Bam, Bam, Bam Bam, Bam, Bam, BAM!

[Box_O_Rocks]

http://www.patriots.com/mediacenter/index.cfm?ac=VideoNewsdetail&pid=26720&pcid=82

Q: Can you talk about Bam Childress and his versatility and how that all fits into your system?

BB: I think that Bam is one of our most versatile players. He's done a lot of things for us. Offensively, he's played all of the receiver positions - x, z, played the inside slot position, also played a little bit in the backfield like last year against Jacksonville and a little bit on defense, returns kicks. He's a guy that has a lot of multiple skills. He's a smart kid. He works hard and always in condition, good run after the catch, good with the ball in his hands, so he has a variety of skills, a lot of things that can be utilized in different ways and I'm sure we'll continue to do that with him. Definitely a strength of his is his versatility.

Q: What about his abilities on special teams?

BB: Yes, he returns kicks and I'm sure that he'll be returning them during the preseason. He's also spent a little bit of time on the coverage team, but I think he's a little more of a returner than a coverage guy based on his overall size, but I'm sure he'll be asked to do that to at least give us depth in that area too.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Me, I'll hate seeing him in Gang Green colors.

 

[Flying Fungi]

Me, I'll hate seeing him in Gang Green colors

He can't have them both.

No way.

Poteat or Childress.

 

[Flying Fungi]

http://www.patriots.com/mediacenter/index.cfm?ac=VideoNewsdetail&pid=26720&pcid=82

Coach does multiple things with guys like Bam--he serves to show everyone else how important the game is, and how talent alone isn't enough...and gods willing, he makes the team and makes a somersaulting reception and the masses adore him for being the gamer that he is

players like Bam excite me and inspire me

 

[patchick]

Listed at 5'10" on the official roster. Sure, whatever you say.

 

[Pats726]

Practice Squad 3rd year OR maybe the 6th receiver..they see a lot in him..U have from the first days of camp 05 when he was signed..

 

[psychoPat]

....
players like Bam excite me and inspire me

Certainly the sentimental favorite!
Come on, Bam!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He can't have them both.

No way.

Poteat or Childress.

It's bad enough that he scarfed up Ventrone too.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

It's bad enough that he scarfed up Ventrone too.

I regarded that move as a win for us.

 

[MetalBleachers]

If Bam gets cut, I don't think he makes the Pats' PS this year. He's worked too hard for too long for other teams to miss snapping him up.

(and yes, I am going for the reverse jinx)

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I regarded that move as a win for us.

I thought that was Chad Jackson?

 

[JoeSixPat]

Bam's a good guy and I definately root for him - though I do question how much he's progressed since last year, as if there was ever a year when he could have made an impact, last year was it, and we didn't see all that much from him.

Part of me wonders if BB does good guys who work hard in camp a favor by talking them up this way, knowing its going to help them catch on somewhere else if he can't find a place for them. It doesn't happen all the time but we have seen situations where coaches cut a guy early specifically to give them a chance elsewhere. I can't help but wonder if that's going to be the case here.

Yes, one takes a chance cutting a guy before one absolutely has to, but its not unnoticed by players when coaches/GMs reward hard working players by giving them a leg up elsewhere in the NFL - that pays dividends in the way players regard a coach as well.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Bam's a good guy and I definately root for him - though I do question how much he's progressed since last year, as if there was ever a year when he could have made an impact, last year was it, and we didn't see all that much from him.

Part of me wonders if BB does good guys who work hard in camp a favor by talking them up this way, knowing its going to help them catch on somewhere else if he can't find a place for them. It doesn't happen all the time but we have seen situations where coaches cut a guy early specifically to give them a chance elsewhere. I can't help but wonder if that's going to be the case here.

Yes, one takes a chance cutting a guy before one absolutely has to, but its not unnoticed by players when coaches/GMs reward hard working players by giving them a leg up elsewhere in the NFL - that pays dividends in the way players regard a coach as well.

Well, that's the dark side. An alternative consideration may parallel the Dante Scarnecchia Big Man Ballet Academy. Bam could just be someone who for lack of playing time in college needed to be developed more before throwing him to the wolves.

The Wes Welker trade may have wounded one of my pet theories, but I don't think it's bled out yet: Bam is Troy's replacement and has been learning on the Practice Squad while waiting for his chance to move up. As BB notes, Bam is a versatile kid, when I watch him in games I always feel I'm looking at a Troy Brown clone. Welker has drawn a lot of comparisons to Troy since he was signed, and I'll have to wait and watch him in the preseason games to start getting a true feel for that comparison, though in watching him as a phin I've not seen the Troy Brown analogy in his style/physical skills, not the way I have to doublecheck the number sometimes with Bam and Troy.

I believe Fast Freddy was turned loose before camp to get a chance to tryout elsewhere. I was sad when Jake Nordin was released, I liked his resume for what BB's TEs do here. Maybe Bam is getting talked up, but I don't have the sense that BB was doing that with this lead in; "I think that Bam is one of our most versatile players. He's done a lot of things for us." Part of the reason some guys stick is they help make the other guys better - Larry Izzo often leads the scout offense as QB. BB may not have been able to find a place for Klecko, and he may not for Bam, but I don't think he's stopped trying, yet.

 

[PatsFan37]

The Wes Welker trade may have wounded one of my pet theories, but I don't think it's bled out yet.

That sort of metaphor could inspire a box o' rocks chew toy.

And I imagine coming up with a pet theory like that is no walk in the park. :bricks:

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

That sort of metaphor could inspire a box o' rocks chew toy.

And I imagine coming up with a pet theory like that is no walk in the park. :bricks:

Nah, never got to too many parks, but I've seen a bit of red stuff - mostly when the cat bites me for playing too rough.

 

[DarrylS]

The question becomes, can Bam play CB??

 

[Pats726]

The question becomes, can Bam play CB??

yes..I think in time he may..in the Miami game of 05..the last game, he did play some corner. We may be seeing a TroyB type player developing.

 

[WhiZa]

I can see the Jets picking him up, but he was on the PS last year and they didn't go for him so I'm not sure if they will this year either.

 

[captain stone]

The question becomes, can Bam play CB??

My question, as well.

Unless there is a plague of injuries at WR, I just don't think Bam will make it there. DB is a different story, though: injury comebacks, unproven commodities, aging vets...

 

[dryheat44]

Why wouldn't we keep Bam over Washington or Caldwell? Assuming Moss, Stallworth, Welker, Brown, and Gaffney are our top 5 WRs, (with Jackson on PUP/IR) why would we keep Washington or Caldwell to be #6, a designation that will most likely leave them inactive.

Far better to have Bam, or even Kight, fill out that #6 role. They both play on special teams, they both have some long-range potential, and in the case of Bam, he can keep Maroney or Hobbs from returning kicks.

If we keep 6 WRs, or possibly even 5, I think Bam has the best chance to get that role.