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Post by texs31 on Aug 19, 2017 16:10:20 GMT -5
Yeah, it almost looked like a "how to get your best 11 guys on the field" (if you assume Harmon in that group).
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Post by umassgrad2005 on Aug 20, 2017 9:28:03 GMT -5
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Aug 22, 2017 6:07:38 GMT -5
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Post by texs31 on Aug 22, 2017 7:29:01 GMT -5
FWIW, Jeff Howe just said that Lewis is closer to the cut line than he would've thought. Could be him vs Bolden.
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Post by jimed14 on Aug 22, 2017 8:02:43 GMT -5
Dion Lewis is made of glass and always has been. It's not just the knee. |
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Post by umassgrad2005 on Aug 22, 2017 14:38:04 GMT -5
Yet again he was 4th on depth chart. Will Gillislee resting, Burkhead played lead back. White was also playing with Brady. Burkhead also showed off his receiving skills. While Lewis played with the back-ups yet again. Preseason stats don't mean much, but where a player is playing does. When was the last time we kept a 4th RB that wasn't a core special team player? Lewis is fighting for a roster spot. It's going to come down to depth issues. Do we keep an extra back or another player at another position? Right now that isn't clear. What is clear is that Lewis isn't a lock to make the team. |
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Aug 22, 2017 14:38:31 GMT -5
Dion Lewis is made of glass and always has been. It's not just the knee. When he is playing, he is a dynamic playmaking option. The fact that the Patriots have the depth to keep his reps down is a good thing. They can conserve him all year just in time for the playoffs. |
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Aug 22, 2017 14:45:25 GMT -5
Yet again he was 4th on depth chart. Will Gillislee resting, Burkhead played lead back. White was also playing with Brady. Burkhead also showed off his receiving skills. While Lewis played with the back-ups yet again. Preseason stats don't mean much, but where a player is playing does. When was the last time we kept a 4th RB that wasn't a core special team player? Lewis is fighting for a roster spot. It's going to come down to depth issues. Do we keep an extra back or another player at another position? Right now that isn't clear. What is clear is that Lewis isn't a lock to make the team. There is no explaining what BB does as a coach, but he and the players can see how good of a player is on the field. Apparently you can't. You just don't cut great talent because you're worried he'll break later. |
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Post by texs31 on Aug 22, 2017 14:47:35 GMT -5
After all of the surprise cuts we've seen over the years, there are very few players on the roster that you can say the idea of him NOT being on the roster is a ridiculous thought.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Aug 22, 2017 14:54:22 GMT -5
After all of the surprise cuts we've seen over the years, there are very few players on the roster that you can say the idea of him NOT being on the roster is a ridiculous thought. If Dion Lewis wasn't as talented as he was, I'd agree with all of you. If anything, he's a trade candidate. |
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Post by umassgrad2005 on Aug 22, 2017 16:12:06 GMT -5
All of this has nothing to do with Lewis and his talent level. He is very skilled and a good player. It's a numbers game, only 53 spots. So it comes down to roster depth and the best 53 man team. It could be better for the team to keep an extra DE/OLB due to depth issues over a 4th RB. Maybe an extra OT. Lewis might be the better player, but the extra DE would give us better depth as a team. Chances are Foster our #3 RB at the start of last year will be on the practice squad. So even without Lewis we would have much better depth than last year.
A good 4th RB that isn't a core special teams player seems like a luxury. Then add in that Lewis can't stay healthy and you get why he isn't a roster lock. By mid-season when you might need a 4th RB, Lewis might be injured. You can live with the injury risk if he is a big part of your offense. Not when he is the 4th RB.
Since the start I have said he is most likely to get traded if he doesn't make the team.
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Post by rjp313jr on Aug 24, 2017 7:28:46 GMT -5
Nothing BB does surprises me any more that being said, the team is better with Lewis than without him and while he may not be a core 4 special teams player he's the teams best kick returner. They've played 2 preseason games - it's hard to read too much into things considering the circumstances. The way you have looked at it is one way and another is that they have a lot of guys and they are trying to get them all reps in different situations. Burkehead Gillislee weren't healthy for the first game so it makes sense for Lewis to play. Last game Burkehead was back and he's new so why wouldn't you want to give him first team reps? Lewis has been the only one actually healthy this camp. Also, their edge depth isn't as big of a concern as we are making it out to be. www.patspulpit.com/2017/8/24/16189634/bill-belichick-collection-versatile-pass-rusher-linebacker-hybrids-save-team-couple-roster-spots |
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Post by rjp313jr on Aug 24, 2017 7:31:36 GMT -5
I do hope they find a way to keep Austin Carr. If that means he hits the IR or that they keep an extra WR then so be it.
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Post by umassgrad2005 on Aug 24, 2017 10:16:54 GMT -5
That article is funny! Not going to happen. They will not only keep 3 DE on roster hahaha. Players like Guy and Butler might be the reason they don't keep extra players. Our LBs might be the reason we don't add a player, but I bet we still keep our normal 10. Also think we add a player or players on cut down day.
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Post by rjp313jr on Aug 24, 2017 12:13:16 GMT -5
Who are you considering the 3 defensive ends? No where in there does it mention 3 defensive ends. I can't even figure out what you are trying to say with your post.
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Post by costpet on Aug 24, 2017 14:57:25 GMT -5
I think the day after cut down day will be wild. 2000 guys available to the highest bidder. Bill will grab some. His scouting department will be on overtime. Fun day.
