Connolly and Wendell – Only room for 1

AndyJohnson said:

How do you put late round draft picks ahead of starters?
If we had a game tomorrow not only would both be on the team, both would be starting.

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Yeah but we do not have a game tomorrow.

mgteich said:

I agree that Hilapio is a near lock, barring injury.

However, I do NOT agree that 6th rounders are rarely released.

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As I said to Andy, the last sixth round pick that we released was Markell Carter and he signed to the practice squad.

This was also a historically deep draft class particularly at the offensive line position so I would be very surprised if he was released.

We have often discussed your bias toward youth over veterans. Here, the situation becomes obvious. Apparently, you simply wish for no injuries. Your backups are Kline and three 4th-6th rookies. You look at stats instead of the actions of Belichick. Wendell is an inexpensive backup, and a possible (actually likely) starter. I guess the key is Cannon. If he were extended to start at RG, your scenario would make more sense.

Brady6 said:

We have release 1 sixth round pick in the last 8 years, and he signed to the practice squad (Markell Carter).

Wendell was the worst rated center in the NFL, he allowed 37 QB disruptions, and Connolly was third to last amongst guards and allowed 33 QB disruptions. They were the starters but they did not play well, and right now it is an open competition in my opinion.

The most effective depth chart in my opinion would be –

LT – Solder
LG – Mankins, Kline
OC – Connolly, Stork
RG – Cannon, Halapio
RT – Vollmer, Fleming

With the hope that Stork could take over sooner rather than later for Connolly at center.

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AndyJohnson said:

How do you put late round draft picks ahead of starters?
If we had a game tomorrow not only would both be on the team, both would be starting.

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Because one of them (Wendell) is a horrible player and costs a lot more money to keep on the team.

Shiny toy syndrome.

I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed when one or both of Wendell and Connolly are on the 53.

Halapio is a pretty strong candidate for a red shirt year if they don't think they can get him on the the PS - he's pretty raw.

Again, i'd like to see Stork win out the battle for centre - but i'd say Wendell has the pretty big upperhand right now.

Brady6 said:

As I said to Andy, the last sixth round pick that we released was Markell Carter and he signed to the practice squad.

This was also a historically deep draft class particularly at the offensive line position so I would be very surprised if he was released.

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The best time to judge the 'historical depth' of this draft in any area would be after we've actually seen them play.

livinginthe past said:

The best time to judge the 'historical depth' of this draft in any area would be after we've actually seen them play.

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No, it is fair to look at who was available. I guess Brady6 considers the 12 OG's rated as 6th round value (by CBSSports)to be a very high number, or the total of 20 even marginally draftable guards.

Hilapio is intriguing because (WAIT) .... he was under-rated (below 6th round) because he is recovering from an injury.

Brady6 said:

We have release 1 sixth round pick in the last 8 years

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2012 Nate Ebner Made
2011 Markell Carter Cut
2010 Ted Larsen Cut
2009 Jake Ingram Made
2009 Myron Pryor Made
2008 Bo Ruud IR
2007 Justin Rogers Cut
2007 Mike Richardson IR
2007 Justise Hairston IR
2007 Corey Hilliard Cut
2006 Jeremy Mincey Cut
2006 Dan Stevenson Cut
2006 Le Kevin Smith Made
2003 Kliff Kingsbury IR
2001 Arther Love Pup
2001 Leonard Myers Made
2000 Antwan Harris Made
2000 Tom Brady Made
2000 David Nugent Cut

Not sure why you are not counting Ted Larsen, Justin Rogers, Corey Hilliard, Jeremy Mincey or Dan Stevenson.

Brady6 said:

We have release 1 sixth round pick in the last 8 years, and he signed to the practice squad (Markell Carter).

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In the past 8 years the Patriots have waived Lee Smith, a 5th round pick in 2011 and Clint Oldenburg, a 5th round pick in 2007.

Miguel said:

Before this year the Patriots in the BB era have made 19 6-round draft picks. 7 of them made the 53-man roster. 7 were waived. 1 was placed on PUP. 4 were placed on IR.

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Brady6 said:

We have release 1 sixth round pick in the last 8 years, and he signed to the practice squad (Markell Carter).

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Miguel said:

2012 Nate Ebner Made
2011 Markell Carter Cut
2010 Ted Larsen Cut
2009 Jake Ingram Made
2009 Myron Pryor Made
2008 Bo Ruud IR
2007 Justin Rogers Cut
2007 Mike Richardson IR
2007 Justise Hairston IR
2007 Corey Hilliard Cut
2006 Jeremy Mincey Cut
2006 Dan Stevenson Cut
2006 Le Kevin Smith Made
2003 Kliff Kingsbury IR
2001 Arther Love Pup
2001 Leonard Myers Made
2000 Antwan Harris Made
2000 Tom Brady Made
2000 David Nugent Cut

Not sure why you are not counting Ted Larsen, Justin Rogers, Corey Hilliard, Jeremy Mincey or Dan Stevenson.

