10 positives and negatives from TC so far

[PonyExpress]

In no particular order...

Positives:
1. Maroney seems to have a dream attitude for a 1st rd pick.
2. Thomas looks like a steal.
3. Corey is showing his true colors: an all-time great.
4. Gostkowski seems to be stepping up to a furious challenge from the Hamburgler
5. Willie Andrews so far seems solid as a return man
6. Britt has impressed the staff enough to take reps at LT with the 1st team
7. Caldwell seems like a man on a mission.
8. Le Kevin Smith showing real motivation.
9. Matt Light on the rebound.
10. E. Alexander emerging, finally.

Negatives
1. Tom Brady downright mediocre to poor in TC. A surprise.
2. Watson still has questionable hands.
3. Neither Hobbs nor Samuel looking like shut-down material. Note: I still like them both as starting CBs, not slot men. A big fan of Asante here.
4. Injuries: Koppen, Kaczur, C. Jackson, Bruschi, Graham, Rodney, Blue G-y, J. Green.
5. Deion (I think he's going to cave in soon)
6. No one stepping up at reserve OLB (TBC, C. Brown, etc.)
7. J. Sullivan slow start
8. ?
9. ?
10. Lurking presence of Borges

 

[Remix 6]

hmm how do you know Asante has been doing bad? I know Hobbs got smacked around a bit by WRs catching big balls all over but Asante has made most plays on D it seems

 

[oldrover]

Nobody could have predicted a slow start from Sullivan. The only thing he does fast is get in line at the buffet.

 

[Patjew]

Nice list.

I think 1 and 5 on the Neg list will work themselves out.

6. There's time.

7. No surprise.

I'd add that I don't like Big Sey not being out there.

I'd add Felger to the list, too.

 

[JR4]

"1. Tom Brady downright mediocre to poor in TC. A surprise."

There could be several reaons for this.

1. New receivers and no Deion.
2. Defense may be very much ahead of Offense at this point.
3. Maybe the Oline is not giving him good protection.
4. Maybe Brady is putting too much pressure on himself.

(I'm sure BB and Tom himself have thought that with all the new weapons
Tom has he should have a field day.
That could lead to self induced pressure and frustration.)

 

[belichickaholic]

Nice list, I agree with most of it except I would remove Alexander's name from #10, and instead add Sanders. It's early but I'm not impressed with Alexander so far.

 

[Kdo5]

Nice list, I agree with most of it except I would remove Alexander's name from #10, and instead add Sanders. It's early but I'm not impressed with Alexander so far.

Never heard Brady was doing bad, had a few picks here and there but I thought the best news about him was the two minute drill. Driving with ease.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

In no particular order...

Positives:
1. Maroney seems to have a dream attitude for a 1st rd pick.
2. Thomas looks like a steal.
3. Corey is showing his true colors: an all-time great.
4. Gostkowski seems to be stepping up to a furious challenge from the Hamburgler
5. Willie Andrews so far seems solid as a return man
6. Britt has impressed the staff enough to take reps at LT with the 1st team This is a negative since he only did it for a couple practices, then Gorin started filling in behind Light while Britt and O'Callaghan split reps at right tackle - I can live with Gorin at RT if I have to, LT is scary.
7. Caldwell seems like a man on a mission.
8. Le Kevin Smith showing real motivation.
9. Matt Light on the rebound.
10. E. Alexander emerging, finally. Curran likes him, most of the rest of the reports indicate Gardner is well ahead of him.

