Pass Won't Get Cut

[spacecrime]

There's a 99% chance he'll be picked up if cut - we're talking about a 53-man roster-quality player here, not shadow-quality. That is a fact.

Sorry, this is an opinion, not a fact.

 

[spacecrime]

How about you tell me what Faulk can do that others cant do better on the team?

Faulk is an excellent pass blocker and great at picking up the blitz. He is better than Pass at pass blocking, and catching passes out of the backfield. He is better at kick returns. Both lack consistency running the ball, with some great runs and then a series of dogs. The only thing Pass does better than Faulk IMO is lead block, and that is because Faulk is too small, not because Pass is good at lead blocking.

Pass, Faulk, Dillon, Maroney, Mills. Definitely keeping Dillon and Maroney. If the choice is to keep four, Pass may make the team. If three, then Faulk-Dillon-Maroney is better than Pass-Dillon-Maroney.

Your turn. What does Pass excel at?

 

[BradyManny]

Pass, Faulk, Dillon, Maroney, Mills. Definitely keeping Dillon and Maroney. If the choice is to keep four, Pass may make the team. If three, then Faulk-Dillon-Maroney is better than Pass-Dillon-Maroney.

Your turn. What does Pass excel at?

With Dillon and Maroney, Faulk becomes a little expendable and expensive. You can justify Pass' place since he is a (small) fullback and a solid blocker. I'd rather see the screen passes that have gone Faulk's way the last few years set up for Watson instead. Faulk has been the beneficiary of an offense that runs great screen plays, and even though I'm a fan of his, he's pretty replacable.

Bottom line, with the $$ tied up in Dillon's contract, and the fact we just used a 1st rounder on a tailback, can we really afford to pay Faulk 1.9 mill and a cap hit of 2.5 (found on Miguel's site).

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

It's become fashionable to predict that Pass will be cut, Pass is gone, etc. To counterbalance what I think is incorrect predicting, I'm here to predict Pass is a 2006 Patriot. He does enough on special teams to be our 4th back, especially realizing that we'll never have 4 healthy at the same time.

Special Teamers aren't hard to replace and the Pats loaded up on gunners in the offseason (Tebucky, Mitchell). Unlike punt returners, KO returners are also easy to find.

Pass is one of those backs who got hurt in 2005.

Dillon, Faulk, Maroney, Mills (expected to play FB), and Evans are worth keeping over Pass.

Pass is entering the final year on his contract and I don't believe the Pats would go out of their way to keep him for 2007, assuming he's around for 2006.

JMHO

 

[spacecrime]

Bottom line, with the $$ tied up in Dillon's contract, and the fact we just used a 1st rounder on a tailback, can we really afford to pay Faulk 1.9 mill and a cap hit of 2.5 (found on Miguel's site).

You bring up a good point. Up until now we have just been talking about fielding the best team. Pass is certainly cheaper than Faulk, though with good reason. Faulk is a better player, though as you point out, we could save about $1.3 miillion by keeping Pass instead of Faulk.

So can we afford Faulk's cap hit? From the same web site you quoted, the Pats are $16.8 million under the cap. How important is it to get that number up to $18.1 million under the cap by cutting Faulk and keeping a cheaper but less effective player?

Not very, IMO. If there ever was a time to keep the best player, it is this year, when we have money up the wazoo. I don';t believe in overpaying, but I think Faulk's 2006 salary of $1.9 million is reasonable.

 

[Joker]

Blew it? He was doing great up until that injury.

Man, why don't you even mention Brady's INT? First off, it was in the PLAYOFFS. Secondly, it was returned for essentially a TOUCHDOWN. Thirdly, the Pats went on the LOSE the game.

Why don't cut Brady why you're at it!

Like PatJew just said - Pass WAS the Patriots running game when Faulk was hurt half the season for a second straight season and Dillon was ailing.

Comparing Brady to a back-up RB? What are you, related to him?? Hey, punk, Brady took shots you would have ended up in intensive care for six months if that was you. POass spit the bit...YOU DO NOT THROW THE BALL ON THE GROUND FOR ANY REASON....NEVER!!!!!!...I've seen players get KNOCKED OUT and still keep possession of the ball....but to throw the ball on the ground???...please, there's a 100 RB's with Pass's talent waiting for a shot in the NFL, probably all of them tougher minded than he is....this is a guy who was a disruptive malcontent his first few years here, a guy who was cut and , face it, a guy who filled a role lately that, looking around, can and SHOULD be upgraded. Losing Patrick Pass wouldn't mean **** to this team...and YOU want to compare him to Brady??? Get off the drugs, kid

 

[patsox23]

"Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Faulk is one of the Patriots' most productive players on a per-play basis."

Pass is a nice player, and I appreciate his contributions, but those of you advocating Pass as more valuable and/or more of a lock than Kevin Faulk are delusional. Kevin's in a different league.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Pass was @ 30 lbs overweight a few months ago...let's just say, perhaps he wants to get cut? He's not getting any younger and he has gotten better .

 

[pats1]

Comparing Brady to a back-up RB? What are you, related to him?? Hey, punk, Brady took shots you would have ended up in intensive care for six months if that was you. POass spit the bit...YOU DO NOT THROW THE BALL ON THE GROUND FOR ANY REASON....NEVER!!!!!!...I've seen players get KNOCKED OUT and still keep possession of the ball....but to throw the ball on the ground???...please, there's a 100 RB's with Pass's talent waiting for a shot in the NFL, probably all of them tougher minded than he is....this is a guy who was a disruptive malcontent his first few years here, a guy who was cut and , face it, a guy who filled a role lately that, looking around, can and SHOULD be upgraded. Losing Patrick Pass wouldn't mean **** to this team...and YOU want to compare him to Brady??? Get off the drugs, kid

You don't have any right to question his mental toughness. You don't see him on a day-by-day basis. You are basing your radical presumption on a single, inconsequential play while utterly ignoring his important contributions to the team over the years.

