OT: Am I the only one surprised that Adalius Thomas still is without a job?

[JoeSixPat]

One of the things I like about Belichick is that when he makes a mistake on personnel, he doesn't make the problem worse by letting his ego stop him from cutting a guy. No matter where someone was drafted - no matter how much they were signed for in free agency, as long as the cap economics aren't totally prohibitive, he'll cut guys who don't belong and give their jobs to those who earn a spot on the team.

... so we all recognize that he struck out with Adalius Thomas... but I'm still a bit shocked by how badly he struck out with AD. Obviously there were plenty of flashes of greatness with AD... I'll never forget the sack of Favre against the Jets... that was Epic

But damn!... I would have thought that SOME team would be able to find a place for AD on their team... either late in camp... or following Week 1 when salaries are non-guaranteed... or now as we're approaching the midway point of the season.

... and still Thomas can't even make it to the bench of an NFL team

Did Thomas really get that bad that quickly? Or does he just have a bad enough reputation now to prevent teams from wasting a roster spot on him as a backup?

What gives? Anyone have any insight into his complete loss of talent or other personal issues that have prevented him from latching on as a veteran backup?

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Known in the stats book as the verified Worst tackler in 2009 does not generate a lot of interest around the league.

If you can't tackle you cant play in the NFL

 

[emoney_33]

One of the things I like about Belichick is that when he makes a mistake on personnel, he doesn't make the problem worse by letting his ego stop him from cutting a guy. No matter where someone was drafted - no matter how much they were signed for in free agency, as long as the cap economics aren't totally prohibitive, he'll cut guys who don't belong and give their jobs to those who earn a spot on the team.

... so we all recognize that he struck out with Adalius Thomas... but I'm still a bit shocked by how badly he struck out with AD. Obviously there were plenty of flashes of greatness with AD... I'll never forget the sack of Favre against the Jets... that was Epic

But damn!... I would have thought that SOME team would be able to find a place for AD on their team... either late in camp... or following Week 1 when salaries are non-guaranteed... or now as we're approaching the midway point of the season.

... and still Thomas can't even make it to the bench of an NFL team

Did Thomas really get that bad that quickly? Or does he just have a bad enough reputation now to prevent teams from wasting a roster spot on him as a backup?

What gives? Anyone have any insight into his complete loss of talent or other personal issues that have prevented him from latching on as a veteran backup?

He may have fallen off a cliff last year but he was pretty damn good his first couple of years with us. I wouldn't say they exactly 'struck out' with him. I think he really just hit a wall fast and hard, his skills took a nosedive.

But it does point us to just how bad our OLB situation was last year, I mean this guy was starting OLB in the playoffs.

 

[aluminum seats]

One of the things I like about Belichick is that when he makes a mistake on personnel, he doesn't make the problem worse by letting his ego stop him from cutting a guy. No matter where someone was drafted - no matter how much they were signed for in free agency, as long as the cap economics aren't totally prohibitive, he'll cut guys who don't belong and give their jobs to those who earn a spot on the team.

... so we all recognize that he struck out with Adalius Thomas... but I'm still a bit shocked by how badly he struck out with AD. Obviously there were plenty of flashes of greatness with AD... I'll never forget the sack of Favre against the Jets... that was Epic

But damn!... I would have thought that SOME team would be able to find a place for AD on their team... either late in camp... or following Week 1 when salaries are non-guaranteed... or now as we're approaching the midway point of the season.

... and still Thomas can't even make it to the bench of an NFL team

Did Thomas really get that bad that quickly? Or does he just have a bad enough reputation now to prevent teams from wasting a roster spot on him as a backup?

What gives? Anyone have any insight into his complete loss of talent or other personal issues that have prevented him from latching on as a veteran backup?

Very surprised. Teams hardly ever care about the reputation stuff--they figure (often rightly) that the guy will be on his best behavior w/a new team, at least for awhile. Since there was so much squawking about how he wasn't used "right"--ie, as a pass rusher exclusively--it's borderline shocking he's not somewhere else, particularly since he's never even talked about, as far as I know.

Seriously, who didn't think he'd be pass rushing for Ryan this year?

