Ring Toss; Pick 1 Binky, 1 Cut/Trade

[willard]

If you hit on Flowers and Collins last year you won the prize.

I toss Nate Ebner and Patrick Chung.

When Ebner was chosen Slater was a good, not yet great draft pick. Read about him as I do all Patriots picks and wow, this guy only played special teams at Ohio State and was a rugby player. Then his first year in training camp he was making plays on the ball, but real game time was slow to come for him. Despite his physical skills, he was much too green to trust with a game on the line. Ebner has earned increased play on defense. His first athletic love was rugby and the Patriots recognized the opportunity to do something special and gave him permission to pursue it. Belichick has looked long for the hybrid linebacker, safety and I think Ebner has the tools to fit in his defense that way. Like Stephen Neal before, Ebner has needed time to learn the game so he is not thinking at the NFL level. This could be his year. He has had the time to learn football, this is his best chance to make a mark as a professional player and what I saw in his being able to make the US rugby team, I think he will dedicate himself to it.

I never disliked Chung when we first had him, but thought injuries hurt his game and we could do much better. His second service was a revelation in his ability to impact the game and durability. Father time may be catching up with him. This Duck started playing college ball at a young age and played a lot of college ball. He plays a physically intense position that breaks people down. If Belichick and Patricia feel it is best for the team to let him go, he will be gone.

 

[Love The Drake]

Austin Carr cut trade Admendola.
My prediction is a little more advanced than that I predict Danny A gets hurt training camp preseason that Austin Carr makes some poor undrafted rookie look ridiculous in preseason making it impossible to sneak him on the practice squad Danny goes on IR with the new rule of two and then the decision comes down to Hawkins vs Carr
Carr makes it on youth and upside.

 

[fnordcircle]

Binkie: DJ Foster
Surprise Cut/Trade: Nate Solder

Why Nate Solder? Because it's as unthinkable to me as the Chander/Collins trades from last year so why not?

 

[primetime]

Vincent Valentine
Stephen Gostkowski

Valentine flashed big-time ability in the interior rotation last year as a rookie, but I have a hunch that he's going to be a regular fixture on the line moving forward and become a terror inside.

It's a huge stretch to imagine Gostkowski gone, but not impossible. His confidence appears to have been shot after the AFCCG two seasons ago, and I'm not sure he'll ever be the same. It might be time to move on. Otherwise I don't see too many players on the roster who will be surprise cuts. Cyrus Jones is a possibility, but I don't see them moving on after just one year.

 

[zydecochris]

Binkie: DJ Foster
Surprise Cut/Trade: Nate Solder

Why Nate Solder? Because it's as unthinkable to me as the Chander/Collins trades from last year so why not?

I like your reasoning (by coming up with the most unthinkable thing you could), but if I was coming up with a list of players least likely to be cut I think I would have Brady as #1 (I know some posters don't agree) and Solder as #2. Who would replace Solder? One of the rookies? All I can think of is the difference between the OL play with Solder last year compared to without Solder the year before. I know there are other factors in the OL improvement (Thuney, Mason's growth, Cannon's leap, and most importantly Scar), but I think the loss of Solder was the primary reason the Patriots didn't clobber Carolina in Super Bowl 50.

 

[PrairiePat]

Antonio Garcia - I'm a fan of OL guys with nasty streaks
Rob Ninkovich - 1 year early maybe, but I see him as a possible trade/cut

 

[jah]

Slater was NOT a "good but not great" draft pick by 2012 when Ebner was drafted. We have been talking him up as a transcendent ST stud since 2010.

 

[zydecochris]

Binkie: Jonathan Jones
Surprise Cut / Trade: Gostkowski

Jonathan Jones because presumably he is the fastest corner on the team with a 4.28 second 40 yard dash and he seems to be taking some starting snaps at slot. The knock on him in college was being beat up by big players especially on running plays, but he was a special teams maven last year and special teams requires toughness. Maybe being with the Patriots has toughened him up.......(Plus, if I select one of my other binkies, Cyrus Jones, the Board might blow up in light of his return problems last year).

Gostkowski because of a table of the biggest cap hits on the Patriots are: 1.) Brady: $14M; 2.) Solder: $11M; 3.) McCourty: $11M; 4.) Gilmore: $9M; 5.) Edelman: $7M; 6.) Gronk: $7M; 7.) Hightower: $5M; 8.) Allen: $5M; 9.)Gostkowski: $4.5M.

Brady, Solder, and Gronk are IMHO the most difficult to replace players on the team. McCourtney is the leader of the secondary and underrated. Gilmore has just been added, and although Allen's salary is an eye opener he has just been traded for also. Hightower and Edelman have just been extended. That leaves Gostkowski and his $4.5M Cap Hit, I think he is the most replaceable of the top cap hits.

 

[Ring 6]

Binkie: DJ Foster
Surprise Cut/Trade: Nate Solder

Why Nate Solder? Because it's as unthinkable to me as the Chander/Collins trades from last year so why not?

