Today In Patriots History July 27: Aaron Marsh

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
The Pats 1968 Draft Disaster​

Happy 79th birthday to Aaron Marsh
Born July 27, 1945 in Dayton, Ohio
Patriot WR, 1968-1969; uniform #29
Pats 3rd round (60th overall) selection of the 1968 draft, from Eastern Kentucky

The 1968 draft was just the second combined NFL-AFL draft, after the two leagues had agreed to merge. In the third round the Pats elected to add speed to a wide receiving corps that was aging, selecting 6'1, 190 pound Aaron Marsh. He was a tailback for his first two years at Eastern Kentucky, then switched to wide receiver.

Marsh was a Little All-American for the Colonels, who was ranked sixth nationwide statistically with 70 receptions for 1,069 yards and nine touchdowns. Marsh also excelled on special teams in college. In 1967 he averaged 17 yards on his 25 punt returns, and 27.7 yards on kick returns. Marsh was known for his speed; he was a 9.7 second sprinter on the track team.

In 1967 the NCAA set up four college division championships (what is known as FCS now). The Mideast Region consisted of a ten state area with over 100 schools, with the championship to be determined in the Grantland Rice Bowl. NCAA rules at that time did not permit freshman to play, which kept EKU's starting running back and fullback on the sidelines. (At the time individual conferences determined eligibility, not the NCAA.) The coach moved Marsh, one of the team's tri-captains, back to tailback for the game. Marsh ran for 46 yards, caught three passes and returned two punts for 39 yards - all in the first half - before being forced from the game with a back injury. Eastern Kentucky went on to win the title by defeating Ball State 27-13.


Aaron Marsh (2006) - Hall of Fame | Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

A tailback his first two years for Coach Roy Kidd, Aaron Marsh switched to wide receiver for his final two collegiate seasons and rode that transition into the professional ranks.​

Marsh, one of the first African American student-athletes at Eastern Kentucky University, was a two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection (1966 and 1967) and selected to the All-Time OVC team. A First Team All-American as a senior, Marsh was invited to play in an All-Star game following the 1967 season.​

Marsh was a third-round selection of the American Football League’s Boston Patriots. He earned 1968 Rookie of the Year honors after making 19 catches for 331 yards and four touchdowns. Marsh also played for the Patriots in 1968. He averaged 22.7 yards per kick return that season, while also recording eight catches.​

Following his playing career, Marsh started and organized a little league for inner-city children in Compton, Calif. In the early 70s. For the past 20 years, Marsh has worked with at-risk kids and served as a mentor with Big Brothers.​

Aaron Marsh did had a good rookie season - 19 receptions for 331 yards and four touchdowns - but he played only four more pro games after that. While he was fast as lightning, he just didn't have the hands to make it in the pros. Marsh finished his career with 16 starts in 28 games played, averaging 16.3 yards on 27 receptions. He had 439 yards receiving and four touchdowns, and also averaged 21.0 yards on ten kickoff returns.

From the book From Darkness to Dynasty: The First 40 Years of the New England Patriots:

More typical of the type of players the roster was filled with by 1968 were rookie wideouts Bill Murphy and Aaron Marsh. The book on Murphy was that he had great hands, but was not only too slow to get open, he also had terrible eyesight and couldn't see a ball thrown his way. Marsh's problems were the opposite. He was fast, a terrific route-runner with great vision, but he couldn't catch the ball to save his life.​

On one occasion, the Pats were set to play a road game in the Houston Astrodome. On the day before the game, the team held a workout in the stadium. The players finished practice, showered, dressed, and went back to the hotel. What no one noticed was that their rookie receivers were nowhere to be found, and no one knew what had become of them. That is, until the hotel switchboard got a frantic, panicky call from someone asking to speak to anyone with the Patriots. It was Murphy and Marsh on the line, calling from inside the stadium. They'd wandered off, somehow managed to get lost, and couldn't find their way out.​

The joke among the writers was that an Astrodome security guard saw them and tossed them their keys, but Marsh dropped them and Murphy couldn't find them.​

The Patriot nosedive of the late sixties began when the entire roster seemed to age simultaneously, creating a situation where there were too many holes to fill at once. That problem was exacerbated when poor management yielded less than stellar drafts. Here is a look at the 1968 draft - which is sadly somehow actually better than what would happen over the next four years in the post-Mike Holovak, pre-Chuck Fairbanks era.