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I actually meant to say the past 5-years.

In 2012 and 2013, the Patriots selected 14 players in the draft, 1 was released and he was resigned in November of that year (Ebert).

Are you and @Miguel arguing this point for the sake of arguing it to fulfill a need to be right or do you actually think that Jon Halapio is going to be released?

mgteich said:

No, it is fair to look at who was available. I guess Brady6 considers the 12 OG's rated as 6th round value (by CBSSports)to be a very high number, or the total of 20 even marginally draftable guards.

Hilapio is intriguing because (WAIT) .... he was under-rated (below 6th round) because he is recovering from an injury.

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I actually said OL, I did not specify positions because players often play different positions in the NFL than they did in college. There were 17 OL ranked in the top 100 draft prospects and 33 OL ranked in the top 200 prospects.

It is also worth noting that Halapio was the third pick of the sixth round and #179 overall, he was not where we would generally be picking in the sixth round which is the end of the round.

pctronics0072 said:

When an offensive person is more disliked than a serial killer, a list of dislikes is flawed imho

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Brady6 said:

I actually meant to say the past 5-years.

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You can keep cherry picking your data but they've cut 5th and 6th rounders in 2011 and a 6th rounder in 2010 so even if you "actually meant" the past 5 years, you're still very wrong.

6th round picks are pretty disposable and are often cut.

Miguel said:

In the past 8 years the Patriots have waived Lee Smith, a 5th round pick in 2011 and Clint Oldenburg, a 5th round pick in 2007.

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You are taking this thread a different direction than intended. I do not want to debate the draft picks who made the team. I assume your response to the question in my OP is that both Connolly and Wendell will make the team and Halapio will be released, right?

I personally decided that the coaches that see every practice have more info than I ever will.

That sounds douchy. I have no problem with people guessing and/or hoping based on whatever they base it on.

mcmurtry86 said:

You can keep cherry picking your data but they've cut 5th and 6th rounders in 2011 and a 6th rounder in 2010 so even if you "actually meant" the past 5 years, you're still very wrong.

6th round picks are pretty disposable and are often cut.

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So you think Halapio will be cut. I do not really need anyone to tell me it is possible he could be cut, basically anyone “could be cut” but unless you are saying it is going to happen what has happen in the past really does not matter.

The point of this thread was to determine if Wendell or Connolly would both make the team, if no which one would make it, etc. It was not to debate how many draft picks we have released.

I am not really interested in a who has a bigger stick contest.

Special Teams. Isn't Connoly still an upback? Was Wendell a Special Teamer?

Brady6 said:

You are taking this thread a different direction than intended.I do not want to debate the draft picks who made the team. I assume your response to the question in my OP is that both Connolly and Wendell will make the team and Halapio will be released, right?

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I asked a simple question why you wrote that Halapio was a near-lock. You said that it was Ok to disagree. I wanted to show why I disagree. You answered that it was because he was a 6th-round pick. I found that logic perplexing since not a high percentage of 6th round drafts have made the 53-man roster in the BB era. I had asked because I was genuinely interested in learning the rationale behind your original post.

If Halapio makes the 53-man roster, it will because he earned a spot, not because he was a 6th-round pick.

I do think that Wendell makes the team and Halapio gets waived. On the fence with Connolly as his release "pays" for a 2014 Revis extension. That is, if Revis signs a similar deal as did Richard Sherman, his 2014 cap number will increase from 7 million. Connolly's release would offset that increase.

Miguel said:

I asked a simple question why you wrote that Halapio was a near-lock. You said that it was Ok to disagree. I wanted to show why I disagree. You answered that it was because he was a 6th-round pick. I found that logic perplexing since not a high percentage of 6th round drafts have made the 53-man roster in the BB era. I had asked because I was genuinely interested in learning the rationale behind your original post.

If Halapio makes the 53-man roster, it will because he earned a spot, not because he was a 6th-round pick.

I do think that Wendell makes the team and Halapio gets waived. On the fence with Connolly as his release "pays" for a 2014 Revis extension. That is, if Revis signs a similar deal as did Richard Sherman, his 2014 cap number will increase from 7 million. Connolly's release would offset that increase.

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I apologize then if I was defensive.

To answer your question, I think Halapio makes the team, my reasoning is that he was the third player selected in the sixth round in a very deep draft class, I also assume he was drafted in tandem with Easley so he was scout extensively by the Patriots both on tape and in person. Most of all he has a lot of talent, and with Mankins, and Connolly both at the end of their careers, Cannon entering UFA after the season and Wendell being a UDFA JAG who struggle badly in pass blocking last season I cannot see us putting a player of Halapio talent on waivers to be scooped up by another team.

I also think that unless a serious injury occurs it is likely that Wendell or Connolly would remain as UFAs during the season and could be resigned if need be.