Mike Pennel released

[Mike the Brit]

You have to have a backup inside run defender and it’s not Cowart.
We have 4 roles at DT
1) Stud run defender NT type double team eater
2) good run defender but more agile than 1 struggles as a double team eater
3) backup for 1 and 2
4) smallish DT best suited as a pass rusher, not a guy you want at the point of attack especially in nickel base

Shelton is 1
Guy is 2 (but ideally either he is 3 or 3 is more of a 1)
We have no 3 unless it’s parry
Cowart and butler are 4

​

Certainly, that is the way that the defense was built from Ted Washington and Vince Wilfork to Alan Branch. But is it so sure that that is the intention going forward?

I think it's notable that Shelton has said that Belichick wanted him to slim down over the off-season and he's done just that. If so, it may be that the line between (1) and (2) won't be so clear any longer.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/08/21/danny-shelton-impressed-bill-belichick-by-slimming-down-to-325/​

 

[Biffins]

So if I got this right, the Pats have four nose tackles - Butler, Guy, Shelton and Pennel. Mike Pennel only carries $500k in dead cap money if cut. I only have three of these guys making my 53, and none of them is exactly Vince Wilfork. Pennel is not a sure thing.

Good call

 

[IllegalContact]

I think it comes down to how many DTs BB wants to keep.

Guy
Bennett
Butler
Cowart
Shelton

If they choose to keep 315lb Parry to make it 6, that'll be one less of Wise or Rivers-type players.

Bennett is not a DT

 

[Uptown]

Bennett is not a DT

Bennett is whatever you need him to be, besides a NT.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

I thought this guy was going to be a steady performer.

I am an idiot

 

[patchick]

How many of those guys have actually proven anything in the NFL?

Given that it was a list of draftees from 2018 & 2019, I'm not sure that's a useful question.

Early results on the two drafts look good, that's about all you can ask for at this point!

 

[RobertWeathers]

Some 3rd and longs and 2 minute drill.
But that’s a DE role not a DT. Chandler Jones, Flowers, long etc. none of them were DTs.

I see the use of Bennett differently than you do

 

[The Brandon Five]

Doesn't this bode well for us? Pennel was a beast with NYJ and while it may be that he has declined, I'd rather believe that it's because the likes of Cowart and Shelton have impressed Belichick more.

He certainly wasn't a beast playing against third stringers in preseason. I am not surprised in the least at this move.

 

[50-yard-line]

Nice call, Brady6. Since I read your post, I've been paying more attention, and yeah, Pennell was really low on the chart.

Cowart looks like a beast. Incredibly violent at the LOS. He's knocking people around and he's surprisingly quick. I think this seals his place o the team - and I think he's getting a lot of snaps.

Shelton seems to be on the right side of the LOS on every snap. Looks quicker and stronger. He was clearly ahead of Pennell for a long time now.

 

[Tunescribe]

Not a total surprise Pennel didn't catch on. He came here from a crap organization where dedication and effort aren't emphasized.

 

[patsbrasilpatriotas]

How many of those guys have actually proven anything in the NFL? Michel and Jackson, that’s about it. Even Jackson is a bit of a stretch given how CB’s seem prone to slumps after breakout years

If we use the best CB (rookie) ranked on PFF as a strech, they won't reach your standards for what NEP (IMO) ''need'' from our rookie class.

But what Cowart and Wino did on pre season against less competition IMO is encouraging. Bailey beat Allen. Bentley was a starter last year. Wynn is a starter this year. Joejuan was really good. Crossen can be our new gunner after Slater retires. Stidham probably beat Hoyer. Izzo is improving ...

 

[Brit patriot]

The Pats are the ultimate meritocracy. Reputation counts little, it is what you do that counts. Shelton has gone from a bust to a main guy in the best team in American football. Cowart has continued his renaissance from college bust, to good college player, and now to wrecking ball in the NFL (preseason)

Maybe other teams keep Pennell because of his name. We don't.

 

[aluminum seats]

I’d assume this is a direct result of how well Shelton has played. I read somewhere he lost a little weight and is more comfortable in his second year in the system.

But Volin said that Shelton was going to be cut, and he said that run stuffers weren’t important anymore.

 

[NashuaPats]

We should have $13+ million in cap space now. Isn't that a lot for this time of year? Anyone else excited with what we might do with that?

 

[mcmurtry86]

If we use the best CB (rookie) ranked on PFF as a strech, they won't reach your standards for what NEP (IMO) ''need'' from our rookie class.

But what Cowart and Wino did on pre season against less competition IMO is encouraging. Bailey beat Allen. Bentley was a starter last year. Wynn is a starter this year. Joejuan was really good. Crossen can be our new gunner after Slater retires. Stidham probably beat Hoyer. Izzo is improving ...

Bentley has had like 3 good NFL games. Crossen and Izzo are questions to make the team

The rest of those guys have yet to play a regular season snap

There’s a lot of potential but very little has panned out yet. We should pump the brakes on the “Pats are loaded with young talent” stuff until these guys actually prove they’re good players and not just preseason stats.

 

[Brady6]

Nice call, Brady6. Since I read your post, I've been paying more attention, and yeah, Pennell was really low on the chart.

Cowart looks like a beast. Incredibly violent at the LOS. He's knocking people around and he's surprisingly quick. I think this seals his place o the team - and I think he's getting a lot of snaps.

Shelton seems to be on the right side of the LOS on every snap. Looks quicker and stronger. He was clearly ahead of Pennell for a long time now.

I think people forget just how talented Shelton is and that he was compared to Wilfork coming out of college. If they get that kid playing to his potential we are talking about a top DL.

 

[Ring 6]

I see the use of Bennett differently than you do

Yes but my view is based upon how Belichick has used ever player he has ever had in that size bracket. So I’m trusting that.

Regardless Bennett has nothing to do with that DT position in nickel base in early downs which is the weakness we were discussing.

 

[patman52]

They aren’t playing him at DT in the nickel base.
Moving a de inside on passing downs is a totally different matter.

What is a passing down anymore? NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Passing First Down Percentage on TeamRankings.com. Now I don't think he will play DT in a 2nd and short. But if you are playing one of the 16 teams thap pass a lot more than they run on first down, why not?

I see them in a 3-3-5 as a nickel base anyway sith only one true DT and that is Sheldon and Parry, when they go 4-2-5 nickel alignment DL is when I expect Bennett moving inside from his DE spot.

 

[Ring 6]

What is a passing down anymore? NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Passing First Down Percentage on TeamRankings.com. Now I don't think he will play DT in a 2nd and short. But if you are playing one of the 16 teams thap pass a lot more than they run on first down, why not?

I see them in a 3-3-5 as a nickel base anyway sith only one true DT and that is Sheldon and Parry, when they go 4-2-5 nickel alignment DL is when I expect Bennett moving inside from his DE spot.

We will give up 200 rushing yards a game if we do that.

 

[mcmurtry86]

We should have $13+ million in cap space now. Isn't that a lot for this time of year? Anyone else excited with what we might do with that?

Some key guys need contracts for 2020. I’d assume most of that 13M goes to extensions