The Art of Constructing the Pat's Final Roster 53: How well did BB do?

[Tom + Bill]

Bill did best job in NFL.

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

Here's how much Pats players are coveted:

"JasonLaCanfora Jason La Canfora
In all 12 teams - more than 1/3 of league - made claims on Pats players, with CIN, NYJ, IND and TB placing claims on multiple Pats ..." Twitter

Also:
"Pats had 5 players claimed on waivers Sun, by far most in NFL, with 16 total claims made on those players - more than 3/player"

The ultimate flatery is to imitate the Pats.

 

[TheSolderKing]

I'm sure the LS will be fine. We must get Crump back so it can be a 5/5

 

[The Gr8est]

First, let's admit the Pats squad of 90 or 80 was loaded with talent -- so much so that other teams scouts were in attendance at Pats preseason games in record numbers.

Second, one never begrudges players cut who are snapped up by other teams.

So we wake up today to a situation where Yeatman is with Miami, Smith with the Bills, Cohen is in Seattle, Austin in Houston, Maneri is waived and will certainly be claimed as was LeVoir by the Ravens and so on and on. Notice, I do NOT include those BB wanted gone from the Pats like Merriweather, Sanders and Tate, who all found new homes. I am focusing on the younger developmental talent with high ceilings (and relatively inexpensive) who are lost to the Pats and will be making their contributions elsewhere.

Surely, we all know BB wanted Smith or Yeatman to make it to the practice squad -- but they did NOT. Crumpler may be available for this year (who knows if his shoulder has healed) -- but he is not the longer term answer. Losing Maneri or LeVoir will hurt if Light or Solder or another OL-men get nicked. When that happens, BB will be scouring the wires for a veteran in shape to come in and play.

All this leads me to the following question about BB roster construction. Why not cut Anderson (pass rush specialist) who will be a FA -- and could likely be signed again, perhaps after week one. Why keep Ihedigbo or Molden who were available before and might be available later. Why not try to retain those who are likely to be lost to other teams.

I am not sure there is a right answer. And certainly we do not have access to the evaluation of players that BB and his coaches have. But as a matter of strategic choice, it would be instructive to learn how the tradeoffs are made -- and if BB has any regrets the morning after.

I really hated seeing Manieri cut and hope that we are able to keep him some how. Only three OTs doesn't make me very comfortable. It goes to show how valuable Marcus Cannon will be when he's healthy as he can play OT if needed.

 

[Bonzo]

1. First off, let's wait and see how this roster looks next Monday.

2. Actually, let's wait until after the game next Monday before weighing in with judgments on BB's decisions.

 

[patsfaninpa]

We also don't know how injuries factored in. Did Bodden/Arrington's injuries force us to keep an extra db. Might have cost Yeatman a spot. Did injury to Wendell cost Maneri? Spikes injury help Tarpinian. We will never know.

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

Here is a complete take on Pats cuts claimed or rather gobbled up by others:

"Here’s a look at each of the players and the claims:

Thomas Austin, G: Claimed by Bengals, Texans, Colts and Rams. Awarded to Texans.
Leonard Cohen, DT: Claimed by and awarded to the Seahawks.
Lee Smith, TE: Claimed by Bills, Saints, Jets, 49ers and Bucs. Awarded to the Bills.
Brandon Tate, WR: Claimed by Cardinals, Bengals and Jets. Awarded to the Bengals.
Will Yeatman, TE: Claimed by Colts, Dolphins and Bucs. Awarded to the Dolphins."

This courtesy of La Canfora: NFL.com Blogs » Blog Archive Power of the Pats: Waived players draw 16 claims «

Don't know whether to laugh or weep.

 

[mgteich]

1) Personally, I have no use for Ihedigbo or Tarp. However, they could contribute as STer's while they're here.
2) We need Crumpler or another veteran blocking TE. Belichick judged that Yeatman and Smith weren't ready to contribute. I have no reason to doubt that judgement. Belichick made the same judgement regarding Maneri.
3) The final roster is not the final roster. We have already signed an upgrade at OG and LS. We should upgrade another position or two before Game 2.
===============================================
MY BOTTOM LINE
A) We shorted the offense by 2 positions and gave the roster spots to Ihedigbo and Tarp.
B) We need a 3rd TE and a 4th OT. I'd settle for 5th RB instead of the OT, since Cannon will be available as the 4th OT after the 6th game.
C) Personally, I would sign a vet safety and cut Molden, but I can understand keeping Molden if Belichick thinks that both Barrett and Brown are ready for prime time.

 

[Urgent]

I have to assume some of these hard choices were forced by injuries.

Six corners, rather than a third tight end? Arrington left the last pre-season game limping badly, and Bodden hasn't played in a while. If both were healthy, I have a hard time seeing Bolden as more valuable than Yeatman or Smith.

