CB Robert McClain signing with Pats; UConn alum was w/ Falcons last 3 years

[RobertWeathers]

Well at this point the plan for CB is either...

1. Keep the CBs we have signed and they all fight for the starting spots in TC
2. Draft 1 or 2 CBs and hope natural ability/coaching them up in their first offseason pays off
3. Make a trade for a solid veteran CB.

Please #2 and #3

 

[Deus Irae]

Well I'm certainly no fan of lousy players, I was taking it from a financial standpoint but I get what you mean. I think he faces extremely long odds of making the team, especially because they will likely draft 2 DBs and bring in some UDFA's looking for the next Butler or Blue Gay.

Yeah.... Teams need to sign enough players to get to their roster number. I get that. Many of those players aren't going to make the team. I've no problem with that: it's simple math. What I do have a problem with is the posters who defend every damned signing*, either by pimping up every lousy player or by constantly bashing people for pointing out that bad players have been bad players.






*Note that I'm not referring to you

 

[Rob0729]

Signing lousy veteran players is always suspect.

This is BS. Many times, other team's lousy players end up being another team's stars. When the Pats signed Rob Ninkovich, he was a scrub loser who was on his third team in three years in the league and never recorded 6 regular season tackles in his first two years.

I am not holding out any hopes for McClain or Fletcher to make the final 53 man roster, but it wouldn't be the first time that Belichick has taken other teams' garbage and made them into solid producers if they did work out. McClain is a good special teamer. So he might find a role on the team.

 

[JackBauer]

Who's pimping up Fletcher/McClain? I would like to see exhibits of said pimping.

 

[BobDigital]

I read he is a decent nickel but bad outside CB. Seems like a poor man's Arrington.

 

[Deus Irae]

Who's pimping up Fletcher/McClain? I would like to see exhibits of said pimping.

Or you could simply accept that the and/or was there for a reason...

 

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

Guys talk like our 2014 D was Seattles 2013 D. We have to put 30 points every game to win.
The colts game was the exception.
Lets bring Connolly back. We lost Vereen. And thats it, our O is better.
And we still have 9 PICKS to improve our D. We have the best group of LBs. We have a really good front 7 ( great, if Easley live up to his potencial) ...
In Bill We trust

 

[Joey007]

Tarell Brown? No?

 

[JackBauer]

Or you could simply accept that the and/or was there for a reason...

Well if no one fits the criterion why include it in the first place?

 

[Jimke]

At least this should pressure our own guys to play better.

 

[Ring 6]

Pats 3rd down defense

2014 - 84/209 40%

2011 - 87/202 43%

Team with Revis and Browner was only 3% better on 3rd down than that 2011 secondary.

But, there were THREE more. That is almost an extra 3rd down conversion a month. We are doomed.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Well at this point the plan for CB is either...

1. Keep the CBs we have signed and they all fight for the starting spots in TC
2. Draft 1 or 2 CBs and hope natural ability/coaching them up in their first offseason pays off
3. Make a trade for a solid veteran CB.

I think it's all three, if the past is any precedent. Pats are signing these guys now to create competition in training camp and establish some sort of baseline in case none of the young guys work out or nobody becomes available in trade. Then draft a CB or two and see if anyone becomes available in trade to see if you can get a better upgrade.

 

[Tunescribe]

I wonder if Fletcher and McClain were signed to light a fire under Chimdi Chekwa.

 

[Deus Irae]

Well if no one fits the criterion why include it in the first place?

Because that comment wasn't about just one specific thread, as evidenced by the words "every damned signing".

 

[VectorPrime]

I wonder if Fletcher and McClain were signed to light a fire under Chimdi Chekwa.

He was signed as a message to our current players that if you can't beat out this guy then you should just give up sports.

 

[Oswlek]

This is BS. Many times, other team's lousy players end up being another team's stars.

No way. Arrington, Ninkovich, Vrabel, Mark Anderson, David Patten, Stephen Neal, Tom Ashworth, Donald Thomas, Gerard Warren, Danny Woodhead, Artrell Hawkins, Hochstein, Don Davis, Joe Andruzzi and Jabar Gaffney were all studs when NE signed them. Never once has the team signed a known JAG who developed into a contributor. Never. Not once.

 

[JackBauer]

Because that comment wasn't about just one specific thread, as evidenced by the words "every damned signing".

Seems like tilting at windmills to me but I don't care enough to argue about it further.

 

[Oswlek]

I think it's all three, if the past is any precedent. Pats are signing these guys now to create competition in training camp and establish some sort of baseline in case none of the young guys work out or nobody becomes available in trade. Then draft a CB or two and see if anyone becomes available in trade to see if you can get a better upgrade.

Precisely. The vast majority of times when NE finds themselves unusually bare at a position, they sign a bunch of JAGs to protect themselves in the event the rookies-to-be-determined aren't ready yet. It's all so predictable and I can't understand why it would surprise anyone who's been following the team for at least a year or two.

 

[BobDigital]

Well at least we can say the CB position is better off today than it was yesterday. So we are going in the right direction : P

 

[Rob0729]

No way. Arrington, Ninkovich, Vrabel, Mark Anderson, David Patten, Stephen Neal, Tom Ashworth, Donald Thomas, Gerard Warren, Danny Woodhead, Artrell Hawkins, Hochstein, Don Davis, Joe Andruzzi and Jabar Gaffney were all studs when NE signed them. Never once has the team signed a known JAG who developed into a contributor. Never. Not once.

You forgot Bobby Hamilton who was horrible with the Jets and became a solid multiyear starter on the Super Bowl teams.