Patriots are signing Patrick Chung

[West Philly Patriot]

If Adrian Wilson is healthy enough to play at a reasonable level, he will be the #3, and Chung and Tavon Wilson would compete for the #4 position.

Perhaps a draftee or another free agent will compete for any of the positions (#3-#5).

BTW, most here had Adrain Wilson being cut early, along with Sopoaga and Gregory.

I like A. Wilson he is a borderline HOF and great leader. I didn't agree that he would be cut in the offseason. But My fear is of Wilson getting

A) Injured. Which at this point in his career is a distinct possibility

B) doesn't show enough in practice and decides to hang em' up for pride or is forced out the door.

Both scenarios place Chung in the lineup on Sundays getting significant reps. Something no one should want.

 

[Deus Irae]

If Adrian Wilson is healthy enough to play at a reasonable level, he will be the #3, and Chung and Tavon Wilson would compete for the #4 position.

Perhaps a draftee or another free agent will compete for any of the positions (#3-#5).

BTW, most here had Adrain Wilson being cut early, along with Sopoaga and Gregory.

This is the kind of signing that makes sense if you do it AFTER the draft, because you didn't get the safety you were looking for. It doesn't make sense making this move before the draft.

 

[Urgent]

Devin McCourtey
Duran Harmon
Nate Ebner
Tavon Wilson
Adrian Wilson
Kanorris Davis
Patrick Chung

Patrick Chung is one of the four best safeties on this team right now, and I agree with all the negative comments about his performance in his final season here.

This seems no different than the team signing John Lynch, Tank Williams, etc.

 

[TonyTucker]

Safety position is set.

 

[Rob0729]

I always thought Chung was one of those guys who got too much crap for being worse than he really was. He was more of a boom or bust type of guy at least until his last season here where he got in the dog house. He made a lot more plays than he was credited for and people focused on the bad stuff.

I think he can be effective as an in-the-box safety that the Pats are looking for. He would be more of a situational guy. Not the best solution for that problem, but not the worst either.

At this point, I am not jumping for joy for Chung's return, but I think if used in situations he has the potential to be effective.

 

[nabwong]

Chung couldn't find the angle of a square.

 

[BradyManny]

This is the kind of signing that makes sense if you do it AFTER the draft, because you didn't get the safety you were looking for. It doesn't make sense making this move before the draft.

If there's no guaranteed money involved, then there's no harm in adding him now. It protects us, a little, in case we don't find a safety in the draft. Chung could've signed with someone else in that time.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

The excuse for keeping Tavon has been that he's young and a great special teamer.

The excuse for keeping Ebner has been that he's young and a great special teamer.

How many "Can't play safety and can't cover worth a damn, but can play special teams" safeties do you think are needed?

Definitely, because it's impossible that any of these guys will get hurt. Every single player on the roster now will be healthy when the season starts, and there's an endless supply of guys that Belichick knows can play special teams well the way he asks them to.

This is a harmless move, he's going to enter camp as one of the bottom 10 guys out of 90 more than likely. It's not worth grabbing the pitchforks over.

It's curious the wording you use. The "excuse" for keeping Ebner, instead of the "reason." It seems that Belichick is revamping his defensive philosophy this season, so we likely won't have to have crappy coverage safeties back there. The reason those guys were on the team last year is that they were the best fits of the guys that he brought to camp. It wasn't an excuse. Unless you legitimately don't think that Ebner is a special teams beast, in which case bricks emoticon. If you have such disdain for Ebner and Tavon, getting a little competition that Bill is comfortable with can't be a bad thing. He's competing for that job, I would assume.

 

[BradyManny]

So that takes the "maybe it was the system" argument off the table because he continued to suck in a system where he had previously had success.

Fair point. I hadn't thought of that.

It's a head scratching move that, hopefully, does not prevent the team from looking for a safety in the draft.

I would be shocked if there's any correlation between this move and the team's draft plans. Sure, Chung could see the field, but it's better than having Tavon out there.

It's not like the team is in love with Pat Chung. Belichick let him go unceremoniously last year and had him in his dog house for part of his final season here. If he's making this move, it's because he thinks Chung can have a specific role here, or because he thinks he's better than what we have at safety now, behind McCourty & Harmon.

If this deal isn't for vet min with incentives, and if there's guaranteed money, I stand corrected.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

This is the kind of signing that makes sense if you do it AFTER the draft, because you didn't get the safety you were looking for. It doesn't make sense making this move before the draft.

That's not at all consistent with Belichick's M.O., though. He endeavors to have as set a roster as possible so that on draft day he is not forced into selecting for need.

I'd love to see them take a safety, I'm frontal about my love for Jimmie Ward and failing him I'd be happy with a number of mid round prospects (Exum, etc). I completely agree that safety should be a target position. Thinking this eliminates that possibility is inconsistent with everything we've seen the Pats do in the draft for years.

