Patriots cut safety Brandon Meriweather(merged jumbo thread)

[Deus Irae]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

I don't begrudge anybody their negativity on this one. The fact is that NOBODY proposed a recent 53 minus Meriweather and Sanders, so presumably nobody must have thought it a good idea.

But still, I find myself fascinated rather than worried or angry. For instance, in another thread it was suggested that this has to do with a more aggressive defensive philosophy that would make Meriweather's mental lapses even less tolerable. Others are delighted that the move bodes well for their binkies Barrett or Dowling.

Or to put it another way: Sanders and Meriweather were known quantities...and not good ones. Now, anything could happen!

I hear what you're saying. I think releasing him was stupidity on BB's part, but I'm outside the circle and don't know what was done to try generating trade interest, for example, so I could be convinced that there was nothing out there if some intrepid reporter came back with a story that debunked Bedard's comment about 17 teams.

I think even the most rabid homers should be able to understand why people would question this move, particularly given the earlier release of Sanders. Even if the next Rodney Harrison is already on the team, we've not seen that evidence. At this point, I think most of us will settle for the next Eugene Wilson.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

Interesting, let's jettison a 2 time pro bowl safety making a paltry 1.6 in a contract year and put all of our eggs into 2 guys who have little to no experience playing meaningful snaps in this league, makes sense. 10-cent head, nucleor-physicist that Brandon is, he has been a quality starter in this defense, sure he's made some mistakes, but we can't let him finish this year at 1.6 ??? Pull his snaps if it came to it, but what harm at 1.6 does he bring to this football team ? He effs up, sit his ass and play Barrett/Brown, pretty simple and you've got depth and value.

But we already reached that point so why take a roster spot away from someone who can contribute?
BB chose Barrett and Brown over Meriwhether. There was room for a 4th S and BB chose to use it for a special teams player.

 

[The_Riddler]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

But we already reached that point so why take a roster spot away from someone who can contribute?
BB chose Barrett and Brown over Meriwhether. There was room for a 4th S and BB chose to use it for a special teams player.

And that one guy on ST (whomever that was, would you know?), is going to be that much more valuable to the football team than Meri. OK, I guess we can agree to disagree on that one.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

I hear what you're saying. I think releasing him was stupidity on BB's part, but I'm outside the circle and don't know what was done to try generating trade interest, for example, so I could be convinced that there was nothing out there if some intrepid reporter came back with a story that debunked Bedard's comment about 17 teams.

I think even the most rabid homers should be able to understand why people would question this move, particularly given the earlier release of Sanders. Even if the next Rodney Harrison is already on the team, we've not seen that evidence. At this point, I think most of us will settle for the next Eugene Wilson.

I think this leads to the conclusion that there is something we don't know.
We seem to have 2 spots on the 53 that are placeholders for a G and TE.
We could have kept him in one of those and continued to try and trade him.
There isnt a logical reason to HAVE TO do it today, and of course BB isn't an idiot who couldn't figure out what I just did.
It leads me to believe that there was an internal issue, and BB wanted him out of the lockerroom right now.
We will probably never know the reasons, but I find it hard to conclude BB just didn't think through his options and gave away a commodity for no reason.

 

[Patjew]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

This move is so questionable that it tells me there must have been a great deal of contemplation and logic behind it.

We'll see.

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

Re: (Edit: debunked) Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

You know BB sent a powerful message to his team today -- not by cutting Ocho and Haynesworth as some rival GMs would have wished (and fed rumors to reporters to peddle). He did it by cutting a 1st rounder starting safety who couldn't tackle and a veteran safety who couldn't cover.

He sending a message he is fed up with people who need babysitters.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

And that one guy on ST (whomever that was, would you know?), is going to be that much more valuable to the football team than Meri. OK, I guess we can agree to disagree on that one.

Well, that was BBs decision. Are you saying he isn't smart enough to know which players are best to keep?
Would you rather have an inactive Meriwhether (assuming he was simply beaten out and there isn't more to the story) or a special teams player, Ihedigo, actually active and contributing?

 

[patchick]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

There was room for a 4th S and BB chose to use it for a special teams player.

You know, I'm not so certain they didn't keep a 4th safety. The roster makes a lot more sense -- and a decision to keep Meriweather has tougher consequences -- if you move Dowling from the overstuffed CB column to the S column.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

This move is so questionable that it tells me there must have been a great deal of contemplation and logic behind it.

We'll see.

Sadly we are usually left to fill in the blanks and don't get the logic told to us.

 

[bagwell368]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

I did note that you could ballwash all you want, so it's pretty clear that reading comprehension is not your strong suit at the moment. My reference was to the snarky "resume" part of your post. It was stupid of you to put that in your post. This is discussion about the team's cuts. It's natural that there will be disagreements. It would be scary as hell if the entire Patriots fan base was on board with every single decision. Despite what some here would have, a board filled with Stepford fans is not what Ian is looking for.

I know nothing about ballwashing son, but I do wish you would keep your vulgarities to yourself. Would Ian be happy if I sprayed my collection around here?

On board with every decision? Hardly. But since I can't actually do anything about what the Pats/BB has done or will do, what good pray tell is wringing my hands going to do? At least in several posts on this topic (in other threads) I offered the possible answers to the question. That seems more productive to me then the chicken little thing.

