Which one of these running Backs will not be with the Pats at the start of the Season

[spacecrime]

I vote Evans and Pass off the island.

Dillon, Marony, Faulk, and Mills should be enough.

... :agree:

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

i doubt you would hold onto it if u just get shot by a hammy out of no where.

I doubt I would do a lot of things well on the football field - but I'm not an NFL player. Every ex player I heard was shocked that he would just drop the ball like that. That's all I needed to know.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

Why isn't Evans considered good? I think he was a 2nd or 3rd round pick at one time. Must have some talent.

He looked decent as a receiver out of the backfield and a marginally OK runner. But we're a Super Bowl contending team with great depth, it's a tough team to make. Dillon, Maroney, Faulk is probably enough, honestly, but the way we get hurt one more will probably be kept. AFAIK, Mills has never actually run from scrimmage (correct me if I'm wrong) so I don't know if he's much of an option as an emergency back.

 

[SuperPatriot33]

Heres my opinions on each player

Dillon- he wont get cut..hes the best RB whos proven..hes tough and strong and has worked hard..plays different than Faulk and Maroney's style.
CD: LOCK

Maroney- We just drafted him..he'll stay what more should I say:
LM: LOCK

Faulk- Hes not starting material if our RBs get hurt..hes a situational guy who can catch out of backfield and we might not need him much anymore with LM coming in
KF: Possible cut

Pass- I actually think he brings more than Faulk does to us. Hes a little small for FB but hes played there..hes fast and can return kicks aswell as catch out of backfield and run the ball effectivly.
PP: Possible Cut

Evans- He came in and did well..hes probably a better blocker than Pass and is bigger..will compete with Pass and Mills
HE: Possible Cut

So between Evans, Pass and Faulk..Faulk and Pass are faster than Evans..catch better..can both return kicks. Evans is a better blocker i believe so if Mills really cant do it..Id take our depth goes

1. Dillon
2. Maroney
3. Pass
------
FB
1. Mills
2. Evans

or

1. Dillon
2. Maroney
3. Faulk

FB
4. Pass
5. Mills
something along those lines might work

You say Faulk is a possible cut?In my not so humble opinion His loss hurt us more than anyone except maybe Rodney last year.

 

[pats1]

I don't see how you can have Evans on the team but Pass off.

Look, I absolutely LOVED what I saw from Pass on tape before the inury. You simply CAN NOT rely on Mills to hold the FB spot down. With the injury history of Dillon and Faulk as well as the 1st-year status of Maroney and Mills, you NEED Pass on the roster.

He is a better blocker than Evans.

He is a better runner than Evans.

He is a better receiver than Evans.

He is a better kick returner than Evans.

He is a better overall special teams player than Evans.

Like someone said - Evans was a stopgap solution. Pass will return to his pre-injury 2004 role as a FB. We'll love him there. I almost see him as a LOCK to make the roster.

 

[pats1]

I think Pass is gone for sure. Dropping the ball when he hurt his hamstring is an issue and I'd be surprised if BB let's that slide. I also think Heath could be gone replaced by Mills.

I doubt Belichick cares very much about that. Every player makes the mistakes (Brady's INT to Bailey, Brown's fumble, etc.) but that isn't any reason to hold grudges and cut the player. That isn't BB.

 

[pats1]

Evans and Pass could be in trouble...

Dillon, Maroney, Faulk and Mills could be enough

Two rookies and two older, injury rittled players? The Pats will be carrying 5 backs this year: bet on it.

 

[spacecrime]

Dillon, Faulk, and Moroney are locks to make the team.

Evans is injury insurance at this point. If everyone stays healthy through camp then he has no real shot to make the team.

Pass is on the bubble. He is probably going to make it because he is versatile. He can play some FB, HB, and 3rd down back while playing special teams. And he does all that cheap. However, he is in a spot where he could be beaten out if someone has a strong camp.

This is how I see it, too. Dillon-Faulk-Maroney, with Mills the FB.

If someone gets hurt in tc, then Pass/Evans are available. If no one gets hurt and we cut them, they are unlikely to get picked up by any team and can be part of the shadow roster. If fact, Pass was cut a couple years ago, and noone picked him up, and we resigned him a couple weeks into the season.

In away, it's good we have these players we can cut with the asurance that most likely they will be around if we need them. OTOH, it's disturbing that we are relying on players that no one, not even the Cards, Saints or Niners want. Ugh.

 

[pats1]

This is how I see it, too. Dillon-Faulk-Maroney, with Mills the FB.

If someone gets hurt in tc, then Pass/Evans are available. If no one gets hurt and we cut them, they are unlikely to get picked up by any team and can be part of the shadow roster. If fact, Pass was cut a couple years ago, and noone picked him up, and we resigned him a couple weeks into the season.

In away, it's good we have these players we can cut with the asurance that most likely they will be around if we need them. OTOH, it's disturbing that we are relying on players that no one, not even the Cards, Saints or Niners want. Ugh.

That was a few years ago when Pass was nothing more than a #4 RB/#2 FB. Pass has emerged as a versatile player who would ALMOST CERTAINLY get picked up by a team looking for that 2nd RB/FB/KR.

 

[SuperPatriot33]

I think Pass is gone for sure. Dropping the ball when he hurt his hamstring is an issue and I'd be surprised if BB let's that slide. I also think Heath could be gone replaced by Mills.

I was a big fan of Pass.He was having a great start to that game.Looked unstoppable..Then he...laid an egg...literally

 

[DarMan]

I doubt Belichick cares very much about that. Every player makes the mistakes (Brady's INT to Bailey, Brown's fumble, etc.) but that isn't any reason to hold grudges and cut the player. That isn't BB.

