Hey genius the point is that O'Connel was the only would to good in preseason. Cassel didn't do good at all and everyone wanted him cut. O'Connel could probably transition alright if we needed him too.
So you're the gold standard of the Pats fanbase? LOL sad
We used to have gold standards across the board here. Now we have ESPN refugees posting worthless drivel who can't defend their positions with logic because all they have are half assed opinions.
Cassel did exactly what Belichick and McDaniels asked him to in preseason. Bill doesn't play the preseason to win, he plays it to work on installing his offense and seeing who can execute within it. We don't run the pull it out-your-ass offense here... Everyone didn't want Cassel cut, just the kneejerks who couldn't see that because they don't understand or appreciate this system or how you teambuild for championships with discipline.
Gutierrez moved the team in preseason and that got him cut and not even added to the practice squad until after Brady was lost. Because he moved it by freelancing in an effort to make plays in hopes he'd impress the coaches. O'Connell got the #2 position by default... He did the same thing but that's to be expected from a rookie. The book on him coming out of the draft was he had some tools and leadership intangibles but he was very raw and needed lots of development mentally (poor decision making and erratic accuracy) as well as physically (poor footwork and throwing mechanics). Hopefully he's developed over the last 12 months but Gutierrez certainly didn't so whose to say.
4th round draftee Rohan Davey played for Saban at LSU and was an NFLE MVP after his rookie season here. Couldn't run this offense to save his life. Neither could Drew Bledsoe and he was a former #1 draft pick... So far the only guys Belichick's found who could were drafted in the 6th and 7th rounds...after being recruited by big time college programs. As Brady once said he decided if you want to play with the big dogs you gotta compete in the tall grass.
The book on Cassel was he had all the tools which is how he landed at a prestigous powerhouse like USC selected by a pro style HC like Pete Carroll, but in close competition he could never beat out two Heisman winners Carroll also selected... Brady faced a similar situation at Michigan but finally beat out the highly over rated Drew Henson... O'Connell had a tough road to hoe playing for SD State, but then that's who recruited him, not exactly USC or Michigan... Hopefully he works out here, but it's not a slam dunk. The backup job is his to lose this season, which is always the case on a Belichick led team. If he thinks he's arrived because he was #2 in NE last season, he'll be in for a rude awakening. Hopefully that's been explained to him sufficiently. If not you'll see a motivated veteran signed here before camp.
