Patriots Sign Brown

[LloydBraun]

Brown is a quality and inexpensive backup. He could be a very usable situational player.

I also thought he was coming around last year, and I thought the same about Biesel.

Look for another veteran Lb, ILB, to be signed as well.

 

[pats1]

That's right they backups and Special teams players. The original post listed Claridge as the primary backup to Beisel and Bruschi. I'm sorry we're in trouble in one of those guys goes down and a guy who went back to vegas instead of staying in Foxboro is ahead of Davis and Izzo as Backups. It took Beisel a whole year to learn that inside spot and he was an NFL vet who played and was not on IR.

Forget about the Vegas thing already. If it was a problem, we'd know about it by now, OK?

Izzo and Davis are technically LBs, but really shouldn't be considered in terms of a depth chart.

 

[Crowpointer]

Forget about the Vegas thing already. If it was a problem, we'd know about it by now, OK?

Izzo and Davis are technically LBs, but really shouldn't be considered in terms of a depth chart.

You need to contact Patriots .com and give them this info . They have mistakingly listed Davis and Izzo as backups at ILB and Claridge as third string behind Bruschi only.

 

[pats1]

You need to contact Patriots .com and give them this info . They have mistakingly listed Davis and Izzo as backups at ILB and Claridge as third string behind Bruschi only.

That depth chart is done by PFW, and they have said on PFW in Progress they have an unwritten rule with rookies and the depth chart. No rookies can hold starting spots until the season starts, nor can they surpass proven veterans. Since Claridge is, in reality, a rookie, that's where he sits on the depth chart.

 

[pats1]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

July 27, 2006
Brown to town

The Patriots have re-signed linebacker Chad Brown his agent Peter Schaffer confirmed.

"Chad made a decision a couple of months aga to get into shape not just to play, but play at the level he is accustomed to," Schaffer said of his client. "He trained in Colorado and I think the Patriots wanted to see if he was committed.

"Last year Chad's decision came down to Pittsburgh, Seattle and New England and he chose New England because he felt they had the best chance to win the Super Bowl."

Entering training camps, NFL teams generally assess their depth at each position, because they want to have multiple layers for drills.

That's likely the basis for bringing Brown back. The Patriots have some inexperience at the backup spots at both inside and outside linebacker. Brown has experience at both spots.

Ironically, the Steelers defeated the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

"In the back of his mind he had some unfinished business," Schaffer said.

Posted By: mreiss | Time: 09:10:07 AM

 

[shmessy]

RayClay wrote: "Looks like McGinest is a net loss, unless you consider a 6th round pick a replacement for a 6th overall."
___________________________

I hate this kind of analogy. Would someone consider it a net loss if 6th rounder Tom Brady replaced 1st rounder Ryan Leaf?

Let's leave out the previous draft order when considering the here and now of a 34 year old veteran who left for a muti-year, multi-million dollar deal.

 

[Tunescribe]

RayClay wrote: "Looks like McGinest is a net loss, unless you consider a 6th round pick a replacement for a 6th overall."
___________________________

I hate this kind of analogy. Would someone consider it a net loss if 6th rounder Tom Brady replaced 1st rounder Ryan Leaf?

Let's leave out the previous draft order when considering the here and now of a 34 year old veteran who left for a muti-year, multi-million dollar deal.

I agree with what you're saying, but I remain uneasy over letting McGinest walk. He very well could have two good years left, maybe even a third.

 

[pats1]

I agree with what you're saying, but I remain uneasy over letting McGinest walk. He very well could have two good years left, maybe even a third.

I don't think that mattered to the Patriots. They won't overpay (there's that "rule" where no guaranteed money should be given to players his age) for a player no matter what he has left in the tank, or what they have for cap room.

 

[Crowpointer]

That depth chart is done by PFW, and they have said on PFW in Progress they have an unwritten rule with rookies and the depth chart. No rookies can hold starting spots until the season starts, nor can they surpass proven veterans. Since Claridge is, in reality, a rookie, that's where he sits on the depth chart.

"Actually, we don’t know too much about at all Claridge. We know he was placed on IR with a shoulder injury last year, but then we barely saw him again the rest of the season. He spent very little time in the trainer’s room that you’re talking about so I’m really not sure how much of the system he picked up since he wasn’t here going to meetings and such. I would expect him to be fighting for a job this summer, much like all of the current draft choices and young players. But to suggest he’s anything more than your run-of-the-mill fifth-round pick at this point would be inaccurate based on what we know."
Paul Perillo

From PFW 5/2/06

 

[shmessy]

I agree with what you're saying, but I remain uneasy over letting McGinest walk. He very well could have two good years left, maybe even a third.

