Matthew Slater

I came across this article by Mark Daniels via Thursday's Patriots News & Notes 7/3 - Ian's New England Patriots Blog and wanted to share - and get the forum's opinion on whether or not Slater is a roster 'lock'?

Through grit, Patriots special team captain Slater became a special player | Providence Journal.







At some point there will be a player like Kanorris Davis or Nate Ebner that will make Slater expendable, just like Slater replaced Larry Izzo, and Izzo replaced Larry Whigham, etc. But when will that be?

We will have to see how BB will handle this math, there are only room for 53 players, he have an extra QB this year (I don't think Mallet will be traded before the season starts), a lot of interesting OLine prospects and RB is another position with interesting guys who may bring ST aptitude.

I also expect more movement around DL from other teams cuts. We may be one DE away to be really OK at the position and between Armstead, Easley, Vince and Kelly if BB doesn't provide insurance that will be a mismanagement. It's fair to expect another injury wave with all this guys coming from surgeries and some of them past 30. Add Will Smith and Mayo in the mix and there's no reason to be totally optimistic that what happened last year is not going to happen this year again.

a low cost player, team captain, and perennial special teams pro bowler?

I would find it hard to cut him barring a huge injury, incredibly poor TC/Preseason

My answer is the same as in years past: I'll be very surprised if Slater doesn't make the final roster. He's extremely valuable and doesn't cost much. The day that the Pats have 53 players who bring more to the table than he does, I'll start betting that the Lombardi is heading back to Foxboro.

I'm going to say that he's not quite a lock, only because to me, locks are guys who I would be absolutely shocked if they were cut. Think Brady, Revis, Gronk, Mayo, Chandler Jones, McCourty, Solder. Slater isn't on that tier, but I would be extremely surprised.

I'm going with near lock on this one.

There is a reason the Patriots have been always highly ranked on ST's - they always seem to have a tone-setter, a guy who can talk the talk in the locker room, but also knows how to walk the walk on the field. Slater is articulate, hard working and better yet, exceptional at what he does.

This guyis a lock.

I think he's an extremely valuable player, locker room presence and is very highly regarded by both his team mates and the coaching staff. I'd be just short of shocked if he got cut. If it happens, he'll be unemployed in the NFL for about 16 seconds.

Near lock with his unlikely risk being some youngun filling his ST role plus having positional upside.

Near lock unless a young guy really steps up.

Unless you can name me a better gunner currently on this team, he's a lock.

I wonder if they feel that he's too good of a gunner to risk him on kickoff returns or if they just don't think he's that good at it. When he first got here he returned far more kicks than he does now.

Not only do I think he's a lock, I think he's much higher up on the list than many would assume.

I think Belichick appreciates a lot from Matthew Slater.

203Pat said:

I wonder if they feel that he's too good of a gunner to risk him on kickoff returns or if they just don't think he's that good at it. When he first got here he returned far more kicks than he does now.

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For one, I don't think the Patriots value kick returners as much as they used to since most kickoffs are moot at this point thanks to the dumbass that the league has in office. For another, Slater got blown up and fumbled the football in his last stint as a kick returner (granted, that was six years ago, but still) and lost the momentum in an important game that could have decided whether or not the team would have won the division. For a third, I also think there is some validity to your statement here.

The consistent downplaying of ST's really gets to me at times. It is a huge part of the game in today's NFL where field position is at such a premium and having someone capable of blowing up a return early is incredibly valuable. He's a team captain, he's one of the highest character guys team - and he's absolutely superb at what he does. If he's not a lock, then outside of Brady, Gronk, Revis and a couple of others, I'm not sure who is.

jmt57 said:

At some point there will be a player like Kanorris Davis or Nate Ebner that will make Slater expendable, just like Slater replaced Larry Izzo, and Izzo replaced Larry Whigham, etc. But when will that be?

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A few things. Izzo didn't replace Whigham. And Slater didn't replace Izzo. Unless you are talking from a strictly leadership role. Then yes. I agree with you.

Whigham was a gunner on punt coverage and an outside man on kick coverage. I don't remember him being on the goal-line team for blocking PATs on the the field for FGs.

Izzo was an inside blocker on kick-offs, he was on the line for punt coverage and punt returns, PATS and FGs.

