Official Rookie Mini Camp Thread

[PatsWickedPissah]

When I read this earlier this AM, I was impressed.

"When Belichick covered the crown of the silver helmet on Oscar Lua's head, he was explaining a characteristic of the team's pass defense. Lua needed to turn his head to find a receiver, then turn it again to find where he needed to provide help, then turn back to locate the receiver he was responsible for."

What hands on teaching, Lua will never forget that lesson. It's like the coaching you can get as a young boy. To say BB is hands on is not a pun, but just awesome

Let's just hope that the day when BB's 'hands on' technique will attempt to be outlawed as sexual harrasment by Bill Polian is far off

 

[Pats726]

Tryout Baker is gone, but the other 3 remain..all very good.

 

[mgteich]

If Meriweather starts at FS, then Wilson will play his last year for the patriots as a backup safety. Why retrain him at corner?

Obviously Im thinking 5 steps ahead. If Merriweather is capable of starting at FS alongside Rodney, could Wilson transition back to being a corner? He has shown a weekness in coverage the past couple years and I belive his corner days are behind him.

Also, Im really hoping one of these young LB's can step up and contribute. I don't like Lua' size but he played at a high level his senior year at SC.

 

[Pats726]

If Meriweather starts at FS, then Wilson will play his last year for the patriots as a backup safety. Why retrain him at corner?

It does look like the Jets might be interested in him..or another team...he's really not played that well the past years with injury..so? I agree...

 

[Remix 6]

If Meriweather starts at FS, then Wilson will play his last year for the patriots as a backup safety. Why retrain him at corner?

its not retraining..he played CB a lot last year in training camp. why not use him wherever u can get on him the field if he might be better than the next CB?

 

[Pats726]

its not retraining..he played CB a lot last year in training camp. why not use him wherever u can get on him the field if he might be better than the next CB?

Maybe a 4th??? Unless Samuel sists out..Hobbs and James..

 

[mgteich]

Sure he's an emergency fourth. Hawkins was that last year. Sanders has played some nickel, as has Troy Brown. Yes, he'll have significant reps at corner in TC.

Whether Wilson is better at CB than Chad Scott is of course for Pees to decide. I don't think it is close at all. And there is Gay, who, last I looked, was still on the squad, and Spann and Eddie Jackson.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I love these informative discussion threads about training camp players. Almost every season I foolishly fall in love (in a VERY MANLY way) with an obscure late round pick or UFA and get psyched about his prospects. Invaribly, he's cut.

 

[Remix 6]

Maybe a 4th??? Unless Samuel sists out..Hobbs and James..

do u know that James cannot be counted to be a starter? Hes gotten burned way tooooo many times

-Samuel
-Hobbs
-Gay/Meriweather/Wilson
-^1 of the above
-Scott/James

 

[mgteich]

We really should save this post. To consider Chad Scott as competing for the #5 CB spot with James, is probably the single worse analysis I've seen this year. But that just my 2 cents. To think that two players out of the list of players who hasn't played corner for the patriots for the last two years will beat out both Scott and James seems far-fetched at best.

do u know that James cannot be counted to be a starter? Hes gotten burned way tooooo many times

-Samuel
-Hobbs
-Gay/Meriweather/Wilson
-^1 of the above
-Scott/James

 

[Remix 6]

We really should save this post. To consider Chad Scott as competing for the #5 CB spot with James, is probably the single worse analysis I've seen this year. But that just my 2 cents. To think that two players out of the list of players who hasn't played corner for the patriots for the last two years will beat out both Scott and James seems far-fetched at best.

if i remember correcltly, wilson was lining up with starters in training camp a lot last year. Meriweather is the best cover safety we have..and hes played a lot of CB last year..him in the slot is very likely. Gay received a 2nd round tender..im guessing coaching staff still thinks highly of him. Scott had his ups and downs last year..and James is toast waiting to get burned.

BB wont go for experience just like that. If the other guy is clearly better...then he'll get the nod

 

[mgteich]

I agree that Wilson was lining up with the starters in camp. Did I ever say otherwise? I am interested in our CB depth chart when the season starts.

if i remember correcltly, wilson was lining up with starters in training camp a lot last year. Meriweather is the best cover safety we have..and hes played a lot of CB last year..him in the slot is very likely. Gay received a 2nd round tender..im guessing coaching staff still thinks highly of him. Scott had his ups and downs last year..and James is toast waiting to get burned.

BB wont go for experience just like that. If the other guy is clearly better...then he'll get the nod

 

[Remix 6]

I agree that Wilson was lining up with the starters in camp. Did I ever say otherwise? I am interested in our CB depth chart when the season starts.

okay so Wilson already had the nod in TC over Gay and Scott and he was our starting Safety(projected). Wilson was an early 2nd round CB..its not like hes a safety moving to CB. No one even said Wilson is moving anywhere. The loser of the FS starting role will likely play nickel or dime dependign how they perform

i dont think its crazy to think Meriweather/Wilson/Gay are better options than Scott and James.

 

[sebman2112]

I like this picture of BB giving Justin Rogers intructions:

Kareem Brown going through drills:

Justise Hairston going through drills:

 

[zippo59]

Hairston has thick legs.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070514/SPORTS/205140334/-1/style

Lua said he and his fellow rookies are “just scratching the surface” at this weekend’s rookie minicamp. The team has a full-squad camp scheduled for June. By then, Lua and Seau could be on the field together.

“He had a pretty tough injury, but he’s a tough guy,” Lua said. “I think he’ll be back. If not, that would be a terrible loss, not only for my learning experience but for the team. He’s an outstanding player and a leader, so I would really love the chance to play with him. But his decision is in his hands.”

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Reiss...a must read!
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/05/14/patriots_integrate_the_rookies/

The energy level is picking up as running backs coach Ivan Fears urges the offensive players to sprint over bags placed on the field. As the players run through, coaches swat at footballs in their hands and preach better ball security. The defensive players, without footballs in their grasp, run through their own bag drills as defensive line coach Pepper Johnson motivates them to push harder. At one point, the fiery Johnson starts firing footballs at them.

"He got me in the first practice, throwing a ball to me and I wasn't paying attention," says defensive lineman Zach West, an undrafted free agent out of Texas El-Paso. "Fortunately, I caught that one. You're just trying to go through the drill as fast and clean as possible, without touching the bags."

Notebook...
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/05/14/track_record_draws_free_agents/

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Pires...
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070514/SPORTS/705140348

"If you're coachable, you can excel in this game," Brown said. "You just got to listen, be willing to learn and take coaching. If you do those three things, you'll do just fine."

 

[patchick]

Reiss...a must read!
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/05/14/patriots_integrate_the_rookies/

Nice!

Memo to sports journalists: when you attend an event like rookie camp each year, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we fans never see it. There's a whole underdeveloped genre ripe for the plucking of simply describing what goes on. That piece by Reiss was as easy as journalism can be -- no digging, no sources, no breaking news -- but I've never seen one like it. Great read.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I like this picture of BB giving Justin Rogers intructions:

Take a look at Rogers' eyes. I can imagine the conversation going like this just before the photo was taken:

JR: How was that, Coach?
BB: Good, Justin. Now here's what you need to do to improve. . . . [yadda yadda yadda] By the way, how do you feel about playing tight end?