MMQB - Demps, Jones and Mallett mentions

What will Jeff Demps do with New England? Sounds like the Olympic silver medalist sprinter will have a chance to return kicks for a New England team that was horrible in the return game last year -- 29th in the league. Among all players with at least 10 kick returns, the Patriots' Danny Woodhead was 40th, at 21.9 yards per return, with no touchdowns. But Demps has an Achilles heel, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston: Demps fumbled 11 times in 424 career touches playing with Tim Tebow at Florida. Bill Belichick won't stand for that.

Click to expand...

I think if defensive end Chandler Jones isn't a bona fide star as a rookie in New England, you can shred my scouting card. (If you can find it, that is.) Maybe the most interesting thing out of New England, though, is that Ryan Mallett has had two training camps to beat out Brian Hoyer for the backup quarterback job, and when the Patriots start the season, Hoyer's very likely to be No. 2. If Mallett were a great player, I couldn't see this happening.

Click to expand...

He also notes after spending time in KC last week that the atmosphere in camp there is much different since the golf pro moved on to Pittsburgh. More attention to detail on defense and more relaxed communication on offense. Notes with all the injuries of last season you can't blame all of their struggles on Haley, but Cassel looks a whole lot better and while he wouldn't point any fingers others did. Too bad Bowe is such a diva. Finally signed his tender Friday but he's well behind on a more expansive offense. Pioli should have flipped him that first season and found a way to hang on to the aging all pro TE.

One more note that is sure to drive JETS fans berserk, he named Schottenheimer his offensive coach of the week...says he's really got that offense humming. LOL


Andrew Luck delivering on the hype so far, while Kevin Kolb's struggles continue - Peter King - SI.com

I'm not that high on Mallett but find it hard to call last year a "full" training camp.

If the Pats plan on letting Hoyer walk, then unless they really need Hoyer to win games, I'd argue Mallett should get all the back-up work and garbage time in games, not Hoyer.

bagwell368 said:

I'm not that high on Mallett but find it hard to call last year a "full" training camp.

If the Pats plan on letting Hoyer walk, then unless they really need Hoyer to win games, I'd argue Mallett should get all the back-up work and garbage time in games, not Hoyer.

Click to expand...

Agreed, last season, Mallett was indoctrinated into the Patriot way, but he did not have a training camp. With one training camp (this season), he's showing he needs game reps to really prove himself. In my mind, Hoyer is clearly the backup. Mallett is a work in progress. I, too, would like to see him start to show he's capable much faster. Tonight's game is a good time to start.

Mallet has been a real disappointment. I would not be surprised to see him cut.

Nunchucks said:

Mallet has been a real disappointment. I would not be surprised to see him cut.

Click to expand...

You may be right, but I'd be surprised with Hoyer becoming an UFA in 2013. It would be wise to keep one QB who understands the offense on board. He has 3 preseason games to show he belongs.

FWIW, I thought Mallett was far better than Hoyer in practice on Friday. Really the only report I saw was that he was picked off by Ebner. Nobody mentioned that Mallett laid one right into Urban's hands, and it popped into the air to Ebner. On a play a bit later Mallett read through his progressions and then hit someone with a harmless sideline pattern. BB reacted screaming "good read"

I see a lot of negative reports on him relative to Hoyer, so maybe this was an aberration? I wonder if he's just not Bedard's (and others') cup of tea.

(On the other hand, the stinkeroo he put up against New Orleans is compelling evidence.)

Nunchucks said:

Mallet has been a real disappointment. I would not be surprised to see him cut.

Click to expand...

I would be VERY surprised. He'd have to stink up the next 3 games proving that he's useless as a developmental player to make the 53rd player more valuable to the team and get cut. Pats need somebody as backup in 2013 for Brady and BB knows that most FAs aren't compatible with the Pats offense.

Another point regarding Mallett, and I'm the first to admit that I don't see what the Pats see on a daily basis, Belichick has been extremely patient with backup QBs. Many were calling for Cassel's ouster before he took the team to an 11-5 record in 2008. Both QBs, Hoyer and Mallett, need game action. The next 3 games should provide the reps Mallett needs to get comfortable, but even then he'll have his detractors as Cassel did until he became the starting QB in 2008. I expect Mallett to be around at least for the length of his contract.

people continue to latch onto some far-fetched notion that mallet is not a good person or a 'patriot type', so he is scrutinized much more highly and people wring every ounce of negativity out every little thing they see that reflects their negativity even slightly.

Hoyer is a clip board holder.

Lamanai said:

FWIW, I thought Mallett was far better than Hoyer in practice on Friday. Really the only report I saw was that he was picked off by Ebner. Nobody mentioned that Mallett laid one right into Urban's hands, and it popped into the air to Ebner. On a play a bit later Mallett read through his progressions and then hit someone with a harmless sideline pattern. BB reacted screaming "good read"

I see a lot of negative reports on him relative to Hoyer, so maybe this was an aberration? I wonder if he's just not Bedard's (and others') cup of tea.

(On the other hand, the stinkeroo he put up against New Orleans is compelling evidence.)

Click to expand...

ClevTrev said:

Another point regarding Mallett, and I'm the first to admit that I don't see what the Pats see on a daily basis, Belichick has been extremely patient with backup QBs. Many were calling for Cassel's ouster before he took the team to an 11-5 record in 2008. Both QBs, Hoyer and Mallett, need game action. The next 3 games should provide the reps Mallett needs to get comfortable, but even then he'll have his detractors as Cassel did until he became the starting QB in 2008. I expect Mallett to be around at least for the length of his contract.

