captain stone
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.The Eagles cut Kenny Phillips before last season. The Eagles had Patrick Chung as a starting safety last season. That should tell you all you need to know. Phillips' chronic knee injuries aren't just at the point where he can't stay on the field. They've taken away his NFL-caliber athleticism even when he was healthy enough to practice.Moves I'd still like to see:
Sign FB/RB Brian Leonard
Sign (if healthy) Dustin Keller
Trade for WR Andre Johnson
Be on the lookout for a Swing Tackle
Revisit OLB Quentin Groves & CB Terrell Thomas
Bring in SSs Reed Doughty & Kenny Phillips for workouts
As far as I can tell, the lightest full-season starter for the Patriots under Belichick was Gary Guyton at 245. Only Don Davis has started any games under 240.
Yeah, it's a totally different type player. Don Davis played some safety too, which shows you where he "weighed in" compared to the typical Patriots linebacker.
Congrats Seattle. You guys are pop culture icons. NY/LA/Seattle. In pop culture Seattle revolutionized rock music as radically as the beginning of rock itself. Nirvana/Soundgarden/Pearle Jam/New model to control the pass happy nfl. City of pop culture innovation. lol.
OK building a dominant defense and big athletic corners is what everybody wants to do so they can be the next Superbowl champions. After all Seahawks won that way so you can't even think you have a shot unless you improve your defense almost as good as theirs. You can't cut a record deal unless your of the grunge style now. Right?
Or, it may be argued that grunge itself had an extremely short shelf life, and that the Seahawks aren't anything better than 50/50 to win their own division this year, let alone set a new standard in the NFL for yrs to come.
My guess is that Bill Belichick has probably seen everything that Pete Carrol and the Seahawks did throughout his coaching career, and he probably saw it way back over 30 yrs ago, if not longer than that when his dad coached. I wouldn't imagine that an attacking, pressure defense that plays physically in the secondary, and jams its receivers at the line of scrimmage is really anything all that revolutionary, to be completely honest with you.
I get what you're saying, and you share a very popular belief with a great deal of people, so maybe I'm standing alone in the corner--but I think some of it is overrated just the same.
Who was the #2 TE in 01 or 07?And who was our #2 TE last year?
I suppose we could sign an injured TE from another team and be in the same situation as last year at this point. I certainly would applaud the signing of Keller.Obviously, it was the same guy it is now with Hooman, but that doesn't mean that they weren't caught off guard just the same with the horrible showing by Sudfeld, and another major injury from Gronkowski.
I agree with you that as long as Gronk plays, our offense should be just fine; however, based on the pattern we've seen lately, it wouldn't hurt to have an actual TE2 who was capable of catching a football every now and then.
Who was the #2 TE in 01 or 07?
#2 TE isn't a priority it's a luxary. Again I am happy with this off-season and the lack of TE2 might be one of this teams bigger holes especially given Gronks health but to me that highlights that this roster is built very well.
Or, it may be argued that grunge itself had an extremely short shelf life, and that the Seahawks aren't anything better than 50/50 to win their own division this year, let alone set a new standard in the NFL for yrs to come.
My guess is that Bill Belichick has probably seen everything that Pete Carrol and the Seahawks did throughout his coaching career, and he probably saw it way back over 30 yrs ago, if not longer than that when his dad coached. I wouldn't imagine that an attacking, pressure defense that plays physically in the secondary, and jams its receivers at the line of scrimmage is really anything all that revolutionary, to be completely honest with you.
I get what you're saying, and you share a very popular belief with a great deal of people, so maybe I'm standing alone in the corner--but I think some of it is overrated just the same.
Thanks for that. Perhaps the term you were looking for was "too strident".....and I probably was.I'm certainly not the moral arbiter of anyone or anything, and apologize if I give that impression. I detest "holier than thou" preaching, and I'm (certainly no "grasshopper", to use Pissah's term) just as equal as anyone else of being intolerant at times of other opinions, and have been set straight by others on this board. I also respect the hell out of you and your opinion, so anything you say carries a lot of weight with me. But I have noticed that you've been a lot more "absolute" in your statements recently, and wondered why. And if calling opinions that differ with your own "utter stupidity" isn't being intolerant, I'm not sure what qualifies.
Teams give up on good players and move in different directions all the time. That's why Darrelle Revis is a Patriot right now - because the Bucs changed management and moved in a different direction. Rob Housler hasn't set the world on fire, but he hasn't been a complete bust either. He was drafted by a regime with a different TE philosophy than the current one. We've seen a change of scenery greatly benefit players in the past, and we've also overpaid for guys who didn't pan out. We won't know which is the case unless something happens.
Ray you aren't wrong. I could go on for a while talking about some of the advantages a 2 TE formation and the stress it takes on a defense, especially as D's are trending to getting smaller and faster.We hardly have needs at other positions. Why would we voluntarily give up the advantage of having the best TE in football and another option, since that can cause matchup nightmares for other teams?
Makes no sense. A decent TE with Hooman asa a third gives us the potential to outflank teams at receiver, RB and TE. Two TEs makes them play both run and pass. Why would we just give that up?
We'll bring in a decent TE cut and he could look like a star with Gronk on the other side.
Ray you aren't wrong. I could go on for a while talking about some of the advantages a 2 TE formation and the stress it takes on a defense, especially as D's are trending to getting smaller and faster.
BOB was a big believer in the concept. Josh....not so much. I'm in the middle. I believe in a true 2 TE formation. I am less enamored with the 2nd TE being a " pass catcgubg TE variety". I think he thinks why bother with someone like Housler or Keller, when you can get a full time WR like LaFell who will be even more athletic and faster to run the same routes and could be just as good a blocker.
It would seem he are likely maxing out our TE group at 3. That's Gronk, Hooman, and the next best guy from whoever is left. That could be Jones, Watson, or a vet like Finely or Keller. It could end up being no one and the Pats going with just 2 TE's to start the season. A lot will depend on who is standing at WR, RB, QB and OL when the final roster spots are done.
He's a guy SOOOOOO talented that after seeing him start for most of the last 2 years, he has been passed on the Cardinal depth cart by a solid JAG FA, a rookie who hasn't played a snap in the NFL, and a guy (Ballard) who is lucky to walking without a limp.
Thanks for that. Perhaps the term you were looking for was "too strident".....and I probably was.
However sometimes some comments ARE utterly stupid and deserve to be called out...as long as you are willing to make a fact based case for your position. Looking at Housler as a potential TE pick up during TC is NOT idiotic. In fact he has some intriguing numbers associated with him. BUT to opine we give up a first day pick the privilege is ALWAYS going to be insane, regardless of how you try and rationalize it.
Sorry if I over reacted a bit. In the end, for me, the thing that will always set me off are the group who will ALWAYS believe that all problems can be solved by adding a Receiver. I guess its because that solution has worked so well for so many other teams.
The good news is in just a few more weeks we will start to get a least some idea of where Hightower, Collins and Mayo will be aligning, and actual football discussions can begin
We hardly have needs at other positions. Why would we voluntarily give up the advantage of having the best TE in football and another option, since that can cause matchup nightmares for other teams?
Makes no sense. A decent TE with Hooman asa a third gives us the potential to outflank teams at receiver, RB and TE. Two TEs makes them play both run and pass. Why would we just give that up?
We'll bring in a decent TE cut and he could look like a star with Gronk on the other side.