Pats checking out RB Unga

[jmt57]

Anyone got an idea how Paschall is doing?
Has he a chance of making the 53?

Excuse me if I missed another thread on it.

I think Paschall is headed to the Practice Squad.

Way too big of a leap in competition for him in one year, to be playing for a non-BCS school to playing in the NFL, in my opinion. He put up gaudy numbers in college but that was against Sam Houston State, Wagner, Southern Illinois, Missouri State, etc.

 

[Rob0729]

I think Paschall is headed to the Practice Squad.

Way too big of a leap in competition for him in one year, to be playing for a non-BCS school to playing in the NFL, in my opinion. He put up gaudy numbers in college but that was against Sam Houston State, Wagner, Southern Illinois, Missouri State, etc.

The fifth RB on the roster only gets activated when there is a rash of injuries at the position. BJGE wouldn't have seen the active roster last year if Taylor and Morris stayed healthy all year. Besides, RB is the easiest position to adapt to the NFL.

 

[lillestroom]

The fifth RB on the roster only gets activated when there is a rash of injuries at the position. BJGE wouldn't have seen the active roster last year if Taylor and Morris stayed healthy all year. Besides, RB is the easiest position to adapt to the NFL.

Easier than Center ??? !!! ???

 

[Rob0729]

Easier than Center ??? !!! ???

Maybe not the easiest, but center is a harder position to adapt since they are usually responsible for calling out the blocking assignments at the line.

 

[Kontradiction]

I really hope we pull this one out. A 6th round pick or even a 5th for Unga would be a great deal. His legs are fresher than Taylor's and, as mentioned, he can also be an effective FB until we find a full-time one. I hope BB makes it happen.

 

[BradyManny]

If I recall - we put a bid on Jeremy Jarmon in the last supplemental draft and lost to the Skins. FWIW.

 

[efin98]

If I recall - we put a bid on Jeremy Jarmon in the last supplemental draft and lost to the Skins. FWIW.

Cost them a 3rd rounder to get him.

 

[jah]

Well, Paschall just got cut.

 

[Criptonite]

I don't think he's worth as much as some here are thinking. For the 2011 draft people thought he could go anywhere from the 4th round to the 7th round. So here in the supplemental, I would expect him to be taken for a 6th or 7th rounder. I don't even see the Pats using a late pick like that for a rookie coming in a couple months late when we have 5 decent RBs ahead of him.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Cost them a 3rd rounder to get him.

Glad we didn't win that bid. But I think a 4th rounder sounds like the right price for this kind of prospect. The Pats need to get younger in the running game and lack a powerback prospect.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

I miss Heath Evans.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I miss Heath Evans.

Don't worry bout him. He got his superbowl ring with the Saints.

Former Pats who got superbowl rings with the saints in 2009:

Heath Evans FB, David Thomas TE , Randall Gay CB

 

[lillestroom]

Don't worry bout him. He got his superbowl ring with the Saints.

Former Pats who got superbowl rings with the saints in 2009:

Heath Evans FB, David Thomas TE , Randall Gay CB

I'd take Evans back in a heartbeat. Bill seemed to think that linebackers could work as lead blockers. Not his finest moment.

And Dave Thomas. People can say "He was always injured." But he wasnt. He kept lighting it up in training. The Saints knew it. I assume BB thought he wasnt good enough as a blocker.

 

[mgteich]

I don't think that anyone is worrying about Heath Evans or Dave Thomas. It is the patriots who have played without a lead blocker. It is the patriots that had to acquire three new tight ends for the 2010 season. And yes, it is the patriots who just drafted yet another corner completing the Bodden and the kids defensive backfield.

It is the saints that won the Super Bowl. It is the patriots and our personnel that we are worrying about, not the players who have moved on to Super Bowl rings.

Don't worry bout him. He got his superbowl ring with the Saints.

Former Pats who got superbowl rings with the saints in 2009:

Heath Evans FB, David Thomas TE , Randall Gay CB

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think that anyone is worrying about Heath Evans or Dave Thomas. It is the patriots who have played without a lead blocker. It is the patriots that had to acquire three new tight ends for the 2010 season. And yes, it is the patriots who just drafted yet another corner completing the Bodden and the kids defensive backfield.

