Pats sign Jones and Gramatica

[dryheat44]

Who says Belichick has any intention of him playing in the secondary barring massive injuries ?

A few of you seem to have forgotten our ST have SUCKED the past few years.

We can only have so many ST cover guys that can't play anywhere else. We seem to have lots of gunner types on this team, and you can bet BB will draft one. I highly doubt Tebucky has the wheels that he had his first couple of years. Sanders, Scott, TBC, and others are probably better options at this point. Maybe he's going to convert him back to RB?

 

[Willie55]

TBuck takes poor angles to runners and tackles his teammates more than he does the oponent. Hopefully he will be restricted to special teams duty.

 

[BelichickFan]

Sanders, Scott, TBC, and others are probably better options at this point.

Tebucky would have had to have lost a lot of speed, those guys aren't speedy Safeties (and LB Tully surely can't run like Tebucky).

 

[MoLewisrocks]

My, how our tunes have changed. It wasn't long ago that T-Buck was getting slammed, and rightfully so, because he was mediocre in the secondary. He could HIT and that was it. He was lousy in coverage against receivers and he had problems tackling. They were some of the primary reasons the Pats traded him to New Orleans. Cause he wasn't that good. AND he didn't want to be a special teamer anymore.

Sorry, I will be very surprised of T-Buck makes it out of TC.

As for Gramatica, He's been great on kick-offs, but horrendous on FGs since his injury.

Tebucky is coming home - ergo selective memory.

As for Gramatica, never kicked in cold weather (Tampa and Indy) and it's weird his KO's were not really effected by a 2 year abdominal injury he failed to deal with that rendered him useless as a FG kicker. If he can kick FG at all our late season schedule should work in his favor, and at least if Flutie doesn't return they can recycle the XSM uniforms.

He's obviously the fall back fall guy - whether or not we carry a Huston on the roster or stash a UDFA on the PC. If he does OK it's his job for the season at least. If not, the kid will look better compared to a failed replacement than compared to AV.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Wake Up call...

Well, he has to have been told that his main job will be GUNNER. I would think anyway. And assuming he's OK with that, I will be shocked if he doesn't make it out of training camp.

Life has way of making you sober up. when you are cut and out of a job by the team that is picking second in the draft, it might cause you to take notice.

When nobody is bothering to talk to you about a job, except the Pats who want you a a ST gunner, you maybe wise up an say "Yes Sir !"

 

[Alk]

Tebucky is coming home - ergo selective memory.

As for Gramatica, never kicked in cold weather (Tampa and Indy) and it's weird his KO's were not really effected by a 2 year abdominal injury he failed to deal with that rendered him useless as a FG kicker. If he can kick FG at all our late season schedule should work in his favor, and at least if Flutie doesn't return they can recycle the XSM uniforms.

He's obviously the fall back fall guy - whether or not we carry a Huston on the roster or stash a UDFA on the PC. If he does OK it's his job for the season at least. If not, the kid will look better compared to a failed replacement than compared to AV.

You forget that he played college ball at Kansas St. He's seen his fair share of crappy weather. I still don't think he'll be our opening day kicker.

 

[DaBruinz]

Who says Belichick has any intention of him playing in the secondary barring massive injuries ?

A few of you seem to have forgotten our ST have SUCKED the past few years.

BBFan -
Our kick coverage unit was actually pretty good. The BEST KICK coverage unit was at 19 YPR. The Pats were at 21.9 YPR. The WORST was 28.3. The difference between #7 and #20 was 1 yard per return.

I agree that the Punt Coverage unit needs to improve. However, a lot of that would come from Miller getting .2-.4 more seconds of hang time. He tends to "line drive" his punts. Which is great for distance, but the speed in which it gets to the punt returner means that its that muh quicker they can start running it back.

What we REALLY need work on is on punt return blocking and kick return blocking. And making sure we're not taking penalties for "Blocking from behind." There were more than a few occasions on the punt return blocking that our guys on the line were just getting blown off the line and being left in the dust, making it very hard to return punts since there were guys from the opposing team's line on our punt returners and not just the gunners.

 

[patsfan55]

My, how our tunes have changed. It wasn't long ago that T-Buck was getting slammed, and rightfully so, because he was mediocre in the secondary. He could HIT and that was it. He was lousy in coverage against receivers and he had problems tackling. They were some of the primary reasons the Pats traded him to New Orleans. Cause he wasn't that good. AND he didn't want to be a special teamer anymore.

Sorry, I will be very surprised of T-Buck makes it out of TC.

As for Gramatica, He's been great on kick-offs, but horrendous on FGs since his injury.

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

 

[patsfan55]

We can only have so many ST cover guys that can't play anywhere else. We seem to have lots of gunner types on this team, and you can bet BB will draft one. I highly doubt Tebucky has the wheels that he had his first couple of years. Sanders, Scott, TBC, and others are probably better options at this point. Maybe he's going to convert him back to RB?

exactly
we now have: izzo, don davis, mel mitchell, tebucky jones, who all can only play on st

does one or both of those lbs get cut?

