Pats eyeing Chris Brown

[BPF]

Do we sign this guy or are you satisfied with Morris, Faulk, Evans and Hairston as back ups?

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/features/rumors

Patriots eyeing Brown?
Friday, May 4 - Don't dismiss the possibility of New England making a play for Brown, who lost his starting job to Travis Henry last season in Tennessee, writes Len Pasquarelli.
The Pats have done some background work on Brown and, with the release of Corey Dillon earlier this spring, they need another back to help second-year veteran Laurence Maroney with the workload. Brown is still a young guy, just 26, and might be frustrated enough with the free agency experience at this point to accept a one-year deal with a team that could get him a Super Bowl ring.

Brown rushed for 1,067 yards in 2004 and 851 yards in 2005 and, while he absorbs a lot of hits because of his upright running style, the guy doesn't have much tread rubbed off his tires. He has carried only 541 times in four years and appeared in just five games in 2006. He might not be a perfect fit in the New England offense, but he could be the best back available to the Pats if they want to add a veteran to the mix.

Rushing Stats
YEAR TEAM G ATT YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LOST
2003 TEN 11 56 221 3.9 28 0 9 1 0
2004 TEN 11 220 1067 4.9 52 6 40 6 4
2005 TEN 15 224 851 3.8 38 5 37 3 2
2006 TEN 5 41 156 3.8 21 0 8 1 0
Career 42 541 2295 4.2 52 11 94 11 6

 

[zippo59]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

I wouldn't mind the competition, seeing who the best four or so backs are and have them make the roster, but Brown's biggest problem is staying healthy. I don't want to give a guy a roster spot based on what he can do when healthy, and then have him miss nine games.

 

[zippo59]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

I'm curious has to how many RBs we will carry into the season. Four running backs and then a full back? Three running backs and then a full back?

Right now we have

Laurence Maroney
Kevin Faulk
Sammie Morris
Heath Evans
Justise Hairston
Quadtrine Hill

Maroney and Faulk are the only real locks to make the roster, but I'd say Evans is pretty close to a lock. Morris probably makes the team as well. Hill is really more of a full back so I see him as most likely going to the practice squad. So I think at this point the player who is really up in the air is Hairston. He would probably make it at this point if they decide to carry four running backs and a FB, but all that would change if Brown is signed. If Hairston is cut he most likely ends up on the practice squad.

 

[skaIownsIyou]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

i dont think we'll need chris brown.....we already reloaded in the WR department...i'd rather try and reload in the defensive side....but then again, i guess BB is taking the BPA in FA...and i guess reinforcing your strengths is never a bad thing

 

[Mack Herron]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

I'm curious has to how many RBs we will carry into the season. Four running backs and then a full back? Three running backs and then a full back?

Right now we have

Laurence Maroney
Kevin Faulk
Sammie Morris
Heath Evans
Justise Hairston
Quadtrine Hill

You forgot Garrett Mills who plays FB/HB. I think the speed with which they signed Morris means they have plans for him.

 

[spacecrime]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

You forgot Garrett Mills who plays FB/HB. I think the speed with which they signed Morris means they have plans for him.

Not only that, but BB wants him. The Pats tried to sign Morris when he left Buffalo, but he chose Miami at the time.

 

[patsox23]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

Not only that, but BB wants him. The Pats tried to sign Morris when he left Buffalo, but he chose Miami at the time.

And I heard something about BB being interested in Sammy Morris when he was drafted - but does that work out, timeline-wise? Was Belichick HC then?

 

[questionman]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

How much space is left under the cap?

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

THe addition of Brown couldn't hurt. However, I would rather have the Pats make a trade for a young ILB and shore up the secondary.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

Please post Mills' running stats from last year and from college. Please also indicate why you think that he can replace the role of Dillon in sharing the running back load with Maroney.

You forgot Garrett Mills who plays FB/HB. I think the speed with which they signed Morris means they have plans for him.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

How much space is left under the cap?

If there's a guy the Pats need to sign there are plenty of ways to restructure to find enough room... its probably more of a numbers game on who or how many RBs to carry - and whether Brown feels there's a legitimate role for him.

I do feel that a straight ahead goal line push through the line RB is still a need here - but that we don't need to spend a ton for such a specialist. Having the WRs spread the field are going to be a big help for every RB - and although you can't "spread" on the goal line per se, having tall WRs is a major benefit there that does open up the goal line running game some.

I'd put LB depth ahead of RB depth in a second though.

 

[biffman]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

I think the RBs are fine as is. Would I like to have a better backup situation? Sure, but I'd rather see them get a vet ILB before a third or fourth rb.

