so do you think ballard will play here

[Chopblock CB]

Where is this Demps as a receiver thing coming from? For the record Edelman isn't in the same stratosphere as Demps when it comes to speed.

I agree on the speed end of it...Demps is a world class Olympian runner......why would you not want him to receive the ball..especially as the deep threat....Can he take a hit...well..they sure don't hit you when you're runnin' the 100...lol....hands?....can he catch the ball..even on a pitch out..lol....

 

[Chopblock CB]

Demps and Edelman aren't even similar as players. Different positions, different strengths, different weaknesses. Dunno where that comparison is coming from.

Seems to me that I remember BB talkin' him up saying they were going to use him as a kick returner..rusher and receiver. Has his position even been determined as of yet. We haven't seen this kid since TC when he had his "Injury" but if we all know BB he probably has him working on punt returns..kickoff returning....Rushing and Receiving....:rocker:

 

[DaBruinz]

sure.....don't get me wrong.....I like edelman, and I don't think it will be a situation where the pats will have to choose one or the other, but considering how much time demps was out of football for, he showed amazing potential before being IR'd.......the guy was too small and at the moment, physically adapted to another sport.......after a year of changing his body to fooball, we have the potential for another darren sproles. generic special teams returner as well as a gimmick back.....If he gets himself to 195/200lbs, he will be even harder to deal with than woodhead...he's a guy who can do alot of things

Why are you commenting to me on Demps? Nothing I said had anything to do with Demps. But, since you mentioned him, Demps is 5'07 and 6/8" tall and weighed 191 lbs at his Pro Day. I don't know what his weight was at the Olympics, but adding 4-9 lbs should be pretty easy for him.

I think that Demps has the potential to be something special. A guy who the Pats can use as a deep threat, someone who can work out of the backfield as well. But, he's got a LONG way to go before he can be considered a 3rd down back. Blocking is not something he was asked to do a lot of. Same with catching the football. Hopefully he'll have bought Branch's JUGS machine from him and will be working on making sure his hands are exceptional come TC. The blocking he'll have to work with Dante and Fears to get better.

I'll be honest, I'd rather see Demps lining up as a WR and the Pats putting him in motion and using that motion for him to open things up than to have him lining up at RB...

 

[mgteich]

I'd certainly keep all 5 until the end of camp. We might even add some through free agency.
Given our offense, it reasonable to allocate 4 TE roster spots to the 53-man roster.

TIGHT ENDS
Gronkowski
Hernandez
Hooman... (we should re-sign him or match any RFA claim for our #3, blocking TE)
Fells
Ballard (could be useful if he's healthy and fits in; have we heard this story before?)

 

[mgteich]

RUNNING BACK
Ridley
Vereen
Bolden
Demps
Larsen
Develin
==============
WOODHEAD??????
==============
EDELMAN????????
==============
Clearly, the ability to be a returner or a 3rd down back would help anyone's chances. Demps could take reps from Bolden, Edelman or Woodhead.

 

[Bhelmet]

I am not sure if Ballard will play here, but I AM sure he will get a fair shot.

 

[ATippett56]

It will also be interesting to see what the Pats do with Michael Hoomanamanui, who is a FA.

Michael Hoomanawanui will be a restricted free agent agent. The lowest tender level (ROFR) for restricted free agents applicable to the 2013 NFL season should be $1.26 million X 1.05 = $1.323 million.

If Hooman and Ballard are tendered for the 2013 NFL Season, the New England Patriots will have six tight ends under contract during training camp:

Gronkowski
Hernandez
Fells
Ballard
Hoomanawanui
Herman

 

[mgcolby]

I agree on the speed end of it...Demps is a world class Olympian runner......why would you not want him to receive the ball..especially as the deep threat....Can he take a hit...well..they sure don't hit you when you're runnin' the 100...lol....hands?....can he catch the ball..even on a pitch out..lol....

He had 40+ catches at Florida, but the guy couldn't stay healthy. I would be surprised if he is anything more than a returner. I know Edelman wasn't a WR in college but he played QB giving him a good understanding of how to run routes, Demps has only been a TB. For me if he develops into something more than a returner... great, and I would suspect it would be in the 3rd down back role. But my expectations for Demps is pretty low. And I personally don't think asking him to do something at the NFL level that he hasn't done at a lower level is not conducive to him being successfull. Obviously we don't know BB's plans for him and I could be completely wrong.

