Wheatley

[HowardRoark]

I was impressed with his preseason play. But then again, it was only preseason and he needs to stay healthy...

 

[ALP]

u guys are so unhappy with the corners....keep this in mind:

well, i cant find the video, but it was the worst press attempt ever seen in the NFL, and it was by deltha to holmes

 

[Coach42]

I think he takes Whilite's slot corner position as soon as he comes back.

 

[pork3]

u guys are so unhappy with the corners....keep this in mind:

well, i cant find the video, but it was the worst press attempt ever seen in the NFL, and it was by deltha to holmes

Oh I remember that video. What a pathetic attempt at jamming the receiver, but quite hilarious.

And who can forget Fernando Bryant getting dragged into the endzone in that preseason game (2008?)

-Jamman

 

[Brarrell]

I think he takes Whilite's slot corner position as soon as he comes back.

Just maybe they should have kept the playmaker they had "Samuel" lets see they signed Delta O'Neil, Shawn Springs and Bodden, drafted Wheatley,Butler,Whilhite and this years #1 all basically to replace Samuel. He has damn near 20 interceptions since leaving us and a few take backs for td's. I guess just because you doesn't make one play in the superbowl "vindictiveness" this is what these type of decisions create. Hey Jonathon & Bob you really outsmarted yourself on this one. Make know mistake thats why Parcells left these guys are meddlers and we are now seeing the slow demise of a once great team. I just can't figure out why BB is putting up with this.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

From a coverage/playmaking standpoint, Samuel is a top 5 corner. His all around game is maybe top 10, but no lower than 15th. He wanted to be paid as the best guy in the NFL.

1) big time players make big time plays. Its not vindicative - thats what hes paid to do.

2) people have already beaten the "Samuel can't tackle issue to death." I don't need to get into that.

I'm not saying having Asante right now wouldn't instantly make this team better, which it would. He just wasn't worth all that $$. What if we resigned Samuel, and Wilfork walked?

On a side note, I think Samuel's play would have dipped after 2007 had he stayed. He's at his best with a pass rush that forces mistakes, which NE does no longer have.

 

[Brarrell]

From a coverage/playmaking standpoint, Samuel is a top 5 corner. His all around game is maybe top 10, but no lower than 15th. He wanted to be paid as the best guy in the NFL.

1) big time players make big time plays. Its not vindicative - thats what hes paid to do.

2) people have already beaten the "Samuel can't tackle issue to death." I don't need to get into that.

I'm not saying having Asante right now wouldn't instantly make this team better, which it would. He just wasn't worth all that $$. What if we resigned Samuel, and Wilfork walked?

On a side note, I think Samuel's play would have dipped after 2007 had he stayed. He's at his best with a pass rush that forces mistakes, which NE does no longer have.

Is Philly over the cap by signing Samuel the answer is no. Did it stop them from signing who they wanted to sign no! Are they top ten defense yes! By the way the starting corners for Philly Samuel and Hobbs. Check them out on the Red Zone.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

Is Philly over the cap by signing Samuel the answer is no. Did it stop them from signing who they wanted to sign no! Are they top ten defense yes! By the way the starting corners for Philly Samuel and Hobbs. Check them out on the Red Zone.

they lost Takeo Spikes and Jevon Kearse that offseason, and Brian Dawkins, Tra Thomas, Correll Buckhalter, and John Runyan the next one. Hobbs is starting because Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard are gone.

Other teams have problems too, you know

The irony is that the collective city of Philadelphia wants Asante's head

 

[PatsFaninME]

I don't understand why everyone gives up on players if they aren't stars in the first year or two of their career. Hell, Troy Brown was cut multiple times and spent the first 3 years of his career "on the bubble".

I think Wheatley can be a very good corner. I'n not saying he'll be Ty Law in his prime but he can certainly be a solid #2/#3 corner. I believe Coach Belichick made a comment in camp to the effect that he was showing improvement daily.

Have some faith in the ability of this coaching staff to "coach up" these kids.

 

[Off The Grid]

Who? This guy makes just about as much impact as Crable.

None.


Woodhead has made more of an impact for the Pats in 1 game than Wheatley has made his entire career.

While you are certainly 100% correct in all the above...I agree with the OP.

And I look forward to the return of Brother Terrence Wheatley, the Shawn Crable of Our Secondary.

 

[Off The Grid]

I think that Wheatley will help this team as soon as he's healthy. He looked real good in 08. Most corner's don't develop until their 3rd year in the league.

Words.

Of.

Wisdom.

"Power Run Revival"???

Oh, I LIKE this guy.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Wheatley will not last because of his delicate bone structure and the nasty playing surface at Gillette. It was a mistake for a turf team to draft Wheatley given his wrist injuries in college.

The new turf may be softer than the old but turf will always be harder on players than grass. Hopefully the surface is just enough better so he can make it through the season but I would be (pleasantly) surprised.

What I cannot understand is how the Patriots thought that CBs were commodity items that could obtained at fire-sale prices. They wrecked one season after another operating on this cheap-skate principle.

 

[Off The Grid]

He'll be fine. Seriously, I think that with him coming back, and the youth we have with their athleticism,, things will improve every week as the season chugs along.

