By the Numbers: A Look at the Patriots 53 Man Roster
by Greg Knopping on Sep 3, 2011 7:18 PM EDT
in Opinion/Analysis
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PrintThe Patriots just released the full list of cuts and transactions that have brought the team down to the league required 53 player maximum. That being said, here's a look at how the Patriots roster currently stands:
QB (3): Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett
RB (4): BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead, Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen
WR (6): Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco, Taylor Price, Julian Edelman, Matthew Slater
TE (2): Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez
T (4): Matt Light, Sebastian Vollmer, Nate Solder, Steve Maneri
OG/C (4): Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Dan Connolly, Ryan Wendell
Offense Total: 23/53
DE/DT (7): Vince Wilfork, Albert Haynesworth, Shaun Ellis, Mike Wright, Gerard Warren, Kyle Love, Myron Pryor
DE/LB (4): Jermaine Cunningham, Andre Carter, Rob Ninkovich, Mark Anderson
LB (6): Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Brandon Spikes, Dane Fletcher, Tracy White, Jeff Tarpinian
CB (6): Devin McCourty, Leigh Bodden, Ras-I Dowling, Kyle Arrington, Darius Butler, Antwaun Molden
S (4): Pat Chung, Sergio Brown, Josh Barrett, James Ihedigbo
Defense Total: 27/53
Specialists (3): Stephen Gostkowski, Zoltan Mesko, James Dearth
Specialists Total: 3/53
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Feel free to share your thoughts on the Patriots' 53 man roster in the comments section!
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A 3rd TE instead of Tarpinian or Molden would have been my preference. A 4th TE instead of both would have been my first choice.
They must get a better RG.
Yes. We know. You've said, every thread.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Are you excited about 6 LB’s and 6 DB’s?
Certainly time remains for things to change, but releasing two TE’s who have been invested in the playbook for weeks seems a bit odd. Only Crumpler would be able to ease right into the system if either Gronk or Hernandez were to get injured. And, that is assuming Crumpler is healthy and in game shape: two big assumptions!
Tarpinian would seem like an easier guy to slide onto the PS. There’s where the 6th LB could have resided. Instead, they release two massive TE’s who everyone agrees might be lost. I don’t see the rational in this decision from a percentages standpoint. Molden may have been floating out there untouched for a week as well.
The PATS win or lose depending on how well Brady is protected, how many viable options Brady has for receivers, and how well they can run the football. It’s pretty simple. A 6th LB and a 6th DB have far less to do with those requirements than a 3rd or possibly 4th TE.
Add to those realities the fact that the RG is a glaring hole filled by two under sized players who simply get run over by DL, and you can’t just smile and say let’s go PATS.
Obviously, my comments are based on tonight’s 53-man roster. At present, I see Brady running for his life and more punts by Mesko than desired. I hope I am proven wrong starting nexy Monday night. But, it’s a long season, and injuries are so prevalent in today’s NFL that I will be stunned if Hernandez and Gronk survive w/o injury.
They're necessary
DBs and LBs play special teams. TEs don’t.
DBs and LBs are small and get injured easily. TEs aren’t, and don’t.
DBs and LBs need to know systems or they get burned in coverage. Blocking TEs don’t.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
TE's do play special teams
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Generally they're just blockers on KRs. That's it.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions
They don't play all four units (like DBs Brown, Arrington and McCourty, and LB Tracy White do)
Or play three units like Chung or Ninkovich do.
They might play one or two – blockers on a punt, or downfield ‘linemen’ on a kick return.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
All of your arguments, which are sound and I am not disagreeing with them, do not factor into the protection of Brady which was the emphasis of my posting above. If he keeps getting hit and sacked, he’ll not escape injury for the entire season. The TE factors into this protection.
If Gronk gets injured, his absence will dramatically alter the play calling possibilities now that they have released both Smith and Yeatman. Maneri or Solder would be one-dimensional blocking TE’s – with different blocking assignments than those of a tackle. I question how effective they’d be at that role which is also crucial to the running attack.
You’ve highlighted a list of defensive needs and ST purposes: all of which we all agree are important. I simply feel that 5 DB’s and 5 LB’s satisfy your list of important roles. The roster spot for the 6th DB and the 6th LB could be better spent on a new RG and a 3rd TE.
Add to those realities the fact that the RG is a glaring hole filled by two under sized players who simply get run over by DL, and you can’t just smile and say let’s go PATS.
That’s a reason to get a Guard, not a TE.
Unsurprisingly, the Pats have had Andre Gurode and Brian Waters in for visits the last two days.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The PATS win or lose depending on how well Brady is protected, how many viable options Brady has for receivers, and how well they can run the football. It’s pretty simple. A 6th LB and a 6th DB have far less to do with those requirements than a 3rd or possibly 4th TE.
And the 4th TE has about one millionth less to do with keeping Brady upright than the starting Right Guard or Center.
Congrats. You’ve given reasons why the Patriots should sign Andre Gurode or Brian Waters, and none for why they should have a fourth TE on the roster.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I can see Solder or Maneri as a 6th OL
in a 3 TE formation
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Definitely a possibility.
If they get a free agent starting-quality Guard like Waters, they can easily flip Connolly in as a FB or TE, too – he did that a lot when Neal was still healthy.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
We’re in complete agreement on signing Gurode and/or Waters. We both mentioned their names in previous posts. RG is a major concern. Likewise, from the outset I have questioned Koppen’s return. He’s under sized, and I have stated that since the start of camp. There’s no need to congratulate me for something I stated many times earlier on.
(I’m not asking you this)
WHY did it take until now to see that Connolly, Ohrnberger (at the time), and Wendell are absolutley useless. They couldn’t guard a clothes rack at a Filene’s basement sale. Those woman would also run right over them. Once again, their replacement will arrive without knowledge of the playbook leaving Brady vulnerable on Monday night no matter who plays RG.
