Great Depth and Tough Cuts - Really?

We are used to celebrating the depth of the bottom of our roster. I have the following as cuts at this early moment. Would you be upset about losing ANY of them?
OL: Kline, Wendell, Cave, Barker, Devey
RB: Gray
WR: Thompkins, Harrison, Gallon
LS: Hughlett
DE: Bequette
DT: Vellano, Forston, C Jones
LB: C White, Davis
CB: Green
S : Davis, T Wilson

So, you think that cutting those guys makes the bottom 13 of our roster awesome. Any of these could easily not make the roster. Would that upset you much?
TE: Williams, Hooman
WR: LeFell, Boyce
RB: Bolden
FB: Deviled
LS: Aiken
DE: Moore
DT: Armstead, Siliga
LB: Beauharnais, Hull
S : Chung, Thomas

BOTTOM LINE
As always, there is lots of room at the bottom of the roster. And the quality is NOT what it used to be. The cuts would not bother us a lot. Sure a couple of our rookie binkies or draftees might be cut, and hopefully move to the Practice Squad. But I don't see us having to cut critical or even greatly desirable players.

I would disagree strongly, the following names I would not like losing...not compared to others, but simply as stand-alone players

WR: Thompkins
DT: Vellano, Forston, C Jones
WR: LeFell, Boyce
RB: Bolden
FB: Develin
DT: Armstead

the reasons why i wouldn't want to lose them differ, but some reasons include the potential they have shown and that they are mostly young and will prob get better...or we don't know what we have in them because they simply haven't had a chance to get on the field much at all

To be clear, I have the last 5 you list making the team.

ALP said:

I would disagree strongly, the following names I would not like losing...not compared to others, but simply as stand-alone players

WR: Thompkins
DT: Vellano, Forston, C Jones
WR: LeFell, Boyce
RB: Bolden
FB: Develin
DT: Armstead

the reasons why i wouldn't want to lose them differ, but some reasons include the potential they have shown and that they are mostly young and will prob get better...or we don't know what we have in them because they simply haven't had a chance to get on the field much at all

Click to expand...

mgteich said:

We are used to celebrating the depth of the bottom of our roster. I have the following as cuts at this early moment. Would you be upset about losing ANY of them?
OL: Kline, Wendell, Cave, Barker, Devey
RB: Gray
WR: Thompkins, Harrison, Gallon
LS: Hughlett
DE: Bequette
DT: Vellano, Forston, C Jones
LB: C White, Davis
CB: Green
S : Davis, T Wilson

So, you think that cutting those guys makes the bottom 13 of our roster awesome. Any of these could easily not make the roster. Would that upset you much?
TE: Williams, Hooman
WR: LeFell, Boyce
RB: Bolden
FB: Develin
DE: Moore
DT: Armstead, Siliga
LB: Beauharnais, Hull
S : Chung, Thomas

BOTTOM LINE
As always, there is lots of room at the bottom of the roster. And the quality is NOT what it used to be. The cuts would not bother us a lot. Sure a couple of our rookie binkies or draftees might be cut, and hopefully move to the Practice Squad. But I don't see us having to cut critical or even greatly desirable players.

Click to expand...

If one of LaFell, Boyce or Thompkins are cut, you're going into the season with the 2 of these plus Dobson on the outside. 3 guys. Assume LaFell and Thompkins are kept. You cut Boyce. Say Dobson gets hurt.

Your outside guys are LaFell and Thompkins.

Might as well throw in the towel right there.

mgteich said:

We are used to celebrating the depth of the bottom of our roster. I have the following as cuts at this early moment. Would you be upset about losing ANY of them?
OL: Kline, Wendell, Cave, Barker, Devey
RB: Gray
WR: Thompkins, Harrison, Gallon
LS: Hughlett
DE: Bequette
DT: Vellano, Forston, C Jones
LB: C White, Davis
CB: Green
S : Davis, T Wilson

So, you think that cutting those guys makes the bottom 13 of our roster awesome. Any of these could easily not make the roster. Would that upset you much?
TE: Williams, Hooman
WR: LeFell, Boyce
RB: Bolden
FB: Develin
DE: Moore
DT: Armstead, Siliga
LB: Beauharnais, Hull
S : Chung, Thomas

BOTTOM LINE
As always, there is lots of room at the bottom of the roster. And the quality is NOT what it used to be. The cuts would not bother us a lot. Sure a couple of our rookie binkies or draftees might be cut, and hopefully move to the Practice Squad. But I don't see us having to cut critical or even greatly desirable players.