Dropping an emerging, athletic tackle for a 34-year old guard? Injuries to Connolly, Ohrnberger, and Wendell seem to have forced this trade-off as well.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

I have to assume some of these hard choices were forced by injuries.

Six corners, rather than a third tight end? Arrington left the last pre-season game limping badly, and Bodden hasn't played in a while. If both were healthy, I have a hard time seeing Bolden as more valuable than Yeatman or Smith.

Dropping an emerging, athletic tackle for a 34-year old guard? Injuries to Connolly, Ohrnberger, and Wendell seem to have forced this trade-off as well.

I think they did a good job on 51 spots, I would have kept Maneri and one of the TE'S whether it be Crumpler, Yeatman or Smith. 27 defense vs. 23 Offense and lots of Special Teamers. I don't think Maneri was or had to be cut for Waters when you had Anderson as 5th DE, Butler or Molden as 6th CB both Tracy White and Tarpinian at LB/ST and Ihedigbo as the 11th DB.

 

[mgteich]

I like 50 of our 53 man roster.

I EXCLUDE
Tarp (some might exclude White instead)
Molden
Ihedigbo

How many of you agree?

I understand that we have different opinions on whome we might have kept. This is where the binky factor comes in. Posters often overvalue players, especially inexperienced ones.
This time there are GM's who agree with the posters that several of our youngsters are ready for a 53-man squad, just not ours, 6 by last count, plus the vets (Page, Levoir, Tate, Meriweather and Sanders.

Apparently, for now, Belichick thinks the best use of these roster spots of for special teamers. That is in addition to SLATER and WHITE, our returning veteran special teams leaders. We all thought that 2 was about the right number for this category; Belichick thinks 5.

I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS MUCH
I think that we will make 1-3 more acquisitions before Game 2.

 

[JetFan1]

First, let's admit the Pats squad of 90 or 80 was loaded with talent -- so much so that other teams scouts were in attendance at Pats preseason games in record numbers..

Wow, you guys are really buying into this spin?

We are talking about bottom of the roster players, ST players, in one case, Meriweather, a starter, some teams will have an interest. Just the same that when a team likes the Jets doesn't resign a player in FA, like Edwards, Brad Smith, Jericho Cotchery, all teams have talent and bottom of the roster talent that appeal to other teams.

Other players from OTHER teams were released and claimed yesterday, it wasn't a Patriot only garage sale.

Why do fans insist on spinning this to make themselves feel better about the team?

What is really funny is the statement that the team when it was at 90 players, was a loaded team, now that the team has cut back to 53, isn't as talented. What kind of logic is this? The Pats went out and signed a bunch of 34+ year old veterans to fill big holes on the team, that isn't saying much about their talent or their depth, especially when they are releasing so many of the players they drafted in recent years.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

Wow, you guys are really buying into this spin?

We are talking about bottom of the roster players, ST players, in one case, Meriweather, a starter, some teams will have an interest. Just the same that when a team likes the Jets doesn't resign a player in FA, like Edwards, Brad Smith, Jericho Cotchery, all teams have talent and bottom of the roster talent that appeal to other teams.

Other players from OTHER teams were released and claimed yesterday, it wasn't a Patriot only garage sale.

Why do fans insist on spinning this to make themselves feel better about the team?

What is really funny is the statement that the team when it was at 90 players, was a loaded team, now that the team has cut back to 53, isn't as talented. What kind of logic is this? The Pats went out and signed a bunch of 34+ year old veterans to fill big holes on the team, that isn't saying much about their talent or their depth, especially when they are releasing so many of the players they drafted in recent years.

It's true that it wasn't just Pats players getting claimed but with now 6 players picked up on waivers, with close to 20 waiver claims put in for those players, no other team comes remotely close to that number. I think it does say something to the depth if that many players that didn't make this team are thought so highly of.

 

[JetFan1]

It's true that it wasn't just Pats players getting claimed but with now 6 players picked up on waivers, with close to 20 waiver claims put in for those players, no other team comes remotely close to that number. I think it does say something to the depth if that many players that didn't make this team are thought so highly of.

If it says something for their depth, why are the Pats going out and picking up guys off of the retirement in waiting scrap heap?

I mean, I get it that the Pats may have had a couple of players that interest teams, Meriweather being the biggest player because he was a starter.

It's no different than the Jets looking at Maybin, or the Pats signing Ellis, and to an extent Ihedigbo.

But I don't get the dramatization about how the Pats had x number of players claimed by other teams so that means the Pats had a lot of depth...

 

[cmasspatsfan]

If it says something for their depth, why are the Pats going out and picking up guys off of the retirement in waiting scrap heap?

I mean, I get it that the Pats may have had a couple of players that interest teams, Meriweather being the biggest player because he was a starter.

It's no different than the Jets looking at Maybin, or the Pats signing Ellis, and to an extent Ihedigbo.

But I don't get the dramatization about how the Pats had x number of players claimed by other teams so that means the Pats had a lot of depth...

Because you can only keep so many players at certain positions and there were a couple positions where we didnt have depth becaue of injuries.

 

[supafly]

I like 50 of our 53 man roster.

I EXCLUDE
Tarp (some might exclude White instead)
Molden
Ihedigbo

How many of you agree?

I understand that we have different opinions on whome we might have kept. This is where the binky factor comes in. Posters often overvalue players, especially inexperienced ones.
This time there are GM's who agree with the posters that several of our youngsters are ready for a 53-man squad, just not ours, 6 by last count, plus the vets (Page, Levoir, Tate, Meriweather and Sanders.

Apparently, for now, Belichick thinks the best use of these roster spots of for special teamers. That is in addition to SLATER and WHITE, our returning veteran special teams leaders. We all thought that 2 was about the right number for this category; Belichick thinks 5.

I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS MUCH
I think that we will make 1-3 more acquisitions before Game 2.

Yes mg, I for one was sure that this was a good year for one less spot at the ST-only positions. Like you said, most thought that about 2-3 was a good number. However, I was certainly wrong, as Belichick has about 2x that amount (at least right now anyway). I do expect that to change a bit, as you stated.

At least I can take some pleasure in knowing that many felt this way, and I was not the only one.

I would also agree with your 3 exclusions too, whether or not it's Tarpinian or White as the popular consensus remains to be seen, but I did not expect both. As you said, 1-3 roster changes to this 53 should take effect within the next 7-10 days.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

If it says something for their depth, why are the Pats going out and picking up guys off of the retirement in waiting scrap heap?

I mean, I get it that the Pats may have had a couple of players that interest teams, Meriweather being the biggest player because he was a starter.

It's no different than the Jets looking at Maybin, or the Pats signing Ellis, and to an extent Ihedigbo.

But I don't get the dramatization about how the Pats had x number of players claimed by other teams so that means the Pats had a lot of depth...

You must feel the same way about your receiving corps, 37 year old Mason and 34 year old Burress who hasn't played since 08, your 40 year old backup QB and Lady Tomlinson.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

If it says something for their depth, why are the Pats going out and picking up guys off of the retirement in waiting scrap heap?

I mean, I get it that the Pats may have had a couple of players that interest teams, Meriweather being the biggest player because he was a starter.

It's no different than the Jets looking at Maybin, or the Pats signing Ellis, and to an extent Ihedigbo.

But I don't get the dramatization about how the Pats had x number of players claimed by other teams so that means the Pats had a lot of depth...

How does it not mean the Pats have a lot of depth? Unless BB wiffed and every player that has been signed outright or claimed on waivers should have been kept, how does it not say something to the depth we have if they didn't make the team?

The Pats signing Ellis weeks ago isn't the same as a team cutting a player they felt good enough about to put on their 53 man roster so they could make room for a former Patriot. That happening 6 times now, not counting the signings of Meriweather, Wilhite and Ricky Brown, isn't some magical fluke that has nothing to do with the talent on our roster.

That depth doesn't guarantee us a single thing. However, it isn't something to be overlooked.

 

[JetFan1]

Because you can only keep so many players at certain positions and there were a couple positions where we didnt have depth becaue of injuries.

No kidding, but all teams go through this.

Pats fans can't sing a song and dance about how deep their roster because they are releasing a couple of players other teams put in claims for when many teams throughout the league are doing this, and then watch the same Patriot team bring in older veterans to revamp your DL and OL's, and now the middle of your secondary? That is all I'm saying.

 

[supafly]

If it says something for their depth, why are the Pats going out and picking up guys off of the retirement in waiting scrap heap?

I mean, I get it that the Pats may have had a couple of players that interest teams, Meriweather being the biggest player because he was a starter.

It's no different than the Jets looking at Maybin, or the Pats signing Ellis, and to an extent Ihedigbo.

But I don't get the dramatization about how the Pats had x number of players claimed by other teams so that means the Pats had a lot of depth...

The retirement in waiting scrap heap?

Ellis was one of your better defenders last yr. Andre Carter has been solid in Washington. Haynesworth was the premiere free agent 2 yrs ago, and was had for the trade relation of a bucket of KFC. Who's retiring?

It's all about the value dude, and these guys provide decent reward for very little risk. As you saw last yr, there were just too many 1st/2nd yr players on defense, so I see nothing wrong with blending in more proven vets that have been solid in other areas.

You act like they're a bunch of no-names. They instantly provide good value and depth on the defensive front 7.