Is it time to give up on Dowling?

[50-yard-line]

Plus, do you want your star CB playing all year and wearing down come playoff time? Look what happened with Talib.

Maybe you offer Fells and a 3 and 6 to the Ravens for a 2. Or something. Take the 2 and get someone.

Do NOT offer Fells to the Ravens...period.

We'd regret that.

 

[RayClay]

Now we are talking. Any guys up for FA? Teams with needs. Namdi worth a look if he dosent catch on with SF? They need a body.

I would give up next years 2 or hell even 1 if we could get a great CB to shore this up for the next several years. Then you dont have to worry about Dennard if he faks up again and you have a lot more leverage with Talib come contract time.

As long as dennard can play, and i don't see him getting cuffed lol, I think we have pretty good starters including in the slot. I'd try to develop some depth.

We can go crazy trying to acquire and pay for a top CB and they could get injured. If dowlings OK and Talib and Dennard start with A Wilson and McCroury, I think we're potentially pretty strong and deep.

It's been proven over and over you can't spend your way to guaranteed improvement, it's a 53 man roster.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm talking about a guy who just signed a huge contract and was #4 overall. The point is, why would you give up on a guy who might still help the team? Do you see decent CBs available on waivers when we need them? I don't.

I'm sure Belichick is perfectly capable of cutting guys that can't play for whatever reason. I'm more than happy to cede him that responsibility.

Your argument isn't really an apt one. McGinest was drafted in 1994, and was active for in all 48 games in 1994, 1995 and 1996, starting 39 of the 48, and amassing 24 sacks in that time.

Ras-IR was drafted in 2011, and has been on the active roster for a combined 8 games since, with 2 starts and essentially nothing of note beyond his propensity for accumulating injury totals.

 

[Bruins29]

Do NOT offer Fells to the Ravens...period.

We'd regret that.

Oh I know...I love Fells and he has been the best TE in camp. He was an example The problem is you need to give something of value to get something back. And while our other TE might be fine making Fells somewhat expendable the opposite is also possible..

I would rather just trade a pick to get a CB. I know the Ravens need a TE. It was just an example based on what I was aware of on other teams need.

 

[neuronet]

It'd be easier to judge is we knew what the heck was wrong with him this time. Are they just keeping him out because of something minor - a tweaked hamstring, where he could play if it was more than preseason?

You all have it wrong. It is just like with Ochocinco, where people rightly pointed out we were saving him as a surprise weapon for the Super Bowl. We know how well that worked. They are now doing the same with the CB position, but with a much less direct, long-term stealth strategy. His next full game will be the SB in 2016, and mark my words, he will have a break-out game.

 

[RayClay]

Your argument isn't really an apt one. McGinest was drafted in 1994, and was active for in all 48 games in 1994, 1995 and 1996, starting 39 of the 48, and amassing 24 sacks in that time.

Ras-IR was drafted in 2011, and has been on the active roster for a combined 8 games since, with 2 starts and essentially nothing of note beyond his propensity for accumulating injury totals.

It's not a direct comparison, it's just a situation I remember clearly and it's apt because a lot of fans and writers were talking about him retiring and he went on to have years of excellent play.

Lots of players had injury problems early and went on to have good careers. It isn't necessary for me to research and name every one to make an analogy.

If he was too injured to play again, he would be cut, so I assume that isn't the case, or yet the case.

 

[neuronet]

I'm no numbers guy, but if the following is a negative number after two years, you should probably be cut:

Number of passes defended-number of years on team
​

It seems a pretty safe formula, and most on the free agency list probably aren't in the negatives...

We could do something similar for WR:

Number of receptions-number of years on team​

Even ochocinco was in the positives for this formula.

Obviously, we are talking a sufficient, not necessary condition, for being cut.

I will send my PhD level mathematical analysis to the front office, and surely will make payday.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's not a direct comparison, it's just a situation I remember clearly and it's apt because a lot of fans and writers were talking about him retiring and he went on to have years of excellent play.

Lots of players had injury problems early and went on to have good careers. It isn't necessary for me to research and name every one to make an analogy.

If he was too injured to play again, he would be cut, so I assume that isn't the case, or yet the case.

But you're trying to equate an established, and expensive player, with a guy who's done nothing and is less expensive to get rid of.

And, again, McGinest didn't "have injury problems early", at least not the kind that kept him out of the games. He was active for all 48 games of his first 3 years. Dowling's only been active for 8 of 32 possible games in his first 2 years.