Round 1: DE Dennis Byrd (A great college player that should have never been drafted this early due to known health issues. He played only one season, 14 games; never recovered from knee injury during his senior year at college)
Round 2: LT Tom Funchess (three season starter, then traded to Houston)
Round 3: WR Aaron Marsh (27 receptions in two seasons)
Round 4: RB R.C. Gamble (475 yards from scrimmage in two seasons)
Round 5: never played in the AFL or NFL
Round 6: traded away
Round 7: never played in the AFL or NFL

The only thing preventing this draft from being a complete disaster were three late picks:

Round 8, #197: CB Daryl Johnson (three year starter)
Round 10, #249: CB John Outlaw (with Pats for 4 seasons - and then became a solid starter in Philadelphia for the next six years)
Round 12, #305: LB Jim Cheyunski (started 54 games for the Pats from 1968-72)


Granted this is with the benefit of hindsight, but here is what the Patriots could have done, beginning with not drafting a player with alarmingly bad knees at number five overall:

First round: Replace an aging Jim Nance with Syracuse running back Larry Csonka, who was selected three spots later at #8 by Miami. Another option would have been WR Haven Moses (#9, Buffalo), who went on to score 57 touchdowns for the Bills and Broncos.

Second round: The Patriots were in dire need of a quarterback (see yesterday's entry on Mike Taliaferro). Alabama QB Ken Stabler would have been a nice pick here.

Third round: There were already ten receivers drafted at this point; do you really think you can get a game changer with the #11 player at a position? Three future Hall of Famers were still available - TE Charlie Sanders, DE Elvin Bethea and OT Art Shell - as well as safety **** Anderson.

Fourth round: If the club wanted to go with a running back, then Jim Kiick would have been the right choice rather than Gamble.

That's right, Csonka and Kiick could have both been in the Patriots backfield rather than Miami's, with Ken Stabler at QB.

And let's not forget that rather than choosing Clive Rush to be their head coach, they could have instead gone with Chuck Noll. The rationale at the time was that Rush had been OC with the Super Bowl winning Jets, whereas Noll had been on the losing side in that game. Noll was DC for the Colts, whose defense ranked first in the NFL in points allowed, second in yardage, fourth in turnovers, fewest passing touchdowns allowed, second in interceptions, second in rushing touchdowns allowed and third in rushing yardage and yards per carry. The Jets won that game because of their defense, not the offense; the final score was 16-7.

Instead of Noll and Stabler, Patriot fans had this:

July 27, 1970: Brian Dowling, the former Yale All America quarter back , discusses plays with Patriots coach Clive Rush
at the UMass training site in Amherst. Dowling is seeking a spot on the Boston squad.​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Slow Day for Birthdays​

Happy 40th birthday to Jonathan Stupar
Born July 27, 1984 in State College, PA
Patriot TE, 2008 offseason; uniform #85
Signed as an undrafted rookie from Virginia on May 1, 2008


The Patriots waived Stupar at the end of the 2008 training camp. He signed with Buffalo, where he remained until the Bills released him at the start of their 2011 training camp. Jonathan Stupar played in 30 games for the Bills in 2009-10.

Patriots Sign 11 Rookie Free Agents

The heart of the matter for Patriots’ hopeful Stupar

Undrafted free agent Jonathan Stupar has overcome a serious heart condition.

www.enterprisenews.com

A broken foot led to a mended heart for Jonathan Stupar. Ultimately, it may have saved the 23-year-old’s life.​

“It ended up actually being a miracle that I broke my foot,” said Stupar, an undrafted free-agent tight end from the University of Virginia in attendance at the New England Patriots’ weekend-long rookie minicamp, “because then I got out of shape real bad and ended up being able to catch some symptoms.”​

Frightening symptoms like the temporary losses of vision he experienced during Christmas break from school in 2004. Frightening symptoms like the fainting spells he also experienced at that time.​

“I actually broke my foot in camp that year and for the first time since probably seventh grade, I got real out of shape being on crutches and not being able to do much,” the 6-foot-3, 254-pound Stupar explained.​

A consensus All-American at State College (Pa.) High School, Stupar stiff-armed any temptation to become a stay-at-home tight end and headed off to Virginia.​

“I needed to get away from home,” said Stupar. “(I) couldn’t go in the backyard. You had such a small town and growing up there, living there my whole life, I had to get away and grow up a little bit. Plus, at the time, Penn State really didn’t use their tight ends. Heath Miller (and the way he was utilized) at Virginia, it was a no brainer.”​

Redshirted in 2003, after breaking his foot near the end of preseason camp in 2004, Stupar returned to make the first catch of his collegiate career, a 13-yarder, against Florida State on Oct. 16 of that year. However, his season come to an abrupt end when a checkup revealed that a screw inserted in the initial operation had popped loose.​

“It’s one of those things that once it’s done, it’s done,” he said. “It can’t come back. It’s not like something can grow and come back. Once you cut the cord, it’s done.”​

Stupar went on to catch 80 passes in 29 games at Virginia where he played under former Patriots assistant coach Al Groh. Half of those receptions came in Stupar’s senior year for the Cavaliers.​