Isn't it in fact in keeping with whatever Ian would like is me asking the bridge jumpers for more patience while they are in fact pushing the panic button? So, I can't use sarcasm, but you can use rank vulgarity?

Perhaps it's my poor reading comprehension (hah har), but I still fail to see why my way of posting should be critiqued by some scold of the site. One that seems to operate with his own rule set. How about you address me in a way to would inspire me to respect you AND your seemingly solid advice (buried though it be), and you save the boogeyman routine for someone else?

Good day.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

You know, I'm not so certain they didn't keep a 4th safety. The roster makes a lot more sense -- and a decision to keep Meriweather has tougher consequences -- if you move Dowling from the overstuffed CB column to the S column.

Or maybe Molden, he has the size for it and scouting reports suggest he would do well with the switch.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

I don't believe I have enough knowledge to second guess BB on football matters - unlike some here. OTOH, I have enough to see Shank/Borges like acidic doubt spewed about by those that don't know anymore then I.

Meri's game was in decline in 2010 (tackling and coverage). His adherence to BB's instructions was dicey back in 2009. He got chewed out during camp this year at least twice (Howe just said so on NESN). His legal issues outside of the field and his blatant hits on the field - maybe the ****tail was too much for BB to bear. The man has all the physical talent he needs to be a fine safety, sadly he's got a 10 cent head.

I've posted my ideas already. BB will:

* Go with Brown and Barret.
* Get a cut down day vet (or two), and work him in - and still carry at least Brown if not Barret.
* Make a deal for a solid safety, will have over pay a bit.

Can we wait until the trading deadline before we have a cow?

I think Barrett is well ahead of Brown

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Re: (Edit: debunked) Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

Word over on Coltfreaks is that The Polians are all over Big Bang Clock and just the rumor is already polarizing their fanbase...LOL

 

[bagwell368]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

You know, I'm not so certain they didn't keep a 4th safety. The roster makes a lot more sense -- and a decision to keep Meriweather has tougher consequences -- if you move Dowling from the overstuffed CB column to the S column.

I wonder if Dowling got enough work in camp to do it, he didn't do it in games or public practices that I can think of.

We should know fairly soon.

 

[bagwell368]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

I think Barrett is well ahead of Brown

That's what the indications seem to be over past 10 days or so, but, I haven't focused on them much, so I'll take your word for it.

 

[Froob]

Re: (Edit: debunked) Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

Aren't the pats also missing out on a high compensatory pick(3rd round?)? Don't like this move right now. We'll see though. BB is right most of the time but he has make mistakes before(Letting both branch and givens go cost them a super bowl). Hope he is making the right choice here.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Re: (Edit: debunked) Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

Sounds like your the candidate for GM why don't you send in your resume. Apparently you see this as a big time benefit for the football team. Is their a particular reason why you wouldn't simply keep Meri on his rookie deal and just not play him, if for any other reason "depth"? You must have some answers, let's here it. Big fan of Josh Barret and Sergio Brown ?

Interesting, let's jettison a 2 time pro bowl safety making a paltry 1.6 in a contract year and put all of our eggs into 2 guys who have little to no experience playing meaningful snaps in this league, makes sense. 10-cent head, nucleor-physicist that Brandon is, he has been a quality starter in this defense, sure he's made some mistakes, but we can't let him finish this year at 1.6 ??? Pull his snaps if it came to it, but what harm at 1.6 does he bring to this football team ? He effs up, sit his ass and play Barrett/Brown, pretty simple and you've got depth and value.

I know your having a tough time with this, but sit down, have a few beers and relax.

BB appears to be moving to pressure scheme, and in that he needs safeties that can cover man. Meri sucks in man coverage and thus becomes a liability in this scheme. He probably jettisoned him now, cuz he doesn't want a sulking malcontent brooding on his sidelines when other guys are starting in front of him in a contract year. There are other man coverage safeties out there of at least his caliber, and they won't come with the crap.

We're not staying at 4 safeties, so lets watch for the coming move and then watch them on the field and see what we have. Sure, it sucks that we didn't even get a bag of footballs for the guy, but oh well.... that's what happens some time. He's was not in our plans and unless this is your first year as a Patriot fan...... it shouldn't suprise you that BB doesn't keep players around for the hell of it.

 

[Froob]

Re: (Edit: debunked) Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

What about Chung though? He got abused by Blair White. Beast vs the run but he's not the best in coverage.

 

[Sciz]

Re: (Edit: debunked) Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

Aren't the pats also missing out on a high compensatory pick(3rd round?)? Don't like this move right now. We'll see though. BB is right most of the time but he has make mistakes before(Letting both branch and givens go cost them a super bowl). Hope he is making the right choice here.

Not a 3rd. Meriweather isn't good enough to get that kind of contract. Maybe a 5th, which shows how much Bill wanted him off the team.

 

[Patjew]

Re: Merriweather a NY Jet - Soon to be Champs

Sadly we are usually left to fill in the blanks and don't get the logic told to us.

I pray that someday BB writes a tell-all or tell-most book that clues us in to his thinking about these various issues.