Hart 7/27 AM notes

[pats1]

http://www.patriots.com/search/index.cfm?ac=searchdetail&pid=32847&pcid=44&special_section=tc2008

7/27/08
Jordan hails opportunity; Sunday morning notes
By Andy Hart, Patriots Football Weekly

LaMont Jordan was loving life in New England as he and his teammates hit the practice field Sunday morning at Gillette Stadium.

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Who’s hot: Jabar Gaffney. The veteran has shown over the last two seasons to be one of Brady’s favorite targets at some key times. He’s done the same thing to open camp. He’s caught plenty of passes from No. 12 both from the slot and the outside. He also made a bid for play of the day on Sunday morning with a great catch in the back corner of the end zone beating Terrence Wheatley and Brandon Meriweather on a ball thrown by Matt Gutierrez.

Who’s not: The backup quarterbacks. Without singling any of the three out, the guys behind Brady have been less than spectacular to open camp. Sunday morning, specifically, New England defensive linemen and linebackers got their hands on too many passes, batting down balls at the line of scrimmage.

With Brady limiting his throws in camp, the trio of Matt Cassel, Gutierrez and Kevin O’Connell will see plenty of chances to step up. They need to start doing just that.

Play of the Day: Gary Guyton might not be the most notable of the Patriots rookie linebackers, but he stood out Sunday morning. The versatile rookie free agent was running with tight end Marcus Pollard in coverage when he used one hand to bat the ball in the air before cradling it in with two arms and turning up field for the would-be pick-six. After practice, Belichick had plenty of good things to say about the versatile young player out of Georgia Tech.

...

 

[BradyFTW!]

Supposing that Guyton keeps lighting it up in TC, what's his future? Maybe BB thinks he can sneak him through waivers? If not, who gets cut? This might be bad news for Ruud and Redd, who were probably longshots to make it in the first place.

Vrabel, Bruschi, Thomas, Mayo, Hobson, Woods, Crable, Alexander. That's even without counting Izzo, and I don't readily foresee any of those guys getting the axe. Maybe Alexander or Woods, I guess, but that seems highly unlikely.

 

[wdkantro2]

lol, did anyone else catch this in the Practice Notes section at the bottom?
"Three geese flew over the practice fields early on in the morning workout. …"

 

[signbabybrady]

lol, did anyone else catch this in the Practice Notes section at the bottom?
"Three geese flew over the practice fields early on in the morning workout. …"

I had to practically drive off the road in patriot place heading to both practices today (from the south) because of those damn geese. Are they the dumbest birds...most of them avoid cars but not those birds.

 

[Rob0729]

Supposing that Guyton keeps lighting it up in TC, what's his future? Maybe BB thinks he can sneak him through waivers? If not, who gets cut? This might be bad news for Ruud and Redd, who were probably longshots to make it in the first place.

Vrabel, Bruschi, Thomas, Mayo, Hobson, Woods, Crable, Alexander. That's even without counting Izzo, and I don't readily foresee any of those guys getting the axe. Maybe Alexander or Woods, I guess, but that seems highly unlikely.

Both Bruschi and Pioli talked up Guyton on Sirius NFL Radio today. I think that is a good sign that he has a chance of making the team. Granted how many times have we seen a player shine in TC and the preseason only to get cut.

 

[signbabybrady]

Both Bruschi and Pioli talked up Guyton on Sirius NFL Radio today. I think that is a good sign that he has a chance of making the team. Granted how many times have we seen a player shine in TC and the preseason only to get cut.

I dont know why but I like hearing Bruschi say it more than Pioli.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Wesley Britt has played 1st string ROT since the team came to camp. Today he didn't; he played first string LOT when Light had a day off. Nick Kaczur played 2nd string LOT, and O'C got reps with the first stringers at ROT.

I predicted that Britt would step up this year. I felt he was being held back because he is the only lineman who has a prayer of playing in place of Light at LOT, in an emergency. I felt that he was literally Too Good as a LOT reserve; to compete for a starting job at ROT. Today at LOT, Britt nailed Crabel on a pass rush that many noticed. Another superior performance, that's six in a row.

But the new/old timers could probably scratch by on wiles, there. If I remember correctly, Clement was a LOT for his first half dozen seasons, with the Cards. He did fine as a pass protect tackle, but never could move anybody off the line in the run game. And he played ROT for the Jets and still couldn't.

I also selected Gary Guyton as my pick for unexpected camp "find". BB always seems to find some UDFA, who tursnout to be a Player, and I thought Guyton was this years likely "find". He had another fine outing. He has been mentioned in every practice for turning in a spectacular play. This time a pick in the endzone and a blitz. I have never seen him play but his Combine was startling; and I knew he was condemned to sit behind a Philip Wheeler who was drafted by the Clots in Round three.

Wheeler was a guy I hoped to see the Pats pick with a three or four pick. Kevin O'Connel got picked instead. His size says he is a ILB, and he must have played out of position as a sometimes OLB, as well as reserve MLB at Georgia Tech. I recall the BB dictum DE--> 3-4 OLBs; OLB--> 3-4 ILBs. Perfect credentials.

So far I have picked Wesley Britt, Wilie Andrews, Pierre Woods and got on Randy Gay pretty early. These guys all seem to have a story; being stuck behind a great player, coach's doghouse, late Sr season injury, etc. Maybe they are just better players that were pushed down & out of the draft stack.

Anyway both guys seem to be producing. The Team woud be strengthened in those positions if they came through,and theopening s makeit possible for them to advance.