Official UDFA Signings

[PATSNUTme]

It would be great if we could sign Dwayne Slay. He said that Rodney is his football role model.

I can see him flying on ST and making huge hits all over the field. Then he bulks up a little more and is moved ot ILB.

 

[mgcolby]

Mays seemed to be a solid LB from the couple of Irish games I watched. The fact that two LB's who's name I immediately recognize were signed as UFA tells me a lot about the LB depth in this draft. I am starting to feel good about the LB position maybe pre-maturely but nonetheless.

With either of these packages we are only soft at 1 LB position depending on where Vrabel plays.

Vrabel Beisel Bruschi Colvin Beisel is the only ? Claridge may jump in there as well. Maybe Calridge stuffing the run on 1 and 2 and having Beisel in on 3rd

Banta Cain Vrabel Bruschi Colvin Obviously Banta Cain is the ? Maybe someone like Davis moves to the ILB and Vrabel jumps to the outside on Passing downs. who knows.

But either way the only true weak spot on the D is 1 LB position and overall LB depth. Which can still be solidified by trading or picking up a June 1 cut.

 

[Pats726]

Should have some more signees....really great so far!!

 

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

New England guys signed/invited to camps:
RAY HENDERSON(LB,BC)- WASHINGTON REDSKINS(invited to camp)
QUINTON PORTER(QB.BC)- HOUSTON TEXANS(contract)
PATRICK ROSS(C, BC)- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(contract)
ED NELSON(UCONN, BASKETBALL PLAYER PF) - ST. LOUIS RAMS(2 YEAR contract)
SHANNON JAMES(DB,UMASS)- BALTIMORE RAVENS(contract)
RJ COBBS(WR, UMASS)- MINNESOTA VIKINGS(contract)
RYAN GIBBONS(OT,NORTHEASTERN)- JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS(contract)
MONTELL OWENS(RB, MAINE)- NEW YORK JETS(contract)

 

[Ceresco]

Patriots Sign DE/LB Pierre Woods http://www.kffl.com/player/14350/nfl


I personally like this signing.

 

[bigrichard93]

good signing with Pierre Woods. Woods is a great athlete who could be a good rush OLB in a 3-4.

 

[Remix 6]

good signing..he was a 3rd round talent mid season then slipped badly

 

[Ceresco]

Some more information about Pierre http://michigan.scout.com/2/523422.html?refid=400

After reading all that I really think this was an outstanding signing. After a few years of BB coaching this kid up who knows what could happen.

 

[chunkypony]

I can't wait for rookie mini camp. Pierre Woods was a LB I drafted in Madden because I liked him so much.

 

[Jimke]

I'm surprised at the enthusiasm shown by forum members for

the UDFA's that the Patriots have signed thus far. Only one

of these guys (Fred Roach) has a snowball's chance in hell of

making the team. None of the others are very highly rated.

Each year I'm frustrated as the better players are signed by other

teams. The Patriots apparently don't want to get into bidding

wars for the better players because their chances for making the

team are quite poor.

 

[Weishuhn]

I'm surprised at the enthusiasm shown by forum members for

the UDFA's that the Patriots have signed thus far. Only one

of these guys (Fred Roach) has a snowball's chance in hell of

making the team. None of the others are very highly rated.

Each year I'm frustrated as the better players are signed by other

teams. The Patriots apparently don't want to get into bidding

wars for the better players because their chances for making the

team are quite poor.

Nobody thought Mike Wright was worth anything at this time last year, but he forced his way onto the team in camp and was a valuable contributor to the team. Two years ago, Randy Gay was seen as camp fodder from the LSU pipeline, and he has been a contributor as well. Don't rush to judge these guys until we see what they can do in August.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm surprised at the enthusiasm shown by forum members for

the UDFA's that the Patriots have signed thus far. Only one

of these guys (Fred Roach) has a snowball's chance in hell of

making the team. None of the others are very highly rated.

Each year I'm frustrated as the better players are signed by other

teams. The Patriots apparently don't want to get into bidding

wars for the better players because their chances for making the

team are quite poor.

Bidding war???????? Who conducts a bidding war for guys who didnt even get drafted?
If there were such a thing, anyone participating would be a moron to think they must outbid someone for the 246th best rookie.

The 'very highly rated' guys you are talking about are NOT VERY HIGHLY RATED. That is why they didn't get drafted. Your talking about guys that someone MISCALCULATED their rating, i.e. a draft guru (if they knew that much why isnt an NFL tema paying them) and then every team passed on the player over and over and over.

