Why does everyone assume that Faulk makes the team?

[pats1]

At what point do we have enough pass catchers out of the back field to put Faulk's job in jeopardy? At what point, when push comes to shove, do you keep younger talent and jettison the old?

What younger talent is there to replace Faulk? There's none!

Garrett Mills is an H-Back/TE/blocking FB. In NO way could he be used in the same role as Faulk. Would a defense even be remotely afraid of Faulk's deadly draw running if they lined up Mills instead in the backfield? Hell no!

Mark my words: You will NEVER see Mills as the RB in a single-back set. NEVER.

In Faulk's case, it is 2007, at least for me. Not to say he can't play, just that if Mills shows good stuff in pre-season games, and with Evans and Morris, I'd rather cut Faulk and use the roster spot elsewhere.

Again, if Mills show his good stuff, as he did last preseason, he'll simply find his niche on the roster. But he isn't going to replace Faulk. He'd be much more likely to replace Evans, or just have both co-exist.

Here's how the offensive roster will shake out:

Starting RB - Maroney
Spell RB - Morris
3rd Down RB - Faulk
Blocking FB - Evans

H-Back - Mills

Starting TE - Watson
Starting TE - Thomas
Blocking TE - Brady

Starting WR - Stallworth
Starting WR - Caldwell
Slot WR - Welker
Slot WR - Washington/Gaffney
Emergency WR - Washington/Gaffney
Up in the Air WR - Jackson

Starting LT - Light
Starting LG - Mankins
Starting C - Koppen
Starting RG - Neal
Starting RT - O'Callaghan/Kaczur

Backup OT - O'Callaghan/Kaczur
Backup OT - Britt
Backup G/C - Hochstein
Backup G/C - Yates/Mruczkowski

(One of the backup OL spots could be eliminated)

 

[pats1]

Irrelevant. (see WMG, AV, Givens, Law, Spires, Wasington, etc etc etc etc)

You are thinking with your emotions, not your head. You are also missing the point. Faulk is going to be let go. That is absolutely true.

The question is not whether he will go away, as will Troy and Seymour and Brady, the question is "When?"

For Faulk, I see no compelling reason that it might be this year.

There's NO player to replace Faulk on the roster right now.

 

[pats1]

???Neither is Faulk a ball-carrier. Faulk is a catcher of passes and onceona while runner.

We have no knowledgeof what Mills is and is not. That's why I said, "If Mills shows anything at all in preseason ..."

If Mills shows the abilty to pass protect and catch out of the backfield, and so does Morris, tell me why we need three of these guys?

Because there's no more Dillon. Morris will have to be a runner again.

Mills is your Chris Cooley, Keith Byars, Larry Centers type. Not your Kevin Faulk type. One won't replace the other.

If we have three guys who do the same thing, why do we keep the oldest and most expensive.

Will you ever see Mills lineup as the tailback? No.

Will you ever see Faulk lineup as the TE? No.

Before any one else gives me any more stupid crap about not seeing Mills, let me repeat for the reading impaired:

If Mills shows anything at all in preseason

If Mills shows nothing in preseason, Faulk has a chance to keep his job. I agree.

Whatever Mills shows in the preseason has nothing to do with Faulk.

Anyway, I was wondering why people are treating Faulk as a lock, and I can already see the answer: Because no one is actually bothering to stop and think. The automatic answer is "OF COURSE HE STAYS!!!!! LOOK AT ALL HE"S DONE FOR US!!!!"

Yeah, okay. Good reason. Lawyer Milloy was better at what he did than Faulk is at what he does. DItto Ty Law, Adam Vinatieri, and a few others.

The Patriots have shown no problems with Faulk's salary as they did with Law or Milloy. Vinatieri wasn't cut.

Remember, the question isn't if he will leave the team. The question is whether it is this year of not.

Alas, I'll be off-line for a couple weeks. I'm off to backpack the Pinhoti Trail in Alabama. When I get back, I hope to see some responses based on thought rather than emotion.

Take care.

 

[Crowpointer]

Up in the Air WR - Jackson

I agree with your roster makeup completely . On a different note I especially liked the new roster designation for Jackson :singing:

 

[satz]

what a stupid post.....i think you did not see him make some screen plays and run between the tackle against sd. He is an accomplised route runner and can only be replaced by westbrook.He has awesome catches too.

now who the heck we havehave who has proven to be a great runner between the tackle,can line up and run precise routes and able to make some awesome catches...ofcourse run screens .

I forgot to add who knows the offence and can be used to call plays not used in 4 yrs aka 2 pt conversion against SD.He been in the offence as long as brady and probabily knows it real well....

can you name the player who we have to replace him ....non....millis is slower than faulk and in a few yrs when he puts some age is going to be slower.I have not seen him run up the gut between tackles.

 

[captain stone]

Here's how the offensive roster will shake out:

Starting RB - Maroney
Spell RB - Morris
3rd Down RB - Faulk
Blocking FB - Evans

H-Back - Mills

Starting TE - Watson
Starting TE - Thomas
Blocking TE - Brady

Starting WR - Stallworth
Starting WR - Caldwell
Slot WR - Welker
Slot WR - Washington/Gaffney
Emergency WR - Washington/Gaffney
Up in the Air WR - Jackson

Starting LT - Light
Starting LG - Mankins
Starting C - Koppen
Starting RG - Neal
Starting RT - O'Callaghan/Kaczur

Backup OT - O'Callaghan/Kaczur
Backup OT - Britt
Backup G/C - Hochstein
Backup G/C - Yates/Mruczkowski

(One of the backup OL spots could be eliminated)

Barring injury (e.g. Chad Jackson to PUP), I think this is exactly how the offensive roster shakes out. Troy Brown can replace Jackson; Mruc should be long gone; TB and Cassel make 25.

