Michael Jenkins released....

[mgteich]

Yes, he is what he is!

Slater isn't a wide receiver. His first couple of years in the league, he was listed as a safety, and he wasn't a safety either...

At this point, he's in his late 20s: he is what he is. And what he is is the best gunner in the NFL, a special teams captain, and an All Pro. As long as you believe that that's worth a roster spot, then he's doing just fine.

 

[jah]

I thought Jenkins was a lock for 60 catches, 1000 yards....?

Judging from this post and your signature, you enjoy being right at the expense of your "favorite" team. I hope it feels good.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I thought Jenkins was a lock for 60 catches, 1000 yards....?

Did anyone actually say that? I recall a lot of people being optimistic that he could be a capable receiver outside of the numbers (kinda Givens/Gaffney-esque), but not much more than that.

As it stands, Thompkins has come in and taken over that role in a way that I don't think anyone anticipated. Don't see how any of us would be anything but happy that it worked out that way.

 

[JMC00]

I wish Slater was more of two role player he only does one thing good and that's being a Gunner. He Offers absolutely Nothing as a WR or a Return man...he's kinda fast for nothing. In the Final evaluation it wouldn't surprise me if he gets the axe. I think this Team has people who can do exactly what he can and more. Edelman and Washington makes us very dangerous in the return game on KO's and PR's areas where we were just Terrible at!

You do realize that Slater missing a punt in the Seahawks game because of injury was probably the contributing factor of Leon Washington taking a fair catch at the 18 had Slater been in and getting 25 yards and the Seahawks starting at their 43, which was the drive that won them the game.

I'm not saying the Seahawks wouldn't have scored but starting inside your own 20 is a lot different than starting at almost midfield.

 

[mgteich]

Jenkins was insurance against the rookies not being ready to be part of the offense. He was also insurance against Edelman not being ready.

So, the rookies look fine (all three). Edelman is OK. And worse than all that for Jenkins, Jenkins has been injured.

So, Belichick did the patriot thing for respected veterans, he cut him early so that he might catch on elsewhere. Obviously, a viable alternative was to keep him until the last cut and then put him on speed dial. This would have been insurance against injuries in the next 3 weeks.

 

[Tunescribe]

Why? Slater is not a WR. He's only designated as one because there's no classification for STOP (special teams only player).

edit: I see FTW beat me to the punch.

During the rare occasions he's lined up aside from fourth down it IS at WR, except for a couple brief appearances at safety.

Which reminds me: Slater could've been a big hero two years ago in the AFCCG vs. Baltimore had he hauled in that bomb from Brady that ended up as a circus interception.

 

[Deus Irae]

Yes. We should all be upset that the Patriots found a diamond in the rough in Kenbrell Thompkins.

Very bad news.

The thread title, and the occurring action, is that a man was cut, not that Mr. Thompkins, or anyone else, has made the final roster.

 

[Deus Irae]

1. You already know the answer so I'm not sure why your asking but as was stated in the first 25 posts of the thread it's b/c the rookies are looking great.

I do know, and I know your post was ridiculous. It's not good news that a man lost his job. I wish him well, and even noted a team that might have a need for his services in a follow up post.

2. First 25 posts - our rookies look great! Hooray!
Your post - we made some terrible FA signings at the WR position.

Given the title of the thread, the level of cognitive dissonance in your post is truly impressive.

 

[patchick]

Jenkins was insurance against the rookies not being ready to be part of the offense. He was also insurance against Edelman not being ready.

I think Jones and Jenkins were brought in as more than that, to start with. No way did the Patriots expect to find a rookie UDFA who deserved a roster spot, let alone a starting job. Thompkins had to surprise them as much as anybody. So toss that wildcard into the apparent offseason WR plan:

- Bring in 1 FA with a significant contract (Amendola), expecting him to start.

- Bring in 2 more veteran FAs and draft two rookies, counting on finding 1 starter and 1 other contributor out of the 4. (Remember, they were still counting on Hernandez at that point.)

So with Thompkins, Dobson and Boyce all looking like at least "contributor" value, suddenly you're +1 over expectations without Jones or Jenkins. Yay.

 

[Danger Zone]

Re: Re: Michael Jenkins released....

The thread title, and the occurring action, is that a man was cut, not that Mr. Thompkins, or anyone else, has made the final roster.

And once again youve fooled yourself into thinking that your hard-on for pessimism makes you the most objective of us all.

You are so critical of Belichick for rebuilding this WR corps that you blind yourself just as badly as any of the homers you express such disgust for.

 

[Oswlek]

I think Jones and Jenkins were brought in as more than that, to start with. No way did the Patriots expect to find a rookie UDFA who deserved a roster spot, let alone a starting job. Thompkins had to surprise them as much as anybody. So toss that wildcard into the apparent offseason WR plan:

- Bring in 1 FA with a significant contract (Amendola), expecting him to start.

- Bring in 2 more veteran FAs and draft two rookies, counting on finding 1 starter and 1 other contributor out of the 4. (Remember, they were still counting on Hernandez at that point.)

