UDFA's that have signed

[Jimke]

UDFA
QB Brian Hoyer, Michigan State - Reportedly he has bad mechanics and makes questionable decisions, his best bet is to progress enough to earn a shot on the Practice Squad.
LB Antonio Appleby, Virginia - I saw him in one Virginia game and one All-Star game, while he has size and athleticism, he always looked to be having trouble finding the ball.
SS Marcus McClinton, Kentucky - He has a very good chance of finding a slot on the Practice Squad.
CB Jamar Love, Arkansas - He has a very good chance of finding a slot on the Practice Squad.

Tryouts
OL Jermail Porter, Kent State (K.S.U. Wrestler) - This will determine if he gets an invite to Training Camp. If he gets that far, he'll be cut at the end of camp. Neal wasn't immediately signed to the Practice Squad for NE after his first Training Camp, a week after cutdown he was signed by the Eagles to their Practice Squad, he spent most of 2001 on the Eagles Squad before NE signed him to the 53 off the Eagles Squad in December. Neal made the roster the next season. This is just step one of a long process.
P Aaron Perez, UCLA - Malone has been brought back at least twice, Hanson gets panned for his season last year, but it appears he did the job he was asked to do, so this kid has to look better than one of these two just to get invited to camp.
RB/WR Josh Allen, Troy - He is being brought back after an injury last year cost him his tryout, he's showing them something to make them interested.

Is this a complete list?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Is this a complete list?

That's all I've found to date. There were other kids who declined the Pats offer and went elsewhere. I suspect 12 draftees may have given the impression that it would be harder for a UDFA to make this team.

 

[Jimke]

That's all I've found to date. There were other kids who declined the Pats offer and went elsewhere. I suspect 12 draftees may have given the impression that it would be harder for a UDFA to make this team.

Kind of slim pickings. If you brimg in so few players, I would

have though they could do better than Allen and Porter.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Kind of slim pickings. If you brimg in so few players, I would

have though they could do better than Allen and Porter.

Porter is a 6'8" 300+ All American wrestler who is coming in for a "tryout." I'm hardpressed to see anything wrong with trying out a great athlete for a few days? Allen was in camp with NE and broke his foot. They must have liked something he did because they brought him back once, but it was too soon, now they're taking yet another look at him. It's a tryout, what can it hurt?

 

[Jimke]

Porter is a 6'8" 300+ All American wrestler who is coming in for a "tryout." I'm hardpressed to see anything wrong with trying out a great athlete for a few days? Allen was in camp with NE and broke his foot. They must have liked something he did because they brought him back once, but it was too soon, now they're taking yet another look at him. It's a tryout, what can it hurt?

Why not bring in sufficient players on a tryout basis to have a

couple of good workouts?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

That's all I've found to date. There were other kids who declined the Pats offer and went elsewhere. I suspect 12 draftees may have given the impression that it would be harder for a UDFA to make this team.

Any notable turn downs (e.g., the "people who should have been drafted, but weren't")?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Why not bring in sufficient players on a tryout basis to have a

couple of good workouts?

What makes you think they aren't? We only get to know who is in for a tryout if their hometown news puts out a report on the interweb that Google can find. I imagine they have at least 20 bodies in for rookie camp.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Any notable turn downs (e.g., the "people who should have been drafted, but weren't")?

I'd have to run Google and scan through several days of news to locate those items again. I know Deleston of UConn turned them down for I believe Chicago. I also think Malast of Rutgers turned them down and went elsewhere. Both would have been core STs guys.

 

[mmasterkillah]

We need Toal to replace Heath at FB.

 

[dryheat44]

We need Toal to replace Heath at FB.

That's probably not too likely. I imagine that if we were to replace a fullback, we'd sign somebody who actually played fullback. Or at least a large college halfback, like Ferguson or Donaldson.

More likely, Sammy Morris will pick up Evans' role or a vet will be signed. I can't imagine BB entrusting all that Heath did to a rookie UFA who didn't play the position in college.

 

[Mark Morse]

I can't imagine BB entrusting all that Heath did to a rookie UFA who didn't play the position in college.

On short yardage, Toal was a TD machine at BC. I grant you he was never aslked to block, but I could see Toal playing a role similar to Larry Izzo/Heath Evans on ST's and have the ability to actually play LB and FB too!

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I agree that Brian Toal should be given a tryout, unless there is some sort of red flag we do not know of. He was a productive college player, and could be a very good special teamer. I am surprised to see he has not been signed by anyone yet, unless he is waiting and sorting through the offers of 2 or 3 teams.

 

[Pats726]

What about if..when he clears waivers?

He can be resigned to the original team to the PSquad. The rule that was stated was that ONCE ON the PSQuad a player who is claimed from there has to go to the 53...and stay 3 weeks.

 

[Pats726]

UDFA
QB Brian Hoyer, Michigan State - Reportedly he has bad mechanics and makes questionable decisions, his best bet is to progress enough to earn a shot on the Practice Squad.
LB Antonio Appleby, Virginia - I saw him in one Virginia game and one All-Star game, while he has size and athleticism, he always looked to be having trouble finding the ball.
SS Marcus McClinton, Kentucky - He has a very good chance of finding a slot on the Practice Squad.
CB Jamar Love, Arkansas - He has a very good chance of finding a slot on the Practice Squad.

Tryouts
OL Jermail Porter, Kent State (K.S.U. Wrestler) - This will determine if he gets an invite to Training Camp. If he gets that far, he'll be cut at the end of camp. Neal wasn't immediately signed to the Practice Squad for NE after his first Training Camp, a week after cutdown he was signed by the Eagles to their Practice Squad, he spent most of 2001 on the Eagles Squad before NE signed him to the 53 off the Eagles Squad in December. Neal made the roster the next season. This is just step one of a long process.
P Aaron Perez, UCLA - Malone has been brought back at least twice, Hanson gets panned for his season last year, but it appears he did the job he was asked to do, so this kid has to look better than one of these two just to get invited to camp.
RB/WR Josh Allen, Troy - He is being brought back after an injury last year cost him his tryout, he's showing them something to make them interested.

Looking more like Porter is a signing ore than a tryout.....I wonder if they will have more in for tryouts....besides Perez and Allen...???

 

[efin98]

Looking more like Porter is a signing ore than a tryout.....I wonder if they will have more in for tryouts....besides Perez and Allen...???

But keep in mind that just because they come in for try outs and sign and look great on film they will keep them for more than the weekend or even a week...

There was great anticipation last year over UDFA punter Mike Dragosavich which was just a one month of tease before he was released...

 

[Pats726]

But keep in mind that just because they come in for try outs and sign and look great on film they will keep them for more than the weekend or even a week...

There was great anticipation last year over UDFA punter Mike Dragosavich which was just a one month of tease before he was released...

That has always been the case...nothing new with what you said...the one difference is that this year...they seem to have ample room for players...while last year an dother years the 80 limit was close...Now, even with the 12..they are 82...so that is not bad at all. They will have some in and out and will have the nest 80 in for real camp.

 

[dryheat44]

On short yardage, Toal was a TD machine at BC. I grant you he was never aslked to block, but I could see Toal playing a role similar to Larry Izzo/Heath Evans on ST's and have the ability to actually play LB and FB too!

The problem isn't short-area running. Heath's primary contributions were blocking and catching, neither of which I've seen Toal do. I mean, I have no problem bringing him in to try out for a ST slot, but he's not replacing Heath Evans on the roster.

 

[MetalBleachers]

The problem isn't short-area running. Heath's primary contributions were blocking and catching, neither of which I've seen Toal do. I mean, I have no problem bringing him in to try out for a ST slot, but he's not replacing Heath Evans on the roster.

I do think the Pats will consider a free agent fullback just to get a bigger body in there to take some hits. I was a big fan of Toal, but he's gotten hurt more than Bruce Willis in the Die Hard movies. While I admire his tenacity, what could he have left?

 

[MetalBleachers]

P.S. Evans had 24 catches in four years, so saying he's a pass-catcher out of the backfield is misleading. Also, didn't really become a solid blocker until just this past year, IMHO.

I love what he did for the team, but let's not call him irreplaceable.

 

[DaBruinz]

Denver just let Andrew Pinnock go. Pinnock was the back-up FB on the Chargers for a bit. Until they drafted Hester last year and was released. He'd be a good pick-up if the Pats wanted to go with a traditional FB. However, I don't think that's going to happen.