Mcgrone/Bledsoe what’s the plan?

[Clieb]

I saw both McGrone and Bledsoe started practicing this week, starting their 21 day windows to return. I kind of thought this was a red shirt year for both.

McGrone has some athleticism and Bledsoe special teams and flexibility with safety, but I kind of feel like we’re stocked up on both positions right now.

is there a chance either gets activated this year? Is BB just getting them 3 weeks worth of practice/experience before shutting them down for the year? Seems like odd timing with the bye week coming up, if you’re thinking about either player for injury depth.

Can’t think of too many other years where we’ve activated NFI rookies this late in the year.

 

[PScottman]

McGrone has some athleticism and Bledsoe special teams and flexibility with safety, but I kind of feel like we’re stocked up on both positions right now.

is there a chance either gets activated this year? Is BB just getting them 3 weeks worth of practice/experience before shutting them down for the year? Seems like odd timing with the bye week coming up, if you’re thinking about either player for injury depth.

Can’t think of too many other years where we’ve activated NFI rookies this late in the year.

Flexibility. There's no down side - they get experience and evaluation before going back on IR or if something terrible happens on the injury front - they end up on the end of the roster as special teams guys or spot relief players.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Flexibility. There's no down side - they get experience and evaluation before going back on IR or if something terrible happens on the injury front - they end up on the end of the roster as special teams guys or spot relief players.

Agree, Its week 12 now, so they can practice through week 15, so the timing seems about right. You would have to think that they would be an upgrade over Munson and Bryant.

Imagine if either one of them pans out, this might go down as the best BB draft class ever.

 

[JMC00]

Let them practice for 3 weeks and see if they might be worth activating Can't ever have too much depth. Maybe McGrone in the 3 weeks "out practices" Tavai and they have a decision to make.

 

[PScottman]

Bryant

Bryant has been playing well. He's not a star, but a solid starter thus far. Fundamentally sound player.

 

[JayNM]

All of our LBs sans Van Noy are FAs, so this makes a lot of sense

Now, I only see McGrone being activated if he shows a lot of potential or a injury happens, since even our fringe LBs have a spot or two on ST-teams, and i have no idea if he has experience there

Otherwise, like PS said Its all about flexibility

 

[Betterthanmost]

If McGrone is healthy enough to move, can understand the playbook, boy do we have a team. We have needed speed at the LB position and McGrone can provide us with the side to side defense.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Players get injured. Potential depth. Early evaluation for next season, draft.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Agree, Its week 12 now, so they can practice through week 15, so the timing seems about right. You would have to think that they would be an upgrade over Munson and Bryant.

Imagine if either one of them pans out, this might go down as the best BB draft class ever.

Why do you think Bledsoe is an upgrade over Bryant?

 

[bresna]

If McGrone is healthy enough to move, can understand the playbook, boy do we have a team. We have needed speed at the LB position and McGrone can provide us with the side to side defense.

He is fast because he's on the smaller side for a LB (6'1", 234). He's more like a big safety a la Kyle Dugger - the kind of safety Bill likes. It'll be interesting to see how he does against the run.

 

[borisman]

He is fast because he's on the smaller side for a LB (6'1", 234). He's more like a big safety a la Kyle Dugger - the kind of safety Bill likes. It'll be interesting to see how he does against the run.

I think his strength is against the run and his weaknesses are more slanted against the pass/play action/coverage. He just needs to bulk up a little more but the run game is not his weakness, Michigan-style. He'll be another one of those LB's that can blitz (like Pats do with Dugger at least once per game a TFL machine, except the one he missed that time against that team) with his speed and tackling ability. I think we need to find the draft thread for McGrone to see more of his game tape.

 

[Patsgofor4]

Why do you think Bledsoe is an upgrade over Bryant?

He’a not. Not to say that Bledsoe won’t end up being a better player at some point, but Bryant has an extra year of experience in the system and has been solid this year. Atlanta did seem to pick on him on Thursday but hopefully that was just an off night.

 

[Pape]

Not sure how the mechanics work here -

If activated from the NFI, do they need to be on the 53 man roster?
or can they be relegated to the practice squad?

I would think being on the practice squad would be beneficial for next year, considering they have missed so much already...

 

[Patsgofor4]

There is no downside to removing them. from the NFI list. Gives them three weeks to watch them practice and, at a minimum, some experience. Injuries also happen, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that one of them will be asked to step up. Seems more likely that they won’t end up being activated before the 21 day window closes.

 

[TomPatriot]

Agree, Its week 12 now, so they can practice through week 15, so the timing seems about right. You would have to think that they would be an upgrade over Munson and Bryant.

Imagine if either one of them pans out, this might go down as the best BB draft class ever.

Imagine if Wade works out too. I consider him part of this year’s draft class, though technically he’s not.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Imagine if Wade works out too. I consider him part of this year’s draft class, though technically he’s not.

High hopes for Wade to at least be a nickel or dime back.
As much as this board likes to roast Joejuan he's played incredibly well

 

[RobertWeathers]

He’a not. Not to say that Bledsoe won’t end up being a better player at some point, but Bryant has an extra year of experience in the system and has been solid this year. Atlanta did seem to pick on him on Thursday but hopefully that was just an off night.

Yea he did get picked on a bit but in zones that sometimes happens. Could mean something. Could mean nothing.

 

[n6249c]

There is no downside to removing them. from the NFI list. Gives them three weeks to watch them practice and, at a minimum, some experience. Injuries also happen, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that one of them will be asked to step up. Seems more likely that they won’t end up being activated before the 21 day window closes.

Agree. And interesting timing, the 21 days means they would have to be activated the week going into our bye. So if activated they’d have four weeks of practice before the first game they could play in, which would be the Indianapolis game. Would not surprise me if one or both is activated, with a corresponding IR move from the current active roster. Is there any limit to how many players can be stashed on IR with eligibility to return?

 

[oldrover]

Mcgrone/Bledsoe what’s the plan?​

 

[SlowGettingUp]

If activated from the NFI, do they need to be on the 53 man roster?
or can they be relegated to the practice squad?

You'd have to waive them first. If they pass through waivers they'd then be free agents that you could potentially sign to the practice squad. So that's very unlikely to happen - they'll likely just be put back on to IR after 3 weeks unless we have some other injuries.