BostonPatriot

As if that's tough to find? Gunners for special teams. Players like Slater are a dime a dozen, plain and simple.

mgteich

So we have started our threads on how useless special teams specialists are compared with their greatr imporance as 4th string position players.

mayoclinic

No, I think everyone acknowledges that STers are important. The question is, who do you cut? Suppose Bodden re-signs. Depending on what happens with Bret Lockett we would have Meriweather, Chung, Sanders, McGowan, Lockett and Slater at safety (the latter 2 primarily ST) and Bodden, Butler, Wheatley, Wilhite, and Arrington at CB. That's 12 DBs. We can't carry neary that many. Do you prefer to cut McGowan, Wheatley or Wilhite? Despite the negative comments on Wheatley and Wilhite, they can actually play nickel and dime CB, which the other guys can't. Perhaps Arrington can step up to a dime CB role and take over Wilhite or Wheatley's spot, but it's a stretch right now.

At some point there will be some hard cuts. Slater's value as a STer will be have to weighed against other guy's value like Arrington and Lockett, and what each can bring as a backup. Given that Slater's KR ability has not been impressive, and he has essentially no positional value, it's a fair question as to whether his abilities as a gunner are enough to earn him a roster spot. Personally, I doubt it, but I also think it's pretty useful speculation 6 months away from when the issue will come to a head.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

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condon84

Slater is a symbol of what went wrong with this team's draft picks recently.

BostonPatriot

Yes sir, and it's a valid concern considering what Collie and Garcean just did for Indie. As said, Slater is everything that is wrong with our recent drafting. I understand that later rounds can be hit or miss, but we might have well just lit the pick we used for Slater on fire.

With all due respect, I don't think you'd be questioning a thread like this if it was talking about how great a pick Volmer was.

ctpatsfan77

He was taken at the tail of the fifth round (#153).

It's really not that hard.

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ctpatsfan77

Well, if Willie Andrews hadn't suddenly taken the express train to Crazyville, maybe the Pats wouldn't have had to spend a fifth-rounder on a gunner.

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RayClay

Just call slater a WR and you solve that problem. Seriously, he's neither. they need to bring a lot of other teams cuts into camp and have some real competition for STs. I'm with you on wWilhite and Wheatley, they're cheap and can develop (what happened to Wheatley i don't know but he looked good in his college highlights).

Anyway, let's have a huge camp, competition for every position, at least the backups. Players are way too comfortable about accepting a paycheck IMO. Let's see some gawdawful hits from some guy whose number we need to look up in camp.

The difference between the effort of an Edelman and that of a lot of the fatasses handed spots is embarrassing and they need to win jobs or get cut IMO.

We need some LBs, a DE and some decent available receivers or picks and that's about it IMO. We can easily put enough talent on the field. We need some desire and a return to great coaching and to light a fire under everybody's ass.

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RayClay

I'm not worried about a bottom of the fifth pick, that's just silly. He needs to beat people out, though. Let's sign some players that are hungry and see if they can force their way onto the squad next year.

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mgteich

At some point there will be hard cuts and at LEAST three players will make the team because of how well they play special teams. Personally, I think it is iomportant to list ST specialists as roster spots, rather than make believe that they are on the team because they are critical as the #6 corner or the #5 safety or the #9 linebacker.

We have NINE defensive back roster positions at most, four corners, three safeties, and two that depend on the players of that year. Only seven usually get many reps as position players. This year, the two were our devlopmental players Chung and Wheatley.

Making believe that Arrington, Lockett or Slater had any chance to make the 2009 (or 2010) team as the 10th defensive back makes no sense to me. Our defense needs 14 front seven players and 9 defensive backs. At times, we have had just these 23.

OFFENSE (22)
QB 2
RB 4
WR 5
OL 9
TE 2

DEFENSE (23)
DL 7
LB 7
DB 9

SPECIALISTS (3)
K 1
P 1
LS 1

SPECIAL TEAMERS AND DEVELOPMENTAL BACKUPS (5)
These guys better be important developmental players or be top special teamers. And, yes, there is always stiff competition for these positions. If Arrington and Lockett make the squad instead of Slater, it will because they are better gunners, better special team blockers or better special team tacklers, not because they are the best #10 defensive back.
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WHO TO CUT IF BODDEN RE-SIGNS (SINCE YOU ASKED)
The NINE position incumbants are known. If they cannot be beaten out, then they would will be our nine position players. Anyone else will have to compete with linebackers, wide receivers for special team roster spots or even with developmental players for non-position roster spots.

For the record, I like Aiken, Slater, Arrington, Lockett, Woods and Alexander as special teamers. One is likely to win a position roster spot, so all are in a sense the incumbants.

And since such decisions don't need to be made until the last cut, I think all these players will have a chance to show how good they are as special teamers.