June Pre Training Camp Predictions - Pick Your Suprise & Disappointment

I will choose LaFell as my disappointment.

And Boyce as my surprise.

Ian said:

Here's a thread that I thought would at least be a time killer for the remainder of the weekend. Every year the expectations are high for some players who we all think will do well, but ultimately end up looking for work by the end of August. Then there's the other side where we see guys we never expected make the team and end up earning a roster spot and contributing.

So in this thread do the following:

Pick your surprise player,

and

your player who you feel may end up disappointing us and not make the roster.

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Biggest surprise: Arrington - With the depth a CB and very promising rookie DBs, I'd be surprised if he made the 53. His price tag and lack of ability to track the ball just make him very expendable this year.

Biggest disappointment: Williams - He has all the credentials from college but if he can't make it with the Pats, then he likely is just not an NFL level player.

willdeespats said:

Biggest surprise: Arrington - With the depth a CB and very promising rookie DBs, I'd be surprised if he made the 53. His price tag and lack of ability to track the ball just make him very expendable this year.

Biggest disappointment: Williams - He has all the credentials from college but if he can't make it with the Pats, then he likely is just not an NFL level player.

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Is anyone actually expecting anything from DJ Williams? I don't think his eventual release will really be a surprise or disappointment given most people see him as a non-NFL talent.

I'll play along. Heres my surprises:

-Justin Jones makes it on the 53
-Ryan Mallet gets cut

Surprise!

OhExaulted1 said:

I'll play along. Heres my surprises:

-Justin Jones makes it on the 53
-Ryan Mallet gets cut

Surprise!

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I do not think Mallett is cut personally, I think if the Texans could get something for Yates the Patriots could get something for Mallett, maybe not much but still something in a trade. If Garopollo shows well I would try to move him to Arizona in exchange for Rob Housler who reportedly is on the bubble there anyway.

Surprise: Arrington
Disappointment: Armstead

rdf63 said:

Surprise: Arrington
Disappointment: Armstead

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I don't know how Arrington will surprise, to me he is what he is. But that's just my opinion

Biggest Surprise will be Gallon. I think he will surprise a lot people and make the team. Biggest disappointment will be Armstead the invisible man. He will be placed on IR again.

Brady6 said:

I do not think Mallett is cut personally, I think if the Texans could get something for Yates the Patriots could get something for Mallett, maybe not much but still something in a trade. If Garopollo shows well I would try to move him to Arizona in exchange for Rob Housler who reportedly is on the bubble there anyway.

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I respect your opinion 6, but I think he's gonna get cut. We get nothing back but an open roster spot fot Jimmie.I don't think he was ever in the future plans. Solid backup, sure, I know between 74 and 62 isn't a huge difference, but I think this kid just might have the "it" factor. Can't explain exactly what "it" is, I just think they know "it" when you see "it".

Jimmie ain't goin' nowhere. If Tommie goes down Jimmie will be our next man up. Mallet's time has come and gone. We get nothing for him other than he was a good scout team QB. Jimmie could be the real deal.

I seriously doubt that Belichick cuts Mallet before giving him the chance to up his stock come pre-season.

willdeespats said:

Biggest surprise: Arrington - With the depth a CB and very promising rookie DBs, I'd be surprised if he made the 53. His price tag and lack of ability to track the ball just make him very expendable this year.

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I am far from anything close to a cap guru, but I believe that it's a bit of the opposite to be honest. I don't think we'd see any kind of savings from cutting Arrington for another year, much like the situations of Connelly and Gregory last season. For that reason alone, I would be rather surprised if he wasn't about an 80-20 or at least 75-25 lock to make the team.

After all, he knows our system, can start (I know...I know) on both the outside and in the slot, and we may be stuck either way for the 2014 season due to the cap implications. Next year however, could be much different. Then again, we've definitely seen stranger things happen, so anything's always possible.

supafly said:

I am far from anything close to a cap guru, but I believe that it's a bit of the opposite to be honest. I don't think we'd see any kind of savings from cutting Arrington for another year, much like the situations of Connelly and Gregory last season. For that reason alone, I would be rather surprised if he wasn't about an 80-20 or at least 75-25 lock to make the team.

