Pats Sign DL Andre Carter

[VJCPatriot]

66 career sacks. Andre Carter is a proven passrusher. Cunningham better watch his back. He isn't going to get the starting job just handed to him. Good to have more competition in camp!

 

[TealSox]

I like the signing. What I don't like is that this is probably a sign BB doesn't think Cunningham is ready for prime time yet as 4-3 DE.

Reis makes it sound as if Cunningham isn't where he should be. So maybe this is a shot across the bow.

 

[TealSox]

I'm reminded of the 2001 team. A lot of recycled vets gave it a real go.

That was a fun off season... almost as fun as this off season.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don't know much about him but for those who do, he had 11 sacks 2 years ago but only 2.5 last year, why the huge drop? playing time? injury?

It's the story of his career. He's been very inconsistent in that sense.

10 seasons:

3 double digit sack years
3 years with sack numbers at 6-6.5
4 years with fewer than 6 sacks

Only one year, his lowest sack total year (2.0) was really an incomplete season, with him playing only 7 games. Every other season of his career has seen him play 15 games or more.

He's just been an up and down kind of pass rusher.

 

[NEfreak]

66 career sacks. Andre Carter is a proven passrusher. Cunningham better watch his back. He isn't going to get the starting job just handed to him. Good to have more competition in camp!

Agreed, Carter had a very nice year with 11.5 sacks as a 4-3 rush DE just 2 years ago. Kind of surprised he was still available. Matt Patricia's head must be spinning!

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

Whether this is BB buying in bulk in the weekend antiques sale (as Patchick suggests) or shopping at Walmart (as some others suggest), one thing is clear: the PUP and IR list this year might be longer than usual. Some combination of Deadrick, Weston, Brace, Love or Pryor may well end up there...

Unlikely, Cunningham is in any danger now......but from reports in the Globe, ESPN Boston and Herald, it is clear he has not distinguished himself. He has this year to prove himself......

 

[PatsBoy12]

Agreed, Carter had a very nice year with 11.5 sacks as a 4-3 rush DE just 2 years ago. Kind of surprised he was still available. Matt Patricia's head must be spinning!

Mine sure is spinning.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Hey guys...



We got us some PASSRUSHERS!

 

[MassPats38]

It's the story of his career. He's been very inconsistent in that sense.

10 seasons:

3 double digit sack years
3 years with sack numbers at 6-6.5
4 years with fewer than 6 sacks

Only one year, his lowest sack total year (2.0) was really an incomplete season, with him playing only 7 games. Every other season of his career has seen him play 15 games or more.

He's just been an up and down kind of pass rusher.

I believe 2 of those years - 1 with SF and one with Washington - he was a linebacker and it didn't take.

 

[patchick]

What an odd thread. Two days ago, the Pats had absolutely nobody behind Cunningham and Moore as a rusher in 4-3 sets. Everybody was freaking out about this.

So they went out and picked up a couple of intriguing veterans who have had some success in that role, but are hardly sure things. And now that means that Cunningham is on the chopping block?

 

[Deus Irae]

What an odd thread. Two days ago, the Pats had absolutely nobody behind Cunningham and Moore as a rusher in 4-3 sets. Everybody was freaking out about this.

So they went out and picked up a couple of intriguing veterans who have had some success in that role, but are hardly sure things. And now that means that Cunningham is on the chopping block?

:welcome:.




















Sorry. You put that one on a tee.

 

[folamzz]

What an odd thread. Two days ago, the Pats had absolutely nobody behind Cunningham and Moore as a rusher in 4-3 sets. Everybody was freaking out about this.

So they went out and picked up a couple of intriguing veterans who have had some success in that role, but are hardly sure things. And now that means that Cunningham is on the chopping block?

Cunningham made one play the whole of last year and people are making him out to be the next best thing. Manning threw many picks last year, i guess all the guys who caused those picks are all current or future all-pros. Cunningham got significant playing time last year because he was better than TBC and nincovich(sp), lets don't make him out to be something special. We can improve at the DE or OLB position, nobody on our team is special.

 

[Ring 6]

The problem is he doesn't want to play the OLB. He was vocal about it in Washington. I don't know if he was assured he wouldn't have to play it here, but I doubt he would have signed here otherwise.

I just can't get over people thinking that what a guy signed for the vet minimum, or a guy who quit on the field and got traded for a 2013 5th round pick LIKE TO DO will make Bill Belichick cave in cater to them.