 

[pats1]

Special Teamers aren't hard to replace and the Pats loaded up on gunners in the offseason (Tebucky, Mitchell). Unlike punt returners, KO returners are also easy to find.

Pass is one of those backs who got hurt in 2005.

Dillon, Faulk, Maroney, Mills (expected to play FB), and Evans are worth keeping over Pass.

Pass is entering the final year on his contract and I don't believe the Pats would go out of their way to keep him for 2007, assuming he's around for 2006.

JMHO

How is Evans worth more than Pass?!? Like I've said - Pass hasn't seriously returned kicks since 2003. His role is just as it was in 2004 - the starting "FB."

 

[Keegs]

It's become fashionable to predict that Pass will be cut, Pass is gone, etc. To counterbalance what I think is incorrect predicting, I'm here to predict Pass is a 2006 Patriot. He does enough on special teams to be our 4th back, especially realizing that we'll never have 4 healthy at the same time.

They'll cut him if they find it necessary.

But then again, they will keep him if they don't.

So either they will be cutting Pass, or keeping him on the team.

Thats my 2 cents.

 

[Pats726]

I have been one who has always appreciated what Pass does on the football field...The fact that he can play FB, RB and special teams is a real plus to what he does... I still feel that way, but there are thoughts of that situation being upgraded. That is what BB and the Patriots do every year.
With Maroney on the roster, his backup duties at RB would not be needed and the same MAY be true at FB and STs if Mills can fill those roles.
It is really true that he is on the bubble this year. He has been an incredible versatile player and still is, but it may indeed be a numbers game.
Would he be picked up if let go?? One year he was and..returned a few games later. It will be an interesting camp but it remains to be seen where or if he fits in this year.
As to his possibly replacing Faulk. I don't think that will happen. As one mentioned BB looks at Faulk as a special player on offense and I agree. WHen he is heathy he can make things happen. He is getting up there in age, so in the next few years, another like him may be needed. One may think a Cobbs could be an option or a look/see....not this year at all, but maybe in a few.

 

[pats1]

Would he be picked up if let go?? One year he was and..returned a few games later. It will be an interesting camp but it remains to be seen where or if he fits in this year.

Of course he would be picked up. The Pass of 2006 doesn't even compare to the Pass of 2003 in both stats and leauge-wide publicity.

 

[fluoropolymer]

I really liked this year's draft and believe the backfield competition at TC will be really intense. I think a reasonable case can be made that BOTH Pass and Faulk are bubble players, and that if the rookies perform well neither of them ultimately make it through the final cuts.

 

[pats1]

Like I've said, history really trends towards the Pats carrying 5 total players in the backfield.

2005:

Dillon
Faulk
Pass
Evans
Cloud/Zereoue

2004:

Dillon
Faulk
Pass
Cobbs (rookie)
Abdullah (street)

2003:

Smith
Faulk
Cloud
Centers
Pass

2002:

Smith
Faulk
Redmond
Edwards
Pass

2001:

Smith
Faulk
Redmond
Edwards
Pass

2000:

Faulk
Redmond
Pass
Carter
Shaw

 

[Pats726]

I think a reasonable case can be made that BOTH Pass and Faulk are bubble players, and that if the rookies perform well neither of them ultimately make it through the final cuts.

Pass I think is obvious on the bubble...Faulk??? I don't think that is near the case this year.
I don't know about money wise where that would be, but playing wise, who would take some of Faulk's time...Maroney?? They are far different running wise and receiving wise..do different things. I do believe that Maroney could play some 3rd down, but not near the same. Reasonable case for Faulk on the bubble?? I don't see it that way.

 

[Remix 6]

Fred McCrary was also on our 2003 team wasnt he?

Whats wrong with Maroney taking Faulk's playing time? Hes faster, quicker, is a home run threat. Hes showcasing great hands and he was also said to be a great RB out of backfield but wasnt used like that in Minnesotta. Why take away playing time from our 1st round pick? Faulk isnt that special honestly. I appreciate his reliablity and good hands as a 3rd down back but he couldnt give Corey a breather. I like Faulk but he is replacable by Maroney.

 

[Pats726]

Fred McCrary was also on our 2003 team wasnt he?

Whats wrong with Maroney taking Faulk's playing time? Hes faster, quicker, is a home run threat. Hes showcasing great hands and he was also said to be a great RB out of backfield but wasnt used like that in Minnesotta. Why take away playing time from our 1st round pick? Faulk isnt that special honestly. I appreciate his reliablity and good hands as a 3rd down back but he couldnt give Corey a breather. I like Faulk but he is replacable by Maroney.

Different backs bring different things to the offense..not sure Maroney would be a total fit in a 3rd down back role.

 

[Remix 6]

Why wouldnt he? BB said hed like to use him in 3rd down roles, kick returns and line him up in the slot as a receiver

 

[dhamz]

not sure Maroney would be a total fit in a 3rd down back role.

You mean you aren't convinced because he caught passes in shorts last weekend?

A guy with 21 career college catches and no experience picking up blitzes has a long way to go to become the guy standing next to Brady on 3rd down.