Schefter: Pats could sign CB Tory James

[Ring 6]

O.T.I.S. was old as dirt and played for us. What folks are missing is how BB thinks THIS player will fit in HIS defense, not how he'd do in some other D. Note that the guy is durable and ask youself, "Self, just how durable have Patriots DBs been lately?"

I have no doubt he could play a role, but certainly not as a starter.

 

[DefenseRules]

O.T.I.S. was old as dirt and played for us. What folks are missing is how BB thinks THIS player will fit in HIS defense, not how he'd do in some other D. Note that the guy is durable and ask youself, "Self, just how durable have Patriots DBs been lately?"

Good post my friend. Again, I don't see this as nothing more than a DEPTH SIGNING. We need depth back there. Asante is our franchise player. He's not going anywhere, and I am not going to give up on the Pats being able to sign him. As for Gay, again the guy has landed on IR the last two years. Do we even know for sure that he will be the same player when he's healthy?
He might be, but who knows? Gay's replacement is coming from the draft not free agency.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Depth signing agreed.

 

[arrellbee]

Re: Who is Tory James ?

NFLN just reported Pats are talking to this guy. A corner from the Bengles.

That's Bangles, not Bengles.

 

[sebman2112]

NE needs to sign/draft more DB's even if Asante somehow stays, so I wouldn't be against bringing this guy in, at all. He's an old man but he's still held on to his starting job all these years, so he isn't that bad.

Also, NE always brings in these vet DB's (Ray Mickens, Chad Scott, Terrell Buckley, Otis Smith, Warfield, Hawkins, Poole, and others.)

I actually wouldn't mind seeing Mickens return as a backup this season.

If NE trades Samuel away I hope they draft Revis and Josh Wilson.

 

[sebman2112]

Re: Schefter saysats interested in Bengals Tory James

u talking about Poole?

..come to think about it..if we can pay him low #, then he would be good in nickel and has the size for FS 6"2 195ish

Actually Poole played for the Broncos just prior to NE's signing of him. Poole was drafted by the Panthers, then played for the Colts, then Broncos, then Patriots, now the Raiders.

 

[signbabybrady]

Tory James has been around awhile and been on some good teams. He may be up there in age but our CB position is pretty young with Asante Hobbs Gay and any rooks we bring. there is room for a vet like James especially at the right $.

 

[Remix 6]

Re: Schefter saysats interested in Bengals Tory James

Actually Poole played for the Broncos just prior to NE's signing of him. Poole was drafted by the Panthers, then played for the Colts, then Broncos, then Patriots, now the Raiders.

yeah i know but i thought he ment just an ex colt who was cut (Poole played for Colts and got cut :\ few years later)

 

[sebman2112]

Re: Schefter saysats interested in Bengals Tory James

Thank you, thats exactly who I was thinking of.

Yup, he sucked!

 

[hobbsownscoles]

Re: Schefter saysats interested in Bengals Tory James

Yup, he sucked!

Didn't he get dismissed from the team early or some weird S*** like that happened

 

[Krazy Koz]

NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports free agent CB Tory James will sign with either the Saints, Patriots, Raiders, or Packers this week.
James visited Green Bay in early March, but Schefter calls the Pats an intriguing fit, especially if the Jets sign Randall Gay to an offer sheet. James has some history in Oakland and New Orleans is needy at corner.

 

[mgteich]

bb brings in veterans every year with the idea of one or two getting the last defensive back spots on the roster. I expected Mickens to be back. Tory James is fine. I expt us to bring in a couple of more before camp starts.

 

[patsgo]

Re: Schefter saysats interested in Bengals Tory James

Didn't he get dismissed from the team early or some weird S*** like that happened

he retired

 

[pats1]

James is an NFL caliber corner but nowhere near starting caliber.
This reminds me of the numerous dbs we sign each off-season to compete for a roster spot and many of them end up cut.
Good depth, but nowhere near a major signing.

omg not Tory James. hes been torched for like 2-3 years straight now. hes due for retirment or safety idk

another duane starks.

