Patriots Release Dominique Easley

supafly said:

It reminds me of failing to get anything in return for 2x pro bowler and former first round pick, Meriweather. One can assume that he would've brought a late round pick as well.

As odd as this may sound, there's a part of me that wonders if Belichick doesn't enjoy sending a bit of a message with the outright cut. I think it's safe to assume that he'll always do what's best for the team, but I highly doubt that he was up all night working the phones in either cases.

Click to expand...

Parcells use to cut a player almost every year seemingly to send a message

Clonamery said:

Perhaps they felt he couldn't pass a physical if traded and why waste the time....

Click to expand...

Best explanation yet.

BelichickFan said:

It was definitely bothersome but was just one clip so I just shrugged.

Bill . . . for the love of God, man, you always say you want guys for whom football is important . . . REMEMBER THAT IN THREE WEEKS.

Click to expand...

I'd like to think that Easley just snowballed everyone in the personnel dept.

Typically that trait is high on the list of qualities the team looks for in a player.

robertweathers said:

Thats disgusting.

Click to expand...

I'm sure this has been mentioned earlier but you would think that if easley had character flaws this glaring the scouting department would have picked up on them.

1960Pats said:

-The Pats have picked 20 more players than the Bills during the Belichick era but there are 10 more Bills drafted players still in the NFL.

Click to expand...

The Bills? You want to compare the Patriots and the Bills? Okay.

The Buffalo Bills have not been in the NFL playoffs in 16 years. Think about that. Almost an entire generation of Americans has been born since the Bills last played a playoff game.

Every team in the NFL has been to the playoffs since the last time the Bills made the playoffs. Including the Cleveland Browns (2002).

The last time the Bills made the playoffs was the year that Ally McBeal won the Emmy for best TV comedy, Wayne Gretzky retired from the NHL, John Elway retired from the NFL, Bill Clinton was impeached by the US Senate, and John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s plane went down off Nantucket.

Rob Gronkowski, J.J. Watt, and Cam Newton were 10-years-old the last time the Bills made the playoffs.

The Bills have been picking in the top ten every year while the Patriots are picking 29-32, and then 58-64, and on down the line. Not even close to a comparable quality of player available to the Patriots.

The reason the Pats have made more picks is because they lose marquee free agents every year who they just cannot afford to fit under the cap. Nobody is lining up for Bills free agents who are not good enough to re-sign on a non-playoff team.

I'd rather see the Patriots in The Tom Brady Invitational (aka the AFC Championship game) every year than have lots of draft picks on the roster.

reflexblue said:

I'm sure this has been mentioned earlier but you would think that if easley had character flaws this glaring the scouting department would have picked up on them.

Click to expand...

I hear you. Just doesn't add up how a loser like him can pass all the tests.

robertweathers said:

I hear you. Just doesn't add up how a loser like him can pass all the tests.

Click to expand...

And then there was an ESPN article I think about Florida where he was mentioned as a guy who threatened to quit and missed team meetings as a result. I just can't wrap my head around it. If that's all true, how in the world did he pass the tests? Or was Belichick and whoever was on board with drafting him just so enamored with his (admittedly very high) talent level that they considered it worth the injury and character risks?

Deus Irae said:

I'm not going to play the "Let's move the goalposts!" game.

Click to expand...

That'll be a change for you. You do it all the time whenever someone disagrees with you..

robertweathers said:

What I don't like is this implies the pecking order to be Caserio -> Lombardi -> BB

My perception is that Lombardi is a middle of the road to below average personnel guy.

Click to expand...

I don't know if that is the case or not, the part on Lombardi's part in "overruling his scouts" and drafting Easley was based on a Shalise Manza Young article, and I have no clue whether or not that is correct.

The part about him having influence with the Patriots free agent pickups is because I was opining a year or so ago about what an amazing 3 year super-successful roll BB was on with his poaching of players from other clubs, and another poster (actually, I thought it was you, but I've never given you credit because I don't remember for sure) pointed out that this "roll" started about the time Lombardi came on board, and I thought "huh, that's right!". If it was you pointing that out, credit is now given.

.....If not, and I'm putting words in your mouth, ....ummm, never mind.

reflexblue said:

I'm sure this has been mentioned earlier but you would think that if easley had character flaws this glaring the scouting department would have picked up on them.

Click to expand...

That's my problem with this. I can see taking a risk on an injured player because they all get hurt at some point and there upside could be great. I can also see taking a risk on character for both the upside and because it's a grey area. I can't however see taking a risk on a guy with both injury issues and character issues, especially with a first rounder. Belichick screwed this one up but if you look at his first rounders you won't find a team with a better track record.

Drew Rosenhaus is having a great week, isn't he? He's already dealing with Manziel and Josh Gordon, now this

goheels22002 said:

I'd rather see the Patriots in The Tom Brady Invitational (aka the AFC Championship game) every year than have lots of draft picks on the roster.

