Patriots Training Camp- Day 1 Observations

[PatsFans.com Article]

Patriots Training Camp- Day 1 Observations
By: Steve Balestrieri

Brady had immediate chemistry with Jabar Gaffney and Donte' Stallworth, like they never left. Brady looked sharp, fit and focused on Thursday, which is no surprise....

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[FredFromDartmouth]

Yea Hightower is the kind of guy the Steelers or Raven love to draft and torture the rest of the league with for years. It must have killed to Steelers to pass on him (because they needed DeCastro) and then see the Patriots jump up and grab him. Must have just killed them.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I've heard enough (one blurb) to put me over the edge.

Stallworth should make the team over Edelman. Would rather have someone who can do something well than a guy who does many things poorly. Someone else can return punts, and we won't miss the production there.

 

[BananaRepublican]

Yea Hightower is the kind of guy the Steelers or Raven love to draft and torture the rest of the league with for years. It must have killed to Steelers to pass on him (because they needed DeCastro) and then see the Patriots jump up and grab him. Must have just killed them.

I thought they did the right thing but yeh, it killed them. Hightower could be one of those special players that every team in the league covets.

 

[Rob0729]

It was an encouraging first day, but let's not go overboard. Haynesworth looked like a stud the first day last year.

I am encouraged by the offense already clicking, but they were practicing in shells. I'm glad the rookies didn't look lost and seemed prepared. I'm glad Gronk looks completely healed. Those are nice things to have on the first day.

Unfortunately, it doesn't really mean much for the rest of camp or the preseason or the regular season. It is just a nice start.

 

[Simple Jack's Brother]

I thought this day would never come!! Thank godddd....that being said, it's always a tease when they're not in full pads...Saturday can't come soon enough!

 

[Dingleberry]

Was really excited for this day.......the whole world should be about NFL finally......on the road for much of the day.......

NFL Radio on Sirius - lots of boring player interviews and talk about the Carolina Panthers and the Super Bowl guarantee, so I switch to.....

ESPN Radio on Sirius - Penn State talk, so I switch to....

WEEI - Will Valentine be the manager next year and should Beckett be traded? Are you f-ing kidding me? So, I switch to.....

Hub - Felger and Maz whining about the Red Sox and Connecticut not being part of New England. So, I listen to music and come home and turn on.....

CSN Sports Tonight - some training camp clips but mostly Red Sox/Beckett crap...followed by some show on the hopes of a local Olympian, I guess.

So, I turn on the computer and try to find out about training camp. Thankfully, the blogs have some news.

Why is the rest of the world not as obsessed as us?

And who are you people who give a **** about baseball and the Red Sox? Take some NyQuil, it will have the same result.

 

[ausbacker]

Gaffney should have never been allowed to leave.

 

[BTTA]

I'm surprised that the press seems concerned that the d-line was able to get to the quarterback regularly when most of the o-line wasn't playing and they weren't allowed to hit the d-linemen to keep them away. If it is just about speed, handwork, and footwork, the d-line is going to get to the qb all day. Why is that surprising?

 

[ahmed]

Finally... some football!!! The world is right again. Excited about the receivers but it's the defense I want to hear good things about.

 

[Joker]

wow...you poor bastids have been starving, huh?

today holds only one meaning for me....finally, it's football time.....

 

[supafly]

WOW...Although it's only the first day of TC, this article states a lot of positives.

I wouldn't admit this to anyone else, but I may have just squealed like a girl sitting here in my office.

EDIT: On second thought, it was more of a manly squeal..like a "wooo." Don't get it twisted.

 

[italia44]

I've heard enough (one blurb) to put me over the edge.

Stallworth should make the team over Edelman. Would rather have someone who can do something well than a guy who does many things poorly. Someone else can return punts, and we won't miss the production there.

I agree with you.....if he still has some speed,I really like Stallworth on the roster.However,I'd like to see Branch bumped rather than edelperson as he can play the slot as well as return punts....just my take.

 

[supafly]

I agree with you.....if he still has some speed,I really like Stallworth on the roster.However,I'd like to see Branch bumped rather than edelperson as he can play the slot as well as return punts....just my take.

I would tend to agree with you. I think the youth, upside, and versatility trump one last year of Branch, just my opinion though.

 

[Sciz]

I've heard enough (one blurb) to put me over the edge.

Stallworth should make the team over Edelman. Would rather have someone who can do something well than a guy who does many things poorly. Someone else can return punts, and we won't miss the production there.

In 2010, Edelman had the best single-season punt return average in Patriots history. Last year, he had the 14th best PR average in Patriots history. He has the best career punt return average in Patriots history. He has the only two Patriots punt return TDs of the last decade. That sounds like a guy who does something awfully well.

(Averages are minimum 10 attempts)

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Despite the rain of derision I predict, I'd venture to say that the Pats have grown to love the value of a shifty undersized receiver... hell they even have grown to love the value of a shifty undersized runningback. Yes, I'll be the guy to say it... there's a smidgeon of Welker insurance in Edelman. No I'm not saying they're the same guy. I'm saying he can do some Welker things that nobody else on the Pats can do (turn something into nothing on a short pattern, for example.)

And yeah there's the punt returning of course, his main talent.

 

[mgteich]

My gut says if Stallworth is healthy and performs well in preseason, then it will be Branch that goes. With Welker, Lloyd, Gaffney AND Stallworth, Branch would never be active if he were on the team, even if there were an injury. Edelman is active because he is a returner.

I agree with you.....if he still has some speed,I really like Stallworth on the roster.However,I'd like to see Branch bumped rather than edelperson as he can play the slot as well as return punts....just my take.

 

[mehackney]

All we need now is Hank Jr singing "are you ready for some football" oh wait he don't have that gig anymore!!!!!

 

[BananaRepublican]

I'd like to see Branch bumped rather than edelperson as he can play the slot as well as return punts.

Abso-effing-lootly.

If Wes turns an ankle we'll all find out how expendable Julian is. Not.

I see the fight being between Deion and Stallworth with the latter winning due to the speed. Deion is done me thinks. Tom will miss him but he won't. Come on, they have that urgency with the window closing. No time for playing personal favorites.

And without Addai on the team we have not seen Kevin called yet.

Kevin and Deion walking into the sunset together within a month?

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I would tend to agree with you. I think the youth, upside, and versatility trump one last year of Branch, just my opinion though.

plus. there were times last year where Branch looked like he was running in molasses. I doubt there's much left in the tank, unless i missed somewhere that he was playing injured last year.