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Post by umassgrad2005 on Aug 24, 2017 16:37:44 GMT -5
Who are you considering the 3 defensive ends? No where in there does it mention 3 defensive ends. I can't even figure out what you are trying to say with your post. Second to last paragraph. List his top 8, Flowers, Wise, Elay at DE, then Hightower, Harris, Van Noy, McClellin, and Langi. With Roberts, Grissom and Freeney fighting for a possible 9th spot. It doesn't list DE, but those are the only full-time DEs that he has making the team. |
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Post by rjp313jr on Aug 25, 2017 8:31:51 GMT -5
Who are you considering the 3 defensive ends? No where in there does it mention 3 defensive ends. I can't even figure out what you are trying to say with your post. Second to last paragraph. List his top 8, Flowers, Wise, Elay at DE, then Hightower, Harris, Van Noy, McClellin, and Langi. With Roberts, Grissom and Freeney fighting for a possible 9th spot. It doesn't list DE, but those are the only full-time DEs that he has making the team. Gotcha, but Hightower is going to play a ton on the edge like a defensive end would. I agree they aren't keeping 8 but that article was simply to show versatility and that depth wasn't as big of a concern right now due to flexibility. I don't think BB has DE on his depth charts. He has Edge players and then he breaks it down to online edge and offline edge. In obvious run situations they won't hesitate to play Brown Branch and another interior guy like Valentine together which would push one out to the edge. It's all situational. But speaking to this issue, how huge is the Harris signing? We all loved it at the time but it's highlighted even more now. It's going to be really interesting to see if Hightower is unleashed on the QB more this year. He's a very good pass rusher and if that's his main focus then him and Flowers could be tough for teams to handle. Flowers is much more effective rushing from the inside, at least he was last season. |
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Post by rjp313jr on Aug 25, 2017 9:28:26 GMT -5
Looks like Ealy may get cut if they can't trade him based off recent reports..
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Post by texs31 on Aug 25, 2017 10:38:14 GMT -5
Big game for him tonight (not sure if it's more important from a trade perspective or him making the team).
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Aug 26, 2017 4:57:35 GMT -5
Everyone thinks it's a torn ACL for Edelman. What a huge blow that would be. He is the engine of the Patriots offense.
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Post by rjp313jr on Aug 26, 2017 6:44:08 GMT -5
Brady is the engine of the Patriots offense and there are so many weapons they should be more than fine there but of course it's a big loss just not nearly crippling.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Aug 26, 2017 7:10:53 GMT -5
Brady is the biggest component obviously, but Edleman being out might cost them seeding. Which then could cost them home field advantage and maybe even a loss in the playoffs. I think it could be a playoff crippling loss. They're winning the division either way, but that's just how I see things.
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Post by beasleyrockah on Aug 26, 2017 10:11:19 GMT -5
They won the SB without Gronk last year, and they had less depth/options. This injury hurts but it's hardly crippling. The biggest concern for me is now there's more pressure on Gronk, Amendola, Cooks, and Mitchell to stay healthy. Make no mistake though, there's still a gap between the Patriots and the rest of the AFC, Edelman doesn't move the needle THAT much.
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Post by umassgrad2005 on Aug 26, 2017 11:29:42 GMT -5
Second to last paragraph. List his top 8, Flowers, Wise, Elay at DE, then Hightower, Harris, Van Noy, McClellin, and Langi. With Roberts, Grissom and Freeney fighting for a possible 9th spot. It doesn't list DE, but those are the only full-time DEs that he has making the team. Gotcha, but Hightower is going to play a ton on the edge like a defensive end would. I agree they aren't keeping 8 but that article was simply to show versatility and that depth wasn't as big of a concern right now due to flexibility. I don't think BB has DE on his depth charts. He has Edge players and then he breaks it down to online edge and offline edge. In obvious run situations they won't hesitate to play Brown Branch and another interior guy like Valentine together which would push one out to the edge. It's all situational. But speaking to this issue, how huge is the Harris signing? We all loved it at the time but it's highlighted even more now. It's going to be really interesting to see if Hightower is unleashed on the QB more this year. He's a very good pass rusher and if that's his main focus then him and Flowers could be tough for teams to handle. Flowers is much more effective rushing from the inside, at least he was last season. I just don't see BB making Hightower a full-time pass rusher. That's wasting his talents. Being good at blitzing and being a full-time pass rusher are two very different things. For the last couple years our pass rushers have all been on the line 4-3 DEs. That's what you get when you run a 4-3 for the majority of the time. Nink was the last hold over that was a hybrid DE/OLB. Rivers had that potential, but we didn't get to see how they would have used him. So for me DE is currently our pass rushers. Unless Bill plans on going more 3-4 and trying to use guys like Hightower and Van Noy as OLB. We don't know, but that would surprise me. We can still easily go out and get more DEs. Changing up the D like that seems more like an in season more if you couldn't easily add impact players. I still expect a trade or the sign a couple guys on cut down day. I like Harris, good depth signing. I don't expect Hightower to become a full-time pass rusher, so it's not a massive move. Harris is a lot like Roberts, just more experienced. In his prime he was a beast, but he is older now. So if you cut Roberts like that article says might happen and keep Harris, it's not a massive upgrade. Both are run stuffing inside LBs in my book. I also don't think Flowers was most effective rushing from the inside. He was a beast on the outside. All of the big plays I remember were him rushing from the DE spot. They move him around and his role changed as the season went along. He went from part-time player to fulltime starter. |
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