Click to expand...

Truth!

PF_SU said:

I remember the Sound FX part with Jones mic'd up against the Redskins. Easley there seemed like a guy who cooked his own stuff at the sidelines while Jones was the madman who was running his mouth all game. In hindsight it seems that it was a bigger sign than what could've been expected by that small clip.

'Sound FX': Chandler Jones

Click to expand...

Now you've "depressed" me even more, watching those Chandler Jones clips! Always liked him, too bad he made a dumb drug decision and was a good but not elite defensive end about to get paid like he was elite. Oh well, hopefully the 2016 team will be likable (and a winner) too.

Bill Lee said:

Not sure why that's the thing that matters. Do you rank all your co-workers on how high up they were on their high school and/or college class standings? Isn't it more about what you do once you hit the streets? Should we cut Butler because he can't possibly be a 'core guy'?

Click to expand...

Most 1st rounders in the Belichick era have been core guys for a long time: Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Ben Watson, Vince Wilfork, Logan Mankins, Jerod Mayo, Devin McCourty, Hightower, Solder.

The last knucklehead picked in the 1st round was Brandon "The Party Starter" Merriweather. It sounds like Easley fits in that category.

Core guys come on board in all sorts of ways. That's not the point. #1s are the best available college player at their positions, and are the most fully evaluated acquisitions every year. I agree with those who are critical of the Easley pick, in retrospect, with his injury history, and lack of commitment and discipline.

goheels22002 said:

The last knucklehead picked in the 1st round was Brandon "The Party Starter" Merriweather. It sounds like Easley fits in that category.

Click to expand...

And even Meriweather spent four years here...

I think it's time for Bill to cut ties altogether with the Florida Gators - their products always disappoint, or blow up in your face.

If it was Will Muschamp that gave Bill the thumbs up on Easleys "character", hopefully Belichik will dismiss this source of Intel in the future.

goheels22002 said:

The Bills? You want to compare the Patriots and the Bills? Okay.

The Buffalo Bills have not been in the NFL playoffs in 16 years. Think about that. Almost an entire generation of Americans have been born since the Bills last played a playoff game.

Every team in the NFL has been to the playoffs since the last time the Bills made the playoffs. Including the Cleveland Browns (2002).

The last time the Bills made the playoffs was the year that Ally McBeal won the Emmy for best TV comedy, Wayne Gretzky retired from the NHL, John Elway retired from the NFL, Bill Clinton was impeached by the US Senate, and John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s plane went down off Nantucket.

The Bills have been picking in the top ten every year while the Patriots are picking 29-32, and then 58-64, and on down the line. Not even close to a comparable quality of player available to the Patriots.

The reason the Pats have made more picks is because they lose marquee free agents every year who they just cannot afford to fit under the cap. Nobody is lining up for Bills free agents who are not good enough to re-sign on a non-playoff team.

I'd rather see the Patriots in The Tom Brady Invitational (aka the AFC Championship game) every year than have lots of draft picks on the roster.

Click to expand...

goheels22002 said:

That's not the point. #1s are the best available college player at their positions, and are the most fully evaluated acquisitions every year.

Click to expand...

Sure, and my point is that once you hit the pro game your college ranking doesn't mean squat. In many cases it's a detriment because whatever environment that helped you perform against your peers in college is now gone. A "full evaluated acquisition" isn't a guarantee of success at the next level, yet so many here get so upset because someone with a specific draft ranking/rating doesn't pan out. IMHO they should understand a draft pick is nothing more than a lottery pick. The environment that allowed them to succeed in college is gone. Some thrive at the next level, others fail. I wish my college GPA guaranteed success for the rest of my life. If so I'd be goddamn rich and retired by now. Not that I'm complaining, but life just ain't that simple.

Even if he had character flags in the draft, the type of things he was accused of doing in college aren't fatal flaws. In the right environment , surrounded by dedicated vets and part of a winning product usually would help a guy mature.

What BB needs to realize is there's no more Tedy Bruschi in the locker room, no More Will Mac, no More Vrable or Roman Phifer..

Those guys policed the locker room and made sure to be on your ass if you went against the grain (and reports say those aren't guys you wanted to cross).

Anywho, BB simply looked at his talent ...looked at his red flags and thought he could make a winner out of him. Unfortunately , we have another Adalius Thomas situation in which the player just walks to the beat of his own drum and doesn't follow orders well.

DaBruinz said:

That'll be a change for you. You do it all the time whenever someone disagrees with you..

Click to expand...

Far be it from me to defend Deus, but in this particular case, I remember him screaming for Stephan Tuitt.

he was dead right on Easley, and this is a bust pick - could have been a great pick if Easley lived up to his god-given talent. but no, in this particularly instance, Deus is right.

But we'll always have Jamie Collins for future arguments (not that he doesn't have me on ignore)...