Anyone else curious why Connolly is exclusive at Guard

[Deus Irae]

Connolly had not yet proven himself as a full time starter and they may have been giving Koppen time to right the ship but he was clearly declining. He was only the starter for week one last year.

He didn't get beat out for the job.

Starters sometimes lose their jobs, just because Koppen started week one doesn't mean he would have been the starter the whole year.

Koppen was better than Connolly last season. Connolly wasn't winning the center job. If he had been going to win that job, Koppen would not have been brought back this year.

Koppen got very little interest this year on the open market. The tape doesn't lie.

Neither does an age/injury combo, when it comes to early FA interest.

It's not disrespectful to say a player's done when he clearly is. He's had a nice career but it doesn't look like he has much left and the decline was starting in 2010.

Connolly got tooled up in game one, just as Koppen did. Koppen was on the field for the Patriots best drive last night. It's by no means sure that Koppen is not still going to be the Patriots' best center come the regular season.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

He didn't get beat out for the job.



Koppen was better than Connolly last season. Connolly wasn't winning the center job. If he had been going to win that job, Koppen would not have been brought back this year.



Neither does an age/injury combo, when it comes to early FA interest.



Connolly got tooled up in game one, just as Koppen did. Koppen was on the field for the Patriots best drive last night. It's by no means sure that Koppen is not still going to be the Patriots' best center come the regular season.

Just because he started one game before he got hurt doesn't mean he was the better player. It means he was named the starter for week one - that's it. What would have happened if he stayed healthy is impossible to predict good or bad. However, many saw a decline in his play starting in 2010. Bledsoe started the 2001 season - does that mean he was better than Brady?

Koppen and Connolly were both free agents this year.

Connolly recieved a $3,250,000 signing bonus. Koppen received a $350,000 signing bonus and signed after Connolly did.

Which one do you think was their bigger priority?


Think the age/injury thing could possibly not be working in his favor?

Koppen will not be the teams best center this year, I doubt he'll even make the team.

 

[Deus Irae]

Just because he started one game before he got hurt doesn't mean he was the better player. It means he was named the starter for week one - that's it. What would have happened if he stayed healthy is impossible to predict good or bad. However, many saw a decline in his play starting in 2010. Bledsoe started the 2001 season - does that mean he was better than Brady?

Unless you're trying to say that Connolly is the Tom Brady of the center position, I'm just going to assume you're kidding here. If you are trying to say that Connolly is the Tom Brady of the center position, get help.

Koppen and Connolly were both free agents this year.

Connolly recieved a $3,250,000 signing bonus

Koppen received a $350,000 signing bonus and signed after Connolly did.

Which one do you think was their bigger priority?

What does that have to do with Koppen being the better center last season? Are we supposed to be shocked that an older player coming back from a serious injury would be given less money?

Think the age/injury thing could possibly not be working in his favor?

Of course I do, but that's not in question here.

Koppen will not be the teams best center this year, I doubt he'll even make the team.

Time will tell. There's certainly nothing definitive in either direction as of now, though, which is the point.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Unless you're trying to say that Connolly is the Tom Brady of the center position, I'm just going to assume you're kidding here. If you are trying to say that Connolly is the Tom Brady of the center position, get help.



What does that have to do with Koppen being the better center last season? Are we supposed to be shocked that an older player coming back from a serious injury would be given less money?



Of course I do, but that's not in question here.



Time will tell. There's certainly nothing definitive in either direction as of now, though, which is the point.

I'm saying, and it's a very simple concept, that who BB makes the starter can change from game to game. Because Koppen started game 1 does not mean he would have done a better job than Connolly or is the better player now. Hell, Ochocinco stared 3 games, Gary Guyton started 6 games, Antwaun Molden started 2, James Ihedigbo started 12 -by your logic he should be penciled in as a game one starter.

Bledsoe starting over Brady is a glaring example of how flawed your belief of the day one starter being the better player simply because he is the day one starter. Sometimes players get benched, sometimes other players prove more worthy of the starting position over the course of the season.

While were on the topic of starters, Wendell, McDonald and Connolly all started Mondays game, Koppen did not.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm saying, and it's a very simple concept, that who BB makes the starter can change from game to game. Because Koppen started game 1 does not mean he would have done a better job than Connolly or is the better player now. Hell, Ochocinco stared 3 games, Gary Guyton started 6 games, Antwaun Molden started 2, James Ihedigbo started 12 -by your logic he should be penciled in as a game one starter.