First and foremost, the PATS don’t even have a 3rd TE. They train two TE’s for weeks on end, both are fully invested in the playbook, and then both are released. That leaves Crumpler as the only TE capable of hitting the field with instant understanding of the playbook.
As for the 4th TE, we, again, agree to a point. He’s on the roster for injury insurance though he could easily be part of TE rotation with the 3rd TE since both demonstrated receiving skills. A TE, in my view, would be a far better lead FB. If you watch clips of Seymour, Hochstein, and other OL playing that role; they have zero lateral movement to adjust on their blocking assignment. They just run straight ahead. TE’s do block on ST. They play on the hands team. And, they need two massive TE’s to do true double TE sets. Hernandez is a slot receiver, and his blocking ability is far below that of Gronk’s.
Just because they release a guy doesn't mean he's gone.
At least one of them will wind up on the practice squad.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
I think teams are wary of signing a player the Pats want back, following the Childress thing.
And there’s some kind of gentlemen’s agreement not to sing players waived and destined fro the original team’s PS anyway.
Wouldn’t put it past the Jets though.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
And as I recall...
Having Gronkowski, Hernandez, Yeatman and Smith all on the roster didn’t prevent the Lions and Giants from clobbering the QBs a dozen times.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Other posters have stated on many occasions that pre-season is “vanilla” game planning. However, I agree. It is concerning, nonetheless, to see what the Lions and Giants did to Brady.
However, we are not in agreement with the roster response (at this moment). Their answer to the QB’s getting clobbered was to release two blocking TE’s and add a 6th DB and a 6th LB.
How does that make sense if we focus specifically on the franchise QB – the one player who decides if the PATS win a SB ring this season???
Sign another DB
preferable Joselio Hanson.
Taylor Price will be the starter by the end of the season (Said before Training Camp)
How many ST aces do the Pats have?
Pat Chung, Matthew Slater, Jeff Tarpinian, Tracy White, Kyle Arrington, Julian Edelman…
Gotta love how BB handles special teams.
Looks like I was wrong about the CBs
While they did keep Molden, they didn’t get rid of either Arrington or Butler
Wow
just wow. Never thought they’d cut Meriweather. The saga isn’t over yet, though… we’ll see what happens this week.
Keep the faith!
I'm not surprised he wasn't a very good player
Taylor Price will be the starter by the end of the season (Said before Training Camp)
I was looking at the numbers
Reminds me a bit like the 2009 situation when the Pats were really thin at CB. This year though, with the solid play and depth on the D-line, maybe BB can get away with being a bit thin at safety.
Keep the faith!
It's also easier, in my opinion, to work with less safety depth.
It would be problematic if one went down but unlike cornerback we can run a wide array of sub packages with only two safeties.
by 108 on Sep 3, 2011 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions
If I had faith in the players who made it
it wouldn’t matter so much the number of players. I guess it will take a few games to get comfortable with these guys.
Keep the faith!
that's a fair point
I only really have confidence in Chung of the bunch. That being said… Keep the faith!
by 108 on Sep 4, 2011 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Ras-I Dowling can probably play some safety.
It would solve a lot of issues if he could.
Brady > Mallett > Hoyer > Sanchez
- beantownboy171
agree with this - he has the size and speed
Durability is a bit of a question.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
The patriots have really amazing depth up front.
Which hopefully means we won’t have a repeat of last year. If Richard, Weston or Cohen (PS eligible?) can make it to the practice squad it would only compound that fact.
Brace and Deaderick coming in mid-season will be a good boost. The way the season unfolds generally they will be needed in some facet.
My general thought on TE is the same as many. I’m surprised they kept just two, but thinking more about it, it makes sense. If one or both of them could make it to waivers, that would be wonderful. But even if not, we have Alge Crumpler in our back pocket for midseason insurance.
Brady > Mallett > Hoyer > Sanchez
- beantownboy171
Let him
He’s a liability, and if he knew anything about our defensive schemes he’d still be on the team.
Hah, I said that last year
If the Pats cut Meriweather and the Jets signed him, they’d ask Meriweather the defensive assignments, and Meriweather wouldn’t know.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
The issue with the TEs is simple: they’re going to get injured (they both did last year, and they will get a lot of work) and we don’t have any backups.
Considering how important the TE is as a dual threat, I would think we need at minimum 3 (and my preference was 4). People say Maneri and Solder can play the blocking TE role, but the blocking TE role is an additional lineman, not a dual threat.
Anyway, in Bill we trust.
by quadruple option on Sep 3, 2011 8:57 PM EDT reply actions
We have two TEs that are prolific receivers
If one gets hurt, we’ll have one excellent receiving TE, which is more than most teams have. Last year we had those two plus Crumpler, who was hardly Antonio Gates out there.
I really like the direction we took last year featuring TEs in our offense, and I would like that to continue, but I’m not convinced that Yeatman provided any more value than a wide receiver UNLESS we lose Herndo, and Lee Smith provided little that couldn’t be done by an additional lineman. I’d like 3 TEs on the team, but only if all three are good enough.
Other factors to consider: I think it’s likely one of those two lands on the PS, meaning in case of injury we can easily finagle that player back onto the roster. Bill routinely switches bubble players on and off the 53 based off injury situations and hopefully we don’t lose both starters at once. The other thing we remember is that this roster isn’t set in stone. Waiver-wire Sunday could lead to a lot of new additions that weren’t in camp, possibly a tight end among them.
In Bill we Trust indeed, and I can only imagine how many fans of other teams don’t have that safety net to fall back on as their favourite teams make unusual moves today.
by 108 on Sep 3, 2011 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Crumpler
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bill brought Crumpler back.
