Player Signing Center Garrett Bradbury released by Vikings [update: signed by Pats]

[KY Pats Fan]

just released by Vikings. would be a solid addition to Pats

 

[slash83]

He wasn’t good last year but yeah still believe he could be a solid addition.

 

[mike_usagisan]

It's impossible to know what the Pats think about the options they currently have on the team. I guess we'll get a better idea what they think if they do bring Bradbury in.

 

[PatsFan2]

just released by Vikings. would be a solid addition to Pats

His Pass Blocking blows no thanks.

 

[Pape]

i really wish Jake Andrews wasn't hurt last year... He really could have played some serious minutes, and we'd have a better understanding in regards to his future with the team... I am sure the team has a better idea of his skill level (starter, back up, etc) than I do, but it would have been nice to see him in extended play last year...

Ben Brown? Maybe he can develop into a starting caliber center, but, lets be honest he was shaky in extended play last year, and never really got better... I blame coaching for that... Really comes off as a depth piece / practice squad level talent... but seeing as how the entire line was a complete mess, i am hesitant to draw any hard conclusions on him...

 

[Hugepatsfan]

If the season started today we'd probably go with Ben Brown at C and Strange at LG, or Strange at C and Layden Robinson or Sidy Sow at LG.

Brown ranked 54th out of 64th last year at center per pff overall. Also 54th/64th as a pass blocker and 38th/64th as a run blocker.
Robinson ranked 128th out of 135th last year at center per pff overall. 106th/135th as a pass blocker and 127th/135th as a run blocker.
Sow ranked 134th out of 135th last year at center per pff overall. 127th/135th as a pass blocker and 129th/135th as a run blocker.

Bradbury ranked 33th out of 64th last year at center per pff overall. 55th/64th as a pass blocker and 14th/64th as a run blocker.

He's as poor a pass blocker as Ben Brown on those metrics but a much better run blocker. Improves depth. MIN tried to trade him on what would be a 1 year, $5.2M deal to his new team and had no takers which implies he'll be very cheap for a team with probably $70M of cap space left to spend (which takes into account signings that contract details haven't been reported yet, signing picks, in-season moves, practice squad, etc.).

Hoping that even if we sign him he gets beat out for a starting spot by a younger player either on the roster or through the draft? Sure. Pretending we're too good for him? I don't get it. Some of you complain that the team sucks and then poo-poo every incremental improvement out there.

 

[Pape]

If the season started today we'd probably go with Ben Brown at C and Strange at LG or Strange at LG and Layden Robinson or Sidy Sow at LG.

Brown ranked 54th out of 64th last year at center per pff overall. Also 54th/64th as a pass blocker and 38th/64th as a run blocker.
Robinson ranked 128th out of 135th last year at center per pff overall. 106th/135th as a pass blocker and 127th/135th as a run blocker.
Sow ranked 134th out of 135th last year at center per pff overall. 127th/135th as a pass blocker and 129th/135th as a run blocker.

Bradbury ranked 33th out of 64th last year at center per pff overall. 55th/64th as a pass blocker and 14th/64th as a run blocker.

He's as poor a pass blocker as Ben Brown on those metrics but a much better run blocker. Improves depth. MIN tried to trade him on what would be a 1 year, $5.2M deal to his new team and had no takers which implies he'll be very cheap for a team with probably $70M of cap space left to spend (which takes into account signings that contract details haven't been reported yet, signing picks, in-season moves, practice squad, etc.).

Hoping that even if we sign him he gets beat out for a starting spot by a younger player either on the roster or through the draft? Sure. Pretending we're too good for him? I don't get it. Some of you complain that the team sucks and then poo-poo every incremental improvement out there.

Jake Andrews doesn't get a shot?

 

[signbabybrady]

Not fair you tricked me into thinking we signed him

I looked him up a little yesterday and if I remember correctly he is a 6 year vet who has started every game he's played.

There is no way he's not better than Brown.

Should have signed him yesterday lol.

