Dwayne Allen

[PatsFan2]

Dwayne Allen's stock is going in the right direction and that's called Down. His Snap count went from 46 in week 2 to to 17 in week 3. Lets hope its goes to Zero from week 4 onward.

 

[unoriginal]

I think we here to discuss his receiving ability. If blocking were a priority then we would just use Fleming.

Allen can block in ways Fleming cannot. Wham blocks, lining up in the backfield or in the slot, and blocking off of motion are just some of the things I have never seen the Pats ask a 3OT to do that TEs are regularly called on to do.

The game-plan may change week to week and I don't know comprehensively how Allen is doing, but he hasn't stood out as an ineffective blocker.

 

[mgteich]

How much are we paying Allen to be a backup O lineman? Way too much

Belichick probably thinks that backup OL's and top blockers are hard to get and that $3M isn't too much.

 

[Biffins]

Dwayne has given us nothing in the passing game. So far, he is no better than Matt Lengel, who gave some good blocking last year, but is far more expensive.

Exactly. Lengel was a JAG who gave good blocking, played even in the frickin SuperBowl and played well. He even caught a TD. And he cost nothing.

If we were paying Allen $2m or something, I wouldn't care. Like we brought in Alge Crumpler for some good blocking and only 6 catches the whole season for 1 year in 2010 and Crumpler cost us like nothing.

Dwayne Allen is way overpaid. We got robbed.

 

[Biffins]

Allen can block in ways Fleming cannot. Wham blocks, lining up in the backfield or in the slot, and blocking off of motion are just some of the things I have never seen the Pats ask a 3OT to do that TEs are regularly called on to do.

The game-plan may change week to week and I don't know comprehensively how Allen is doing, but he hasn't stood out as an ineffective blocker.

Alge Crumpler was superior to Dwayne Allen and he cost far less.

 

[Biffins]

When you use a TE to block instead of a lineman dosent that give pause to the defense because they aren't sure if the TE is going to stay and block or release off the line?

I mean, isn't football about creating matchups, mismatches and not showing your hand? Dosent a TE accomplish that when a OL wouldn't?

The problem is at the moment everyone knows the ball isn't going to Allen and he's going to just block. Then might as well throw in a bigger guy, hence backup OL.

 

[Biffins]

Bottom line is this. We paid Bennett $5m last year and we're paying Allen $5m this year and he's in every way a downgrade.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Bottom line is this. We paid Bennett $5m last year and we're playing Allen $5m this year and he's in every way a downgrade.

Agreed


It's amazing how afraid people are to criticize a bb move. He's human he makes mistakes just admit it, don't make excuses for him

 

[captain stone]

Belichick probably thinks that backup OL's and top blockers are hard to get and that $3M isn't too much.

Doubt it. Bill doesn't pay for backup OLmen…or for coverage LBs either.

 

[supafly]

The game-plan may change week to week and I don't know comprehensively how Allen is doing, but he hasn't stood out as an ineffective blocker.

First off, I think you make a great point that Allen will block in ways that a 6th OL cannot, and I have gone on the record many times defending him over the past few weeks.

That said, his grace period has now ended, and contrary to your post and my prior beliefs, he has indeed made some ineffective blocks, both this week and last. This is now the second week in a row where a beat writer has pointed out his poor blocking on a specific play. That, coupled with a lazy 12 men on the field penalty, his inability to even catch a single pass through 3 games, and the fact that he's dropped multiple passes, I would have to assume that their patience is wearing thinner with each passing game. Add in the fact that he was out of shape throughout mini camps/OTAs, and Allen seems to be looking more and more like a bad trade.

Let's hope he can turn it around.

 

[mgteich]

Doubt it. Bill doesn't pay for backup OLmen…or for coverage LBs either.

cannon was seriously paid as a backup to Vollmer

 

[mgteich]

he has indeed made some ineffective blocks, both this week and last. This is now the second week in a row where a beat writer has pointed out his poor blocking on a specific play. That, coupled with a lazy 12 men on the field penalty, his inability to even catch a single pass through 3 games, and the fact that he's dropped multiple passes, I would have to assume that their patience is wearing thinner with each passing game. Add in the fact that he was out of shape throughout mini camps/OTAs, and Allen seems to be looking more and more like a bad trade.

Let's hope he can turn it around.

agreed

 

[captain stone]

cannon was seriously paid as a backup to Vollmer

Bill probably knew that Vollmer's remaining time here was limited, so he had to have somebody ready, and Cannon was already here as the in-house replacement.

You're right, though, that he was seriously paid as a backup for one (two?) years.

But signing somebody outside the team as a UFA to be a backup, even if just for the vet minimum, doesn't happen here. He'd rather roll with the crapfest of Fleming, Waddle & Crosten, with the predictable results.