"If you know how to cheat, start now." - Earl Weaver
Bird in the hand and all that
We own(ed) the rights to Yeatman and Smith
Crump might sign with the Jets tomorrow
by quadruple option on Sep 3, 2011 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeatman > anybody on the waiver wire :P
by quadruple option on Sep 3, 2011 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Gronkowski wasnt injured last year
or even showed up in injury reports for that matter
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Brady shows up on injury reports too.
Means less than zero.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Wrong person, whoops.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions
no- thats a great example
to illustrate that point
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
I’m still @ Eric Moore. Most of the other guys were understandable. It was either money or production. But Moore I thought had a place on the team.
JC must be ready then
or we have the jumbo DE all game
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
I really don't get the Moore love.
I never saw him do anything other than get pushed around.
Over the Monster -- SB Nation's Resident Red Sox Site
USG
He showed potential.
Granted, it was the Bears, Fins and Bills, but it seemed there was something there.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Ah, the end of '10?
I’m going on preseason, where he looked—to me—terrible.
Over the Monster -- SB Nation's Resident Red Sox Site
USG
Keep In Mind...
this is not the final roster.
"If you know how to cheat, start now." - Earl Weaver
by rebop on Sep 3, 2011 9:04 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Biggest weakness = SAFETY
Really concerned there.
hey guys
what do you think the odds are that we sign merriweather? 90%?
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengel
i cant spell a nosebleed
The Official Seinfeld Gif-Man of GGN!!!!!!!!
Please do
That way he can tackle Revis to give us a free touchdown.
by indy pats fan on Sep 3, 2011 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
+1
First thing I thought of, actually.
by wetfeet on Sep 3, 2011 9:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
wow plax and meri on the same team?
think of the endorsement opportunities with Smith and Wesson!
Sign him, please. And do it for a lot's of money. 2 Pro Bowls, he deserves it:D
by frogfromthemud on Sep 3, 2011 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions
ha
i just asume it is a lock since we traded lowery…
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengel
i cant spell a nosebleed
The Official Seinfeld Gif-Man of GGN!!!!!!!!
Considering he clobbered Devin McCourty twice last year...
I’d be hoping Meriweather doesn’t play behind Revis very often. Revis might get hurt.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Hm
I can see 1 CB traded, and a 3rd TE signed.
same
was pretty shocked that there were only two TE’s
by bloppy_ploppy on Sep 3, 2011 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Pats talk contract with Brian Waters
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
At age 34 how much does a guy like Waters have left? Is he better than the 32 yr old Gurode?
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
I could care less about price if he is a very noticeable upgrade. Last SB was 7 seasons ago.
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Coming off Pro Bowls in 2008 and 2010, and Man of the Year in 2009
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for sharing. That’s great news!
Question to you and others: How effective can Waters be by Monday night???
He certainly won’t know the play calls all that well with less than a week to study the playbook.
Come to think of it, for Brady to just say “run block or pass block on hike”, Waters will be an upgrade to Connolly or Wendell.
Regarding ST
The worser football teams tend to have better ST
while top tier football teams tend to have the worst special teams
by prioris on Sep 3, 2011 11:01 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Say what?
Bears, Giants, Patriots, Saints and Jets disagree with you.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions
As do the Falcons, Buccaneers, and (usually) Chargers.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Only 'good' teams with questionable STs are Colts, and (in part) Packers, and 2010's Chargers.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 3, 2011 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions
It's the opposite, really.
The good teams have better starters, so their back-ups (ie the ST players) are better.
Having a Hester or Cribbs is handy, but if the offense is consistently starting at the 30, that’s just as good.
The Colts struggle on STs because they pay huge money to 5 guys, and rely on late round picks and UDFAs to fill out the roster.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
last year i looked at some non DVOA stats
i found this …
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamst
the 3 worst were playoff teams
the 3 best were playoff team
GB was ranked 18
which should tell you how little it means when everything is said and done
it really comes down to the play of non special teams overall
there is over focus on special teams
san diego is loaded with talent but shit happens …
Green Bay was decimated by injury.
Backups become starters, and the PS guys become backups and ST players.
Indy is Indy, it’s the way they build their team.
The Chargers went through 3 or 4 long snappers because of injuries and signing the wrong replacement.
Yes, luck is important. Having a great returner will lift the value of most ST units, even while their coverage units suffer because the back-up CB playing gunner was willing to sign for minimum pay (Indy). Look at the coverage on punts and kickoffs, not STs overall. The better, deeper teams (especially on defence) will be better.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Chicago Bears got to the 2006 Super Bowl off the back of their special teams
their STs meant a lot more to their success than Rex Grossman.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
jesus
this season is nuts from ty warren and alge crumpler getting cut, merriweather cut and eric moore (this shocked me), 6 CBs! WTF, only two tight ends.
this year is crazy,
draft classes 06, 07, 08 were almost complete busts for NE
They were complete busts for everyone who didn't have a top 10 pick or get super lucky.
As opposed to the 2010 draft, for instance.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
seems like new england does better in rounds 3-7 with UDFAs and Arena Football
by Slim Rickins on Sep 3, 2011 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Perhaps.
Even their first round busts aren’t busts.
Seems like they hardly ever miss in round 1 or 2, and the ten picks over the last 5 rounds ensure they find enough good players to fill any holes.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
ehh they have definitely missed in the 2nd round
more than a couple times. In fact I’m looking at our all the drafts in the since 2000 and we’ve been about average in that area. Way too many busts in the second round we’ve drafted
Taylor Price will be the starter by the end of the season (Said before Training Camp)
First Round too
They have had 3 "busts’ in the 1st round, I think Danny Graham, Maroney and Meriweather.
None of whom were busts, they were all NFL level players.
The worst one so far is Chad Jackson, Wheatley not far behind.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions
But
I think the point of the draft is to secure some long term players. None of them fit in the long term for the Pats. So I guess, disappointment would be a better term.
Yep.
Maroney had 2500 yards at 4.1, but never did as well as he should have. Meriweather has “made” 2 Pro Bowls, despite his inconsistencies. Graham is still in the league, so is Watson…
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions
What I don't get...
