In the wake of Hernandez - Colt Lyerla, Y/N?

[Kontradiction]

People shouldn't be aware that Logan Thomas who may convert to TE, he's being asked by some teams to do so, is putting up numbers that are close to Jimmy Graham territory. He, and not Lyerla, might be the better longshot.

NB: He was recruited to college as a TE.

Exactly. If it's for depth, I would much rather have Logan Thomas. I personally wouldn't go anywhere near Lyria. Yes, he's an absolute freak athlete who would be a natural mismatch on the field. Off the field, he may be a psychopath and an extensive history of character issues. Plus, there are better TE's with good character histories that may be available early on. The team could go with guys like ASJ or Niklas, for example, early on while still going defense-heavy the rest of the draft.

 

[Ivan]

If we're banning people who say whacked out stuff, Patsfans.com is going to lost about 95% of its posters.

We aren't talking about the Patriots hiring those who say idiotic sh.t in this forum, we are talking about them hiring a TE who called the parents of the children "supposedly" murdered in Newtown "liars." You apparently support that, I can't say i am surprised.

 

[captain stone]

Agree completely. The Patriots ownership and management have that right.

But God help us here in this forum if they decided not to sign a player because he supported gay marriage or other issues as fnord suggested...

…or because he didn't support gay marriage…I hope…

I would be shocked if Lyerla is either drafted or signed as a UDFA by the Patriots.

 

[Ivan]

Those here trying to equate opposition to picking Lyerla to intolerance of free speech are way off the mark, Brandon Spikes has been saying really bizarre stuff on twitter for as long as he has been in New England and not one person that i have seen has called for him to be released for it, Lyerla, on the other hand went way over the line and suggesting he shouldn't be held accountable for saying despicable things about what happened in Newtown are essentially saying that there is no line that can be crossed. Lyerla can say whatever he wants, he won't go to jail for that and that is what free speech means, however it does not mean that you can say whatever you want and everyone has to hire you despite it, and that is the issue in this case. I wouldn't blame every team in the NFL for passing on him because his statements were disgraceful and i wouldn't hire him to scrape sh.t off of my shoes. I don't care if he is a HOF caliber TE, I want absolutely nothing to do with this POS.

I think the Kraft's have given Belichick carte blanche when it comes to making organizational decisions but in this case i think they would actually step in and tell him that bringing Lyerla onto this team is unacceptable and would not allow it, and i would support them in that decision 100% regardless of the fall out from it.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

…or because he didn't support gay marriage…I hope…

I would be shocked if Lyerla is either drafted or signed as a UDFA by the Patriots.

I was trying, but apparently failed, to take a position in the abstract about a putative player's rantings. As stated, I support the NEP's taking whatever internal position they wish on a draftee's or FA's spouting. I have no idea whatsoever who this particular guy is as I pay zero attention to college football. OK, I know who Clowney is and now I know who Johnny Football is thanks to new threads, but that's pretty much it.

 

[Ivan]

I was trying, but apparently failed, to take a position in the abstract about a putative player's rantings. As stated, I support the NEP's taking whatever internal position they wish on a draftee's or FA's spouting. I have no idea whatsoever who this particular guy is as I pay zero attention to college football. OK, I know who Clowney is and now I know who Johnny Football is thanks to new threads, but that's pretty much it.

For the record Pissah i have nothing but respect for you and i would have been OK with the Patriots taking a look at Lyerla as a UDFA despite real character concerns until I saw what he said about Newtown, at which point I realized what a sick POS he is and that I don't want the Patriots to have anything to do with him. As I said i don't see this as a freedom of speech issue because we aren't talking about sending him to jail for it, which would obviously be outrageous as well as unconstitutional. It is however a question of character and who we want on the Patriots and i don't think i could could continue to support this team if they were willing to bring in someone like this simply to help them win.

