Pats sign Jones and Gramatica

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Granted, Tebucky Jones had specialized in all show and little substance but 101 (78 solo) tackles in 2003 isn't just smoke and mirrors. The Saint's D wasn't that great upfront so Jones had plenty of chances but just maybe he learned how to wrap and drive. He's not in Rodney's class but he might be useful part-time.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Championship experience for a team with championship aspirations...

Terrific signings both!

If "T-Buck" (who I expected would land with the Jets - he is good friends/CT fundraisering partners with E. Mangini) and "Automatica" have anything left, they both have been on SB WINNERS.

The person who replaces AV will be under extraordinary pressure, especially if the team does get to Miami Feb. At least, Gramatica has experienced SB scrutiny... definitely worth a look.

Both may not make the team though - with little damage if they don't.

The more I think about this, the more I think this is brilliant. Another Bioli beast coup....

Gramatica has a .915 lifetime percentage on playoff Field Goals. Certainly sounds like the pressure doesn't cause him problems... Another Iceman Adam? He's 4 years younger than AV and can kick 60 yarders at an accewptablr percentage, His KO are pretty good too.

He is a scrawny runt and will never duplicate the 27 TD saving tackles that AV made. With AV there really were 11 guys on coverage.. Most timesand withmost teams, including Gramattica, its really 11 on 10. The runt did make 6 tackles in 5 year shorter career though...

 

[Pats726]

He is a scrawny runt and will never duplicate the 27 TD saving tackles that AV made. With AV there really were 11 guys on coverage.. Most timesand withmost teams, including Gramattica, its really 11 on 10. The runt did make 6 tackles in 5 year shorter career though...

Maybe time for offseason weight training and such...I know different for him, but it may help!!

 

[Pats726]

my sentiments exactly

what i think is at this point in his career "lucky tebucky" (by the way i always find it funny how ppl call him tbuck, even though he wasnt the original tbuck-that was terell buckley) he is willing to be primarily a special teamer and backup
as that, he is great
he is one of the best, if not the best, gunners in the league, which we could really use, and paired with mel mitchell, wed have the best duo of gunners in football

but, he cannot play with the regular defense
as dabruinz said, he cant cover all that well, and he is not a good tackler, always goin for the big hit

CONGRATS on 1000!!!!!

 

[spacecrime]

Weird. Willie and Tebucky are cosmically tied together, and also don't forget Tebucky coming around full circle to be teammates with Corey Dillon, Guss Scott, and Banta-Cain (players we acquired by trading Tebucky in the first place).

I thought it was Dxter Reid, not Guss Scott....

Not that it matters. Getting Corey Dillon for a player who was gong to leave anyway was a pretty good deal.

 

[CrazyDave]

These are 2 good signings anyway you slice it. worst case scenario, they provide competition in camp. Either way, they won't break the bank. What's not to like? ST's could use a boost, maybe Jones can help.

 

[maverick4]

re

I thought it was Dxter Reid, not Guss Scott....

Not that it matters. Getting Corey Dillon for a player who was gong to leave anyway was a pretty good deal.

My bad, you were right, it was Reid.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Those of you saying that Tebucky won't make this team are dilusional. He is a better ST player that Banta Cain,Davis, AND IZZO IMO.

Most importantly I would much prefer to see Tbuck in the secondary in a pinch that DON DAVIS which has happened in the past two years.

I take Jones over Davis any day if it was a choice between them.

Jones will not be a good starter, but he is a drastic upgrade to the Special teams over anyone we have now.

 

[nickw308810]

Tebucky was a huge part of our first Super Bowl win and I am happy to have him back. I think he is likely to make the team not just for his ST play, but because he is a FS as well. At FS all we have is Wilson and Gus Scott, unlike SS where it is Harrison, Sanders, Hawkins, and Mitchell. I think a veteran backup is what we needed for Eugene who though he has been a starter for a few years now, is still learning the position.

 

[dryheat44]

Those of you saying that Tebucky won't make this team are dilusional. He is a better ST player that Banta Cain,Davis, AND IZZO IMO.
.

Frankly, I think you're wrong in re Jones being better Special teamers than those guys. Yeah, if forced to choose between he and Davis to play safety, sure I'll take Jones. But I don't see how you build your roster assuming that catastrophe's going to happen to the safety position again.

We'll see what happens after the draft and the rest of FA. My gut feeling is that Jones will be one of the last guys cut. Impossible to say with certainty until then, though.

 

[Burgess]

There is also the possiblility that the Gramatica signing is leverage against all the remaining free agent kickers whose agents have probably been asking for more than the Patriots want to pay.

 

[NE39]

Any terms on the deal peeps?

According to John Clayton, Jones signed for 2-Yrs/$2M with a $300K SB.

 

[marty]

There is also the possiblility that the Gramatica signing is leverage against all the remaining free agent kickers whose agents have probably been asking for more than the Patriots want to pay.

Good point! A new perspective from a newbie!! Welcome to the board!

 

[Burgess]

Welcome to the board!

Thanks


(friggin minimum post rule requires that I type this extra sentence in order to post my polite reply to your welcome. Just ignore it.)

 

[maverick4]

re

My bad if this was already said, but in case it wasn't mentioned before, Gramatica's post-season playoff record is 11 for 12 on field goals. Not bad.

.

 

[rhubma]

My bad if this was already said, but in case it wasn't mentioned before, Gramatica's post-season playoff record is 11 for 12 on field goals. Not bad.

.

Not bad at all...

As I mentioned in another thread (see: Super Bowl Winning Kickers), Gramatica is a rare individual - he is 1 of only 6 active players who have kicked for SB champions. He is tournament tested. This is a very shrewd signing with little downside.

 

[shakadave]

Those of you saying that Tebucky won't make this team are dilusional. He is a better ST player that Banta Cain,Davis, AND IZZO IMO.

Most importantly I would much prefer to see Tbuck in the secondary in a pinch that DON DAVIS which has happened in the past two years.

I take Jones over Davis any day if it was a choice between them.

Jones will not be a good starter, but he is a drastic upgrade to the Special teams over anyone we have now.

Tebucky will play safety when Eugene Wilson gets injured in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl, as always happens. P.S. We'll win.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I agree

Those of you saying that Tebucky won't make this team are dilusional. He is a better ST player that Banta Cain,Davis, AND IZZO IMO.

Most importantly I would much prefer to see Tbuck in the secondary in a pinch that DON DAVIS which has happened in the past two years.

I take Jones over Davis any day if it was a choice between them.

Jones will not be a good starter, but he is a drastic upgrade to the Special teams over anyone we have now.

Hear, Hear!

I concur in your post entirely. Davis and Izzo are good ST but one is 33+, and the other is 33-. All good things must end. The heart of our ST coverage was centered on STers who were put in the linebacker category because of size and the possibility, remote as it was, that they might take a regular snap or two on Defense.

But no one really wants Davis or Izzo to do so. The Jury is still out on TBC.

Tebucky is as big as Izzo, and much faster than any of the three; say what you want about his abilities, Tebucky still was a starter for three NFL clubs at the safety position, and two were winning clubs when he was there. How terrible can he be?

Our ST coverage has been trending down for two years as the ST stalwarts aged. It is now prospectively much younger, ands particualrly so if Mike Stone eventually re-signs, too.

I think part of the concern was fading legs from our kickers, but that sounds like sour grapes and I won't say it. I will note that Walthers is gone, and so is Adam.

As far as I know, none has offered Mike the "regular safety" job he is seeking, and I haven't heard that he visited or signed elsewhere. Have You?