TheSolderKing

so when does Crump get traded or let go???


Lee Smith is a topnotch blocker w/ youth where as Alge is getting older and it would be foolish to carry 4 TE's not gonna happen.


Lee Smith is the future we should go young.

Lee Smith will get claimed off of practice squad. THEY BETTER NOT PUT HIM THERE. If anything put Crump on PS and some 1 will claim him.


Crump is a good player but he is very expendable ever since Lee Smith was drafted.

what will transpire? if we lose Lee Smith I will LOSE IT

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jmt57

Crumpler can't go on the Practice Squad; he has far too much service time.


I don't think it is inconceivable that the team would not or could not go with four tight ends this year.

As for Crumpler, from what I have read his biggest donation to the team may have been off the field; apparently his leadership skills in the locker room and during practices were immense.

VJCPatriot

Calm down now. He's a blocking TE drafted on the third day, let's not put him in Canton yet. If we lose Smith it won't be the end of the world. I'm sure he'll compete in training camp like everyone else then we'll see who is likely to stick.

I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the Pats carry 4 TEs.

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Oswlek

Both will be on the squad this year.

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"They have one objective," said Washington cornerback Shawn Springs. "They whoop people's [backsides]. If you understand that, it answers all your questions. They might not lose [this year]."

conway

smith can be both te3 and long snapper. Keeping him instead of crumpler could open up a roster spot. Cheaper than crump, too.

patriot lifer

If he's good enough then he will make the team as the 4th TE. We only have Crumpler for one more season and he's older so resigning him might not be the best option. The question will come down to space. One of our favorite pasttimes on this board is everyone putting out their 53-man rosters. If we're carrying an extra TE, then where does the space come from? We're also taking 3 qb's possibly. We might only take 4 rb's/fb's. Can Lee Smith be effective in special teams is a major question.

To justify being 4 deep at TE, will invariably come down to how much the #4 guy is contributing on kick-offs, punts, and such.

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2013 Season:

Nate Solder (6'8" 320 lbs)
Seabass (6'8" 320 lbs)
Rob Gronkowski (6'6" 265 lbs)
Jake Ballard (6'6" 275 lbs)
Logan Mankins (6'4" 320 lbs) (100% recovered)
Dan Connolly (6'4" 320 lbs)
Marcus Cannon (6'5" 340 lbs) (Switch to Guard??)

RB: Ridley, Vereen, Washington, Bolden

supafly

Good point about possible long snapper, although he'd likely have to master it right off the bat to free up that space. I do expect the primarily ST positions like Slater to be deleted, as it's my opinion that is one of the added reasons to drafting some of these players in the last 2-3 yrs. They can continue to try and free up a position that would be taken up by a guy like Slater. I do not remember specifically how many positions were taken up via 'ST only' last year, but I can't imagine that it was as high as the yr before--etc.

As far as the Crumpler/Smith debate, I expect that decision to be made near the end of camp. We don't even know the severity of either one of Hernandez' or Crumpler's surgeries/injuries, so we may be jumping the gun a bit regarding the 4 TE roster allotment. We can all agree that it will be at least 3, with a chance at 4. If we did have to choose between Smith/Crumpler, I would trust BB immensely, and would imagine that Smith would really have had to show the team something in camp to offset Crumpler's blocking skillset and leadership role.

stinkypete

We've carried 4 TEs before. It all will come down to special teams ability. It looks unlikely that Smith would pass through the practice squad process. Maybe he's the 53rd guy to start the year while someone else PUPs. Maybe there's a phantom injury. There are many ways to manipulate a roster.

Either way, I hope he stays put. Belichick learned from Garrett Mills.

patfanken

IF, and that's a big IF, he's as good as advertised, BB could definitely keep 4 TEs. The 3 current TE's all see regular snaps now, so having a 4th is good injury protection.

IF, and that's a big IF, he's as good as advertised, he'd be a real asset on the GL. Imagine Gronk as the move TE on the GL. Killer blocker, and now he's much tougher to jam off the LOS.

IF and that's a big IF, he's as good as advertised, he'd be an asset on the punt coverage team as a good blocker, so you don't need to have a OLman in the interior as a cover guy, as well as being a long snapper option

So IF, and that's a big IF, he's earned his keep in training camp, where does he lost roster spot come from? I'd say the OL. It would make sense since he's more OLman than receiver to begin with. Some originally thought when he was picked he might just be another guy they'd like to groom as an OT down the road, but now it looks like he's Alge's replacement.....in 2012

jsull87

I think your vastly underestimating Crumpler's (a Captain last year) impact on this team. He was not just an outstanding blocker but he was a top notch pro and he caught passes down the stretch too. i would not be putting my money on crumpler getting cut as he and gronk were starting for this team in most games last year and if you have a look back at the games crump was always helping light on the best pass rushers we came across e.g Freeny and Harrison