Kony Ealy - bold prediction, won't make roster

[maineman209]

FWIW, Ealy is listed as a starter in the first unofficial depth chart on the Patriots' website listed today.

Unofficial Depth Chart

So, some marketing derp at Patriots.com suddenly realizes,"OMG! Training Camp is 20% over already! We need to get a depth chart up on the website like YESTERDAY!"

The derp hands the job off to some unpaid marketing intern who doesn't know squat about football but who has heard some "names" a lot.

Ta-Da! "Unofficial Depth Chart".

"Official" depth charts are created through a significantly different process. For those, the marketing derp sends the unpaid marketing intern over to the coaching office with a request. BB smiles warmly and says, "Yup! We'll get right on that!"

As the door is closing behind the marketing interm, BB turns to a coaching intern and says, "Write something up for these derps so they quit bugging us, will ya? Doesn't much matter what you put on it. Aside from Brady as starting QB, it'll pretty much be wrong by halftime anyway."

 

[maineman209]

The fact is that most players instict is to rebel against that. They have things they do well, and they want to keep doing those things.

There's the difference between a youngster like Ealy and a vet like Long, perhaps.

When Long announced that he wouldn't be re-upping with the Pats after the season, he seemed to be acknowledging that the Pats had him focusing on duties other than what he felt he did well and enjoyed doing. However, Long still bore down all season and did the job that he was asked to do, "rebelling" only after the job was done.

Hopefully, Ealy bears down and becomes a solid contributor for the Pats in 2017. If, after the season, he still prefers a different role, he'll have been a cheap, one-year rental.

 

[borg]

The Herald's Karen Kuregian chimes in... Who's up / Who's down

SURPRISE DUD

Maybe this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Perhaps when Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Kony Ealy needed to “do what he’s told” shortly after arriving in Foxboro, that should have been a red flag. By the look of it, the defensive end essentially was benched the first day of camp after getting off on the wrong foot with Bill Belichick. He also really hasn’t done much to stand out since then. He’s been underwhelming to say the least. He’s obviously a talented guy, a standout in a Super Bowl loss in 2015 with three sacks. But he tends to run hot and cold. During the intrasquad scrimmage Friday, rookie tackle Tony Garcia ate him up. They’ve also been moving him inside and out, along the line which is new for him. Is he in danger of being cut? Sure. It just might be a bit early to cash him out before watching the preseason games.


Guregian: Who’s up, who’s down at Pats camp so far

 

[Rob0729]

So, some marketing derp at Patriots.com suddenly realizes,"OMG! Training Camp is 20% over already! We need to get a depth chart up on the website like YESTERDAY!"

The derp hands the job off to some unpaid marketing intern who doesn't know squat about football but who has heard some "names" a lot.

Ta-Da! "Unofficial Depth Chart".

"Official" depth charts are created through a significantly different process. For those, the marketing derp sends the unpaid marketing intern over to the coaching office with a request. BB smiles warmly and says, "Yup! We'll get right on that!"

As the door is closing behind the marketing interm, BB turns to a coaching intern and says, "Write something up for these derps so they quit bugging us, will ya? Doesn't much matter what you put on it. Aside from Brady as starting QB, it'll pretty much be wrong by halftime anyway."

I don't put any stock in it other than if Ealy was in the dog house, no way would he be listed as a starter. Someone on Belichick's staff does approve this even if they don't put it up and they wouldn't allow a dog house player being listed as a starter. They care that much about the unofficial depth chart. Not a heck of a lot more though.

 

[jah]

So, some marketing derp at Patriots.com suddenly realizes,"OMG! Training Camp is 20% over already! We need to get a depth chart up on the website like YESTERDAY!"

The derp hands the job off to some unpaid marketing intern who doesn't know squat about football but who has heard some "names" a lot.

Ta-Da! "Unofficial Depth Chart".

"Official" depth charts are created through a significantly different process. For those, the marketing derp sends the unpaid marketing intern over to the coaching office with a request. BB smiles warmly and says, "Yup! We'll get right on that!"

As the door is closing behind the marketing interm, BB turns to a coaching intern and says, "Write something up for these derps so they quit bugging us, will ya? Doesn't much matter what you put on it. Aside from Brady as starting QB, it'll pretty much be wrong by halftime anyway."

People get really obsessive about the website roster and taking it as the absolute authority, but they fail to understand that in all likelihood, the job went to a web content intern who doesn't know as much as diehard fans. Like the classic "Rufus Johnson is a linebacker because it says so on the website" debate...

 

[jah]

I don't put any stock in it other than if Ealy was in the dog house, no way would he be listed as a starter. Someone on Belichick's staff does approve this even if they don't put it up and they wouldn't allow a dog house player being listed as a starter. They care that much about the unofficial depth chart. Not a heck of a lot more though.

I wouldn't assume anyone on the actual football staff checks what goes on the website. They could easily be trusting some middle management person on the website team who "seems to know enough" about football.

