Patriots Player Departure Pats release Takitaki

[Ring 6]

We're not hurting for cap space at all. Even if you don't like him at LB, we only have 1 other starting caliber player there in Bentley (who is coming off injury). And he has a good history on special teams.

I really can't pretend to strongly care and it's an insignificant move, but just seems like a weird one to make at this point.

I think the timing makes perfect sense. Vrabel and his staff reviewed the tape and knew this guy wouldn’t cut it. Why waste time?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Christian Elliss is already here.

Plays hard but he's 50/50 if he makes it out of camp.

 

[p8ryts]

I’m guessing this is also largely medical. There’s no reason to do this now vs a month ago vs a month from now except that Reiss said medical rechecks were last week. Even after Takitaki came off IR, he was questionable 9 times in 12 games (missing 1, playing 8).

He was outright BAD!

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I think the timing makes perfect sense. Vrabel and his staff reviewed the tape and knew this guy wouldn’t cut it. Why waste time?

It's just pretty rare for teams to cut guys like this now if they don't need the cap space or roster spot, that's all. Usually for such minimal savings you delay until you have an actual need to make the move because you have to build a 90 man roster for training camp. The exception would be if you think someone has earned the courtesy of being given a head start on finding a new team, and I don't view Takitaki as someone who's earned that really. He's a fringe roster type guy who it wouldn't at all be 'disrespectful" to bring to camp and force him to compete.

Like let's say for example they review the tape and decide Bentley isn't a fit. That's the type of guy who, even though there's no real need to do so now, you release early and give him a chance to find somewhere else he fits better, out of respect.

 

[TommyD4207]

Plays hard but he's 50/50 if he makes it out of camp.

I mean, true, assuming you bring someone else in. I'm just saying as a reserve/special teamer, he's fine - you don't need Takitaki.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Pharms is a rotation player at best, and we NEED those guys.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Your Cap number is incorrect. You're forgetting that the Pats have to have money in reserve for the LBTE incentives in contracts currently on the roster. This is nearly $8M according to Overthecap. Releasing Takitaki gets them 2.6M, but that still puts them between 118-122M.

More precisely: LTBE incentives are automatically counted against this year's cap; if they are not earned, they get a credit toward next year.

Also, Miguel does have the Pats at around $130M, higher than both OTC and Spotrac. He notes that he does have an upward adjustment that they don't, but I'm not sure where that's coming from.

 

[DaBruinz]

Ok. Doesn't really change my point though, to be at $118M-$112M vs. $130M. Just a little weird to be doing work on the margins like this that early with that much cap. But whatever, it's just Takitaki. I don't really care.

I was just pointing out that what the Pats have for money isn't what you thought since they need to keep some free. Not sure that it's "doing work on the margins". I don't think cutting Takitaki had anything to do with his cap hit. I think it had everything to do with him not fitting in the defensive scheme going forward. Why not let him go so that he can get a head start on finding a new team?

 

[DaBruinz]

It's just pretty rare for teams to cut guys like this now if they don't need the cap space or roster spot, that's all. Usually for such minimal savings you delay until you have an actual need to make the move because you have to build a 90 man roster for training camp. The exception would be if you think someone has earned the courtesy of being given a head start on finding a new team, and I don't view Takitaki as someone who's earned that really. He's a fringe roster type guy who it wouldn't at all be 'disrespectful" to bring to camp and force him to compete.

Like let's say for example they review the tape and decide Bentley isn't a fit. That's the type of guy who, even though there's no real need to do so now, you release early and give him a chance to find somewhere else he fits better, out of respect.

It's not rare for new coaches to cut players whom they don't believe fit in the new team defense going forward.

Force him to compete for what? He's not going to get defensive snaps. So, he'd be special teams only. Why give that to him if you want to have your focus on the newer players you bring in?

Bentley is the kind of guy you know has trade value so you work with him to find another team.

 

[Wozzy]

Got injured, couldn’t stay healthy, Christian Ellis played much better.

Sign Ellis, he was good.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Ellis is a baller, needs to get better IMO.

If he's a reserve LB/Special Teamer - he's worth keeping. I don't need to see him starting at linebacker ever again.

Plays hard but he's 50/50 if he makes it out of camp.