Why spend a 5th round pick on TE when you end up only keeping 2 at the 53 cutoff?
Was this 2011 rookie so bad that you essentially just wasted a pick for nothing? I realize 5th round picks aren’t huge investments, but I would have preferred shopping it around or trading it for a 2012 pick.
Usually BB has a way of trading for the future, and I was worried he would use too many picks this year and have to make deep cuts.
No...
The team is so good that a 5th round rookie finds it hard to crack the best 53 players.
That’s a sign of strength, not weakness.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
And breeds competition, since you're worried that he used too many picks this year.
Competition is very, very healthy. And it means there’s a list of guys who have spent some time in the Patriots camp, so if/when injuries happen, Belichick knows who to call.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
Warren
lol Ty Warren tore his tricep in denver.
I'd prefer not to laugh at that.
Even if it ‘validates’ BB’s decision to let Warren go.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
agreed
I have nothing against Warren. He was a useful player here. No reason to laugh at his injury.
mayo keeps the 08 draft alive
so it isnt a complete bust
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
There is no way around it
The 06,07,08 drafts were terrible. Especially when you look at the secondary. You guys can list ‘em. But don’t forget Butler too. There are reports the Pats tried trading him yesterday and couldn’t. They have a real hard time drafting defense. I think McCourty is the real deal, but the jury is still out on Dowling, who let’s face it, has a bad rap for not staying on the field. Combine that with Cunningham, who seems to be dropping down the depth chart, and the youth infusion is not so much. Not impressed.
The 06, 07, 08 drafts were terrible for everyone though.
Tough to replace Law, Harrison, Vrabel, Bruschi, etc with guys that aren’t up to snuff. And outside the top 15 or so, elite talent is hard to come by in poor draft years.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
I'll have to look closer at those drafts league wide.
I’m going to look at how many players from these drafts are still contributing.
New
I have been visiting this site for over a year now and i finally made an account! I’m happy to be a new member and i have noticed that you are some awesome pats fans. TO put my opinion in I hope that one our safety will step up in place of Merriweather. i know he had mistakes but cutting him can lead to us having a huge hole at safety.
Welcome aboard
I’d be surprised if they don’t make moves for a safety (or at least work some out) in the next while.
People seem to get overexcited and forget that there’s a lot of mixing-and-matching to do – every other team just shed dozens of players, too.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Any ideas on what new moves they may act upon?
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Waters and/or Gurode probably top the list, as keeping Brady healthy >>> anything
Sharper might be worth a workout. Ed Reed?
I also need to know who just got shed from a roster somewhere – there’s probably another team’s version of James Sanders who suddenly needs a job.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
Solder at guard?
Could they play Solder at right guard? He got some minutes there in the previous game, I think (correct me if I’m wrong)
Maaaaaaybe
But he’s more of a nimble Left Tackle type than a Guard. He’s an ex-TE who’s still very new to OT, let alone OG. He’s more of an athlete than a brawler.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Its possible.
And dude’s hugeee. He’s 6’8" 320. You sure he was a tight end? But, still if they trained him well, he would be a monster down there.
Yep
Matt Light, Mark LeVoir, Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder all played some college football at TE.
Logan Mankins was a college Tackle before becoming a pro Guard.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Steve Maneri was a college TE, too.
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Wow.
Our high school tight-end was 160. That’s half his size. :|
Big unit, and athletic enough to play TE = project OT.
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions
5th rounder for Ed Reed. mark it down.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
In 4 years
He’ll be worth a 5th rounder once he’s passed 35 or 36. A little too long term.
Welcome aboard.
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Trade?
Why didn’t they trade Meriweather? I’m sure he had some value to another team, that way you could get a/some draft picks. I am sure that the coaching staff was aware of the release, considering he played late into the last few games
Probably couldn't find a trade partner
If the Pats were shopping Meriweather at this point in time, with nobody on the roster with any experience behind him, most teams would assume he’s getting cut.
If they assume he’s getting cut, they’d likely just wait for him to hit free agency. Otherwise they’d have to cut an extra player of their own just to fit him within their 53.
Now they can make a play at him in free agency, and if they don’t get him, they have a full roster.
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:20 AM EDT up reply actions
He isn't that bad.
Also, I meant before he played so deep into the last two games. If i recall correctly, He played early in the 1st two?
He's not that bad...
but the very fact that the Pats would’ve had to offer him in trade now would be a signal to other teams that the Pats want to get rid of him.
It’s basically saying “trade for him now, please, because then we’d have to cut him”.
Other teams decided they’d try to pick him up as a free agent, instead.
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions
We'l see.
You make a point, but I think the Pats may have underestimated the amount of teams he appeals to. If there happens to be a crowd for him, the Pats might have regretted not trading him. Or they did put him on the block clandestinely.
He did make 2 Pro-Bowls after all. There are teams that would love to have a Pro_Bwol safety, no matter how much he did not deserve it.
If they didn't trade him, it means they weren't offered anything for him.
Even getting a 7th rounder is better than a straight cut….
And most NFL GMs are better evaluators than we are, and we’re saying he was crap. Surely they saw the same things we did.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Trueee
But, at the same time, they probably would have seen much more potential than we have. Lets admit it, we’re pessimists. :P
Given he got cut and not traded, I'd be tempted to say "realists"
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
He still has a future.
There are a plethora of examples of people who got cut and succeeded elsewhere…look no farther than Woodhead. But he still has potential, I hope he makes the most out of it.
Haha, hopefully tucked away in the NFC, though...
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions
I wish
Can you imagine how awful that secondary would look if/when Samuel jumps a route and misses, and Meriweather tries to tackle and clobbers Samuel instead?
I’d be in serious risk of dying of laughter.
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions
When was this?
Is there a clip of him tackling McCourty, because I seem to be missing out on something.
