Edelman & D. Thomas back at practice; Gordon in warmups

[203Pat]

Still plenty of Manning's HGH lying around up there I see..

I don’t blame any of these guys for getting a little “aggressive” in their rehab.

 

[patchick]

Everyone seems to forget that Matthew Slater is listed as a WR, is 33 years old, is a $2.9 Million cap hit ($2.4 Million cap savings if cut) and is a pure special team player. Somehow he's become a lock?

Barrios is returning punts, an important role that someone needs to fill or else we're back to holding our breath every time Edelman gets creamed during a runback. Brandon Bolden was brought back for his special teams play. Ebner is a special teams ace.

Maybe the WR pool will be minus Matthew Slater?

Someday, the Matthew Slater era will indeed come to an end. But when it does, it will have nothing to do with the depth at wide receiver.

I'm fine with the high cap hit for a player who is not only a perennial pro bowler on special teams but the captain of that unit, an emotional and spiritual leader of the team, and a mentor and inspiration for young players to see that ST matters and can take you places.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Someday, the Matthew Slater era will indeed come to an end. But when it does, it will have nothing to do with the depth at wide receiver.

I'm fine with the high cap hit for a player who is not only a perennial pro bowler on special teams but the captain of that unit, an emotional and spiritual leader of the team, and a mentor and inspiration for young players to see that ST matters and can take you places.

If you’re physically declined to the point where you are a liability out there, retire and stay on as a coach. Let a young pair of legs take your spot

 

[patchick]

If you’re physically declined to the point where you are a liability out there, retire and stay on as a coach. Let a young pair of legs take your spot

Umm...yes? But the poster I was responding to never suggested that Slater's skills were in question. His complaints were cap hit and not being a factor at wide receiver.

 

[203Pat]

At this point I just will assume Slater is a lock every year until he’s not.

 

[signbabybrady]

Everyone seems to forget that Matthew Slater is listed as a WR, is 33 years old, is a $2.9 Million cap hit ($2.4 Million cap savings if cut) and is a pure special team player. Somehow he's become a lock?

Barrios is returning punts, an important role that someone needs to fill or else we're back to holding our breath every time Edelman gets creamed during a runback. Brandon Bolden was brought back for his special teams play. Ebner is a special teams ace.

Maybe the WR pool will be minus Matthew Slater?

He's still one of the best special teamers in the league. Everyone considers him a lock because he pretty much is. Obviously the end is closer for him but not there yet and no one wants to be the one to predict it which says a lot about how much we all love Slater.

 

[bresna]

He's still one of the special teamers in the league. Everyone considers him a lock because he pretty much is. Obviously the end is closer for him but not there yet and no one wants to be the one to predict it which says a lot about how much we all love Slater.

No doubt. But Belichick has shown us time and again that he doesn't operate on sentiment. If they didn't go so hard after Bolden when he hit the market, I would not even have suggested it. But they did. So you have to wonder if the Slater era is coming to an end.

 

[signbabybrady]

No doubt. But Belichick has shown us time and again that he doesn't operate on sentiment. If they didn't go so hard after Bolden when he hit the market, I would not even have suggested it. But they did. So you have to wonder if the Slater era is coming to an end.

They went hard after Bolden? As far as I know you are the first to suggest they brought Bolden back to cut Slater.

Slaters day will come just not yet. Hopefully he gets to make the choice. There is nothing to suggest this is the year and you seem to be the only one who wants to go there. What does that say about your take?

 

[drewskie]

Locks:

Edelman
Gordon
Meyers

Think Thomas will begin the season on PUP. We all know Slater will only be WR in name only.

That leaves 2 or 3 out of 4:

Dorsett (probable)
Harry (probable)
Harris
Berrios

 

[TommyD4207]

No doubt. But Belichick has shown us time and again that he doesn't operate on sentiment. If they didn't go so hard after Bolden when he hit the market, I would not even have suggested it. But they did. So you have to wonder if the Slater era is coming to an end.

Go so hard? They made a phone call. Bolden didn't want to go anywhere else.

Slater is the best punt gunner in the history of the NFL. So long as he can still run, he's as big a roster lock as Brady, and has been for years.

 

[patchick]

No doubt. But Belichick has shown us time and again that he doesn't operate on sentiment. If they didn't go so hard after Bolden when he hit the market, I would not even have suggested it. But they did. So you have to wonder if the Slater era is coming to an end.

AFAIK know Bolden and Slater don't play the same ST positions, and I'm not convinced that giving 29-year-old Bolden $2 million in guarantees is a move to get younger and cheaper on special teams.