Training camp fodder ala Eric Warfield - maybe with a little more upside.

good speed. hes lost it

i talked to a Bengal fan right now. he says he doesnt tackle well. forget it

if it smells like camp fodder it could be camp fodder.

Tory James is JUNK on a Jose Offerman level. Okay, that's too strong, but he's certainly not some preventative measure in case Gay leaves.

This guy is pretty mediocre. Gets beat sooo often and takes tons of chances so he gets some INTs. F you Asante.

He's not the only awful corner to make a probowl.

dont listen to the pro bowl crap. that was 3 years ago

As far as NFL corners go, this guy is old as dirt. You can count on one hand the players with more seniority than him. Aaron Glenn, Ty Law... I think I'm done.

What's with this negativity? Such would be expected if the Pats were planning on James replacing Samuel, but nothing could be further from the truth.

This is the type of low-risk, high-reward signing the Pats have thrived on. Nobody is asking James to come in and potentially replace Samuel as the leader of the defensive backfield. Hell, nobody is asking James to come in an inherit a starting spot. He won't get big money. There's no risk (unlike Starks, where a draft choice part of the payment).

James will come in as a durable veteran presence. I disagree with A.J. that he will be a back-end roster guy - which would essentially make him inactive every week. In fact, I see James, if signed, getting significant time in sub packages - possibly as more of a FS as some suggest. In many ways, he's on the same level as Chad Scott or Hawkins. A few years ago, he'd be clearly above them.

I also disagree with A.J. insofar as he's not starting caliber. It wouldn't be favorable, but it wouldn't be deplorable either to have Tory James as a starter. The chances of that, though, are slim. Asante or no Asante, the Pats willbe drafting a DB, probably in the 1st or 2nd (if they trade down). James will be in the mix with Scott, the pick (if Asante), and possibly Gay for those 3-5 spots on the depth chart at CB. Again, I'm not saying James will start or could start.

James shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Moreland, Spann, or Poteat. That's what matters.

 

[Jimke]

mgteich is correct. Don't read too much into this possible signing.

We could use an upgrade over Spahn and Williams for increased

competition.

 

[patsgo]

bb brings in veterans every year with the idea of one or two getting the last defensive back spots on the roster. I expected Mickens to be back. Tory James is fine. I expt us to bring in a couple of more before camp starts.

with our luck in the secondary you can never have enough vets, we brought in like 17 or 18 and look what has happenned the last 2 to 3 years this is insurance and will fit in good with our system

 

[Ring 6]

What's with this negativity?

This is the type of low-risk, high-reward signing the Pats have thrived on. Nobody is asking James to come in and potentially replace Samuel as the leader of the defensive backfield. Hell, nobody is asking James to come in an inherit a starting spot. He won't get big money. There's no risk (unlike Starks, where a draft choice part of the payment).

James will come in as a durable veteran presence. I disagree with A.J. that he will be a back-end roster guy - which would essentially make him inactive every week. In fact, I see James, if signed, getting significant time in sub packages - possibly as more of a FS as some suggest. In many ways, he's on the same level as Chad Scott or Hawkins. A few years ago, he'd be clearly above them.

I also disagree with A.J. insofar as he's not starting caliber. It wouldn't be favorable, but it wouldn't be deplorable either to have Tory James as a starter. The chances of that, though, are slim. Asante or no Asante, the Pats willbe drafting a DB, probably in the 1st or 2nd (if they trade down). James will be in the mix with Scott, the pick (if Asante), and possibly Gay for those 3-5 spots on the depth chart at CB. Again, I'm not saying James will start or could start.

James shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Moreland, Spann, or Poteat. That's what matters.

