LB Antonio Appleby released

Jimke · Jun 16, 2009

jmt57 said:
Bruschi (or Guyton) and Lenon would be the backup depth behind Mayo and Guyton (or Bruschi). In my opinion if there's a question at ILB it is in the starting quality of whomever starts next to Mayo; not the quality of the backups.

The inside linebacking corps consists of one outstanding young

linebacker, an aging linebacker with diminishing skills, a promising

young linebacker who is a potential starter, a veteran linebacker

converting from the 4-3 to the 3-4, and two veteran special teamers.

I hope the Patriots have a couple more candidates lined up.

Urgent · Jun 16, 2009

That's surprising.

Given that:
There is almost no cost to retaining an undrafted player through training camp;
There is very little depth at ILB;
Appleby comes from a 3-4 program;
Appleby has the size the Pats like a LB;
The Patriots do not need a roster spot;
There's not another practice squad ILB candidate;
There was little reason to release him.

There must have been something that the Patriots seriously did not like at mini-camp. It made sense to hold onto him just in case Alexander, Ciurciu, and Guyton all got injured. This would appear to be a don't-let-the-door-hit-you type of release.

Deus Irae · Jun 16, 2009

Urgent said:
That's surprising.

Given that:
There is almost no cost to retaining an undrafted player through training camp;
There is very little depth at ILB;
Appleby comes from a 3-4 program;
Appleby has the size the Pats like a LB;
The Patriots do not need a roster spot;
There's not another practice squad ILB candidate;
There was little reason to release him.

There must have been something that the Patriots seriously did not like at mini-camp. It made sense to hold onto him just in case Alexander, Ciurciu, and Guyton all got injured. This would appear to be a don't-let-the-door-hit-you type of release.

OTAs are done (if memory serves), and training camp will need to have only the maximum allowable bodies. This won't be the last time the axe falls before the end of July.

edit: We see it beginning:

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/10/246181-weei-com-its-official-pats-sign-ohrnberger.html

Pats726 · Jun 16, 2009

Jimke said:
The inside linebacking corps consists of one outstanding young

linebacker, an aging linebacker with diminishing skills, a promising

young linebacker who is a potential starter, a veteran linebacker

converting from the 4-3 to the 3-4, and two veteran special teamers.

I hope the Patriots have a couple more candidates lined up.

There are 6 there...is that not enough?? Does the team need more...OR maybe they are satisfied with who they have now?? Obvious Appleby did not make the grade..

BB4PRez · Jun 16, 2009

He is to slow to make it in the Pats system and if you can't move fast enough it doesn't matter how big and strong you are

Actually, my guess is simply that the team decided that he wasn't going to make the cut and they might as well give him a chance to find a spot somewhere else.

Jimke · Jun 16, 2009

Pats726 said:
There are 6 there...is that not enough?? Does the team need more...OR maybe they are satisfied with who they have now?? Obvious Appleby did not make the grade..

If Mayo, Bruschi, or Guyton get injured, the Pats could be in deep trouble.

Lenon may be an adequate replacement or may be the second coming of

Beisel, Brown, and Hobson. Alexander and Ciurciu are special teams

onlly.

I am not doubting the Appleby cut. He obviously wasn't up to

snuff to be cut so early. Eleven healthy linebacker on the roster

is not enough.

Jimke · Jun 16, 2009

Urgent said:
That's surprising.

Given that:
There is almost no cost to retaining an undrafted player through training camp;
There is very little depth at ILB;
Appleby comes from a 3-4 program;
Appleby has the size the Pats like a LB;
The Patriots do not need a roster spot;
There's not another practice squad ILB candidate;
There was little reason to release him.

There must have been something that the Patriots seriously did not like at mini-camp. It made sense to hold onto him just in case Alexander, Ciurciu, and Guyton all got injured. This would appear to be a don't-let-the-door-hit-you type of release.

Probably not good on special teams.

patchick · Jun 16, 2009

Pats726 said:
There are 6 there...is that not enough?? Does the team need more...OR maybe they are satisfied with who they have now?? Obvious Appleby did not make the grade..

With Ciurciu taking OTA reps almost exclusively on ST, that leaves only 5 real ILBs (including the semi-ST specialist Alexander) competing for 4 spots. You have to think that if Appleby had shown anything at all during OTAs he would have stuck ahead of, say, the #11 WR.

