Kyle Love’s not surprised the Patriots released him

[AzorianPats]

You guys will make excuses for anything the Patriots organization will do. He was good for the role he played while he was here. He was cut because of his condition, not because of his performance. If he was not diagnosed with diabetes, he'd likely still be playing for the Pats.

I support the team, but this didn't make sense if we're just talking performance. Especially if you consider who's behind him in the depth chart that's a proven player in our system.

And regarding soured grapes, he expressed what is true about how the Pats run their business.

Yea...they didnt just cut Vince Wilfork..they cut Kyle Love..Same guy that got benched during the season. And about him being cut ONLY because of his condition...explain why they cut Deadrick, the man who replaced him during the season days before?

 

[BradyFTW!]

You guys will make excuses for anything the Patriots organization will do. He was good for the role he played while he was here. He was cut because of his condition, not because of his performance. If he was not diagnosed with diabetes, he'd likely still be playing for the Pats.

I support the team, but this didn't make sense if we're just talking performance. Especially if you consider who's behind him in the depth chart that's a proven player in our system.

And regarding soured grapes, he expressed what is true about how the Pats run their business.

Maybe, maybe not. It was pretty clear prior to the diagnosis that the Pats were gutting the DT depth behind Wilfork. And they already cut the guy who Love lost his job to last year. And btw, Love's roster spot is being taken by a guy that nobody else wanted because he had heart problems, so you might want to rethink your whole premise, since it fails on every possible level.

Riddle me this: Deaderick beat out Love for the DT spot opposite Wilfork. Deaderick was subsequently released because he's not very good. What does that say about Love?

 

[shmessy]

You guys will make excuses for anything the Patriots organization will do. He was good for the role he played while he was here. He was cut because of his condition, not because of his performance. If he was not diagnosed with diabetes, he'd likely still be playing for the Pats.

I support the team, but this didn't make sense if we're just talking performance. Especially if you consider who's behind him in the depth chart that's a proven player in our system.

And regarding soured grapes, he expressed what is true about how the Pats run their business.

Read Patfanken's post and learn something.

Maintaining 310lbs with Type 2 diabetes is playing with fire.

You artfully keep repeating "it doesn't make sense if we are only talking performance". The Pats never said it was about performance. It was about the entire situation.

BTW, I disagree with those who say he is exhibiting sour grapes. I hear his words as just a statement of fact. Reading in sour grapes seems to be more from people's interpretations.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

Slightly off topic, but if he wants the diabetes to not be a major problem in 5 years, shouldn't he quit football? I can't imagine the food intake required of a DL is a good thing for diabetics?
Its easy to say from the sidelines, but if I were him -- a marginal nfl player, and if maintaining DL weight would cause me to have really serious health issues by 40, I'd give it up for a better shot at health at ages 30-80.

 

[patfanken]

I totally agree with you. I take issue with Love saying the Patriots treated him badly, when I think they had his best interests at heart, along with what is best for the team at the moment. He got his chance to play here, and worked hard to stay here. The Patriots offered him a chance to stay, and he said he wasn't treated well. I'm calling him out specifically for his lack of gratitude.

Really? I didn't think Love was saying anything negative about the Pats. He was saying what the reality is here. Pretty much everyone is treated the same, rookie or veteran. Hard work is the norm and anyone can be released if BB thinks it will improve the team.

What I think happened is that mediots with an agenda twisted his words to make it seem like he was bitter. I didn't, and I don't think you should either. He's a good kid who just wants to play, despite his own best interests. I can fully understand his desire to keep playing. I fully understand him THINKING that he can keep playing at an NFL level. But count me among those who believe that I don't think he will be able to do it over a full season without his play being compromised at some point. But I'll be rooting for him to make the first game roster.

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

'Cold calculation'?

Combination of yet more dire writing by PFT and a bitter player.

He was at the heart of some of our pass rushing woes. Couldn't rush the passer if his life depending on it. Nice situational run stuffer but he was being beaten out gradually last year by a guy we had already cut before him...it wasn't exactly looking good form then on was it?

Good luck to him. He fits a huge area of need for the Jags and will do good things for them....but I would be surprised if he has much success rushing the passer.

I am very pessimistic about what part his Diabetes played in his release. If anything, it made a hard decision a lot easier...sadly to say.

