The New England Patriots did a great job of distracting from their upcoming matchup against Matt Patricia’s Detroit Lions by trading for Josh Gordon, didn’t they?
Playing against the Patriots’ former defensive coordinator became a secondary storyline this week after Gordon came to town. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick also didn’t show much interest in talking about his former assistant this week, saying, “Yeah, I’ve talked about Matt extensively. I mean, he’s a smart guy who works hard, passion for football, all those things. I mean, we’ve gone on and on about him. None of it’s changed.”
Don’t take that as Belichick not respecting or liking Patricia. It seemed Belichick just wanted to make the week more about players than head coaches.
Let’s get into this week’s mailbag:
What are some comparison players that were acquired as the same capital as Gordon?
— @jeff_yyz
The Patriots traded a fifth-round pick for Gordon and a seventh-round pick.
The Patriots traded fifth-round picks for:
Defensive end Cassius Marsh
Running back Mike Gillislee
Linebacker Barkevious Mingo
Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth
Wide receiver Greg Lewis and a seventh-round pick
Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and a sixth-round pick
Tight James O’Shaughnessy and a sixth-round pick
Wide receiver Keshawn Martin and a sixth-round pick
Defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga and a sixth-round pick
Oh man. What a brutal list, huh? It would be pretty easy for Gordon to become the best acquisition on that list. Gabriel was probably the most productive player the Patriots acquired for a fifth-round pick, and his name is synonymous with a season in which quarterback Tom Brady had no wide receivers.
It’s obvious the Patriots just don’t value fifth-round picks. They’ve drafted just 15 players in the fifth round in Belichick’s 19 drafts.
Here are the players they’ve acquired in packages with fourth-round picks: tight end Dwayne Allen, cornerback Eric Rowe, tight end Martellus Bennett, cornerback Aqib Talib, wide receiver Deion Branch, wide receiver Randy Moss and defensive tackle Ted Washington.
Those are much better players.
Most overpaid/underpaid players on the Patriots?
— @IrshadZahidi
The most underpaid player on the Patriots is definitely defensive end Trey Flowers. He’s the Patriots’ best defensive player, and he has a cap hit of just over $2 million this season. Among players not still on their rookie contracts, it’s probably center David Andrews.
I don’t like the idea of calling a player overpaid, but tight end Dwayne Allen has the ninth-highest cap hit on the Patriots in 2018, and he’s not a starter.
#MailDoug. Do you see a possibility of Gordon and Edelman being the same as Amendola and Edelman? Or is there the possibility they could be better?
— @kckittie13
It’s almost tough to talk about Gordon because the sky is the limit. Gordon was unbelievable in 2013. He had two-straight 230-plus yard games. That’s incredible.
And Gordon was great in five games last season too.
The upside of Gordon and Julian Edelman is definitely higher than the upside of Danny Amendola and Edelman. But the chances of Gordon living up to his full upside is slim.
Josh Gordon plays on Sunday !?
— @Esko_baar
I think that’s the plan. Even using him as a decoy would be valuable to take some attention off of tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The Patriots certainly should see how Gordon is adapting to the Patriots’ culture before doing anything drastic, but he’s talented enough that I would consider simplifying the offense for him.
You don’t want a player of Gordon’s caliber standing on the sideline because he can’t pick up the offense. If Gordon is on the right track, you use him. You play that guy over receivers like Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett. I don’t know if this would be possible within the Patriots’ offense, but maybe you even just simplify Gordon’s role.
Why is it that the ravens have got off with another small fine for yet another infraction, whereas the patriots are stripped of picks and fined $1 million for something that was proved to be false. Are we patriots fans seeing this clearly? #maildoug
— @BradleyPowell04
I can see why Patriots fans don’t think it’s fair. That being said, an infraction during a preseason game or voluntary practice is considerably less serious than one in a postseason game.
I believe Deflategate would have been taken much less seriously if it happened to a team other than the Patriots, however.
Re: Cyrus Jones, Can any team sign a player off of another teams practice squad at any time? #MailDoug
— @EricCthebutler
A team cannot sign a player off its upcoming opponent’s practice squad fewer than five days before the game. If there’s a bye week, a team can’t sign a player off an upcoming opponent’s practice squad fewer than nine days before the game.
Other than that, yes.
Let’s go rapid fire.
#MailDoug Any word on why Derek Rivers hasn’t played yet, or when we might see him? Thanks.
— @Sevrin_L
I think there’s a very good chance we see him this week since Flowers likely will be out with a concussion. If Rivers plays well against the Lions, proving he can set the edge and bring some pressure, he could leapfrog Keionta Davis or Deatrich Wise on the Patriots’ depth chart.
