We got JuJu!

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TommyD420 said:
Last 2 healthy seasons, 75% Catch Rate and 77% Catch rate, both higher than Meyers ever had.

Smith-Schuster - 4.51 40
Jakobi Meyers - 4.67 40

Literally what are are you even talking about?

He's a slight upgrade over Meyers for the same money. That's all I'm saying, but to sit here and pretend he's worse in the face of objective facts...literally what?
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Pre Mahomes his catch rate was:
53%, 75%, 60%, 66%.
So no, he does not have better hands than Meyers. And had 2 straight years averaging only 8 yards per catch which is terrible.

Both are not fast players. But Meyers was able to have the same yards per catch without the YAC. That’s not a bad thing. Meyers’ was also much more durable (probably related to the YAC topic)
 
SkiptoMyLou said:
Ugh. I hate Juju.

Is he really better than Meyers? I think they botched this one.
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DropKickFlutie said:
Highlights video below. Some thoughts. I don’t think he’s better than Jakobi.

1. He has pedigree and a name. High draft pick by the Steelers and then a strong start to his career
2. He’s had some erratic bad years. Weird 55% catch rate years and two straight years only averaging a terrible 8 yards a catch. This guy doesn’t have speed nor is good at yards after catch. He also seems a but overweight, can someone get him to lose 10 pounds.
3. There is also a question mark if he can seamlessly digest the Patriots playbook or run every WR play Patriots-style. This is a risk compared to just keeping a known guy like Meyers.
4. Overall am neutral on the move. It’s not an improvement over just keeping Jakobi Meyers in the first place


View: https://youtu.be/J48nD3RKsxs
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Everyone is missing the biggest stat where Juju is better. TDs!! for God's sake.

29 in 6 years vs 8 in 4 for Jakobi.

They're very similar players but Juju gets open in the EZ.
What was our biggest issue on O last year? RZ production. He'll help that an awful lot.

Now we need our WR1.
 
Muse said:
I'm on the fence. I wanna be excited. But am willing to give him a chance. I know in the back of my mind we have brought in some big names in their not young part of their career and flounder. But will see
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Same
 
chevss454 said:
Everyone is missing the biggest stat where Juju is better. TDs!! for God's sake.

29 in 6 years vs 8 in 4 for Jakobi.

They're very similar players but Juju gets open in the EZ.
What was our biggest issue on O last year? RZ production. He'll help that an awful lot.

Now we need our WR1.
Click to expand...

why cherry pick
8 TDs for Jakobi the last two years
3 TDs for JuJu the last two years
 
aloyouis said:
2weeks ago I would have gagged even thinking this.

Today?

Get Mayer outta ND.
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Nope. I'm literally wearing my ND shirt right now, but Mayer is a high-floor, low-ceiling type. I don't think he has either the size advantage or the speed/burst advantage to be a real difference maker in the NFL. He's a very good route runner and run blocker and a technician, but your coverage LBs will be able to stay on him without giving up much size or speed. He will be very steady and good for a long time, and is a good addition to any team, but he's not going to be a real difference maker. 3rd slowest 40, slowest 10y split by a chunk, 3rd worst vert, bottom half broad.

Now, a 6'7", 270# monster who ran the 3rd fastest short shuttle of all combine participants (shifting that much weight back and forth just a touch slower than JSN?!?) to go along with his 4.64 40 (6th TE) and 1.57 10 split (T-2nd TE), who is a certified people-mover in the run game? A guy who is a bit taller than, a bit faster than, significantly quicker than, with slightly bigger hands and longer arms than Rob Gronkowski to match with soft hands and proven ability to pull the ball out of traffic? Who was a team player willing to do the dirty work inside and risk his future to take a back seat to another, more fully developed talent to help his team win back-to-back national championships?

Yes, please. Darnell Washington can join my offense any day...And he's still just learning.

As it turns out, at many positions pure size/speed/athleticism isn't terribly predictive of success in the NFL. Production and specific traits tend to be better guides. But not for TEs. My guess is because the whole point of the TE position is to create and take advantage of physical mismatches in height, weight, and/or speed, whether in blocking or in route running.

This year those TEs are Washington, Musgrave, and Kuntz. And Kuntz is really just an enormous, fast, but not-that-coordinated WR. There's a kid at Albany who might surprise as a UDFA. There are a bunch of guys who should make good NFL TEs, like Schoonmaker, LaPorta, Kinkaid, Kraft...and Mayer is probably the best of these. Mayer is probably an upgrade to Hunter Henry, and a very similar player.

But a TE that elevates an offense and creates fear in defensive coordinators? Washington.
 
www.patriots.com

Report: Patriots Make Splash By Signing Free-Agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

The Patriots add a much-needed playmaker to the offense with the addition of Smith-Schuster.
www.patriots.com www.patriots.com