Solder fits the jones Collins mankins and Seymour trade pattern.
But Garcia fits the lt in training pattern, and I can't imagine getting rid of solder to play a rookie or Fleming at lt.
if this were Garcias second year you may be on to something.

 

[jah]

Binkie: both guards (Thuney and Mason). Mason took a big step forward last year and hopefully Thuney can do the same in his second year.

Surprise cut/trade: Solder. Don't think it'll happen though.

 

[Tony2046]

Binky: Jonathan Jones
Surprise cut/trade: Foster I think he's redundant with Lewis seemingly back to his old form.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

Binkie: Hawkins..... he has an uphill battle because there is no cap savings by cutting him Amendola. I would not be surprised to see Amendola end up with a mystery injury & end up on the PUP or IR "eligible to return". Amendola get's hurt a lot, so having him miss the first half of the season may help his health for the playoffs.

I believe Hawkins was brought in as a guy who can beat man coverage while Amendola is more of a zone coverage threat.

I bet Carr ends up on the practice squad.

Cut / Ghost - His missed extra point against Denver in 2015, forced us to go for 2 late & probably cost us the Super Bowl.

His missed extra point almost cost us the Super Bowl against Atlanta.

You can't be missing extra points in the playoffs.

 

[stinkypete]

Binky: Ealy - probably a 1 year rental, but I see him having a Mark Anderson like impact with opposing offenses scheming to take Flowers out of the picture.

Cut: Roberts - Langi beats him out for the thumper/ST role by virtue of his special teams value.

 

[supafly]

I think Gost offers good value in terms of his kickoffs. He knows/listens to what BB wants and does a good job positioning his kicks. I'm not saying that it's rocket science, but I do believe that Belichick appreciates this part of his job and I certainly think it factored into his extension.

Also, he's familiar with the elements at Gillette, particularly in the winter months. Again, someone else may be able to get that all down, but I think it would take them a solid season or so. Kickers sometimes miss kicks. I see no way that Gost is well, "ghost." He's not going anywhere.

 

[willard]

Slater was NOT a "good but not great" draft pick by 2012 when Ebner was drafted. We have been talking him up as a transcendent ST stud since 2010.

You are correct. I did not look that up before stating it. When he was first drafted it seemed high for a ST player when those are often found in the UFA pool. As time went on it was increasingly evident what a great pick it was. Thanks for the correction.

Solder is someone I am concerned about leaving football on his own volition. Good for those who tossed for the high score picking him.

 

[long distance]

rise . Vincent Valentine
cut . Malcom Brown


1. With this crowded quality roster there might be more than one “surprise“ cut.

2. While Solder is the “perfect“ trade goat (by far biggest cap hit, no extension, not back to top form, rumours of possible retirement, 2 OT draft picks + 2 OT udfas, Cannon extended) it might be difficult to find a trade partner bc of enormous cap hit after teams already spent much of their money and a ? on Solder's future. Straight release would create 7M cap saving (that Pats don't necessarily need for this season) but also leave 4M dead money - so not to BBs economics major taste Id guess.
Bottom line: you gain too little w possibly losing too much.

3. Malcom Brown has two more cheap years (+ 5th yr option) and is still very young so trading him might look going against roster building logic (especially after Pats used record low 4 picks) . but if VV steps up further this preseason (and remains healthy) . a case can certainly be made esp. if Pats don't see Malcom as a franchise stud (BB went on the record wishing MB would be more consistent). Branch very much outplayed him and was extended, Valentine showed glimpses of real stud, Hamilton made a nice cameo during the season, they added a great DL swiss knife option in Guy, added Kilgo from Broncos and some interesting rookies. Moreover 2018 draft is rich in DT talent (and DTs can plug in quickly).

“One year early“ would make Brown a very desirable trade bride: 1st round DT with two cheap years and 3 yrs of control that had two very solid NFL campaigns on a champion team..

__

Here a reminder of BBs most unthinkable operations..
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2016/10/31/bill-belichicks-most-surprising-moves-with-patriots/

 

[jah]

You are correct. I did not look that up before stating it. When he was first drafted it seemed high for a ST player when those are often found in the UFA pool. As time went on it was increasingly evident what a great pick it was. Thanks for the correction.

Solder is someone I am concerned about leaving football on his own volition. Good for those who tossed for the high score picking him.

I never thought about Solder being a retire early type but it makes sense. He turns 30 next April. Time flies.

 

[borg]

Binky....Jimmy G.
Brady can't continue to take the beating he does in the pocket and stay healthy...can he?

Cut....Bolden
Trade.....Lewis

 

[Huckleberry1]

Binky-Malcolm Mitchell He has the physical tools and every intangible you could want ,including toughness, which he showed by coming back from that gruesome elbow injury in pre season.

Shaq Mason loses out but he's going to end up an All Pro guard someday.

"Surprise" Cut- Rob Ninkovich. I think Ninkovich is a guy who needs every bit of athleticism he has, and that's dropped off. I don't believe he'll make this team.

 

[farn]

DJ Foster breaks out. RBS always get hurt & he's been solid so far this spring (yes, in shorts...)

I think Ninko "retires". BB takes him aside, gives him the respected vet chat, he walks away.