The Official "Everything OTA" Thread

[BobDigital]

Well as of right now Armstead is off my projected 53. First time i have don that all off season. Maybe he proves me wrong but i just don't see why he is not out there as this point.

Boyce and Thompkins are getting a lot of the traffic when it comes to WRs but Amendola is very interesting to. I don't think he has worked with Mallet or Garop very much which is a sign he is ahead of guys like Boyce and Thompkins that have. I would love to see him come in and fulfill his promise of last year.

Finch at this point is also on the 53 IMO. Bolden just has not done enough to hold his spot. I think finch offers more in STs too.

 

[Danger Zone]

Potential is the dirtiest word in all of sport. It promises so much and often delivers little.

Certainly has the potential to do both that's for sure..

 

[patchick]

Finch at this point is also on the 53 IMO.

Barring injuries to other RBs, that would really shock me. First off it would require 5 RBs -- don't want to leave Ridley as the sole between-the-tackles option -- and to get Finch on the gameday 45 you'd have to sit either Vereen or White. I'm just not seeing what others are seeing in him.

If a UDFA RB makes the roster my money's on Stephen Houston (who incidentally put up better athletic measurables at 225 lbs. than Finch did at 177).

 

[ausbacker]

Well as of right now Armstead is off my projected 53. First time i have don that all off season. Maybe he proves me wrong but i just don't see why he is not out there as this point.

Boyce and Thompkins are getting a lot of the traffic when it comes to WRs but Amendola is very interesting to. I don't think he has worked with Mallet or Garop very much which is a sign he is ahead of guys like Boyce and Thompkins that have. I would love to see him come in and fulfill his promise of last year.

Finch at this point is also on the 53 IMO. Bolden just has not done enough to hold his spot. I think finch offers more in STs too.

It is appearing more and more likely that Armstead won't contribute at the NFL level. The eternal optimist in me hopes otherwise however, some guys are snakebitten no matter how hard they try to overcome their issues.

Fingers crossed Armstead regains full health as I'm curious to see if the talent matches the hype.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Not sure what is up with Armstead. Not even really sure what is was last year. I heard some kind of disease but never really heard for a fact what it was. I was excited for the signing but so far this guy is a complete enigma. Hate to use Crable in the same sentence, but man. Is this guy ever gonna play? Are the Patriots going to give us some kind of hint what's up with this player? I know they protect the players and all that and I think that is a good thing. I just find it weird they put him on ir last year to heal up/recover/cure/whatever and he is still not available.

 

[supafly]

I don't believe Dennard has been there for the last handful of practices, so his absence today is not that surprising.

 

[supafly]

Probably because he sustained a groin injury and was never the same afterward.

I don't know, JB. I think we have a bit of a difference of opinions on the overall talent of Thompkins, along with the season that he had in general. We'll have to see how things shake out in training camp.

I'm not opposed to him spending another year on the roster, getting better in practice/film study, but I personally don't want to see him out there as often as you seem to.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I don't know, JB. I think we have a bit of a difference of opinions on the overall talent of Thompkins, along with the season that he had in general. We'll have to see how things shake out in training camp.

I'm not opposed to him spending another year on the roster, getting better in practice/film study, but I personally don't want to see him out there as often as you seem to.

I'm with JB. We all have our binkies and goats, of course, but KT is in the first category for me. From what I saw last season, he was the wide receiver who had the strength, hands and concentration to make contested catches. He did make the play of the the season (to win the Saints game). On the other hand, he didn't look right after his (hip?) injury. I have high hopes.

I just re-watched the first Bills game, partly to try to see what others see in Vereen. Yes, he had good numbers, but there wasn't anything there to make me say "wow!" and forget Danny Woodhead. Perhaps I'm missing something -- I hope so.

Watching KT that game was painful. Brady targeted him but couldn't complete the passes. Clearly, Brady was under a lot of pressure and needed an outlet but the two just weren't in sync. Whose fault? Who knows? At any rate, in the second half, Brady gave up and went just to Edelman and Amendola. But my hope is that, with another year, the two of them can get to be much more slick.

In other news.

