Player Signing Bernard Reedy promoted to active roster; may handle punt & kickoff returns

[jmt57]

Patriots Make A Series of Roster Transactions

- DE Geneo Grissom promoted to 53-man roster
- WR Bernard Reedy promoted to 53-man roster
- DE Ricky Jean-Francois released
- G Jason King released
- DL Marcus Hardison signed to Practice Squad

Grissom's addition is presumably to replace Trevor Reilly (concussion). Reedy may be taking over on punt and/or kickoff returns.

New England Patriots WR Bernard Reedy should relieve Danny Amendola of punt return duties

Reedy should help on punt returns. Previously with the Bucs, the 5-foot-9, 174-pound Reedy signed with the New England practice squad on Nov. 21.

He handled all of Tampa Bay's punt and kick returns in the first nine games of the season. Reedy had a 44-yard punt return against the Jets and a 50-yard kickoff return against the Vikings.

Reedy's presence could relieve Dion Lewis and Danny Amendola of their return duties. Lewis has been electric as a kickoff returner, but he is the team's No. 1 running back. The Pats probably don't want to expose him to any additional hits.​

 

[Gwedd]

Sounds good to me. We have some gaping holes in the skills positions and no need to risk any of the WR"s (especially Danny) when Reedy can likely fill in just fine.

Obviously Coach likes him, or at least has confidence in him that he can be useful.

 

[maineman209]

Reedy had 24 offensive snaps for TBY this season - rushed 3 for 17 yds (long of 10 yds) and caught 2/2 tgts for 21 yds (long of 15).

In 81 ST snaps, he had 7 KR for a 20.7-yd avg, including a 50-yarder wk-3 v. MIN (his second career NFL game). No doubt this caught the attention of the Pats ST staff. Against the Pats in wk-5, Reedy had one KR for 16 and 3 PR for 29.

Reedy had 14 PR (+ 7 FCs) for a 10.2 avg in 9 games, including a 44-yarder v. the Jets in wk-10.

He was cut by TBY a couple days after that in order to promote WR Freddie Martino from the PS (Martino had been a minor deep threat for TBY in 2016, but he has yet to record a stat in 23 offensive snaps since his promotion). Meanwhile, the Pats snagged Reedy for the PS a couple of days after he was cut.

In just his last two seasons at Toledo, Reedy had 63 KR for 1575 yds and three TDs. He had 28 PR for 307 yds and a TD. He also caught 190 passes for 2700 yds and 23 TDs in his last three seasons at Toledo.

This guy has a chance to be the real deal returner that Pats have sought for awhile.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

ALL for this, Amendola and Lewis are extremely important to the offense

 

[Uptown]

Excellent. Keep Dola & D-33 as fresh as possible.

 

[fxmallon]

Reedy sounds like a great pick-up--we can relax now we get some experience at this devilish position.

Who's replacing King?

 

[jah]

Reedy sounds like a great pick-up--we can relax now we get some experience at this devilish position.

Who's replacing King?

What do you mean about King? We cut him and Jean Francois while promoting Grissom and Reedy. If you mean King's role, he'll probably go back to the PS and do whatever he would have done anyway, since he certainly wouldn't have played game snaps.

 

[mosi]

And Reis just did a nice story on Francois. Seemed like a good guy!

 

[RobertWeathers]

Why did TB get rid of him and no one else pick him up.? Too good to be true? What wrong with him? Does he have a PH problem?

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Everyone knows what I want to know: how quick is he?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Bernard Reedy nearly returns punt to house

 

[maineman209]

Why did TB get rid of him and no one else pick him up.? Too good to be true? What wrong with him? Does he have a PH problem?

You mean, is he extremely acidic or alkaline? No idea.

Anyway, maybe Licht had a brain cramp? Maybe someone in the organization thought that replacing Reedy with a familiar target from last season would help Winston?

Maybe other teams don't scout low-level returners who've been in the league for three seasons with nothing on their resume's as thoroughly as the Pats do?

IDK. The Pats have often scored good players out of other teams' cast-offs.

McCarron (a rookie), similar in size with somewhat better athletic testing numbers, and with a similar college resume, has been on the PS for more than two months. Reedy is on the PS for 10 days and he's already promoted. Apparently, the Pats liked what they saw on Reedy's 9 games of NFL tape, liked what they saw of him on the field in wk-5, and liked what he brought to the PS.

I'm just hoping he gets a crap-tonne of work returning punts tomorrow so we can see for ourselves.

 

[maineman209]

Everyone knows what I want to know: how quick is he?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Bernard Reedy nearly returns punt to house

Reedy (5076, 175): 2014 UDFA (Toledo) originally signed by ATL.

4.51/40, 1.55/10 yd .. 37 vert, 120 lj .. 4.07 ss .. 6.84 3c

Seems reasonably quick. But is he fiendishly clever? Can he easily get his claws into the football and not let go?

 

[oldrover]

Why did TB get rid of Reedy and no one else pick him up.? Too good to be true? What wrong with him? Does he have a PH problem?

Where is he on the autism spectrum?

 

[supafly]

Still prefer to see Dola fair catching within the 15 yard line, as he is fairly sure handed and experienced. This could work out well for actual PR, though. If he’s able to return KOs too, all the better.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Reedy (5076, 175): 2014 UDFA (Toledo) originally signed by ATL.

4.51/40, 1.55/10 yd .. 37 vert, 120 lj .. 4.07 ss .. 6.84 3c

Seems reasonably quick. But is he fiendishly clever? Can he easily get his claws into the football and not let go?

so he is Speedy

 

[Gumby]

Why did TB get rid of him and no one else pick him up.? Too good to be true? What wrong with him? Does he have a PH problem?

I think he has an altitude sickness!

Reedy (5076, 175): 2014 UDFA (Toledo) originally signed by ATL.

4.51/40, 1.55/10 yd .. 37 vert, 120 lj .. 4.07 ss .. 6.84 3c

Seems reasonably quick. But is he fiendishly clever? Can he easily get his claws into the football and not let go?

Height = 5076 = 5' 7" 6/8"

A WR at ~ 5'8" just isn't going to get much action.

 

[Gumby]

You mean, is he extremely acidic or alkaline? No idea.
. . . . . Reedy is on the PS for 10 days and he's already promoted. Apparently, the Pats liked what they saw on Reedy's 9 games of NFL tape, liked what they saw of him on the field in wk-5, and liked what he brought to the PS.

I'm just hoping he gets a crap-tonne of work returning punts tomorrow so we can see for ourselves.

If he is speedy AND TOUGH*, can he replace Ebner as a Gunner on the kickoff/puntING units as well?

*at 170 [175] lbs, can he tackle?

 

[mgteich]

Grissom will take some of Exner's ST reps.

If he is speedy AND TOUGH*, can he replace Ebner as a Gunner on the kickoff/puntING units as well?

*at 170 lbs, can he tackle?

 

[SlowGettingUp]

If he is speedy AND TOUGH*, can he replace Ebner as a Gunner on the kickoff/puntING units as well?

And if he put on a bit of weight, can he play nose tackle too?

 

[primetime]

Reedy is a stopgap for a few weeks. Amendola and Lewis will handle returns in the playoffs. I wouldn't get too attached to him.

Bolden or Chung will probably replace Ebner as personal protector.