This post has been flagged for Optimism Based on Reality, Cool Headed Judgment, and Historical Precedent.

 

[spacecrime]

Wheatley will not last because of his delicate bone structure and the nasty playing surface at Gillette. It was a mistake for a turf team to draft Wheatley given his wrist injuries in college.

Wheatley runs on his hands???????????????

 

[cmasspatsfan]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wheatley will not last because of his delicate bone structure and the nasty playing surface at Gillette. It was a mistake for a turf team to draft Wheatley given his wrist injuries in college.

The new turf may be softer than the old but turf will always be harder on players than grass. Hopefully the surface is just enough better so he can make it through the season but I would be (pleasantly) surprised.

What I cannot understand is how the Patriots thought that CBs were commodity items that could obtained at fire-sale prices. They wrecked one season after another operating on this cheap-skate principle.

What some of you guys dont understand is that theres a salary cap and the Patriots alllot X amount to a position. If they blow up X amount at one position then we'd have holes in another position, so instead of *****ing about our corners you'd be *****ing about our recievers or that we need a noseguard because they could'nt afford Wilfork.
Welcome to todays NFL with a salary cap, its hard to stay on top when your drafting at the bottom of rounds and your players want to get big money. Its ebb and flow and they've managed this team about as well as you can in todays NFL.

 

[sg14]

To me Wheatley and Butler are the small player, small cat quick CB's in the mold of Asante Samuel. To me they are all nicklebacks.

Was surprised that BB selected Butler the very next year. Was it because Wheatley was always injured? I can't see where Butler has anything much greater to offer over Wheatley, or vice-versa. Why does BB get multiple versions of these small guys?

Have hope for Wheatley and Butler.

Wheatley runs on his hands???????????????

 

[unoriginal]

Was surprised that BB selected Butler the very next year. Was it because Wheatley was always injured? I can't see where Butler has anything much greater to offer over Wheatley, or vice-versa. Why does BB get multiple versions of these small guys?

Belichick has stated/implied multiple times that Butler was selected solely because they were shocked he was still on the board in the second round. They had him graded much higher so they traded up to get both him and Brace back-to-back.

Butler's drafting and an offer from Philly then led to the spur-of-the-moment trade of Hobbs, because a player the Pats really liked, Ohrnberger, was still on the board in the 4th.

 

[UofApatsfan]

To me Wheatley and Butler are the small player, small cat quick CB's in the mold of Asante Samuel. To me they are all nicklebacks.

Was surprised that BB selected Butler the very next year. Was it because Wheatley was always injured? I can't see where Butler has anything much greater to offer over Wheatley, or vice-versa. Why does BB get multiple versions of these small guys?

Have hope for Wheatley and Butler.

You did kinda answer your own question by mentioning how often Wheatley is injured, but there's a lot to why BB is loading up on corners. The NFL is becoming more pass oriented every year and the role of the nickel and dime back is increasing every year, especially late in games when you want your best defenders out there. You're already starting to see other teams add as much depth in the secondary as possible, the Saints being the most noticeable example.

The theme prior to last year's superbowl lately has been teams, no matter how good/bad they normally are defensively, not being able to stop no huddle/2 minute offenses during key 4th quarter moments of important playoff games, situations where their nickle and dime back became every down players. Hate to bring it up, but after struggling all game, the Giants made a play through the air whenever they needed it in their game winning superbowl drive. Both the Cardinals and Steelers had go ahead touchdowns late in their superbowl, specifically Holmes caught a TD over two guys who were cut the very next season and had no business being on the field during the 4th quarter of a superbowl.

The Saints getting that pick 6 against the Colts bucked a huge trend of 2 minute defenses falling apart and giving up playoff game winning scores once the opposing offense started using spread formations. It's no coincidence the Saints are one of the deepest teams at corner. They had Malcolm Jenkins, a top 10 pick from the 09 draft as their dime corner in that game. Even in last year's draft they picked another corner in the 1st round, who at the time was 5th on the depth chart but moved up to dime back once Jenkins moved to free safety to fill in for Sharper. Maybe they aren't technically "starters", but in today's NFL the nickel and dime corner on each team is gonna see the field as much as a starter and is gonna be playing at the end of games when the other team is running its no huddle offense, so it makes perfect sense to be using early picks on nickel and dime backs.

 

[sbpatfan]

To me Wheatley and Butler are the small player, small cat quick CB's in the mold of Asante Samuel. To me they are all nicklebacks.

Was surprised that BB selected Butler the very next year. Was it because Wheatley was always injured? I can't see where Butler has anything much greater to offer over Wheatley, or vice-versa. Why does BB get multiple versions of these small guys?

Have hope for Wheatley and Butler.

The "small cornerback thing" is by far the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Revis is 5'11, the other cornerback in our divison who was being torched last year, Vontae Davis, is 5'11. He's doing great now. Butler is 5'10.

God damn, people act like a Nmandi Aso corner is common. He's a freak, the other corner his size has some serious flaws (Cromartie).

 

[MossWelkowski]

I'm so PO'ed at Wheatley.... Cut the damn guy... How do you get hurt first 2 years in the Pros... What a waste of a pick