Waiting and Worrying

The wait for the start of the regular season can now be measured in days. So can eternity; there's just more of them.

I've spent the morning picking over the posts on Patriots sites for small bits of good news, like the return of Malcolm Mitchell to practice, while worrying over the list of absentees from practice. Wasn't Shea McClellin supposed to replace Rob Ninkovich this year? Or maybe that was supposed to be next year but then Ninkovich retired and have we even seen Shea McClellin on the practice field yet this year?

Okay. Deep breath.

I know what this is. The loss of Julian Edelman is having a psychological impact, much as I try to repress the memory of that moment, it's there in the corner of my mind.

Meanwhile, Bill Belichick seems unfazed, trading for a ST/LB type in Marquis Flowers in what appears to be an effort to find an upgrade for Jonathan Freeny/Trevor Bates, two ST/LB types who seemed to be competing for a single roster spot. Perhaps I should've said, "had been competing…"

If that's what Belichick is worried about, why should I be worried at all?

Mitchell's return to practice is good news. I don't want to minimize that. As is the report that Danny Amendola is healthy. As a New Englander I tend to gravitate to the worst case scenario. It's in the regional DNA. In the wake of Edelman's loss, I need to remind myself just how terrible the rest of the AFC East is, how in the heads of their rivals the Patriots are, and oh yeah, that Tom Brady guy.

Just to reassure myself New England and Brady will be okay without Edelman I decided to take a look at Reche Caldwell's career stats. If you're a Patriots fan, you remember Caldwell and not fondly but he's probably a big part of the reason Belichick swung a trade for Randy Moss so there's that. Anyway, Caldwell is often the example pigskin pundits and bobbleheads cite when they observe that Tom Brady could turn any reasonably healthy man, age 22-29, into a credible NFL receiver. I wondered if that was actually true.

Based on Caldwell's career stats, I think the answer is yes.

In his single season with the Patriots, Reche Caldwell set career bests for receptions, yards, TDs - including a career-best 62-yard catch for a score - 1st downs, catches for 20+ yards, and catches for 40+ yards. Two years later he was out of the league.

How about Kenbrell Thompkins?

Thompkins is best known to Patriots fans for his unicorns and show ponies game-winning catch against the Falcons back in 2013. Thompkins also had his career bests in that season; receptions, yards, TDs, 1st downs, catches for 20+ yards. He last suited up for the New York Jets in 2015.

Austin Collie made two catches on that unicorns and show ponies game-winning drive! Austin Collie was at the end of his career, signed off the street as the Pats dealt with a rash of injuries at wide receiver. He caught 6 passes from Brady in 7 games. All 6 receptions went for 1st downs.

Should I be worried about the Patriots needing to rely on Devin Lucien or Austin Carr should they be needed to backstop Danny Amendola and Malcolm Mitchell?

Probably not.