Patriots Mailbag: How Quickly Can Michael Floyd Contribute Offensively?

The New England Patriots adding Michael Floyd off waivers from the Arizona Cardinals is your weekly reminder of just how insane and unpredictable the NFL can be.

Who would have predicted before the season began that Jamie Collins would be on the Cleveland Browns and Floyd would be on the Patriots by Dec. 15? And that the only compensation for either player was a future draft pick?

The details around Floyd’s release understandably are making some Patriots fans hesitant to celebrate the move too excessively, but adding a player with his skill set is a rare opportunity.

Check out this week’s mailbag.

@DougKyed Thoughts on the Michael Floyd signing. Can he contribute quickly in this system this year ???
— @PatNation15
I believe that’s the plan, otherwise they wouldn’t have taken on his nearly $1.3 million cap hit by claiming him. Floyd is a free agent after the season. While they could get a jump start on convincing him to stay in New England, that can’t be the lone reason for adding him.

I believe it could take a few weeks for Floyd to get up to speed, but he did play under former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. So, Floyd does have some familiarity with the system, which is better than most receivers. He likely won’t play Sunday, but Week 16 isn’t out of the question.

Adding Floyd also helps the Patriots’ compensatory pick formula if he leaves as a free agent during the 2017 offseason.

He was waived by the Cardinals after being arrested on a DUI charge. If those issues continue, New England likely would cut bait, as well.

@DougKyed Do you agree with Gruden that Trey Flowers is the best player the Patriots have on defense? If not, who is?
— @WakaMoscaBSM
I do no agree with that. I’d currently put Flowers in the six-to-seven range.

I’d rank linebacker Dont’a Hightower, cornerback Malcolm Butler, safety Devin McCourty, defensive tackle Malcom Brown and defensive tackle Alan Branch above Flowers this season. I’d also probably lean toward having defensive end Chris Long and safety Patrick Chung above Flowers.

Flowers is a very solid run defender, and he’s getting sacks, but he could provide consistent pass rush at a higher rate.

@DougKyed How would you rank the starting 5 OL on both how they’ve played and who has surprised you most with their play?
— @realnesportsfan
Oof. That’s a tough question.

Let’s go with:

1. Nate Solder
2. Marcus Cannon
3. Shaq Mason
4. David Andrews
5. Joe Thuney

All five are extremely close. Thuney, a rookie, gets pushed around a little too often and has been penalized frequently this season. Solder began the season a little worse than Cannon as a pass protector but has settled down recently and been a better run blocker all year.

@DougKyed most improved patriots player on all sides of the ball ( including ST) #maildoug
— @dawes_matt
There are a lot of potential candidates on offense, including Mason and running backs James White and LeGarrette Blount, but I’ll still go with Cannon. Cannon dropped about 15 pounds and looks like a completely different player this season. His work paid off with a new contract.

Defensively, the choices are between Brown, Flowers and Butler. I’m not sure we saw enough of Flowers last season to get a great sense of how he’s improved. I’ll go with Brown, who is beginning to make more explosive plays.

There isn’t a clear answer on special team. Nate Ebner is having a very solid season, however.

@DougKyed If you were in charge of making the game plan for Sunday, how would you attack the Denver Broncos?
— @HoughtonJustin
It sounds cliché, but I definitely would try to establish the run early. The Broncos’ run defense isn’t on par with their pass defense, and the only way to pass later in the game might be to use play action. And you can’t use play action if your rushing attack isn’t a threat.

So, I’d feed Blount and Dion Lewis early. The Patriots have to hope for some big plays by both backs. Denver has allowed the eighth-most carries of over 20 yards and the third-most carries of over 40 yards this season. So, there is some potential for big rushing plays.

@DougKyed why have the pats not yet cut Cy Jones? Surely someone off the practice squad would be a better option at this point? #maildoug
— @x_Wonder_Woman_
Cyrus Jones has too much upside to just outright cut him. I don’t mind the idea of shutting him down for the rest of the season and making him a healthy scratch, but you have to give him at least one more offseason to try to figure it out.

Jones also hasn’t been terrible as a cornerback this season. He only was targeted twice despite playing a fairly high number of snaps in Week 14. He did let up a 47-yard catch, but it was the only reception he allowed in the game.

@DougKyed If Josh does leave (hopefully not), who do u see stepping up? #MailDoug
— @yeeekash
It likely would be Brian Daboll, who has offensive coordinator experience and has been with New England on and off since 2000, replacing Josh McDaniels if he were to leave for a head coaching gig. Daboll has served as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. He returned to the Patriots in 2013.

@DougKyed with Whalen being cut, what do you think the pats will do for punts?
— @shortbumble22
It should be Julian Edelman and Patrick Chung. The Patriots also could try to use D.J. Foster back there.

Will they try the Cyrus experiment for one more week? It seems ill-advised, but I wouldn’t put it past them. Belichick likes playing with fire. Jones is like throwing kerosene one right now, though.

Which past their prime star has a better shot of landing on a team, Michael Floyd or Devin Hester? #MailDoug @DougKyed
— @JoeyBellTelecom
Floyd. Sorry. Had to do it.

Let’s go rapid fire.

@DougKyed two questions..

Which Christmas movie is better?
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Or
Jingle All The Way

Floyd or Pettigrew?
— @8deepbb
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” by far.

Floyd.

@DougKyed sup? #maildoug
— @erickperdigao
I’m writing my mailbag early, because I’m seeing “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” tonight. I’m also still trying to get over my flu or cold or whatever I’ve had since Sunday. It hasn’t been an easy week, folks. But I’m grinding through it like I only know how.

UPDATE: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”? Not that good.

@DougKyed Which do u trust more, Cyrus fielding a punt inside the 20 up 6 in the 4th qtr of the SB or SG3 kicking a 54 yarder to win the SB?
— @TheDTSB
Definitely Stephen Gostkowski hitting the 54-yard field goal in the Super Bowl. It was bizarre watching Jones try to field punts Monday night.