Felger believes Troy is coming back

[marty]

Because a botched snap can be the difference between going to the SuperBowl or not. Lonnie Paxton has a roster spot because he is "money" as a long snapper. Perhaps the best in the NFL. He contributes more than a 5th or 6th wide receiver.

Not to mention he keeps angels involved with our team!

 

[BradyManny]

I want to see Troy Brown come back for one more year and I want to see him go out the way he should .... as a champion. This guy (as everyone here knows) is one of the greats in New England Patriot history. This should be his farewell tour. Jackson is done for 2007, so Brown still fits with Stallworth, Welker, Gaffney, Caldwell and Washington. Troys' versatility will insure a spot.

For the last time, no, Jackson is probably not done for 07. We don't know enough yet to say either way, but most accounts point to him being healthy enough to return around the start of the season.

 

[captain stone]

I'm glad to read all the love shown Mr. Patriot.

If Troy wants to return, then the FO should make it so. Allowing him to walk at this time would be extremely short-sighted. There are 3 new WRs, and 3 others entering only their second year with the team. That, folks, is waffer-thin experience. They all need to be shown what it takes to be successful here. This group is not the 2004 WR group, yet. They need time; they need a mentor; they need Troy Brown.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

1) There is absolutely no question that Troy Brown would be more valuable to the team than whatever scrub is brought up from the Practice Squad each week.

2) Even if Brown is inactive each week, he is valuable insurance against injuries at WR, PR and at CB. We have often had a veteran or two on the squad for this kind of insurance.

3) Clubhouse presence is not what we players for, although there do need to be team leaders. We have plenty. Players don't need to play additiional years because of a lack of clubhouse leadership.

Unit leadership is another whole issue though. Brady leads the offense and has his hands full without being the lone policeman for the WR unit. We lost a captain in Graham at TE too. K. Brady is a veteran presence, but not a veteran of this system and team. Watson has his hands full worrying about Ben Watson. Thomas is a second year player who saw little game time last season. Bam and Kight are PS'ers. Caldwell and Gaffney are short term signees now fighting for their NFL lives going forward who may be more concerned with their own situation than a units. Stallworth and Washington have yet to show they can lead (or in Kelley's case even play) in the league. Welker seems to have the work ethic and drive to be a leader going forward but as a first year slot WR and PR it would take time for him to build a base from which to lead.

4) Make no mistake, Troy will not play much unless there are multiple injuries. He will be inactive unless he can beat out the STer's for playing time.

And we never have those...

5) Sure, Troy would like to stay in New England. If he truly wants to play yet another year, he needs to assess whether he wants to be play on a team where he would be more of a major contributer.

My gut feel is that it is time for Troy to retire, but that is a decision for him and his family to make. This year the team will not beg him to come back to fill a critical role on the team, as was the case last year.

I would be fine with him playing elsewhere. That is his decision. If he wants to try to catch 30-50 passes for someone this year and help a team to the playoffs, I wish him well. I DO hope the team is in the NFC. He considered NO last year.

Actually NO was two years ago after he was cut to avoid a $5M roster bonus. He's played well here for two years since - including as our #1WR on a couple of occasions last season.

Felger made a typically foolish observation yesterday - said he worries if Troy returns he is too much of a crutch for Brady who will look for him in crunch time. Well, that wasn't the case in 2003 or 2004, so I guess Brady only needs a crutch when his WR unit is broken. And if it breaks again and he cannot find one, I don't see how that is a good thing.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

For the last time, no, Jackson is probably not done for 07. We don't know enough yet to say either way, but most accounts point to him being healthy enough to return around the start of the season.

If a veteran player is healthy enough to return around the start of the season it isn't a huge deal, although missing TC tends to have some level of impact even on veterans. The thought with CJ is if he misses another off season and camps while he may be physically ready to play around the start of the season, he will probably not be mentally ready to play in the system any more than he was last season when he also missed all of TC. Even the PUP scenario is problematic then since reps missed in TC simply cannot be made up once the season starts. Which is why some feel PUP would likely lead to IR unless he was desperately needed due to someone else's misfortune of either being injured or not working out.