They will do what they are told, or they will be on the bench or gone. Haven't we figured that out after all these years?

Carter is coming here in competition for a sub package pass rusher first and foremost, and assuming the base remains the 34, he will have to play OLB to get on the field in those situation. If he can't he will be on the bench or cut.

Haynesworth likes to play one gap. Guess what, BB doesn't. Haynesworth will almost without question be on the field in the base either as a 43 DT or a 34 DE being told to play 2gap discipline and dominate his area of the field. In fact, that is what he does best. He will also have the opportunity to be able to be on the field to pass rush in sub packages.

If Albert and Andre decide to tell BB that he needs to play the defense they like best, or don't give full effort in the defense called, they will not be NE Patriots very long. I hope this can clear this up a bit.

 

[Ring 6]

Cunningham made one play the whole of last year and people are making him out to be the next best thing. Manning threw many picks last year, i guess all the guys who caused those picks are all current or future all-pros. Cunningham got significant playing time last year because he was better than TBC and nincovich(sp), lets don't make him out to be something special. We can improve at the DE or OLB position, nobody on our team is special.

He made one play but he was better than TBC and Ninkovich. Did they fall asleep on the field?
Nobody on our team is special. Lets make sure the GOAT behind center is informed.

 

[Ring 6]

Because there were no OTA's, camps or playbooks until 2 weeks ago. The whole evaluation process, unfortunately, has been accelerated dramaticaly. Young players are going to get less time to impress this year.

What does no OTAs have to do with your contention that the coaching staff was unhappy with Cunningham last year?
How does any of that suggest last years starter has moved behind others?

 

[PushnPencils]

Get rid of Cunningham? His stats are duplicate to Umenyiora's his rookie year.....

Looks bad in TC?....Garbage...the dudes a specimen. Let's wait to see what the games show.

 

[italia44]

ahem.. where are the pass rushers

pass rushers???.....slowly I turned....step by step..inch by inch....and I:enranged::violent:

 

[patchick]

:welcome:

Touche!

Honestly, though, this seems like a new twist -- the idea that adding cheap depth to a 90-man roster early in camp is an indictment of the starter. I don't recall hearing, that, say, the signing of Chris Morris & Jonathan Compas bodes ill for Dan Koppen.

 

[Deus Irae]

Touche!

Honestly, though, this seems like a new twist -- the idea that adding cheap depth to a 90-man roster early in camp is an indictment of the starter. I don't recall hearing, that, say, the signing of Chris Morris & Jonathan Compas bodes ill for Dan Koppen.

I'm with you. I don't see how grabbing older players who are clearly short-term fixes is supposed to translate to the team's only young, promising (at least somewhat, I think most of us can agree) outside player in the front seven being poised to get the axe. Anything's possible with BB, but I don't really see this as a Chad Jackson situation.

I just find it to be par for the course around here, and on a lot of NFL message boards. Every year, someone will come up with some version of the "Trade Brady" thread (There are people pimping the trade of Welker this year, for example, as well as those reading doom into Cunningham's next few weeks). Sometimes people are trying to out think the room. Sometimes people just aren't thinking.

 

[NEfreak]

I just can't get over people thinking that what a guy signed for the vet minimum, or a guy who quit on the field and got traded for a 2013 5th round pick LIKE TO DO will make Bill Belichick cave in cater to them.

They will do what they are told, or they will be on the bench or gone. Haven't we figured that out after all these years?

Carter is coming here in competition for a sub package pass rusher first and foremost, and assuming the base remains the 34, he will have to play OLB to get on the field in those situation. If he can't he will be on the bench or cut.

Haynesworth likes to play one gap. Guess what, BB doesn't. Haynesworth will almost without question be on the field in the base either as a 43 DT or a 34 DE being told to play 2gap discipline and dominate his area of the field. In fact, that is what he does best. He will also have the opportunity to be able to be on the field to pass rush in sub packages.

If Albert and Andre decide to tell BB that he needs to play the defense they like best, or don't give full effort in the defense called, they will not be NE Patriots very long. I hope this can clear this up a bit.

I didn't mean to suggest that veteran FA's can walk into Foxboro and dictate schemes to our head coach. There appears to be growing evidence that the favored base 34 that BB has USUALLY run over the years may be changing due to the difficulty in finding and paying 34 personnel. BB has won rings with 43 defenses as you know. I think it's exciting and would also provide the value and versatility that that he always expounds on.