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Don't Forget About JAKE BALLARD (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Carl Eller's Dead Liver
- Start date
Invictus~Bronte
Footballguy
I've thought this as well, and Ballard is a very good blocker, maybe not quite as capable as Gronk. The process of the evolution would certainly be easier if Gronk were able to be full go from the beginning of camp.
Frank Black
Footballguy
Again, agreed. I see the situation now as less about who will replace whose role as much as I see the bottom line of whether Ballard will be more valuable in the passing game due to AH being gone. I think he will be more valuable now, hence the bump.
ESPN.com
Matt Williamson on Patriots TE Jake Ballard
By James Walker | ESPN.com
Jake Ballard is one of the hottest names in the Boston area Wednesday -- the veteran just moved up the New England Patriots' depth chart into the important No. 2 tight end role after the team released Aaron Hernandez, who is being investigated in a homicide case near his home in Massachusetts.
The AFC East blog caught up with our resident scout, ESPN.com’s Matt Williamson, to get his take on what to look for from Ballard and New England’s offense this season.
Matt, can Ballard absorb the loss of Hernandez in New England’s offense?
Matt Williamson: I think Ballard is a solid player. It was a nice pickup that’s going to pay off for them. But his role, his game doesn’t mirror Hernandez's at all. To put it in a nutshell, Hernandez was as much a wide receiver as he was a tight end. He was equal parts of both. ... There was no way to label him from a defensive standpoint, because the Patriots moved him around so well and he is so versatile.
Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski were viewed as the best tight-end duo in the NFL. Where do Gronkowski and Ballard potentially rank?
MW: They're still the best. If "Gronk" is "Gronk" and healthy, he is still the best player at his position in the league. [New Orleans Saints tight end] Jimmy Graham is the only one who’s close. Gronkowski is more versatile than Graham because he’s a better blocker. And Ballard is still a high-end, No. 2 tight end.
What kind of production can you expect from Ballard this season?
MW: I think we'll see the Patriots play fewer double tight-end sets than they did in the past. The receivers need to step up now, whoever that is. I would say Ballard is in the 400- or 500-yards range with maybe four touchdowns. He can get 40 catches, maybe 45. Ballard is not going to stretch the field like Hernandez, nor is he close to being as good after the catch with the ball in his hands. Ballard is not as versatile with his route tree, but he’s a good player.
Matt Williamson on Patriots TE Jake Ballard
By James Walker | ESPN.com
Jake Ballard is one of the hottest names in the Boston area Wednesday -- the veteran just moved up the New England Patriots' depth chart into the important No. 2 tight end role after the team released Aaron Hernandez, who is being investigated in a homicide case near his home in Massachusetts.
The AFC East blog caught up with our resident scout, ESPN.com’s Matt Williamson, to get his take on what to look for from Ballard and New England’s offense this season.
Matt, can Ballard absorb the loss of Hernandez in New England’s offense?
Matt Williamson: I think Ballard is a solid player. It was a nice pickup that’s going to pay off for them. But his role, his game doesn’t mirror Hernandez's at all. To put it in a nutshell, Hernandez was as much a wide receiver as he was a tight end. He was equal parts of both. ... There was no way to label him from a defensive standpoint, because the Patriots moved him around so well and he is so versatile.
Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski were viewed as the best tight-end duo in the NFL. Where do Gronkowski and Ballard potentially rank?
MW: They're still the best. If "Gronk" is "Gronk" and healthy, he is still the best player at his position in the league. [New Orleans Saints tight end] Jimmy Graham is the only one who’s close. Gronkowski is more versatile than Graham because he’s a better blocker. And Ballard is still a high-end, No. 2 tight end.
What kind of production can you expect from Ballard this season?
MW: I think we'll see the Patriots play fewer double tight-end sets than they did in the past. The receivers need to step up now, whoever that is. I would say Ballard is in the 400- or 500-yards range with maybe four touchdowns. He can get 40 catches, maybe 45. Ballard is not going to stretch the field like Hernandez, nor is he close to being as good after the catch with the ball in his hands. Ballard is not as versatile with his route tree, but he’s a good player.
loose circuits
Footballguy
Would love to have 45 500 4 from Ballard
Fantasy Fool
Footballguy
Those aren't very good numbers for a starting TE. Not sure what your leagues scoring is. I'd be upset if all I got were those numbers out of my TE position,
Even in 2 TE starting leagues, hes barely in the top 20-24 TEs with those numbers.
Last edited by a moderator:
zamboni
Footballguy
Those are probably reasonable numbers for him.
I think people expecting much more as some sort of replacement for Hernandez are going to be severely disappointed.
Coeur de Lion
Footballguy
Agreed. But I do think there's room for upside above those numbers if Gronk has a setback or gets hurt again. IMO it's not really about Ballard himself as much as it's about faith in Brady and the NE offense to produce numbers pretty much regardless of who happens to be catching the ball. At the end of the day Ballard cost only a roster spot -- if he finishes around TE20 that's absolutely fine with me considering I cut WR100 or RB100 to pick him up in various places.
Invictus~Bronte
Footballguy
This actually would be decent production with room to grow especially for price paid.
Here's Vernon Davis stats from last year reg. season : 41/548/5
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Ballard appears to be the fill in for Gronk while Gronk is out. They do the same things and have similar games (at least in how they play). Ballard will not be moving around the field, playing out wide, or lining up in the slot like AH did. I suspect Ballard will not do very much in the passing game once Gronk comes back. If he does see snaps once Gronk returns, I would guess it will be in short yardage situations and on rushing downs as a blocker. I don't see him getting 45 receptions this year. He's big and lumbering, not quick and agile. And who knows how healthy he is in his own right.
msudaisy26
Footballguy
Let's say that Gronk misses 3 to 6 games to start the season and another 2 games to get back to being Gronk. Is it safe to assume that Ballard's numbers could be could reach 60 800 and 8?
Phlash
Footballguy
This could be really bad if Ballard is not part of the equation. The Patriots actually have some solid depth guys, but it remains to be seen if players like Michael Hoomanawanui or Zach Sudfeld - who looked good in limited time last year - can operate as effectively in a full time role. I'm not sold on either of them because of how small of a sample size we have seen with them, but I haven't seen them on the practice field or in the film room the way Josh McDaniels and Belichick have, so it's possible they believe either of those guys can be the full time TE2. Or maybe they just change the offense. Wouldn't surprise me. They have some good RBs I hear.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
It's not even a safe bet that he makes the roster. And I don't see Ballard sniffing 60/800/8 unless Gronk doesn't come back (and even then I wouldn't give him a big chance).
Biabreakable
Footballguy
I wonder if Mike Reiss and Steve Urkel are in the same league together.
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
The Kerminator
Footballguy
Can we get the title of the thread changed to "Forget about JAKE BALLARD"?
Buddy Ball 2K3
Footballguy
ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on NFL Insidersthat TE Jake Ballard is in danger of not making the Patriots' roster.
"He's struggled so much there's now even a question whether he'll make the roster," were Mort's words. Ballard has been in and out of practice, battling complications from his knee reconstruction and microfracture surgeries. He was never a realistic fantasy option, and that's clearer than ever now. Rookie Zach Sudfeld has passed Ballard as both a real-life and fantasy prospect.
"He's struggled so much there's now even a question whether he'll make the roster," were Mort's words. Ballard has been in and out of practice, battling complications from his knee reconstruction and microfracture surgeries. He was never a realistic fantasy option, and that's clearer than ever now. Rookie Zach Sudfeld has passed Ballard as both a real-life and fantasy prospect.