There is a difference between making a mistake and a player exhibiting a lack of toughness that hurt the team. BB is about building a team based on smart, tough football players. I question whether Pass is either.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Faulk is signed through 2009. Will cost $2.5M to stay and $2M to go ($600K this year and $1.4M next in dead cap hit).

Pass is in the final year of his contract. $666K to stay and $81K to go.

Pass reportedly raised the ire of the FO when he showed up for the off season workout program overweight and out of shape. Not that he couldn't turn that around in 3 months.

Depending on how these players perform in camp and the pre season and barring injuries it's likely this year we keep 4 RB/FB. Dillon-Maroney-Faulk-PTBN.

Pass is clearly on the PTBN bubble but Mills hasn't proved he can play any position at the NFL level just yet. If he has a good camp at FB and TE Pass could easily be fighting for his life because it would be hard to get Mills to the PS.

Much as I can't stand his tendancy to fumble at the most inoppertune times, Faulk won't go this year for financial reasons alone - unless he has the most disasterous camp in history.

Evans remains camp competition fodder, shadow roster, fall back in a disaster guy albeit one who knows the system. If Mills shows little in camp (and is therefore easier to stash on the PS) then Evans is the one armwwrestling Pass for the 4th slot. If we keep 5 then Pass-Mills and Evans are all competing for the 4th and 5th slots.

 

[pats1]

There is a difference between making a mistake and a player exhibiting a lack of toughness that hurt the team. BB is about building a team based on smart, tough football players. I question whether Pass is either.

He's not a tough football player because he dropped the ball when his hamstring fudged itself up? Is that really your measure of toughness? For me, it was seeing him out on the field in the games after while playing with that injury because Dillon was hurt.

 

[JJDChE]

Evans is a scrub. He did a nice job for us, and I liked watching the guy, but he was a street free agent. He'll be out.

Pass is another possible cut. He's proven to be a pretty versatile and productive player, unlike some others here, I doubt the "hamstring" fumble is has any negative affect on whether or not he remains on the team, at least not more than any other fumble. Pass vs. Mills is going to be quite a battle. One of them has to be gone, we just don;t have the roster spots for both. If we cut Pass, he'll definitely get picked up by another team.

 

[dhamz]

i like Faulk but hes on bubble..how is he a lock? Put him as #3 RB? Maroney needs to get his carries..he'll catch some out of backfield and i heard we might put Maroney in the slot..Pass is a better runner than Faulk..he started a few and did well..Faulk is a recevier out of backfield..very relaible hands but hes aging

He's a lock in every way - financially, based on current roster make up, productivity, etc.

He is what he has always been - a third down back. He excels in that role. He has great hands out of the backfield, picks up blitzes well, and can make guys miss and get yards after the catch which is essential. Most of the catches the guy playing that spot makes are short of the 1st down and require him to get YAC to move the chains. There is no one else on the roster who is anywhere near his equal as a 3rd down back and the offensive system requires one. Tom Brady cited Faulk's absence this past year when asked to explain why an offense that had led the league in scoring in 2 minute drills the year before was suddenly struggling in that situation.

He's not a guy who can carry the ball a lot. With Moroney as the #2 he won't be asked to. He can do what he does best and only ocasionally be asked to carry as a change of pace back.

If you forgot how valuable Faulk can be when he is only asked to play the 3rd down back/change of pace role you might want to pop in 3 Games to Glory III and remind yourself how well he plays when he is healthy and asked to do only what he does best.

Financially it is a no brainer. 500K difference to keep him vs cut him.

 

[DaBruinz]

A camp fodder RB who was forgotten

It seems that Earl Charles is the ugly duckling here. Yes, I believe he is only camp fodder. I also believe that, even though he was sent to NFLE, he hasn't done jack over there. BOR can correct me if I am wrong.

I am surprised that the Pats haven't added another young RB who they could put on the Practice Squad.

 

[The Gr8est]

Evans. Seriously is there any other choice.

........Ditto!

 

[A.C Vegas]

I don't think any of them get cut I think BB will focus less on the WR and more on the short passes and screens that have made this team great but if anything evens gets cut he really only had 1 and a half good games.

Evans goes, but so does Pass. And yes, Pass gets the soft label back. When he dropped (just about threw) the ball on the ground when he hurt his hamstring last year, he earned the soft label as a permanent tatoo. Fall down if you're hurt, but HOLD THE BALL. GONE

Let's see if you hold on to the ball pulling your Hamstring.

 

[MDPATSFAN]

Faulk has one of the highest fumble per touch rates in the league. Even higher than Tiki Barber's when he had the "fumbles". Belichick isn't going to pay him to sit on the bench because he cannot be trusted with the ball. Mistake free football is the religion here and Faulk doesn't fit .

The sunk in cost is there whether he sits on the bench or he is somewhere else. Send him off...spend the savings on another player. He'll cost us games!

 

[DaBruinz]

Faulk has one of the highest fumble per touch rates in the league. Even higher than Tiki Barber's when he had the "fumbles". Belichick isn't going to pay him to sit on the bench because he cannot be trusted with the ball. Mistake free football is the religion here and Faulk doesn't fit .

The sunk in cost is there whether he sits on the bench or he is somewhere else. Send him off...spend the savings on another player. He'll cost us games!

There have been worse players in the NFL than Faulk. And, Faulk did pretty well in 2003, all things considered. But, you are correct in that Faulk's 1 fumble per 45 touches isn't very good.

However, to say that Faulk doesn't fit is BS. Not only was Brady pointing out how the offense was different with Faulk in there, but BB said the same thing.

However, Pass isn't nearly the back that Kevin is. Pass isn't as good a pass catcher.