Which BIG NAMES don't make the cut???

[tombonneau]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Ron Brace is our backup nose tackle. When he played, he did OK. Who else do you think is ahead of Brace in the depth chart at NT? Who would you want to start if Wilfork is injured. Brace did NOT have an unusual year for a rookie defensive lineman. He is a top pick who played OK and has no one ahead of him at his position.

Nothing against the guy. But I wouldn't say he played OK last year. He played just enough for the team to remove him from the field just about every time they risked putting him out there.

And just because Brace is a big, doesn't mean he'd just be plugged in at NT in the 3-4 if VW was hurt. If he isn't ready, it's more likely the team would play more 4-3.

Thus my point is if Brace's only position is VW's backup and he doesn't seem to progressing much, the team might opt to keep a more versatile lineman like Deaderick or Lewis than using up a spot for Brace who could only backup VW and might be a liability if he had to do that.

Again, 100% speculation that is predicated on Brace not making much progress from last year. My hope is he busts through the rookie wall and contributes, mostly as inside next to VW on short-yardage 4-3 formations.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Ryan Claridge got hurt and put on Ir - then went HOME to rehab.

His brother - an NFL player (Falcons?) committed suicide. Ryan quit football before training camp of his 2nd season began.

He wasn't cut.

 

[GoWhalers]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Ryan Claridge got hurt and put on Ir - then went HOME to rehab.

His brother - an NFL player (Falcons?) committed suicide. Ryan quit football before training camp of his 2nd season began.

He wasn't cut.

I get what you're saying about the differences between McKenzie and Claridge (family problems and lack of committment to being in Foxboro). I'm guessing the not being in Foxboro was a big deal in Claridge's case.

However, Claridge was most definitely cut by the Patriots due to "not a good fit for the scheme" (Pioli's words). You can Google it and find multiple credible sources.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Nothing against the guy. But I wouldn't say he played OK last year. He played just enough for the team to remove him from the field just about every time they risked putting him out there.

And just because Brace is a big, doesn't mean he'd just be plugged in at NT in the 3-4 if VW was hurt. If he isn't ready, it's more likely the team would play more 4-3.

Thus my point is if Brace's only position is VW's backup and he doesn't seem to progressing much, the team might opt to keep a more versatile lineman like Deaderick or Lewis than using up a spot for Brace who could only backup VW and might be a liability if he had to do that.

Again, 100% speculation that is predicated on Brace not making much progress from last year. My hope is he busts through the rookie wall and contributes, mostly as inside next to VW on short-yardage 4-3 formations.

He clearly is talented, so there is no reason to expect he won't progress. I would think it is much, much more likely that a guy BB felt talented enough to use a 2nd round pick on in year 2 would be better than some of the late round picks or aging veterans he isn competing with. Doesn't mean he will be, but its certainly more likely he sticks and progresses than that he doesn't.

 

[eagle eye]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Lawfirm, Aiken, Wheatley and Gerrard Warren.

 

[Calciumee]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Lawfirm, Aiken, Wheatley and Gerrard Warren.

I can see that happening, but as I said before, I have a feeling that Lawfirm will stay around.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Har far down we have come that we conisder these player as "BIG NAMES".

Lawfirm, Aiken, Wheatley and Gerrard Warren.

 

[lillestroom]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

A lot of Raiderette fans were unhappy to see Warren leave.

Cant see what he offers. Its Turd-ell Sands all over again. Wont ever make it at the Pats as a starter. He's roster fill.

 

[tombonneau]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

He clearly is talented, so there is no reason to expect he won't progress. I would think it is much, much more likely that a guy BB felt talented enough to use a 2nd round pick on in year 2 would be better than some of the late round picks or aging veterans he isn competing with. Doesn't mean he will be, but its certainly more likely he sticks and progresses than that he doesn't.

Oddly enough, the thing that lingers in the back of my mind that makes me feel Brace will be a bust is simple probability and statistics. It is highly unlikely that all four second-round picks will be hits. It is most likely it will be a traditional 50% hit/bust, yet the Pats' early returns look like three hits in Vollmer, Butler and Chung, having them batting .750, with the likelihood that Brace is a washout. (But I'd take 1.000 in a heartbeat!)

 

[Calciumee]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

I reckon Paschall might get cut

 

[patriotscpfc]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

A lot of Raiderette fans were unhappy to see Warren leave.

Cant see what he offers. Its Turd-ell Sands all over again. Wont ever make it at the Pats as a starter. He's roster fill.

Your opinion.

I think he'll be a decent upgrade on Jarvis Green.

 

[patriotscpfc]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Surprise big-name cut.