I love how all of the rump-swab fanboys are out in full force on this one. God forbid anybody say ANYTHING negative about the Patriots. Nevermind the fact that Love said NOTHING negative about the Pats, instead just stating the truth.
Posts I have seen commenting on Love's performance (such as this one) are completely off base. Was he a can't miss DT? Absolutely not. But was he a dependable, reliable DT in the Patriots system? Without question. Some counter points to the post above:
-Love is not a pass rusher. That was not his responsibility. Love was tasked with filling gaps and taking on double teams for the most part. Despite this, he still had more QB pressures (11) than Justin Francis and 1 less than Jermaine Cunningham (the supposed breakout "star" last year). Those #'s per Bedard's 2012 player grades article.
-Situational run stuffer? If by that, you mean one of your starting DT for the majority of the past 2 years and a player who played in 50% of the defensive snaps - then I guess your right.
-How exactly was Love "gradually beaten out" by Deaderick last year? Hard to figure that considering Love started in the AFC Championship game before coming out with a knee injury.

Regardless of whether or not Love was going to be cut in camp (hard for me to believe), I have a problem with the Patriots cutting him now. For those saying, "the Pats paid him a favor by cutting him early" - I can agree with that saying when the Patriots cut someone at a position of depth. DT is not a position of depth for the Patriots. It's anything but that. You have a washed up veteran in Kelly who, by reports, has had a hard time staying motivated. Then you have a guy who was passed on by the entire NFL a year ago because of a heart attack. (Interesting how the Pats can deal with someone with heart issues but not so with an easily controlled disease such as diabetes). Again, I'm not saying Love was a huge-difference maker on this team. All I'm saying is he gave you consistency and durability at one of the weaker positions (depth wise) on the team. Why not let him stick around 'til camp and see what everyone looks like with the pads on?

 

[Huckleberry1]

Love has no reason to b.tch imo, the Patriots gave him the chance and a new deal and made the decision based on what was best for this year's team. They could have waited until the end of camp and made it difficult for him to find a job but they gave him most of the offseason to catch on anywhere in the league, and he got a job. he should be grateful to them for giving him the opportun ities they di instead of b.tching about how he was treated.

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

Read Patfanken's post and learn something.

Maintaining 310lbs with Type 2 diabetes is playing with fire.

You artfully keep repeating "it doesn't make sense if we are only talking performance". The Pats never said it was about performance. It was about the entire situation.

BTW, I disagree with those who say he is exhibiting sour grapes. I hear his words as just a statement of fact. Reading in sour grapes seems to be more from people's interpretations.

Valid points. But at a position lacking depth....why not hold on to him until camp and see how he reacts? Going into a contract year, I think it was well worth the risk. Was it really worth cutting him to grab another Rutgers practice player?

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

Love has no reason to b.tch imo, the Patriots gave him the chance and a new deal and made the decision based on what was best for this year's team. They could have waited until the end of camp and made it difficult for him to find a job but they gave him most of the offseason to catch on anywhere in the league, and he got a job. he should be grateful to them for giving him the opportun ities they di instead of b.tching about how he was treated.

Explain how Love is "b.tching" about how he was treated? I'd love to hear this one. Also, all of you must have missed the tweets that Kyle posted shortly following his release:

"Kyle Love ?@KyleLove74 15 May
It's been real NEW ENGLAND!!! Thanks for everything!!!"

"Kyle Love ?@KyleLove74 15 May
Wanna thank the pats for everything much love!"

 

[condon84]

Yea...they didnt just cut Vince Wilfork..they cut Kyle Love..Same guy that got benched during the season. And about him being cut ONLY because of his condition...explain why they cut Deadrick, the man who replaced him during the season days before?

Cutting Love after cutting Deadrick is even more dumbfounding. Both players played a role in the depth chart and were not asked to be stars in their positions. You can't have all stars in every position and you need to fill your depth with JAGS who know the system. So who's the backup now at DT? Fortson?

 

[condon84]

Maybe, maybe not. It was pretty clear prior to the diagnosis that the Pats were gutting the DT depth behind Wilfork. And they already cut the guy who Love lost his job to last year. And btw, Love's roster spot is being taken by a guy that nobody else wanted because he had heart problems, so you might want to rethink your whole premise, since it fails on every possible level.

Riddle me this: Deaderick beat out Love for the DT spot opposite Wilfork. Deaderick was subsequently released because he's not very good. What does that say about Love?

You live in a fantasy land if you think Love having diabetes has got nothing to do with him being released.

Players beating other players for more playing time is not uncommon in the NFL. Edelman somehow beat Welker for more snaps early on in the beginning of the season.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Really? I didn't think Love was saying anything negative about the Pats. He was saying what the reality is here. Pretty much everyone is treated the same, rookie or veteran. Hard work is the norm and anyone can be released if BB thinks it will improve the team.

What I think happened is that mediots with an agenda twisted his words to make it seem like he was bitter. I didn't, and I don't think you should either. He's a good kid who just wants to play, despite his own best interests. I can fully understand his desire to keep playing. I fully understand him THINKING that he can keep playing at an NFL level. But count me among those who believe that I don't think he will be able to do it over a full season without his play being compromised at some point. But I'll be rooting for him to make the first game roster.