Negatives
1. Tom Brady downright mediocre to poor in TC. A surprise.
2. Watson still has questionable hands. They seem to be a little better than last year, certainly Tommy is happy with him.
3. Neither Hobbs nor Samuel looking like shut-down material. Note: I still like them both as starting CBs, not slot men. A big fan of Asante here. Way too early, lets see how they do when the pass rush doesn't have to stop and stare hard at the QB.
4. Injuries: Koppen, Kaczur, C. Jackson, Bruschi, Graham, Rodney, Blue G-y, J. Green.
5. Deion (I think he's going to cave in soon)
6. No one stepping up at reserve OLB (TBC, C. Brown, etc.)
7. J. Sullivan slow start
8. ? Depth at LT as noted above.
9. ? Practice Squad is still 8 men, there are some good kids that could use some more time.
10. Lurking presence of Borges QB/WR timing, not even reassigning Borges to covering Mideast camel races would make that encouraging.

1010101010

 

[Nyjetsin06]

Explain more on Caldwell.. I thought That was a steal of a pick. How is he doing'?

 

[patsox23]

I don't think anyone is worried about Brady AND I haven't heard that he's been bad.

 

[mgteich]

Box has it right. Gorin is our #2 LT, and our #1 RT. We need Kaycur bak soon!

 

[BelichickFan]

I don't think anyone is worried about Brady AND I haven't heard that he's been bad.

I guess he was bad today (Friday) but that's the first day I've heard that.

 

[Erdoboy]

Yes, Gorin has been getting a lot of playing time in practice at LT. This scares me as it does others.

Refering to Big Ben Watson, at the practice session I was at, I have to say he ran crisp and agressive routes and made some really nice catches. In fact, I felt that ealry on he was way ahead of all the other pass catchers. Since Then Troy Brown has come on and gotten hot.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I'm glad that others have picked up on Wesley Britt. I think he is a real coup. Gorin is the starter and will be the one of opening day, but by the end of the season? Britt has the talent to be a star. Just like O'Callaghan will be NEXT year, after a year of groomming just like Britt has had, and Gorin before him.

Britt has had a season to get healthy, and beef up in a pro weightlifting program and gone from 310ish to 325. His natural position is ROT, and after he checked out as a LT backup, he's getting his share of reps at ROT. Interesting that he was first choice with Nick unavaialble,behind Light. Now he is getting his reps at ROT, which he must get. Kaycur is probably going to be Matt's backup at LOT anyways, after his superb effort last season as a rook.

O'Callaghan has shed a lot of baby fat and gotten down from 360 to 330, where the Pats Coaches want him. Now for a PS season to learn and a year in the weight room to add strength, and he can become a superb ROT or Guard candidate.

No one has mentioned the little noticed Belichick pickup Barry Gardner. Everyone dismissed or over looked the signing but not me. I had hopes. He is running as the first backup at ILB already, and I'm already satisfied that there is a Belichick/Pioli coup in the making.

When guys like Phifer and Vrabel were brought in, what was the profile of them? Relatively high draft picks, implying they possessed good athleticism and or speed, with a reputation for smarts, and a willingness to play hard as revealed by ST experience. Both had the size that BB's specification for the position demand. These guys were not big time stars, and in Vrabel's case a spot starter at best, while Phife was a long time starter but not a true star. Does that sound a little like Gardner's background or not?

They blossomed when given the limited assignments that BB asks of his LBs. Study. Play disciplined ball! Wrap up and tackle. Do YOUR job and no more. Give up no big plays. Stuff the run. Play hard.

Reche Caldwell was in a similar position. Dissed at the signing as a never was, I saw a high pick who developing as expected in his breakout third season. Then injury/ rehabiliation ruined his next year and a half. I thought we'd get more from Reche than Denver would in 2006, from Javon Walker, only less than a a year back from and ACL. Essentially Reche situation at the beginning of 2005, but Javon had a good year of production to prove bona fides before getting hurt. Another coup in the making in Reche through TC so far. Reche hasn't done it yet, but he could be an UPGRADE over Givens.

Sorry to see Mel Mitchell go down. I thought he would take eithter Davis' or Izzo's job. Wait till next year when those guys will be another year older.

