Decision on Malcolm Mitchell looms today

[Kontradiction]

Decision coming on Malcolm Mitchell today

Today’s the day the uncertainty ends for Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell.

Via Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, today is the deadline for the team to either activate him from IR or leave him there for the rest of the season.

So we will find out if he will be available as of today. Fingers crossed.

 

[Ross12]

Hope he does. If the game goes as we all hope it does, there could be an opportunity towards the end to get him some good reps and knock the rust off so he can be confident for the Super Bowl in a couple weeks. He's got a good knowledge of the offense and would be a nice extra target in the red zone that guys like Cooks and Dorsett can't really provide in the same way. Though "Playoff Danny" seems to somehow be a weapon in the RZ anyway despite his size...

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'm betting they activate him. Why the hell not.

Dorsett and Britt are doing nothing at this point but collect dust.

EDIT: Wrong as usual w/ BB roster decisions.

 

[Mack Herron]

To activate him they first must create a space on the roster by releasing someone or sending a player to IR. So the MM decision is linked to the loss of another player. One thing to watch is whether Jonathan Jones is spotted at practice as his injury is unknown and possibly an IR candidate. Your inactives from last week were:

Mike Gillislee, RB
Alan Branch, DL
Kenny Britt, WR
Rex Burkhead, RB
Cole Croston, OL
David Harris, LB
Johnson Bademosi, CB

Burkhead is reportedly returning while Branch and Gillislee were limited in practice and did not dress. Harris has received little playing time and with KVN returning and Flowers on the rise, did not dress despite going up against a powerful running game last week (with another on the way).

 

[RobertWeathers]

To activate him they first must create a space on the roster by releasing someone or sending a player to IR. So the MM decision is linked to the loss of another player. One thing to watch is whether Jonathan Jones is spotted at practice as his injury is unknown and possibly an IR candidate. Your inactives from last week were:

Mike Gillislee, RB
Alan Branch, DL
Kenny Britt, WR
Rex Burkhead, RB
Cole Croston, OL
David Harris, LB
Johnson Bademosi, CB

Burkhead is reportedly returning while Branch and Gillislee were limited in practice and did not dress. Harris has received little playing time and with KVN returning and Flowers on the rise, did not dress despite going up against a powerful running game last week (with another on the way).

Ideally Britt hurts his fingernail shoveling snow.

 

[Todd Bradley]

Gillislee to the IR opening up a spot for Mitchell wouldn’t be too surprising.

 

[long distance]

It would be a nice surprise if they did bc that would/might mean they think he can contribute in one of the fastest and most physical games in the season flat out.

Id guess the ship has sailed for MM to play this season though. Then again w BB you never know. He could activate him to be inactive as well just to have him at practice - esp. if JJ is out for the season - and maybe have him ready for a few snaps at SB..

Two arguably more important news today will be whats the status on JJ and Waddle..

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm betting they activate him. Why the hell not.

Dorsett and Britt are doing nothing at this point but collect dust.

Unless he aggravated the injury and that's ultimately why he missed practice, I don't see why they wouldn't activate him either.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Gillislee to the IR opening up a spot for Mitchell wouldn’t be too surprising.

That would not be surprising at all. My belief is he is the most "injured" player on the team

On the other hand, if god forbid DLew or Burkhead go down they really don't have a player who can "carry the mail" . I guess Bolden can but...

 

[varjao]

We need as many fresh RBs as possible, I feel this team has more of a need to chew clock in the 2nd half than last year's team for example.

I don't think Mitchell makes the team at this point. Dorsett has been involved and Britt caught a pass or 2, at least from a football shape standpoint he's far ahead but what do I know.

 

[PatsFan2]

The stars must be aligned one thing to note: one of Mitchell's best practices came against the Jags in our joint practices over the summer. I remember him putting a Edelman type move on a Jag's CB turning him every which way and loose. I was expecting Big things from Mitchell in 2017. I am sure he has the mental part down of the game and he's show in his short career already that he can come back from an injury. I will say it now Goodbye Kenny Britt. I t hink Dorsett needs the full Ota''s and TC to get on the same page with Brady he's still young so we'll see.

