Whence Ron Brace

[upstater1]

don't take much of a brain to parrot what front office guys say.

there were guys the pats could have used with that pick. drafting brace seemed to only be some kind of contract ploy with wilfork. with wilfork here, brace doesn't have a place to play anyway as he will never be a 3-4 DE with any effectiveness. and the only time wilfork comes off the field is on passing downs and brace is not the guy to go in then, either.

a wasted space that could have been filled by a myriad of solid rookie contributors

How can you make this argument now? We had 4 second rounders.

We draft Chung, Butler, Brace and Vollmer.

At the end of this year, we might look back and say that second round gave us a top flight corner, a hard hitting heady safety, and a gifted LT.

If that happens, no one will worry about the Patriots blowing a second round pick on Brace.

 

[mgteich]

That looks like a solid job in the 1s and 2nd to me. BTW, I questioned (and continue to question) the pick of CHUNG instead of a linebacker, but that it is another thread.

We needed a backup NT, insurance against a Wilfork injury or holdout.

We COULD HAVE done what some here wanted and traded up for Raji, the safe pick of an awesome NT. Then we would have Raji and likely a safety instead of the four players we ended up with.

The open question is whether Brace is still worth a roster spot as a backup NT. Given who else we have at DL, the answer may be that he isn't. However, it is indeed awefully early to make that determination. Perhaps the IR or PUP (is he eligible) might be best.

How can you make this argument now? We had 4 second rounders.

We draft Chung, Butler, Brace and Vollmer.

At the end of this year, we might look back and say that second round gave us a top flight corner, a hard hitting heady safety, and a gifted LT.

If that happens, no one will worry about the Patriots blowing a second round pick on Brace.

 

[Wretch]

Ian Rappaport of the Herald says he failed the conditioning run:

I love unattributed or anonymous quotes. The only people who know what's going on are the Patriots.

If he had showed up out of shape and can't pass the conditioning run after 14 practices, second round pick or not, BB would cut him. There is more to the story than just a failed conditioning test or physical.

 

[Deus Irae]

Reiss is talking about him today:

Mike Reiss
(12:00 PM)


I think Ron Brace is one of the big disappointments of camp. If I had to guess, he will open the season on the active/physically unable to perform list, presevering his roster spot. He's missed a lot of time.

Chat: Chat with Mike Reiss - SportsNation - ESPN Boston

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Yesterday I believe that Gresh said that Brace failed the conditioning test but I Gresh may have just gotten this info from another source such as Reiss.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

It is early in camp, he was looking in shape in practices prior...once again your sick obsession with Brace is getting the better of you.

Sick obsession eh?

True I suppose but maybe I am not far wrong in this case. We shall see. There was a reason that BB stocked up on huge mooses in FA and the draft. I sensed some panic and even obsession on BB's part. Both Brace and Warren are suspect and BB does NOT want a repeat of the Baltimore game.

 

[Clonamery]

Sick obsession eh? Prescience is more like it.

Great, but what's the point? It's not like you are curing leprosy as you whine about Brace.

 

[patfanken]

Ian Rappaport of the Herald says he failed the conditioning run:

And you BELIEVE that Rappapot has a source that makes Casserio a liar. Who's his source "fredfromdartmouth"

It makes no sense that a guy who was cited as being in much better shape during the mini camps would be unable to pass a conditioning test for TWO weeks, and STILL be on the team???????. An injury is a factor here.

Ian Freakin' Rappaport?????!!!!!! What a joke

 

[condon84]

If that happens, no one will worry about the Patriots blowing a second round pick on Brace.

We've blown a good amount of high draft picks the past couple of years.

 

[Rob0729]

And you BELIEVE that Rappapot has a source that makes Casserio a liar. Who's his source "fredfromdartmouth"

It makes no sense that a guy who was cited as being in much better shape during the mini camps would be unable to pass a conditioning test for TWO weeks, and STILL be on the team???????. An injury is a factor here.

Ian Freakin' Rappaport?????!!!!!! What a joke

Both could be right. Brace could have failed the conditioning run and it could be because of medical reasons rather than conditioning.

 

[upstater1]

We've blown a good amount of high draft picks the past couple of years.

We have?

I don't think so

 

[Patspsycho]

Caught the tail end of this afternoon's practice. I believe Brace has passed the fitness test.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Great, but what's the point? It's not like you are curing leprosy as you whine about Brace.