Saw it.
McCourty got burnt, but what was Meriweather aiming at!?!?
McCourty would have made the tackle though, for about 30 yards.
He thought Meriweather was going to be over the top, since he was playing an under position. Meriweather was about ten yards too shallow.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Also did it once in the Pro Bowl game
Carbon copy – rushed in on a bad angle and clobbered McCourty.
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I was thinking...
On the other side, when my boy Nnamdi shut down the side of the field, and on a screen play run by the opposing team, Meri flies out of nowhere in an attempt to get the receiver but crushes him instead.
As long as it's after they play the NJJ.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Most teams would realise how often he got benched last year
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Only for him to be brought back on because everyone else was injured...
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
S Ahmad Black released by Buccaneers
Wouldn’t be surprised if they give him a look, given the Patriots connections to the Gators.
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Well he won’t blow coverages – insteadhe will just be 5 yards behind considering they time his 40 with an hourglass not a stopwatch…
by quadruple option on Sep 4, 2011 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Who?
Meriweather or Black..and what do you mean by the rest of your comment….?
Rodney Harrison's 40 would've been glue-like in his later years, too
That’s never stopped the Pats before, especially with the way they use Safeties.
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Black ran a 4.8, James Sanders ran a 4.7
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions
But he's so small at 5-9 weighing 184lbs.
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Technique > size
Which is why Meriweather got bounced off tackles when he shouldn’t, why Sanders dropped of tackles, and why Bodden or McCourty tackles usually stick.
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Any word on exactly why he was cut from the Bucs? He was just drafted this year.
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Probably caught out by being too new in a shortened offseason
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Sooo....
Does that mean he has good technique? I have never seen him play, so I’m assuming he has to have a high Football IQ and great technique to compensate for that lack of height.
Yep
He put up ridiculous college numbers for a guy who was too slow, too small, etc.
Think “Welker”, but on D. And at a major college program.
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Cool.
Well, lets hope New England signs him. I still dislike short Defensive backs. Ellis Hobbs still haunts me.
Hopefully they wouldn't put him on an island vs. a 6'5 WR, ha.
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Then why did they cut him
Taylor Price will be the starter by the end of the season (Said before Training Camp)
Comedic.Sans says,
Probably caught out by being too new in a shortened offseason
Why did the Chargers cut Welker?
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because the Chargers suck
and undervalue special teams
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Because they looked at his production at Texas Tech and thought it was all the system.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 2:16 AM EDT up reply actions
both are true statements
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
They also had Sproles in those roles, so Welker wasn't quite as necessary.
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Jerry Rice ran a 4.7...
Posting numbers on a running track with no pads is quite different from being on a field.
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions
no one cares about speed
when you put up the #’s- they forget how slow that player might be if he produces
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
But safety isn't all about speed
It will help, but all the speed in the world won’t help if you make the wrong read on a play. If you can stay in a good position, sometimes a 4.3 isn’t necessary.
Point.
Meriweather ran a 4.49 40, and we saw how that worked on occasion…
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by Comedic.Sans on Sep 4, 2011 12:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, you can get away with being slow if you're moving to the right spots earlier.
Not sure about Black’s instincts though.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
As a FS?
I think the free safety position needs more speed..you do need to keep up with the receivers., unless you position yourself insanely well…I don’ think he has those instincts, he’s just a rookie
Might try Arrington at FS.
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That could work.
He is short though at 5’10" I don’t think that height cuts it…
Similar size to Meriweather
And he’s clearly fine as a straight-line tackler when the play is in front of him – he’s shown that in his play as a Gunner.
He’s basically got the same makeup and skillset as Matthew Slater, and they tried Slater at Safety. I don’t see why they couldn’t put Arrington back their to see how he goes.
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Interesting Rotation
I would like to Arrinngton succeed, he has potential at safety, but i have no idea what to do with butler..
Kick returner/CB depth
No Tate means there’s a gap at KR. That might go to Edelman, or Butler, or they share.
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Way to ruin my moment.
But I meant on defense. I thought Taylor Price also played returner?
Yep, they tried him out there
But at the moment only Butler and Edelman have any real experience. Price might be injected, but there are two guys who have done it before for the Pats in Butler and Edelman.
At CB, he’s probably 4th or 5th, but injuries usually take care of that pretty quickly. He’ll be on the field at one point or another.
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it would go to Edelman
since he is the 5th WR and will see about 5% of the offensive snaps
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Brandon Spikes can be an example on the flip side
of how straight line speed is irrelevant
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
That's what came to mind...
Although Spikes’ lack of speed will hurt occasionally (57 yard catch and run by Cotchery in playoff game comes to mind).
Again, it’s one of those things you can/should gameplan for. Take into consideration his ‘lack’ of speed when he’s up against certain teams or certain guys, and you can cover it over.
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The kid's an exception.
I have no idea what is up with his other football skills though. His Football IQ is like 10.
On the other hand, he did make a rap album. I am on my way to listening to it.
It wasn't the worst rap album.
So it ranks about 10 billionth overall.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Unfortunately.
The song SUCKED. He isn’t half bad as a rapper, but his collaborators and the beat was shit.
Who are we talking about? I'm lost.
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
His Debut Single.
I was talking about Meriweather’s debut rap single. http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/07/11/toucher-rich-new-meriweather-rap-single-v-i-p/
For interested parties.
I'll pass but thanks lol
Lewis Hamilton~ 2011 F1 Champion!!!
Life is about who makes it, not who makes it the fastest! Drive slow homie.
Good Choice.
My ears were bleeding before his rap started.
If you click on the little red 'reply' button under someone's comment, it attaches your comment to theirs.
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Moving back to football- which Free Agents will BB go after?
i think it is one of Gurode and Waters, a Safety not named Sharper- however the postion could get an in-house fix as well (Molden moving to safety or Bodden when Dowling breaks out)
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Interior OL, S, TE.
