Patriots 2013 Training Camp - Day 8, Saturday August 3

[Ring 6]

Is there a site that shows, passer rating against, completion percentage against and the other basic stats?

For individual players, no. Its impossible to really have those stats without analyzing game films and knowing the coverage calls.

 

[Ring 6]

Unless Thompkins takes a huge dump in preseason, I just don't see it.

Thompkins is an UDFA who has participated in 8 NFL practices, of which I believe one was with pads.
Lets not put him in Canton just yet.

 

[Jackson 2]

Nobody can "go" to the PUP. You have to be there from the beginning of training camp, and Ballard was taken off after like a day.

Right. If it's determined he can't play due to health reasons, he either is sidelined until he's healthy enough to play while occupying a roster spot or he goes on IR and is gone for the year. The only exception is now each team gets to place one player on a sort of limited IR and he can return during the year.

 

[Ring 6]

Thompkins has outperformed everyone besides Amendola and you have him on the practice squad?

We'll see week 1.

First, that was an example of how it could shake out in response to saying he has done too much to not make the team.
Second, its been 8 practices. As I have said, this is the NFL. Games are played at a faster speed, and there is contact. Lets see how he does then.

 

[Sciz]

Anybody see this as a possibilty for the regular season? It would be huge not having a spot on the roster held by a long snapper only player. I know he entered the NFL as a long snapper.

People suggest it every year, and it never happens.

Belichick's stance (along with basically everybody else in the NFL) seems to be that you want a long snapper that's as good at his job as possible, because a bad play by a snapper is costing your team either about 50 yards or a touchdown.

 

[Bruins29]

Right. If it's determined he can't play due to health reasons, he either is sidelined until he's healthy enough to play while occupying a roster spot or he goes on IR and is gone for the year.

Or technically they could do the In-season IR to save the roster space but I wouldn't use it on him.

Or they could dump him which is not going to happen.

 

[Sciz]

Right. If it's determined he can't play due to health reasons, he either is sidelined until he's healthy enough to play while occupying a roster spot or he goes on IR and is gone for the year.

Or they could use the temporary IR spot on him, but the impact of that seems to have been vastly overrated. The Patriots essentially wasted it on Shiancoe last season, yet even in hindsight there was really no better alternative for it.

 

[Bruins29]

First, that was an example of how it could shake out in response to saying he has done too much to not make the team.
Second, its been 8 practices. As I have said, this is the NFL. Games are played at a faster speed, and there is contact. Lets see how he does then.

Agreed, lets give it a couple of weeks but I like what I see so far from Thompkins. Guy seems to be super hungry. I am sure he will get to start PS.

I dont think he would make it to the practice squad anyway and that is the issue. Not whether he belongs there...

 

[Jackson 2]

Or they could use the temporary IR spot on him, but the impact of that seems to have been vastly overrated. The Patriots essentially wasted it on Shiancoe last season, yet even in hindsight there was really no better alternative for it.

Yes, correct. I edited my post after I recalled that option does now exist.

 

[Ring 6]

People suggest it every year, and it never happens.

Belichick's stance (along with basically everybody else in the NFL) seems to be that you want a long snapper that's as good at his job as possible, because a bad play by a snapper is costing your team either about 50 yards or a touchdown.

OL, DL, LB, TE are positions where it is almost impossible to play and not have hand injuries. I do not think it is possible to rely on a full or part time player at those positions to long snap and be able to do it effectively all season. Jam a finger rushing the passer, and for the rest of the game you are bouncing punt snaps.

 

[Ring 6]

Agreed, lets give it a couple of weeks but I like what I see so far from Thompkins. Guy seems to be super hungry. I am sure he will get to start PS.

I dont think he would make it to the practice squad anyway and that is the issue. Not whether he belongs there...

Almost everyone eligible makes it to the practice squad.
If Thompkins can't make our roster, another team isn't going to cut a player who made their 53 to bring him in and find out why he didn't. Especially based solely on fans being excited after 8 practices.
There is a Thompkins in just about every camp.

 

[Bruins29]

Almost everyone eligible makes it to the practice squad.
If Thompkins can't make our roster, another team isn't going to cut a player who made their 53 to bring him in and find out why he didn't. Especially based solely on fans being excited after 8 practices.
There is a Thompkins in just about every camp.

I was actually going to ask you if you think he would make it. I guess since he is a little under the radar perhaps he might. However it seems like BB likes to put guys in positions to succeed and he might see something special with Tompkins.

