Now that the Green Bay Packers have discarded Jared Abbrederis, a whole state of well-wishers must be hoping that some other NFL team will pick him up. Abbrederis has been a loyal and inspiring player for the Packers. Too bad loyalty is a one-way street at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.
My wish is for the New England Patriots to sign Abbrederis.
Coach Bill Belichick knows how to make great use out of small, pesky, Caucasian possession receivers.
Wes Welker, at 5’9” and 185 pounds, went undrafted in 2004, and then spent three forgettable years with the Charges and Dolphins. In 2007, he signed with Belichick and the Patriots. In the next six years, Welker recorded five 1,000-yard seasons, topping out in 2011 with 1,569 yards. From 2007 through 2012, Welker (with a little help from Tom Brady) proved to be the game’s best possession receiver, with the following number of receptions: 112, 111, 123, 86, 122, and 118. He holds six NFL records based on this production. In all, he holds or shares 15 NFL receiving records. Welker did all this despite a 4.65 second 40-yard dash time. Abby’s dash time is 4.50. New England acquired him when he was 25 years old – Abby is also 25.
Danny Amendola, after going undrafted in 2008, spent four so-so years with the Rams from 2009 through 2012. Then, within hours of Welker signing with Denver, New England acquired him as Welker’s replacement. Amendola, at 5’10” and 185 pounds, had a 40-yard dash time of 4.52. Despite injuries in two of his three full seasons with the Patriots, he has two years with over 600 yards receiving, and has caught 54 and 65 throws in two of those years. While with the Patriots, Amendola has always been overshadowed by our next guy on the list.
Julian Edelman was picked in the seventh round by the Patriots in 2009. He had been a quarterback for Kent State and the College of San Mateo. He came out of college at 5’10” and 195 pounds, and with a 40-yard dash time of 4.52 at the Kent State pro day. Similar to Abby, he saw only spot action – though a lot more than Mike McCarthy gave to Abbrederis – for his first four years. Then in his fifth year he busted out with 105 receptions for 1,056 yards. The following year was nearly as good (92 for 972 yards). He was limited by injuries in 2015, but in 2016 he’s back with 37 catches to date, tied for 15th best in the league. He’s also a dangerous punt returner, having 149 returns for 1,780 yards, an average of 11.9 yards – and four returns for touchdown. Abbrederis is also a fine punt returner.
Abbrederis is as big, and, at 6’1”, three or more inches taller than the above three receivers. He’s also the fastest of the bunch. His route-running, his most acclaimed talent, must certainly be comparable to the other three. Abbrederis is 25, while Welker is a 35-year-old free agent, and Amendola and Edelman are each 30.
These examples dramatically illustrate what a difference a coach can make in a player’s career and success.
Belichick and Abbrederis could be a match made in heaven. If McCarthy and Abbrederis were a marriage, it would need to be annulled.
7 Comments
Yeah, the worst part is that he’ll turn the entire playbook to Bellichick. Our six plays will be know NE.
Hahaha….
Good one, though I think you’re giving them too much credit on the number of plays…..
Play 1 : Cut in at the fire hydrant.
Play 2 : Stop and turn at the manhole cover….
Hate seeing Abby go.
Had hopes he was going to become GBs version of one of the Bellichekian types… I guess the feeling is that Jordy makes the quota..
Not sure how you compare Abby to Edelman or Welker. Those guys are much stronger and thickly built athletes. Edelman is much quicker and stronger. I love Abby but he is seriously underdeveloped strength wise.
“Too bad loyalty is a one-way street at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.”
Seriously? On what basis can you possibly justify this kind of unwarranted snark? To describe Abbrederis as a marginal contributor would be extremely overgenerous. You make it sound like the Packers just dumped Donald Driver in the prime of his career. The fact that Packer Nation inexplicably anointed Abbrederis a favorite son doesn’t mean he should have been accorded any kind of preferential treatment when it came to personnel decisions. Green Bay went into the season with seven — count ’em, seven — wide receivers on the roster. It was high time to free up some roster spots for areas of more pressing need.
Hope Abby finds another place. If you are a GM in the NFL it is your job to look for an upgrade for each and every player every week and year. It remains to be seen if TT performed that job responsibility, however that is his job. Each and every player who will make Million(s) in the course of their short contract(s) know that as soon there is a better player available, or their contract value exceeds their value to the team, that player is looking at being released. Right or wrong that is the NFL.
It does seem like TT has much disdain for Badgers..MMQB was just saying how much NFL scouts love going to Madison,seems like the whole league and s high of n Badger players except GB. I am sure Vince Biegal will be there for the taking and Ted will bypass him for some division 3 player with a great upside.