Stupar thankful he can compete

Jonathan Stupar feels alive when he’s playing football. And more so than you could imagine. Stupar, a tight end from the University of Virginia, was passed over in the NFL Draft last weekend before…

www.telegram.com

It’s a wonder, after all, Stupar is alive.​

Stupar broke his foot during preseason practice at Virginia in 2003. The highly touted redshirt freshman then reinjured the foot in October, leading to a second round of surgery.​

While he was sidelined, Stupar experienced a frightening series of physical maladies.​

“I lost vision multiple times,” he casually said to a pair of first-time acquaintances. “Fainting spells. I would just be standing there walking around and all of a sudden I would just faint and pass out. Things like that.​

“I got a lot of blood work done. They didn’t catch anything. I went back to UVA from winter break and that’s when they did the EKG and found it.”​

It had all been initially chalked up to Stupar having fallen out of shape for the first time since he was a seventh-grader in State College, Pa. The electrocardiogram revealed the situation was far more serious.​

Stupar had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a heart abnormality found in less than one percent of the general population. Those with the condition have an extra path in their heart that can throw off the timing of the electric signal that causes the heart to beat in a life-threatening way.​

“It was a real scary time,” said Stupar, who had corrective surgery early in 2005. “It’s not that much of a concern to people who aren’t exerting themselves every day, but for someone at the college level or the professional level, someone who exerts himself that much, it’s really an issue because your heart can either stop or it can beat twice as fast. It’s something that was a miracle that they ended up catching, and I’m really lucky to be here today.”​

The 6-foot-3, 254-pound Stupar, a consensus top-100 player coming out of high school, went on to have a very productive career with the Cavaliers. It culminated with him pulling in 40 passes for 359 yards and two touchdowns last fall.​

Although his name wasn’t called on draft weekend, Stupar’s phone was ringing Sunday night as the free agent suddenly became a sought-after commodity. In the end, the decision came down to the Patriots and the Packers.​

It turned out to be an easy choice.​

“I liked everything about this place,” Stupar said. “I love the coaches. I love the system. Al Groh (his head coach) at Virginia coached with Bill Belichick, so they kind of have a similar offense. So it’s a little easier transition because a lot of the stuff is from back in college.”​

The pre-draft reports on Stupar cited his work ethic, willingness to venture over the middle and his ability to make in-route adjustments. On the other side, he isn’t particularly fast and needs to show improvement as a blocker.​

All things considered, the Patriots feel there’s more to like about Stupar than not.​

“He has pretty good hands, played in a good system, which we know Al (Groh) runs,” Belichick said. “So we have seen him do a variety of things. I wouldn’t say he really falls into the category of a receiving tight end or blocking tight end. He is kind of somewhere in the middle, having skills in both. He is a smart kid who played in a good program.”​

Stupar, whose dad played at Penn State in the 1970s and whose uncle is former NFL quarterback Jeff Hostetler, looked good yesterday morning as he caught all three passes that came his way during an 11-on-11 passing drill that wrapped up the hour-long practice.​

While Stupar is a long shot to catch on, the Patriots are in need of a third tight end behind Benjamin Watson and David Thomas, with Stephen Spach and Marcus Pollard the other contenders. It’s a competitive situation, but it’s not life or death as Stupar knows all too well.​

Other pro football players with a New England connection:

Happy 37th birthday to Travis Goethel
Born July 27, 1987 in Oceanside, PA
Draft Pick Trade

April 23, 2010: Patriots send their 2010 sixth round pick (#190 overall) to the Raiders in order to move up two spots, from #44 overall to #42.

Oakland used that sixth round pick on Goethel, a linebacker from Arizona State who played in 16 games for the Raiders from 2010-12.

The Patriots used that second round draft on a tight end from in-state rival Arizona, Rob Gronkowski.


In memory of Clyde Williams, who would have turned 84 today
Born July 27, 1940 in Shreveport, LA
Uncle to former Patriot safety Brock Williams

Clyde Williams was a guard who played in 60 games for the St Louis Cardinals from 1967-71.


Happy 26th birthday to Anthony Brown
Born July 27, 1998 in Cliffwood, NJ
Boston College

Brown began his collegiate career at BC. He suffered a season-ending knee injury halfway through the 2019 season, then opted to transfer after BC fired Steve Addazio. Baltimore signed Brown as an undrafted rookie in 2022, and he is still on the Ravens' roster.