See, this is nonsense. BB doesn't go changing his O-line all over the place. Coming into this season, Dan Koppen has started every game he's ever played, save for one in his rookie season. Matt Light started in every game of his career, save for two in his rookie season. Logan Mankins has started every single game he's played in the league.

Bledsoe starting over Brady is a glaring example of how flawed your belief of the day one starter being the better player simply because he is the day one starter. Sometimes players get benched, sometimes other players prove more worthy of the starting position over the course of the season.

:bricks:

Brady got in because of an injury to Bledsoe.

While were on the topic of starters, Wendell, McDonald and Connolly all started Mondays game, Koppen did not.

Connolly and McDonald are just strawmen here. Koppen's a center, so Wendell, the starting center, is the only player of your troika who means anything, and Koppen outplayed him.

 

[Fencer]

Probably because Belichick wants to give other players a shot to compete for the back up at the center position.

My opinion too. First thing I thought of when I read through the OP. There's a real competition for jobs at interior OL.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

See, this is nonsense. BB doesn't go changing his O-line all over the place. Coming into this season, Dan Koppen has started every game he's ever played, save for one in his rookie season. Matt Light started in every game of his career, save for two in his rookie season. Logan Mankins has started every single game he's played in the league.

So BB doesn't go changing his O-line all over the place? I think it's based on performance. Did Light or Mankins play necessitate them not starting? Nice use of the straw man argument you accuse me of using with McDonald and Connolly.

Brady got in because of an injury to Bledsoe.

But Bledsoe was the starter so he must have been better, right?

Connolly and McDonald are just strawmen here. Koppen's a center, so Wendell, the starting center, is the only player of your troika who means anything, and Koppen outplayed him.

Koppen blocked a lot of air from what I saw. Fact is Koppen, Connolly, Wendell and McDonald are all in competition for the Center position and for a roster spot and they all started the last game with the exception of Koppen.

 

[signbabybrady]

But Bledsoe was the starter so he must have been better, right?

Despite a great camp in 01 I think Bledsoe was still the better more polished QB. I think based on stats in 01 for Tom compared to the rest of his career are evident that even though he showed how well he managed a game and the team and how clutch he was that he was still learning. And that while it was clear at the end of 01 that Brady was better he wasn't better at the start.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Despite a great camp in 01 I think Bledsoe was still the better more polished QB. I think based on stats in 01 for Tom compared to the rest of his career are evident that even though he showed how well he managed a game and the team and how clutch he was that he was still learning. And that while it was clear at the end of 01 that Brady was better he wasn't better at the start.

Actually he was, as it was widely reported Brady played well enough in TC to win the job. Bledsoe had led the team to lose 19 of his last 26 games and looked awful doing so. His contract was the reason he still had the starting job.

Brady comes in and leads the team to an 14-3 record the rest of the way on the way to the teams first SB title. How can you possibly say Brady wasn't better, even from the start?

With Bledsoe they were considered the worst team in football, the change is made and they're SB champs. Please tell me you're not serious.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Actually he was, as it was widely reported Brady played well enough in TC to win the job. Bledsoe had led the team to lose 19 of his last 26 games and looked awful doing so. His contract was the reason he still had the starting job.

Brady comes in and leads the team to an 14-3 record the rest of the way on the way to the teams first SB title. How can you possibly say Brady wasn't better, even from the start?

With Bledsoe they were considered the worst team in football, the change is made and they're SB champs. Please tell me you're not serious.

and it was obvious to those of us attending camp at Smithfield (Damn, I miss the up close and personal experience) that unheralded Brady simply ran the offense better than Drew. A big indicator was that BB gave TFB lots of reps with the 1st team.

Note that Drew led the team to 5-11 the previous year.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

and it was obvious to those of us attending camp at Smithfield (Damn, I miss the up close and personal experience) that unheralded Brady simply ran the offense better than Drew. A big indicator was that BB gave TFB lots of reps with the 1st team.

Note that Drew led the team to 5-11 the previous year.

Yep, and I miss camp at Bryant too.

Bledsoe:
2-6 second half of 1999
5-11 in 2000
0-2 to start 01

Brady:
14-3 2001 SB champs

 

[Deus Irae]

So BB doesn't go changing his O-line all over the place? I think it's based on performance. Did Light or Mankins play necessitate them not starting? Nice use of the straw man argument you accuse me of using with McDonald and Connolly.