I won’t speculate on names, I’d be wrong.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions
i have an idea of what BB has an idea for
but i will let the rest of the people speculate until it actually happens. u never know when BB makes scouts look stupid
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Really depends who is available, too
I haven’t seen a complete list of cuts yet. There are also a bunch of guys who have come out of NE-ish systems who could get first crack at a NE roster spot.
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I'm going to release my analysis of the 53-man roster
on Monday- exactly one week before the Miami game
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
According to Schefter Pats sign Brian Waters
Looks like Connolly might be might be a backup even when healthy
Mankins and Waters...
I like having those two… Let’s see what he has left in the tank…
by SyracusePatsFan on Sep 4, 2011 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions
pretty powerful OL
but can waters play RG after playing LG for so long?
Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)
Not too much different...
Not like he needs to worry about his kick steps with the other leg. Having the massive Vollmer next to him will help on run blocking too.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks.
It would have been nice to have signed Waters back then so he had all that time in the playbook and with his new teammates. I just cannot understand how BB thought Connolly, Wendell, LaVoir, or Ohrnberger would be adequate as the RG. It only took one practice to watch Haynesworth abuse that group.
That said, the PATS now have a superb guard tandem going forward and excellent tackles. Brady’s survival chances have just been elevated significantly. It’s such a simple equation. Give Brady time, and he’ll shred any defense. OL has to be their highest priority every off season.
Chefs fan here (yeah I said Chefs)
Waters was released not long after the lockout ended. We were all a touch shocked to see him released but we knew it wasn’t long coming – and his replacement has looked every bit suitable.
You’re not only picking up a rock of an o-lineman, but an amazing person that will make his impact felt on and off the field. He was the Walter Payton Man of the Year after the ‘09-’10 season. He was always active in the community around KC and was generally regarded as a great guy.
He may be 34 and has perhaps slid a little in his ability, but he is still capable of playing at a very high level. He’s smart, he’s talented and I can’t imagine that he won’t help make your o-line even better.
Pats are known for resurrecting players late in their career – I can only imagine that Waters will fall right in line with past successes.
Wishing good luck to Brian (except on Nov 21st). Congrats to you Pats fans, you all added a real class-act.
by Ochophosphate on Sep 4, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Here's to the AFCCG meeting here in 4 months' time.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Thanks for the post.
The KC-Pats connection continues!
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
Thanks for coming along
Hope to see you guys in the playoffs, most Pats fans have a soft spot for KC given all the ex-Pats there.
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The only reason I can see for keeping Butler
is that they plan on moving Ras I to the safety position. I just can’t see keeping him while losing players such as Tate, Yeatman or Lee Smith unless there is a major reason. Oh well, it will all come out in the wash.
In Belichick I trust!
I don't think so.
I think even Belichick doesn’t want to play butler. By moving Dowling to Safety, butler will be 4th or 5th? CB. Doesn’t bode well.
How do you guys think Meriweather would do as a SS in a zone D?
Mercenaries never die. They just go to hell to regroup. - Unknown. I dont always make paradoxes, but when i do, i don't.- Brock Obama. Leading the fighter escort of SU-47s for the Lindley Bandwagon "pm striker king"- WZB.
*takes deep breath through clenched teeth*
About what he did in NE. If you’re talking about the Fins, maybe Nolan is smart enough to put him in a position where he can play like a really crappy Ed Reed, rather than a position requiring discipline. That’s where he’d be at his “best”.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
In Miami, but also his strengths and weaknesses in NE.
Mercenaries never die. They just go to hell to regroup. - Unknown. I dont always make paradoxes, but when i do, i don't.- Brock Obama. Leading the fighter escort of SU-47s for the Lindley Bandwagon "pm striker king"- WZB.
Strengths: he'll flow to the ball.
Weaknesses: he’ll get to the ball after the completion for the first down and then celebrate the “big play” he just made, he can’t tackle/bring down someone without giving away a 15 yard penalty, he’s liable to take out his teammate about to make the TD-saving tackle/pick, he won’t be where he was supposed to be on any given play, he bites on PA worse than any safety not named Anthony Smith…
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Our new enforcer
Merriweather is no Harrison, but he’s been the one who hit as hard as Harrison at times. When he wasn’t missing tackles or moving in the wrong direction. Who will be the new guy in the backfield to make those hits you can hear in the stands?
How about who's going to be the guy that doesn't give away a penalty for a H2H hit?
Or a blown coverage resulting in a TD?
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
NOTE TO BEARS CORNERBACKS :
Increase peripheral vision immediately. You never know when the “invisible 12th man” of the offense is going to get you.
These NFL teams are so predictable...
“Hey guys, this is the safety that intercepted our starting QB in the end zone last year, we NEED to have him for the upcoming season”
“The Patriots released the kickoff returner who took it to the house against us in week one ! Let’s claim him off the waivers !”
Darn.
I was hoping for Philly to sign him.
LOLOLOL
Meriweather playing as a deep safety in a Cover-2, where discipline means everything and biting on play-action is death.
I guess Chicago has never seen the guy play.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
He did pick off Cutler...
Using the Pats’ methods against them? Sign the guys that beat you?
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Antwaun Molden?
Yeah, right. Are you sure that Belichick didn’t secretly sign Anquan Boldin, and he’s going to do a surprise reveal halfway through the Week 5 Jets game?
"Laser show. So relax."
The first rule of Lookout Landing is you don't talk about Lookout Landing.
by nuthinboutnuthin on Sep 4, 2011 1:50 PM EDT reply actions
Smith and Yeatman claimed on waivers within the AFC East
A crisis of faith hits QO
by quadruple option on Sep 4, 2011 1:51 PM EDT reply actions
Why the hell?