Amendola was great that game. They obviously stuck a needle in him at half-time, he made crucial plays, they won the game (despite doing their best to lose it!) -- but he paid the price for the rest of the season. If he's healthy and can stay healthy for this season ... nothing but optimism.

The "wow!" player was Ridley. He was getting through holes and making yards he didn't have any right to. And then he fumbled ... (actually, twice, once recovered). If only he can deal with that, what a player!

Blount, on the other hand, looked ponderous -- a big guy taking little steps. Who would have thought that he would be the Holy Terror he was by the end of the season? Good coaching? More fitness? Better at reading his blocks? All three?

If Ridley, Thompkins and Amendola improve as I hope and if they get back a healthy Gronk, I'm *very* optimistic for the offense.

 

[patchick]

Not sure what is up with Armstead. Not even really sure what is was last year.

Armstead has been a spectacularly unlucky victim of medical problems, first a heart attack at USC (which he has claimed was triggered by the team improperly administering powerful painkillers and concealing the information from his doctors), and then by a scary infection last year that required surgery.

For some reason, while fans rally behind a player like Marcus Cannon, who had to battle a clear and nameable disease, we tend to get snide toward players fighting other kinds of afflictions and injuries and label them "soft." I'm rooting for Armstead, who has had a lot to overcome already in his life. I really hope he makes it onto the field, for his sake as well as ours.

 

[JackBauer]

Barring injuries to other RBs, that would really shock me. First off it would require 5 RBs -- don't want to leave Ridley as the sole between-the-tackles option -- and to get Finch on the gameday 45 you'd have to sit either Vereen or White. I'm just not seeing what others are seeing in him.

If a UDFA RB makes the roster my money's on Stephen Houston (who incidentally put up better athletic measurables at 225 lbs. than Finch did at 177).

I don't really have a strong preference between Finch or Houston, but I would like to see that RB4 position upgraded.

 

[patsinthesnow]

http://nesn.com/2014/06/patriots-otas-winners-losers-daxton-swanson-kenbrell-thompkins-shine/

Daxton Swanson
Swanon has made big plays during all three OTAs open to the media this spring. He had a few pass breakups in Week 1, an interception in Week 2 and another pass breakup in Week 3. The Patriots will need a fifth cornerback while Brandon Browner serves a four-game suspension to start the season, and Swanson is in the running for that role.
Swanson’s rookie season didn’t go as planned after he suffered an injury during training camp with the Colts, then spent the 2013 season on the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad. He’s getting a second chance with the Patriots, and he’s not letting it go to waste.

Swanson's name has popped up on a lot of reports. He could win the CB5 spot in Browner's absense or even CB4 if Ryan moves to safety. Swanson vs. Green vs. Thomas will be a decent camp battle.

 

[mayoclinic]

Not sure what is up with Armstead. Not even really sure what is was last year. I heard some kind of disease but never really heard for a fact what it was. I was excited for the signing but so far this guy is a complete enigma. Hate to use Crable in the same sentence, but man. Is this guy ever gonna play? Are the Patriots going to give us some kind of hint what's up with this player? I know they protect the players and all that and I think that is a good thing. I just find it weird they put him on ir last year to heal up/recover/cure/whatever and he is still not available.

Armstead has been a spectacularly unlucky victim of medical problems, first a heart attack at USC (which he has claimed was triggered by the team improperly administering powerful painkillers and concealing the information from his doctors), and then by a scary infection last year that required surgery.

For some reason, while fans rally behind a player like Marcus Cannon, who had to battle a clear and nameable disease, we tend to get snide toward players fighting other kinds of afflictions and injuries and label them "soft." I'm rooting for Armstead, who has had a lot to overcome already in his life. I really hope he makes it onto the field, for his sake as well as ours.

