Patriots Roster Cuts Landing Elsewhere

by Greg Knopping on Sep 4, 2011 5:54 PM EDT in New England Patriots News

The Patriots lost fifth round pick Lee Smith on the waiver wire to the Buffalo Bills.

Today has been a busy day for the NFL, as teams sift through the 800+ players that suddenly became free agents yesterday. That being said, many of the players that the Patriots let go have landed with other teams, whether it be through the waiver wire or as an unrestricted free agent signing:

Brandon Meriweather, S - Chicago Bears

Will Yeatman, TE - Miami Dolphins

Lee Smith, TE - Buffalo Bills

Brandon Tate, WR - Cincinnati Bengals

Thomas Austin, G - Houston Texans

Landon Cohen, DL - Seattle Seahawks

The fact that the Patriots have already had six of their cuts land on NFL rosters just goes to show you how deep the Patriots are and how respected their depth players are by personnel evaluators around the league.

The big names to find new homes are of course Brandon Meriweather and Brandon Tate. However, losing both Will Yeatman and Lee Smith to division rivals is also a big blow. Both of those players were expected to land on the practice squad if they cleared waivers. Instead, both were claimed and now the Patriots are left with only Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez at tight end (with no other practice bodies).

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Just wondering....

If Merriwether is used by the Bears when opponents are in a passing situation, can opponents be automatically penalized for having 12 men on the field?

by lascombes on Sep 4, 2011 6:37 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs

Rec'd. That was worth a good laugh.

It matters not how strait the gate, nor charged with punishments the scroll:
I am the Master of my fate. I am the Captain of my soul.

by BigRussNovak on Sep 4, 2011 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Nope. And as for the Bears: they will not be flagged for having 10.

by frogfromthemud on Sep 4, 2011 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

This topic just ended

We all have no further business here. D:

by Tai on Sep 4, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Think

Whilhite and Ricky Brown both got picked up. Maybe on PS. But still. Thats a ton of guys.

by McGarry on Sep 4, 2011 7:11 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Wilhite isnt PS eligible nor is Ricky Brown

Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)

by freeland1787 on Sep 4, 2011 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s a sign that Denver’s CB situation isn’t good. So it is a perfect situation for WIlhite.

by prioris on Sep 4, 2011 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm not pleased by the news that Yeatman and Smith both got picked up.

And by division rivals no less. I was hoping at least 1 of them would make it to the PS.

What are we going to do with only 2 TEs, and one of them more of a receiver anyway?

by UtopianAverage on Sep 4, 2011 7:15 PM EDT reply actions

Great point.

I think everyone is thinking just like you. I believe Solder can pull obvious short yardage goal line duty as a TE.

It would seem the Pats lost a gamble with this one. Trying to keep bodies on defense instead of keeping extra TE.

by McGarry on Sep 4, 2011 7:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

As I said in another thread,

dumb, dumb move. Why release them but keep Butler? They drop Maneri today, why didn’t they drop him in the first place and keep at least one of those two. The Pats had a chance to revamp their TE position for year to come and they blew it. I was very annoyed by these cuts.

by STBadly on Sep 4, 2011 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Personally,

I am still rooting for Butler. But I think the main reason he is still around is because they are still gauging Arrington’s injury. I think they want to give him until this week to see where he is at, in case they have to IR him. In which case, Butler, who has disappointed, would at least be seeing his 3rd year in the system, and it would not have been smart to let him go if Arrington cannot recover quickly.
We’ll see if Maneri gets picked up. Hopefully not, then he can practice squad, and fill that role of backup O-Line, with tight end capabilities.

by furiousd on Sep 4, 2011 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions

To be fair...

…Yeatman was good, but he’s not Gronkowski good. He’s easily replaceable. It’s more the fact that the Patriots don’t have a 3rd TE on the roster than the fact that it’s not Yeatman/Smith. If the Patriots pick up another TE (and they most likely will) then I don’t think anyone will bat an eyelid.

Pats Pulpit | @Follow Me On Twitter

by Richard Hill on Sep 4, 2011 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions

The Pats had a chance to revamp their TE position for year to come and they blew it.

Yeah, now our only long-term options are Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski.

We still have one of the best TE groups in the entire league. I agree with Richard. I’m concerned that we don’t have a 3rd tight end, but I think we’ll get one eventually, and I won’t be choked that it’s not one of the rookies we cut.

by 108 on Sep 4, 2011 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Mike Reiss said Yeatman was ready to sign

Rookie free-agent tight end Will Yeatman was ready to sign on to the Patriots practice squad today when he was informed that he had been claimed on waivers by the Miami Dolphins, according to a league source.

Wah. I liked Yeatman from the beginning. That’s one cool thing about Training Camp – actually seeing a player progress from day to day. Yeatman was noticeable at first because of his O-lineman size, but then had to be taken more seriously as he began to look like he belonged instead of just a body brought in for practice.

I was rooting for him over Smith, probably because of his undrafted status, although Smith didn’t look bad at all either.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Sep 4, 2011 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey ... Just trying to find out what I can about Yeatman...

I am liking what I am hearing for the most part.. Is there any video on the guy? I know you guys don’t post your practices on youtube like dolphins fans(lol)… but any game highlights??

Prove everyone that said you weren't a franchise QB wrong, Henne. "WE WANT HENNE!!" GO PHINS!! What can I say I am a homer, I have come to terms with that and accepted it. I predict 10-6 and a wildcard berth. Jets got worse this year when they lost Ellis to the Patriots. The Patriots are going to be more solid on defense this year than they have in the past.

by Jason Scott_90 on Sep 4, 2011 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Check out Lacrosse film

by furiousd on Sep 4, 2011 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Wait until after week 1 and sign a vet, probably Crumpler.