Click to expand...

BB's patient until he's not. Kevin O'Connell was a 2008 third round pick and was gone before the start of the 2009 regular season. But having said that, I'd be surprised to see Mallett get cut this season.

I would just like to remind everybody that Hoyer was the primary backup as a rookie.

Reckedtrek said:

BB's patient until he's not. Kevin O'Connell was a 2008 third round pick and was gone before the start of the 2009 regular season. But having said that, I'd be surprised to see Mallett get cut this season.

Click to expand...

Well, that year this impressive UDFA came in and upstaged all the other veterans save Brady.

If he cuts Mallett, then he's basically back to square one after this season.

Nunchucks said:

Mallet has been a real disappointment. I would not be surprised to see him cut.

Click to expand...

Way too early to give up on Mallett. Last week the OLine was abysmal. I think if he has time in the pocket, he'll start to show what he can do. I am still high on him and feel like he is the future. The arm obviously is there and the work ethic is there, he just needs the reps and with that will come confidence.

Mallett didn't have a full off season with conditioning and OTA's and mini camps in 2011. No one did. He did have a full TC. And a full season on the 53. And this season he's had the whole enchilada.

I know Bill talked him up last week. When doesn't he do that to a player under fire. Said he has seen improvement relative to Mallett knowing the playbook vs. trying to pick it up cold last season. Well, he'd almost have to have as there was nowhere to go but up after last season. It just hasn't shown on the practice field or in limited game action. His snaps seem to be increasingly limited in practice as camp progressed. He still seems to show the same inclination to be a boom or bust player almost from snap to snap. Hoyer may not have nearly the arm, neither does Brady. But they are consistent and poised game managers who make few costly mistakes and don't tend to make the same ones repeatedly. They process information quickly (Brady at warp speed) and retain information (Brady is like Univac) cleaned from film study and experience. They're mechanically sound. Cassel was a similar type player (although Haley nearly wrung it out of him). Mallett might make it in another, simpler system based on arm strength alone. Although I don't see anything that portends greatness in any system.

Cassel and Hoyer were thought to be potential high floor low ceiling players who showed tremendous development and affinity for the system early on (despite the fact that many here didn't see that). Mallett is assumed to have a higher ceiling based largely on arm strength. Just haven't seen a remotely functional floor or any affinity for this system. And absent both the ceiling can't be reached here.

I think Mallett will remain on the roster unless he totally falls apart over the next three weeks. But just like KOC he will face competition for the #2 spot next season, probably from some UDFA like Hoyer or some former starter or backup who washed out elsewhere that Bill once admired (or Josh once worked with) and thinks can be salvaged.

IllegalContact said:

people continue to latch onto some far-fetched notion that mallet is not a good person or a 'patriot type', so he is scrutinized much more highly and people wring every ounce of negativity out every little thing they see that reflects their negativity even slightly.

Hoyer is a clip board holder.

Click to expand...

Lots of folks seem to have soured on him after the preseason game - granted, he looked like Tebow without the running and winning, but with our roster I'm still holding out hope that by the end of preseason that we can rely on Mallet and go with 2 QB's.

I don't really care about Mallet's dislikeability factor. I am more concerned with his ability to make plays.

His accuracy in the last preseason game was awful, his decision making slow and poor. He just doesn't seem to be able to "get it"

However, I do think he made maybe 2-3 plays in that game that were excellent, but is that enough to compensate for all the crap?

I don't know, guess he will have a chance to redeem himself tonight.

Nunchucks said:

I would just like to remind everybody that Hoyer was the primary backup as a rookie.

Click to expand...

Hoyer was the ONLY backup as a rookie and for a QB coming back from a season ending ACL. And in his rookie year Cassel sent Rohan Davey and Chris Redman packing, in his second year Cassel was the lone backup (although they brought Vinny in as a mentor in mid November). In 2008 he held off O'Connell and the QB the team supposedly was in love with, Gutierrez...

ctpatsfan77 said:

Well, that year this impressive UDFA came in and upstaged all the other veterans save Brady.

If he cuts Mallett, then he's basically back to square one after this season.

Click to expand...

I agree. I don't think Mallett will be cut. I guess my point was that you can't take much of anything for granted with BB, except that he'll do what he thinks is best for the team. Whether he has done something a hundred times, or never at all seems to have little impact on what he'll do this time. With BB, it's "situational team building".

WinstonSmith said:

Lots of folks seem to have soured on him after the preseason game - granted, he looked like Tebow without the running and winning, but with our roster I'm still holding out hope that by the end of preseason that we can rely on Mallet and go with 2 QB's.

Click to expand...

If Bill determines from a roster standpoint that he can't carry 3 QB's Hoyer won't be going anywhere.

Nunchucks said:

I don't really care about Mallet's dislikeability factor. I am more concerned with his ability to make plays.

His accuracy in the last preseason game was awful, his decision making slow and poor. He just doesn't seem to be able to "get it"

However, I do think he made maybe 2-3 plays in that game that were excellent, but is that enough to compensate for all the crap?

I don't know, guess he will have a chance to redeem himself tonight.

Click to expand...

Those who play the dislikeability card are just not willing to consider the alternative. Assessments of system fit are all about consistent (and not merely random) performance and production.