 

[PatsFan2]

If activated Mitchell Stat line would be interesting. His last two games could possible be SB's. Things that make you go Hmmmm.

 

[Mack Herron]

The stars must be aligned one thing to note: one of Mitchell's best practices came against the Jags in our joint practices over the summer. I remember him putting a Edelman type move on a Jag's CB turning him every which way and loose. I was expecting Big things from Mitchell in 2017. I am sure he has the mental part down of the game and he's show in his short career already that he can come back from an injury. I will say it now Goodbye Kenny Britt. I t hink Dorsett needs the full Ota''s and TC to get on the same page with Brady he's still young so we'll see.

Right you are:

 

[Doctor DDS]

Could certainly see activated MM as if he is healthy he should move ahead of Britt and Dorsett on the depth chart. That said, I still have trouble seeing how he would get any significant playing time unless there is an injury. Hard to see the Pats without a RB, Gronk, Cooks and Hogan on the field so that leaves Amendola as a potential rotational situation but with how he plays in the post season and with his specialized role I am not sure that makes sense. Do they prefer to have that extra depth at WR or RB as I think Gilleslee would be the IR/waived candidate. An interesting "problem" to have.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The stars must be aligned one thing to note: one of Mitchell's best practices came against the Jags in our joint practices over the summer. I remember him putting a Edelman type move on a Jag's CB turning him every which way and loose. I was expecting Big things from Mitchell in 2017. I am sure he has the mental part down of the game and he's show in his short career already that he can come back from an injury. I will say it now Goodbye Kenny Britt. I t hink Dorsett needs the full Ota''s and TC to get on the same page with Brady he's still young so we'll see.

If activated Mitchell Stat line would be interesting. His last two games could possible be SB's. Things that make you go Hmmmm.

If you read Matt Bowen's stuff on BSPN on which plays/routes the NEP offense can use to beat a Cover 3 defense (which according to Bowen JAX plays) it's a perfect game for MM. Perfect.

 

[The Brandon Five]

If you read Matt Bowen's stuff on BSPN on which plays/routes the NEP offense can use to beat a Cover 3 defense (which according to Bowen JAX plays) it's a perfect game for MM. Perfect.

Worked pretty well against Atlanta when we needed it.

 

[TommyD4207]

He would make a huge, huge difference, in theory.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Worked pretty well against Atlanta when we needed it.

I think BB said ATL played a lot of man/Cover 1 but I could be mistaken. Either way the Ds are the same in principal.

Also read that their DC is playing more Cover 2 this year.

With that said I can't see JAX sitting back in a Cover 3 zone all game. Thats suicide.

Either way its a good game for MM b/c when healthy he can beat man coverage and also knows where to sit in zones.

I just can't see him NOT being activated.

If he is not activated then there has to still be something structurally wrong with his leg and it can be re-injured at any moment.

 

[Kontradiction]

I think BB said ATL played a lot of man/Cover 1 but I could be mistaken. Either way the Ds are the same in principal.

Also read that their DC is playing more Cover 2 this year.

With that said I can't see JAX sitting back in a Cover 3 zone all game. Thats suicide.

Either way its a good game for MM b/c when healthy he can beat man coverage and also knows where to sit in zones.

I just can't see him NOT being activated.

If he is not activated then there has to still be something structurally wrong with his leg and it can be re-injured at any moment.

Atlanta played a ton of Cover-1 Robber in that game. That's actually one of the biggest reasons they were gassed in the 4th quarter.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Atlanta played a ton of Cover-1 Robber in that game. That's actually one of the biggest reasons they were gassed in the 4th quarter.

Yep and the problem w/ Cover 1 is you can bleed 'em to death on the underneath crap and out-routes from the slot which is the strength of this offense.