 

[hwc]

For the last time, no, Jackson is probably not done for 07. We don't know enough yet to say either way, but most accounts point to him being healthy enough to return around the start of the season.

"Most accounts" mean diddly-squat. According to "most accounts" the Patriots have never had an injured player who wasn't day to day.

There are two related issues with Chad Jackson:

a) The timetable for return from reconstructive ACL surgery is pretty well established and puts him borderline for even being able to do cutting exercises by training camp. He will be ready to starting cutting exercises sometime between Aug 1 and Oct 1.

b) The guy does not know the offense (or can't run a route or whatever) sufficiently for Belichick to put him on the field last December and January. Missing the entire off-season means that he will have gotten no reps. Why would anyone think he is going to miraculously know the offense in September, even if he is physically able to play?

 

[BelichickFan]

b) The guy does not know the offense (or can't run a route or whatever) sufficiently for Belichick to put him on the field last December and January. Missing the entire off-season means that he will have gotten no reps. Why would anyone think he is going to miraculously know the offense in September, even if he is physically able to play?

That's unfair. In some games we kept only 4 WR active and he was one of them. After releasing Gabriel they picked their starters and tightened the WR rotation. One injury and Jackson would have been out there. It's not like he was the 6th WR and inactive every game.

 

[hwc]

That's unfair. In some games we kept only 4 WR active and he was one of them.

Chad Jackson had three catches in the five December games and zero catches in the three January games.

It is what it is.

Hey, I was one of the guys that thought Jackson would start to emerge later in the season as he learned the offense. Didn't happen. I don't know why it didn't happen. All I know is that Belichick did not involve Chad Jackson in the passing offense at all, despite a season with serious, serious problems at the receiver position. Do you honestly think Belichick wouldn't have used Jackson if he had even an inkling that he could have contributed?

 

[BradyManny]

Which is why some feel PUP would likely lead to IR unless he was desperately needed due to someone else's misfortune of either being injured or not working out.

Even if he doesn't have the time and reps to work his way into the system, it doesn't mean that they couldn't have any use for his raw physical abilities.

 

[hwc]

Even if he doesn't have the time and reps to work his way into the system, it doesn't mean that they couldn't have any use for his raw physical abilities.

As it stands right now, earning a roster spot for a WR is going to require beating someone out for the position...probably Gaffney, Washington, or Troy Brown. I don't see how Chad Jackson does that while riding the exercise bikes in training camp.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I don't understand why they can't teach someone to long-snap without having to devote a roster space to a player like Paxton. Why can't Koppen or Hochstein do that, which would free a roster space for players like Troy?

Most teams in the NFL have longsnappers that do nothing else for the team. As hwc said, the guy is possibly the best in the league at doing it. No matter what feelings we have for Troy or how unimportant some may think longsnapping is, you're asking a coach to cut someone that is better than anyone else at what he does to make space for a #6 WR that won't even be active unless people get hurt.

Think about all the players over the years that have made careers out of doing nothing but special teams. Can't they just teach someone to run down the field really fast and tackle someone? Longsnapping is a skill like that which we shouldn't take for granted.

 

[jczxohn1]

He also has played QB for us, right? Do we have a 3d QB right now?

He was the emergency QB last year. Quite funny, actually. You could barely see his eyes over Koppen's butt, in TC. No passes attempted, but got the ball to the RB's quicker than Tommy.

As for coaching, IIRC, he wasn't interested. Said he rather stay in the Carolina's and spend time with his kids.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Felger had a phone in segment with Jonathan today. Asked him about Troy. Said from the time they bought the team Troy has epitomized the player they felt represented what they wanted a Patriot to stand for. Said he will always have a job with this organization if he wants one and they certainly hope he will. Said as far as playing another year that is between Troy and Bill to work out but he does hope if he plays it is here.

 

[fgssand]

Felger had a phone in segment with Jonathan today. Asked him about Troy. Said from the time they bought the team Troy has epitomized the player they felt represented what they wanted a Patriot to stand for. Said he will always have a job with this organization if he wants one and they certainly hope he will. Said as far as playing another year that is between Troy and Bill to work out but he does hope if he plays it is here.

Mo...I am stuck in Chicago...hoping to get back tomorrow AM - can you tell me what else they discussed??

 

[Fencer]

Felger had a phone in segment with Jonathan today. Asked him about Troy. Said from the time they bought the team Troy has epitomized the player they felt represented what they wanted a Patriot to stand for. Said he will always have a job with this organization if he wants one and they certainly hope he will. Said as far as playing another year that is between Troy and Bill to work out but he does hope if he plays it is here.

Classy all the way.

Also, I suspect that when it comes to treasured vets like Troy or Willie, BB is very open about what they can expect if they stay/re-sign. He's direct with everybody, except when he goes into the vagueness of coach cliches -- i.e., the everything's up to competition spiel. But I bet for the vets he's less vague, if they have a decision to make. Out of respect for them and their needs.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Mo...I am stuck in Chicago...hoping to get back tomorrow AM - can you tell me what else they discussed??

I don't think I caught the whole segment but talked about AD's talent and how sometimes what we want to do and what a player wants match up. AD wanted to play for Bill and Bill wanted AD to play for him. Touched on Asante and tag. Said he sees the tag as a badge of honor and doesn't get what players like Briggs bristle about (I think that's a little disingenuous given the bonus money being thrown around lately). Wouldn't say if we are actually negotiating or if it is in fact our intention to get Asante signed to a long term deal. Did say we have a good relationship with Asante's agent.

Felger launched his tired mantra about how this year is an acknowledgement of how they didn't do enough last year. Jonathan said no it isn't, we had a #1 WR heading into camp last season and had acquired some other WR's including a high round draft pick (who got hurt in camp and "unfortunately" got hurt again in the Colt game) but things don't always work out the way you hoped. Said Seattle thought Deion was worth more than we did...said I believe he was the second highest paid WR (but I don't think that is quite true). Said last year we were 9th in the league in cash spent. When Felger said yeah but a lot of that was on existing players Jonathan said who better to spend money on than players you know.

That's about what I can recall - he was on for about 7-8 minutes.

Good luck getting back here tomorrow AM...

 

[fgssand]

I don't think I caught the whole segment but talked about AD's talent and how sometimes what we want to do and what a player wants match up. AD wanted to play for Bill and Bill wanted AD to play for him. Touched on Asante and tag. Said he sees the tag as a badge of honor and doesn't get what players like Briggs bristle about (I think that's a little disingenuous given the bonus money being thrown around lately). Wouldn't say if we are actually negotiating or if it is in fact our intention to get Asante signed to a long term deal. Did say we have a good relationship with Asante's agent.

Felger launched his tired mantra about how this year is an acknowledgement of how they didn't do enough last year. Jonathan said no it isn't, we had a #1 WR heading into camp last season and had acquired some other WR's including a high round draft pick (who got hurt in camp and "unfortunately" got hurt again in the Colt game) but things don't always work out the way you hoped. Said Seattle thought Deion was worth more than we did...said I believe he was the second highest paid WR (but I don't think that is quite true). Said last year we were 9th in the league in cash spent. When Felger said yeah but a lot of that was on existing players Jonathan said who better to spend money on than players you know.

That's about what I can recall - he was on for about 7-8 minutes.

Good luck getting back here tomorrow AM...

Thanks Mo, through the wonders of the internet, I found the interview as it is already on their website.

They blew the timing as it doesn't start for a few minutes into the clip and they cut it off just as JK was discussing Troy Brown.

http://www.espnboston.com/includes/table_graphics/clip_of_the_week/jonkraft316.mp3