 

[Rob0729]

Not really. Declined skills, poor attitude and problem child, misjudged his value right after he got cut. Most players with bad reps disapear quickly when their skills deteriorate. Thomas might have gotten a job if he accepted reality when he was cut and admitted to himself he was only going to get a veteran minimum prove it deal, but once Calvin Pace went down and Rex Ryan wouldn't touch him I figured his career was just about over.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

But damn!... I would have thought that SOME team would be able to find a place for AD on their team... either late in camp... or following Week 1 when salaries are non-guaranteed... or now as we're approaching the midway point of the season.

... and still Thomas can't even make it to the bench of an NFL team

Did Thomas really get that bad that quickly? Or does he just have a bad enough reputation now to prevent teams from wasting a roster spot on him as a backup?

What gives? Anyone have any insight into his complete loss of talent or other personal issues that have prevented him from latching on as a veteran backup?

Its quite possible several teams would be willing to use a roster spot to have him as a backup/rotational guy, but when they called his agent and he demanded pro-bowl starting money, decided to pass. I don't know what his salary demands are, but that seems like the most likely explanation to me.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Even ESPN didnt pick him up as an analyst...probably has an attitude outside of the field as well

 

[flynismo]

To tell you the truth, very few of us in Baltimore were disappointed to see AD leave. We knew he had a certain amount of talent, but by and large was simply a product of the system in Baltimore. No offense, but we all kinda did one of those collective snickers when we saw how much $ NE gave him.
As for being surprised at his employment status, I'm not overly surprised at that either. He probably wants a lot of money, more than he is worth.

 

[flynismo]

Even ESPN didnt pick him up as an analyst...probably has an attitude outside of the field as well

His little back-and-forth in the media with Ray Lewis soon after signing with NE should have been an immediate red flag.

 

[fierce]

To answer the OP's question...

Yes

 

[Goal_Line_Stand]

No... AD is a little shocked too!

 

[JoeSixPat]

To tell you the truth, very few of us in Baltimore were disappointed to see AD leave. We knew he had a certain amount of talent, but by and large was simply a product of the system in Baltimore. No offense, but we all kinda did one of those collective snickers when we saw how much $ NE gave him.
As for being surprised at his employment status, I'm not overly surprised at that either. He probably wants a lot of money, more than he is worth.

No offense taken at all... we make those sniggers all the time here when a player leaves - and we're usually right.

... and we knew there were plenty of those here who also promoted the "only good in the Baltimore system" theory - that system also including playing along side some pretty darn good defensive players

The theory that "he's asking for too much money" made sense before Week 1 but at this stage of the season no agent or player can realistically be expecting a big payday... they may be quibbling over a few hundred thousand dollars of guaranteed money but he's losing that amount each week he sits out now and is killing his chances of earning a decent salary next season

So I'm not buying the theory that the reason he has no team is simply because of a hardball agent - I think its because no one really wants him. There have been plenty of injuries and roster spots in the NFL and still no takers... maybe he's done.

To answer the OP's question...

Yes

Really? So everyone knew he was completely washed up and wasn't even worthy of being the 53rd best player on the worst team in the NFL?

To me, that's a pretty sudden drop. Not exactly something "common" among high profile top tier NFL free agents to go from "starter" to "can't make a 53 man roster" that suddenly.

We've all seen guys who's skills are no longer worth their contract being cut, but usually they still retain enough skills to latch on as a veteran minimum player on a bad team at least... hence the surprising nature of the near complete lack of interest (I've only heard the Jets as considering him - no other teams).

When did you know he'd completely lost all his NFL skills? And next time could you give Belichick an advance warning?

 

[Tunescribe]

One of the things I like about Belichick is that when he makes a mistake on personnel, he doesn't make the problem worse by letting his ego stop him from cutting a guy. No matter where someone was drafted - no matter how much they were signed for in free agency, as long as the cap economics aren't totally prohibitive, he'll cut guys who don't belong and give their jobs to those who earn a spot on the team.

