Patriots Release Dominique Easley

[Bill Lee]

Very anxious to see WTF this is all about

Perhaps you should prepare yourself for the idea that we might not know much more about the real reasons for quite a while, if ever.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Details here:

Easley trying to give Pat's fans heart attacks via Instagram, apparently. • /r/Patriots

A complete idiot.

Sounds like they got rid of a headache before it became a full blown migraine.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Well, that's that. He's either injured to the point where the team doesn't think he can ever return to form or he did something behind the scenes. Either way, the guy was talented when healthy but could not stay on the field. Very big draft bust. Further, who is going to be pushing the pocket this season at DT? This pretty much makes DL one of the team's top needs again.

Makes losing Hicks sting even more.. I bet his playing time would have gone up substantially with Easley out of the picture, which is supposedly why he chose the Bears over the Pats

 

[Canuck]

You would think that Bill could have bundled Easley and a draft pick to move up one round in the draft at least. Say a 3rd and Easley for a 2nd or a 6th and Easley for a 5th or a 4th. There has to be something bad enough that he would have no value at all in trade.

 

[Jimke]

Off season workouts begin in 15 days. Maybe, Easley has not been following his rehab
instructions and is not in good enough shape to play football in the foreseeable future.
Also, he may have not followed earlier instructions when injured.

 

[RobertWeathers]

No, it's really not, unless the cops are on the way to his house right now.

If the 49ers could swap mega-bust AJ Jenkins for Jonathan Baldwin, or the Saints swap Jonathan Sullivan for Bethel Johnson, you'd think the Patriots could have gotten something for a guy who was at least a highly effective sub package player when he was healthy. Hell, they got a 4th round pick for Laurence Maroney from the Broncos, who had to have seen a guy tap-dancing on their screen for the past three seasons. If they cut Easley merely because he was a headache, taking on a higher cap hit in the process, that's like Bruins-level asset management.

I agree but the Pats have a long track record of being the best in the league at asset management.

There must be an unkept secret in the league about Easley and his stock is lower than low.

 

[old 55]

Someone bake this man an entire sheet of cookies!

Chocolate Chip would be fine.

 

[Mack Herron]

You would think that Bill could have bundled Easley and a draft pick to move up one round in the draft at least. Say a 3rd and Easley for a 2nd or a 6th and Easley for a 5th or a 4th. There has to be something bad enough that he would have no value at all in trade.

If claimed he had significant value.

 

[Joey007]

Still isn't as bad of a pick as Dowling. At least Easley showed that he could play.

 

[primetime]

If claimed he had significant value.

Yeah, the question of whether the Patriots could have got something for him or not seems like it should resolve itself when we find out if he clears waivers or not, assuming we don't hear anything before that about why he was waived in the first place.

 

[borg]

Still isn't as bad of a pick as Dowling. At least Easley showed that he could play.

Glass 1 and Glass 2
Why is this a surprise? Four of Easley's past six years playing football he could not complete the season. BB likely looking for better odds than a guy batting .333….and with a deep DL draft class….hello Mr. 2nd rounder

 

[sevengables_2207]

Man, I am bummed with this news.

At the time, I was cautiously optimistic, viewing Easley as a huge risk/reward prospect.

His first season was frustrating, yet understandable, since he was recovering from a torn ACL.

In his second year, he become one of the best sub-package pass-rushers in the league, albeit on only 31% of the snaps. Then in week 14 he goes on IR and now he has been cut.

I got to think that DT will get a long look on Day 2/3 of the NFL draft for the Patriots.

 

[BelichickFan]

If claimed he had significant value.

Getting something for free does not prove value.

 

[Tony2046]

I agree but the Pats have a long track record of being the best in the league at asset management.

There must be an unkept secret in the league about Easley and his stock is lower than low.

Hoping for:

Cut him for multiple minor off field incidents and another team picks him off waivers.

Cap loss alleviated. Pick up Anthony Davis.

Albert BreerVerified account‏@AlbertBreer
... Of course, the cost for New England of cutting Easley is alleviated if he's claimed on waivers. Not expensive for another team to do it.

 

[patfanken]

Some comments on the comments: (after reading only the last 3 pages)

1. This takes me totally by surprise.

2. Those calling him a "bust" are simply ludicrous. Before he was injured he was being rated one of the pass rushing DT's in league per play. A bust doesn't do that (except when you are on a fan message board, I guess)

3. I wonder if some people can't wait to jump on their computers to call a player a bust because, for just a moment, they can say in their heart of hearts, "I KNEW I was smarter than Bill Bellichick".

4. That all being said, as I wonder about the events that took place that led up to this decision, I can't help but recall a small but odd incident for a game fairly early in the year. I can't remember the exact game. At any rate, as I recall, something exciting happened on the field and there are a number of players, including Brady, who are all celebrating, high fiving, and pounding fists. And amid all the celebration was sitting one Dominick Easley as if he were completely alone in the stadium. Nothing that was going around him had any effect on him.

At the time I remember feeling a bit disappointed that he didn't seem more connected, but didn't think of it much because it really didn't seem to matter in the great scheme of things......maybe it did?

5. The biggest consequence of this decision to me is that NOW we really need that #1 pick, where as before it was just a luxury. I understand that we aren't getting it back, but I would still want to pressure Goodell every chance I got (media) to explain how a team lost their #1 draft pick because the NFL didn't understand HS physics. Or does Roger want to go with the one where their QB destroyed his cell phone after the investigator told him he didn't need it.

 

[Mack Herron]

Getting something for free does not prove value.

Not free. Assume contract.

 

[Deus Irae]

Those calling him a "bust" are simply ludicrous. Before he was injured he was being rated one of the pass rushing DT's in league per play. A bust doesn't do that (except when you are on a fan message board, I guess)

He's a bust as a Patriots pick. That's just the reality of the situation. All the attempted massaging of that obvious fact won't change that obvious fact.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Yeah, the question of whether the Patriots could have got something for him or not seems like it should resolve itself when we find out if he clears waivers or not, assuming we don't hear anything before that about why he was waived in the first place.

None of the stuff that's come out so far ("lazy", "differences with team's rehab regimen", etc.) would point toward needing to cut him shortly before the draft. And even if no one wanted him in a trade, why not hang onto him until June 1 when the cut (as I possibly incorrectly understand it) would have had less negative cap consequences.

Doesn't makes sense unless something more problematic is out there that we've not yet heard.

 

[primetime]

I remember in the Knighton thread before he was signed I had written a few posts that made it clear a nose tackle was a big need because Easley couldn't be counted upon to stay healthy, and Brown would be needed at nose tackle.

For what it's worth, I have no problem with Knighton and Branch at NT and Brown and Jones at UT heading into the draft. Could Jones be upgraded with a more consistent interior pass rushing player who can play in sub packages? Certainly.

Do I think that, even if he's not replaced with a high pick in the draft, the depth is okay? Sure, especially because I think Long has the size to move inside and play the NASCAR package role on sub packages, and hopefully Grissom and/or Flowers will take on a bigger role on the outside so as to spare Nink another 90% snap season.

I don't think the Patriots will be moving to the 3-4 though. Doesn't make any sense given their free agency and draft choices the last couple seasons. But I've been wrong plenty of times!

 

[BradyFTW!]

wtf? This is a shock, what a bust. Bummer, for years the best thing you've been able to say about the Pats in the draft is that they simply don't whiff on first rounders. Maroney and Meriweather weren't great, but they were credible starters at least. This is just something else.

I can't come up with a good reason why he needed to be cut now. There must be something we don't know, this is nuts. Didn't Seattle really want him in the draft? Surprised they weren't willing to give us a late round pick for him.