 

[mike_usagisan]

i really wish Jake Andrews wasn't hurt last year... He really could have played some serious minutes, and we'd have a better understanding in regards to his future with the team... I am sure the team has a better idea of his skill level (starter, back up, etc) than I do, but it would have been nice to see him in extended play last year...

Ben Brown? Maybe he can develop into a starting caliber center, but, lets be honest he was shaky in extended play last year, and never really got better... I blame coaching for that... Really comes off as a depth piece / practice squad level talent... but seeing as how the entire line was a complete mess, i am hesitant to draw any hard conclusions on him...

Jake Andrews is the big question mark for me. Can he be a starter. If so, it frees Strange to be LG.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

i really wish Jake Andrews wasn't hurt last year... He really could have played some serious minutes, and we'd have a better understanding in regards to his future with the team... I am sure the team has a better idea of his skill level (starter, back up, etc) than I do, but it would have been nice to see him in extended play last year...

Ben Brown? Maybe he can develop into a starting caliber center, but, lets be honest he was shaky in extended play last year, and never really got better... I blame coaching for that... Really comes off as a depth piece / practice squad level talent... but seeing as how the entire line was a complete mess, i am hesitant to draw any hard conclusions on him...

Do we have anyone who was here when Jake Andrews was a rookie? He got hurt really early in camp last year if I recall and I believe the offensive staff is entirely turned over since he was a rookie. Might be very, very limited knowledge on staff as I think it's only the assistant OL coach from last year still here, who didn't get much time with JAndrews last year.

I do think McDaniels probably has a good enough relationship with BB though that he can dial up the phone and get good info though, it just won't be first hand from McDaniels or the offensive staff themselves for a lot of guys.

 

[Pape]

Do we have anyone who was here when Jake Andrews was a rookie? He got hurt really early in camp last year if I recall and I believe the offensive staff is entirely turned over since he was a rookie. Might be very, very limited knowledge on staff as I think it's only the assistant OL coach from last year still here, who didn't get much time with JAndrews last year.

I do think McDaniels probably has a good enough relationship with BB though that he can dial up the phone and get good info though, it just won't be first hand from McDaniels or the offensive staff themselves for a lot of guys.

I am sure every minute of practice is taped, digitized and filed away for future reference... cue that 'sum***** up...

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Jake Andrews doesn't get a shot?

Sure, he doesn't have PFF grades for me to show from last year. The guy we signed from the Jets only played 4 games so I didn't bother posting him either. They can all compete. JAndrews looked bad as a rookie though at center during the preseason if I recall (better at LG late in year). Throw him in the mix to compete with that group I listed for sure, but adding him doesn't really change the larger point I'm making that Bradbury's track record indicates a floor that's better than what we have, or at least what those guys have shown so far. Ideally those guys would improve and be better than him, but I don't think any of the young guys here have shown enough to operate with the assumption that they will.

 

[Pape]

Sure, he doesn't have PFF grades for me to show from last year. The guy we signed from the Jets only played 4 games so I didn't bother posting him either. They can all compete. JAndrews looked bad as a rookie though at center during the preseason if I recall (better at LG late in year). Throw him in the mix to compete with that group I listed for sure, but adding him doesn't really change the larger point I'm making that Bradbury's track record indicates a floor that's better than what we have, or at least what those guys have shown so far. Ideally those guys would improve and be better than him, but I don't think any of the young guys here have shown enough to operate with the assumption that they will.

well... Is it a need to bring in a JAG? I mean, it could be a good signing... and probably won't cost a nickle if he doesn't make the cut down... I don't have an issue bringing him in, as long as they keep searching.

 

[farn]

His Pass Blocking blows no thanks.

as opposed to ours ?

 

[Steve102]

as opposed to ours ?

