Ben Volin's 53, fwiw...

[patchick]

How the Patriots’ roster could shake out

Things I agree with: For the initial cut, the RB roster is just Ridley, Vereen, White and Develin. Bolden is solid depth, but replaceable (and unlikely to be scooped right up). Carry a couple of RBs on the practice squad to backfill.

Also, Volin seems to have done a 180 from his "deer in the headlights" bit and now says Garoppolo looked good on Thursday.

Things I disagree with: Surprising DB depth. Butler and Chung are both cut, while Kanorris Davis makes the 53? Hard to imagine.

Things that set my teeth on edge: Ben Volin has no idea that Brian Tyms is suspended for the first 4 games, and no idea that Darius Fleming exists. (Psst, Ben -- PatsPicker.)

 

[patsinthesnow]

Cutting Butler is foolish until proven otherwise in games 2 & 3. Outside CB depth has plagued us for years.

 

[RayClay]

Poor effort IMO.

 

[Haley]

"We like Tyms for the practice squad for now"

I thought he wasn't eligible.

 

[patchick]

"We like Tyms for the practice squad for now"

I thought he wasn't eligible.

He should be eligible, but if they like him, there's no need to cut him for the first four weeks. Certainly no need to cut Thompkins to keep him, as Volin suggests as a possibility.

 

[Marqui]

Volin is insufferable to me.

 

[Haley]

He should be eligible

Are you sure of this? Because I've been trying to figure this out.

This will be Tyms fourth year in the NFL. He has spent time on both 49ers and Browns practice squads and I'm not sure about Miami. I cannot locate enough information to validate or invalidate this set of criteria entirely but he seems to be a boarderline case given this list of constraints.

• A player is eligible if he does not have an accrued season of NFL experience. Players gain an accrued season by being on the active roster for at least six games.
• If a player has one accrued season, they can still be practice squad eligible if they were on the 45-man active gameday roster for less than nine regular season games.
• A player is deemed to have served a season on the practice squad if he remains on the practice squad for at least three weeks. Players are eligible to be on the practice squad for two seasons.
• Players can be eligible for a third practice squad season if their team maintains no less than 53 players on the active/inactive list at all times.

Has he found some kind of loophole by being bounced between regular and practice squads such that his eligibility for the ps hasn't been worn out yet by his fourth year?

 

[patchick]

Are you sure of this? Because I've been trying to figure this out.

This will be Tyms fourth year in the NFL. He has spent time on both 49ers and Browns practice squads and I'm not sure about Miami.

It's actually only Tyms' 3rd year. I think you're over-counting because of the number of different teams he's been with, which makes for a lot of rows on his resume.

 

[shmessy]

Wow. I had been a Volin defender for the past year or so, but some of this stuff is just off the cliff.

At LB: Cameron Gordon over Steve Beauharnais and Darius Fleming???? Because Cameron Gordon is a good ST'er???? But he cuts Chung at a position that has little depth while Chung is a proven ST ace in coach O'Brien's system????

(Post Edit: I actually had to Google the name "Cameron Gordon" because honestly, I had never heard the name before. Found out that the UDFA Rookie was "inactive due to an undisclosed injury" for the Redskins preseason game. Is Volin TRYING to get fired?

Methinks the Globe is just trolling us here.

Here's what someone with REAL knowledge wrote about the LB position the other day:

New England Patriots 4th quarter review: Brian Tyms runs free - espnBoston

3. Third-year linebacker Darius Fleming’s potential versatility showed up as he played an off-the-line role in the nickel for a few snaps. Most of Fleming’s action in the game came in an end-of-the-line role, and although still a linebacker role, the responsibilities are different between the two. While playing off the line, Fleming didn’t shed a block while playing downhill on Lache Seastrunk’s 19-yard run before making up for it on the next play by attacking the line of scrimmage and tackling Seastrunk on a 3-yard run. Fleming’s potential to back up both spots could give him an edge for a roster spot.​

 

[Fencer]

Aiken one of the best LS in the business, with no real risk of losing his job? Smaller than the other errors called out, but still ...

 

[Haley]

It's actually only Tyms' 3rd year. I think you're over-counting because of the number of different teams he's been with, which makes for a lot of rows on his resume.

Yep, you are right, my mistake.

But since he has been on 2 PSs, I assume that the last rule must have come into play.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Miguel says he's eligible...
Brian Tyms (One accrued season with less than 9 games on 46-man roster) -

2014 Patriots eligible for practice squad – Updated on 8/3/2014 - Patriots Salary Cap - PatsFans.com

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Things that set my teeth on edge: Ben Volin has no idea that Brian Tyms is suspended for the first 4 games, and no idea that Darius Fleming exists. (Psst, Ben -- PatsPicker.)

Volin seriously needs to follow Miguel on Twitter and read our posts here on Ian's Patsfans

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Tyms

This kid will not only he activated to the 53 after his suspension he will get meaningful snaps.
He has to stay if anything because Grap is comfortable with him and it's great for a young QBs development to have that comfort level.

But I want to see Tyms with the ones and twos this week.

My question is what happened to Daxton Swanson; he was making play after play, and now we haven't heard about him good or bad - is he still hurt?

 

[jefmblrd]

Aiken one of the best LS in the business, with no real risk of losing his job? Smaller than the other errors called out, but still ...

That one jumped out at me; Aiken is not an elite long snapper evidenced by too many off-target snaps. Tyler Ott has not impressed according to numerous training camp reports but could have unseated Aiken with a strong performance.

If Malcolm Butler keeps playing the way he has according to TC reports and the Washington game, there's no way he gets cut. CBs who can get into position and cover the way he has are a valuable commodity. He must have some ST value as well.

Develin is going to make this team and Bolden is done. I realize there weren't a lot of holes opening vs. Washington but Houston and Gray looked really slow; they are both PS candidates. Finch has some pop and looks like an exciting player but he has to learn to hold onto the ball; I can see him as a PS candidate as well.

Tyms looked great in the first preseason game showing speed and good hands and is an exciting prospect, but he'll have to show that he can get off the ball against starting corners. Hope he gets the opportunity to play against 1s in the upcoming weeks.

I hate to say because I loved him coming out of college, but it looks like Boyce might be done unless he can do something to pick his game up.

 

[RIpats88]

I still dont see Boyce getting cut his sophmore year when he was just drafted last year. I think they would at least give him another year to prove himself

 

[realtime]

I still dont see Boyce getting cut his sophmore year when he was just drafted last year. I think they would at least give him another year to prove himself

OK, but who are you cutting to keep him?

 

[shmessy]

OK, but who are you cutting to keep him?

According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, whomever the Patriots cut, they must retain this UDFA Rookie LB named Cameron Gordon who was inactive for the 1st preseason game with "an undisclosed injury"

So Ben says "so long Chung, Boyce, Tyms, DJ Williams, Bolden, Dan Connolly, Marcus Forston, Will Smith, Joe Vellano, Steve Beauharnais, Malcolm Butler....none of you could beat out this Cameron Gordon fella".

 

[Fencer]

OK, but who are you cutting to keep him?

Boyce's most direct competition for roster spots, Tyms et al. excepted, may be mediocre (but much taller) TEs. Is extra depth more important at fast-receiver or at tall-pass-catcher?

 

[Deus Irae]

He's got Jones making the team. Instead of complaining about the rest of his selections, you can all stop reading right there.