 

[Biffins]

Remember when Allen was yammering how it was extremely hard to learn Pats offense

Dwayne Allen: 'Extremely hard' to learn Pats' offense

And everyone was giving him a pass. I was really concerned since in my experience either players get it and come and start being productive immediately, or they never get it and can never bridge the gap. It seems Allen falls in the latter category.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Remember when Allen was yammering how it was extremely hard to learn Pats offense

Dwayne Allen: 'Extremely hard' to learn Pats' offense

And everyone was giving him a pass. I was really concerned since in my experience either players get it and come and start being productive immediately, or they never get it and can never bridge the gap. It seems Allen falls in the latter category.

I don't think Allen's problem is in his understanding of the offense. He's been productive as a blocker, he's lining up all over the field, they're motioning him all over the place in the red zone, and he seems to be on point in all of that. The main issue at this point is misfires (on the first play from scrimmage of game 1, Brady had him for what would have been a 25+ yard gain and just missed the throw) and drops (he had a pretty bad one in week 2, and really bad one on Sunday). That's certainly an issue in its own right, but a pretty much unrelated one IMO.

I think it's important to just keep in perspective at this point that he's the backup TE. I was hoping he'd have a lot more production through 3 games than he's had, I'm sure we all were... but he's the TE2. As long as he gets a little more surehanded going forward, I'm not sure this is a big issue. He seems to mostly exist in this offense as a red zone target and Gronk injury insurance, so the whole narrative on him could easily shift in one week anyway.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Bill probably knew that Vollmer's remaining time here was limited, so he had to have somebody ready, and Cannon was already here as the in-house replacement.

You're right, though, that he was seriously paid as a backup for one (two?) years.

But signing somebody outside the team as a UFA to be a backup, even if just for the vet minimum, doesn't happen here. He'd rather roll with the crapfest of Fleming, Waddle & Crosten, with the predictable results.

In addition to that, it's also possible that Belichick saw where the tackle market was heading. With young tackles coming into the NFL so unprepared in pro technique, competence at the position is more valuable than ever. Cannon's deal looked rich at the time, but given where the market has gone since he's basically getting market value for a good backup swing tackle/lower tier starter. Even if he hadn't improved so significantly last year he still wouldn't be overpaid right now.

 

[luuked]

I don't think Allen's problem is in his understanding of the offense. He's been productive as a blocker, he's lining up all over the field, they're motioning him all over the place in the red zone, and he seems to be on point in all of that. The main issue at this point is misfires (on the first play from scrimmage of game 1, Brady had him for what would have been a 25+ yard gain and just missed the throw) and drops (he had a pretty bad one in week 2, and really bad one on Sunday). That's certainly an issue in its own right, but a pretty much unrelated one IMO.

I think it's important to just keep in perspective at this point that he's the backup TE. I was hoping he'd have a lot more production through 3 games than he's had, I'm sure we all were... but he's the TE2. As long as he gets a little more surehanded going forward, I'm not sure this is a big issue. He seems to mostly exist in this offense as a red zone target and Gronk injury insurance, so the whole narrative on him could easily shift in one week anyway.

People dont even realize how much Allen is used to manipulate matchups and make the opponents reveal their hand via motions and where he is lined up at. Because as with Ghost and how he has been nailing kickoffs amazingly well they are not even aware that it is happening. It is the fantasy football syndrome where the only good players are the one that show up on a stat sheet.

 

[Bill Lee]

Exactly. Lengel was a JAG who gave good blocking, played even in the frickin SuperBowl and played well. He even caught a TD. And he cost nothing.

And Lengel was on our roster but was waived/injured and he hasn't played a game this season, so it's water under the bridge.

Bottom line is this. We paid Bennett $5m last year and we're paying Allen $5m this year and he's in every way a downgrade.

And Marty B wouldn't sign with us for $5M while GB was willing to give him $7M, so it's more water under the bridge:

Martellus Bennett signed a 3 year, $21,000,000 contract with the Green Bay Packers, including a $6,300,000 signing bonus, $6,300,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $7,000,000. In 2017, Bennett will earn a base salary of $900,000, a signing bonus of $6,300,000, a roster bonus of $600,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $3,850,000 and a dead cap value of $7,450,000.

Personally, I'd move cities for an extra $2M, not sure about you...

Not Bill's best move ever, but yes, we're kind of stuck with Allen for now.

 

[ScottishPatriots]

He can block but you absolutely must be a factor in the passing game for $5m a season, you can find a bunch of guys who can block at a very high level at the TE position who can't catch a pass for under $1m.

You can't be a smart organisation who is all about value on every contract and rarely wants to pay top market value for anyone and then pay a 2nd TE $5m a year just to block and be a complete non factor in the passing game and be happy with that, they clearly were expecting a lot more than they've been getting.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

Its getting closer and closer to that time where he is looking like a non-factor. I think there might be more wear and tear on this guy than his age would indicate.