Yes, but they had no choice, Tunie. Matching the Browns offer would've been suicide. It just wasn't worth it.

Now they can lock up Deion, front load Seymour now, get Graham done, etc. These are all key players with more than 2-3 more years left in the tank. I believe Willie Mac, God love him, has 1, maybe 2, productive years left. He has a thriving recording business in LA and he won't take very well to a greatly diminished role on a middling team. I'm honestly surprised Romeo went after him.....I thought he learned more from his time around Piolichik.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I can't understand this one unless they are planning on using him on the outside. There's no way he can play in the middle. He not only looked lost last year but he got totally destroyed by every blocker he faced. I suspect we could see a switch back to the outside for him.

I think its as simple as the fact that we need LB depth. And at $800k for one year, for a guy who at least has been introduced to the system, its a low-risk scenario.

Better they make this move now than suffer an injury in camp and see their negotiating position undermined.

 

[miDeuce]

I really like this signing. We knew we were short on LB depth and though he's past his prime he does have experience in the system and brings some veteran leadership. Now if one of the starting 4 LBs goes down we're not relying on a complete unknown.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I think its as simple as the fact that we need LB depth. And at $800k for one year, for a guy who at least has been introduced to the system, its a low-risk scenario.

Better they make this move now than suffer an injury in camp and see their negotiating position undermined.

Bingo!
Maybe he's just cut after use as camp fodder but it looks like cheap insurance, modest whatever it is signing bonus cap hit $ included.

 

[Crowpointer]

Forget about the Vegas thing already. If it was a problem, we'd know about it by now, OK?

.

I guess with his release we now know about it.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

holy crap that's funny

and what's with Michael Bishop and Chris Canty visiting??

Chad Brown is a smart SOB--he's a combination of training camp fodder and veteran presence..

...let the whining commence!

He's also over the hill -- about 5 seasons ago...let the rationalizations commence!

 

[pats1]

I guess with his release we now know about it.

We sure do.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I guess with his release we now know about it.

That's one explanation, another could be the long PUP list, if Claridge is still rehabbing, cutting him now while he's messed up could leave it open to bring him on the Practice Squad later in the season. For now, he ain't here and we get to speculate about Alexander and Chad.

 

[RayClay]

It depends on how the undrafted free agent plays, and how WMG plays. That was his point.

How each compares in July is meaningless. It is the comparative worth of each tothe team next December/January that will matter, and of course, the value of each.

Don't neglect WMG's $8 mil price tag. Keeping him would prevent us from signing players like Tebuckey and Chad Brown. And also good players.

Well if my Mercedes breaks down I can drive a Pinto.

That doesn't make it a Mercedes though.

I'm not saying they should have kept McGinest. I'm saying they made no effort to replace his talent and the bodies they have at linebacker are less "valuable" to put it another way.

If teams pick 200-300 players without picking you, they are making a judgement.

Also, I don't think they needed to ditch Willie to sign the two bargain basement players you mentioned.

 

[spacecrime]

Well if my Mercedes breaks down I can drive a Pinto.

That doesn't make it a Mercedes though.

I'm not saying they should have kept McGinest. I'm saying they made no effort to replace his talent and the bodies they have at linebacker are less "valuable" to put it another way.

If teams pick 200-300 players without picking you, they are making a judgement.

Also, I don't think they needed to ditch Willie to sign the two bargain basement players you mentioned.

I was joking about those two.

But don't be so quick to assume that players picked late are Pintos and those picked early are Mercedes.

The point is that you don't try to replace anyone. (No one else beieves this, so don't feel bad if you don't either.) But I believe you try to build the best team possible with what is available. With VALUE at the forefront, you assemble the best talent and adjust the team to maximize that talent.

The strengths and weaknesses of each team each year are different.

 

[RayClay]

I was joking about those two.

But don't be so quick to assume that players picked late are Pintos and those picked early are Mercedes.

The point is that you don't try to replace anyone. (No one else beieves this, so don't feel bad if you don't either.) But I believe you try to build the best team possible with what is available. With VALUE at the forefront, you assemble the best talent and adjust the team to maximize that talent.

The strengths and weaknesses of each team each year are different.

I'm with you all the way. Givens and Branch. Troy Brown, etc.

I just feel they haven't made a good faith effort to replace the talent level at this position.

As I said in another thread, even if they cover for them this year, where are the new LBs coming from?

If seventh round picks were always as good as day one picks everyone would pick them first and save all that bonus money.