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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.I think we here to discuss his receiving ability. If blocking were a priority then we would just use Fleming.
Belichick probably thinks that backup OL's and top blockers are hard to get and that $3M isn't too much.How much are we paying Allen to be a backup O lineman? Way too much
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.
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.
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?
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.
Doubt it. Bill doesn't pay for backup OLmen…or for coverage LBs either.Belichick probably thinks that backup OL's and top blockers are hard to get and that $3M isn't too much.
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.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.
cannon was seriously paid as a backup to VollmerDoubt it. Bill doesn't pay for backup OLmen…or for coverage LBs either.
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.
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.cannon was seriously paid as a backup to Vollmer
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.
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.
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.
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.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 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: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.
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.