In memory of Hal Broder, who would have turned 119 today
Born July 27, 1905 in Canton, OH
Brown University

Broda was an end for the 1927 Cleveland Bulldogs, a team in their fourth and final year of existence. The Bulldogs finished in fourth place with an 8-4-1 record, behind the Giants, Packers and Bears. Behind the Bulldogs in the standings were the Providence Steam Roller, New York Yankees, Frankford Yellow Jackets, Pottsville Maroons, Chicago Cardinals, Dayton Triangles, Duluth Eskimos, and at 0-5, quitting halfway through the season, the Buffalo Bisons. No, I did not make those team names up.

Harold A Broda (1971) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

Harold A. Broda '27, captain of the Iron Men and one of Brown's finest ends, had a flair for the spectacular when he stepped on the football field. The long, lean Broda was a track man, and he used his speed to good advantage on the football field. His quickness was obvious on defense, where he would frequently follow a play to the other side of the field and catch a runner from behind. He also used his speed on offense, becoming a favorite target of passing star Dave Mishel.​

Also one of the best track men in the East, Broda ran the 100 and 220. In three consecutive meets in 1925, the native of Canton, OH, won five of six races in these two events against Columbia, Amherst, and Williams. Broda played pro football for the Cleveland Bulldogs.​

Some other pro football players of note born on July 27:

- Antoine Bethea, 40 (7/27/84); 3-time Pro Bowl safety played in 209 games from 2006-19, mostly for the Colts.

- Haven Moses, 78 (7/27/46); WR had 57 TD from 1968 to 1981, making the Pro Bowl once with the Bills and once with Denver.

- Shaquille Leonard, 29 (7/27/95); linebacker was a three-time All Pro in his first four NFL seasons, but back issues are curtailing his career.

- Ryan Tannehill, 36 (7/27/88); never would have thought he would still be starting NFL games at age 35.

- Irv Cross (1939-2021); before he was a commentator on CBS alongside Brent Musburger and Phyllis George from 1971 to 1991, Irv Cross was a Pro Bowl corner for the Eagles and Rams from 1961 to 1969.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
July 27 News and Notes​

July 27, 2021:

NFL Notes: Pats PUPs not quite ready to go

With training camp set to open, the Patriots have several players not physically ready to go.

www.patriots.com

Patriots tight end Devin Asiasi to miss training camp start after positive COVID test

Patriots tight end Devin Asiasi will miss the start of camp after a positive COVID test, putting the league's new policies into effect.

www.boston.com

Asiasi, who is vaccinated, can return to the Patriots soon after his symptoms subside according to the new NFL vaccination rules.​

Patriots release WR Devin Smith

Smith originally joined the team when he signed to the Pats’ practice squad last December.

www.bostonherald.com

The Patriots released wide receiver Devin Smith on Tuesday. Smith, a 29-year-old journeyman, was a long shot to make the 53-man roster.​

Patriots place Kyle Van Noy and Trent Brown on PUP, now have 9 players on list

Van Noy and Brown are both starting their second stints in New England on the shelf.

www.masslive.com

Two more Patriots have landed on the PUP list ahead of the start of training camp.​

The team placed Trent Brown and Kyle Van Noy on active PUP on Tuesday afternoon, meaning they can be activated at any time during the course of camp. They’ll join Stephon Gilmore, Byron Cowart, Terez Hall, Dalton Keene, Brandon King, Jarrett Stidham and Chase Winovich, all of whom were placed on the list last week.​

Meanwhile, rookies Rhamondre Stevenson, Cameron McGrone, and Joshuah Bledsoe are all on the non-football injury list, while Devin Asiasi was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list on Tuesday.​

July 27, 2020:

NFL Rumors: Patriots re-sign WR Will Hastings one day after cutting him

Will Hastings’ time away from the New England Patriots didn’t last long. The undrafted rookie wide receiver was cut by the team along with nine other players over the weekend, but he was re-signed on Monday according to Jim McBride of The Boston Globe. Download the MyTeams app for the latest...

www.nbcsports.com

The undrafted rookie wide receiver was cut by the team along with nine other players over the weekend, but he was re-signed on Monday.​

he Patriots' move to bring back Hastings came after it was revealed fullback Danny Vitale and guard Najee Toran have opted out of the 2020 season, thus opening up a pair of roster spots.​

Hastings, 23, played with Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham at Auburn where he caught 26 receptions for 525 yards and four touchdowns in 2017. After missing the 2018 campaign with a torn ACL, Hastings had 19 catches, 222 yards, and a touchdown in 2019.​

July 27, 2018:

Report: Patriots Release TE Troy Niklas, Sign WR Paul Turner

The New England Patriots have made their first roster move of the training camp portion of the 2018 season, cutting Troy Niklas and signing Paul Turner.

