Mortensen: Ballard in danger of not making the 53

[Kontradiction]

They have to have been on active PUP to be eligible for reserve PUP. Which means yes, no practice.

Or they can also designate a player who has practiced for in season IR which you can do once. Or as you mentioned regular IR

Of they can be released

Ballard's been able to practice but, from the way the reports sound, his knee doesn't look like it's fully healed. If anything, I would expect them to use the in-season IR on Ballard before simply cutting him. When he's healthy, he's a huge target that could do wonders for the offense in the red zone.

 

[Bruins29]

Ballard's been able to practice but, from the way the reports sound, his knee doesn't look like it's fully healed. If anything, I would expect them to use the in-season IR on Ballard before simply cutting him. When he's healthy, he's a huge target that could do wonders for the offense in the red zone.

Unless it looks like this is minor they will IR him. There is no reason to release him especially after how much they have invested on him. In season IR? I dont know. They only reason I can see them doing that is if they felt either Gronk was not going to be a contributor or that they did not have much in the other guys. I think it might be better to save that for "just in case"

Also in season IR only really works well if the player you designate to it can contribute in 8 weeks. If Ballard has a setback with his knee he might need another procedure which would make him done for the year. Hopefully its just soreness and he bounces back. Either way I dont see him being released.

 

[Kontradiction]

Unless it looks like this is minor they will IR him. There is no reason to release him especially after how much they have invested on him. In season IR? I dont know. They only reason I can see them doing that is if they felt either Gronk was not going to be a contributor or that they did not have much in the other guys. I think it might be better to save that for "just in case"

Also in season IR only really works well if the player you designate to it can contribute in 8 weeks. If Ballard has a setback with his knee he might need another procedure which would make him done for the year. Hopefully its just soreness and he bounces back. Either way I dont see him being released.

My qualification for in-season IR in that post was me guessing (based on the reports) that his knee simply isn't fully healed. I wouldn't use it on him if he's had a setback.

 

[Bruins29]

My qualification for in-season IR in that post was me guessing (based on the reports) that his knee simply isn't fully healed. I wouldn't use it on him if he's had a setback.

Agreed. The issue they have is that if Gronk is healing and they want to ease him back slowly and JB is not healed you could have two TEs on the roster that cant really play. I can see one on the roster who is not ready but I cant see two.

The solution may be to PUP Gronk at this point and let Ballard stay on the roster and heal up assuming he is not that injured. That way you have your 4 TEs on the roster and 6-8 weeks to sort it out.

A big roll of the dice would be to PUP Gronk and IS IR Ballard. You would open up two roster spots for either a 4th TE Ford or another WR like Aiken or Sims or even if they wanted to keep Jenkins.

 

[Kontradiction]

Agreed. The issue they have is that if Gronk is healing and they want to ease him back slowly and JB is not healed you could have two TEs on the roster that cant really play. I can see one on the roster who is not ready but I cant see two.

The solution may be to PUP Gronk at this point and let Ballard stay on the roster and heal up assuming he is not that injured. That way you have your 4 TEs on the roster and 6-8 weeks to sort it out.

A big roll of the dice would be to PUP Gronk and IS IR Ballard. You would open up two roster spots for either a 4th TE Ford or another WR like Aiken or Sims or even if they wanted to keep Jenkins.

Maybe I'm just being optimistic, but based on what Rosenhaus said in regard to Gronk's surgery, I'd be surprised if he isn't back by Week 1. Granted, Rosenhaus is an agent and may very well be full of ****, but if the surgery really was just "maintainance", then I don't see Gronk needing to be PUP'ed unless he has a setback of some sort.

 

[Bruins29]

That is what I took from this. Plus doctors have said Gronk should be ready. Regardless, even if he is not I would not PUP him. Too much time off.

 

[Kontradiction]

That is what I took from this. Doctors have said Gronk should be ready. Plus even if he is not I would not PUP him. Too much time off.

Eh, I'll go ahead and disagree with the last two sentences. The team rushed him back before he was ready last season and he was done for the playoffs early in his second game back. When it comes to his health, if he's not ready to go, I think the team should absolutely PUP him. The first quarter of the schedule is the easiest part (from where we're sitting right now) and that's when they can probably most afford to be without his services. I'd rather have a fully healthy Gronk in the long run than a Gronk that isn't 100% to start, and is a massive liability for a setback.

 

[JackBauer]

It seems like Ballard needs Adrian Peterson's hook up.

 

[Bruins29]

Eh, I'll go ahead and disagree with the last two sentences. The team rushed him back before he was ready last season and he was done for the playoffs early in his second game back. When it comes to his health, if he's not ready to go, I think the team should absolutely PUP him. The first quarter of the schedule is the easiest part (from where we're sitting right now) and that's when they can probably most afford to be without his services. I'd rather have a fully healthy Gronk in the long run than a Gronk that isn't 100% to start, and is a massive liability for a setback.

You can disagree but it has been proven and shown that players who take off 9 months from football and who are then thrust into NFL action with 3 weeks to prepare end up getting hurt. He would have absolutely no game rhythm after 9 months of not even practicing.

Why is everything so black and white here?

Who said anything about rushing him back? The suggestion of that is totally absurd and it keeps getting brought up. You keep him on the 53 and ease him back. Let him practice with the team. If he is ready to go game one, great, game 4, great, game 8, great but at least he is in some kind of game shape.