 

[Off The Grid]

I have a feeling this guy is not going to make the roster based on his attitude to date. Ninkovich's retirement announcement after Sunday's practice could be a trigger that saves him but I think even then he won't make the roster. This guy went home early after a bunch of OTAs and spring practices which rubbed BB the wrong way and wasn't the hard-working culture the Pats wanted to instill in the team. I think BB constantly praised last years team as a very special group and a very hard working group and he feels that was a major reason we won, both by outlasting the Falcons at the end (so physically better prepared) and also mentally better prepared and better bonded.

So Ealy's omission from first day of camp was notable as BB has often does this stuff in the past as a kind of warning. And Ealy's answer about how he "and BB have a thing going" was ominous, and his continuing answer about how he didn't really care and he's just getting ready, to me had shades of Adalius Thomas saying how being benched didn't motivate him, how this isn't kindergarten, and he's just getting ready, and Bill can make whatever decision he wants etc etc. Thomas unfortunately came with a crippling contract and was carried on the team till the end of that season. Ealy won't make it that far is my prediction unless he fully buys into the programme and fast.

Last season when Chris Long was asked what was the biggest difference between the Pats and other teams he's been on, and he said the biggest thing was complete buy-in from every player. Everyone was fully committed to the programme, and the greater whole, etc. Ealy so far is not cut from the same cloth, and the clock is ticking for him to show that he gets it.

My prediction is that he won't make the team. And yes it's because he and BB "have a thing going".

With that "me" at the end of "programme", you've gotta be British!!

Screw all those Reactionaries attacking you for making a Bold Prediction.

The entire Idea of making a Bold Prediction is to make it before it becomes obvious to The Masses. They get pissed off and snappish because they lack the both the Vision and the Testicular Fortitude to make a well-considered Prediction.

Ealy is actually ~ God Help Us ~ our most experienced Dragon, so it would be quite a Shock if this actually came to pass...But I think that you're Spot On when you hypothesize that Something's Not Right, Here. Mad Bill has always been utterly Fearless when it comes to Purging the Ranks of Bad Seeds...And I for one have never been much'f a Fan of Kony Ealy. Less is often far, far More.

 

[Rob0729]

I wouldn't assume anyone on the actual football staff checks what goes on the website. They could easily be trusting some middle management person on the website team who "seems to know enough" about football.

I don't think there is anything that happens in relations to the team that Belichick or his staff don't oversee. Belichick or one of his trusted people oversees everything in the Patriots organization. Very little of what goes on is a "just throw it up there" type of thing.

I think you are confusing this organization with the Jets.

 

[Off The Grid]

No sure why people thinks kendricks could help us, but even more not sure how people think he can replace players 25-35 lbs heavier at a position hr doesn't play.

Ummm...Yeah.

Here, I agree with you.

Ealy's a Dragon ~ an Hybrid End/MidFielder. About 260 or so.

Kendricks is a pure MidFielder. 240.

Completely different Jobs.

It's like comparing Hernandez's Role to Gronkowski's.

Oh, no!! I said Hernandez!!

 

[Off The Grid]

That former team thought so little of him as their #1 DE that they traded him for a minor draft slot move. And reports of his having an attitude problem didn't just start here in New England after a missed practice. It's been a reported issue for him since he got into the league.

What was going on may have been absolutely nothing. It may have been a tempest in a teapot. It may have been something significant that will get worked through to everyone's satisfaction. It may have been a sign of a rocky and/or short tenure in New England.

Time will tell but, given the lid this team puts on communication with the outside world, this sort of speculation is expected and appropriate.

Beautifully said, (Briefly Unblacklisted) Deuce Awry!!

 

[The Gr8est]

If BB decides that he needs to move on from Ealy I wouldn't be surprised to see it early rather than later.

Send the message.

 

[zydecochris]

I don't think there is anything that happens in relations to the team that Belichick or his staff don't oversee. Belichick or one of his trusted people oversees everything in the Patriots organization. Very little of what goes on is a "just throw it up there" type of thing.

I think you are confusing this organization with the Jets.

Agreed that BB oversees everything, but on the other hand what is the incentive for the Pats to put out a super-accurate depth chart that really, accurately reflects how each player is doing in real time, wouldn't that give an advantage to other teams that might want to poach any super-promising Patriot cuts that were caught in a numbers jam?

For example, if the Pats thought that they had found four promising UDFA gems in the class, but they could only fit one of them on the active roster, why would they be broadcasting to other teams that that they really liked these four players, for example by moving them up the depth chart?

Given the way that BB only reluctantly gives out information that could benefit other teams, I would be surprised if anyone was trying to make sure the depth chart was accurate. If anything, I would think that they would be trying to bury the most promising guys on this "preliminary" depth chart so that other teams don't notice them.

