BadMoFo
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
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I know it's only preseason, but so far he has been as active as any OLB we have. I figure TBC and Burgess are the only locks to make the team as OLB. Ninkovich is probably making the team and Murrell can easily replace Woods on special teams. Thoughts?
I've got 2 locks at OLB (Cunningham,TBC), and one near-lock (Burgess). I haven't seen anyone else lock themselves into a spot.
I'd agree that TBC and Cunningham are the only locks. However, Cunningham is pretty far from a lock to see the field on anything except 3rd down.
So Murrell isn't just making the team, he's your starter right now and is closer to a lock that Burgess. Burgess didn't do a darn thing yesterday and is actually more of a liability in coverage or against the run than Murrell.
Jet fans are laughing because Murrell was only on their team as a ST contributor...and now he's a potential strting OLB on Pats.....
Shows to go ya how thin Pats are at OLB......either that or recognizing talent and coaching up a player can change his role....
Jet fans are laughing because Murrell was only on their team as a ST contributor...and now he's a potential strting OLB on Pats.....
Shows to go ya how thin Pats are at OLB......either that or recognizing talent and coaching up a player can change his role....
Murrell had earned himself a spot, and may "start". Burgess make get more reps, but primarily as a DE.
Woods is one of our best special teamers (perhaps best after Aiken and Arrington). I would keep him on the squad as the #9 LB and as an emergency OLB.
Ninkovich could still make the team, depending on how much Belichick is willing to depend on Cunningham. Ninkovich may be competing with Williams for the 10th LB spot at this point.
We certainly could keep 10 LB's (and 10 DB's and 6 DL's). The offense only needs 24 roster spots, even including Aiken (2 QB, 6 WR, 4 RB, 3 TE, 9 OL).
Jets fans also laughed when the Pats made Bobby Hamilton and Roman Phifer starters too. Steelers fans laughed when the Pats made Vrabel a starter too. The Packers laughed when the Pats made Joe Andruzzi a starter after they cut him in camp.
I don't know if Murrell will turn into anything close to Hamilton, Phifer, Andruzzi, or Vrabel; but there has been plenty of cases of players who are buried on a team's depth chart who leave and become solid starters with other teams. Sometimes the team doesn't recognize the talent they have or just don't use them correctly or he is just not suited for the system they run. Murrell could be in one of those categories. When did see the field on defense with the Jets, it was my understanding he played pretty well.
It has been promising what Murrell has brought so far, but it is too early to annoint him anything.