Belichick essentially has had 3 of 5 positions the same since 2005, with Neal holding the fort down at RG as often as his injuries allowed him. That's not a strawman. You seem to think that needing to find an injury replacement (Neal wasn't the most durable of RGs and BB struggled to find a RT he was comfortable with) is the same as just tossing out a new lineup card every week.

But Bledsoe was the starter so he must have been better, right?

Again, unless you're claiming that Connolly is the Tom Brady of the center position, this is irrelevant. I don't think you're trying to claim that ownership was concerned because they'd just given a $100 million dollar contract to Koppen, after all.

Koppen blocked a lot of air from what I saw. Fact is Koppen, Connolly, Wendell and McDonald are all in competition for the Center position and for a roster spot and they all started the last game with the exception of Koppen.

Again, Koppen was the best center for the Patriots in that Eagles game. The rest is just window dressing.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Belichick essentially has had 3 of 5 positions the same since 2005, with Neal holding the fort down at RG as often as his injuries allowed him. That's not a strawman. You seem to think that needing to find an injury replacement (Neal wasn't the most durable of RGs and BB struggled to find a RT he was comfortable with) is the same as just tossing out a new lineup card every week.

No, I seem to think that a starting position isn't a lifetime appointment

Again, unless you're claiming that Connolly is the Tom Brady of the center position, this is irrelevant. I don't think you're trying to claim that ownership was concerned because they'd just given a $100 million dollar contract to Koppen, after all.

More hyperbole and nonsense on your part. It's not that difficult but you seem to have a lot of trouble understanding that these are simply two examples of the season starter not being the best player - nothing more.

Again, Koppen was the best center for the Patriots in that Eagles game. The rest is just window dressing.

That's just your baseless opinion and it's wrong. McDonald played the best. Koppen did very little actual blocking.

 

[Kontradiction]

Guess I'll post this here. Vollmer was immediately thrown in with the ones this morning in Tampa. That's great news for edge protection.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Guess I'll post this here. Vollmer was immediately thrown in with the ones this morning in Tampa. That's great news for edge protection.

Read my mind. I was just now wondering what was the word up from the joint workouts in Tampa. Keep the updates coming. A thread might be appropriate.

 

[Kontradiction]

Read my mind. I was just now wondering what was the word up from the joint workouts in Tampa. Keep the updates coming. A thread might be appropriate.

I'm not in Tampa. I would love to be simply because being in Tampa would mean that I wasn't in Jacksonville at work.

 

[Deus Irae]

Guess I'll post this here. Vollmer was immediately thrown in with the ones this morning in Tampa. That's great news for edge protection.

According to Zolak, Fells and Demps are in pads, too.

 

[Deus Irae]

No, I seem to think that a starting position isn't a lifetime appointment

No, you claimed that BB was working the lineup all the time. I showed that, in fact, he had 3 of the 5 players entrenched in positions, and noted the 4th as the clear starter when he was healthy. Now you're trying to hedge your initial claim.

More hyperbole and nonsense on your part. It's not that difficult but you seem to have a lot of trouble understanding that these are simply two examples of the season starter not being the best player - nothing more.

Nothing more? You tried equating a player lost to injury, which is completely different. Furthermore, I noted the $100 million incentive to keep Bledsoe in the lineup. My post wasn't hyperbole. Your argument is just a poor one.

That's just your baseless opinion and it's wrong. McDonald played the best. Koppen did very little actual blocking.

Actually, it wasn't just my opinion. But at least you're now at the point where you go beyond the "starter" argument (a really lousy argument, given who the starting QB was).

 

[patfanken]

Guess I'll post this here. Vollmer was immediately thrown in with the ones this morning in Tampa. That's great news for edge protection.

While it is great that according to Zo, Volmer, Fells and Demps are in pads for the practices. However its my understanding that the media is only going to be allowed to be at the first 30 minutes (mostly stretching and ST's), so who does what to whom is going to be hard to determine.

BTW- I also heard that Larsen and Denard are back...any confirmations on this.

 

[Kontradiction]

While it is great that according to Zo, Volmer, Fells and Demps are in pads for the practices. However its my understanding that the media is only going to be allowed to be at the first 30 minutes (mostly stretching and ST's), so who does what to whom is going to be hard to determine.

BTW- I also heard that Larsen and Denard are back...any confirmations on this.

The Patriots Blog (which is where I got the news on Vollmer) on ESPN.com is confirming that. Larsen, Dennard, Fells, and Vollmer are all back. Vollmer was thrown in with the ones in the drill that the media was privy to.