More high picks cut early around the league?

[patchick]

At least four 2nd-round draft picks from 2009 have already been cut or traded for table scraps: Alphonso Smith, Pat White, David Veikune, Cody Brown. That strikes me as very unusual after just one year, and 3rd rounders are falling fast, too.

Is there a real shift toward owning up to your mistakes early? Is the cap-free year making bonus acceleration more palatable? Or is it just coincidence (or my imagination)?

 

[Hudson Pats Fan]

Was the 2009 draft supposed to be a "weak" draft?

 

[Sicilian]

Was the 2009 draft supposed to be a "weak" draft?

If it was, that makes our 2nd round look pretty good.

 

[Ring 6]

At least four 2nd-round draft picks from 2009 have already been cut or traded for table scraps: Alphonso Smith, Pat White, David Veikune, Cody Brown. That strikes me as very unusual after just one year, and 3rd rounders are falling fast, too.

Is there a real shift toward owning up to your mistakes early? Is the cap-free year making bonus acceleration more palatable? Or is it just coincidence (or my imagination)?

I dont think many (maybe everyone but the Raiders) teams chose cuts based on what people would say that means about their draft record.
The cap issue could have something to do with it, but 2nds and 3rd dont usually get a lot of up front $$.
Could just be the players and either a high amount of bad picks or just an awful draft....combined with a very deep one this year???????

 

[Underdog]

It's definitely the uncapped year, IMO. With a cap in place, it would've cost these teams some cap space to cut these higher round guys if they felt they weren't going to make it after the first year (maybe not a lot as Andy Johnson notes, but still something). With no practical financial ramifications to the current season for cutting these guys (and the possibility of it being the last season for awhile), they might as well move on and bring in a player they think can help them more this season.

You can even look at the Pats cutting McKenzie as an example...looks like they only would've saved about maybe $100K or so in a capped year by cutting him...for that much it may not have been worth risking exposing him to waivers and let him continue on the active roster. But in an uncapped year they're saving $320K in salary by cutting him (excepting the $5K a week he gets on the PS, of course). It was better to keep the guy who will play more on ST's in Fletcher as the 4th ILB in this environment. I would be willing to bet in a capped year McKenzie would've made the team and Fletcher would be the one on the PS.

 

[lostjumper]

It's definitely the uncapped year, IMO. With a cap in place, it would've cost these teams some cap space to cut these guys if they felt they weren't going to cut it after the first year. With no practical financial ramifications to the current season for cutting these guys (and the possibility of it being the last season for awhile), they might as well move on and bring in a player they think can help them more this season.

You can even look at the Pats cutting McKenzie as an example...looks like they only would've saved about $70Kor so in a capped year by cutting him...for that much it was probably not worth risking exposing him to waivers and let him continue on the active roster. But in an uncapped year they're saving $320K in salary by cutting him (minus the $5K a week he gets on the PS, of course). It was much more financially advantageous to keep the guy who will play more on ST's in Fletcher as the 4th ILB in this environment. I would be willing to bet in a capped year McKenzie would've made the team and Fletcher would be the one on the PS.

Agreed. And it's not just the rookies. In past years, Houshmenzadah(sp?), Jarvis Green, and Antonio Bryant would never have gotten cut. But the uncapped year allows teams to take the hit and move on without the cap repercussions.

 

[Calciumee]

Was the 2009 draft supposed to be a "weak" draft?

Even if it wasn't supposed to be, it has turned out to be

 

[ctpatsfan77]

With a cap in place, it would've cost these teams some cap space to cut these higher round guys if they felt they weren't going to make it after the first year (maybe not a lot as Andy Johnson notes, but still something).

If the team truly loses faith in the player, though, they may be willing to take the hit (see O'Connell, Kevin).

 

[unoriginal]

I know it's not the most popular explanation with our resident draftniks, but I think it's because the proclaimed superiority of the 2010 draft class has put more pressure on those game-day inactive "let's see how this guy turns out" roster slots. The high-round guys who have been cut so far either were severely injured their rookie years or were highly experimental position-wise, or sometimes both. So in a way I agree with Underdog et al:

It's definitely the uncapped year, IMO.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

At least four 2nd-round draft picks from 2009 have already been cut or traded for table scraps: Alphonso Smith, Pat White, David Veikune, Cody Brown. That strikes me as very unusual after just one year, and 3rd rounders are falling fast, too.