Smith-Schuster can line up at the "X" receiver position and win contested catches, hauling in seven of his 15 contested targets. Mainly, the Chiefs would throw him jump balls on out-and-ups or have him use his body control and feel for the sideline on back-shoulder fades.
Along with offering a bit more on the outside, Smith-Schuster is an upgrade over Meyers in accumulating yards after the catch. He averaged 5.9 yards after the catch and forced nine missed tackles as a ball carrier in 2022. For comparison, Meyers accumulated 3.6 yards after the catch per reception and only forced two missed tackles, per PFF.
It remains to be seen whether or not Smith-Schuster can grasp the offense, develop a comparable repertoire with quarterback Mac Jones, and be as consistent as Meyers was in his four seasons in New England.
However, you can see why the Patriots would view Smith-Schuster as a more dynamic playmaker while maintaining the chain-moving and security blanket-style traits Meyers brought to the offense.
New England needs to aggressively pursue upgrades at wide receiver this offseason, especially following Meyers's departure to Las Vegas, and is starting to do so with this move.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:
Nope. I'm literally wearing my ND shirt right now, but Mayer is a high-floor, low-ceiling type. I don't think he has either the size advantage or the speed/burst advantage to be a real difference maker in the NFL. He's a very good route runner and run blocker and a technician, but your coverage LBs will be able to stay on him without giving up much size or speed. He will be very steady and good for a long time, and is a good addition to any team, but he's not going to be a real difference maker. 3rd slowest 40, slowest 10y split by a chunk, 3rd worst vert, bottom half broad.

Now, a 6'7", 270# monster who ran the 3rd fastest short shuttle of all combine participants (shifting that much weight back and forth just a touch slower than JSN?!?) to go along with his 4.64 40 (6th TE) and 1.57 10 split (T-2nd TE), who is a certified people-mover in the run game? A guy who is a bit taller than, a bit faster than, significantly quicker than, with slightly bigger hands and longer arms than Rob Gronkowski to match with soft hands and proven ability to pull the ball out of traffic? Who was a team player willing to do the dirty work inside and risk his future to take a back seat to another, more fully developed talent to help his team win back-to-back national championships?

Yes, please. Darnell Washington can join my offense any day...And he's still just learning.

As it turns out, at many positions pure size/speed/athleticism isn't terribly predictive of success in the NFL. Production and specific traits tend to be better guides. But not for TEs. My guess is because the whole point of the TE position is to create and take advantage of physical mismatches in height, weight, and/or speed, whether in blocking or in route running.

This year those TEs are Washington, Musgrave, and Kuntz. And Kuntz is really just an enormous, fast, but not-that-coordinated WR. There's a kid at Albany who might surprise as a UDFA. There are a bunch of guys who should make good NFL TEs, like Schoonmaker, LaPorta, Kinkaid, Kraft...and Mayer is probably the best of these. Mayer is probably an upgrade to Hunter Henry, and a very similar player.

But a TE that elevates an offense and creates fear in defensive coordinators? Washington.
Click to expand...
That guy in North Dakota state could be a hybrid FB/TE...you were talking about him before. He could be a sleeper.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:
Nope. I'm literally wearing my ND shirt right now, but Mayer is a high-floor, low-ceiling type. I don't think he has either the size advantage or the speed/burst advantage to be a real difference maker in the NFL. He's a very good route runner and run blocker and a technician, but your coverage LBs will be able to stay on him without giving up much size or speed. He will be very steady and good for a long time, and is a good addition to any team, but he's not going to be a real difference maker. 3rd slowest 40, slowest 10y split by a chunk, 3rd worst vert, bottom half broad.

Now, a 6'7", 270# monster who ran the 3rd fastest short shuttle of all combine participants (shifting that much weight back and forth just a touch slower than JSN?!?) to go along with his 4.64 40 (6th TE) and 1.57 10 split (T-2nd TE), who is a certified people-mover in the run game? A guy who is a bit taller than, a bit faster than, significantly quicker than, with slightly bigger hands and longer arms than Rob Gronkowski to match with soft hands and proven ability to pull the ball out of traffic? Who was a team player willing to do the dirty work inside and risk his future to take a back seat to another, more fully developed talent to help his team win back-to-back national championships?

Yes, please. Darnell Washington can join my offense any day...And he's still just learning.

As it turns out, at many positions pure size/speed/athleticism isn't terribly predictive of success in the NFL. Production and specific traits tend to be better guides. But not for TEs. My guess is because the whole point of the TE position is to create and take advantage of physical mismatches in height, weight, and/or speed, whether in blocking or in route running.

This year those TEs are Washington, Musgrave, and Kuntz. And Kuntz is really just an enormous, fast, but not-that-coordinated WR. There's a kid at Albany who might surprise as a UDFA. There are a bunch of guys who should make good NFL TEs, like Schoonmaker, LaPorta, Kinkaid, Kraft...and Mayer is probably the best of these. Mayer is probably an upgrade to Hunter Henry, and a very similar player.

But a TE that elevates an offense and creates fear in defensive coordinators? Washington.
Click to expand...
Maybe I was too specific and I shouldn't have been. After these latest moves I am much more willing to be happy about spending a draft pick on a tight end. An earlier draft pick.
 
The Pats made a decision between Jakobi for $11M/ and Juju for $11M/ . Juju won out bc of YAC and TDs scored.
 
TommyD420 said:
I hope he gives you the same production Meyers had, if not slight better. That's all I'm expecting.
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I hope for fewer targets, fewer catches, similar yards, more TDs, more YAC. Depending on who else is on the final roster, of course. If Hopkins and Zay and a shiny new receiving TE join the Patriots, I look forward to JuJu as a #3 or #4 possession WR, fighting for snaps with Bourne and Thornton based on matchups, with MUCH less production than Meyers has had, and it would be a huge win.
 



So if there is any re-structuring then there will be the main sign on whether Pats continue to look for a WR1.
 
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