Slater is a gunner on punt coverage and one of the lead blockers on kick returns. He's a middle man on kick coverage. He's not usually out there on PAT block attmepts or FG block attempts.

I don't see Ebner nor Davis being the ones to take over for Slater. Slater will be here through the end of this contract and probably will get another 3 year deal from the Pats. That would put Slater at 33 years old and either ready to retire or move on..

203Pat said:

I wonder if they feel that he's too good of a gunner to risk him on kickoff returns or if they just don't think he's that good at it. When he first got here he returned far more kicks than he does now.

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He's a Captain and pro bowler so I'm thinking he's comfortably in the top 53. But he's a tackler magnet on returns and if I never see that again it'll be too soon.

KontradictioN said:

For one, I don't think the Patriots value kick returners as much as they used to since most kickoffs are moot at this point thanks to the dumbass that the league has in office. For another, Slater got blown up and fumbled the football in his last stint as a kick returner (granted, that was six years ago, but still) and lost the momentum in an important game that could have decided whether or not the team would have won the division. For a third, I also think there is some validity to your statement here.

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He is not a returner. There are 10 other guys on the kick return team. He is the other guy back there that tells returner if he should take a knee. His job is to block the gunner if the gunner got down the field (or whomever is first.) Supposedly (according to people who know more about ST play than I forgot - or however you say that ) his returning suffered because he did not have Slater blocking for him.

On kicks (the other part of STs many forget) he is (I think since he almost always is one of the first there) a gunner, and almost always gets through the two guys up front blocking him. If he isn't a gunner then he is actually more impressive, shutting down a lane then being one of the first guys around the ball carrier.

That said, he is not close to a lock. Maybe Brady is a lock - Maybe. (If Mallet or Garap suddenly becomes awesome, I doubt Belichick will do what is not best for the team.)

Injuries - the type you play through - happen. A minor, say, turf toe, might make him lose a step. In the meantime a newer, younger player that heals faster could rise up (No, he is not old, but he gets one year older than the incoming rookies every year )Yes, he is a great guy and all, but if he can no longer help the team Belichick will make the cold call.

chasa said:

a low cost player, team captain, and perennial special teams pro bowler?

I would find it hard to cut him barring a huge injury, incredibly poor TC/Preseason

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The only thing I disagree with is the “low cost player” assertion. Slater is on the books for $2.26M this season that is a substantial amount of money for a special teams player.

That fact aside, I would be surprised if he were cut, he offers a lot in the locker room as well as his play.

DaBruinz said:

A few things. Izzo didn't replace Whigham. And Slater didn't replace Izzo. Unless you are talking from a strictly leadership role. Then yes. I agree with you.

Whigham was a gunner on punt coverage and an outside man on kick coverage. I don't remember him being on the goal-line team for blocking PATs on the the field for FGs.

Izzo was an inside blocker on kick-offs, he was on the line for punt coverage and punt returns, PATS and FGs.

Slater is a gunner on punt coverage and one of the lead blockers on kick returns. He's a middle man on kick coverage. He's not usually out there on PAT block attmepts or FG block attempts.

I don't see Ebner nor Davis being the ones to take over for Slater. Slater will be here through the end of this contract and probably will get another 3 year deal from the Pats. That would put Slater at 33 years old and either ready to retire or move on..

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I predict that our next stud special team’s player is already on the roster and his name is Cameron Gordon. I do not think that influences Slater since Gordon is not a gunner and never will be. I think the biggest factor in Slater’s future will be what type of contract he expects. He is entering his 30s and as a gunner, he relies heavily on his speed. That is likely to diminish, as he gets older.

BradyFTW! said:

My answer is the same as in years past: I'll be very surprised if Slater doesn't make the final roster. He's extremely valuable and doesn't cost much. The day that the Pats have 53 players who bring more to the table than he does, I'll start betting that the Lombardi is heading back to Foxboro.

I'm going to say that he's not quite a lock, only because to me, locks are guys who I would be absolutely shocked if they were cut. Think Brady, Revis, Gronk, Mayo, Chandler Jones, McCourty, Solder. Slater isn't on that tier, but I would be extremely surprised.

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I will be very surprised if he is cut as well but he is not inexpensive this season. He has the 14th highest cap hit on the Patriots.