was coming on as a rookie before losing his sophomore season to injury. He couldn’t quite crack the 53 with Shelton, Brown and Guy the top interior space eaters in front of him, but he could be needed in a pinch and will be a good player to continue to develop with some uncertainty next year (Brown and Shelton will be free agents).

Ralph Webb — The undrafted rookie running back had a sparkling debut the first week of the preseason and then wasn’t heard from much again. The Pats must’ve seen enough to want to continue working with Webb and with a running back corps that has struggled to stay healthy it’s not crazy to imagine Webb joining the team in a Jonas Grey-type capacity for a few games.

Riley McCarron — I have to be honest on McCarron, I have yet to see him really impress me and every opportunity was there this preseason. If he can’t make the roster this year, when the Pats kept just three receivers initially, and instead they chose to find two castoffs from other teams to fill those spots, I’m not sure if he has any kind of long-term potential. It’s good to have a young receiver in the wings but I’m not holding my breath for McCarron to break through in real football games this season, or ever.

Jomal Wiltz — Wiltz is a cornerback that didn’t quite get the love of Crossen or Jackson, but was very much on the coaches’ radar from what I saw at camp. Depth at corner on the roster is outstanding so it would have to be a long climb for Wiltz but you never know where injuries will strike.

Cole Croston — Croston made the roster last year but just missed the cut this year. This was probably due in large part to the holes that had to be filled at wide receiver. But he’s a versatile offensive linemen who could very well be needed to play a role this season. The coaches clearly like him and he could fill in at a number of spots. With just seven OL on the active roster, Croston is a lot closer to playing than just about anyone else on the practice squad.

James Ferentz — Like Croston, Ferentz isn’t all that far from getting called up to game action. He can play center or guard, and behind Ted Karras would be the top option if one of the interior starters gets hurt.

Trent Harris — Harris might’ve made the team if this was 2017, but the remade edge pieces ran six deep this season. Harris was one of the standout scrubs and had a handful of moments in training camp. As we learned last year you can never have too many edge players. Harris can develop behind the scenes and is excellent insurance at a vital position.