Hunt for a missing sync
Brady in need of temporary go-to receiver
FOXBORO — Eric Decker officially joined the Patriots receivers club on Saturday, jumping into a pool with others looking to hurry-up and get on the same page with Tom Brady.
Beyond adding muchneeded depth, it’s hard to say with any certainty what Decker’s impact will be with the offense. Because what the Patriots appear to be lacking is something Decker can’t provide right away.
Can he quickly morph into a go-to guy on third down? Will he be someone Brady looks to in must make situations when the QB is up against it?
That would help, because the fear this year is that the cupboard is practically bare in that department. Already, there’s a bit of panic over Brady not having enough pass catchers he trusts with the game on the line.
Danny Amendola, his best third-down target and clutch receiver last season, is now in Miami with the Dolphins.
Julian Edelman, meanwhile, Brady’s best chain mover and go-to receiver, is coming back from significant knee injury and will be out the first four games while serving a suspension violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
That’s a lot of dependability not joining the huddle for Game 1. But does it mean the Patriots quarterback can’t survive with what’s left?
While the wide receiver group is thin, largely unproven, and doesn’t have a ton of reps and quality time with Brady, there are others in the realm of the offense who can deliver in the clutch.
When the Pats needed to rally last year in the fourth quarter at Pittsburgh in Week 15, Brady went to tight end Rob Gronkowski repeatedly. It was like no one else was on the field. Brady hit Gronk with three straight passes for 79 yards en route to the go-ahead touchdown.
So, Brady still has the best tight end in football, and one of the best offensive weapons in the league at his disposal. Of course, defenses will try to blanket Gronk with double coverage, hoping to take that option away from No. 12.
In that case, where else might Brady turn?
There’s third-down back James White. He was the man in Super Bowl LI. Down 25 points late in the third quarter, when Brady had to keep making plays, he kept finding White, who caught a Super Bowl record 14 passes.
Brady is also comfortable with Chris Hogan. He’s made strides and gained Brady’s trust. He’s been in the special side sessions with Brady during training camp practices.
Hogan wants to be guy, the one Brady looks to in those gotta-have-it moments.
“I think a lot of that comes down to your competitive nature. You want to be that guy,” Hogan said. “I would love to ... hopefully me and (Brady) can be on the same page and I can be that guy at the end of the day. But I also have to focus on doing what’s best for the team, and doing my job, and doing my assignment correctly.”
Sure, Hogan would love to do what Amendola did against the Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game, when the Pats made another comeback. He’d love to be on the receiving end of those must-make Brady passes.
With Amendola gone, Edelman out, and the focus of defenses sure to be on Gronkowski, Hogan says Brady can depend on him. But, Hogan also says there are plenty of guys worthy of Brady’s attention. Rex Burkhead is another back who will catch passes in a pinch. Phillip Dorsett and tight end Jacob Hollister are others who have been asked to join the side sessions, run by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Dorsett has made great strides. He is making contested catches and coming back for passes during 11on-11 sessions. That is sure to win Brady’s heart.
“I think it’s important for us to be trusted (by Brady) on every single down,” said Hogan. “Obviously, there’s a lot of stress on third down because if you don’t convert, you’re off the field. Right now, we’re all working on that trust.”
On Saturday, there was a lot of that trust-building going on, as many of the primary receivers (Edelman, Hogan, Dorsett, Decker) and Gronkowski spent time with Brady working on routes and timing.
So maybe No. 12 is adding to his short list.
“Those sessions are great,” said Hogan. “We get to work one-on-one with that group of guys with Tom and Josh and Chad (O’Shea, the wide receivers coach). You get to work on stuff you’re not going to get in practice ... you try to take advantage, five, 10 minutes, whatever it is, to work on stuff you can build off of leading up to the season.”
Even without Edelman last season, the Patriots were 10th overall in converting on third down (40.6 percent, 82-of-202).
For the most part, the plays were made when needed.
“You have to show him in practice, you have to gain his trust. You have to be accountable,” said Edelman. “That’s what this part of the season is for, developing those relationships. Practice repetition becoming game reality ... we’ll be all right.”