This is just take three of four

[BTTA]

Take one of the offseason/draft: Let's get the best college and veteran players we can, based on our evaluations, into our camp.

Take two: Let's track all of these players, in our camp and in others, over the summer, as they show their stuff.

Take three: At cut down day, let's throw all the players back into a single bucket, evaluate all of them against each other, and try to get the ones we like the best onto our team for the regular season.

Take four (now in the works): In the meantime, hide as many as we can on the PS and shadow roster, trying to anticipate what other teams will do with regards to the players that we consider waiving in order to hide them. So we may keep some players on the 52 roster because if we waive them right off, they will likely get scooped up. In a few days, after other teams have settled on their practice squads and are focusing on game one prep, we can waive them and have a better chance of getting them through and onto our practice squad.

Meanwhile the fans take a snapshot of all of this movement and freak out based on the assumption that there's no rhyme or reason.

 

[Pats726]

Take one of the offseason/draft: Let's get the best college and veteran players we can, based on our evaluations, into our camp.

Take two: Let's track all of these players, in our camp and in others, over the summer, as they show their stuff.

Take three: At cut down day, let's throw all the players back into a single bucket, evaluate all of them against each other, and try to get the ones we like the best onto our team for the regular season.

Take four (now in the works): In the meantime, hide as many as we can on the PS and shadow roster, trying to anticipate what other teams will do with regards to the players that we consider waiving in order to hide them. So we may keep some players on the 52 roster because if we waive them right off, they will likely get scooped up. In a few days, after other teams have settled on their practice squads and are focusing on game one prep, we can waive them and have a better chance of getting them through and onto our practice squad.

Meanwhile the fans take a snapshot of all of this movement and freak out based on the assumption that there's no rhyme or reason.

I don't think it is exactly as that..BUT..I do think there are a lot of moving parts to this..and that is why some moves are made..others are not. There may be certain strategies to keep players or not...or trying to get the best players in the right [positions..there is a lot to it especially if one adds in injuries and other things..unfortunately too many look at each move and miss teh BIG picture...