The unknowns are the best UDFAs because the well known ones had college careers that made someone think they should be drafted, and they weren't meaning their game wont cut it in the NFL. The unknowns under the radar are guys better suited for the NFL than the NCAA (partly because they are still improving)

 

[pats1]

Bidding war? Are you THAT high on UNDRAFTED "prospects?"

Every single one is getting rookie minimum.

 

[flutie2phelan]

Bidding war? ....
Every single one is getting rookie minimum.

The disparity in bargaining power after the draft ends ... is so great that this must be true.

That leaves the selection process to work like this:

(a) the most insecure and demoralized collegians sign with the first team that calls; while

(b) those better advised ... ask if they can have 24 hours to review their options. If they hear Yes,
then they check out how the handful of teams they may have heard from ... are doing, roster-wise, at the position they play.
They accept the offer of the team where they may have the greatest chance to stick - at least on p/s.

 

[Mark Morse]

Bidding war???????? Who conducts a bidding war for guys who didnt even get drafted?
If there were such a thing, anyone participating would be a moron to think they must outbid someone for the 246th best rookie.

The 'very highly rated' guys you are talking about are NOT VERY HIGHLY RATED. That is why they didn't get drafted. Your talking about guys that someone MISCALCULATED their rating, i.e. a draft guru (if they knew that much why isnt an NFL tema paying them) and then every team passed on the player over and over and over.

The unknowns are the best UDFAs because the well known ones had college careers that made someone think they should be drafted, and they weren't meaning their game wont cut it in the NFL. The unknowns under the radar are guys better suited for the NFL than the NCAA (partly because they are still improving)

Fact is that the UDFA are in the position to get into a bidding war for signing bonuses. The Patriots traditionally do not pay high signing bonuses (some teams are giving between 25 - 50K. The Patriots give them 10K. They also bring in a bunch of UDFA on a tryout basis. The Patriots are not aggressive in their pursuit. I will tell you this ... there are over 100 players out there as UDFA that had grades high enough to get drafted this year. Any other year they are drafted. With the increase in salary vcao money available, we are making a mistake not going out and getting some of these guys.

 

[flutie2phelan]

The Patriots are not aggressive in their pursuit. I will tell you this ... there are over 100 players out there as UDFA that had grades high enough to get drafted this year. Any other year they are drafted. With the increase in salary vcao money available, we are making a mistake not going out and getting some of these guys.

Mark, my words:
We'll begin camp with 88 or 89 names, something like that.
We'll take some season-ending injuries.
Then, by early September, we'll be at 53 ... plus 8 on the practice squad.

The Patriots begin with a championship-contending roster.
We just drafted TEN new stalwarts.
We have inked some of the best of the rest ... an exciting group of UDFAs, if that isn't an oxymoron.
We have lots of cap space to pick and choose among June 1st cuts.

Just HOW MANY spots do you think the LEAST-PROMISING newcomers can carve out of this team?
Do a roster mock.

 

[mgteich]

This draft is much deeper than in past years. Therefore the pats did indeed bring some players in to give them a chance at the Practice Squad and the roster. Given that we end up with a 60 man roster, that means that we will cut 28. That's a lot of players for these guys to beat out. Realize there are a few UDFA's and NFLE's around already. There is very little chance of more than one making the squad.

However, bb did as he has done. He went to the coaches and systems he respects. Therefore there are a bunch of players from Florida and ND. I believe the bb visited bothe schools.

 

[bigrichard93]

Pats signed Brian Barthelmes, OG out of Virginia

http://virginiasports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/barthelmes_brian00.html

 

[Hoss]

Barthelmes also played center his senior year. Maybe we did grab a little training camp depth there after all.

 

[Mark Morse]

Stephen Neal, Michael Wright, Blue Gay, Eric Alexander, Bam Childress, Lonie Paxton and Billy Yates were all UnDrafted Free Agents. Shawn Mayer ended up as one of the two safeties at the end of the game in Super Bowl 38 after Eugene Wilson and Rodney Harrison were hurt. Neal and Paxton were starters from their 1st games and Gay strted early in his 1st season.

My point is that BB doesn't give a crap where you went to school, what round you were taken in , just how you will help his team. He will take the best 53 and utilize the Practice Squad to stash players and help develop them. He has a great reputation for keeping Un Drafted Free Agents and making them solid NFL players.