985thesportshub.com

The New England Patriots have reportedly made their first roster move of the training camp portion of the season. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, they have released tight end Troy Niklas and signed wide receiver Paul Turner.​

Niklas, 25, signed with the Patriots as a free agent in April. He entered training camp in, at best, the fourth spot on the TE depth chart behind Rob Gronkowski, Dwayne Allen, and Jacob Hollister. He caught at least one pass on Friday in training camp, but apparently it wasn’t good enough to keep him around.​

Turner, meanwhile, last played in an NFL game in 2016 with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 5-foot-10 wideout was cut before the start of the 2017 season, then signed a futures contract with the New Orleans Saints in January.​

The 25-year-old Turner joins a wide receiver group that still includes Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, Riley McCarron, and rookie Braxton Berrios. As for the tight ends, there’s still at least two roster spots to be settled after Gronkowski. It’s down to Allen, Hollister, Will Tye, and rookies Ryan Izzo and Shane Wimann.​

July 27, 2017:

Patriots sign WR Tony Washington and rookie DE Caleb Kidder

Patriots Sign Receiver, Defensive End To Fill Training Camp Roster - NESN.com

FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots made two transactions Thursday morning to fill their 90-man training camp roster, signing wide receiver Tony Washington and defensive end Caleb Kidder. Washington, an Appalachian State product, has been in the NFL since 2014, but he has appeared in just...

nesn.com

Washington, an Appalachian State product, has been in the NFL since 2014, but he has appeared in just six total games, catching one pass for 9 yards. The Jacksonville Jaguars released him in May.​

Caleb Kidder is entering his first pro season. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings after going undrafted out of Montana but was released last week.​

Both players were present Thursday at New England’s first training camp practice, with Washington wearing No. 17 and Kidder donning No. 64.​

Patriots sign two with training camp underway

The Patriots have added a couple of players to their 90-man roster with training camp underway in Foxborough.

www.nbcsports.com

Tony Washington arrives after veteran wideout Andrew Hawkins announced his retirement this week. Washington played in six games for the Jaguars over the last two seasons and caught one pass for nine yards. The path to the final roster for Washington is an uphill one, but he’ll get a chance to put some play on film in the preseason if the Patriots don’t churn the roster again before games get underway.​

Kidder signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in May, but was dropped by the team in June. He had 14 sacks during his college career at the University of Montana.​

July 27, 2016:

Patriots get roster exemption for Ebner, add TE Pascoe and OL Halapio

FOXBORO — The Patriots, as expected, have been given a roster exemption for safety Nate Ebner. Therefore, while Ebner is playing for the USA Rugby Men’s Sevens team in the Rio Olympics, his spot will not count against New England’s 90-man roster. “I’ve talked to Nate several times,” coach Bill...

www.nbcsportsboston.com

The Patriots, as expected, have been given a roster exemption for safety Nate Ebner. Therefore, while Ebner is playing for the USA Rugby Men's Sevens team in the Rio Olympics, his spot will not count against New England's 90-man roster.​

"I’ve talked to Nate several times," coach Bill Belichick said on Wednesday. "Wish him well in his endeavor. It’s a great opportunity for him to follow his passion, participate in the Olympic Games. We’re pulling for him to bring back something around his neck."​

With the roster exemption, the Patriots found themselves at 88 players on their roster. In order to fill their last two openings, they signed offensive lineman Jon Halapio and tight end Bear Pascoe, Belichick announced.​

Halapio, a product of the University of Florida, was a sixth-round selection by the Patriots in 2014. He was released at the end of training camp that year, and he later landed on the Broncos practice squad in December of 2014. Before the start of last season, Halapio signed with the Cardinals. He was released on Sept. 5.​

In between NFL gigs, Halapio has spent time with the Boston Brawlers and the Brooklyn Bolts, both of the Fall Experimental Football League.​

Pascoe, 30, is in his eighth NFL season. He has spent time with the Giants, Falcons and Lions, primarily as a blocking tight end. In his career, the 6-foot-5, 257-pounder has caught 40 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns in 85 career games.​

July 27, 2014:

Patriots release Greg Orton, sign Cole Stanford and Brian Tyms

FOXBORO – The Patriots made a series of minor moves on Sunday.

www.providencejournal.com

The team waived wide receiver Greg Orton, who reportedly suffered an Achilles injury on Friday, and subsequently signed two new receivers – Cole Stanford and Brian Tyms. The roster is back to 90, the max number.​

The moves were announced by Patriots director of player personal Nick Caserio, who met with the media Sunday morning.​

When Orton clears waivers he will be placed on the injured reserve.​

Stanford is a rookie out of Cal Poly, where he started as a linebacker before moving to the offensive side of the ball. He played the “slotback” position and last season caught 24 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns. He also had 14 carries for 53 yards.​

Tyms has spent time on the practice squads in San Francisco, Miami and Cleveland. The 6-foot-3 receiver played in seven games with the Browns last season, catching two passes for 12 yards.​