So with Thompkins, Dobson and Boyce all looking like at least "contributor" value, suddenly you're +1 over expectations without Jones or Jenkins. Yay.

I've always read Jenkins as a dual acquisition:

1) A veteran to get some quality OTA snaps out of while the rookies learn the playbook.

2) An emergency option in the even that none of them prove ready.

As such, viewed him as a 5% roster likelihood from the start, though I did think Jones had a pretty good shot of making the team.

 

[Ozymandias]

I'm actually impressed that Molasses Mike lasted as long as he did. I expected him to be cut long before training camp even started like Donald Jones was. JAGs like that often are.

 

[tonyto3690]

Judging from this post and your signature, you enjoy being right at the expense of your "favorite" team. I hope it feels good.

Actually it means the opposite. If Jenkins made the team, it means Boyce, Amendola and Dobson all looked like garbage.

Just when a poster says something outlandish or outright stupid I'll call them out on it. And if they continue to push and act like it's correct, I'm going to rail them for it because they asked for it.

There were one or two posters who were guzzling the Kool-Aid and tried to preach how Jenkins and Jones were suddenly going to become big time players. I personally thought both had a chance to make the roster and be decent #4 or #5 guys, but they were acting like they were going to put up big numbers which is obviously wrong.

 

[mgteich]

Agreed.

At the start it seemed that there was no way two of the rookies or one of the rookies plus Edelman would be in of our top 3, to be counted upon.

So, for me, finding THREE rookies as contributors and a relatively healthy Edelman for our #4/#5 was enough to allow us to cut Jenkins. And, yes, Amendola is as expected.

I think Jones and Jenkins were brought in as more than that, to start with. No way did the Patriots expect to find a rookie UDFA who deserved a roster spot, let alone a starting job. Thompkins had to surprise them as much as anybody. So toss that wildcard into the apparent offseason WR plan:

- Bring in 1 FA with a significant contract (Amendola), expecting him to start.

- Bring in 2 more veteran FAs and draft two rookies, counting on finding 1 starter and 1 other contributor out of the 4. (Remember, they were still counting on Hernandez at that point.)

So with Thompkins, Dobson and Boyce all looking like at least "contributor" value, suddenly you're +1 over expectations without Jones or Jenkins. Yay.

 

[Bruins29]

There were one or two posters who were guzzling the Kool-Aid and tried to preach how Jenkins and Jones were suddenly going to become big time players. .

I thought Jones would have been decent. But alas it did not work out and it seemed like he cut because of a illness as opposed to pure ability/talent.

 

[goheels22002]

Jenkins will forever go down in history as the player who caught rookie quarterback Matty "Ice" Ryan's first NFL career pass for a 62 yard TD reception against the Detroit Lions in 2008. That was his only year over 1,000 yards receiving with a career high 1,177 yards.

Belichick usually cuts guys like this early to give them a shot at catching on somewhere else. He may turn up with the Eagles who are desperate since Macklin went down with an ACL.

 

[BradyFTW!]

The thread title, and the occurring action, is that a man was cut, not that Mr. Thompkins, or anyone else, has made the final roster.

Roster moves don't occur in a vacuum. If Jenkins is being cut, it's because other players are outperforming him. Since he's essentially a known quantity, that means that those other players are performing above the known-quantity level. It's good news.

 

[resdubwhite]

Best of luck Mike

sorry it didn't work out.

 

[BSR]

Actually it means the opposite. If Jenkins made the team, it means Boyce, Amendola and Dobson all looked like garbage.

Just when a poster says something outlandish or outright stupid I'll call them out on it. And if they continue to push and act like it's correct, I'm going to rail them for it because they asked for it.

There were one or two posters who were guzzling the Kool-Aid and tried to preach how Jenkins and Jones were suddenly going to become big time players. I personally thought both had a chance to make the roster and be decent #4 or #5 guys, but they were acting like they were going to put up big numbers which is obviously wrong.

I've heard on this board (not necessarily from you) that only Kool-Aid drinking, foam finger waving homers don't believe the following:
- Jenkins, Hawkins, Jones were bottom of the roster guys that wouldn't make a significant number of catches.
- Rookie WR never make an impact in their first years.
- Amendola gets hurt every year so we shouldn't expect much from him.
- Edelman has never produced so we shouldn't expect anything from him.
- Gronkowski will probably start on the Pup.

So according to the Non-kool aid crowd Brady is going to throw for something like 2000 yards this year. Great to know!

 

[Bruins29]

I've heard on this board (not necessarily from you) that anyone only Kool-Aid drinking, foam finger waving homers believed the following:
- Jenkins, Hawkins, Jones were bottom of the roster guys that wouldn't make a significant number of catches.
- Rookie WR never make an impact in their first years.
- Amendola gets hurt every year so we should expect much from him.
- Edelman has never produced so we should expect anything from him.
- Gronkowski will probably start on the Pup.

So according to the Non-kool aid crowd Brady is going to throw for something like 2000 yards this year. Great to know!

You forgot Matt Slater should be cut because he is not a good WR