After all, he knows our system, can start (I know...I know) on both the outside and in the slot, and we may be stuck either way for the 2014 season due to the cap implications. Next year however, could be much different. Then again, we've definitely seen stranger things happen, so anything's always possible.

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Agreed. And not to be that guy (though anyone could do a lot worse than trusting in Bill), but Belichick uncharacteristically defended Arrington.. publicly. That and the amount they paid him tells me that Bill is seeing something in this guy that the rest of us aren't.. or aren't capable of seeing. I'm guessing that he's doing something right. Maybe that something is just um.. something that doesn't stick out to the average fan or pundit.

Going to go in a little different direction for both:

My biggest surprise will be Michael Hoomanawanui. Not because it's a surprise for him to make the roster, but I think his impact is going to improve this year as he's now settled into a role. He'll be a solid blocking TE and will chip in with 25-30 catches.

Biggest disappointment: Alfonso Dennard. Not that I think he's a bad player, or even that I have any reason to think he won't be good this year, but it seems every season we have a position in camp that looks like it is collapse-proof. Safety the year that Meriweather and Sanders was cut, Tight End last year, those positions always go very quickly from "We've got depth up the arse!" to "Holy crap we're starting James Ihedigbo!"

I say this year we go from being five or six deep at corner to suddenly being one injury away from Arrington on the outside again.

supafly said:

I am far from anything close to a cap guru, but I believe that it's a bit of the opposite to be honest. I don't think we'd see any kind of savings from cutting Arrington for another year, much like the situations of Connelly and Gregory last season. For that reason alone, I would be rather surprised if he wasn't about an 80-20 or at least 75-25 lock to make the team.

After all, he knows our system, can start (I know...I know) on both the outside and in the slot, and we may be stuck either way for the 2014 season due to the cap implications. Next year however, could be much different. Then again, we've definitely seen stranger things happen, so anything's always possible.

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Agree, I think Arrington like Amendola will be given 2014 to prove he can play to his contract. This season will be interesting because there are a number of players who are facing career direction defining seasons –

Arrington
Amendola
Vereen
Ridley

Add that to the players whose career direction could be determined as early as the preseason –

Wendell
Connolly
Bequette
Wilson

Surprise: Buchannan. Looking forward to seeing what he can do. He's gotten bigger, which indicates he's trying to be a three down DE.

Disappointment: Armstead. Can't make the club from the tub.

I would agree with Buchanan as he has shown promise, but from an unexpected perspective I'm going with Ebner. It is odd that we only have Harmon accompanying McCourty at safety and we didn't bring in any FA's. That could be faith in Harmon, but it could also be faith that Ebner can raise his game beyond Special Teams.

On the disappointment side I have two candidates. I cant be disappointed in Armstead cos he's never played a down. So its more a case of players who can play not reaching previous levels. On the D I fear Wilfork wont be the force he was despite his miraculous recovery. Good but not the level he once was. On the O I'm going with Connolly, much as I love what he has done for the team in the past, I fear his production will take another fall. Sad decline from 2-3 years ago.

Wilfork being able to RUN now at the OTAs is an excellent portent; he can condition and practice his moves. We've already seen how good his pre-season moves are at the grill. The question remains this: in full contact can he put the huge pressure needed on his achilles?

If Armestead is IR bound I think the Pats will simply cut him. See Glass IR Dowling's window of opportunity.
Arrington would be a hurtful cap hit if cut so unless he insults BB's gal pal or some such, he's on the 53.

PatsWickedPissah said:

If Armestead is IR bound I think the Pats will simply cut him. See Glass IR Dowling's window of opportunity.
Arrington would be a hurtful cap hit if cut so unless he insults BB's gal pal or some such, he's on the 53.

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Not really. Keeping Arrington and cutting the rookie who would take his place cost 3.625mill.
Cutting Arrington and keeping the rookie costs 2.625 mill + the cost of the rookie.

We save cap money by cutting Arrington.

Put me in the camp who believes BB will simply just not part ways with Armistead.
I think BB knows he was done dirty by USC and would love nothing more out of this then to see the Guy make a full recovery.
Plus he has a unique skill set and untapped potential BB will closely monitor his Condition and the only way he is let go is if his NFL career is indeed over.