July 27, 2012:

Patriots sign offensive tackle Darrion Weems

The Patriots have signed offensive tackle Darrion Weems, Greg Bedard reports.

www.boston.com

The Patriots have signed offensive tackle Darrion Weems, who was recently waived by the Vikings to make room for Kevin Murphy.​

Weems, an undrafted free agent from the University of Oregon, was signed by the Vikings May 1. With the 6-5, 318-pound Weems at left tackle, Oregon’s rushing unit ranked fifth in the nation, third in scoring and sixth in total offense during his senior year.​

The Patriots’ offensive line didn’t have the same look yesterday as it usual has on recent first practices at minicamp. Notable absences included guard Brian Waters, who hasn’t reported to camp yet, and left guard Logan Mankins (knee) and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back) being on the physically unable to perform list.​

Instead, the line saw Nate Solder (left tackle), Ryan Wendell and Robert Gallery (left guard), Dan Koppen (center), Dan Connolly (right guard) and Marcus Cannon (right tackle).​

July 27, 2011:

Patriots sign 12 undrafted free agents, including former UMass kicker Chris Koepplin

Koepplin became UMass' career record holder in PAT percentage and was second in field goal percentage.

www.masslive.com

The Patriots announced the signing of 12 undrafted free agents Wednesday, as well as the reinstatement of two players who were previously on the military list. The 12 players signed are as follows:​

OL Mike Berry (Auburn)​

LB/LS Ryan Coulson (Nevada)​

OL Kyle Hix (Texas)​

K Chris Koepplin (Massachusetts)​

DE Aaron Lavarias (Idaho)​

LB Anthony Leonard (West Virginia)​

DE Clay Nurse (Illinois)​

WR Jeremy Ross (California)​

DE Alex Silvestro (Rutgers)​

LB Jeff Tarpinian (Iowa)​

OL Corey Woods (Akron)​

TE Will Yeatman (Maryland)​

The two players activated from the military list are FB Eric Kettani and WR Tyree Barnes. Both were signed as undrafted free agents out of Navy in 2009.​

Here are bios on the dozen courtesy of the Patriots PR staff: . . .​

The Patriots also signed fifth round draft pick Lee Smith, a tight end from Marshall, and sixth round draft pick Markell Carter, a linebacker from Central Arkansas.



July 27, 2010:

Welker, Crable, Weston placed on active PUP

New England placed three players on the active/PUP list today, including Wes Welker.

www.boston.com

PUP Platter: Crable, Welker, Weston Start Off Unable to Perform - PatsPropaganda

It’s a sad and disappointing morning here at the Propaganda HQ and it has nothing to do with Wes Welker starting off on the PUP list. Welker can still return at any time during camp, and honestly I expected them to bring him along slowly. We all know what Welker can do, and the Patriots […]

www.patspropaganda.com

It’s a sad and disappointing morning here at the Propaganda HQ and it has nothing to do with Wes Welker starting off on the PUP list. Welker can still return at any time during camp, and honestly I expected them to bring him along slowly. We all know what Welker can do, and the Patriots need him at the end of the season not at the start. This will give the young WRs to get a lot of quality reps and should help boost their development. Because as much as we need a healthy Wes Welker, we need some complimentary receivers almost as much.​

No, my disappointment all revolves around Crazy Legs Crable, the player I picked as my most intriguing Patriot just last night. This morning I awake to find that Crable has injured himself for the third straight year. I’ve been pimping Crable all offseason. He was drafted two years ago to fill what is one of the biggest voids on the Pats and he’s shown flashes in limited preseason time. He’s a likeable guy, who seemed like he just got unlucky with injuries two years in a row.​

Well this makes three years and I’m sure that Crable shares my disappointment and embarrassment. He can still be activated at any time, but every day that goes by where he’s not on the field is a day closer to being out of football. Would the Patriots put him on IR for a third straight year? That’d have to be some kind of record.​

Oh and rookie Kade Weston was PUP’d too, that one ain’t really a big deal. Let’s be happy these were the only 3 guys on the PUP list though. The Patriots start camp as healthy as they’ve been in a long time.​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
More July 27 News​

July 27, 2009:
Crable, Warren on PUP

Patriots second-year outside linebacker Shawn Crable and veteran left defensive end Ty Warren will start training camp on the team’s physically unable to perform list.​

Three other players will join Crable and Warren, rookie offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger, offensive tackle Mark LeVoir (shoulder) and rookie defensive lineman Darryl Richard.​

Crable’s inclusion on the list is a surprise, as he participated in organized team activities during the off-season. Warren had surgery on both groins in January and also had a procedure to clean up his right knee in February.​

