Kony Ealy - bold prediction, won't make roster

[RobertWeathers]

A rookie is taking Nink's position. That pretty much says it all.

Which rookie would that be?

 

[Nunchucks]

Which rookie would that be?

Both Wise and Lengi are getting significant looks with the first team at that position while Ealy is 2nd string.

 

[Ring 6]

Both Wise and Lengi are getting significant looks with the first team at that position while Ealy is 2nd string.

It's the first week of camp. Do we really need to go over the history of bill belichick training camps to realize that means next to nothing?

 

[Nunchucks]

It's the first week of camp. Do we really need to go over the history of bill belichick training camps to realize that means next to nothing?

I agree that it is early, but it isn't good that Ealy isn't getting a long look at the spot.

 

[Ring 6]

I agree that it is early, but it isn't good that Ealy isn't getting a long look at the spot.

He is gettibg plenty of look. Playing with the 2s instead of the 1s in scrimmage is not a big deal.

 

[Ring 6]

I agree that it is early, but it isn't good that Ealy isn't getting a long look at the spot.

Plus you said "a rookie is taking ninks job" which you just admitted is wild conjecture.
Second nink played the 4th most snaps of all DEs on the roster last year (44%) so I'm not sure how the guy playing with the 1s is taking ninks job.
Last year we had 4 DEs each play between 44 and 65% if the snaps. Early filling any of those 4 roles is fine. You don't have to be playing with the 1s to be in the 4 man rotation.

 

[Rob0729]

A rookie is taking Nink's position. That pretty much says it all.

We have one week of camp. No one has taken his position yet. We haven't even had the first preseason game.

Let's see what the depth chart is in 2-3 weeks before we talk about who has taken whose position.

 

[Ring 6]

We have one week of camp. No one has taken his position yet. We haven't even had the first preseason game.

Let's see what the depth chart is in 2-3 weeks before we talk about who has taken whose position.

The joint practices are really the first good indication.

 

[Rob0729]

Actually it says nothing because you do not know that is true.

Ditto. I just never got the mentality of this board that when people decide they hate a player they want to just stater "facts" that aren't facts to bury him.

Personally, never got hating players on the Patriots unless they turn out to be real bad apples or outright dogs (Ealy has yet to show he is either). These guys are on our favorite team, you should be rooting for them to succeed. Not burying them before they really had a true chance to fail.

 

[Rob0729]

The joint practices are really the first good indication.

No it isn't. Belichick has said that Ealy comes from a system where he was only asked to rush the passer. He is being asked far more here. The Pats may be easing him into the role because he has a high learning curve. They may be treating him a lot like a rookie where he will have to start as a back up and earn the right into the starting position.

The reality of it is if Ealy becomes an impact player for this team, he might start out as a situational player at the start of the season and grow into a much bigger role as the season goes along.

 

[Ring 6]

No it isn't. Belichick has said that Ealy comes from a system where he was only asked to rush the passer. He is being asked far more here. The Pats may be easing him into the role because he has a high learning curve. They may be treating him a lot like a rookie where he will have to start as a back up and earn the right into the starting position.

The reality of it is if Ealy becomes an impact player for this team, he might start out as a situational player at the start of the season and grow into a much bigger role as the season goes along.

But the joint practices will be the first good inducation of where he is at this point.
BB isn't creating an "Ealy program". Many other players including long and sheard at the same position have had to adjust to the sane things. To imply you don't know anything about the guy until mid season is false. Because knowing that he isn't ready for a role yet, is an indication.
Frankly if he can't be ready to play 25 snaps or more by week 1 its a bad sign. We are nowhere near there yet.

 

[Rob0729]

But the joint practices will be the first good inducation of where he is at this point.
BB isn't creating an "Ealy program". Many other players including long and sheard at the same position have had to adjust to the sane things. To imply you don't know anything about the guy until mid season is false. Because knowing that he isn't ready for a role yet, is an indication.
Frankly if he can't be ready to play 25 snaps or more by week 1 its a bad sign. We are nowhere near there yet.

He's not creating an Ealy program. Never said he was. But he wouldn't be the first veteran to have to start at the bottom and work his way up. Despite some expectations on this board based on one Super Bowl appearance, he came to the Patriots more of a project than a proven starter (he wasn't a full time starter in Carolina).

Sheard is not a good example. Sheard was a far more accomplished player than Ealy when he came here and had was far more versatile. He was also one of the Pats' top free agent targets. The Pats traded for Ealy and only dropped ten spots to get him. Ealy came from a system where he had a limited role. He is more of a project.

Personally, I see him more like Mark Anderson than Sheard. Anderson was a starter in Chicago and made an impact here as a situational pass rusher initially and his role expanded as the year went along. Granted with Nink retiring, that might made a role like that not be enough unless someone else steps up initially.

I never said we would have to wait until midseason to see what Ealy is. I said there is a possibility that he could take that long because he has a learning curve to understand the defense. My guess is he will start out as a situational pass rusher to start and have his role grow.

