FOXBOROUGH -- One of the themes for Tom Brady and the Patriots offense this season has been integrating new and young wide receivers into the mix.
"We've had a lot of young players over the years try to come into our offense," Brady said earlier in the week on The Greg Hill Show. "It's a challenging position in our offense because there's a lot that's put on receivers. Young players, it's hard to count on. There's been not a lot of young players that have had major contributions in our offense. That's just the reality at that position. We have a high level of communication, a high level of detail. I think sometimes it takes guys a few years to understand it."
Speaking Friday, Brady was asked about what he can do to help these players.
"Yeah, I think it's up to – I think one thing we talk about here is just doing our jobs," he said. "I mean, I can do what I can do. Every player can do what they can do. I can't do anything for anyone else; they can't do anything for me. So, a lot of it's just trust and trying to communicate trust and communication. So, I've always said the best teammates are the ones that I have to think about the least because I don't want to spend my mental energy on things that aren't really my job.
"The same goes on defense. The free safety can't rush the passer and the pass rushers can't cover the deep part of the field. So, I think what makes a good team is just people doing their job, doing it the best way they can and that's what my responsibility is."
Over the last few weeks, Brady hasn't exactly given ringing endorsements to these young players, although it's hard to know who he is referring to. Jakobi Meyers is the only receiver seeing much playing time, while it could also be tight ends Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosse, who have four total catches on the year.
With Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon dealing with minor injuries and Antonio Brown being completely out of the mix, he may be forced to get more out of these new and younger players, including rookie wide out N'Keal Harry is he comes off injured reserve.
"Like I said, I've got to do the best that I can do," he said. "So, yeah, those guys are trying. They're young. I was young; I was trying once, too. I just didn't have to play my first year, so it's a little different."
Reading between the lines, Brady is frustrated with the way things are going with some of the new players, but it's hard to imagine it changing given it is Week 5 and there isn't much cap space to work with.
