I've heard the opposite from Casale:
http://www.patriots.com/search/index...ainingcamp2006
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Linebacker Freddie Roach continues to struggle, not reading plays well and filling the wrong holes.
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http://www.patriots.com/search/index...=19877&pcid=41
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Roach had two knee injuries in college, which pushed him down the draft boards. He looked a little slow moving laterally in mini-camp, but with a strong training camp, he has a shot for the practice squad as well.
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And "I'm Ron Borges?" offered up a similar opinion:
Questions Being Answered
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Originally Posted by I'm Ron Borges?
Putting Alexander and Roach in the same category is crazy. Alexander is in his third year in the system and has lined up with the second-team defense so far. Roach is an undrafted free agent who has barely stepped on the field yet in training camp. I've been to three practices and haven't seen him out there once. Just because you know the name "Freddie Roach" doesn't mean he has a chance to make the team. From what I've seen so far, he's even behind Corey Mays, who you didn't even mention. Alexander is way ahead of Roach at this point.
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Quite frankly, I agree. When I was at practice, Roach looked to be behind Gardner, Izzo, Davis, Beisel, Bruschi, Alexander, and even Mays on the ILB depth chart.
It seems to me that Roach, Britt, and Stone are definitely getting overhyped by some around here (Stop the presses! Pats1 said something negative!). Just because BB has kept an UDFA on the roster the last 2 years doesn't mean he'll keep one this year. Just because Roach received a signing bonus doesn't mean he's ahead of the rest of the UDFA pack. I don't follow college football that much at all and don't recognize 90% of the draftees' names, but it sounded like everybody else on the board knew his name well and thought of him as the next Gay or Wright. Many are throwing them on the team just because "youth is needed at LB." It just isn't that simple.
With Britt, he was cut by the Chargers but is suddenly now a near-lock to make the team by some, even "starting quality." He may have gotten injured, but let's wait until he actually plays a down in the NFL before we start proclaming his greatness. He has an uphill battle to climb to make the roster.
John Stone faces a similar situation, as fans are reading into him starting with the first team when Brown, Jackson, and Branch were out. By a process of elimination with the other WRs vying for the last WR spot, he seems to always get the nod in roster predictions.
Undrafted rookies or street free agents like Stone or Britt have to be spectacular during camp to make the roster. BB will take the best 53 he has, and not say "OK, we need a #6 WR," and pick from a mediocre group.