Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

Nice signing.

Interesting that today the Globe ran an article on the NBA about how stars don't want to come to Boston. Clearly Foxboro has a different draw.

If he signed with another team, this isn't a case where I would be unhappy. I'm not sure of the value of another Bethel Johnson KR under the new rules - will a returner have the time to see the field and pick the right path now?

KR performance is not all about speed. In the 2009 draft there was Michael Ray Garvin (tested at 4.26 at Florida State reportedly) and Travis Shelton (Temple, 4.31), both with 30+ yards KR averages. I haven't heard from either in the NFL. In 2010, KR Trindon Holliday from LSU ran a 4.34. In 2011 there was Patrick Peterson from LSU with a 4.32.

Also, KR and PR are different skills. The Pats have had different KR and PR for most of the Belichick era. Troy Brown seldom returned kicks; Bethel Johnson was not an effective PR.

But if he makes the team, should be an upgrade at an area of weakness. Get defense up above 31, get KR up into the top 25, and the team should be better.

However, like the 2011 Patriots, a silver medal is still a loser......

When I googled Demps, did see this article at the top of the list:
Why Jeff Demps Fits so Perfectly in the New York Jets Offense | Bleacher Report
85% said Jets should grab him.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

Urgent said:

Nice signing.

Interesting that today the Globe ran an article on the NBA about how stars don't want to come to Boston. Clearly Foxboro has a different draw.

If he signed with another team, this isn't a case where I would be unhappy. I'm not sure of the value of another Bethel Johnson KR under the new rules - will a returner have the time to see the field and pick the right path now?

KR performance is not all about speed. In the 2009 draft there was Michael Ray Garvin (tested at 4.26 at Florida State reportedly) and Travis Shelton (Temple, 4.31), both with 30+ yards KR averages. I haven't heard from either in the NFL. In 2010, KR Trindon Holliday from LSU ran a 4.34. In 2011 there was Patrick Peterson from LSU with a 4.32.

Also, KR and PR are different skills. The Pats have had different KR and PR for most of the Belichick era. Troy Brown seldom returned kicks; Bethel Johnson was not an effective PR.

But if he makes the team, should be an upgrade at an area of weakness. Get defense up above 31, get KR up into the top 25, and the team should be better.

However, like the 2011 Patriots, a silver medal is still a loser......

When I googled Demps, did see this article at the top of the list:
Why Jeff Demps Fits so Perfectly in the New York Jets Offense | Bleacher Report
85% said Jets should grab him.

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According to nfldraftscout, Demps has run as low as a 4.18 ... anyone know when/where he ran that?

Jeff Demps | Florida, RB : 2012 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

patchick said:

That's funny, because after listening to BB I came away certain Demps was going to be a Patriot! There was just something about the way he discussed both the player and the KR position in the last couple of days.
I already said this in the draft board discussion, but I never thought the Jets were really in the running with McKnight entrenched at KR. That's the one instant-impact role that's most likely to guarantee Demps a roster spot as he eases back into football and the team finds ways to integrate him into the offense.
Anybody know whether he's played gunner? If so, send Marquise Cole up toward the top of the likely-to-be-impacted list.

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No, while at Florida both Demps and Rainey were used as kick blockers, and both did so succesfully.

cavtroop said:

Can someone explain how he's able to skip the draft to chase the Olympics, but then essentially become a 'free agent' to sign with anyone, as opposed to going into the supplemental draft, or having to wait for next year?
I thought players that skipped the draft had to wait for the next one? So what is stopping the next potential #1 pick to just skip the draft, then sign with who he wants? I'm obviously missing something here?

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he declared for the draft and was not drafted, so he is now a udfa.

BelichickFan said:

How is Demps compared to Rainey ? Rainey went in the 5th round, had twice as many carries as Demps but Demps' average was 5.8 vs. Rainey's 5.0. Seems like Demps is more explosive but I didn't watch Florida a lot last year.

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Ignore last year, it was a total disaster for the Gators. That piece of garbage Urban Meyer left the Gators with almost no talent, the majority of players on the team were freshman. Both Rainey and Demps are insanely fast, but Demps was injured a lot last year. When the Gators had both in the backfield at the same time the past few years it was just amazing.

I'd look to Percy Harvin of the Vikings. He is very similar in skill sets but not as fast.

BradyFTW! said:

According to nfldraftscout, Demps has run as low as a 4.18 ... anyone know when/where he ran that?

Jeff Demps*|*Florida,*RB*:*2012 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile

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Florida probably. He's also run sub 10 second 100 meters as well. He is scary fast and has the moves to use it. I believe the Pats will be able to use him in the right ways to make him effective. KR and hopefully PR, plus as an offensive specialist. I like the article above how BB has used smaller than normal rb's in the NFL to cause havoc. Demps could easily fit this mold. If the O line blocks well enough.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

Urgent said:

However, like the 2011 Patriots, a silver medal is still a loser......

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Always hated this mentality. Yeah, losing sucks but I've always been able to reflect over time in a positive way. I'm sure the other teams that didn't medal would of given up a lot for even a bronze.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

Its as semi-official as it gets...

Jeffery Demps ‏@jeffdemps7
To everyone wondering, yes it's true I'm now a new England patriot. Glad to be apart of the team. It's truly an honor. #Godisgreat

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

Watching Torrey Smith blow the top off coverage units has been fun. For fun, I'd love to see Demps line up out wide with one specific instruction.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

ausbacker said:

Watching Torrey Smith blow the top off coverage units has been fun. For fun, I'd love to see Demps line up out wide with one specific instruction.

