Dennard Carted off

[FredFromDartmouth]

While my wild guess is that Dennard will be fine (it's still 3 months to opening day), I'd prefer to hear soon that it was just a precaution to have him carted off.

As for his potential replacements, Arrington is a dumpster fire who you don't want as anything more than a slot corner and McCourty was much closer to dumpster fire than elite last time he played corner. He's also needed substantially more at safety (and he's a far better safety than corner) because otherwise you're left with one of Tavon Wilson or Steve Gregory playing every down. And Wilson is still an unknown, while Gregory is known... to be bad. And Adrian Wilson also isn't an everydown cover safety, either. No, McCourty is a safety for good.



Dowling's looked good without pads on. The guy's played, what, 3 games in 2 years? There's still hope for him, but let's not pretend he's anything more than a huge question mark who's far from a lock to make the team. Dennard, on the other hand, is a solid NFL starter, a known commodity who started and played well for over half the season last year.

Why is it that ever since Assante left that the Patriots have had CB problems. Please someone remind me why they drafted Tavon Wilson instead of Casey Hayward?

 

[primetime]

To be fair, they looked good last year once they acquired Talib and Dennard started playing, and McCourty shifted back to give them the cover safety they've been missing for a long time.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Agree. He will be on the field opening day. Count on it.

Could Gronk and the team try to rush his recovery and have him on the opening day roster, serving as a big difference maker even at 75% health and conditioning?

Yes.

SHOULD the Patriots rush a cornerstone player for the future success of their franchise, who also happens to have an 8 year $55 million contract with a good chunk guaranteed, back on the field after his 5th surgery - this one on his back?

No, I don't think they should - and I don't think they will, especially if Ballard and Hernandez are healthy

(and it would be especially helpful to establish Ballard as a receiving threat early on in the season.)

 

[mgteich]

These are false choices.

More likely is that Gronkowski will be on the Opening Day 53 man roster, and will be inactive until he is ready to play. We will keep 4 TE's. One will almost always be inactive. FOr the first few weeks, it will be Graonkowski. We might even carry 5 TE's, as GB has done.

In any case, Gronkowski can be on the roster without play the first few games.

Could Gronk and the team try to rush his recovery and have him on the opening day roster, serving as a big difference maker even at 75% health and conditioning?

Yes.

SHOULD the Patriots rush a cornerstone player for the future success of their franchise, who also happens to have an 8 year $55 million contract with a good chunk guaranteed, back on the field after his 5th surgery - this one on his back?

No, I don't think they should - and I don't think they will, especially if Ballard and Hernandez are healthy

(and it would be especially helpful to establish Ballard as a receiving threat early on in the season.)

 

[JoeSixPat]

These are false choices.

More likely is that Gronkowski will be on the Opening Day 53 man roster, and will be inactive until he is ready to play. We will keep 4 TE's. One will almost always be inactive. FOr the first few weeks, it will be Graonkowski. We might even carry 5 TE's, as GB has done.

In any case, Gronkowski can be on the roster without play the first few games.

If he's not well enough to play the first three weeks, it may be beneficial to letting him heal up for another three.

In which case, if I were the coach, I'd rather use the roster spot for a guy I may want to keep and play for those games - and also be doubly sure I'm protecting the franchise's investment in an oft injured Gronk

Seems like a win win to me

 

[Archeryaddict12]

If he's not well enough to play the first three weeks, it may be beneficial to letting him heal up for another three.

In which case, if I were the coach, I'd rather use the roster spot for a guy I may want to keep and play for those games - and also be doubly sure I'm protecting the franchise's investment in an oft injured Gronk

Seems like a win win to me

But if gronk is on pup he can't practice, and that delays it longer. I don't even think the pats will consider PUP, that slows him coming back.

 

[captain stone]

But if gronk is on pup he can't practice, and that delays it longer. I don't even think the pats will consider PUP, that slows him coming back.

Tedy Bruschi, returning from a stroke, did the minimum PUP time.

 

[Bruins29]

Plus remember Gronk cant go on the reserve PUP unless he is on the active PUP. Active PUP to reserve PUP means he dosent do anything practice wise from when he was playing last year to 6 weeks into the season.

If he is medically cleared to play they are not going to let him sit on the sidelines for that long. There is no such thing as rushing him back when the alternative is him being complexity out of game shape.