HIPAA privacy laws prevent disclosure of exactly what transpired with Armstead last year, but we know that (1) he had a non-football related medical condition, (2) BB said that it was different from his previous cardiac condition, (3) it was supposedly some kind of infection, (4) it required some kind of surgery on June 29 of last year, and (5) that it apparently required only one surgery, and that Armstead was discharged without an obviously prolonged hospitalization. He wasn't put on the NFI list until August 26, 4 weeks after his surgery.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/the_blitz/2013/07/bill_belichick_says_armond_armsteads_illness_is_different_from
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/29/patriots-armond-armstead-in-good-condition-after-surgery-for-infection/
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/07/29/patriots-issue-statement-condition-armond-armstead-who-had-surgery-treat-infection/3IjaEabISgAhYE6nRvFTAN/story.html
http://nesn.com/2013/08/patriots-release-kamar-aiken-niko-koutouvides-three-others-re-sign-two-players/

We don't know what Armstead's original infection was, but we do know that he required surgery. Many infections require surgical treatment supplemented by antibiotics. Surgery is used to remove or decrease the amount of affected tissue, depending on the particular site and extent of infection (antibiotics alone are generally ineffective if the infectious organism is able to find a protected site). Again, depending on the site and extent of infection, often multiple surgeries are necessary to fully limit the extent of infection; once this has been accomplished, long-term antibiotics (commonly 4-8 weeks) may be required to fully eradicate any infection. If the infection is not adequately treated, symptoms may range from local (such as bone infections which prevent healing, as with Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski) to major systemic infection producing septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction, and often death. Since Armstead apparently required only 1 surgery and didn't have a prolonged hospitalization (and there was no report of him being in an intensive care unit), it seems unlikely that he had this level of infection, which probably would have ended any chance of his playing again. But depending on the type of infection, site of infection, and extent of injury, it's not surprising that he wasn't able to get back to full strength last season in time to be activated from the PUP list.

Without specific medical information it's impossible to know what transpired last year. My best guess is that Armstead had a limited soft tissue infection, but it's just a guess. These can be truly horrific in severe cases (for those with strong stomachs who are interested, look up images on the web of Necrotizing Fasciitis or Fournier's Gangrene, but you ought to be able to stomach the most gory scenes in Game of Thrones without flinching), but even more "simple" cases are significant and would account for Armstead missing all of last year. It's not clear why Armstead hasn't been practicing in OTAs. He was limited the first week, which seemed reasonable as a precaution. Obviously, the longer he can't get on the field, the less his chances of making the team. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that he manages to get on the field and show what he can do.

 

[JMC00]

Dennard missing all of OTAs is more concerning than Armstead. At least Armstead was out there the first week with the rehab group.

 

[PP2]

I find it significant that Stork, Wendell, and Connolly are all taking equal amounts of snaps on first string.

 

[supafly]

Dennard missing all of OTAs is more concerning than Armstead. At least Armstead was out there the first week with the rehab group.

There's something about Dennard that concerns me as far as being injury prone. As much as many here have already penciled him in for the CB2 role, he's only started 7 games in year one and 9 last year. As a whole, he's missed more than 1/2 a season in his two years here.

This is just one of the reasons why I don't envision a full time move for Ryan.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

For some reason, while fans rally behind a player like Marcus Cannon, who had to battle a clear and nameable disease, we tend to get snide toward players fighting other kinds of afflictions and injuries and label them "soft." I'm rooting for Armstead, who has had a lot to overcome already in his life. I really hope he makes it onto the field, for his sake as well as ours.

Admit it. You bought a Ras-I Dowling Patriots jersey.

 

[chasa]

dennard is probably out of football shape, he did spend some time in a cell this summer. give him time.

 

[supafly]

dennard is probably out of football shape, he did spend some time in a cell this summer. give him time.

Dennard's been out of jail for 2 and 1/2 months now, having only spent the month of March there. If he wasn't able to shake off some minor cobwebs in the past 10+ weeks well enough in order to show up for OTAs, we have a much bigger problem than anyone thought.

There were 3 guys that tore their ACLs or who had Achilles injuries in Gronk, Wilfork, and Kelly who were indeed very much "out of football shape" at OTAs doing conditioning work and individual drills on the side for the past couple of weeks.

He's probably (hopefully) dealing with some type of minor injury. Either way, as long as he's at TC next month and remains healthy, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[BelichickFan]

One of the reporters tweeted that Dennard is expected back soon. Sorry, I cannot remember which one but I definitely saw it.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Dennard back soon?
Back where?
Jail or training camp?
It makes a difference!