 

[Kontradiction]

You can disagree but it has been proven and shown that players who take off 9 months from football and who are then thrust into NFL action with 3 weeks to prepare end up getting hurt. He would have absolutely no game rhythm after 9 months of not even practicing.

Why is everything so black and white here?

The Patriots themselves have a pretty good history of seeing players rushed back into action before they were ready, the getting hurt. See: Gronkowski, Rob; Mayo, Jerod.

Who said anything about rushing him back? The suggestion of that is totally absurd and it keeps getting brought up. You keep him on the 53 and ease him back. Let him practice with the team. If he is ready to go game one, great, game 4, great, game 8, great but at least he is in some kind of game shape.

You said something about rushing him back yourself, in your very last post...

That is what I took from this. Plus doctors have said Gronk should be ready. Regardless, even if he is not I would not PUP him. Too much time off.

You've since qualified it in your latest response to me. That said, even Belichick has been on record as saying that nothing can get you in "game shape" like playing in the games. That logic is absolutely correct.

 

[Bruins29]

The Patriots themselves have a pretty good history of seeing players rushed back into action before they were ready, the getting hurt. See: Gronkowski, Rob; Mayo, Jerod.



You said something about rushing him back yourself, in your very last post...



You've since qualified it in your latest response to me. That said, even Belichick has been on record as saying that nothing can get you in "game shape" like playing in the games. That logic is absolutely correct.

Where did I say "rush him back" or even hint that? If the doctors clear him he is ready, if not then he is not. All PUP does is insure he can't practice for 9 months straight. Nothing can get you hurt faster than taking off 9 months from football and just start playing again in the middle of the season. Do you disagree?

 

[Kontradiction]

Where did I say "rush him back" or even hint that? If the doctors clear him he is ready, if not then he is not. All PUP does is insure he can't practice for 9 months straight. Nothing can get you hurt faster than taking off 9 months from football and just start playing again in the middle of the season. Do you disagree?

Like I said, you originally hinted at it in the first post I quoted, then qualified your line of reasoning in the second post. As for your last two sentences, I disagree. Teams that don't make the playoffs go almost nine months without practicing and the majority of their rosters don't go on IR because of it.

 

[PatsFan2]

With Fells having a good camp, Hooman taking over the Hernadez role, and Sudfield impressing; there just may not be room for Ballard especially since he still isn't close to 100%. And I expect Gronk to back on the field by early October (even if we isn't ready to go week 1, I don't think they PUP him).

Stone Hands Fells having a good camp like please! I have read that Hooman is having a excellent camp along with Zack Sudfeld. Seriously I would not cut Jake Ballard if I know he'll work through his injuries in favor of below average in everything Fells. Ballard is too young and have alot of upside, I think we can be a little more patient with hm. When Ballard is healthy he plays like a prototypical Big TE with deceptive deep speed and hands.

 

[Bruins29]

Like I said, you originally hinted at it in the first post I quoted, then qualified your line of reasoning in the second post. As for your last two sentences, I disagree. Teams that don't make the playoffs go almost nine months without practicing and the majority of their rosters don't go on IR because of it.

You dont get it. But that dosent surprise me.

 

[PatsFan2]

My biggest nightmare is that we cut a TE who goes on to the Ravens and fills in well enough for Pitta that the Ravens...

Couldn't agree more Daniel "Stone-Hand" Fells would look real good in a Ravens uni that thug.

 

[Rob0729]

Stone Hands Fells having a good camp like please! I have read that Hooman is having a excellent camp along with Zack Sudfeld. Seriously I would not cut Jake Ballard if I know he'll work through his injuries in favor of below average in everything Fells. Ballard is too young and have alot of upside, I think we can be a little more patient with hm. When Ballard is healthy he plays like a prototypical Big TE with deceptive deep speed and hands.

I have heard from multiple reports that Fells has been the best TE in camp thus far even with Sudfeld getting all the praise.

And Fells was a pretty good pass catcher before last year. He might have had problems last year because of his struggles with the system. Missing the preseason and the first six weeks last year probably made last season a lost season for him. With an entire offseason and preseason under his belt, he might be a pretty good fill in for a few weeks while Gronk works his way back into the line up and a blocking TE to not over stress Gronk when he does return.

 

[Kontradiction]

You dont get it. But that dosent surprise me.

I get it just fine. You moved the goal posts then try to put a line of reasoning into play (that it's almost a guarantee Gronk will get injured after nine months without practice) that I refuted by pointing out that non-playoff teams do just that every year without a large contingent of their rosters ending up on IR. The fact that you couldn't respond with any sort of logic but instead went a bit personal tells me that you don't really have much to back up your original assertion with.

 

[fnordcircle]

Yeah I'm with you man, **** anyone who doesn't know the intricacies of NFL personnel management.

I was born knowing that ****, I made my wife recite it at the altar, and I will fist fight anyone who doesn't understand the finer points of offensive holding.

 

[Bruins29]

I get it just fine. You moved the goal posts then try to put a line of reasoning into play (that it's almost a guarantee Gronk will get injured after nine months without practice) that I refuted by pointing out that non-playoff teams do just that every year without a large contingent of their rosters ending up on IR. The fact that you couldn't respond with any sort of logic but instead went a bit personal tells me that you don't really have much to back up your original assertion with.

Yeah that is it! Keep on with your Jabbar Gaffney had his best years as a Pat. Its who you are.

 

[jah]

Yeah that is it! Keep on with your Jabbar Gaffney had his best years as a Pat. Its who you are.

You're not helping yourself out.