Tim Wright, Brandon LaFell give Patriots key versatility

Last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs set off a hailstorm of criticism and doomsday predictions for the New England Patriots, and one of the few bright spots was Brandon LaFell, who, unlike the rest of his teammates, wasn’t thoroughly dominated by the Chiefs. In fact, he put up a very impressive line with six receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns, showing off the physicality and playmaking ability that once made him a sleeper prospect. A strong blocker who was expected by some to take on the Aaron Hernandez role in the offense, LaFell couldn’t quite replicate that performance last night, as he was an afterthought in the team’s impressive turn-around victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, hauling in just one pass for 20 yards on four targets.

No. 2 tight end Tim Wright was the main piece the Patriots acquired in the infamous Logan Mankins trade, and, at the time, the Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers both knew the potential Wright held. So why did the Bucs trade him? Well, they have a better, younger TE in Austin Seferian-Jenkins and also signed Brandon Myers in the offseason, while they had absolutely nothing at guard. Meanwhile, the Patriots unwisely sacrificed the health of their interior but at least ended up with a potentially important pass-catcher and cap space to re-sign the likes of Devin McCourty down the road.

More from NFL

Wright, unfortunately, was a complete non-factor in his first four games with the Patriots, catching a meager four passes for 35 yards in his first four appearances with the team. However, Wright looked even better last night than he did in a solid 2013 season with the Buccaneers, forming a dangerous partnership with Rob Gronkowski at TE. So versatile that he’s clearly more of a slot-type player than a TE (you might as well call him a big, athletic slot wideout), Wright caught five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown, as Tom Brady did not throw a single incomplete pass when targeting the 24-year-old Rutgers product.

When looking at the Patriots group of pass-catchers, the thing that stands out the most is their versatility. While the Pats don’t have a dominant playmaker outside of Rob Gronkowski, their calling card is the ability to mix-and-match based on opponent and formation. This is a big reason why Brady’s struggles can be exacerbated by pressure or inexperienced route-runners, because the Patriot offense inherently relies on timing and communication to take advantage of matchups, strengths and weaknesses, and the like. There’s a reason why Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman are mainstays even when Brady struggles; he always knows where these guys are.

I’m not ready to declare Wright as a future mainstay in the Patriots offense, but that was an incredibly encouraging display. Tight ends are a quarterback’s best friend due to their usual reliability (they are big targets), and Wright certainly showed that reliability yesterday.

LaFell was dubbed as a possible “fix” for the “joker” TE role next to Gronk in the Patriots offense, but I think the Pats will use him differently. Based on what we saw yesterday, Wright has clearly established himself in that “flex” role at TE, and that’s probably how the Patriots envisioned things when they acquired him. But the Patriots also gave LaFell a heftier contract than expected for a reason, and it goes beyond his elite blocking ability at the WR position. He’s clearly the most physical wideout on the team, and he can win matchups on the outside against bigger corners. Teams are looking to get bigger and more physical at CB, so why not add a WR who can match that? LaFell certainly matched the Chiefs physical secondary last week, and the Patriots know they can play him by matchup.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Kenbrell Thompkins was released after LaFell’s breakout game; he gives them something more unique in the offense, as he is more physical and has more playmaking ability on the outside. Thompkins was a nice possession guy, but LaFell brings more benefits to the table for the Patriots offense than simply moving the chains.

Home/NFL