Pats release McKenzie

[Ring 6]

Wouldn't be a stretch to imagine he tells the ladies to check out his girth?

Well he is an ILB.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't understand the need to include them as draft picks, except as a way to defend questionable drafts. Is anyone running around trying to include Derrick Burgess and Duane Starks in any of these draft classes? You're also not factoring in age and contractual control and cost. Also being overlooked is the fact that these players had already been drafted, Moss by the Vikings in 1998 (or in Welker's case signed as an undrafted free agent) therefore they can't be drafted again by the Patriots. Call them acquisitions, trades or whatever but calling them draft picks or saying that the Pats drafted them is factually wrong.

You cant judge a draft that includes trading picks for players without considering those players.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I don't understand the need to include them as draft picks, except as a way to defend questionable drafts. Is anyone running around trying to include Derrick Burgess and Duane Starks in any of these draft classes? You're also not factoring in age and contractual control and cost. Also being overlooked is the fact that these players had already been drafted, Moss by the Vikings in 1998 (or in Welker's case signed as an undrafted free agent) therefore they can't be drafted again by the Patriots. Call them acquisitions, trades or whatever but calling them draft picks is factually wrong.

I agree you don't consider them draft "picks" but you do have to consider them when evaluating the draft.

I used this example before the draft. We started with 12 (I think) draft picks with 4 untradeable compensatory picks. In theory, we could trade those 8 draft picks for 8 players under the age of 25 that make the pro bowl this upcoming season. With the 4 remaining picks, we take 4 players that end up not make the team.

Would you look back at that draft as a bust because the 4 true "picks" didn't make the team? Would you not consider those 8 pro bowlers that the draft allowed us to get?

 

[mcsully]

didn't go back and read all 13 pages of what people said but I'm shocked.. Not that he didn't make the team, but we wasted basically another draft pick in the 3rd round.

Not good.. Not good at all..

 

[Kontradiction]

I think alot of this goes back to the owner they haven't spent any money on FA's in the last few years adding good players while developing your young guys. Instead we trade Seymore for a 2011 1st instead of a 2010 1st which would have been a top ten pick where you can get a top defensive player, but no we take the 2011 because there will probably be a new CBA and a rookie salary cap are you freakin kidding me. You didn't want to sign Samuel why because he didn't intercept a pass in the Superbowl! So you spend all this money and effort to replace him they should have signed the guy he is a PLAYMAKER. They hide behind the cap and Felger has continuously shown that its a bunch of baloney. The Jets, Redskins and numerous other teams have shown its a bunch of crap.

 

[BradyToAmendola]

I'm pretty disappointed he couldn't make the team. I was rooting for the guy. Not sure what the problem was. Anybody have any ideas? Couldn't grasp the system? Still suffering residual effects from the ACL injury? Not fast or strong enough?

 

[patchick]

I'm pretty disappointed he couldn't make the team. I was rooting for the guy. Not sure what the problem was. Anybody have any ideas? Couldn't grasp the system? Still suffering residual effects from the ACL injury? Not fast or strong enough?

Don't discount a tough case of Dane Fletcher-itis. It's possible he was just outplayed, and the team can only carry so many ILBs.

 

[Rob0729]

one year wonder Cassel.

So you are saying that a seventh round pick is a bad pick because he only was good enough to give the Pats 11 wins the only year he started for this team and netted them a second round pick in a trade? Horrible pick. If a seveth round pick isn't a first ballot HOFer, he is a bust.

And you wonder why most people on this board think you are a joke. A seventh round one year wonder like Cassel is a home run pick. I won't even bother going over all of your other gems (although saying Kazcur could have been cut this year when he was schedule to start at LG and they are holding a roster spot for him instead of IRing him or giving him an injury settlement to cut him kinda shoots huge holes in that theory is almost as dumb as just saying the Pats were just lucky to get Mankins).

 

[Kontradiction]

Don't discount a tough case of Dane Fletcher-itis. It's possible he was just outplayed, and the team can only carry so many ILBs.

That's what I was thinking. Looks like it's just a case of the coaching staff thinking that McKenzie got outplayed by Fletcher. Frankly, I can't honestly say that I followed Fletcher with any sort of interest in the preseason, so I can't really comment on whether he truly did or not.

 

[Ron Sellers]

They got lucky with Mankins and one year wonder Cassel. Hobbs isn't with the team anymore and Kaczur could've been cut this year.

