Babe Laufenberg: Amendola's Made The Team

[InmanRoshi]

Who was Welker until he got to NE?

A guy who led an NFL team in catches in a season and who Belichick had to give up a 2nd round pick for, more than he had to give up to bring in Randy Moss.

jobberone was right when he said the ability to keep 6 WR's depends on injuries. A rash of injuries at a certain position means you have to keep extra numbers elsewhere, and luxories like keeping 6 WRs go out the window. We had to go long at CB last year because of injuries, and we're still going to have to go long at CB because we have so many good young players there. So we're not going to get much relief there. We also cut some corners last year going with 2 QBs (do we bring in Simms when he's released?) and using Fasano as a backup TE and a backup FB. Also, special teams causes a trickle down effect. You could lose a guy like Pat Watkins, and need 2 or 3 roster spots to fill his place as a backup safety and a special teams gunner. Also, we might have to keep an extra ILBs this year if we want to keep Carpenter as a 3rd stringer on the weaksde and still provide Bradie James a strongside ILb backup. There are just too many balls in the air right now to declare a guy, who doesn't look like he'll have any role on special teams unless PacMan isn't returning punts (which would be stupid), as a sure fire roster spot.

 

[theogt]

So, now it's come down to "he won't make the roster IF we have a bunch of injuries."

Gotcha.

 

[TheCount]

What is the comparison between DA and Welker? Who was Welker until he got to NE? He was in Miami wasn't he? The Fins traded him to the best team in the AFC, so they didn;t think it would be all that and a can of pringles.

And what is wrong with having a receiver that has great hands? We could have used one against the Giants!

Don't try to dismiss it like Welker came completely out of nowhere.

The Dolphins and Patriots knew something about what was going on. Don't forge the Dolphins signed him as a FA after he was CUT by the Chargers. They didn't even spend a draft pick on him. They managed to turn that into a 2nd and 7th to the Pats. Shockey was just traded for a 2nd and a 5th, he was a first round pick and had been to four pro bowls.

The Dolphins certainly didn't give Welker away.

 

[pugilist]

the way his TC is going now i doubt he'd last long on the practice squad (i.e. lose him to waivers)

 

[InmanRoshi]

So, now it's come down to "he won't make the roster IF we have a bunch of injuries."

Gotcha.

I don't think he's making the roster regardless, unless he proves he can play special teams.

Still think he's going to beat out Sam Hurd?

 

[Biggems]

This quote isnt coming from some media hack.....it is coming from a former NFL QB, and someone who has been in NFL circles now for 2 decades. Sure he wasn't the greatest of QBs, but he sure as heck knows what an NFL receiver looks like. I will trust Babe's call on this one.

 

[monkey]

A guy who led an NFL team in catches in a season and who Belichick had to give up a 2nd round pick for, more than he had to give up to bring in Randy Moss.

Welker had 67 receptions, 687 yards, and 1 TD that year. So it's kinda like saying she was the prettiest girl at an ugly camp. Not that I don't think Wes isn't pretty in his own way or anything.

And the Randy Moss comparison is apples to oranges in that the Raiders wanted to get rid of the underperforming/undercommitted/negative press that was Moss at the time. Nevertheless, it took 3 years and getting in the perfect offensive system for him for Welker to shine. Can Amendola do the same under similar circumstances? Who the heck knows. But what we do know is that the reports from him at TC have all been positive and we have a lot of question marks past the #1 and #2 receivers. Amendola has a solid shot and we will all have to see how he finishes TC and the preseason.

 

[the kid 05]

Welker had 67 receptions, 687 yards, and 1 TD that year. So it's kinda like saying she was the prettiest girl at an ugly camp. Not that I don't think Wes isn't pretty in his own way or anything.

And the Randy Moss comparison is apples to oranges in that the Raiders wanted to get rid of the underperforming/undercommitted/negative press that was Moss at the time. Nevertheless, it took 3 years and getting in the perfect offensive system for him for Welker to shine. Can Amendola do the same under similar circumstances? Who the heck knows. But what we do know is that the reports from him at TC have all been positive and we have a lot of question marks past the #1 and #2 receivers. Amendola has a solid shot and we will all have to see how he finishes TC and the preseason.

you wanna talk about apples to oranges, your saying Amendola can't produce in this system of ours? where as Welker could have with THAT dolphins team? with out looking who was their starting quarterback? (hint there was more then one, but i'll take any one of the three)

Amendola is put in a position if he makes the team he could put up numbers (not huge gouging numbers like terrell and crayton) but he could put them up

 

[Hoofbite]

Im not sold on Amendola. It would be nice if he would be half of what Welker is but I doubt it.

The only thing that helps his chances to make the team at this point is the departure of TG.

Short of showing supernatural powers, I don't know if he could have provided enough in 2 days to make the team on his own.

 

[YosemiteSam]

guess this is great news.

I think great news would be hearing better things about the player considered the most talented. (Austin)

 

[iceberg]

Im not sold on Amendola. It would be nice if he would be half of what Welker is but I doubt it.