Click to expand...

Take Fells off the list because of the magnitude of the fail that it would constitute, and every single person you listed in your post could be cut tomorrow without it causing a ripple.* Hell, you could add Aiken to the list, too.


*OK, Silaga might cause a bit of a ripple, but that's it. The rest aren't has beens, they're never weres.

I'm just being "fair". LeFell was a necessary addition, given the injuries to our wide receivers. If Thompkins and Boyce both beat out LeFell, I am fine with him going. As you say, that is not likely to happen.

And I will edit and add Aiken.

Deus Irae said:

Take Fells off the list because of the magnitude of the fail that it would constitute, and every single person you listed in your post could be cut tomorrow without it causing a ripple.* Hell, you could ad Aiken to the list, too.


*OK, Silaga might cause a bit of a ripple, but that's it. The rest aren't has beens, they're never weres.

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"Paint chips" isn't a food group.

I cant see anyone saying Siliga gets cut with a straight face.

Adam Seward said:

I cant see anyone saying Siliga gets cut with a straight face.

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well, sounds like you need to go up to Siligagon Valley and get yourself a new monitor...

2014 New England Patriots Defense - Potential 25

http://www.patriots.com/team/roster.html

DE - Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Michael Buchanan, Zach Moore
DT - Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Sealver Siliga, Armond Armstead, Dominique Easley
LB - Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Steve Beauharnais, Chris White, Josh Hull
CB - Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington, Alfonzo Dennard, Logan Ryan
S - Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, Tavon Wilson, Jemea Thomas, Nate Ebner

mgteich said:

We are used to celebrating the depth of the bottom of our roster. I have the following as cuts at this early moment. Would you be upset about losing ANY of them?
OL: Kline, Was a capable reserve Wendell, Was a starter on a good offense, albeit as a weak link Cave, Barker, Devey
RB: Gray
WR: Thompkins, Seems talented Harrison, Gallon
LS: Hughlett
DE: Bequette
DT: Vellano, Forston, C Jones Had a burst of success. If that stopped for any reason other than opponents getting film on him and figuring him out, he has talent.
LB: C White, Davis
CB: Green
S : Davis, T Wilson

So, you think that cutting those guys makes the bottom 13 of our roster awesome. Any of these could easily not make the roster. Would that upset you much?
TE: Williams, Hooman
WR: LeFell, Boyce
RB: Bolden
FB: Deviled
LS: Aiken
DE: Moore
DT: Armstead, Siliga
LB: Beauharnais, Hull
S : Chung, Thomas

Click to expand...

Further, I'd say that cutting Siliga or Chung is a sign of having a solid group at the position, or at least thinking one does. Ditto Hooman, who's another of those weak-link starter on a good offense guys.

There are always around 30 guys who get cut and you go, "meh," on pretty much every team.

I would be upset if Boyce, LaFell, Armstead, Chris Jones or Kembrell Thompkins were cut, yeah.

Several other guys you list are maybe-maybe nots...which is pretty much the way of the NFL.

Chandler Jones? Whoa!

mgteich said:

We are used to celebrating the depth of the bottom of our roster. I have the following as cuts at this early moment. Would you be upset about losing ANY of them?
OL: Kline, Wendell, Cave, Barker, Devey
RB: Gray
WR: Thompkins, Harrison, Gallon
LS: Hughlett
DE: Bequette
DT: Vellano, Forston, C Jones
LB: C White, Davis
CB: Green
S : Davis, T Wilson

So, you think that cutting those guys makes the bottom 13 of our roster awesome. Any of these could easily not make the roster. Would that upset you much?
TE: Williams, Hooman
WR: LeFell, Boyce
RB: Bolden
FB: Deviled
LS: Aiken
DE: Moore
DT: Armstead, Siliga
LB: Beauharnais, Hull
S : Chung, Thomas

Click to expand...

I trust that you put Chandler Jones on the list as a possible cut just to see if we were reading your post. He's a mainstay on this defense. He's what will make an Easley/Ninkovich/Jones platoon at DE successful.