 

[patsfan13]

I can see Ballard competing with Fells for a roster spot. Hooman seems to be rapidly carving out a role for himself, we will definitely keep 4TE's and probably have a TE on the PS.

Demps has the sort of speed that can't be taught. I would see Ridley, Boulden, Vareen, Woodhead and Demps as the RB crew.

Lloyd, Welker, Edleman, Slater as the WR's possible Ebert or a draft pick?

Lots of fodder for the off-season.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

As always, all these way far ahead roster speculations rightly assume everyone contending is healthy.
Pre-season has a way of thinning the competition via injury.

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

Fells is gone. No way he's coming back.

 

[DaBruinz]

RUNNING BACK
Ridley
Vereen
Bolden
Demps
Larsen
Develin
==============
WOODHEAD??????
==============
EDELMAN????????
==============
Clearly, the ability to be a returner or a 3rd down back would help anyone's chances. Demps could take reps from Bolden, Edelman or Woodhead.

Neither Larsen nor Develin are RBs. They are FBs. They are blocking lead backs. Larsen has a bunch of special teams experience and can play LB in a pinch.

I wouldn't be surprised to see both Woodhead and Edelman retained.

 

[DaBruinz]

Michael Hoomanawanui will be a restricted free agent agent. The lowest tender level (ROFR) for restricted free agents applicable to the 2013 NFL season should be $1.26 million X 1.05 = $1.323 million.

If Hooman and Ballard are tendered for the 2013 NFL Season, the New England Patriots will have six tight ends under contract during training camp:

Gronkowski
Hernandez
Fells
Ballard
Hoomanawanui
Herman

Ballard will not be a free agent. Because he was on the PUP until the cut off date to be activated, he does not accrue a year of active service. And, as such, his contract will not be up. This was brought up be Mike Reiss and Chris Price when it was announced that neither Pryor nor Ballard would be eligible to be activated this season.

So the Pats already have 6 TEs under contract for next season.

 

[DaBruinz]

Fells is gone. No way he's coming back.

If I had a dollar for every time someone said that about a player, I'd be rich. Particularly if that player was named Izzo, White or Slater...

 

[ATippett56]

Ballard will not be a free agent. Because he was on the PUP until the cut off date to be activated, he does not accrue a year of active service. And, as such, his contract will not be up. This was brought up be Mike Reiss and Chris Price when it was announced that neither Pryor nor Ballard would be eligible to be activated this season.

So the Pats already have 6 TEs under contract for next season.

Ballard will be an exclusive rights free agent. Technically, the New England Patriots will have to tender Jake Ballard to retain his services.

Jake Ballard - New England Patriots - 2012 Player Profile - Rotoworld.com

He'll be an exclusive rights free agent in the offseason, making him extremely likely to be back with the Pats in 2013.

 

[Off The Grid]

Hoomanawanui's been a terrific blocker lately

Oh Oh has always been a phenomenal Blocker, Brother Doc.

His problem has been an astonishing litany of Injuries that would make even Shawn Crable envious.

 

[Patsrock]

Demps is a running back not a receiver. His best chance to make this team is as a core ST's guy. He would be a 3rd down back if he can beat out Woodhead and/or Vereen, a tough mountain to climb. And the odds of him staying healthy are slim to none based on his track record (no pun intended).

He missed 3 games his entire 4 years at Florida

 

[Off The Grid]

Demps becomes pretty irrelevant if the league follows through with the proposed rule of getting rid of kick offs.

What???

Demps brings a little more to the table than just returning Kicks, buddy.

 

[Off The Grid]

If I had a dollar for every time someone said that about a player, I'd be rich. Particularly if that player was named Izzo, White or Slater...

Indeed.

Daniel Fells Parkway is an excellent Blocker, and can even run a route or catch a Ball or three if he needs to...not in Kong's league, of course ~ so to speak ~ but a solid veteran back up who knows the System.

It's pretty silly to just declare that he's "gone."

 

[Off The Grid]

Demps will need to work on his recieving skills - how to be a jam etc.

Can it be that difficult??

Just jelly yourself, and there you are, I would think.