Alex Bannister

[Digger44]

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl

Patriots | Team interested in Bannister
Tue, 6 Jun 2006 16:07:04 -0700

Mike Felger, of the Boston Herald, reports the New England Patriots are interested in signing recently released free agent WR/KR Alex Bannister (Seahawks), according to sources.

 

[pats1]

Not a big surprise. As it was noted in about every post in the thread about Bannister's release, BB had praised him as "possibly the best player I've coached against on special teams."

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Lets hope the new titanium collar bone holds up to kryptonite.

 

[broadwayjoe]

Lets hope the new titanium collar bone holds up to kryptonite.

Thats a good one Box lets hope so and I expect to see the signing soon.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I don't see any recent record of Bannister returning kickoffs or punts searching the NFL database over the last 3 years. I think he's probably more of a special teams gunner.

Big dude for a receiver though.
He's listed at
Height: 6-5 Weight: 207

 

[pats1]

I don't see any recent record of Bannister returning kickoffs or punts searching the NFL database over the last 3 years. I think he's probably more of a special teams gunner.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=36489&highlight=bannister

They are very good in the kicking game. I think they have in Alex Bannister probably as good of a player as I have ever coached against on special teams. This guy is really an exceptional player. Wherever he is on the field, whether he is rushing kicks, whether he is covering them, he is a big time player and a guy we are going to have to account for.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Thanks. Looks like I missed out on the Alex Bannister bandwagon. At least it appears my intuition was correct. He is certainly ST ace, just as a cover guy though, not a returner. The reason I was puzzled is the description of him as "WR/KR" by hotwire which is clearly erroneous given what we know now.

 

[patsox23]

I...tole...you...

 

[Pats726]

Sign him up so he can come in to passing camp

 

[Digger44]

would you guys prefer him over patten?

 

[patsox23]

would you guys prefer him over patten?

I wouldn't kill myself if we pursued Patten instead of Bannister, but I don't think that will happen. Bannister is a terrific S/T player and that's what he'd be brought in to do, with WR a secondary option. Patten would only be brought in as a WR.

To answer your question, though - Yes. Overall, I'd prefer Bannister to Patten.

 

[Pats726]

Don't think it is an either or situation...BOTH into camp at least..

 

[zippo59]

Why was Bannister relseased?

 

[PonyExpress]

I have a hunch with or without Bannister Izzo may be surprisingly on the bubble.

 

[smg93]

OT: zippo, i know it's your signature, but "bussiness" is actually spelled "business"

 

[zippo59]

OT: zippo, i know it's your signature, but "bussiness" is actually spelled "business"

Thanks for the tip. I'll correct it.

 

[patsox23]

I have a hunch with or without Bannister Izzo may be surprisingly on the bubble.

I sometimes wonder about this, too. Then T.C. rolls around and there's a story about Izzo CONTINUING to be a stud on ST's, based on comments from teammtes and the staff, and I shrug my shoulders and say, "Oh. Okay."

As we've all come to realize, BB doesn't just pay the usual lip-service to the importance of special teams, he MEANS it. So if there's a guy like Izzo, who is - according to BB and others - a "special" special-teamer, it's legitimately like, "Hey, he's an ALL-STAR at that." He's more valuable, I guess, than we realize. We'll see if he remains so.

 

[PonyExpress]

If there's one thing we can say about BB, it's that he takes losses harder than anyone, even us. when he loses he takes it very personally and can become downright ruthless about it in the offseason. The 2003 offseason is a good example. And now the 2006 offseason. Watching the Denver game there are a number of players who did not perform up to expectation and Patriot standards. Those players could be...
(1) McGinest, who made a show on the sidelines shoving Izzo
(2) Vinatieri missing a crucial FG
(3) Faulk fumbling
(4) Givens dropping a crucial pass
(5) Dillon not exploding through the hole
(6) Fauria not catching the quick passes to beat the blitz
(7) Ashworth allowing the pressure to get to Brady on the INT
(8) Bethel being such an unreliable return man that after 3 years he wasn't even active for the game. Of course, Troy and Ellis fumbled and should be accountable, but it just speaks to Bethel's glowing absence from the field.

All those players are gone, with exception of Faulk and Dillon, and the team addressed that by drafting Maroney. What about Izzo? The Special Teams in that game lost the game in some respect: a missed FG, and two fumbles. Izzo was special teams captain. BB takes this stuff very seriously.

 

[Johnny Z]

This guy is Donald Hayes lite.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

This guy is Donald Hayes lite.

but what if he is Sean Mory supersized?