The only other guy from the top group That I would be unhappy to get cut (if he's healthy) is Kenbrell Thompkins. He and Brady were on the same page until his injuries made it so he couldn't get on the field or get separation.

The bottom list contains four guys I fully expect to make the team - LaFell, Hooman, Aiken and Siliga. The guy that we'd all love to see blossom is Armstead, but who knows what type of player he might be.

The guy missing from your lists is Ryan Mallett, who may stick if they decide that a three-man QB group is worth the investment, but Mallett is the odd man out if they only keep two. I look back at last off-season and the look they gave Tebow. They kept him until the bitter end even though it was obvious in camp that he couldn't throw a football at this level. Garoppolo is also a big kid, but is the anti-Tebow from a look at his combine, Shrine Game, and EIU videos. Should be tough decision for the brain trust at the end of August.

ATippett56 said:

2014 New England Patriots Defense - Potential 25

http://www.patriots.com/team/roster.html

DE - Chander Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Michael Buchanan, Zach Moore
DT - Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Sealver Siliga, Armond Armstead, Dominique Easley
LB - Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Steve Beauharnais, Chris White, Josh Hull
CB - Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington, Alfonzo Dennard, Logan Ryan
S - Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon, Tavon Wilson, Jemea Thomas, Nate Ebner

Click to expand...

That cornerback line is a thing of beauty.

goheels22002 said:

Chandler Jones? Whoa!


I trust that you put Chandler Jones on the list as a possible cut just to see if we were reading your post. He's a mainstay on this defense. He's what will make an Easley/Ninkovich/Jones platoon at DE successful.

The only other guy from the top group That I would be unhappy to get cut (if he's healthy) is Kenbrell Thompkins. He and Brady were on the same page until his injuries made it so he couldn't get on the field or get separation.

The bottom list contains four guys I fully expect to make the team - LaFell, Hooman, Aiken and Siliga. The guy that we'd all love to see blossom is Armstead, but who knows what type of player he might be.

The guy missing from your lists is Ryan Mallett, who may stick if they decide that a three-man QB group is worth the investment, but who is the odd man out if they only keep two. I look back at last off-season and the look they gave Tebow. They kept him until the bitter end even though it was obvious in camp that he couldn't throw a football at this level. Garoppolo is also a big kid, but is the anti-Tebow from a look at this combine, Shrine Game, and EIU videos. Should be tough decision for the brain trust at the end of August.

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C Jones at DT = Chris not Chandler

Hooman sucks, but he's the next best thing after Gronk. I still can't believe they thought no TE was worthy of a pick.

part of me feels like we need to keep jones, velano, and Sealver Siliga. I'm not sure how much of that is because of the heart they showed by stepping in and being fulltime starters when Wilfork and Kelly went down. I think they are good depth players.

To the OP's point I would not be upset of C Jones or Silga were cut because even though I like what each brings in their role, it would mean we had higher quality on the roster better filling those roles.
I do expect Chris Jones to be on the roster providing situational inside pass rush and Silga on the 53 providing situational run stopping.

TonyTucker said:

Hooman sucks, but he's the next best thing after Gronk. I still can't believe they thought no TE was worthy of a pick.

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All the possible TEs went in the 2nd. This was a very weak TE class. Only ASJ interested me. Personally, I don't think Amaro will pan out for the Jets. The guy is a move TE and he's not all that coordinated out there. Niklas got picked so high because there was literally no one to select after him, but it's not often you see a blocking TE thought so highly of. The second coming of Bavaro he is not. That being said, if you can't find a TE (and I totally buy that the Patriots simply could not) you have to do something to shore up your WRs. The move for me would have been to move on Donte Moncrief in the 3rd round.

PatsWickedPissah said:

To the OP's point I would not be upset of C Jones or Silga were cut because even though I like what each brings in their role, it would mean we had higher quality on the roster better filling those roles.
I do expect Chris Jones to be on the roster providing situational inside pass rush and Silga on the 53 providing situational run stopping.

Click to expand...

What makes me think that we will keep them is that Wilfork and Kelly are both old and I wouldn't be surprised if none of them is on the team in a year. So we might keep Siliga and Jones as our starters are old and might need to be replaced very soon.