... so we all recognize that he struck out with Adalius Thomas... but I'm still a bit shocked by how badly he struck out with AD. Obviously there were plenty of flashes of greatness with AD... I'll never forget the sack of Favre against the Jets... that was Epic

But damn!... I would have thought that SOME team would be able to find a place for AD on their team... either late in camp... or following Week 1 when salaries are non-guaranteed... or now as we're approaching the midway point of the season.

... and still Thomas can't even make it to the bench of an NFL team

Did Thomas really get that bad that quickly? Or does he just have a bad enough reputation now to prevent teams from wasting a roster spot on him as a backup?

What gives? Anyone have any insight into his complete loss of talent or other personal issues that have prevented him from latching on as a veteran backup?

I'm only mildly surprised Mr. "Toes In The Air" didn't land with the Green Beans. I'm sure money was the determining factor in his not being signed, perhaps along with diminished skills. Or, maybe his BAD ATTITUDE had turned everyone off.

 

[jmt57]

Its quite possible several teams would be willing to use a roster spot to have him as a backup/rotational guy, but when they called his agent and he demanded pro-bowl starting money, decided to pass. I don't know what his salary demands are, but that seems like the most likely explanation to me.

Yeah, that's the first thing I thought of. To make the example extreme, is there not one single NFL team willing to sign him for the vet minimum price? I doubt it. Hard to say exactly what his value is, but obviously it is less than what he and his agent are asking for right now.

I'd say a similar example would be Marvin Harrison when he was cut by the Colts. Could he have played for another year or two in the NFL? I think so. Was he willing to play for a much lower salary? No; and as a result he didn't.

At some point many a player has both enough wear and tear on his body, and also enough money in the bank that it isn't worth it to play anymore. It's not always as simple as finding out whether or not a player still has the skills to contribute to a team.

 

[JackBauer]

AD was definitely a product of the system in Baltimore.

Hope he invested his money well.

 

[SanAngeloState]

Not at all. He wasn't very good and as the previous poster said, he's rich enough so he isn't going to work for peanuts.

One poster on here said he thought for sure he'd be in the UFL or whatever that is. Yeah, he's worth what, 20 million dollars? And he's going to play for 100K a year? Why? Why risk brain damage, joint degeneration, etc. when you don't need the money?

Vet min. is chump change for him. Not worth getting out of bed for.

Unless he has a real "love for the game" or a "undying ambition to get back to the superbowl". Both of those are dubious, IMO. And even if he DID sign with a team, what are the odds they go to the SB? Not great.

 

[MustaphaM0nd]

One of the things I like about Belichick is that when he makes a mistake on personnel, he doesn't make the problem worse by letting his ego stop him from cutting a guy. No matter where someone was drafted - no matter how much they were signed for in free agency, as long as the cap economics aren't totally prohibitive, he'll cut guys who don't belong and give their jobs to those who earn a spot on the team.

I agree with this a lot. I think part of it has to do with BB's situation though. when you have won 3 super bowls, come awfully close to 2 others, and are unofficial dictator-for-life of the franchise, you have a lot more latitude to admit mistakes.

 

[LetsGoPats36]

his fall was meteoric. He had his best season with the us in 07 but even that wasn't a particularly good year for the money he was making. once he left the ravens and got paid he became a completely different player. You need to feign some interest in the game to stay around and this chump didn't. Rosey Colvin ****ed up his hip beyond belief and came back and gave his all to this team even after getting the big FA $$$. AD certainly carved himself out a spot on my list of least favorite patriots. Overpaid, underperforming and not really even a cool guy on top of it all.

I'm a little surprised the Jets didn't pick him up but look at the talent they have on that D. No need really and we saw how it worked out with O'Connell and them...

 

[blackglass3]

Didn't one of the Boston reports have an interview from an "Unnamed Player" who said it was all New England's fault AD played so poorly, and that he would sign with the Jets and be a superstar again?

 

[flynismo]

To the guys who think that his skills couldnt have declined that rapidly...while I admit that is drastic and not the norm, in AD's case it is quite probable.
Last season he looked pretty bad, and then when you consider that his work ethic has always been an area of contention (at least during his baltimore days), I think that at this point in time, he probably isnt physically or mentally ready to make any sort of impact in any system.