 

[PP2]

Those here trying to equate opposition to picking Lyerla to intolerance of free speech are way off the mark, Brandon Spikes has been saying really bizarre stuff on twitter for as long as he has been in New England and not one person that i have seen has called for him to be released for it, Lyerla, on the other hand went way over the line and suggesting he shouldn't be held accountable for saying despicable things about what happened in Newtown are essentially saying that there is no line that can be crossed. Lyerla can say whatever he wants, he won't go to jail for that and that is what free speech means, however it does not mean that you can say whatever you want and everyone has to hire you despite it, and that is the issue in this case. I wouldn't blame every team in the NFL for passing on him because his statements were disgraceful and i wouldn't hire him to scrape sh.t off of my shoes. I don't care if he is a HOF caliber TE, I want absolutely nothing to do with this POS.

I think the Kraft's have given Belichick carte blanche when it comes to making organizational decisions but in this case i think they would actually step in and tell him that bringing Lyerla onto this team is unacceptable and would not allow it, and i would support them in that decision 100% regardless of the fall out from it.

Very little of what Spikes says on twitter can be represented as being coherent or making any sense and he could certainly challenge Irsay for being the most incomprehensible NFL personality on twitter, and that's fine with me because that's not what the Pats are paying him for. However, IIRC, he has never crossed the line, a.k.a. Newtown.

So I think it's a stretch to draw a parallel between Spikes and Lyerla. Otherwise I am in agreement with the rest of your post. Free speech isn't free speech when it's used to incite.

 

[JackBauer]

Not sure the Patriots are really in the market for people who have a tenuous grasp on reality.

 

[Joker]

The guy's name is LYERLA.

This kid has a need to belong...to something...to some side. He wants to be controversial though...he wants that shock factor.

Whether we like it or not, these conspiracy cells dot the country. They are the offspring of the militia movement in the late 80's and 90's. This kid's desire is to align himself with this fringe element in our society. Perhaps that plays in Oregon...or Idaho or Indianapolis or Tampa or Arizona.

There is 100% no way that he could ever perform in THIS market or anywhere in the Northeast IMO.The backlash would be galactic.

 

[Ivan]

Very little of what Spikes says on twitter can be represented as being coherent or making any sense and he could certainly challenge Irsay for being the most incomprehensible NFL personality on twitter, and that's fine with me because that's not what the Pats are paying him for. However, IIRC, he has never crossed the line, a.k.a. Newtown.

So I think it's a stretch to draw a parallel between Spikes and Lyeria. Otherwise I am in agreement with the rest of your post. Free speech isn't free speech when it's used to incite.

I think we agree but what I was really doing was contrasting what Spikes has said to what Lyerla said, i agree that there is no comparison, however had Spikes said the Holocaust never happened I think there could be a comparison made.

 

[PP2]

I think we agree but what I was really doing was contrasting what Spikes has said to what Lyerla said, i agree that there is no comparison, however had Spikes said the Holocaust never happened I think there could be a comparison made.

Right but he never did. Spikes always stopped short of that.

Lyerla didn't.

 

[letekro]

A huge talent worth doing due diligence on. Seems to be at least an idiot, a gun freak, and a drug user. Could be worth between a 4th and UFA, or could be completely off the draft board, depending on how he interviews and what his coaches have to say about him.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

I would think an idiot gun-toting drug user would be off the board of any rational human being.

 

[letekro]

I would think an idiot gun-toting drug user would be off the board of any rational human being.

Probably...yet there are dozens of guys in the NFL that Check all 3 boxes.

 

[PP2]

I would think an idiot gun-toting drug user would be off the board of any rational human being.

Like Hernandez?

 

[Ivan]

Probably...yet there are dozens of guys in the NFL that Check all 3 boxes.

How many claim the massacre in Newtown never took place?

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Note the key uses of the words 'probably' and 'rational'

 

[Ivan]

Like Hernandez?

Hernandez was known to be a pot smoker in college, I never heard a word about him being a gun nutbag, let alone his propensity for violence.

 

[varjao]

If Chip Kelly does not draft him until the 5th round that would be the answer people are looking for.

 

[BobDigital]

Will the Patriots take him? No, I very much doubt it.

Would I? You bet! You can't let 1 isolated incident effect how you do operations. This guy has talent and is one of the best value buys in this draft.

If available I take on shot on him with one of my 6 round picks. I would not use any higher pick on him though as he could easily bust.