There's really no comparison to be made here.

 

[RayClay]

I'm no numbers guy, but if the following is a negative number after two years, you should probably be cut:

Number of passes defended-number of years on team
​

It seems a pretty safe formula, and most on the free agency list probably aren't in the negatives...

We could do something similar for WR:

Number of receptions-number of years on team​

Even ochocinco was in the positives for this formula.

Obviously, we are talking a sufficient, not necessary condition, for being cut.

I will send my PhD level mathematical analysis to the front office, and surely will make payday.

I'd say you are wise. You should avoid occupations involving numbers.

 

[Bruins29]

I think he was just trying to show that an injured player with a real injury can come back and be productive. Willi Mac and Gronk would have been a better comparison.

The frustration about RID is that it seems his injuries are more nagging and chronic and not overly serious.

 

[Salva135]

We'll always have the Miami opener.

 

[RayClay]

But you're trying to equate an established, and expensive player, with a guy who's done nothing and is less expensive to get rid of.

No, actually I'm not trying to "equate" them. that's why I wrote this...

It's not a direct comparison, it's just a situation I remember clearly and it's apt because a lot of fans and writers were talking about him retiring and he went on to have years of excellent play.

.......................

 

[Deus Irae]

No, actually I'm not trying to "equate" them. that's why I wrote this...


.......................

You're still trying to compare them, while acknowledging that they're not exact. I'm pointing out that there's no real comparison, at all. Yeah, "They're completely different, and one has nothing in common with the other but, at one point, well into his career, in years 4 and 5, McGinest had some injuries and only played in 20 of 32 games, with 19 starts".

You got this one wrong, Ray. Even in the years covered, when McGinest was 26 and 27, Willie played in more than half the possible games.

 

[RayClay]

You're still trying to compare them, while acknowledging that they're not exact. I'm pointing out that there's no real comparison, at all. Yeah, "They're completely different, and one has nothing in common with the other but, at one point, well into his career, in years 4 and 5, McGinest had some injuries and only played in 20 of 32 games, with 19 starts".

You got this one wrong, Ray. Even in the years covered, when McGinest was 26 and 27, Willie played in more than half the possible games.

They were both football players that were injured. People questioned whether they would play at a high level again. They are both Patriots, this is a Patriots board.

 

[Ring 6]

But you're trying to equate an established, and expensive player, with a guy who's done nothing and is less expensive to get rid of.

On the contrary, McGinest would have resulted in cap savings if cut then.

And, again, McGinest didn't "have injury problems early", at least not the kind that kept him out of the games. He was active for all 48 games of his first 3 years. Dowling's only been active for 8 of 32 possible games in his first 2 years.

There's really no comparison to be made here.

Of course there is a comparison. A player with 2 miserable injury filled seasons came back from that and had a fine career.
A COMPARISON does not require every possible facet of the two examples to be identical.

 

[Ring 6]

You're still trying to compare them, while acknowledging that they're not exact.

Which is part of the criteria of a comparison.

I'm pointing out that there's no real comparison, at all.

Which makes you wrong because there are factors that are similar between the two.

Yeah, "They're completely different, and one has nothing in common with the other but, at one point, well into his career, in years 4 and 5, McGinest had some injuries and only played in 20 of 32 games, with 19 starts".

Of course you know those are not the aspects that he is using in the comparison, but to admit that would not allow you to arrogantly bully him in a response.

You got this one wrong, Ray. Even in the years covered, when McGinest was 26 and 27, Willie played in more than half the possible games.

Where did he say anything else?
He said both players went through two years of having injury problems and were consider possibly done because of it.
THAT is the comparision. Your strawman argument that it is more than that is nothing other than your attempt to backtrack against your inability to admit you were overzealous and wrong in your initial comment.
Thats OK though, we are used to that.

 

[patchick]

FWIW -- Dowling is back at practice today, per multiple Twitter reports. Hope springs eternal!

 

[PatsFan2]

I see him as Terrence Wheatley 2.0 always injured and when he did get on the field was not very good

Dowling on the football field when where how?

 

[BTTA]

Dowling on the football field when where how?

I hope this leads to a giant LOL at all us fans who get our knickers twisted about some other person's minor medical issues. Like it he just had a bad case of hemorrhoids that needed a few days rest and the team decided to do it last week.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

at least he keeps the bench warm...our the couch at his house warm