OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...ign_stoke.html

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

Stokes is a long shot to make it this season but he is a very versatile OL, playing both guard spots and right tackle. He is a good player to familiarize with your system and keep his number handy in case you get depleted by injuries on the OL.

He does everything fairly well but is not great at anything. He works extremely hard and is a blue collar guy who loves the game. He is strong and is difficult to bull-rush and is also pretty adept at blocking counter moves. He does get caught flat-footed in pass pro when playing RT but surprisingly he has the agility to recover. In his career as Reiss said, he has played for 8 different teams during his 11 yrs in the league and was a starter during 2 yrs with Cleveland in 2002-03.

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

With the few questionables there are on the OL, this is a comfort.

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

Barring any injuries these are the OL I expect to see on the opening day roster: Light, Britt, Mankins, Hochstein, Koppen, Neal, Yates, Kaczur and O'Callaghan.

There will be an opening if Neal starts off the year on PUP and if Kaczur is suspended by the league it could be 2 openings but my best guess is that Connolly makes the PS and is called upon if needed. If that doesn't happen and if Ross gets healthy he might have a shot. The questions surrounding Neal and Kaczur are why we see all these veteran OL signings like this one.

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

Come on, Clement. IR after two or three practices?
That's one way to make sure you're not cut.

Stokes?
Yeah, only if there are a couple injuries does he have any shot.
I guess he was next on the list.
It's more likely that, given those injuries, someone released at the end of pre-season would take that spot.

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

Quick question for anybody who knows... what is the benefit to the Patriots for them to IR Clement and not release him?

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

clearly the one benefit: while he remains on the BB shadow roster he is still protected from being taken off waivers by another team.

A late round draft pick/FA rookie cut this early in tng camp may have somewhat decent odds of not being picked off waivers. (And a rookie or junior year player can at least me held on PS.) But with all teams still at the 80 man limit most teams have room to take on a VET guy for depth and hope he sticks on their shadow roster (or if they have a injury need - fill a hole).

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

Other than allowing him to collect a salary and keep him from talking to division rivals about what he learned in Pats camp, I don't think there is one.

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

Per the CBA, they couldn't release him without reaching an injury settlement first, and why pay him to allow him to go somewhere else?

Re: OL Stokes signed, Clement to IR
 

a la back to the Jets