And I think if he is a solid situational pass rusher right off the bat, I am not as concerned with the amount of snaps he gets is someone else is filling in on the other downs.

I think the expectations are way to high for the guy. When the Pats traded for him, I expected him to be more of a Mark Anderson than a Jabaal Sheard. The Pats gave up little to get him and are paying very little to him to play (his cap his is $900k). If he turns into Mark Anderson 2.0 (or mostly a solid situational pass rusher), he was a great addition.

 

[Nunchucks]

Ealy is also being owned in 1 on 1 situations.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The pats traded a SECOND rounder for Ealy. Hard to believe he will be cut so soon.

 

[Ring 6]

He's not creating an Ealy program. Never said he was. But he wouldn't be the first veteran to have to start at the bottom and work his way up. Despite some expectations on this board based on one Super Bowl appearance, he came to the Patriots more of a project than a proven starter (he wasn't a full time starter in Carolina).

Not sure what you mean by "proven starter" but he played the most DE snaps on the team each of the last 2years.

Sheard is not a good example. Sheard was a far more accomplished player than Ealy when he came here and had was far more versatile. He was also one of the Pats' top free agent targets. The Pats traded for Ealy and only dropped ten spots to get him. Ealy came from a system where he had a limited role. He is more of a project.

He played the most snaps of any DE. Sheard was benched in Cleveland.

Personally, I see him more like Mark Anderson than Sheard. Anderson was a starter in Chicago and made an impact here as a situational pass rusher initially and his role expanded as the year went along. Granted with Nink retiring, that might made a role like that not be enough unless someone else steps up initially.

There is no justification for this. Ealy is nothing like Anderson.

I never said we would have to wait until midseason to see what Ealy is. I said there is a possibility that he could take that long because he has a learning curve to understand the offense. My guess is he will start out as a situational pass rusher to start and have his role grow.

You said that in disagreement with my statement that the joint practices will be the first real indication. That is wrong.

And I think if he is a solid situational pass rusher right off the bat, I am not as concerned with the amount of snaps he gets is someone else is filling in on the other downs.

I think the expectations are way to high for the guy. When the Pats traded for him, I expected him to be more of a Mark Anderson than a Jabal Sheard.

I think you have a poor understanding of who this player is.

The Pats gave up little to get him and are paying very little to him to play (his cap his is $900k). If he turns into Mark Anderson 2.0 (or mostly a solid situational pass rusher), he was a great addition.

What they had to pay to get him is irrelevant.
If he is here he will be playing as much on early downs as he will as a "situational pass rusher"

 

[Ring 6]

The pats traded a SECOND rounder for Ealy. Hard to believe he will be cut so soon.

Well they traded an end if the round 2 for a top of the round 3 and Ealy.
They traded down 8 spots.

 

[Ring 6]

Ealy is also being owned in 1 on 1 situations.

Can you back that up because I have not seen that.

 

[maineman209]

He's not creating an Ealy program. Never said he was. But he wouldn't be the first veteran to have to start at the bottom and work his way up. Despite some expectations on this board based on one Super Bowl appearance, he came to the Patriots more of a project than a proven starter (he wasn't a full time starter in Carolina).

Sheard is not a good example. Sheard was a far more accomplished player than Ealy when he came here and had was far more versatile. He was also one of the Pats' top free agent targets. The Pats traded for Ealy and only dropped ten spots to get him. Ealy came from a system where he had a limited role. He is more of a project.

Personally, I see him more like Mark Anderson than Sheard. Anderson was a starter in Chicago and made an impact here as a situational pass rusher initially and his role expanded as the year went along. Granted with Nink retiring, that might made a role like that not be enough unless someone else steps up initially.

I never said we would have to wait until midseason to see what Ealy is. I said there is a possibility that he could take that long because he has a learning curve to understand the offense. My guess is he will start out as a situational pass rusher to start and have his role grow.

And I think if he is a solid situational pass rusher right off the bat, I am not as concerned with the amount of snaps he gets is someone else is filling in on the other downs.

I think the expectations are way to high for the guy. When the Pats traded for him, I expected him to be more of a Mark Anderson than a Jabal Sheard. The Pats gave up little to get him and are paying very little to him to play (his cap his is $900k). If he turns into Mark Anderson 2.0 (or mostly a solid situational pass rusher), he was a great addition.

While I agree with your analysis - one minor quibble.

I don't think "starter" is much of a meaningful designation for DE anymore. Most of these guys rotate situationally, so it's more about snap percentages to me. Over the past two seasons, Ealy played more snaps per game-available for the Panthers than Sheard played for the Pats, so he had a significant role, albeit in adifferent defensive system.

I think you're spot on about his potential developmental arc, though.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Well they traded an end if the round 2 for a top of the round 3 and Ealy.
They traded down 8 spots.

Good point. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Nunchucks]

Can you back that up because I have not seen that.

Boston Sports journal has him losing all his 1 on 1s