The only thing that helps his chances to make the team at this point is the departure of TG.

Short of showing supernatural powers, I don't know if he could have provided enough in 2 days to make the team on his own.

so far i like the kid but i don't get the facination people have with having to compare a FA to an established vet WR who's proven himself. ok, so they're both white and have good hands. if amendola were a definate welker i'd think he'd have been drafted.

but he wasn't. it's now the fad to have a "welker" on the team so we must have ours. white. check. hands. check.

done!

i'll wait to see before i go that far. i've just seen too many hyped up players that were supposed to be the next great whoever that fell short. us wanting it to happen and getting the simple "oh look!" comparison are seldom enough to make it true.

 

[theogt]

I don't think he's making the roster regardless, unless he proves he can play special teams.

Still think he's going to beat out Sam Hurd?

No, I never said I thought he'd beat out Sam Hurd. But based on what I saw last year from Hurd I wouldn't have a problem cutting him. Since Terry's gone, there's no need to cut either.

 

[AsthmaField]

so far i like the kid but i don't get the facination people have with having to compare a FA to an established vet WR who's proven himself. ok, so they're both white and have good hands. if amendola were a definate welker i'd think he'd have been drafted.

Welker is most definately Welker... and he wasn't drafted either.

That's a lot of people's point: Welker wasn't Welker until a couple of seasons after he came out of Tech.

Who knows about Amendola at this point? The guy had 109 catches last season, so he can play football... it remains to be seen if he can do so in the NFL.

 

[theebs]

here is laufenberg on amendola.

http://www.4shared.com/file/56813625/ff9d57a7/the_score_727_amendola.html?dirPwdVerified=a4754a2

 

[tomson75]

so far i like the kid but i don't get the facination people have with having to compare a FA to an established vet WR who's proven himself. ok, so they're both white and have good hands. if amendola were a definate welker i'd think he'd have been drafted.

but he wasn't. it's now the fad to have a "welker" on the team so we must have ours. white. check. hands. check.

done!

i'll wait to see before i go that far. i've just seen too many hyped up players that were supposed to be the next great whoever that fell short. us wanting it to happen and getting the simple "oh look!" comparison are seldom enough to make it true.

:bang2: :bang2:

How many times to people have to correct this?

 

[iceberg]

:bang2: :bang2:

How many times to people have to correct this?

apparantly one more.

now while you're bashing your head correcting things, if amendola were black, would he still be compared to welker?

 

[AsthmaField]

apparantly one more.

now while you're bashing your head correcting things, if amendola were black, would he still be compared to welker?

I would hope so, if everything else were the way it is. Short, not particularly fast but very quick. Great hands, big heart and plenty of football smarts, plus he went to T. Tech.

If the guy had that, then he is very similar to Welker, regardless of skin color.

 

[tomson75]

apparantly one more.

now while you're bashing your head correcting things, if amendola were black, would he still be compared to welker?

Perhaps if he played the same style, went to the same school, played the same positions, had very similar stats in college at said school, had told the media that he spent countless hours studying tape of Welker....yeah, I guess its' possible.

There are more than two reasons why he's compared to Welker. People insist on bring up color and size as the only reason, and its simply not true. Is there a reason that he should be compared to someone else? Someone he didnt' model his game after?

That being said, the Welker comparison in beyond old, and I wish it would go away. Unfortunately, I doubt that will happen until he either succeeds or fails.

 

[iceberg]

I would hope so, if everything else were the way it is. Short, not particularly fast but very quick. Great hands, big heart and plenty of football smarts, plus he went to T. Tech.

If the guy had that, then he is very similar to Welker, regardless of skin color.

yea, i just think the skin color helps all the other aspects to the comparison.

so far i love what i hear from the kid. but we've got a tight WR race and that's funny for some people who are so worked up over the position. for welk...amendola to make the team that would cost us austin or stanback. if we sign a vet, both could be gone or we go 6 deep at the position.

we've built up enough talent to where losing people can hurt us and help others now. great place to be in but sucks at times as well.

i'm likely blowing this out of proportion and need to just chill out on it. i just tend to dig a bit deeper on things and bypass "the obvious" when i can. but like you say, there's more to it then that.

good reminder.

 

[iceberg]

Perhaps if he played the same style, went to the same school, played the same positions, had very similar stats in college at said school, had told the media that he spent countless hours studying tape of Welker....yeah, I guess its' possible.

There are more than two reasons why he's compared to Welker. People insist on bring up color and size as the only reason, and its simply not true. Is there a reason that he should be compared to someone else? Someone he didnt' model his game after?

That being said, the Welker comparison in beyond old, and I wish it would go away. Unfortunately, I doubt that will happen until he either succeeds or fails.

well i said white and hands. i left off the rest. : ) like you i'm just tired of the comparision and venting, so vent away back at me - i know where you're coming from.

i wish a lot of retired topics would go away but they don't. so i just dive in quickly, reply to a couple of topics and hibernate elsewhere for more casual convo i like on boards. when a site is this big/popular the obvious and redundant just seems to dominate and wear me out.