 

[jah]

I don't think there is anything that happens in relations to the team that Belichick or his staff don't oversee. Belichick or one of his trusted people oversees everything in the Patriots organization. Very little of what goes on is a "just throw it up there" type of thing.

I think you are confusing this organization with the Jets.

I don't think the website has a whole lot to do with football operations. If anything, I'd expect the Patriots to take MORE of a "throw it on there, whatever" approach because it really has nothing to do with improving the team's chances of winning.

 

[Rob0729]

Agreed that BB oversees everything, but on the other hand what is the incentive for the Pats to put out a super-accurate depth chart that really, accurately reflects how each player is doing in real time, wouldn't that give an advantage to other teams that might want to poach any super-promising Patriot cuts that were caught in a numbers jam?

For example, if the Pats thought that they had found four promising UDFA gems in the class, but they could only fit one of them on the active roster, why would they be broadcasting to other teams that that they really liked these four players, for example by moving them up the depth chart?

Given the way that BB only reluctantly gives out information that could benefit other teams, I would be surprised if anyone was trying to make sure the depth chart was accurate. If anything, I would think that they would be trying to bury the most promising guys on this "preliminary" depth chart so that other teams don't notice them.

I don't think Belichick would give much away and they probably did it by a certain irrelevant reasoning. My only point is Belichick wouldn't allow a player in the dog house be a starter and might even make him fourth string just because he knows the media looks at this stuff and might motivate the guy.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't think the website has a whole lot to do with football operations. If anything, I'd expect the Patriots to take MORE of a "throw it on there, whatever" approach because it really has nothing to do with improving the team's chances of winning.

Belichick and his staff are involved in a lot of things that really don't improve the team's chances of winning. There is very little that happens over there that someone from Belichick's staff isn't approving or overseeing. And I bet it was his staff who put together the depth chart and gave it to their web crew. I can't see Belichick letting some marketing guy put together a depth chart no matter if it is unofficial or not.

But dropping a player in the dog house to fourth string on this depth chart could potentially help the team because the media cares about this crap. If they report Ealy is listed as a fourth stringer and make a big deal about it, it could motivate him. I don't know how likely it might happen, but it potentially could help to motivate a player.

 

[patman52]

Somebody on the football side did it. I don't think BB would have anything released that he did not know of or at least have it assigned to someone to do or review.

 

[maineman209]

People get really obsessive about the website roster and taking it as the absolute authority, but they fail to understand that in all likelihood, the job went to a web content intern who doesn't know as much as diehard fans. Like the classic "Rufus Johnson is a linebacker because it says so on the website" debate...

Partiots.com had Wilfork's weight listed at 325 for 11 straight years.

 

[maineman209]

I don't think there is anything that happens in relations to the team that Belichick or his staff don't oversee. Belichick or one of his trusted people oversees everything in the Patriots organization. Very little of what goes on is a "just throw it up there" type of thing.

I think you are confusing this organization with the Jets.

I very strongly doubt that "BB or his staff" have anything whatsoever to do with Patriots.com. I very strongly doubt that they pay any more attention to it than they do to any other media outlet.

And I very strongly doubt that BB and his staff give a crap about what anyone anywhere publishes as a "Patriots depth chart" since they likely have only tangential relevance to how the staff actually views the roles of most of the players.

Depth charts are for fans to obsess over.

 

[Rob0729]

I very strongly doubt that "BB or his staff" have anything whatsoever to do with Patriots.com. I very strongly doubt that they pay any more attention to it than they do to any other media outlet.

And I very strongly doubt that BB and his staff give a crap about what anyone anywhere publishes as a "Patriots depth chart" since they likely have only tangential relevance to how the staff actually views the roles of most of the players.

Depth charts are for fans to obsess over.

Creating a depth chart is a league mandated thing. Every team has to post at least an unofficial depth chart for the media to have access to. I don't know if it is an official, written rule, but I read that the league office requires teams to do it. Odds are that they are not leaving it up to a Patriots.com staff member to do it.

If it wasn't a league mandated thing, it is highly unlikely Belichick would let the web team post even an unofficial one.

And I will let you have the last word on this because we have hijacked this thread enough on the unofficial depth chart.

 

[maineman209]

Creating a depth chart is a league mandated thing. Every team has to post at least an unofficial depth chart for the media to have access to. I don't know if it is an official, written rule, but I read that the league office requires teams to do it. Odds are that they are not leaving it up to a Patriots.com staff member to do it.

If it wasn't a league mandated thing, it is highly unlikely Belichick would let the web team post even an unofficial one.

And I will let you have the last word on this because we have hijacked this thread enough on the unofficial depth chart.

Well, Goodell and his toadies require teams to do a lot of stupid crap for the sake of keeping BSPN happy, so I wouldn't be surprised.

If you truly believe that depth charts being required by the NFL somehow means that they reveal more inside information about what's going on with the Pats than BB's pressers and injury reports do, best of luck to you.