The whole point of forums such as this is to entertain lively discussions of the Patriots on a variety of topics. Observing the weakness of a player or draft pick is well within the purview of this forum. Just because I make such observations before they become politically acceptable is not reason to stop.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

Caught the tail end of this afternoon's practice. I believe Brace has passed the fitness test.

Ah so it was the fitness test that stopped him? Ah so there you go all you FFD bashers.

Do we know if he passed the test or they just got sick of holding him out of practice. I don't know how rigid the team is on its fitness rules. Brace really really needs to practice; more than he needs to run sprints.

 

[efin98]

Ah so it was the fitness test that stopped him? Ah so there you go all you FFD bashers.

Do we know if he passed the test or they just got sick of holding him out of practice. I don't know how rigid the team is on its fitness rules. Brace really really needs to practice; more than he needs to run sprints.

Why the hell can't you let the fact that HE WAS INJURED cross your warped mind?!?!?!

NO TEAM and I mean NO TEAM is going to give the conditioning test or let anyone practice who is injured- HE WAS HURT. Get it through your thick skull.


I hope he plays in every single game and contributes outright just so he shuts your trap once and for all about him.

 

[Patspsycho]

Ah so it was the fitness test that stopped him? Ah so there you go all you FFD bashers.

Do we know if he passed the test or they just got sick of holding him out of practice. I don't know how rigid the team is on its fitness rules. Brace really really needs to practice; more than he needs to run sprints.

What led him to fail it in the first place, we do not know.. and so really don't have the right to pass judgement.

All I can say is that I saw him doing sprints on the far end of the field furthest away from us and he was working with someone who had a stopwatch. Then suddenly he was participating with the DL at the end of practice, stretching and then signing autographs with them.

I'd scarcely think they would let him sign autographs if he hadn't been qualified to play yet.

 

[RayClay]

What led him to fail it in the first place, we do not know.. and so really don't have the right to pass judgement.

All I can say is that I saw him doing sprints on the far end of the field furthest away from us and he was working with someone who had a stopwatch. Then suddenly he was participating with the DL at the end of practice, stretching and then signing autographs with them.

I'd scarcely think they would let him sign autographs if he hadn't been qualified to play yet.

It seems he failed his physical (reported) was injured (reported) therefore perhaps did not take the fitness test (though it was reported he failed).

A lot of those reports were admittedly (by the reporters) guesses.

What does it matter? He's a nose tackle and not an athletic specimen like Wilfork. As long as he's putting in his best effort to be in the shape he needs to be in to hold off double teams, learning technique and leverage, let's not get all bent out of shape.

Big Nose Tackles struggle with conditioning, that's a lot of (necessary) weight to carry around.

 

[efin98]

It seems he failed his physical (reported) was injured (reported) therefore perhaps did not take the fitness test (though it was reported he failed).

A lot of those reports were admittedly (by the reporters) guesses.

What does it matter? He's a nose tackle and not an athletic specimen like Wilfork. As long as he's putting in his best effort to be in the shape he needs to be in to hold off double teams, learning technique and leverage, let's not get all bent out of shape.

Big Nose Tackles struggle with conditioning, that's a lot of (necessary) weight to carry around.

With his needed bulk one injury, especially if it is a nagging injury, can sideline them. The problem with him is the timing of the injury is fueling the speculation and fanning the overzealousness against him, if he was able to take the test and pass it right away this thread and the speculation about his retention and his comparisons to other busts wouldn't exist yet.

 

[RayClay]

With his needed bulk one injury, especially if it is a nagging injury, can sideline them. The problem with him is the timing of the injury is fueling the speculation and fanning the overzealousness against him, if he was able to take the test and pass it right away this thread and the speculation about his retention and his comparisons to other busts wouldn't exist yet.

Good point. They obviously don't want him running around and aggravating an injury at 350 or whatever pounds. As I noted, these guys struggle with weight and conditioning their whole careers, it's the nature of the beast.

 

[condon84]

We have?

I don't think so

Really. Before last years draft (09), how many solid starters have we churned out from rounds 1-4? I only see Merriweather and Mayo. Maybe we can add Maroney in there, but he hasn't really produced like a first round pick. You can look at Chad Jackson, Kevin O'Connell, Crable, and Wheatley as prime examples. These guys should be solid contributors right now but they aren't.

Last year's draft looks pretty good, and this years draft looks good as well, but you're nuts if you think we have the luxury to throw away second round picks.