 

[zippo59]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

I just want to remind people that further RB depth and further LB are not mutually exclusive. If we were to sign Brown it doesn't automatically mean we are done adding LBs or DBs.

 

[biffman]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

I just want to remind people that further RB depth and further LB are not mutually exclusive. If we were to sign Brown it doesn't automatically mean we are done adding LBs or DBs.

True enough. However, how many rbs can we keep without hurting another position?

2-3 QB
8-9 OL
6 WR
3 TE
7-8 DL
9 LB
10 D
3 STs

That's 48 to 51 spots. How many spots does that leave for RBs? Probably four - Maroney, Faulk, Evans and Morris seem like pretty safe bets to me.

 

[zippo59]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

True enough. However, how many rbs can we keep without hurting another position?

2-3 QB
8-9 OL
6 WR
3 TE
7-8 DL
9 LB
10 D
3 STs

That's 48 to 51 spots. How many spots does that leave for RBs? Probably four - Maroney, Faulk, Evans and Morris seem like pretty safe bets to me.

Just because they pick them up now doesn't necessarily mean they will make the team.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

OFFENSE - 24-25
QB 2-3
WR 5-6
RB 4-5 (5 and 6 the last two years)
OL 8-9
TE 3-4

DEFENSE - 25-26
DL 7
LB 8-9
DB 9-10

SPECIAL TEAMS 3
p 1
K 1
DS 1

We could use competition in camp at several positions, camp fodder at others. I would think that includes QB, RB, FB, NT, ILB, and OLB. Personally, I think that we are looking for a RB and a couple of ILB's who would be expected to make the team.

Just because they pick them up now doesn't necessarily mean they will make the team.

 

[spacecrime]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

Please post Mills' running stats from last year and from college. Please also indicate why you think that he can replace the role of Dillon in sharing the running back load with Maroney.

This and similar posts are the dumbest things I've seen here since bsamson and mikey. A player cannot do "XXX" if he did not do it in college. A player cannot do "YYY" because he didn't do it as a rookie on IR.

College perfromance and rookie year perfornance, on IR or not, are two of the measurables for predicting the future succss of an NFL career, but not the only two.

Why don't you post Brady's passing stats from 2000 and use them to show that he can replace Bledsoe in 2001?

Also post Antwan Randle El's college receiving stats, and use them to show that he can be a receiver in the NFL.

Then do the same for Stephen Neal and Antonio Gates.

And Jason Peters. How much tackle did he play in college? He was undrafted as a TE, but is doing great at OT.

I am not saying the Mills can be a FB or that he cannot. I'm saying that you cannot "prove" a guy can't do something because he has not done it.

Just because a guy is not a top first found pick with great college stats does not mean he cannot be an NFL player. (Just because he does have a great college career does not mean he has an All-Pro NFL careeer ahead of him either.

Sometimes you have to get rid of the idea that football players are pieces of machinery. You have to look at the player and form an opinion.

Mills may be a good blocking, pass-catching FB, or he may not. But you cannot prove he will not be by lack of stats.

Anyway, teams look to build complete teams. They seldom go out and find a guy that does exactly what previous guy dis and stick in into the lineup like a replacement part from AutoZone.

We didn't have a Dillon type before Dillon, not for a long time, anyway, and we may not this year.

If Mills/Hairston/Evans can do well in preseaon, they will have a job. If Brown comes in, he will compete with Morris and the rest, and whoever plays well this year will have a job. Many criteria will be used on cutdown day, but what the guy did last year will not be one of them.

End of rant.

 

[biffman]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

Just because they pick them up now doesn't necessarily mean they will make the team.

I'm assuming if they pick up Brown, they expect him to make the team. They just gave Morris a multi-year deal. Faulk is in, so is Maroney. They signed Evans (the only fullback we have) to a two year deal. Are they going to have Maroney, Morris and Brown split carries with Faulk getting most of the reps on 3rd down?

 

[zippo59]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

I'm assuming if they pick up Brown, they expect him to make the team. They just gave Morris a multi-year deal. Faulk is in, so is Maroney. They signed Evans (the only fullback we have) to a two year deal. Are they going to have Maroney, Morris and Brown split carries with Faulk getting most of the reps on 3rd down?

When you pick up a guy this late you don't assume anything. He would have to fight for and earn a roster spot, and if they do sign him, it will most likely be to a one year deal so he would be easily cutable.

 

[patsgo]

Re: Pats eyeing Brown

with the signing of james and the drafting of merriweather i think they are done in the defensive backfield,insdie line backer is the only hole i see, and maybe that is alexander, he was thrown into a tough situation in the indy game but hes going into his 3rd year he maybe ready to help