So I guess its not a question of getting him on there as much as he more valuable to the team as a 45 guy. Time will tell

 

[Ring 6]

I was actually going to ask you if you think he would make it. I guess since he is a little under the radar perhaps he might. However it seems like BB likes to put guys in positions to succeed and he might see something special with Tompkins.

So I guess its not a question of getting him on there as much as he more valuable to the team as a 45 guy. Time will tell

Again, we are jumping way out there over 8 practices.
As far as practice squad issues, first almost no one ever 'doesn't make it to the practice squad' and second its silly to keep a guy who doesn't belong on your 53 because he may not be on the practice squad. Its backward.

 

[ausbacker]

Again, we are jumping way out there over 8 practices.
As far as practice squad issues, first almost no one ever 'doesn't make it to the practice squad' and second its silly to keep a guy who doesn't belong on your 53 because he may not be on the practice squad. Its backward.

I prefer to read that players are improving rapidly or performing well at practice opposed to the alternative. That said, I do agree with you and generally try to guard optimism until the season begins and players are at full speed against an opponent.

 

[Brady6]

Re: Re: Patriots Training Camp Day 8

People suggest it every year, and it never happens.

Belichick's stance (along with basically everybody else in the NFL) seems to be that you want a long snapper that's as good at his job as possible, because a bad play by a snapper is costing your team either about 50 yards or a touchdown.

Maybe an improved defense would inspire him to take the chance?

But I assume you're correct, it would be nice to have that extra roster spot.

 

[Bruins29]

Again, we are jumping way out there over 8 practices.
As far as practice squad issues, first almost no one ever 'doesn't make it to the practice squad' and second its silly to keep a guy who doesn't belong on your 53 because he may not be on the practice squad. Its backward.

My point is that to make the PS you need to clear waivers. Last year Yeatman and the other TE (who were supposed to be the 2nd cumming) got claimed by the Dolphins because the FO tried to sneak them on the practice squad.

 

[Ring 6]

I prefer to read that players are improving rapidly or performing well at practice opposed to the alternative. That said, I do agree with you and generally try to guard optimism until the season begins and players are at full speed against an opponent.

Sure its good to hear, its just way, way, way too soon to be making comments like he has already done so much he cant be cut.
BB has made many comments about players, especially rookies who progress through camp at different rates. That many look great at first then fall off, and other gradually improve, and its the later that end up in better position. UDFAs that are one week wonders havent accomplished anything signigicant yet, but it is better than having a bad first week.

 

[jmt57]

- Rob Ninkovich is back in as a long snapper. Yesterday he played some long snapper too.

Anybody see this as a possibilty for the regular season? It would be huge not having a spot on the roster held by a long snapper only player. I know he entered the NFL as a long snapper.

People suggest it every year, and it never happens.

Belichick's stance (along with basically everybody else in the NFL) seems to be that you want a long snapper that's as good at his job as possible, because a bad play by a snapper is costing your team either about 50 yards or a touchdown.

Agreed.

The other issue - perhaps even more problematic - is that a position player is more likely to suffer an injury and be sidelined in the middle of a game, or miss a game or two.

If a player is out there for 40, 50, 60 snaps a game, the chance of missing some time due to an injury - even if it is just for a series or two - is much greater than if he is out there for less than ten snaps per game.

You want to decrease the possibility of losing any of your three ST specialist unexpectedly, whether it be mid-game or week-to-week. The positive of having one more player one your 46-man game day roster is not worth the risk of the negative risk of suddenly losing one of those three and having to rely on their replacement to come in cold, and expect them to perform to perfection in that circumstance.


Give Ninkovich some snaps, and let him be the emergency backup long snapper. Similarly, have an emergency backup punter and an emergency backup kicker. But just leave it at that.

 

[ausbacker]

Sure its good to hear, its just way, way, way too soon to be making comments like he has already done so much he cant be cut.
BB has made many comments about players, especially rookies who progress through camp at different rates. That many look great at first then fall off, and other gradually improve, and its the later that end up in better position. UDFAs that are one week wonders havent accomplished anything signigicant yet, but it is better than having a bad first week.

It's a difficult one because BB has shown he's not averse to starting UDFAs and giving them a fair shot against their drafted counterparts. Conversely, BB is ruthless when it comes to list management and will make decisions he believes to be in the best interest of the team.

 

[Brady6]

Don't you think that Ballard goes to PUP?

He doesn't qualify because he has been practicing. They could use the IR in season spot on him but I think it's probably just soreness; if it was something structural I couldn't see them letting him practice on it.