I think you are taking what he said TOO POSITIVE

To me what he is saying when he said they treat Veterans like rookies is that veterans on this team are not respected as multiple year players and instead are treated more like rookies which are players that have accomplished nothing yet for the team and haven't earned anything and he is bitter thinking they just threw him to the curb after he gave his apparent best for the past few years just because of his disease ....

If you don't think he is bitter...you're fooling yourself Ken,it sure seems he is and you will probably see him play at his highest level when the Jags play NE ......JMHO

 

[SVN]

I think you are taking what he said TOO POSITIVE

To me what he is saying when he said they treat Veterans like rookies is that veterans on this team are not respected as multiple year players and instead are treated more like rookies which are players that have accomplished nothing yet for the team and haven't earned anything and he is bitter thinking they just threw him to the curb after he gave his apparent best for the past few years just because of his disease ....

If you don't think he is bitter...you're fooling yourself Ken,it sure seems he is and you will probably see him play at his highest level when the Jags play NE ......JMHO

When he says "veteran guys who have been there for years and put in a lot of work get treated like rookies" , it reads to me that he expects to be treated differently because he is a vet and put in a lot of hard work. Didnt read anything +ve about it personally.

 

[Jackson 2]

I guess I 'm having a difficult time understanding what the controversy is here. The team has a history of being patient and tolerant with players who've had serious physical problems ranging from stars like Tedy Bruschi to marginal guys like Jeff Tarpinian. Is there some legitimate reason why I should believe that the Patriots released Kyle Love while still believing he is a better player than others still on the roster? Why would they, or any other team, do that? While I understand that there are occasions when teams realize that behavioral/lack of effort/poor character problems outweigh a player's ability/value, that doesn't seem to be the case with Love. So, are we to believe that NE simply decided that, while Love is a better player than others at his position, they'd cut him for no reason? I believe a lot of things about the NE Patriots. That they decide to release players who are better than those they decide to retain is not one of those things. I welcome an explanation from anyone who can enlighten me.

 

[BradyFTW!]

When he says "veteran guys who have been there for years and put in a lot of work get treated like rookies" , it reads to me that he expects to be treated differently because he is a vet and put in a lot of hard work. Didnt read anything +ve about it personally.

That's how I read it too, although I'm certainly open to the possibility that I read it wrong. If I read it correctly, however, then to hell with him. The meritocracy that he described is exactly how he earned a roster spot in the first place, and I doubt he minded it then. Can't have it both ways. Either way, there's no room for guys who aren't willing/able to earn their spot on the team.

 

[BradyFTW!]

You live in a fantasy land if you think Love having diabetes has got nothing to do with him being released.

Players beating other players for more playing time is not uncommon in the NFL. Edelman somehow beat Welker for more snaps early on in the beginning of the season.

It has something to do with it, if only to the extent that it has something to do with him being a limited football player both now and going forward.

Again, he's being replaced by a player that every team in the league passed on because of heart problems. They also released a player with no health concerns at the same position who was better than Love last year. How do you reconcile that with your claim that Love was released because of his healthy?

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

Kyle Love is right. We treat veterans like rookies sometimes. Hell sometimes UDFA's make the roster and stick around long enough to b**** about veterans being treated like rookies.

 

[shmessy]

Valid points. But at a position lacking depth....why not hold on to him until camp and see how he reacts? Going into a contract year, I think it was well worth the risk. Was it really worth cutting him to grab another Rutgers practice player?

Because I think they were thinking more about his health and welfare. They were not going to play him this year (too afraid of heart attack or stroke which can be the result of untreated type 2 - - how the hell can an athlete keep up 310 pounds - - not by eating celery), but wanted him to take a paid year off to get his health in focus. He refused.

 

[condon84]

It has something to do with it, if only to the extent that it has something to do with him being a limited football player both now and going forward.

Again, he's being replaced by a player that every team in the league passed on because of heart problems. They also released a player with no health concerns at the same position who was better than Love last year. How do you reconcile that with your claim that Love was released because of his healthy?

So to summarize, you believe the Pats got rid of two healthy depth players for an unproven player with heart problems because they simply believe the unproven player with heart problems will be a more productive player in a system he's unfamiliar with?

 

[DaBruinz]

I think he has every right to feel disgruntled regarding the diabetes being the reason given for cutting him.

But was his performance regardless of the D2 up to snuff? Lot of cuts on that no-pressure D-line iirc.

No, he doesn't have every right to be disgruntled. The Pats offered to work with him if he took the year off, keeping his signing bonus, which there was a portion of it that they hadn't paid (based on comments). Love chose to go to another team and attempt to play over having a stable support system around him. It boils down to Love choosing money over his own safety. Which is his choice.