2018 Training Camp Thread - Days 4 & 5 (7/29-30/18)

[RayClay]

I know he's a team captain and a special teams stalwart but I'm rooting for someone who can make big impacts on offense and defense to knock the Slater's and Boldens off the roster.
I know this is a BB team and special teams is King.

Why?

 

[RayClay]

Letting Hicks walk was painful given the contract he received by the Bears. The Pats couldn't have matched a 2 year 10 million deal?

Having Jones, Hicks and Flowers at one point in time would've been a nice D-line.

Hicks, 2016 really? I wish they hadn't traded Buoniconti, but I got over it.

 

[maineman209]

I don't recall any punt returns from Chung aside from a few fair catches. I hope they can find someone who is shifty enough to actually make some people miss on occasion.

Priorities for a punt returner:

1) Knowing when to field it and when to let it go
2) Being able to field it cleanly every time
3) Knowing when to Fair Catch and when to attempt a return
4) Knowing how NOT to do anything utterly stupid when attempting a return.

 

[patsinthesnow]

 

[maineman209]

The issue really was BB and Lombardi royally ****ing up on Hicks and then having to settle for Branch. Yes it worked out for 2016 and we got a title out of it so this makes it all relative but screwing up the evaluation of his market and the contract offer (per Lombardi on the Ringer) really was one of the bigger roster building blunders.

OTOH, Hicks was a fine player for his first three years in the league playing DE in Rob Ryan's 3-4 for the Saints. When Dennis Allen converted the Saints defense to the 4-3 in 2015, Hicks didn't fit and was traded to the Pats. He did okay in the Pats' multiple-front, hybrid DL scheme, but took the contract in Chicago and has since excelled there as a DE in Fangio's 3-4.

It's possible that the Pats woefully underbid the Bears. It's also possible that Hicks knew where his best fit was, and wouldn't have stayed with the Pats, even with a matching offer.

And both possibilities could be true simultaneously.

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[TheRainMaker]

OTOH, Hicks was a fine player for his first three years in the league playing DE in Rob Ryan's 3-4 for the Saints. When Dennis Allen converted the Saints defense to the 4-3 in 2015, Hicks didn't fit and was traded to the Pats. He did okay in the Pats' multiple-front, hybrid DL scheme, but took the contract in Chicago and has since excelled there as a DE in Fangio's 3-4.

It's possible that the Pats woefully underbid the Bears. It's also possible that Hicks knew where his best fit was, and wouldn't have stayed with the Pats, even with a matching offer.

And both possibilities could be true simultaneously.

Scheme didn't matter much because the Saints didn't think he could rush the passer and it pissed him off. They only wanted him to play as a run stuffer. Hicks said this during his time with the Saints. The Saints flat out didn't how to utilize Hicks.

 

[PP2]

Day off tomorrow, most likely.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Hicks, 2016 really? I wish they hadn't traded Buoniconti, but I got over it.

Are you serious? Hicks was a good player with the Pats and they could've had him on the cheap for at least an additional 2 more years.

It worked out for him in the end because he has done really well for the Bears and that's why he got paid the big contract. Fangio's scheme is D-line friendly.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Hope he proves me wrong and turns into a good player.

 

[AtomicDawg]

According to Danny Shelton the team got 2 nights off because of this catch, which is why they went nuts. (Good for BB for giving Wynn another shot.)