I rarely doubt BB, but Jebus! Why the hell do you cut both of your promising TE’s? Does BB think the other teams wouldn’t notice? I can’t tell you how annoyed I am right now. Dumb move! We keep Butler but drop Yeatman/Smith? C’mon BB, at least give the Kool-Aid some flavor!
Fyuuuuuuuuuu!
Well, neither was good enough to make the team
Not exactly sure what everyone is up in arms about.
Deep in enemy territory
We only have TE's on the roster
both of which got hurt last year at different points in a system that has a strong TE presence to answer your question. Keeping Butler instead of one of these two is another sore point.
Gronk got injured?
I don’t remember that. I’m not saying he didn’t, but I don’t remember it at least.
Anyways though, I’m sure we’ll see something happen so that we have a 3rd TE on the roster. Whether it be one with the official title of TE or if they just throw in Solder (a former TE) or whoever to fill the role, I’m sure Belichick has thought through how he’s going to deal with the position if any injuries happen.
by indy pats fan on Sep 4, 2011 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
That's what gets me...
the fact that we had two decent ones in our hands that were working in our system and we dropped them while keeping Diahrrius Butler. It doesn’t make sense to me. Usually I’m on the In Belichick we trust kick, but this to me, just doesn’t make any sense! The fact that two East rivals picked them up is telling. They may suck on their teams, but would have potentially been good on ours. I just can’t wrap my head around it. Of all of the moves, this was the most disappointing.
And we dropped Maneri today....
why not before and keep on of the TE’s? Please BB, prove me wrong, make me look dumb, make me apologize for questioning you before week 2. In BB’s name, amen.
Maneri was dropped
In order to make room for the OG Waters that we picked up.
by indy pats fan on Sep 4, 2011 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions
He should have been dropped
to keep at least one of the TE’s was my basic point. Butler should have been cut instead as well. At least one of them should have been kept. They both played well enough in preseason that you had to figure there was a good chance of them being picked up.
The concern that I have is that Solder or Maneri (as others have offered) are one dimensional TE’s. If Gronk goes down, the PATS would lose a huge feature on the offense: a blocking and receiving TE.
Antonio Gates, Cooley two years ago, and Dallas Clark have all gone down with injuries. The PATS are rolling the dice keeping just one line blocking TE.
That’s one down!!!
The Buffalo Bills have claimed tight end Lee Smith off waivers from the New England Patriots, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Keep in mind that Smith, Yeatman, and Crumpler are the only three that have had their head in the playbook for an extensive period of time. Any new arrival will be quite limited for a week or more. Hopefully, Crumpler is the answer.
Crumpler was considered to be one-dimensional at this point in his career
And yet we seemed to do perfectly fine with having him as the 3rd TE on the roster last year.
by indy pats fan on Sep 4, 2011 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions
True, he was no longer the receiving force from his days in Atlanta, but he was a bonifide TE. He knew route running, and he certainly had an impressive resume as a receiving TE. He was a receiving threat. He caught a TD pass in the playoff loss.
A guy like Solder is strictly one dimensional as a TE. He poses virtually no receiving threat – certainly nothing compared to Smith or Yeatman.
This is a dice roll to think that Gronk will play 16+ games without an injury. Crumpler, now, is the only blocking TE who knows the playbook. Otherwise, any new guy will be limited for a week or more – and every game is critical for home field in the playoffs.
I guess I should be excited because at least we have Tarpinian 6th LB and Molden 6th DB.
Smith or Yeatman were receiving threats? Really?
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
In a word, yes.
Versus Jags:
Will Yeatman(notes) 2 catches 14 yards 9 longest
Versus Bucs:
Will Yeatman(notes) 2 catches 9 yards 6 longest
Versus Lions
Lee Smith(notes) 1 catch 2 yards 2 longest
Versus Giants
Will Yeatman(notes) 1 catch 7 yards 7 longest
These types of receptions are often key plays that keep a drive going, or they save a sack, and/or they force the defense to pay closer attention to this specific TE on future downs – a response which ultimately aides in the success of other play calls because of the attention drawn away from the primary play. And because a LB might be forced to read and react to this TE’s assignment, that response might create enough of a delay to allow Brady that added split second to make a completion – or for the RB to slip through a hole.
Without players like Crumpler, Smith, or Yeatman serving this dual role, Brady is left to force throws into Welker or other targets who have acquired more defensive attention: aka a predictable target!!!
It really doesn't matter that we lost them
There are other, better 3rd TE options out there. If they had been that good, and that crucial to the team, BB would have kept them.
Deep in enemy territory
I certainly would not argue that possibility that a better 3rd TE is available. I just wish they had brought him in earlier so he would know the playbook and be a viable offensive weapon on Monday night. As it stands, anyone other than Crumpler will be limited in his understanding of the system. Then again, you could be spot on in that the TE’s role is easy to learn and a new guy can be acclimated to the system in just a few days.
he couldn't be brought in earlier if
a) he was on another roster or
b) we don’t want to pay guaranteed money
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
They must be looking at (b).
He was still injured when they released him earlier, and this way they don’t guarantee anything on the books.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
It was shoulder surgery, I believe.
Crumpler was excellent. His stats with Tennessee the year before he came to the PATS were excellent.
His limited receiving stats with the PATS were clearly by choice – not due to a major drop off in his ability. Gronk, Hernandez, and Crumpler as a blocker were more important features. But, he certainly posed a threat every down he was on the field.
His return would be a big positive.
I would have kept Yeatman
over Molden or Ihedigbo. My 2 cents. I think based on preseason Yeatman would have contributed more than either of the above.
Yeatman looked good, in my opinion. Had a Solder-like frame and caught everything thrown to him.
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Ocho and Haynesworth made the cut?
I am shocked! Shocked I say! to discover that the reports of Belichickian machinations came to nothing.
Over the Monster -- SB Nation's Resident Red Sox Site
USG
Surely he's just waiting to cut them on the eve of the monday night game
You know, to send a message.