Fred Taylor.

Lesser surprise cut.

Wheatley, Aiken.

 

[mgteich]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

G. Warren might be an upgrade on Pryor; ya think?

Your opinion.

I think he'll be a decent upgrade on Jarvis Green.

 

[patriotscpfc]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

G. Warren might be an upgrade on Pryor; ya think?

I see them as different players.

Pryor is a 3rd down Rusher. Who in my opinion hit the rookie wall the last few games of the year, but had been very impressive for the first 10-11 games of the season.

G.Warren should be what Ty is. Just be solid in the run game and try and create some sort of havoc on pass plays to allow the blitzers to get there. I'm not expecting **** Seymour out of him, but I think he'll be impressive.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

Some things being overlooked in the evaluation process include:

Pryor was an invisible man after the start of the season.

Warren and Lewis likely won't be around post strike/lockout, which would leave the team scrambling at RDE again next season if they exclusively focused on them at the spot.


I expect BB to take these things, and more, into account when making his decisions. He was willing to torpedo the D-line last year in the name of the future. He's probably willing to do it again.

Having said that, I don't see any really BIG names that don't make the grade. I don't consider Warren, Lewis, Taylor or Morris to be big names at this stage, and I don't see the Wilforks, Bradys or Mosses of the team getting axed unless, of course, someone offers up a first round pick in the 2650 draft for one of them.

 

[lillestroom]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

I see them as different players.

Pryor is a 3rd down Rusher. Who in my opinion hit the rookie wall the last few games of the year, but had been very impressive for the first 10-11 games of the season.

G.Warren should be what Ty is. Just be solid in the run game and try and create some sort of havoc on pass plays to allow the blitzers to get there. I'm not expecting **** Seymour out of him, but I think he'll be impressive.

He comes from a Raiders line which gets trampled over game-in, game-out. And he was never outstanding for them either.

How can he be solid against the run ???

 

[patriotscpfc]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

He comes from a Raiders line which gets trampled over game-in, game-out. And he was never outstanding for them either.

How can he be solid against the run ???

You could argue that playing alongside Wilfork automatically improves him.

Richard Seymour was part of the Oakland line that got trampled over game-in, game out. Yet here, he was a beast. One player doesn't make a Line strong, you still need a dominant DT/NT.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Which BIG NAMES dont make the cut???

You could argue that playing alongside Wilfork automatically improves him.

Richard Seymour was part of the Oakland line that got trampled over game-in, game out. Yet here, he was a beast. One player doesn't make a Line strong, you still need a dominant DT/NT.

The Raiders have been 25th or worse vs the run for 5 years in a row. I think there is more going on their than Gerard Warrens run D ability.
I don't think its reasonable to judge one player on his teams overall run defense statistics. It is more unresonable to judge a one gap 43 DT on his entire teams run D.

That said, I don't expect Gerard Warren to be the best 2 gap run defending DE we have ever seen. He has done a decent job of pressuing the QB as an inside rusher, that is something we need more of. He is a capable if unspectacular player in the base defense, who may not be a difference maker but should not be a liability either. Mike Wright is going to get a lot of playing time along with Wilfork and Ty. GW is one of the possibilites to fill in the rest of the roles.
Last year DL playing time was:

Wright 587
Green 571
VW 510
Ty Warren 447
Pryor 264
Brace 55
Adams 20
Sands 16
Total 2470


It should be noted that Gerard Warren played 766 snaps

Wilfork and Warren were both injured last season. Assuming they stay healthy they should both get 600+ snpas this year (based on history)
So that adds up to almost 1800 of the 2500 snaps from TW,VW,MW leaving about 700 to be split among 3 DL that make the squad out of Warren, Lewis, Brace, Pryor, etc.

In other words, we will be using those guys as ROLE PLAYERS. None of them are going to play full time.
My guess at this point is as follows:
BASE D
Warren almost 100% of time
Wilfork almost 100% of time
Lewis 50/Wright-GWarren-Pryor split the other 50 somewhere near equally

Nickel/Dime
The ends of course are not from this group
The inside rushers, in order of playing time will be
Wright
G Warren
TWarren
Pryor
Lewis
Wilfork
Brace

I think that Wright and GWarren are going to play big roles on this team considering we are in sub half the time and they will probably get 70-80% of those snaps, if the depth chart ends up the way I expect.

 

[lillestroom]

Your calculations being based on that both Warren and Lewis make the final 53 cut.

 

[Ring 6]

Your calculations being based on that both Warren and Lewis make the final 53 cut.

Yes, Unless they have poor camps I dont see how they wont.