Aaron Dobson catching fire early in Patriots camp

Aaron Dobson is taking full advantage of his time with the New England Patriots' first-team offense as receiver Brandon LaFell sits out with a foot ailment.

According to CSNNE.com's Tom Curran, Dobson is lighting it up at training camp through four days and has made "a number of standout plays" during practice.

"At this time two years ago, Dobson appeared tentative in traffic and was slow to go after balls with authority. That Dobson is gone," writes Curran. "He’s not the second coming of Anquan Boldin yet, but Dobson’s compete-level, as they say, is better."

The young Dobson, who was hampered by injuries last season, will continue to work to prove himself as a formidable pass-catcher in the usually high-powered Patriots offense.

READ MORE

ESPN.com's Joe McDonald also wrote something about Dobson.

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Now healthy, WR Dobson has nothing left to prove

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Prior to Monday, Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson hadn't seen any action in team practices this season. Even now, the sophomore wide receiver is participating strictly in one-on-one drills and conditioning workouts while the team takes part in joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles.

While he's just five months removed from surgery on his foot and a step behind the rest of the depth chart in terms of on-field reps, the former Marshall product doesn't feel he has anything to prove from now through the remainder of training camp to show his worth.

"I feel like I did that already," he said, via WEEI.com. "I stayed attentive in meetings and staying around the game — doing what I can do, studying the playbook and trying to stay ahead.

Dobson ready for training camp? 'It's hard to say'

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Reports Tuesday had sources optimistic New England Patriots wide receiver Aaron Dobson would be ready to roll come training camp.

A chat with the man who knows about foot surgery firsthand on Wednesday, however, has things right back where they started -- uncertain.

"I don’t know, it’s hard to say," Dobson told Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe. "I’m taking it one day at a time, rehabbing hard, just to get back out there as quick as I can."

Dobson's foot has 2 to 3 months of recovery ahead

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots expect wide receiver Aaron Dobson to be a big contributor in 2014. But first, they need to get him healthy.

According to The Boston Herald, Dobson underwent surgery on his foot Monday and is facing an expected two to three month recovery period.

Dobson, who missed four games to injury last season, won't be ready for the start (or maybe most) of OTAs but will be for training camp.

Dobson, though ailing, still plans to train with Brady

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Wide receiver Aaron Dobson is still a little banged up following a stress fracture he sustained just past the midway point of last season, though that apparently won't stop him from getting some one-on-one time in with his quarterback on the West Coast this offseason.

According to Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald, Dobson has been under a serious rest regimen and will be told within the next two weeks whether he is ready to fully participate in offseason activities.

That would be perfect timing for the sophomore wideout, who, according to Howe, will "absolutely" meet his quarterback Tom Brady in Los Angeles before formal workouts begin near the end of April.

Dobson vows to 'improve in all areas of the game'

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Wide receiver Aaron Dobson's rookie season played out like many first-year players before him -- flashes of optimism mixed with a myriad of miscues.

There was his November performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he pulled in five catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Or even his pro debut, where he hauled in the team's only touchdown in a 13-10 win over the New York Jets.

What also stuck out, however, were the not-so-impressive stat lines: the three catches on seven targets in the Patriots' OT loss to Gang Green in Week 6, the two drops in the team's win against the New Orleans Saints, the four combined receptions the last five games of the year.

Romanowski: Time for Pats' youngsters to 'step up'

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Bill Belichick's success (or lack thereof) when drafting wide receivers is well documented through the years.

That criticism continued into last year, where he drafted two wideouts in the first four rounds -- Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce -- and eventually added another as an unrestricted free agent in Kenbrell Thompkins. The trio was expected to fill the void of some big name absentees this season and turn around a passing game that had begun to rely on its tight ends far too much to move the sticks.

The consensus on the rookies has been mixed, to say the least.

Patriots coaches happy with Dobson's progression

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

With a wide receiver corps in flux and a tight end squad flipped upside down due to injuries and crime, the pressure to produce has been on wide receiver Aaron Dobson basically since he stepped off the stage at the draft.

Now halfway through the season and heading into a bye week, the rookie wideout seems to finally be settling in.

"You see some things each week that, you know what, we worked on that in practice, he improved on that in practice and then it worked in the game," offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said Tuesday, via patriots.com. "I think Aaron is starting to make more plays as the season progresses and he's just going to continue to work hard and try to improve."

Dobson: 'We beat ourselves, it's nothing they did'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots' offense was atrocious Sunday in a 13-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. That, or the Bengals' defense was really good.

Patriots rookie wide receiver Aaron Dobson thinks the former.

"I feel like we beat ourselves," Dobson said after the game, via Patriots.com. "If feel like it’s stuff that we can improve on. It’s nothing that they did. We just have to improve."

Patriots' young receivers grow up a little

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Tom Brady spent most of the New England Patriots' Week 2 game throwing fits in the direction of his young wide receivers.

Sunday, Brady threw completions to them.

Brady connected with rookie wideout Kenbrell Thompkins for a pair of touchdowns and found first-year receiver Aaron Dobson a game-high seven times as New England improved to 3-0 with a 23-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ball in rookies' court as Patriots cut Jenkins

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

The New England Patriots' wide receiver crew got a little younger Thursday, as the team cut 10-year vet Michael Jenkins.

The move, though not surprising given his output and injuries this offseason, puts all the more pressure on the young and mostly untested wideouts that remain, namely the rookie trio of Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins.

Jenkins was unavailable for the team's first preseason game against the Eagles last weekend, which likely sealed the deal for the 31-year-old. While solid during mini-camp, he's reportedly been overshadowed by the young guys since they've returned from their own injuries.

Pats take another semi-gamble at wideout in Dobson

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Regardless of Bill Belichick's past misses at wide receiver in the draft, the team desperately needed an outside threat to add to its depth chart.

Belichick and the New England Patriots rolled the dice once again on Friday, drafting Aaron Dobson out of Marshall with the 59th overall pick. (photo: collegetopro.com)

While Dobson is precisely the outside-type receiver that the Pats were missing, his selection is still a bit of a question mark. He failed to break 700 yards receiving in any of his four years with the Herd, though he did haul in 12 touchdowns in 2011.