Ras-I Dowling placed on Injured Reserve

[VrabelJr]

The only player I would have taken over Hightower would have been Harrison Smith. And then grabbed Jerel Worthy or Devon Still instead of Tavon Wilson. Wilson has been outperforming Hightower though imo so it's sort of interesting.

 

[Rob0729]

That's true. I might be willing to part with Hightower for Jenkins though. Hightower has been great so far, but we already have Mayo/Spikes. In the secondary we have...nothing.

People didn't feel that way during the draft? Most people thought McCourty would rebound (which he has to a certain extent), Arrington is a ok starter, and Dowling would return and challenge Arrington for the starting spot. Safety was the biggest concern going into the draft and that position was a weak position in the draft.

I think both Hightower and Jones addressed critical needs. Belichick has always built his defense from the line out even back in the old Giants' days. Back in the early 2000s, the Pats had one of the best LB corps in the league along with Seymour on the line. Other than Law, the CBs were JAGs (Otis Smith, Tyrone Poole, Randall Gay) or young players who hadn't reached close to their potential (Samuel).

Can you even name the CBs on the old Parcells/Belichick Giants' teams? You remember guys like LT (HOFer), Harry Carson (HOFer), Carl Banks, Jim Burt, and Leonard Marshall. Yeah, they had Everson Walls on the 1990 team, but he was a shell of his former self by the time the Giants signed him.

 

[DaBruinz]

Re: Ras-IR-Dowling officially on IR

McCourty isn't good. No one respects McCourty. He may lead the team in pass deflections but (and im taking a wild guess here) he's probably been the most targeted CB.

I believe he has 2 INTs, 1 more than anyone else.

He makes a great play, and then completely blows the next one...trouble is the plays he ******s up are KILLER...like a PI in the endzone or a PI with not a lot of time remaining. Just because BB himself endorses McCourty doesn't mean he actually thinks he's good, it's just belichick being belichick...

I think you are getting McCourty mixed up with Arrington. Arrington is the one who had a PI in the Endzone. So did Dowling. McCourty is the one who made the play in the end zone and people claimed it was PI though it wasn't.

Also, if you think that Belichick kisses the player's arses then there is no point in continuing the conversation with you.

 

[Triumph]

China Doll Dowling.

He coulda been a Contenda.

 

[Rob0729]

The Patriots had a 2, 3, 6 and two 7s left in the draft. They had enough to move up for Jenkins if they so wished.

Odds were they weren't going to trade up three times. They actually traded down on their third rounder to pick up another pick. So they probably would have had forego another trade up to trade up to get Jenkins. That was my point.

If you want to trade up, you can always find enough picks to trade up. But teams are not going to trade up that much to only have three or four picks in a draft unless you are the Jets.

 

[Triumph]

Other teams figure out how to draft good DBs.

The Pats draft Jags like Dowling, Wheatley, Butler and McCourty. Meriweather and Chung.

 

[DaBruinz]

I'll be honest. I was hoping the Pats would have traded up to get Trumaine Johnson at the end of the 2nd, beginning of the third. For all we know, they might have tried and found no takers for what the Pats were offering. And that is the thing that most people forget. That teams have to be willing to trade. If they aren't willing to trade for what you have to offer, then it doesn't matter.

 

[E1Downey]

Everyone's body is different i guess.....

It's just such a damn shame. He looked like he could have been an above average DB in this league. Thats all we can really call it.....a shame.

-Sent from the device that is held in my hand-

 

[condon84]

Every analysts' red flag on this guy was his injury problems. It was something the Pats risked that is now biting them in the butt. For what it's worth, even if he stayed healthy, based on the Pats track record of developing DBs, he would have sucked anyways.

 

[DaBruinz]

Other teams figure out how to draft good DBs.

The Pats draft Jags like Dowling, Wheatley, Butler and McCourty. Meriweather and Chung.

And other teams can't figure out how to draft a QB or a RB, or a WR or a good D-lineman or a good LB..

People seem to forget that the draft is a not an exact science.

BTW, I seem to remember PLENTY of people excited about the Meriweather and Chung picks when they happened. Same with Butler. But, I guess revisionist history gets to take over, right?

 

[Kontradiction]

Every analysts' red flag on this guy was his injury problems. It was something the Pats risked that is now biting them in the butt. For what it's worth, even if he stayed healthy, based on the Pats track record of developing DBs, he would have sucked anyways.

I don't think it's their record of developing DB's that's the problem. It's their record of drafting them that is.

 

[Hazy]

The worst thing about the timing is we cannot even sign somebody as cover and get them out to London...we may not even have a full game roster for this game

Any Pats fans living in London want to be the 46th man?

 

[ATippett56]

mayoclinic's idea of trading for Aquib Talib is looking better and better right now.

No thanks!

Aqib Talib suspended four games, blames Adderall | ProFootballTalk

A call in Tampa for Bucs to cut Aqib Talib | ProFootballTalk

 

[condon84]

I don't think it's their record of developing DB's that's the problem. It's their record of drafting them that is.

I'll lean towards blaming the coaches. McCourty looked good his rookie year and has regressed. Chung looked decent early on, now he's regressed. Merriweather looked decent early but he too regressed.

You can even argue that when Butler first got here his rookie year, he was better than when he left. Arrington was better last year than this year.

Why are all of our DBs regressing?

 

[E1Downey]

It hurts more so because it was such a high pick. Its not like it was pick 60 in the 2nd....it was 33!!!!

Ill be better in a lil bit, but this stings right now. I had hopes he would show some big improvent this year.

-Sent from the device that is held in my hand-

 

[Franchise12]

The Pats Front Office needs to realize that they have a sub par track record with drafting defensive backs in the 2nd round and trade for Aquib Talib. Bill has proven that he can manage players of questionable character more than hes shown the ability to draft good defensive backs in the 2nd round.


Talib might be a first class douchebag thug, but he's a first class douchebag who actually plays the Cb position competitively on Sundays. I understand when it comes to the patriots, character is of the utmost importance BUT we have a stable of "good guy" defensive backs who make garbage Qb's look like first ballot hall of famers. hopefully Dennard steps up and take a commanding grasp of the right side.

 

[patsox23]

THE worst pick, the most inexcusable pick, in the entire Belichick Era. You had all night to make this pick or trade it. It was as valuable a spot as any in the draft. Plenty of decent players available, including pass rushers like Brooks Reed, the kid from Arizona. A horrible, horrible job by the F.O. and a player with such a regular injury history that you shouldn't have touched him until the 3r round at the earliest. Ridiculous.

 

[E1Downey]

I'll lean towards blaming the coaches. McCourty looked good his rookie year and has regressed. Chung looked decent early on, now he's regressed. Merriweather looked decent early but he too regressed.

You can even argue that when Butler first got here his rookie year, he was better than when he left. Arrington was better last year than this year.

Why are all of our DBs regressing?

I think i side with you on this....
If the problem was them juat being "unlucky" thwn you'd think EVENTUALLY they would hit on someone. Too many Db's have come in, looked great, then taken 3 steps back after spending a season, sometimes less with these coaches.

-Sent from the device that is held in my hand-

 

[ATippett56]

The Pats Front Office needs to realize that they have a sub par track record with drafting defensive backs in the 2nd round and trade for Aquib Talib.

Yeah let's trade a valuable draft pick for a player recently suspended by the NFL.

 

[Deus Irae]

Odds were they weren't going to trade up three times.

I agree. Also, given Jenkins' past, it's tough to say that the Patriots should have taken such a risk. I was just pointing out that they could have done so.

Now, if he'd fallen to the Patriots, and they'd still chosen Wilson, that would be a horse of a different color.