Sammy Morris - in a word...solid??

[fgssand]

Could be a great pick up - SOLID player, not great, but seems to do many things well.

Zolak is pretty high on this guy, said he is going to contribute somewhere in between what Faulk gives us on third down and Maroney as far as bringing it. He said he will do great backing up both positions and has done great so far, in his opinion.

I also know BB tried a couple of times to get him, so that should say it all.

I look at his stats and see he is OK, not great, not bad - OK. Career average 4.0 with 400 carries and career passing of a 7.1 Average yards per catch with 100 receptions...again, not bad. http://www.nfl.com/players/sammymorris/profile?id=MOR536043

Does anyone know how he is at picking up and stopping oncoming rushers??

How has he looked on special teams and how many units does he play on?

Opinions please as to how well he will do.

Is it Maroney>Faulk>Morris, or, are we going to pick up a big back from last cuts and go with four.

 

[AirForcePatFan]

I haven't been impressed with him so far in the preseason... Hasn't done much of anything, imo...

 

[brdmaverick]

I haven't been impressed with him so far in the preseason... Hasn't done much of anything, imo...

ditto, although he has made a few great catches in practice

 

[cstjohn17]

I haven't been impressed with him so far in the preseason... Hasn't done much of anything, imo...

He looks like a slightly better version of Patrick Pass to me. He should be ok in special teams but nothing more than a reserve as a RB. Also appears to run a little high.

Sammy Morris NE RB 2007 Pre-season
16 carries for 50 yards, 3.1 YPA
Longest 8 yards

I am keeping my mind open to addding an additional RB to the roster.

 

[WhiZa]

Has he done anything on ST the past two games? I know coming in a lot of people said he was a "solid" ST contributor, but I don't remember him taking any reps there.

 

[patriot lifer]

I like him. He's another body to throw out there over the course of the season--nothing spectacular. We don't want Kevin Faulk taking every single carry that Maroney doesn't take like he did in the Tennessee game. He'll take some of the beating. If all three stay healthy, it'll keep them fresher come the playoffs. And at least he's quicker than Corey Dillon. All of a sudden, we have three fairly quick guys lining up at half-back.

 

[cstjohn17]

I like him. He's another body to throw out there over the course of the season--nothing spectacular. We don't want Kevin Faulk taking every single carry that Maroney doesn't take like he did in the Tennessee game. He'll take some of the beating. If all three stay healthy, it'll keep them fresher come the playoffs. And at least he's quicker than Corey Dillon. All of a sudden, we have three fairly quick guys lining up at half-back.

But despite being out of shape and slow Dillion was still money in the redzone. Morris and / or Evans are different types of runners and despite having ok size they don't have the natural instincts or talent to find the end-zone like CD.

The whole running attack centers on Maroney, hopefully he stays on the field, if he does he will have a monster year.

 

[mgteich]

I think that bb and pioli are always open to starting the season with five running backs. If the Mills experiment is over, then we could see a fifth back brought in. I've been pushing for that since before the draft. I cringe whenever I hear Morris or Maroney being the substitute for Dillon in the red zone. At least we've replaced Seymour in the redzone, but that didn't work out well. Hochstein is now injured. I'm old fashioned enough to want bruisers like Dillon running the ball and full time fullbacks or tight ends blocking.

BTW, I do like the addition of Morris. He is a backup runner and a backup returner. As was said, there needs to be a plan if Maroney is injured, and it shouldn't be Faulk as the only running back option.

He looks like a slightly better version of Patrick Pass to me. He should be ok in special teams but nothing more than a reserve as a RB. Also appears to run a little high.

Sammy Morris NE RB 2007 Pre-season
16 carries for 50 yards, 3.1 YPA
Longest 8 yards

I am keeping my mind open to addding an additional RB to the roster.

 

[fgssand]

I think that bb and pioli are always open to starting the season with five running backs. If the Mills experiment is over, then we could see a fifth back brought in. I've been pushing for that since before the draft. I cringe whenever I hear Morris or Maroney being the substitute for Dillon in the red zone. At least we've replaced Seymour in the redzone, but that didn't work out well. Hochstein is now injured. I'm old fashioned enough to want bruisers like Dillon running the ball and full time fullbacks or tight ends blocking.

BTW, I do like the addition of Morris. He is a backup runner and a backup returner. As was said, there needs to be a plan if Maroney is injured, and it shouldn't be Faulk as the only running back option.

I think they will go with 5, if either Mills makes it or a quality, hungry vet is available after cutdowns. Otherwise, it will be 4.

 

[ClevTrev]

Yeah, what's wrong with Morris? Hasn't run for over 100 yards in a preseason game yet, hasn't caught multiple touchdown passes, hasn't knocked a rushing defender out cold on the field. This guy is lacking . . .

What a waste of a contract . . .

Please bring back Cedric Cobbs, as this position needs some shoring up . . .

Where's Mack Herron when you need him? Or Duane Thomas, or Jake Crouthamel, or Preston Johnson, or John Tarver, or . . .