Deep in enemy territory
by JeffyB on Sep 4, 2011 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Why the eve?
Why not post kickoff, but before the first snap?
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I assume..
Ocho before the first offensive snap and Al before the first defensive snap? I can totally imagine Belichick doing that.
Hey don't know if any Bears fans have been over here yet
As you may, or may not know a certain football team from Chicago has recently signed Brand Meriweather. just wondering what yall thought of Meriweather and why he may have been released.
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He has loads of phsyical talent
But was probably dropped on his head as a child a few too many times. He constantly takes the wrong angles of pursuit and isn’t a very good tackler (unless you’re a CB on his team named McCourty, then he’s phenomenal) and just overall isn’t a very football smart guy despite having the athleticism to be a top safety in the league.
by indy pats fan on Sep 4, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Although it doesn't leave a lot of depth
at the position, I think most Pats fans are still glad to be rid of him. Surprised, but glad. He likes to “freelance” a lot and makes bad decisions which makes an average play a big play. He tackles his own teammates, misses tackles trying to make a big hit, and is susceptible to the PA fake. There’s more but I don’t feel like going into it. Summary: good riddance to him. If BB can’t coach him up, then maybe someone else can (I doubt it.)
I really wish I didn't feel like it made the team worse
just due to position scarcity, but yes, I’m still kind of glad that headache is over with.
I’ll fondly remember all the times where he blew a play, allowing a big catch, and then showboated after making the tackle.
Over the Monster -- SB Nation's Resident Red Sox Site
USG
I agree,
I don’t think it made the team better, for sure. And it probably made it worse, short term. But this is an occasion where I believe in BB. I think he’ll either try out Ras I at safety or pick up Darren Sharper after week 1. It’s the TE sitch that I don’t understand.
C'mon guys
you’re overreacting to the TEs things. Its not like we gave away Stevan Ridley here. We are already great at TE. We don’t need to carry four. Lee Smith or Will Yeatman weren’t going to step into the offense and create the same kind of threat Rob Gronkowski would at TE. There specialty was blocking and we already have a lot of blockers. What we don’t have is depth at DB.
Taylor Price will be the starter by the end of the season (Said before Training Camp)
And that is also why we should sign Joselio Hanson
He is widely regarded as one of the best slot CBs in the league and that’s exactly the kind of CB we need. We need to act quick before the Giants sign him
Taylor Price will be the starter by the end of the season (Said before Training Camp)
But he can actually cover
Taylor Price will be the starter by the end of the season (Said before Training Camp)
I was okay with not carrying four,
and even had my mind made up that we wouldn’t. But not to carry at least three, in this system? It’s insane to me, especially when the two in question we let go looked pretty good. Miami and Buffalo agree, apparently…..
I agree completely
The 3rd TE would be a blocker only (i.e. Crumpler, who had like 5 catches in 16 games), a role that could easily be filled by Nate Solder. Smith and Yeatman really wouldn’t bring much to the team that we didn’t already have without using an extra roster spot. With the uncertainty surrounding the performances of Butler and Arrington (as well as Bodden’s injury status),I like keeping Molden for CB depth.
Deep in enemy territory
Connolly goes to TE3, now he's a backup again
Woo!
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
I LOVE the Waters signing
I like Connolly. But he shouldn’t be starting. We need his versatility as a backup at the interior positions. Not to mention it probably isn’t ideal to use a starting guard as a short yardage FB.
Deep in enemy territory
1 Crumpler’s season contributions:
Rec…Yds…Y/G….Avg…Lng…YAC…1stD…TD
6………52…..3.3…8.7…..27…..5.8…….4……..2
Note the average. That is a very strong contribution achieved by his 5.8 YAC. Those numbers demand defensive attention especially since he demonstrated the potential to rip off a 27 yard gain.
These are important contributions. A receiving 3rd TE draws LB attention which adds to the potential of a successful play call.
2 You are making the assumption that Gronkowski escapes injury for 16+ games. Let’s all hope he does. Because, if he misses a game or more, they will lose a major feature in their offense.
Others appear confident that Connolly will be able to equal these offensive contributions as the third TE. More importantly, as the 2nd and only blocking TE if Gronk does get hurt making Connolly the starting TE on the line.
Let’s hope Crumpler returns now that Smith and Yeatman have been tossed away.
Now look at the number of receptions. 6.
We play 16 games. You tell me what kind of impact he had in the passing game. The 3rd TE is not a big deal. A lot of players can fill the position, including a reserve offensive tackle. Crumpler made his impact as a run blocker. I’m sure the team would be glad to have him back, if healthy and at their price. But a lot of players can fill that role and do it well enough to keep the offense going.
Deep in enemy territory
The 3rd TE is not a big deal.
I will be very pleased if you are correct.
I am of the belief that the 3rd TE (in double TE sets) dilutes pass coverage by representing yet another potential receiving threat who must be accounted for. I really don’t think a pure blocking TE offers the same offensive advantage. However, I certainly accept that I might be wrong, and I hope that I am.
You realise the alternative to a third TE is another WR, right?
WRs happen to be “potential receiving threats”, too.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
Belichick will open with three TE's...be patient
based on the current roster he’s also going to change up the defensive alignment to a 6-5…..this will eliminate the debate about the DB’s. He’ll carry 9 linebackers and 9 D linemen on the roster. The new debate will be whether to have 6 linebackers on the field or 6 down lineman. NOBODY’s gonna run on the all new “eleven in the box defense.” It’ll take all those power sweeps away for sure. Four gaps are really preferable against a spread offense. The defensive ends keep their outside foot just in bounds and push the tight end out of bounds eliminating him as an eligible receiver. Genius! Game changer! Sparano is gonna quit after the first quarter.
That's awesome
LOL. Bellicheck’s always a game changer. This should be a fun season. Players may not have had the full off season to prepare, but the coaches sure did.
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