Schobel will be released today: Per Schefter

[QuickOutGo]

Reiss seemed to think we could fit him in in this post:
Schobel situation worthy of attention - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

...and as of a few minutes ago, Reiss posts that BB isn't showing any interest:
Belichick doesn't play along on Schobel - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston


So is this BB's poker face or is he really not interested given the potential and current assumed lack of pass rush?

I didn't read it as a lack of interest at all. Belichick has always shied away from commenting on acquiring players under contract. There's really nothing good that can come from it. When Schobel's released I will shocked if he doesn't at least contact him, but until then there's really nothing he can say publicly.

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

In Bill we trust!

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

He wont be in a Pats uniform..but i would love to see him here

 

[Christopher Patriot]

It be a great move but being a family man myself, Houston seems like the ideal situation.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Easy solution: The Texans sign Schobel, subsequently cut Barwin and we pickup Barwin

Hmmm, I like the way you think.

 

[Deus Irae]

Reiss seemed to think we could fit him in in this post:
Schobel situation worthy of attention - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

...and as of a few minutes ago, Reiss posts that BB isn't showing any interest:
Belichick doesn't play along on Schobel - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston


So is this BB's poker face or is he really not interested given the potential and current assumed lack of pass rush?

Belichick will have no public interest until the guy gets cut.

 

[signbabybrady]

I didn't read it as a lack of interest at all. Belichick has always shied away from commenting on acquiring players under contract. There's really nothing good that can come from it. When Schobel's released I will shocked if he doesn't at least contact him, but until then there's really nothing he can say publicly.

Yup that is how I read it too.

I heard he was upset about the Bills switch to 3-4 so he might not want to come here? Though a pass rush role with no or little LB responsibilties might be different than what Buffallo wanted out of him.

I would expect we kick the tires and it might come down to playing near home vs playing for a SB contender. Though with the preception of Patriot Demise and the Texans being a playoff contender there might not be enough of a difference.

As long as he leaves the division that is a good start. Obviously he would seem like a nice upgrade to our pass rush. If he goes to the Texans hopefully he gives fits to Goober the same as he did Tom and Light.

 

[signbabybrady]

Just my opinion but why would he want to continue to freeze his ass off playing in Foxboro when he can be near his home and play, and live, in better weather in Houston.. And of course, the Texans are an up and coming team with a legit shot at post season play.

My answer to that would be he can play on a SB contender or he can play on a Playoff contender. Not saying this is the wat it will go down just a reason to play in the cold instead of at home.

Problem is the perception is that we are not a SB contender and might even barely be a playoff contender IMO the perception couldn't be more wrong but it could leave us without Schobel.

From everything we have heard Houstan seems the most logical but maybe we offer more money (yet another reason to come to NE instead of HOU).

 

[R_T26]

If BB gave up a 3 and a 5 fpr Burgess last year coming off a 3 sack season. I would be stunned if he doesn't try to get Schobel.

 

[spacecrime]

They simply could have traded him to the Texans for at least a 7th.

Are you saying the Texans offered a 7th and the Bills refused it, and opted to cut him? I don't think so. I agree it is dumb but you are picking on the wrong team. The Texans needed to make the call and offer a 7th. My guess is that the Bills shopped him around and got no bites.

The problem with saying the Bills could have traded them is that it implies it only takes one team to trade. Before you trade for a pick, you need someone to offer a pick for your guy.

The Pats were highly criticized for just letting AD go. They should have gotten a pick for him. Monstrous stupidity on the part of the Pats to cut him when they could simply have traded him for at least a 7th. As it turns out, not only were no teams wanting to give up a conditional 7th for the guy, no one wanted him for nothing.

Wouldn't you have given up at least a 7th to get him here as a 4-3 rush specialist?

I would. I would give up a 5th, maybe a 4th, but the Texans did not. If the Texans wanted him for a 7th, they would have made the call. They didn't. That was my point.

It takes two to trade. I would have done it. The Texans (if they even want him) figure they can get him a lot cheaper simply by waiting until he is cut. How is that the Bills fault? That is my point.

 

[tombonneau]

Makes too much sense for it to happen. But he does seem like the classic twilight-of-their-career player that BB cobbled together a SB defense with back in the day.

 

[Marqui]

Connor Barwin? Really?

The obsession continues ....

I thought the exact same thing :/

 

[Kontradiction]

Connor Barwin? Really?

The obsession continues ....

Yeah, I know. I never got what the huge deal was with Barwin. He's a physical freak and a workout warrior that could someday turn into something solid but, as of right now, hasn't shown me anything that would make me want him on the Pats.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yeah, I know. I never got what the huge deal was with Barwin. He's a physical freak and a workout warrior that could someday turn into something solid but, as of right now, hasn't shown me anything that would make me want him on the Pats.

3.5 sacks as a rookie isn't bad. Worthy of a 1st round pick? Perhaps not.

He get between 6-10 this year, we'd all take that in a heartbeat. That's worthy of 1st round status IMO.

 

[QB12]

98.5, citing ESPN, just reported that the Bills have released Schobel, then played the clip asking earlier this morning about BB's interest in Schobel.

 

[lostjumper]

Eh, you never know. He could be the missing pass rusher on the other side of Mario Williams that puts all the pieces together for the Texans on defense. They were pretty decent last year and it wouldn't surprise me to see them sneak in as a Wild Card team this year, especially being in the same division as the Tits and the Jaguars. With him, they could have a defense to match that offense (should Schaub stay healthy).

Was it really necessary to truncate Titans?

Anyways, I don't see schobel coming here. Why would he want to? You realize that he refused to show up to the Bills camp because they are transitioning to a 3-4 defense right? Why would he come to another 3-4 team when he can go play for a team near his home playing opposite Williams where he'll almost never get double teamed. Hey, if he can get 3-4 sacks on Manning this year, it works for me!

 

[StevePatsFan]

Was it really necessary to truncate Titans?

Anyways, I don't see schobel coming here. Why would he want to? You realize that he refused to show up to the Bills camp because they are transitioning to a 3-4 defense right? Why would he come to another 3-4 team when he can go play for a team near his home playing opposite Williams where he'll almost never get double teamed. Hey, if he can get 3-4 sacks on Manning this year, it works for me!

I think a chance to win could entice him, unfortunately i don't think we can pay him what other teams can...

 

[Deus Irae]

Why would he come to another 3-4 team when he can go play for a team near his home playing opposite Williams where he'll almost never get double teamed.

Because NE plays multiple fronts and does a lot of nickel/dime lineups. Burgess came to the Patriots at the very last minute and was absolutely useless as a "true" 3-4 OLB last season, yet he still had over 500 snaps because they used him in other ways.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think a chance to win could entice him, unfortunately i don't think we can pay him what other teams can...

Really don't understand why people are so hung up on a Pats being a pure 3-4 team.

They aren't. Not anymore at least.

 

[Deus Irae]

Update:

It's done. Schobel's been released:

The nine-year relationship between the Bills and Aaron Schobel has officially come to an end. Though the team announced on Monday that they were moving forward without him on their roster, the plan was to keep him on the Reserve/Did Not Report list until he made a decision about his playing future. That plan changed on Wednesday as the team outright released him.

Bills release Schobel

"If he chooses to retire, he will do so as a Buffalo Bill," Nix said. "But this move allows him the opportunity to play somewhere else if so chooses and we felt that was a fair thing to do for a guy who has played hard for us the past nine seasons. I enjoyed a good conversation with Aaron after we turned the transaction into the league and he still has not decided what he wants to do.

Bills release Aaron Schobel | National Football Post