Its not either or is just is what it is. A player of that caliber will just stay on the roster unless again, he has another setback. But again, one practice and he cant be PUPd

I agree above that those were poor choices. Its real simple. He will be either medically cleared to play or not. I am all for saving him for the playoffs but its not the black and white situation its being made out to be.

My guess is active pup to roster and they ease him in. He is going to need the practice. This isnt pop warner football. These are pros.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Looks at panic button.
doesn't hit it... yet

Ps if dennard isn't ired expect to see him play crappy a few weeks cos of injury.

Waits for cut dennard he's a dog faker thread...

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

dennard hanging with gronks strippers?

 

[Archeryaddict12]

Tedy Bruschi, returning from a stroke, did the minimum PUP time.

If gronk had a stroke yeah that's what I want him on. But for a arm and a back that's suppose to be done healing before the start of season makes no sense for pup. Absolutely none. He might not take a bunch of snaps at first, but gronk will be ready. But I already feel good with ahern, amendola, Dobson, Ballard, Ridley, vereen and Brady that we can manage.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

If gronk had a stroke yeah that's what I want him on. But for a arm and a back that's suppose to be done healing before the start of season makes no sense for pup. Absolutely none. He might not take a bunch of snaps at first, but gronk will be ready. But I already feel good with ahern, amendola, Dobson, Ballard, Ridley, vereen and Brady that we can manage.

It makes sense so he can be 100%...if he is 90%..sit him out. We need him for playoffs..not first 3 games if he isn't 100%

 

[RayClay]

I'm not much for active moderation, but could the last few pages get tacked on to the Gronkowski thread below in case anyone wants to post Dennard updates?

 

[Ring 6]

If he's not well enough to play the first three weeks, it may be beneficial to letting him heal up for another three.

In which case, if I were the coach, I'd rather use the roster spot for a guy I may want to keep and play for those games - and also be doubly sure I'm protecting the franchise's investment in an oft injured Gronk

Seems like a win win to me

I'm not sure what you gain by not letting Gronk participate in football until mid October.
Players who sit out camp and the early part of the season get injured more than players coming back from injuries on a reasonable schedule that isn't frought with paranoia.

 

[Ring 6]

Could Gronk and the team try to rush his recovery and have him on the opening day roster, serving as a big difference maker even at 75% health and conditioning?

Yes.

SHOULD the Patriots rush a cornerstone player for the future success of their franchise, who also happens to have an 8 year $55 million contract with a good chunk guaranteed, back on the field after his 5th surgery - this one on his back?

No, I don't think they should - and I don't think they will, especially if Ballard and Hernandez are healthy

(and it would be especially helpful to establish Ballard as a receiving threat early on in the season.)

Cpuld he simply be ready to play and it wouldn't require a rush. Of course.

 

[Joker]

1:46

Jeff Howe@jeffphowe
Stevan Ridley shows no signs of injury after pulling up yesterday bit.ly/13FO9ax
1:25

oh the humanity..the collective groan in Chicken Little Land can be heard throughout the NE area....

 

[Joker]

:09

Jeff Howe@jeffphowe
As expected, Ridley (right hammy) and Ballard (left ankle) did not suffer any sort of serious injury today. They're fine, I'm told.

tsk tsk...oh well...there's always TC to wait for to begin the nonstop crying and wailing and screaming "REAL BAD THINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" , CL's...keep your little pointy beaks up...

 

[supafly]

Great news for both of Ridley and Ballard. It's a little early in the year for me to handle major injury news at the moment.

Dennard--not so much, although we have no confirmatory reports either. At least there's some adequate depth in the secondary this year, so I wouldn't be as personally worried about that one as much as we all want to see him out there.

I'm hoping Ras-I doesn't get me 3 yrs in a row though. I have some good hope for him still.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

i'm hearing slight tear in dennard's shoulder.

 

[TruthSeeker]

i'm hearing slight tear in dennard's shoulder.

I read his twitter, and oddly enough, though many fans who follow him have offered their well wishes, and he graciously thanks them, and there is not one mention of his specific injury, he doesn't seem depressed at all, in fact, he seems like his happy go lucky self. He has not let out one iotaof info on what the injury is.

Maybe BB is pressing him hard to go "The Patriot Way" and keep his mouth shut.