It is the saints that won the Super Bowl. It is the patriots and our personnel that we are worrying about, not the players who have moved on to Super Bowl rings.

Are you suggesting that those 3 JAGS are the reason the Saints won the SB and we didnt and that letting them leave was an abysmally negligent move?

 

[Kontradiction]

Are you suggesting that those 3 JAGS are the reason the Saints won the SB and we didnt and that letting them leave was an abysmally negligent move?

I don't think he is (I would hope not anyway), but you can't deny that they made contributions which helped the success of that team. No, they didn't win the Super Bowl by themselves, but they were good enough in their roles for what that team spent on them. I wasn't one to harpoon the front office for Dave Thomas since I didn't think he was as good of a fit for this team as he was for the Saints, but our running game sure could have used a fullback like Evans last year.

 

[I Augustus]

If we bid a 5th rounder , what teams ahead of us would be interested in Unga?

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think he is (I would hope not anyway), but you can't deny that they made contributions which helped the success of that team. No, they didn't win the Super Bowl by themselves, but they were good enough in their roles for what that team spent on them. I wasn't one to harpoon the front office for Dave Thomas since I didn't think he was as good of a fit for this team as he was for the Saints, but our running game sure could have used a fullback like Evans last year.

There are hundreds of players in the NFL that any team could find good use for, I think it just became a matter of us eliminating the FB from the roster because we use one so rarely and we can (like many teams) use an OL there in short yardage.
I don't think it was an Evans decision, I think it was a scheme choice.

As far as Thomas I have a hard time critiquing decisions on guys who are on the fringe of making or not making the roster. When you are dealing with the 3rd TE position, you don't always keep the best player, you may keep the one that does the things the other 2 can't. Also, with borderline guys I would imagine that things like work ethic and attitude (things that are invisible to us) have a lot to do with those decisions. I imagine it is difficult to chose between a guy with a bigger upside and a guy more likely to get to his upside even though it is lower. Sometimes the guys who has potential and doesn't tap it can somewhere else, but its Monday Morning Quarterbacking to judge the decision by the result in a case like that.

 

[Kontradiction]

There are hundreds of players in the NFL that any team could find good use for, I think it just became a matter of us eliminating the FB from the roster because we use one so rarely and we can (like many teams) use an OL there in short yardage.
I don't think it was an Evans decision, I think it was a scheme choice.

A scheme choice that didn't seem to work out too well. The Patriots lined up in the singleback formation more than any other formation in the running game last year and saw opposing defenders swarm the backfield as our runners were receiving the handoff. I really can't tell you how many times I remember seeing an OL line up as a FB last year. What I CAN tell you is that if BB had any sort of confidence in it, we would have seen the power I in situations like 4th and 2 against Indy instead of a passing play. Also, the fact that he seems to be looking at a guy like Unga, who can line up as a FB as well and seems to be a very solid blocker, would indicate another scheme change - one which features a true FB.

 

[Ring 6]

A scheme choice that didn't seem to work out too well. The Patriots lined up in the singleback formation more than any other formation in the running game last year and saw opposing defenders swarm the backfield as our runners were receiving the handoff. I really can't tell you how many times I remember seeing an OL line up as a FB last year. What I CAN tell you is that if BB had any sort of confidence in it, we would have seen the power I in situations like 4th and 2 against Indy instead of a passing play. Also, the fact that he seems to be looking at a guy like Unga, who can line up as a FB as well and seems to be a very solid blocker, would indicate another scheme change - one which features a true FB.

I don't how attending a workout for the only guy in the supplemental draft becomes a unique thing that proves a philosophical shift. I'd think an actual acquisition might be required.

My point is that we moved away from using a FB in anything but short yardage. We used BJGE there at times, we used Connolly there at times. I don't think we will keep a FB only on the roster as long as we only use them in short yardage.
If your desricption is the problem a FB wouldn't solve ' opposing defenders swarm the backfield as our runners were receiving the handoff.'
I think the guys we put in there did just fine as lead blockers. The 4th and 2 in Indy was BB putting confidence in Brady and it worked if Faulk didnt bobble OR if the spot were correct after he bobbled. Hearh Evas wouldn't have changed that call.
Not to mention even though they are among the worst teams in the league in overall run defense the Colts are actually good in short yardage because their quick shoot the gap scheme can disrupt those plays.