Elliss is a baller? He tries hard, he has a lot of heart, but he is very limited. Not sure what you mean as "a baller". A good player? No. All heart? Yes. The NFL is not a feel good league.

@TommyD4207 - "he's worth keeping"? Let's hope not. There are a 1000 special teamers, let's find a special special teamer. I love your posts but I am lost on your Elliss love. You didnt watch the games at the end of 2024?

50/50 if he makes it out of camp? That is why I love RW so much, he wears his Penn State heart on his sleeve and can't call a spade a spade. Elliss missed more run gaps in 2024 than I thought possible. 10/90 Elliss makes it out of camp and the 10% chance is only if the new regime screws up the FA signings.

Elliss is all heart and all effort. Zero football knowledge and limited physical ability. Let's stop being emotional and evaluate according to performace. At the end of 2024 Elliss played a lot and SUCKED. It is OK to release a "heart and effort" guy.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I think the timing makes perfect sense. Vrabel and his staff reviewed the tape and knew this guy wouldn’t cut it. Why waste time?

Reviewed the tape? How long did that take? 3 minutes? Reviewed the tape!!!! Too funny. LOL. They had to do a full indepth tape review to know that Takitaki sucked and needed to be cut?

The dude ****ING SUCKS. They should have cut him A MONTH AGO. ****ING SUCKS HIND TIT. WTF. #thisdudesucks, #abouttimewecuthim, #suckshindtit

 

[Jackson 2]

What does this actually mean though. Who are they showing it to? What message are they sending by cutting Takitaki?

Like I said, it's insignificant but it seems a bit odd. The only logic I can see in it is that they don't see a future for him in the new scheme (be it health or new philosophy) and out of respect for him they want to be able to look for a job in the first wave of free agency. But... does he really deserve that.

IDK, I just don't see the logic in not bringing him to camp.

I DO know the logic involved. He's a horrid player. Even within the current collection of bad players, he's really bad.

 

[Wax Frog]

lol. Thats epic Wax

 

[maust]

The dude ****ING SUCKS. They should have cut him A MONTH AGO. ****ING SUCKS HIND TIT. WTF. #thisdudesucks, #abouttimewecuthim, #suckshindtit

My Man, you been sipping the Captain Stone Cognac?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

My Man, you been sipping the Captain Stone Cognac?

Yes. Exactly. It was a tribute to the Captain. How astute of you.

The Captain loves hashtags, #s, and always uses zero or three. Did you know that? A quality engineer would have observed that.

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

I initially thought it was Tavai which I hope is next.

I started to type out that he should learn his place in the unemployment line then realized....we can dream right?

 

[mgteich]

Elliss is a baller? He tries hard, he has a lot of heart, but he is very limited. Not sure what you mean as "a baller". A good player? No. All heart? Yes. The NFL is not a feel good league.

@TommyD4207 - "he's worth keeping"? Let's hope not. There are a 1000 special teamers, let's find a special special teamer. I love your posts but I am lost on your Elliss love. You didnt watch the games at the end of 2024?

50/50 if he makes it out of camp? That is why I love RW so much, he wears his Penn State heart on his sleeve and can't call a spade a spade. Elliss missed more run gaps in 2024 than I thought possible. 10/90 Elliss makes it out of camp and the 10% chance is only if the new regime screws up the FA signings.

Elliss is all heart and all effort. Zero football knowledge and limited physical ability. Let's stop being emotional and evaluate according to performace. At the end of 2024 Elliss played a lot and SUCKED. It is OK to release a "heart and effort" guy.

I disagree. We need backups like Pharms, Ellis and Pettus on the 53-man roster.

I guess that you will be very disappointed when we sign Elliss to a 3-year contract next month.

At least you won't be able to blame Wolf. It is Vrabel that you will need rail against.

 

[Joey007]

Yes. Exactly. It was a tribute to the Captain. How astute of you.

The Captain loves hashtags, #s, and always uses zero or three. Did you know that? A quality engineer would have observed that.

No Captain Stone tribute is complete if you don’t go on and either react with a winner or dislike to the next 30 replies.

 

[Pape]

This was the guy we got instead of paying Mack Wilson an extra million bucks, by the way.

Pretty sure we didn't gave the cap space to resign Wilson...



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