It is believed that all five players were placed on the active/PUP list, which means that they’ll be eligible to return during training camp when the team deems them ready. Reserve/PUP dictates that a player must sit out the first six weeks of the regular season before he can be activated.​

Update 9:13 p.m. — All five players were placed on active/PUP.​

The Patriots also placed rookie wide receiver Brandon Tate, who is rehabbing a torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered playing for the University of North Carolina, and offensive lineman Jermail Porter, a converted wrestler, on the active/non-football injury list (NFI).​

Patriots Release Safety Spann - NESN.com

In addition to signing safety Patrick Chung, the Patriots announced the release of safety Antwain Spann on Monday. Spann, 26, spent parts of the last three seasons on the team's practice squad as well as its 53-man roster. Spann appeared in 10 games for the Patriots last season, registering five...

nesn.com

In addition to signing (second round draft pick) safety Patrick Chung, the Patriots announced the release of safety Antwain Spann on Monday.​

Spann, 26, spent parts of the last three seasons on the team's practice squad as well as its 53-man roster. Spann appeared in 10 games for the Patriots last season, registering five tackles. In 19 games with the Patriots over the last three seasons, he recorded 13 tackles.​

A native of Oceanside, Calif., Spann played at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. He went undrafted after college before signing with the Giants on May 17, 2005.​

July 27, 2008:
Patriots activate RT Nick Kaczur from the PUP list, and waive OT Lavdrim Bauta.



July 27, 2007:

Hairston released

RB Justise Hairston released by the Patriots; WR Donte Stallworth on PUP list.

www.boston.com

The Patriots announced the release of rookie running back Justise Hairtson, one of their sixth-round draft choices.​

Hairston had signed a three-year contract with a $55,500 signing bonus last week. He had been placed on the physically unable to perform list earlier this week.​

The Patriots also announced their physically unable to perform list, which includes WR Donte’ Stallworth.​

Stallworth missed this morning’s practice due to an undisclosed injury. He is part of a PUP list that includes WR Troy Brown, WR Chad Jackson, CB Eddie Jackson, S Mel Mitchell, DL Richard Seymour, and TE David Thomas.​

July 27, 2006:

Claridge out; PUP list

Ryan Claridge released, while several players placed on the PUP list.

www.boston.com

The Patriots announced that they have released linebacker Ryan Claridge and defensive lineman Kader Drame.​

The team also released its physically unable to perform list. Players on the list include: receiver Bam Childress, cornerback Randall Gay, safety Rodney Harrison, receiver Chad Jackson, offensive lineman Nick Kaczur, center Dan Koppen, fullback/running back Patrick Pass, long snapper Lonie Paxton, and defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Johnathan Sullivan.​

The release of Claridge is a bit of a surprise. A fifth-round draft choice out of UNLV in 2005, he spent all of last season on the injured reserve list (shoulder). He was projected to compete for playing time at both inside and outside linebacker after playing in a 3-4 defense in college. Claridge rehabbed in Las Vegas last year, which essentially made 2006 a rookie year in terms of learning the playbook and being around the team.​

Drame, 23, was signed by the Patriots on May 8, 2006. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound former Syracuse product was competing for a role as a reserve defensive lineman. Drame attended the team's minicamps in May and June; he was a longshot to make the roster.​

July 27, 2005:

Patriots Release Rookie WR Michael McGrew

McGrew, 23, was signed by the Patriots as a non-drafted, rookie free agent on April 30, 2005 after starting 35 of 46 career games at wide receiver for the Virginia Cavaliers. He led all Virginia wide receivers as a senior in 2004 with 30 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns and finished his collegiate career with 1,101 receiving yards.​

July 27, 2004:

Another setback for Pats' Colvin?

FOXBORO -- New England Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, who missed most of last year with a broken left hip, has been placed on the team's physically unable to perform list. The procedural move…

www.southcoasttoday.com

New England Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, who missed most of last year with a broken left hip, has been placed on the team's physically unable to perform list.​

The procedural move does not mean Colvin won't be ready for the regular-season opener. But it preserves the team's options in case he isn't.​

Colvin, who injured his hip in the second game of last season, will not practice in pads or take part in contact drills when the defending Super Bowl champions begin training camp tomorrow at Gillette Stadium.​

Patriots sign TE Zeron Flemister

The Patriots signed unrestricted free agent tight end Zeron Flemister today. Flemister, 27, is entering his fifth NFL season and spent the first four years of his career with the Washington Redskins. The 6-foot-4-inch, 250 pound native of Sioux City, Iowa, has played in 48 career games with 17 starts and has recorded 38 receptions for 439 yards and four touchdowns. He was originally signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Iowa on April 23, 2000.​