That said, the roster currently is overloaded with veteran ST specialists, and something's likely to give among this group:

Brandon Bolden
Terrence Brooks
Nate Ebner
Brandon King
Matthew Slater

(Slater is the only gunner among them, I believe?)

 

[Clonamery]

Locks:

Edelman
Gordon
Meyers

Think Thomas will begin the season on PUP. We all know Slater will only be WR in name only.

That leaves 2 or 3 out of 4:

Dorsett (probable)
Harry (probable)
Harris
Berrios

How is Harry not a lock?

 

[Sicilian]

or else we're back to holding our breath every time Edelman gets creamed during a runback.

For one thing, if you're scared of Edelman getting popped on punt returns and feel that's not worth the extra field position he gives you, god knows what you must think any time he takes a shot over the middle for a 5-7 yard reception. Might as well only run him on routes that get 10+ yards because otherwise we can't risk him getting hurt, right? PR has value, and he's the best we've got. He should play there unless someone supplants him.

For another thing, I can't remember the last time we carried a player purely to be a PR, and Berrios isn't ready to contribute any other way. It's questionable he's even ready to contribute regularly at PR, unless you've seen some dynamic returns that I missed. He's fine there, but I want better than fine if it's available, and it is in Edelman.

We need to stop thinking that we can protect these players by not playing them when they could help the team.

 

[bresna]

Go so hard? They made a phone call. Bolden didn't want to go anywhere else.

Slater is the best punt gunner in the history of the NFL. So long as he can still run, he's as big a roster lock as Brady, and has been for years.

Brandon Bolden got $1,000,000 guaranteed in 2019. That's going hard. His highest previous guarantee was $170K in 2018: Brandon Bolden Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap

 

[jah]

Locks:

Edelman
Gordon
Meyers

Think Thomas will begin the season on PUP. We all know Slater will only be WR in name only.

That leaves 2 or 3 out of 4:

Dorsett (probable)
Harry (probable)
Harris
Berrios

It might have been stupid when people said "Duke Dawson will never be cut as a 2nd round pick in his 2nd year", but it's absolutely not a stretch to say Harry will definitely never be cut as a 1st round pick in his 1st year.

I'd say the return of Edelman removes any remaining tough choices at WR, and based on your "probable" guys, I think you agree to some extent. 5 is a good number to have and Berrios will make it to the PS. Maybe Harris comes back later.

 

[patchick]

For another thing, I can't remember the last time we carried a player purely to be a PR, and Berrios isn't ready to contribute any other way. It's questionable he's even ready to contribute regularly at PR, unless you've seen some dynamic returns that I missed.

Fun factoids:

Braxton Berrios returned 47 punts in college for a 10.4 yard average
Gunner Olszewski returned 69 punts in college for 13.4 yard average

Braxton Berrios preseason PR average: 9.2 yards
Gunner Olszewski preseason PR average: 12.0 yards

(and no, I'm not suggesting that Olszewski will make the roster)

 

[PatsFan2]

Fun factoids:

Braxton Berrios returned 47 punts in college for a 10.4 yard average
Gunner Olszewski returned 69 punts in college for 13.4 yard average

Braxton Berrios preseason PR average: 9.2 yards
Gunner Olszewski preseason PR average: 12.0 yards

(and no, I'm not suggesting that Olszewski will make the roster)

Both can hone their skills on the PS where they belong.

 

[Sicilian]

Fun factoids:

Braxton Berrios returned 47 punts in college for a 10.4 yard average
Gunner Olszewski returned 69 punts in college for 13.4 yard average

Braxton Berrios preseason PR average: 9.2 yards
Gunner Olszewski preseason PR average: 12.0 yards

(and no, I'm not suggesting that Olszewski will make the roster)

And beyond the numbers, I just don't see anything special about him as a PR (granted, small sample size thus far). I think they only reason people think he could make it as just a punt returner is they want to stop Edelman from doing them, and BB just doesn't think that way.

 

[Clonamery]

Fun factoids:

Braxton Berrios returned 47 punts in college for a 10.4 yard average
Gunner Olszewski returned 69 punts in college for 13.4 yard average

Braxton Berrios preseason PR average: 9.2 yards
Gunner Olszewski preseason PR average: 12.0 yards

(and no, I'm not suggesting that Olszewski will make the roster)

Of the 2 shifty white guys....one IS actually shifty.

 

[PatsFan2]

Of the 2 shifty white guys....one IS actually shifty.

The sad thing in all of this is that we are potentially fielding a good Defense that should be able to force some punts. But as of right now we don't have a Good Young Punt Returner. Knowing how valuable Edelman is to our Offense none of us would like to see him taking any unnecessary hits on ST's he's not young anymore. Trading for a Return specialist shouldn't be out of the question for our Patriots that's now a NEED!