interesting roster moves

[SacPete1]

I believe each player they picked up over the weekend has practice squad eligibility while none they let go has (that may not be accurate but amuse me for a moment). So the Olinemen they picked up can go to their practice squad as early as next week(?) but if another team wanted them, they would need to go on that teams active roster thus forcing them to cut someone.
So why am I stating this obvious fact?
Well, the Patriots have effectively increased their roster size (with some risk mind you) by cutting for instance Cole who no one has picked up whereby they could bring him back next week and immediately place one of their new OL on the practice squad (they would have to cut him first of course).
This backend roster strategy seems very unique and some might say diabolically cold (queu Dr. Evil) but very smart and done for the benefit of the team.
I was thinking of this after seeing 10 Olinemen on the active roster and thinking there is no way will they have this many for long.
This strategy certainly doesn't come without risk and I really don't know if anyone other than BB utilizes this approach at least to this extent. Get ready for the weekly roster juggling!

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Interesting perspective on the overall pattern. Even if/when one of these guys moving to the PS gets scooped up elsewhere and posters explode with laments, the law of large #s probably gives BB the end result he wants, a young flexible roster serving as injury and failure to perform depth.

 

[Lamanai]

I think you are onto something here...

Also, consider if another team wants them they will need to promote them to their active roster, and keep them there for three weeks.

 

[scout]

A definition of diabolically cold is cutting the last player on the team the night before the Superbowl for the good of the team, bingo.
I also think, teams are trying to get their own cuts onto their practice squads and are biased in their thinking.

 

[patfanken]

This is a nice catch and provides some insight in how the Pats run their roster. While the rest of the league thinks in terms of a 53 man roster, the Pats are looking at what amounts to a 65 man roster. Between the PS and the speed dial roster the Pats wind up working with a larger group than their opponents.

It's one of the reason's I'm comfortable with only have 3 TE's no the roster at the moment. Now that he's passed thru waivers, Daniel Fells becomes a much more attractive option if they decided they needed a 4th TE, or there is an injury. The same goes for Ballard, who now has more time to continue his rehab.

Your point on the OL is well taken. This team is never going to carry 10 OLmen for long, cutting one or 2 late this week will very likely keep them available for the PS.

This is just another way the Pats are keeping ahead of the game for now. But the NFL is a copy cat league and other teams watch the Pats closely. When the Pats decided to go with only 2 QB's, they were virtually alone in this practice. Now, IIRC, there will be 14 teams carrying only 2 QB's

 

[yopats]

I asked Greg Bedard what he thought of this theory.. Check it out.

 

[SacPete1]

Thanks for doing so and Bedard would be a good source to qualify. It just seems the Pats do more of this back-end roster maneuvering than others.
They already brought back Cole a day after cutting him!

 

[Brewskies]

In BB we trust.