Did Cunningham show enough to keep him on the 53?

[UK_Pat37]

relax.....it was preseason

he has looked as good as he ever has, but right now, I would take trevor scott over him


and as a 2nd round pick, yeah.....he's still a bust

You can't label him a bust until after this year. The third year is the year you can really judge a player and what he does this year will be what we judge him on.

I feel for the guy. Not only was he hurt, but he was expected to change from an OLB to a DE in an year he had no offseason program to develop under and he was thrown straight in the deep end in camp when the lockout ended. Then he got hurt and fell even further behind.

Last year I find it hard to judge him on. In response to the thread's topic, he has absolutely done enough. We saw the flashes in his rookie year.

By the logic of the quoted post, McCourty can be called a bust for his poor sophomore season in which he may as well have been injured surely? Wrong. You can't really judge the true value of a player and where he was drafted until his third season is over...especially as most sophomore players suffer the dreaded slump!

 

[Marqui]

He's been the #3 DE all preseason and has been the best performing DE after Jones. He's a lock.

 

[Deus Irae]

He looks like a completely different player, and that's a good thing.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

In short yes...he has looked great

 

[New England Expat]

Cunningham will not only make the roster but will be a valuable contributor throughout the season. I have a feeling he will become one of the pats' best pass rushers over the course of the year

 

[Zeus]

That first sack last night was a big-time play. How could you not want that on your team?

 

[BradyFTW!]

I thought he was safe even before this last game, but even if he wasn't, you'd have to think that he is now after that performance. By all accounts, a guy can't show much more in an offseason/preseason than Cunningham did.

 

[BradyFTW!]

He looks like a completely different player, and that's a good thing.

That has to be one of the most backhanded compliments I've ever seen. Good work

 

[Deus Irae]

That has to be one of the most backhanded compliments I've ever seen. Good work

Well, last year he was slow, clumsy, didn't seem to be showing the drive needed, and his body looked different. The Cunningham of last year would be getting cut by tomorrow. The Cunningham of this year may have worked his way into being one of the D-linemen on the field in multiple sub packages.

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

OLB is where the team needs depth,if anything thats why he should make the team.

Hmm - After seeing him play very well as a DE this preseason, then recalling the struggles he's had at OLB plus the amount of consternation among fans about whether he's a viable OLB, I'm surprised you think his avenue to the 53 is in that role.

FWIW he's listed as a LB on the Patriots.com team roster.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Injury and being out of shape was his issue last season. Also, he'll make this roster and play both DE and OLB, but he'll likely be used more in the former. The guy was a DE in college.

 

[wrangler]

Versatility, speed, quickness, swivel hips, and he didn't look winded.
Played the whole game. I hope he makes the 53.

 

[Deus Irae]

“Overall, he’s been at a higher level,” Belichick said of Cunningham, who had two sacks and three quarterback hits in the preseason finale against the Giants. “He came to camp in great condition, worked hard in the offseason. He got faster, stronger, more explosive. He worked on his techniques. He worked extremely hard and came to training camp, and that work and those improvements showed up. They’ve showed up in practice, from early in camp to all four preseason games.

It Is What It Is » Bill Belichick: Jermaine Cunningham playing ‘at a higher level’

 

[Urgent]

Based only on pre-season games, he outplayed Ninkovich.

Obviously we don't see all the practices, film study, and so forth. But he was more effective at setting the edge and creating pressure off the left side.

 

[BradyFTW!]

It Is What It Is » Bill Belichick: Jermaine Cunningham playing ‘at a higher level’

That's pretty high praise from Belichick. He's definitely getting cut now.

 

[PatsFan2]

Does a Bear $H!t in the woods?

 

[borg]

He'll assume the Mark Anderson role in '12

 

[patsfan13]

I am not talking about playing in the game but in the final few minutes of it... I believe that a lot of these guys playing in the final few minutes are the ones that may be evaluated a little more deeply and are close to making it or not.

At that point late in the game he was playing a DT role in a sub package, getting reps for the regular season he will get plenty of reps and it would surprise me to see him equal to or better than Ninko by the end of the year.

The Giants had him double teamed most of the night and he still got pressure. When he plays in the reg season with Jones and VW on the field he won't see double teams and will be effective IMO.

 

[eagle eye]

I took him as my binkie when he was drafted but I did say that he needed time to develop. Looks like that development is in full bloom now and he was seriously hampered by the lockout. I'm expecting everybody to be raving about him in 2 years time.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Well, last year he was slow, clumsy, didn't seem to be showing the drive needed, and his body looked different. The Cunningham of last year would be getting cut by tomorrow. The Cunningham of this year may have worked his way into being one of the D-linemen on the field in multiple sub packages.

Last year he reminded me of Richie Cunningham.
This year not so much.
A lock for the 53 unless BB has that Gaffney grand mal seizure again.