Setting aside the sarcasm for a moment, I like him and am willing to give him a chance, as I gotta think BB and SP know a thing or two.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

As of week two in the preseason, Morris looks:

- good on the Punt Return unit, he decked a Tennessee Gunner with a sweet block allowing Bam to get some forward progress before the horde showed up. This bodes well for the other coverage and return units.
- like he and the O-line aren't in sync yet, but the progress from week one to week two seems to be trending in the right direction.
- like he will be a good fit in the passing game, both receiving and blitz pick-up.
- like he is still fitting into the Patriots' system, still thinking his way through the playbook and not yet reacting instinctively.
- like a RB whom I won't feel the need to regret, even as I drool watching St. Louis second round draft pick Brian Leonard working against San Diego's defense.

 

[mgteich]

Isn't reasonable to consider Morris an upgrade to Pass? rather than a replacement for Dillon?

As of week two in the preseason, Morris looks:

- good on the Punt Return unit, he decked a Tennessee Gunner with a sweet block allowing Bam to get some forward progress before the horde showed up. This bodes well for the other coverage and return units.
- like he and the O-line aren't in sync yet, but the progress from week one to week two seems to be trending in the right direction.
- like he will be a good fit in the passing game, both receiving and blitz pick-up.
- like he is still fitting into the Patriots' system, still thinking his way through the playbook and not yet reacting instinctively.
- like a RB whom I won't feel the need to regret, even as I drool watching St. Louis second round draft pick Brian Leonard working against San Diego's defense.

 

[ClevTrev]

Isn't reasonable to consider Morris an upgrade to Pass? rather than a replacement for Dillon?

Thank you . . . . or just another skilled, multi-talented player who provides additional flexibility at the position.

 

[mgteich]

Come on! We don't need Leonard. We'd rather have a pick next year. We likely could have gotten a 3rd to move down from 28 and still gotten Leonard who was picked at 52. We could have traded the 3rd into 2008!

As of week two in the preseason, Morris looks:

- like a RB whom I won't feel the need to regret, even as I drool watching St. Louis second round draft pick Brian Leonard working against San Diego's defense.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Come on! We don't need Leonard. We'd rather have a pick next year. We likely could have gotten a 3rd to move down from 28 and still gotten Leonard who was picked at 52. We could have traded the 3rd into 2008!

Whatever, I'm not second guessing BB's draft day choices - he had Sammy Morris locked up well before the draft. I am saying Sammy was a known commodity when Pioli went after him, he's still learning his way through the Patriots' system and will probably not hit his stride to start the season. Leonard was as impressive against the San Diego defense as you could want in a rookie back - especially with all the experts who felt he was "only" a FB. Since you and I were confident in his draft value, it was nice to see him proving us right on the field running, catching, and blocking. I'm confident in Sammy, but I'm also confident that Brian would have been a fantastic complement to Maroney and Faulk.

 

[patpatriot]

I'd rather have Leonard than Welker. The Pats tried pretty hard to get Chris Brown to come here. Now why do you think that was? I think it was because Morris is not the player he was with Buffalo which is the player that BB wanted...oh well.

 

[Oswlek]

I'd rather have Leonard than Welker. The Pats tried pretty hard to get Chris Brown to come here. Now why do you think that was? I think it was because Morris is not the player he was with Buffalo which is the player that BB wanted...oh well.

They didn't try that hard or else he would have been here.

I know nothing about Leonard, but Welker is a fine WR. I can't say that I would rather trade someone who plays a position that NE absolutely needs (slot WR) for a position that NE has decently covered.

Now, if you want to say that NE could have not signed Morris and used #28 to get Leonard I have no issue with that.

 

[PatsSteve1]

I'd rather have Leonard than Welker. The Pats tried pretty hard to get Chris Brown to come here. Now why do you think that was? I think it was because Morris is not the player he was with Buffalo which is the player that BB wanted...oh well.

They went after Brown to get better, IMO, but not really because they didn't like Smith. They'd like to uograde every position. Why go after so many WR's when they can't all make the team? To pick the best and get better at the position.

 

[fgssand]

I'd rather have Leonard than Welker. The Pats tried pretty hard to get Chris Brown to come here. Now why do you think that was? I think it was because Morris is not the player he was with Buffalo which is the player that BB wanted...oh well.

I do not agree - not even now, however, back when they traded for Welker, there was no Moss or Stallworth and Jackson was "iffy" (even moreso that today).

Welker is an awesome slot reciever and pest, cut from the Wayne Chrebet mold...i'll take the words of Rodney Harrision, BB and so many others along with what I have seen with my own eyes.

Go back and watch him tear us apart and be happy he is now on our side.

Leonard may be good, but he is a rookie and also a fb/hb type.

 

[PatsSteve1]

Hopefully Marooney plays all year and Morris is just a backup. I don't see him as a cut-and-go type runner that zone blocking requires of runners. Maybe he can learn that better. But I think he'll be OK as long as the Patriots don't have to use him as the main guy, or not much.