That's really the issue. No one on the street, FA or otherwise, is going to be a massive upgrade to what's on Rte 1 now. There might be a slight improvement in one aspect of a players game and reduction in another aspect. Like this guy's reported poor pass blocking and good run blocking. So they might get better rushing, but might be poorer in pass blocking.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

That's really the issue. No one on the street, FA or otherwise, is going to be a massive upgrade to what's on Rte 1 now. There might be a slight improvement in one aspect of a players game and reduction in another aspect. Like this guy's reported poor pass blocking and good run blocking. So they might get better rushing, but might be poorer in pass blocking.

Can't really get poorer in pass blocking than our interior OL was last year. The trio of Ben Brown, Sidy Sow, Layden Robinson were all just as bad as Bradbury as a pass blocker. All of them are in the absolute bottom of the league, at least going by PFF. His track record says he'd be just as bad as pass blocking but way better in run blocking, which nets out to good improvement overall.

The "good part" about sucking as much as we do in so many places is that there truly isn't anywhere to go but up for a lot of them. Our roster was littered with starters who were the absolute worst in the league at their positions or close to it in pretty much every aspect. There wasn't a single football thing we were good at least year. We sucked as passing, running, blocking, tackling, pass rushing, stopping the run, covering.

 

[Wozzy]

How much of last year’s line issues were scheme and coaching?

I like Bradbury as a player, but tackle is the big need now. Sow and Strange barely played last year due to injury, those are their best players and they should be back healthy.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

How much of last year’s line issues were scheme and coaching?

I like Bradbury as a player, but tackle is the big need now. Sow and Strange barely played last year due to injury, those are their best players and they should be back healthy.

I'm sure scheme and coaching played a part, definitely. Bradbury was on the trade market for 1 year, $4.9M, up to $5.2M in incentives, I believe, before MIN cut him. That implies his market shouldn't be much, if at all higher than $5M. I doubt he signs the type of contract that guarantees him a starting spot, or even a roster spot if push really comes to shove. If Sow (or Robinson or JAndrews or Ben Brown or any draft pick) is good enough they can very easily take the starting spot over him. If they can't beat Bradbury out... well that doesn't exactly paint a glowing picture of their career outlook. If Sidy Sow or JAndrews in year 3 of their rookie deals can't beat out Bradbury, we probably have to start looking at them as guys who probably aren't long term pieces anyway.

Tackle is a bigger need for sure but signing a guy for one doesn't really have anything to do with the other. Actually, better OL play can only HELP the LT so even if it doesn't improve the talent there, it helps make whoever is playing that spot better than it otherwise would have been,

 

[Steve102]

Can't really get poorer in pass blocking than our interior OL was last year. The trio of Ben Brown, Sidy Sow, Layden Robinson were all just as bad as Bradbury as a pass blocker. All of them are in the absolute bottom of the league, at least going by PFF. His track record says he'd be just as bad as pass blocking but way better in run blocking, which nets out to good improvement overall.

The "good part" about sucking as much as we do in so many places is that there truly isn't anywhere to go but up for a lot of them. Our roster was littered with starters who were the absolute worst in the league at their positions or close to it in pretty much every aspect. There wasn't a single football thing we were good at least year. We sucked as passing, running, blocking, tackling, pass rushing, stopping the run, covering.

That's true, but can they improve with proper coaching? Can the OL players ceiling be higher? Is their ceiling at a point that that they can improve 50% better, without spending 100% more money for a 55-60% improvement?

All this stuff has to be analyzed by the FO and coaches, and no doubt gets spreadsheeted out to determine where they need to spend $$ to improve and where they can improve simply on scheme, technique, pro level scouting, film study and maybe better effort?

I don't think it's simply bringing in new bodies. How does a guy like Robinson or Bradbury improve the unit as a whole? How much salary commitment needs to be made for what level of improvement? As fans, we can say "these guys suck" but we don't really know what level of suckage they really are without sitting in Vrabel's meetings to see missed assignments and such.

 

[gobesmug]

If the season started today we'd probably go with Ben Brown at C and Strange at LG or Strange at LG and Layden Robinson or Sidy Sow at LG.

This might be an innovative solution to LG. Instead of just playing one player at the position, play 2 at LG. Brilliant