In 2003, Flemister played in 12 games for the Redskins with a career-high nine starts, catching nine passes for a total of 89 yards. That performance came following a 2002 season in which he started seven of 15 games with 10 receptions for 146 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He set a single-game career high that season with three catches for 57 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco on Sept. 22, 2002. His most productive season statistically was in 2001, when he grabbed 18 passes for 196 yards and two scores and played in all 16 games with one start. As a rookie in 2000, he played in five games and caught one pass for 8 yards.​

July 27, 2001:

Panos retires; Katzenmoyer missing

The news from training camp took a bizarre turn Friday morning when Head Coach Bill Belichick announced guard Joe Panos was retiring and the team had no idea where third-year linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer was.​

Katzenmoyer, who had neck surgery during last season, did not get many reps in the first practice of camp, but as far as Belichick knew, there was nothing physically or mentally wrong with him. The coach said he had spoken with Katzenmoyer after a workout at the end of last week, and everything seemed fine.​

"Andy Katzenmoyer was here this morning, and we haven't seen him," Belichick said. "He wasn't at practice, and nobody that I've talked to has heard anything from or about him. I can't really answer anything on him other than I don't know where he is."​

Belichick did say that nothing appeared out of the ordinary with Katzenmoyer after Thursday's practice. If he was ailing in any way, Katzenmoyer did not tell anyone on the coaching or medical staff. Belichick said he would provide more information on the player's status later in the day if he learned anything more.​

The decision by Panos caught Belichick by surprise, but the coach also was understanding. Panos did not participate in either team practice, and his departure will have a big impact on the offensive line. He, Mike Compton and Joe Andruzzi were expected to battle for the two starting guard spots.​

"I was surprised by it, and I think the other people who have worked with Joe, it took us all a little bit by surprise," Belichick said. "In talking to him, I can certainly understand his position, and I have a lot of respect for him. Football has to end for everybody; nobody can play forever."​

Belichick said that Compton and Andruzzi were ahead of the rest of the guards on the roster at this point. Andruzzi felt his back tighten up Friday morning and left practice early, and first-year player Adam Davis filled in for him. Belichick did not think Andruzzi's situation was too serious.​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Last Call for July 27 News​

July 27, 1993:
The Patriots waive Lawrence Hatch with an injury designation.

Hatch was a safety from the University of Florida, selected in the sixth round (142nd overall) in the 1993 NFL draft by the Pats.

Gator great Lawrence Hatch talks life after football

Former athlete dishes on life in corporate world.

www.mainstreetdailynews.com

In 1991, the Florida Gators won 10 games for the first time in school history under second-year head coach Steve Spurrier. The Gators also finished the season ranked in the top 10 for the fourth time in school history.​

Defensive back Lawrence Hatch was a key member of that team, tying for the team lead with four interceptions and helping the Gators outscore their opponents by a combined 198 points. He went on to be picked by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft.​

Now, three decades later, Hatch is an executive vice president for First Horizon Bank in Orlando.​

On the same day Bruce Armstrong was activated off the PUP list, taking Hatch's place on the roster.



July 27, 1992:
Hart Lee Dykes and Pat Harlow are placed on PUP.

Grier's Days Of Shopping For Patriots Groceries Are Over

Now we finally know where Bobby Grier fits in with The Belichick Plan.

www.patsfans.com

1986 yielded the Sed Shaw of back then, Reggie “One Yard” Dupard. Mike Ruth made some contributions, but the best selection of this draft was Brent Williams, a defensive end taken in the seventh round. 1987 yielded Bruce Armstrong and little else. 1988 brought mercurial running back John Stephens to Foxborough, and a decent linebacker named Vincent Brown. Oh, and the Patriots cut kicker Tony Franklin for some stiff named Teddy Garcia.​

The next three drafts produced only two decent men, but both were tight ends and one replaced the other. The Pats took Marv Cook in the third round, he made a few pro bowls, and then was sent packing in 1991 after the Patriots took this fifth rounder named Ben Coates. High draft picks like Chris Singleton, Hart Lee Dykes, Pat Harlow and Leonard Russell were flops. The best of the high picks, Ray Agnew, was let go.​

July 27, 1987:
Pats trade Darryl Haley and a fifth round draft pick to Tampa Bay, for Danny Villa and a fourth round pick (Tim Goad).



July 27, 1981:
QB Tom Owen is re-signed to a one-year contract.



July 27, 1977:
The Patriots claim Harold Hart off waivers from Tampa Bay.
To make room the Pats released Gerald Shinner.



July 27, 1971:
**** Farley retired, and Barry Brown was released.



July 27, 1970:
Joe Killingsworth is placed on the reserve list.

 

[Nikolai]

Just wanted to say, I'm always highly impressed with your work.