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Sep 4, 2011 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

For the TE lovers out there.... You know who you are

Let’s think back over the past decade/BB era.
When was the last time we had a dominant TE?
Some Youngsters will answer Ben Watson
He was utilized primarly as run blocker, not a big yard procuding TE.
Most older fans will answer Ben Coates.
A very reliable receiving and blocking TE that stood out in a sea of lackluster talent during years of the mediocer doldrums I stood by and rooted for my home team.
We draft 2 awesome TE’s last year in Gronk(theblocking/receiver) and Herndo(the WR/TE hybrid). and everyone thinks that all TE’s drafted therafter will perform to their status quo.
Ask yourself this question….
Does BB value the TE position that much?
I say he saw great value in 2 draft picks last year and selected accordingly. Nothing in past drafts has indicated that he needed 4 TE’s on the roster to be competitive.
Crumpler was brought in as a mentor last year and was a best servicabel. His value as a roster spot is dimmisihed as our studs now have a year in the system, know the playbook ,and have developed a repoir, with TFB.
I hate to see to good prsopects land on other teams within our division but we can’t have them all, and whenit all shakes out you’ll see these guys doing what they were meant to do, being blocking foremost and moderately productive recivers as they have some pretty mediocre QB’s leading them.

GFY

by TFBismywingman on Sep 4, 2011 9:01 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Crumpler was more than serviceable

and not just for his mentor status, but for his outstanding blocking ability.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Sep 5, 2011 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Its not that we need 4 to be a great team.

Or that whoever our 3rd TE was would have been the second coming of Ben Coates.

It’s just that if Gronk gets hurt our only other TE is like 235 lbs. That’s scary.

by UtopianAverage on Sep 5, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

You make some good points

however, Coates never played for BB. i am interested to see what he does going forward. He has never had less than 3 on a roster, and twice he has had 4.

by furiousd on Sep 4, 2011 9:24 PM EDT reply actions

This could mean Alge Crumpler could be back

or Solder is going to learn fast who and how to block as a TE.

Trevor Bauer: 14-4, 2.00 ERA, 162 IP, 246 K in UCLA, Visalia (Hi-A), and Mobile (AA)

by freeland1787 on Sep 4, 2011 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn't mind seeing Crumpler back

I haven’t heard that he has been visiting any teams, or if he’s hurt or what. Solder(and Maneri, if he somehow makes it back to the team) played some tight end before he became a Tackle, so he’s got some skills there probably. But, do you want to risk injury to our future and potentially all pro left tackle, by having him run tight end sets this year? I think not. Remember Seymour put in as fullback only to injure his knee, and did he ever fully recover from that with the Pats?

by furiousd on Sep 4, 2011 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions

He has had 2 actually

We started 2009 with Ben Watson, Chris Baker, and Michael Matthews, but waived Matthews on Oct 20, and only held the other two for the remainder of 2009. Hernandez comes up a bit short as a blocker, but if we want two extra blockers, we can use a lineman. It’s hardly cataclysmic.

by 108 on Sep 4, 2011 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Quibble

1996 SB season billy was asst HC of the NEP. And big ben was the TE.

by McGarry on Sep 5, 2011 9:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I get the feeling that was just a title to lure him over

he was actually the defensive backs coach, officially. It was “assistant to the head coach” a la Dwight Schrute. I am splitting hairs on your quibble.

by furiousd on Sep 5, 2011 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions

they also had 4 tight ends on the roster that year

by furiousd on Sep 5, 2011 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting Peyton rumors on the rise...

by frogfromthemud on Sep 4, 2011 9:40 PM EDT reply actions

Exactly what I get for drafting him

Deep in enemy territory

by JeffyB on Sep 4, 2011 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Might I ask what rumors?

It matters not how strait the gate, nor charged with punishments the scroll:
I am the Master of my fate. I am the Captain of my soul.

by BigRussNovak on Sep 4, 2011 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Might need another neck surgery, would be out indefinitely

Deep in enemy territory

by JeffyB on Sep 4, 2011 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions

link?

I’m not finding anything

by indy pats fan on Sep 4, 2011 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Saw it on ProFootballTalk...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/04/indy-radio-host-says-peyton-needs-another-neck-procedure/

Deep in enemy territory

by JeffyB on Sep 4, 2011 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I saw this literally right next to your comment

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2011/5/24/2188862/peyton-manning-neck-surgery-indianapolis-colts-jim-irsay

by cruelangelT on Sep 4, 2011 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I refreshed the page

and bam, it was right there. I was looking on ESPN but now I’ve found a few different reports about it.

by indy pats fan on Sep 4, 2011 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting on how desirable Pats players are

From Jason La Canfora

Of 32 players claimed Sun, just 1 non-Pat, PHI C Mike McGlynn, had more than 2 teams claim him. Pats players averaged 3-plus claims/player

From Mike Reiss

How desirable were some Patriots on waiver wire? TE Lee Smith was claimed by 5 teams, while C/G Thomas Austin was claimed by 4.

You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into. ~Author Unknown

by AdrenalineJunkie on Sep 4, 2011 9:56 PM EDT reply actions

Makes fielding a practice squad slightly difficult

by Oughat on Sep 4, 2011 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Look at it like this

The players we wanted for our PS are good enough for most team’s 53. So we have to settle for having a PS that will only be slightly superior to the rest of the league’s.

This is just the biproduct of Bill Belichick’s legendary diligence picking up quality veterans, undrafted rookies, and recently hordes of draft picks. We have good players coming in faster than they’re leaving, and we can only keep so many. It’s a good sign more than anything.

by 108 on Sep 4, 2011 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions