WR Kenbrell Thompkins waived (update: claimed by Raiders)

[Dutchmaster617]

Why? Amendola is still playing, Tyms won't be playing tonight.

None of this makes sense at all.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Me thinks if Amendola didn't have such a highcap number he'd be gone -not KT.

 

[goheels22002]

I really want to say this is a bad move but I'd be lying.

Truth is he's an inconsistent, average WR that in my eyes got beat for his job by Lafell. I'm not shocked by this, because I never really rated KT anyways.../

Agreed. We knew a move or two were coming.

I remember a bunch of posts during training camp about KT being cut for Tyms and LaFell. Well, here we are. Tyms' suspension is over and he has a roster exemption and is still on the team (although not activated), and the Pats needed Ja'Gared Davis at LB, as a smaller, fast cover LB with Collins nursing an injury.

Thompkins might get through waivers in which case he'd join Josh Boyce as another PS player with some skills and some regular season game experience.

 

[ensoul]

BB has a history of cutting good players. The thing is Thompkins and Dobson are not very good so this shoud be a suprise to no one. Dobson is probably cut next week.

 

[AzorianPats]

Me thinks if Amendola didn't have such a highcap number he'd be gone -not KT.

I don't agree with that. I believe the coaching staff rates DA over KT. To date DA been activated for every game. Using his cap number is not an excuse. BB had no problem deactivating Adelius Thomas in 09. We know how much he cost.

 

[AzorianPats]

I've heard Tompkins in this board be compared to every WR from Chad Johnson, Marvin Harrison and Antonio Brown. He's none of those guys, not even close.

He was disgustingly overrated around here...

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I've heard Tompkins in this board be compared to every WR from Chad Johnson, Marvin Harrison and Antonio Brown. He's none of those guys, not even close.

He was disgustingly overrated around here...

Actually he was much better than the Pat version of Chad Ochocinco.

I can't see how this is that big if a deal, plus I bet he is back later on

 

[AzorianPats]

Actually he was much better than the Pat version of Chad Ochocinco.

I can't see how this is that big if a deal, plus I bet he is back later on

LoL. We both could have been better than Ochostinko here...doesn't really say much!

 

[stinebot]

Good news for Dobson this is, he's gonna get pushed into a heavy role and it's exactly what we need.

Yeah, he's going to have to take up two seats on the bench.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't agree with that. I believe the coaching staff rates DA over KT. To date DA been activated for every game. Using his cap number is not an excuse. BB had no problem deactivating Adelius Thomas in 09. We know how much he cost.

The AD situation is not is not an apples/apples comparison to this one. AD was deactivated b/c he had issue with the coaching staff AND at the start of the 2009 season was not productive to the level of his contract.

By all accounts, Amendola has been respectful but nowhere close to his production equaling his contract. With his age approaching 30 next Nov, there is little-to-no-chance he is back next year at the level of pay his contract calls for. I also believe that with the o-line's situation, because he runs shorter routes than KT, he is a bit more valuable at this juncture to the team. The cap hit if Amendola were to be cut was a consideration for sure, but not the potentially entire reason if it were to occur.

Certainly KT is not an All-Pro but unless he "mouthed off", I don't buy the fact that he has regressed to the point of no longer being valuable to the team that is 26 years old and a very affordable contract.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

He isn't what the Pats need atm, b/c he doesn't have special team value and he isn't a good blocker - but as a receiver he is significantly better than Amendola and Lafell.

As a receiver, he may be comparable to Amendola and Lafell, maybe even slightly better (although I don't think so), but he is not significantly better. That said, I think your point about blocking and ST is on point. Those are things that he can improve with practice, but right now, the team can't afford to wait on potential.

Specifically, I think Amendola and LaFell's blocking represent important resources for improving the team. The best chance for the OL to get on track is to rely much more heavily on the running game (Everything is simpler when you are hitting the other guy in the mouth.), and having superior blockers at the WR position helps turn positive plays into big plays. Amendola and LaFell are superior blockers - by NFL standards, not just in comparison to KT.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

IMO, a 55-man roster for another week was just too much for BB to pass up.

Funny, but not entirely untrue. BB probably felt that the value of putting a not-quite ready Browner on the field was not as great as having injury insurance for one more week.

I think this "musical chairs" roster is contributing to the lack of consistency on the field.

I think you have that exactly backwards.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Wow..what a shocker, especially with Kenbrell Thompkins being on the "Jerry Rice" training program all summer long and ready to be a top 10 NFL wide receiver

Well, gloat all you like. I accept that I may have been wrong in predicting he would be a big part of this season's offense ...

 

[BradyFTW!]

Bit of a surprise, but not a shock IMO. He wasn't going to be taking any snaps from LaFell (who's only 2 years older), dobson has a lot more potential, and tyms must have beaten him out for that last gameday inactive spot.

I could see him becoming a solid WR somewhere, and I would rather it be here (and I'm not sure that Amendola is better than he is), but this isn't a headscratcher on par with the Tommy Kelly release.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Shalise Manza-Young reports he mouthed-off to McDaniels...

McDaniels is OVERRATED. Horrible on field results in Denver, St Louis, and now has dismantled O'Brien's offense in NE to the point where even Brady can't save it.

.

 

[Rob0729]

What I don't get is KT had 30+ catches last year. Instead of improving, he has regressed? Same is true with AD - he had 30+ catches in 2013 but instead of improving in 2014, he has regressed. And the same thing can be said of Amendola. Over 50 catches last year but on track for whopping 12 catches for the 2014 year. Something is very wrong with the receiver in NE.

Dobson is coming off major foot surgery. Let's see what he is doing later in the season. The guy missed the entire offseason and preseason. This is still the preseason for him.

 

[Rob0729]

McDaniels is OVERRATED. Horrible on field results in Denver, St Louis, and now has dismantled O'Brien's offense in NE to the point where even Brady can't save it.

.

Funny, when O'Brien was here, people said O'Brien dismantled McDaniels' offense. McDaniels helped the Pats win 11 games with Matt Cassel as the starting QB. You McDaniels haters go way overboard.

 

[woolster22]

KT wasn't a world beater but he was good for about 3 catches a game. Which is triple the production of Amendola.

Zero times three is still zero...

 

[Rob0729]

The whole thing makes more sense when you see that:
-McDaniels is horrible, sucks at talent evaluation, is stubborn, and ran the worst offenses in the league in St Louis and Denver.
-Belichick is old and making less and less decisions every week.

Yes, it is always the McDaniels haters assertion that McDaniels picked all the bad Pats picks. Funny, the only WRs we know for sure that McDaniels has responsibility for drafting or signing are Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Jabar Gaffney (in Denver), and Brandon Lloyd (in Denver). Yes, he is a horrible talent evaluator when it comes to WRs.

 

[Rob0729]

Last time i checked, Manning got to the superbowl using mostly talent on offense that McDaniels drafted(pro bowl receiver Thomas, Decker, probowl guard beadles) three players we would probably love to have right about now knowshon moreno(a running back that has consistently murdered the patriots).

Josh has made some mistakes, but he had more hits then misses as the person directly in charge of picking talent.

You gotta understand in McDaniels haters world, that was just luck or he was overruled by Brian Xander who was the GM in Denver (although McDaniels had final say in personnel decisions in Denver).