5 OLBs, 5 ILBs. Definitely thin for camp numbers...but camp's not here yet.

PATRIOTSFANINPA · Jun 16, 2009

Anyone think he may have also been not listening or respective of the coaching staff or maybe had some problems internally with the other players?

Pats67 · Jun 16, 2009

PATRIOTSFANINPA said:
Anyone think he may have also been not listening or respective of the coaching staff or maybe had some problems internally with the other players?

Considering he was here for five minutes (relatively speaking) it seems more likely that he just wasn't good enough.

primetime · Jun 16, 2009

Jimke said:
The only thing that surprises me on the linebacking cuts is that

there is so little depth. There is a grand total of 11 linebackers

competing for 9 or 10 spots. In the meantime, 3 players from

Navy who probably can't play until 2011-2015 are still on the

roster.

Those 3 players from Navy can also stay on the roster until they are able to play, though. I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 stick around to the last round of cuts then go on Reserve/Military.

Jimke · Jun 16, 2009

primetime said:
Those 3 players from Navy can also stay on the roster until they are able to play, though. I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 stick around to the last round of cuts then go on Reserve/Military.

Are you saying that those players may remain on the 80 man roster even

though their Navy duties make them unavailable to practice or play?

primetime · Jun 16, 2009

Jimke said:
Are you saying that those players may remain on the 80 man roster even

though their Navy duties make them unavailable to practice or play?

Correct. Those with military commitments may be placed on the Reserve/Military list. They are roster exemptions, but their rights remain with the team. This is what happened with the Dolphins and Kyle Eckel.

captain stone · Jun 16, 2009

Then why the hell are these two useless JAGs taking up valuable space, when they have less than a zero chance of making the 53? They're even behind Nunn & Ortiz on the WR depth chart, fer ****sake. There is no way - No Effin Way - that Appleby should have been released before White & Barnes, or even before Alexander & Ciurciu. Hell, why doesn't the FO simply place McKenzie on IR? This move really pisses me off.

duce110 · Jun 16, 2009

Jimke said:
Peppers will take 14.9 million dollars a year instead of 15 million

and 49 million guaranteed instead of 50 million to play for the

Patriots.

, u seriously think so...

Jimke · Jun 16, 2009

captain stone said:
Then why the hell are these two useless JAGs taking up valuable space, when they have less than a zero chance of making the 53? They're even behind Nunn & Ortiz on the WR depth chart, fer ****sake. There is no way - No Effin Way - that Appleby should have been released before White & Barnes, or even before Alexander & Ciurciu. Hell, why doesn't the FO simply place McKenzie on IR? This move really pisses me off.

The Pats have to sign McKenzie before he can be placed on IR.

What the Patriots are doing for the two Navy players might be a nice
gesture by Belichick but is nonsensical from a football standpoint.
Neither of those players is a first rate prospect and they are taking up
two roster spots.

WaterfallJumper · Jun 16, 2009

Well, I'm sad to see him go. I was sort of hoping for a big, strong SILB reserve for the season. Maybe Lenon just looked light-years better. Maybe Appleby wasn't that great. Maybe they actually know what they're doing, and our ILBs are just fine as they are.

And maybe, next year, they'll actually take McClain, or Spikes, or Johnson--heck, any of the young, athletic linebackers available. Mayo spoiled me; I expect an impact player at LB every year now.

mgteich · Jun 16, 2009

Appleby couldn't have shown much.

glm · Jun 16, 2009

I still want Peppers.

Maybe the Patriots could cut someone? Like that Brady fellow, he doesn't seem to be doing anything significant.

Jimke · Jun 16, 2009

glm said:
I still want Peppers.

Maybe the Patriots could cut someone? Like that Brady fellow, he doesn't seem to be doing anything significant.

Cut anyone except Barnes and White.

LB Antonio Appleby released

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

In the Starting Line-Up

PatsFans.com Retired Jersey Club

Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal

On the Game Day Roster

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

Moderatrix

Pro Bowl Player

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

Pro Bowl Player

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

Pro Bowl Player

PatsFans.com Retired Jersey Club

Practice Squad Player

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal

PatsFans.com Veteran

In the Starting Line-Up

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

Similar threads