The Pats seem to excel in years when they have a set of non draft pickups that out perform expectations. So far Britt, Caldwell, Gardener are doing so and Grammattica, Scott and Tebucky seem to be doing OK too. Chad Brown might be Ok for a year as well. Too Soon ot tell.

Good Omens!

 

[flutie2phelan]

....
O'Callaghan has shed a lot of baby fat and gotten down from 360 to 330, where the Pats Coaches want him. Now for a PS season to learn and a year in the weight room to add strength, and he can become a superb ROT or Guard candidate.

O'CALlaghan is too good to hang on the p/s ... unless they keep him there at his regular salary.
Agree with your prognosis, but the only way we can keep him - if not on the 53 (which i also do not expect) -
is via IR.

No one has mentioned the little noticed Belichick pickup Barry Gardner. Everyone dismissed or over looked the signing but not me. I had hopes. He is running as the first backup at ILB already, and I'm already satisfied that there is a Belichick/Pioli coup in the making.

I'll confess to having dismissed or overlooked Gardner.
Show me, Barry!
(How good would THAT be?)


Good to see Britt making himself noticed.
But has anyone seen or read anything about TUCKER?

 

[Ichiro]

I agree with the point about Watson. His routes and hands are okay but the real problem he has is he fades away from the football as it comes to him. This problem caused several drops and interceptions last year. If you watch Gates and Gonzalez carefully, both of those guys attack the football, securing the catch before they run with it. I feel that both Graham and Watson run routes like a wideout and don't "post up" like truly great pass recieving TE's.

 

[shmessy]

Explain more on Caldwell.. I thought That was a steal of a pick. How is he doing'?

Caldwell? He wasn't a "pick" by us, he was a FA.

Perhaps you mean Chad Jackson? He was our 2nd Rounder this year.

 

[Drewwho]

I don't think anyone is worried about Brady AND I haven't heard that he's been bad.

I have only heard a few INT's here and there - maybe 3 total? Overall, I have heard the 2 minute drills are moving better in TC this year than last. Last year the 2 minute drills were pitiful...the first unit lead by Brady did not score ONE TD until the last practice, remember that?

Hey, Brady is a victim of his own success. If he is not error free he is medicore now. Who is putting more pressure on Brady, we the fans, or Brady himself?

 

[rabthepat]

In no particular order...

Positives:
1. Maroney seems to have a dream attitude for a 1st rd pick.
2. Thomas looks like a steal.
3. Corey is showing his true colors: an all-time great.
4. Gostkowski seems to be stepping up to a furious challenge from the Hamburgler
5. Willie Andrews so far seems solid as a return man
6. Britt has impressed the staff enough to take reps at LT with the 1st team
7. Caldwell seems like a man on a mission.
8. Le Kevin Smith showing real motivation.
9. Matt Light on the rebound.
10. E. Alexander emerging, finally.

Negatives
1. Tom Brady downright mediocre to poor in TC. A surprise.
2. Watson still has questionable hands.
3. Neither Hobbs nor Samuel looking like shut-down material. Note: I still like them both as starting CBs, not slot men. A big fan of Asante here.
4. Injuries: Koppen, Kaczur, C. Jackson, Bruschi, Graham, Rodney, Blue G-y, J. Green.
5. Deion (I think he's going to cave in soon)
6. No one stepping up at reserve OLB (TBC, C. Brown, etc.)
7. J. Sullivan slow start
8. ?
9. ?
10. Lurking presence of Borges

Interesting list...I think the pros outweigh the cons.

 

[shmessy]

I have only heard a few INT here and there - maybe 3 total? Overall, I have heard the 2 minute drills are moving better in TC this year than last - when they did not score ONE TD until the last practice, remember that?

Hey, Brady is a victim of his own success. If he is not error free he is medicore now. Who is putting more pressure on Brady, we the fans, or Brady himself?

We're only 8 days into TC. There is only ONE (1) WR from last year's roster in camp right now (Brown). You're going to spend even one millisecond writing an opinion of Brady's performance right now???????