 

[patsfan55]

BBFan -
Our kick coverage unit was actually pretty good. The BEST KICK coverage unit was at 19 YPR. The Pats were at 21.9 YPR. The WORST was 28.3. The difference between #7 and #20 was 1 yard per return.

I agree that the Punt Coverage unit needs to improve. However, a lot of that would come from Miller getting .2-.4 more seconds of hang time. He tends to "line drive" his punts. Which is great for distance, but the speed in which it gets to the punt returner means that its that muh quicker they can start running it back.

What we REALLY need work on is on punt return blocking and kick return blocking. And making sure we're not taking penalties for "Blocking from behind." There were more than a few occasions on the punt return blocking that our guys on the line were just getting blown off the line and being left in the dust, making it very hard to return punts since there were guys from the opposing team's line on our punt returners and not just the gunners.

great post
last yr we were much better on kickoff coverage
the yr before we were awful!
but we still could stand to get better from last yr

but as you said, the most imp thing is blocking on the returns, we were not a good return team at all last yr
we also need to add some returners though, unless hobbs becomes nickle or dime back and can return kicks, or bam bam maybe

btw, this is my 1,000th post!!!!

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

My, how our tunes have changed. It wasn't long ago that T-Buck was getting slammed, and rightfully so, because he was mediocre in the secondary. He could HIT and that was it. He was lousy in coverage against receivers and he had problems tackling. They were some of the primary reasons the Pats traded him to New Orleans. Cause he wasn't that good. AND he didn't want to be a special teamer anymore.

Sorry, I will be very surprised of T-Buck makes it out of TC.

As for Gramatica, He's been great on kick-offs, but horrendous on FGs since his injury.

I was thinking the same thing...

When T-Buck left, we all said "good riddance" and with good reason! He was a step behind in coverage and was a "Pete Carroll / Bobby Grier"-type player!

While he will provide us with depth and he does know the system, I can't say I'm thrilled about his return. He has a lot to prove to me. My Fin Fan friends tell me he was no gangbuster with the Fish last year, either.

Grammatica on the other hand, while being a silly little Argentinian Jumping Bean, was a pretty damn good kicker for awhile with the Bucs.

Didn't they used to call him "Martin Automattica" or something?

I think he had abdominal surgery and they say that killed his career. I am assuming the Pats have given him a full physical and are convinced that injury is behind him...

ADPF

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

T Buck if he makes the roster, will play as a ST. And if Harrison can't make opening day, and comes back from the PUP, T Buck will be cut before Guss Scott, James Sanders or Mel Mitchell.

 

[Pats726]

I still think it is a good signing...at least theree will be competition..and players that CAN PLAY ST.....Chatham is gone..may Izzo?? Davis?? We shall see...

 

[rhubma]

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....

 

[spacecrime]

I still think it is a good signing...at least theree will be competition.....

Agree. I don't see why so many people are opposed to competition for jobs. It's not like he is guaranteed a starting position. If he competes, and wins, are we getting someone better than we would have if he had not competed?

Tebucky was a bad CB, and an OK safety, but he is a hitting demon out there. With Harrison out, there was no enforcer on the field. I don't see what would be wrong with making a few WRs pay for catching the ball.

He may not make the team, likely won't, but it is still a good signing in my book. Competition rules.

 

[shakadave]

Tebucky is BACK!!!!!!!

Now that we have gotten rid of WIllie, does his touchdown count now?

Yesss!!!! Glad you remembered my "logic" from that other Tebucky thread http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=32464

 

[shakadave]

Please no more "T-Buck"

It has become standard policy on all Tebucky threads to remind the customers that T-Buck is Terrell Buckley.

 

[maverick4]

re

Ha, I remember when you wrote this before, and now it actually happened:
"Strangely enough, Tebucky brought me the happiest 8 seconds of my life as a sports fan when he got that 98 yard touchdown in the Super Bowl (temporarily ). Willie took it away, so maybe somehow Willie's exit to Cleveland would open the door for Tebucky's return. (How twisted is THAT logic? ha ha)"

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).

 

[DaBruinz]

great post
last yr we were much better on kickoff coverage
the yr before we were awful!
but we still could stand to get better from last yr

but as you said, the most imp thing is blocking on the returns, we were not a good return team at all last yr
we also need to add some returners though, unless hobbs becomes nickle or dime back and can return kicks, or bam bam maybe

btw, this is my 1,000th post!!!!

Grats on your 1000th post

 

[Bostonian1962]

Took the words out of my mouth. Tebucky has sucked for years. We've all said so. This signing says more about the state of our secondary than it does about his talent. I don't expect him to make the team.

As for Grammatica, last week I joked that we should sign the best available Grammatica. I'm all for the move. I think we should sign the third Grammatica kicker too (I think he's eligible this year...maybe out of Central Florida?), and make the two brothers fight to the death for the roster spot.

If he doesn't make the team, I'll eat my New Balance's.

Any terms on the deal peeps?