Is there a real shift toward owning up to your mistakes early? Is the cap-free year making bonus acceleration more palatable? Or is it just coincidence (or my imagination)?

I am gonna go with B. Cap-free year making bonus acceleration more palatable.

 

[Ring 6]

It's definitely the uncapped year, IMO. With a cap in place, it would've cost these teams some cap space to cut these higher round guys if they felt they weren't going to make it after the first year (maybe not a lot as Andy Johnson notes, but still something). With no practical financial ramifications to the current season for cutting these guys (and the possibility of it being the last season for awhile), they might as well move on and bring in a player they think can help them more this season.

You can even look at the Pats cutting McKenzie as an example...looks like they only would've saved about maybe $100K or so in a capped year by cutting him...for that much it may not have been worth risking exposing him to waivers and let him continue on the active roster. But in an uncapped year they're saving $320K in salary by cutting him (excepting the $5K a week he gets on the PS, of course). It was better to keep the guy who will play more on ST's in Fletcher as the 4th ILB in this environment. I would be willing to bet in a capped year McKenzie would've made the team and Fletcher would be the one on the PS.

Well, they have to pay the guy in McKenzie's place though, so out of a 100+mill payroll, I dont think it enters into the decision. Th signing bonus in the uncapped year accelerating would be the issue because it 'costs' more to cut them than keep them, from a cap perspective which is a big consideration at cutdown time.

 

[Pats726]

You can even look at the Pats cutting McKenzie as an example...looks like they only would've saved about maybe $100K or so in a capped year by cutting him...for that much it may not have been worth risking exposing him to waivers and let him continue on the active roster. But in an uncapped year they're saving $320K in salary by cutting him (excepting the $5K a week he gets on the PS, of course). It was better to keep the guy who will play more on ST's in Fletcher as the 4th ILB in this environment. I would be willing to bet in a capped year McKenzie would've made the team and Fletcher would be the one on the PS.

No..that is highly speculative...McKenzie was a poor ST player...MORE for back up...Fletcher although new to ST play (never played in college) has done a fairly good job on STs...He sticks..TM to the Psquad..I think that would be the case this year OR in a capped year.

 

[Charles Barwin]

Josh traded the Broncos 2010 first rounder to grab the now cut Alphonso Smith in the second. That was a crapy draft for the Broncos all over the place.

 

[TheComeback]

I don't know what to say about this topic, except that it somehow proves the Patriots suck at drafting.

 

[TheComeback]

No..that is highly speculative...McKenzie was a poor ST player...MORE for back up...Fletcher although new to ST play (never played in college) has done a fairly good job on STs...He sticks..TM to the Psquad..I think that would be the case this year OR in a capped year.

Don't forget that McKenzie tore his ACL last year. That makes him a little different from most 2009 picks.

 

[sbpatfan]

I don't know what to say about this topic, except that it somehow proves the Patriots suck at drafting.

Yup, I think that's the only logical conclusion one could possibly get.

 

[Off The Grid]

Even if it (2009) wasn't supposed to be (a weak Draft), it has turned out to be

Yeah. Sure makes me wish we'd had the vision, foresight, and testicular fortitude to trade a couple of 3rd Rounders, to move up to the 2nd Round in THIS year's draft!!

Oh.

WAIT a moment...

We DID!! :rocker:

It's...GOOD to be The King.

 

[jmt57]

I'd say the lack of cap consequences has something to do with it, followed by the depth of the 2010 draft. But each cut is a different set of circumstances. The reason for Tyrone McKenzie being cut has nothing to do with the reason for JaMarcus Russell being cut.

 

[ALP]

I'd say the lack of cap consequences has something to do with it, followed by the depth of the 2010 draft. But each cut is a different set of circumstances. The reason for Tyrone McKenzie being cut has nothing to do with the reason for JaMarcus Russell being cut.

ummm, different drafts.....

 

[jmt57]

ummm, different drafts.....

I know, I was referring to 'high picks cut early' this year - though where the two were drafted was dramatically different as well.