Ha ha, okay. When the Pats make a good draft pick they were 'lucky', and everything else short of a selecting a future Pro Bowler they're incompetent idiots. Kaczur was the team's starter for five years, so sorry that didn't meet your standards of minimal expectations for a third rounder. Just because the Pats didn't plan on starting him, that doesn't mean they were planning on cutting him. In case you hadn't noticed they didn't put him on IR or cut him with an injury settlement.

As for Cassel, I can't believe you're finding fault with that pick. I would love to know who - at that point in time, not now with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight - you would have drafted. I guess the 11-5 season and netting a 2nd round pick isn't good enough for a 7th rounder; anything less than outperforming an NFL MVP to become the full-time starting QB is failure for the 230th pick of a draft in your eyes.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

They have about five premium draft needs to finish both the defensive and offensive re-building. DE, OLB, OT, OL, and RB. They have five premium draft picks in 2011. 2x1s, 2x2s and at least a 1x3s. But possibly more by 3s. Watson got a $6.5 million SB when he signed as a FA. That is 3rd round compensation territory. Mankins if he were to go, would too. So what are you going to do with the balance of your picks?

Quite simply, it doesn't work that way.

It's based primarily on the average annual value of a contract—which in Watson's case is ~$4M/yr. And that, alas, is either a 5 or a 6, not a 3.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

didn't go back and read all 13 pages of what people said but I'm shocked.. Not that he didn't make the team, but we wasted basically another draft pick in the 3rd round.

Not good.. Not good at all..

 

[SuperPatsFan]

If BB is trying to keep people guessing his roster strategy, I think it's working.

How many Super Bowl rings do you have?

 

[Kontradiction]

How many Super Bowl rings do you have?

You're late. Get to work. There's at least 20 new threads containing new developments with the team that we need your input on.

 

[ausbacker]

That made me burst out laughing at work. Thanks for ruining my incognito existence this morning Kontra . Next thing you know I'll be walking around handing out 10 yard penalties for offensive holding.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

So you are saying that a seventh round pick is a bad pick because he only was good enough to give the Pats 11 wins the only year he started for this team and netted them a second round pick in a trade? Horrible pick. If a seveth round pick isn't a first ballot HOFer, he is a bust.

I never said it was a horrible pick. And looking back at it now, saying Cassel was a "one year wonder" was a horrible choice of words. Obviously, having Cassel play in '08 turned a 7th round investment into an extra 2nd round pick. Looking back at it now, I don't even know why I said it in the first place. It was a heat of the moment type thing and I was wrong. But I still feel the '05 draft wasn't very good.

And you wonder why most people on this board think you are a joke.

Actually I don't. Only blatant homers who never admit their wrong think I'm a joke. I come on this board to vent only because I want the best for the Pats. It's frustrating because this franchise could've been unstoppable but now were sitting here asking a lot of questions. Yet, people on this board twist my words and think I hate the Pats. So if that makes me a joke, then so be it.

I won't even bother going over all of your other gems

Please tell me, I'd like to know.

although saying Kazcur could have been cut this year when he was schedule to start at LG and they are holding a roster spot for him instead of IRing him or giving him an injury settlement to cut him kinda shoots huge holes in that theory is almost as dumb as just saying the Pats were just lucky to get Mankins.

Who knows if Kaczur would've been any good at guard? Maybe someone would've out played him and make him expendable. Saying he could've been cut was too harsh on my part, but I don't think he's the type of guy you want starting 16 games a season.

As for Mankins, nobody saw that pick coming in '05. At that time, it was the biggest WTF? pick in the BB era. You're either lying if you knew about him or you watch too much college football. From '04-'09, Mankins and Wilfork turned out to be the best picks and there is a huge drop off after that.

 

[Richard Camembert]

Well I am no longer going to judge
a linebacker by the size of their neck.

OK that GIF is greatly appreciated.

 

[efin98]

Any word on him finding a new home yet?

Anyone giving him any shot at making one of the final practice squad slots?

 

[Betterthanmost]

At what time does he clear waivers? He will be back on PS if he clears. That I am sure. He is not ready, he has forgotten game speed, can't catch up to help us immediately. He was reacting very slow to plays and it is understandable and I think there is a deal in place.

 

[Griff141]

I thought this move was a bit of a surprise. He played pretty well in the preseason finale both on defense and special teams. It was a numbers battle from the start at the position. His release says something about the confidence the team must have in Dane Fletcher.