New England Patriots: Five Takeaways From Final Preseason Contest

Nov 24, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch (55) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Timothy Wright (81) during the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

2. Introduction to TE Tim Wright

I was surprised to see Wright get playing time yesterday, but after seeing him dominate the Giants pass defense, it became a pleasant surprise.

After the Logan Mankins trade was announced, I looked up some film of Wright to check out who we got in return, and I came away impressed. But what he did on the field last night was even better than what I saw on tape. Yes, he isn’t a very good blocker, but he is a solid route-runner, has good hands, and is pretty damn fast for someone that is 6’4.

The Patriots could only use him in a limited role because he has been with the team for a mere two days, but he was effective in that role. New England moved him around much like they did with Aaron Hernandez when he was in Foxboro, and the results were similar.

When you combine Wright’s height with the likes of Gronkowski and Dobson, I think the Pats will have one of them most unstoppable red zone offenses in the entire league. Tom Brady’s group struggled with that in 2013, but assuming everyone stays healthy, they shouldn’t have a problem with that this year.