TE D.J. Williams and DT Marcus Forston Released

AndyJohnson said:

Maneri has a good chance to make the team in the blocking only TE role we have used more seasons than not.

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I agree that Manieri has a chance. I would rather have Cannon as our 3rd blocking TE and not use an active roster spot for that position.

I do see Manieri as having a chance if Cannon is our project starting RG.

Not real shocks. I suppose they want to give them a chance to catch on elsewhere, which is classy. 3 spots open, expecting maybe significant acquisitions at cutdown.

Patriots Release Defensive Tackle Marcus Forston, Tight End D.J. Williams | NESN.com

If we're going to keep a 3rd TE, it should be one who can actually run a route properly and catch
a pass, not some immobile stiff like Maneri. Gronk & HooHah can handle the blocking duties well
enough; Maneri and/or Justin Jones on the 53 would be a waste of precious roster space.

We will keep 3 TEs but the #3 TE is not on the roster, we will sign someone like we did last year right before the first game.

patsinthesnow said:

TE DJ Williams Released

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It's about time.

Our long time resident Patsfan member FreeTedWilliams must be ecstatic!

FreeTedWilliams said:

I think AFTER week 1, we sign one of the veteran TEs, that way his whole year salary is not guaranteed.

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Brady6 said:

We will keep 3 TEs but the #3 TE is not on the roster, we will sign someone like we did last year right before the first game.

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Why are you so sure we will keep 3?? There have been more than a few years where the Pats haven't had 3 TEs.

I've seen Maneri's reps at practice..he is NOT a big lumbering lummox, Stoney...he can fill in there and also backup at O line. He got a lot of reps the entire practice Monday, perhaps tomorrow night he'll get to start with the 1's. Let's look before we damn him to shadow roster hell.

BTW Forston was released too...expected.

patsinthesnow said:

What team is going to release a quality TE? All the released TEs will be of the below JAG caliber like Williams.

If Gronk gets injured, we might as well give Tom a 6th OL and give him more time for our deep WR group go get open.

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A team that needs to cut 36 players in a week?

RayClay said:

A team that needs to cut 36 players in a week?

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Even the best teams in the league don't have a quality TE in their bottom 36 players. I can't think of a single team that is 3 or 4 deep in quality TE's. Most teams have 1, maybe 2. Those guys aren't cut unless they flat out can't play anymore.

Could they find someone better than Williams/Jones/Maneri? Possibly. Can they find a guy who is worth a roster spot? That's a different story, and given the depth of the roster elsewhere, I don't know that a slight upgrade from crap (Jones) to fringe talent at #3 TE is worth cutting a solid ST (e.g. Ebner, K.Davis, etc) or a developmental OL (e.g. Devey, Fleming, etc).

Given Develin's ability to play some TE, I don't think there's anyone who will hit the waiver wire who is worth bringing in.

Maybe they can find a raw-with-upside practice squad guy who is an upgrade on Jones.

Brady6 said:

We will keep 3 TEs but the #3 TE is not on the roster, we will sign someone like we did last year right before the first game.

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I'm going with AFTER the first game.

I'd think there may be a cut veteran out there by then who would be willing to wait that extra week, accepting a non-guaranteed salary in return for the opportunity to catch passes from Brady

The funny thing is, as much as I value what we had with a strong tandem TE duo in Gronk and Hernandez - and we all saw Belichick go to great lengths (and draft picks) over the years to find the "right" players, I think Belichick, McDaniels and Brady will adapt and use what they have, and perhaps start a new trend that other teams try to copy cat (or, if they use a FB system more, an old trend)

Belichick won't adhere to a system without the players to execute it - but the players they DO have on offense can likely get the job done in a different way.

I'm very up on La Fell and see this offense as one that could be very difficult to defend with so many options

Wow. Not a single post about keller or finley in this thread yet. Although I do wonder how they're gonna fix the thin depth at te.

Manieri has a shot at the roster if Cannon is our starting RG. Consider this possibility

OT - Solder, Vollmer, Fleming
OC - Connolly, Stork
OG - Mankins, Cannon, Devey or Kline or Wendell (if Stork isn't ready)

Do we "need" a 9th OL? I would say that the answer is "no" if Stork is ready as the backup center, and we we comfortable with our starting RG.

Yes, sure, we have the option of Manieri as our #4 OT, blocking TE and backup to Hooman.

BTW, this is NOT a good scenario for me. I do not want Cannon starting at RG. I like him a lot as a backup RT, RG and LT.

Joker said:

I've seen Maneri's reps at practice..he is NOT a big lumbering lummox, Stoney...he can fill in there and also backup at O line. He got a lot of reps the entire practice Monday, perhaps tomorrow night he'll get to start with the 1's. Let's look before we damn him to shadow roster hell.

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Fair enough; let tomorrow night begin already!

mcmurtry86 said:

Even the best teams in the league don't have a quality TE in their bottom 36 players. I can't think of a single team that is 3 or 4 deep in quality TE's. Most teams have 1, maybe 2. Those guys aren't cut unless they flat out can't play anymore.

Could they find someone better than Williams/Jones/Maneri? Possibly. Can they find a guy who is worth a roster spot? That's a different story, and given the depth of the roster elsewhere, I don't know that a slight upgrade from crap (Jones) to fringe talent at #3 TE is worth cutting a solid ST (e.g. Ebner, K.Davis, etc) or a developmental OL (e.g. Devey, Fleming, etc).

Given Develin's ability to play some TE, I don't think there's anyone who will hit the waiver wire who is worth bringing in.

Maybe they can find a raw-with-upside practice squad guy who is an upgrade on Jones.

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I already named a team that was 4 deep at TE.. The broncos.. So please stop with the BS "I can't think of 1 team that has 4". All it shows is that you haven't looked around the league at all..

Henroc said:

Wow. Not a single post about keller or finley in this thread yet. Although I do wonder how they're gonna fix the thin depth at te.

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Keller is still injured and there is clearly a reason the Pats (or anyone else for that matter) haven't contacted/signed Finley..

RayClay said:

A team that needs to cut 36 players in a week?

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Emphasis on the word "quality."

mcmurtry86 said:

Even the best teams in the league don't have a quality TE in their bottom 36 players. I can't think of a single team that is 3 or 4 deep in quality TE's. Most teams have 1, maybe 2. Those guys aren't cut unless they flat out can't play anymore.

Could they find someone better than Williams/Jones/Maneri? Possibly. Can they find a guy who is worth a roster spot? That's a different story, and given the depth of the roster elsewhere, I don't know that a slight upgrade from crap (Jones) to fringe talent at #3 TE is worth cutting a solid ST (e.g. Ebner, K.Davis, etc) or a developmental OL (e.g. Devey, Fleming, etc).

Given Develin's ability to play some TE, I don't think there's anyone who will hit the waiver wire who is worth bringing in.

Maybe they can find a raw-with-upside practice squad guy who is an upgrade on Jones.

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I think we have at least one quality tight end. I agree there have never been many around.

you know,I was watching practice one day a little while ago and this helicopter kept swooping in and landing and then taking off again real quick like.....musta been a good half hour devoted to take offs and landings...

hmmmm...not saying it ...but...

Joker said:

Yes, sure, we have the option of Manieri as our #4 OT, blocking TE and backup to Hooman.

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I know you're talking about an emergency 4th OT, but Steve Maneri is unquestionably a TE, not an o-lineman. The attempts to convert him to OT didn't stick (and does this guy look like a lineman to you?)