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As has already been discussed, an empty backfield with Gronk, Ahern, Welker, Lloyd and Demps. Split Demps out wide (or start him in the backfield and put him in motion). You'd be kind of obliged to put a man on him even if he isn't much of a receiver, maybe even some deep help. That could open up a lot underneath.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

getting a silver medal is NOT equatable to being a loser...you WIN the silver medal...if there was only gold then yeah, you're a loser...but anyone who medals is a winner...this isn't even glass half full/empty debatable

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

anyone who watched that race knows that the only lost because Usain Bolt is the fastest man of all time. it was a dead heat until the last man (Bolt v Gatlin I think). Hard to throw the "loser" label on that.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

crew1954 said:

"ESPN track and field reporter Larry Rawson said on the radio after reviewing Bolt's 20-meter splits that Bolt would run 40-yard dash in a time that would burn up the field turf.

Rawson: 'Forty yards, if he was being hand-timed by a scout and reacting to his movement - not electronically timed the way they do it [in track and field] - his 40-yard dash on a track, in spikes, would be 3.73 seconds.'

Host: [Laughter] 'He would run a sub four-second 40-yard dash?'

Rawson: 'Listen, I did the math as though it was electronically timed, which it's not for football — electronically timed — and it came out to 3.97 seconds.' "

Oh, and he's 6'5".

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I just wet the bed.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

nabwong said:

I just wet the bed.

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Not forgetting the first 40 is Bolt's slowest part of the race. Scary.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

mayoclinic said:

As has already been discussed, an empty backfield with Gronk, Ahern, Welker, Lloyd and Demps. Split Demps out wide (or start him in the backfield and put him in motion). You'd be kind of obliged to put a man on him even if he isn't much of a receiver, maybe even some deep help. That could open up a lot underneath.

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You could put Wilfork out there and they have to put a man on him.
Every defensive call ever made assigns every eligible receiver or every piece of the field to someone.
The key to a pass offense is to either have many guys who are difficult covers man to man and/or many guys who effective run the combination routes that stress the holes in a zone.
Demps being fast is useless in this regard unless he is a legitimate threat which is still tbd. If all he can do is run a fly any corner in the NFL can cover him one on one, or in a zone.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

ausbacker said:

Not forgetting the first 40 is Bolt's slowest part of the race. Scary.

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Well of course it is because he starts any other portiion of the distance at or close to full speed rather than in the blocks

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

AndyJohnson said:

Well of course it is because he starts any other portiion of the distance at or close to full speed rather than in the blocks

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What you say is an absolute truth, but Bolt is a slow starter for a 100 meter guy. if you watched Bolt run you see he is behind most of the competitors the first 10-20 meters, so there is some serious acceleration between 20-40 meters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTOTJc5jjCU

Amazingly he would have beaten Carl Lewis by about 10 feet if Lewis ran the same time as his gold medal winning race in 1988.

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

Joker said:

getting a silver medal is NOT equatable to being a loser...you WIN the silver medal...if there was only gold then yeah, you're a loser...but anyone who medals is a winner...this isn't even glass half full/empty debatable

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re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

AndyJohnson said:

You could put Wilfork out there and they have to put a man on him.

At least a double...and good luck jamming him at the line.

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re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps



OK...that IS debatable...jeez, she looks like someone just smashed her little glass pony

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

RayClay said:

AndyJohnson said:

You could put Wilfork out there and they have to put a man on him.

At least a double...and good luck jamming him at the line.

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The Jets safeties are confident they can cover him.

Meanwhile, I understand it this is solely based on the highlights, but Demps doesn't look like a dancer, stutter-stepper. It's one move and gone unless he is one on one in space in which case he can break some ankles. You don't want him in DL traffic but once he's past the line he looks like he has a real good idea of making that one cut to get through that 2nd level.

I'm interested to see him fully invested in football instead of being a 2 sport guy. Belichick doesn't like guys who don't like football so you have to think Urban gave him some good reports.

Since he didn't do combine I would think that the height-weight of USA Track and Field report must be pretty accurate. I'm sure they measure these guys. 5'8 180 is a little small but get him to 190-195 as a football player, not a track guy and he will do fine. He definitely doesn't look frail or anything.

There was an article (the one saying the Jets need to sign him I think) where one of the ancillary benefits of the Jets signing him would be putting one over on Belichick. lol, how'd that work out?

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re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

The Scrizz said:

There was an article (the one saying the Jets need to sign him I think) where one of the ancillary benefits of the Jets signing him would be putting one over on Belichick. lol, how'd that work out?

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Heh!!

I expect that we'd agree that Coach Bill The Mad (Genius) would hardly compromise our team by making a single move for any other reason than what's best for us ~ as opposed to thwarting the designs of a Nemesis.

But how intensely cool is to know that we did shove it in their faces??

re: Erik Frenz: Patriots sign Olympic track star & Florida UDFA RB/WR/KR Jeff Demps

Why?PJ said:

He is scary fast and has the moves to use it.

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That's just it!!

I, personally, don't give a damn about his Breakaway Speed.

What gets me so excited about this kid is his nightmarishly potent navigational ability.

His innate ability to explosively ricochet is going to terrify DC's!! :rocker: