What's the Deal with QB Bramlett ?

[VJCPatriot]

BB will keep 4 QBs if he feels the value is there. It's too soon to say whether Bramlett can do anything yet just based off 2 days of rookie minicamp. But I get the sense that BB wants to continue to "work with" Bramlett. Whether Bramlett sticks depends on how well he does with the offseason program and then whether he responds during the big tryout known as training camp.

 

[flutie2phelan]

BTW, if you're looking for a parallel between Bramlett and Cassell, consider that they're really Bramlet and Cassel.

-patchickk

Patchickk, you've just outed yourself ... so you're a QUARTERBACK !
(Or is it "outted"?)

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

When it comes to backup QBs a contender's backup QB should pass the "Earl Morral" test. Is he good enough to do his job and let the talent on the Team win? if yes, he's a qualified backup.

If not, fire him and sign someone else who is...

I remember that Colts team back in the early 60's (1965). First Unitas went down.

Not a problem. 2nd string Gary Cuozzo answers the call, and they keep on winning. But then Cuozzo goes down.

What do they do now?

Halfback Tom Matte becomes QB. Life becomes more difficult, and in the end, the great team falters, and doesn't win the championship.

That was an extraordinary chain of events, and I don't know if any team before or after went through something like that.

Sometimes, the best laid plans of mice and men....

 

[spacecrime]

I remember that Colts team back in the early 60's (1965). First Unitas went down.

Not a problem. 2nd string Gary Cuozzo answers the call, and they keep on winning. But then Cuozzo goes down.

What do they do now?

Halfback Tom Matte becomes QB. Life becomes more difficult, and in the end, the great team falters, and doesn't win the championship.

That was an extraordinary chain of events, and I don't know if any team before or after went through something like that.

Sometimes, the best laid plans of mice and men....

Luckily, these days there are many more QBs in FA than there used to be.

Teams have lost two QBs in one game.

Jets once beat us with Tom Tupa playing QB.

 

[mgteich]

For the Patriots, the NFLE is a requirement of doing business. We don't use the NFLE to develop players. We'd rather them be at home with the playbook, talking to team mates, and participating in the various opportunities to learn.

Obviously, we should have traded Davey the day he finished int eh NFLE. Many here said that.

For me, the NFLE isn't at the quality of the Arena League, certainly not at the quality of college football. And being around town, and participating in minicamp and training camp, is much more important than working out with scrubs in Europe.

Well, I'm not sure how the Patriots view NFLE as a developmental opportunity for QB's.

It's critical that the QB, above all, is intimately familiar with the offensive system, and understands defensive coverages he is likely to see. The Pats may well believe that the QB has a better chance of developing in the offseason program, with film and drills and study, than in an entirely different system.

Also, the value of good NFLE performance must be in question after Rohan Davey tore up the league a few winters back, but couldn't fit into the Pats system. In Europe, he was flinging the ball on roll-outs over the NFLE DB's. That just didn't work as well in the NFL, and he seemed to have a harder time picking up the Pats quick-decision system than the NFLE game.

 

[14thDragon]

Let's face it - if the Pats lose Brady for any extended time, they are probably toast anyway.

Depends on what you consider an extened period of time. If we lost brady say for 10-12 games, yeah I could see the season ending earlier then we would like. If we are talking 4-6 games, then I think with Cassel, we could win about half of them and still be heading into the play-offs. Especially given we are in the AFC east.

The only situation I would be nervous with Cassel coming in, (if Tom goes down for more than half the season I wouldn't be nervous, I would be looking at college games getting ready for next years draft), would be with five min to go and a three point deficit. He simply does not have the pressure cooker experience to get into rythm that fast. I would like a veteran for that situation, but then again, I'm not sure I want to waste a roster spot for just that situation. I will have to trust BB, like it is all that hard, on the value of a veteran QB for such an event.

IMHO, the current patriots philosohpy on quarterbacks is unchaged from when Tom was drafted. Take riskes on guys that can fit your line of thinking and then see how they perform. I think Davey was brought in do to the Saban connection and he did not do well in our offensive system. But strings of 6th and 7th round selections as well as UDFA allow you to find a couple of good developmental players.

Bramlet, IIRC, said himself that he turned down offers from the Colt and the Broncos based on the fact that he has seen that the Patriots do a great job at developing talent. He esentially said he would rather be the PS quarterback for the pats then the 3rd or 4th quarterback anywhere else.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

For the Patriots, the NFLE is a requirement of doing business. We don't use the NFLE to develop players. We'd rather them be at home with the playbook, talking to team mates, and participating in the various opportunities to learn.

Obviously, we should have traded Davey the day he finished int eh NFLE. Many here said that.

For me, the NFLE isn't at the quality of the Arena League, certainly not at the quality of college football. And being around town, and participating in minicamp and training camp, is much more important than working out with scrubs in Europe.

Agreed. Just to add...

BB likes having as many extra bodies at TC as he can get and NFLE has roster exemptions that allow this. Moreover, BB won't cut the NFLE guys during the first round of required roster reductions in order to continue using extras for the final 2 preseason games. Without these exemptions, there would be no practical use for NFLE.

BTW, why do we need 3 QBs? Use Brady and Cassel and have a QB (Bramlet?) on the PS.

 

[spacecrime]

BTW, why do we need 3 QBs? Use Brady and Cassel and have a QB (Bramlet?) on the PS.

Because if a guy is on the practicce squad, we don't "have" him. He is basically a free agent getting paid to practice with us. As soon as another team thinks he is any good, better than their 53rd player, he is gone. Remeber stashing RB Cory Chapman on the practice squad last year? How did that work out when we needed a RB last in the season?

That is why even Kliff Kingsbury went on IR for the year rather than the PS.

We tried to shift Eckel onto the practice squad last year.

It is much easier for the Cards, Lions, etc to keep their players on the practice squad. The problem is that the Pats have too much talent at the low end of the roster, and the Pats have drafted too well lately. Even if a team is unsure, they know that the Pats think he is good and therefore he might be better than they were led to believe.

The practice squad is very helpful, but you have to cut a player and put him on waivers before signing him to the squad. It is best if you are okay with losing him forever. If you are okay with that, like the the lower tier OL we have been putting there, and some of the marginal DBs, then great. But not your third QB option, if that is how you are looking at him.