What’s worst to eat fast, hot pizza or Captain Crunch?
— @pmyt1115
Hot pizza, definitely. A burnt mouth will ruin your weekend.
Do you ever feel like the pats purposely go vanilla on offense because they know they will not win the game?
— @EricJsaint
I thought it was a little odd that the Patriots only ran one play out of their two-running back set on Sunday. I’ll say that.
If Brady and Belichick are getting a divorce who gets custody of Edelman?
#maildoug
— @CB_ReadinTweets
Are you kidding? Brady, definitely.
How do you maintain your sanity when arguing with people that don’t use basic logic? #MailDoug
— @MikalCopeland
Ha, you think I maintain my sanity.
What are your thoughts on Third Eye Blind? Love or Extremely Love? #mailDoug #DougBendoug
— @ELeBoeuf
They’re fine. I like the hits. They remind me of being in sixth grade.
I think 90s alt-rock is an underrated genre — Gin Blossoms, Wallflowers, Fastball, Sister Hazel, Del Amitri, Bush.
Do you think that Corey Coleman comes into the fold later in the season when he is more comfortable with the playbook? #MailDoug
— @LxrdKareem
My guess would be no, but I like the move to sign him to the practice squad.
If Coleman spends all season on the practice squad, then he has time to learn the offense, and the Patriots likely would sign him to a future contract after the season. That would give him all of training camp to learn the system.
I answered Lucien, for the record.
Why do you think so few WRs entering the league in recent years have taken numbers in the 80s? The scales have tipped extremely heavily towards 10s numbers. #MailDoug
— @TeamCrazyMatt
Keyshawn Johnson made numbers in the 10s cool.
Sign Eric Reid.
— @ByrieDrewIrving
OK, fine.
#MailDoug why don’t the Pats have Patterson return punts & kicks? if you can return one, you can return the other right?
— @mattNOTofficial
Incorrect. I’ll let my pal Nora Princiotti of The Boston Globe explain.
How’s Olivia the Kyed(get cus kyed is ur last name and sounds like “kid”)??? #MailDoug
— @patsfan48029160
The best 1-year-old I know. She’s really into clapping these days.
TMZ reports that Colin Kaepernicks lawyer says Patriots are interested in him. Is that serious interest or just tactics to take the focus off of Josh Gordon?
— @LumberjackFelix
I think Kaepernick’s lawyer just said that Meek Mill is writing a song about Kaepernick and is pals with Robert Kraft.
I’m all for it, though. Embrace the chaos. Kaepernick should have a job.
I live in Buffalo and finally coming to Gillette to see a #Patriots game at home on October 4th against the Colts. Where are some good places to go eat while we are there? #MailDoug
— @JHeintz_57
If you’re staying near Foxboro, you should go to Town Spa Pizza in Stoughton. It’s also in southeastern Massachusetts.
Now that you’re a dad is the wife gonna drag you apple picking with the family this fall? #MailDoug
— @Kid_From_Quincy
I kind of like apple picking. It gets you in the fall mood.
How are you doing today?
— @chelseacatlette
I’m doing great! Just sitting on my couch, watching some “Thursday Night Football” and emptying the ol’ mailbag.
Doug on a scale from 1-10 you’re a 10/10 cool guy have a great day #MailDoug
— @BigBaIIerBen
Thanks, Ben. On a scale of small baller to big baller, you’re a big baller.
In the CFL, after a successful Field Goal, they don’t do a kick off. The opposing just takes the ball from the touchback spot. Could this be a viable option in the NFL if they want to make the NFL safer?
— @PatsFanMatt
Are you trying to get Matt Chatham mad?
When was the last time the patriots had a pick 6? It feels like forever. I feel like we significantly get less than other teams per season (although I don’t know the numbers exactly). Why do you think it is that way with the pats?
— @ZekyMurra
It was a really, really long time ago. It was Week 16 of the 2013 season. Tavon Wilson returned a Tyrod Taylor interception for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens.
Why are patriots fans always mad?
— @JP_Shanahan
When you win five Super Bowls in 17 years, apparently anything short of perfection is infuriating.
(Remember “Monster Ballads” infomercials?)
Wait, I just started listening to that song. How ridiculous is that dude’s voice?
Where is Josh Gordon’s locker?
— @DeeepThreat
Oh, you haven’t heard?
But you never answer them. Ok, with that said. It’s funny how all this “noise” starts up again right when the regular season starts. The Patriots need to IGNORE THE NOISE!! They use to be very good at that. What happened???
— @goodnow123
Sorry, this is going long. I’ll have to answer this one later.
Watch this week’s full mailbag video below.