 

[Deus Irae]

Definitely, because it's impossible that any of these guys will get hurt. Every single player on the roster now will be healthy when the season starts, and there's an endless supply of guys that Belichick knows can play special teams well the way he asks them to.

This is a harmless move, he's going to enter camp as one of the bottom 10 guys out of 90 more than likely. It's not worth grabbing the pitchforks over.

It's April. The team already had enough lousy safeties on the roster for April. They didn't need to add another one, particularly one who's oft injured and already failed in New England, at this time. Thank goodness Sergio Brown is currently unavailable, or he might have been back, too.

It's curious the wording you use. The "excuse" for keeping Ebner, instead of the "reason." It seems that Belichick is revamping his defensive philosophy this season, so we likely won't have to have crappy coverage safeties back there. The reason those guys were on the team last year is that they were the best fits of the guys that he brought to camp. It wasn't an excuse. Unless you legitimately don't think that Ebner is a special teams beast, in which case bricks emoticon. If you have such disdain for Ebner and Tavon, getting a little competition that Bill is comfortable with can't be a bad thing. He's competing for that job, I would assume.

It's not curious at all. One of us is rationalizing the keeping of lousy safeties. The other was pointing out how people who do that rationalizing have been doing it. It's just a matter of perspective. I'm analyzing. You're defending.

 

[dex13]

now people can stop claiming that Browner is being moved to SS. solid move. Guy was terrible in coverage but fairly good in the box. Nothing but a low risk depth signing.

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Because the draft was pushed back to May, which is after the initial OTA's could that play a part in the time frame of these kind of signings?

 

[Deus Irae]

That's not at all consistent with Belichick's M.O., though. He endeavors to have as set a roster as possible so that on draft day he is not forced into selecting for need.

Signing Patrick Chung doesn't set the roster and protect against any draft need at safety.

 

[BradyManny]

The excuse for keeping Tavon has been that he's young and a great special teamer.

The excuse for keeping Ebner has been that he's young and a great special teamer.

How many "Can't play safety and can't cover worth a damn, but can play special teams" safeties do you think are needed?

I agree with you. I think it's a huge mistake to carry too many players who cannot contribute on offense or defense. And it's a mistake we've made in the past. And honestly, I think it's a big reason we lost SB46 because we were out of legitimate DBs for that game.

This move might even have that in mind, because Chung, out of the three, play the best defense and is still a good STer.

 

[BSR]

It's April. The team already had enough lousy safeties on the roster for April. They didn't need to add another one, particularly one who's oft injured and already failed in New England, at this time. Thank goodness Sergio Brown is currently unavailable, or he might have been back, too.



It's not curious at all. One of us is rationalizing the keeping of lousy safeties. The other was pointing out how people who do that rationalizing have been doing it. It's just a matter of perspective. I'm analyzing. You're defending.

So by that logic, anyone that says Slatter is a great special teamer must be rationalizing the keeping of a lousy wide receiver. Personally I think right now you are doing a terrible job of defending your lousy analyzing.

 

[Deus Irae]

Because the draft was pushed back to May, which is after the initial OTA's could that play a part in the time frame of these kind of signings?

Under the new rules, the first 2 OTAs don't allow for both offense and defense to work against one another. There would be no need for having 'experienced' safeties for the offense to work against.

~ April 16: Pats voluntary off-season strength and conditioning program begins, continuing until mid-June.

~ April 16-29: Per the CBA this is Phase One of OTAs and can last for two weeks. It is limited to just strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation. Only strength and conditioning coaches may be present; other coaches may not attend or observe in any way. Footballs cannot be used, with the exception of quarterbacks throwing to uncovered receivers, and no helmets may be worn.

.....

~ April 30-May 20: Phase Two of OTAs begins, which can last three weeks.
- All coaches are now permitted on the field.
- Workouts may include individual player instructions and drills, with offense or defense only, but no offense and defense at the same time.
- Phase two includes on-field workouts, drills, and team practice conducted on a “separate” basis.
- Special-teams drills may also be conducted without opposing units on the field at the same time.
- There can be no live contact and no one-on-one competition, and no bump-and-run coverage of receivers by defensive backs.
- Helmets are still not permitted.

2014 NFL Calendar and Key Dates for the New England Patriots :All Things Pats

 

[RobAllan]

It's a worthwhile signing just for this post to be made... Hilarious

 

[DaBronxPats14]

I think it's a huge mistake to carry too many players who cannot contribute on offense or defense. And it's a mistake we've made in the past. And honestly, I think it's a big reason we lost SB46 because we were out of legitimate DBs for that game.

Yup! Not to mention maybe 2 or 3 SB Wins.

 

[DefenseRules]

Why? :bricks:
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