FOXBORO, Mass. — The question has become a bit of a running joke with New England Patriots fans: “Is this the year Aaron Dobson finally breaks out?”
Well, it’s his last chance, so it better be. Dobson is in the final year of his rookie contract, and like in 2013 and 2015, he’s having a strong offseason. He stood out in organized team activities and minicamp in the spring and has looked mostly solid during training camp team drills.
But the Patriots have seen this before, and since 2013, when he had the most productive season for a Patriots rookie wide receiver under Bill Belichick, injuries and inconsistency have got in the way of him fulfilling his promise as a second-round pick.
“You know, Aaron’s had a good spring and a good few days here at training camp,” Belichick said Monday night. “I think we’ve seen that from him before. I’d say Aaron’s just, for whatever reason, hasn’t been able to consistently be on the field and do it, you know, when he’s been out there he’s looked good a lot, but he hasn’t always been out there for one reason or another.
“So, hopefully — I know he’s training hard, looks like he’s in good condition this year — hopefully he’ll be able to stay on the field and continue to improve. I think that’s really the key, you know, it’s not just being healthy, but being healthy to practice and improve and Aaron’s worked hard, he’s made some good catches, so hopefully he keeps climbing in that direction.”
A foot injury suffered during his rookie season continued to affect him in 2014. He was placed on injured reserve after notching just three catches for 38 yards as he was passed by Brian Tyms on the depth chart.
He was off to a hot start in 2015 but a hamstring injury slowed his summer. He caught 13 passes for 141 yards and was passed by Keshawn Martin on the depth chart before being placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
But he’s still feeling healthy five days into camp, so is this the year?
“Right now I feel good,” Dobson said. “I can’t complain about anything. I’m feeling good right now, so I’m going to try to keep stringing games together.”
Don’t credit a new offseason workout plan for his improved health. Dobson was asked if he did anything different during his time off.
“Nah. Nothing different, just grinding, working out, running, trying to stay in shape,” Dobson said. “Anything can happen, so I’m just trying to control what I can control and keep improving, stay consistent and be dependable for my teammates.”
Fellow receivers Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell and Matthew Slater’s roster spots are locked down, barring injuries, so Dobson is competing for what’s likely just one roster spot with Martin, Nate Washington, DeAndre Carter, Chris Harper and Devin Lucien.
Dobson’s size, athleticism and pedigree continue to make him an appealing prospect to Belichick, but the wideout will have to prove to be more consistent than Martin, the favorite, to win the spot.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Hoffman/USA TODAY Sports Images