Well, he should be mentioned in same breath with Antonio Langham, OTIS Smith, Terrell Buckley, Terrance Shaw, Duane Starks, Jeff Burris, Tom Knight, Eric Warfield to name a few.
He fits right in with the aging veterans we always sign a few of which work out as depth, more of which dont cut it.
He is what he is, and if you've seen much of him, you don't want him on the field much for the Pats. Like those guys, he will come in to compete for the 4th or 5th corner spot and could do better, but could do worse.

 

[Rob0729]

If you think Tory James is replacing Asante Samuel, you can rule out any chance of the Pats playing in the SB XLII

Well, then if Asante Samuel is starting then, we won't win the Super Bowl either if we have no chance with James. We lose a slightly above average CB in Samuel and gain a slightly below average CB in James. I don't get this love affair with Samuel. Up until mid last season he was a great nickelback forced to be a mediocre starter.

People are judging James based on his play on a bad defense. The Bengals only had 35 sacks last year which is average. They had 12 INTs and James had a third of them with 4. James is an average CB playing on a bad defense. His forte is press coverage which I don't think the Bengals run that much, but Belichick loves.

The Pats defense is all about the fron't seven. We have won Super Bowls Otis Smith, Tyrone Poole, Troy Brown, and Earthwind Mooreland playing CB. Other than Ty Law in 2001 and 2003, we have never had great CBs.

I won't be thrilled if James is our starting CB next season, but I would be happy if he was on the team for depth. He is an average older player who could be another Roman Phifer or Bobby Hamilton as easily as being another Duane Starks.

 

[Rob0729]

Well, he should be mentioned in same breath with Antonio Langham, OTIS Smith, Terrell Buckley, Terrance Shaw, Duane Starks, Jeff Burris, Tom Knight, Eric Warfield to name a few.
He fits right in with the aging veterans we always sign a few of which work out as depth, more of which dont cut it.
He is what he is, and if you've seen much of him, you don't want him on the field much for the Pats. Like those guys, he will come in to compete for the 4th or 5th corner spot and could do better, but could do worse.

Or he could end up being mentioned in the same breath of Roman Phifer. Phifer was a bum when we signed him. The Jets laughed at us when we signed him because he was horrible with the Jets. He turned his career around with the Pats. Same with Bobby Hamilton.

James' skill set fits the Pats' scheme. Probably better than it did with the Bengals. He may have nothing left, but people are writing him off in hopes that we keep a guy who has been on IR the last two seasons and wasn't drafted two years earlier because of injury problems.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

What's with this negativity? Such would be expected if the Pats were planning on James replacing Samuel, but nothing could be further from the truth.

This is the type of low-risk, high-reward signing the Pats have thrived on. Nobody is asking James to come in and potentially replace Samuel as the leader of the defensive backfield. Hell, nobody is asking James to come in an inherit a starting spot. He won't get big money. There's no risk (unlike Starks, where a draft choice part of the payment).

James will come in as a durable veteran presence. I disagree with A.J. that he will be a back-end roster guy - which would essentially make him inactive every week. In fact, I see James, if signed, getting significant time in sub packages - possibly as more of a FS as some suggest. In many ways, he's on the same level as Chad Scott or Hawkins. A few years ago, he'd be clearly above them.

I also disagree with A.J. insofar as he's not starting caliber. It wouldn't be favorable, but it wouldn't be deplorable either to have Tory James as a starter. The chances of that, though, are slim. Asante or no Asante, the Pats willbe drafting a DB, probably in the 1st or 2nd (if they trade down). James will be in the mix with Scott, the pick (if Asante), and possibly Gay for those 3-5 spots on the depth chart at CB. Again, I'm not saying James will start or could start.

James shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Moreland, Spann, or Poteat. That's what matters.

Agreed, what the hell?

Is it really that bad we try and bring in a few vets? Chad Scott was considered done and dead yet he was a strong point in our defensive backfield last year. Mickens also jumped in and helped nickel and dime our backfield.

James is not a bad choice.