 

[stinkypete]

Faulk is Like Troy Brown, His Value goes beyond his Numbers.

He is clutch player.

And nobody can read blocks off a screen pass better than this guy, not to mention how good he is on the draw play.

Simply Put, FAULK IS A PATRIOT in 07!!!

We should make this an annual thread. Really, I think I saw this same thread title last May after Maroney was drafted.

Faulk makes the team. He is a lock. He plays far too valuable a role in the offense.

 

[dhamz]

If we went out and drafted Lorenzo Booker then there might be a reason to ask this question.

As of now this is a non-issue. He is the only "3rd down back" on the roster - a guy who can run draws, catch screens, pick up the blitz, and make guys miss and get yards after the catch that mean first downs on those 3 yard dump off on 3rd and 6.

 

[PromisedLand]

To be fair Faulk had two fumbles in 141 touches last season with only one being recovered by the other team. Not sure but I think this is an improvement over previous seasons.

Last year his fumbles per touch (FPT) was 1.72%, close to his career average of 1.98% but not statistically significant.

But it is certainly better than the year before when his FPT was 3.57%, the worst year of his career.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

So far, I've seen a lot of possible rosters, and they all show how tight roster spots will be. I've been keeping Excel spreadsheets every year since 2002 (with playres color coded as green-locks, blue-surprised if they don'tmake the team, and yellow-surprised if they do) and this year will be the toughest cuts ever. Lots of greens and more blues than 53

On my roster, Faulk isn't there, but I've seen that everyone else considers him a lock. I know BB really likes his work ethic and coachability, but I also know he favors cutting players a year too early rather than ayear too late.

At what point do we have enough pass catchers out of the back field to put Faulk's job in jeopardy? At what point, when push comes to shove, do you keep younger talent and jettison the old?

In Faulk's case, it is 2007, at least for me. Not to say he can't play, just that if Mills shows good stuff in pre-season games, and with Evans and Morris, I'd rather cut Faulk and use the roster spot elsewhere.

I don't think Faulk makes the 2007 team.

Like the majority here, I think you're wrong. As for the cutting players a year too early rather than a year too late., the coach who is credited with starting that, the great Bill Walsh, let Jerry Rice go at least three years too early, so that philosophy can be done wrong too, even by the best of them.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Geezum, the knee jerk response is as if Faulk was Brady. Faulk has had his moments for certain, but I think he might be bigger in legend than in fact.

Not including punts and KO's, last year he averaged just over 4 touches per game, hardly an offensive juggernaut. Faulk averaged 5 touches per game the previous two years. Faulk was the primary punt return man this year with 31, but last year he had zero. In fact, in nine years he's only had three years with more than 10 punt returns. BB was clearly experimenting with other returners by season's end - maybe because Faulk has never run back a punt for a TD.

Faulk turns 31 in June, entering his tenth season, a very long career for a RB. His cap hit next year is $3.2mil, pretty stiff number for an aging RB who gets on the field for only 4 offensive plays a game. (Cutting him costs just over $1mil.)

To me the strongest argument Faulk will make the team is that he is very adept at picking up the blitz - a skill BB has noted takes RB's some time to refine. Faulk's blocks on passing plays don't show up on the stat sheet but they are quite valuable and it's unlikely a rookie like Booker could quickly attain Faulk's level of proficiency. Now, if it turns out Morris is good at picking up the blitz and he plays well in camp - there would seem to be an awful lot of money tied up at reserve RB when you consider Morris and Faulk combined equal over $5mil themselves.

Trade or cut an over 31 Faulk, save $2mil on the cap, let Morris take Faulk's role for now and draft a rookie to learn the skills of blitz pick up and third down receiving and to get that position younger on the team. Well, that's hardly some kind dumb, stupid, ridiculous, or foolish, etc., proposotion to float. It's got some merit in fact and theory - So keep your shirts on people!

 

[Pats Fanatic]

we went over this way too many times. the day we cut Faulk is the day we cut Brady

I agree that Faulk will not be cut this year, but that is one of the nuttiest things I have read. Be real, Faulk is no were near what Brady means to the team and Faulk will be cut long be for Brady.

 

[dhamz]

His cap hit next year is $3.2mil, pretty stiff number for an aging RB who gets on the field for only 4 offensive plays a game.

Where do you get the idea that Faulk is only on the field 4 plays a game?

 

[biffman]

Where do you get the idea that Faulk is only on the field 4 plays a game?

Yes, I'm confused as well as to how he came up with that number.

 

[MDPATSFAN]

Last year his fumbles per touch (FPT) was 1.72%, close to his career average of 1.98% but not statistically significant.

But it is certainly better than the year before when his FPT was 3.57%, the worst year of his career.

He had 20 touches during the 06 playoffs without a fumble, please add them in to your calculations.

 

[DaBruinz]

I was wondering when the annual thread about whether Faulk would be on the team or not would hit the forum.....

 

[PromisedLand]

He had 20 touches during the 06 playoffs without a fumble, please add them in to your
calculations.

First of all, that is no big deal. Even Fumbler Faulk averages over 50 touches per fumble, so 20 touches without a fumble is hardly reason to have a parade.

Secondly, apples and apples, dude - I compared only the easily accessible regular season numbers for both players, and I daresay it was a fair amount of work. If you wish to see the numbers including playoffs, I suggest you do the work yourself. That way you could actually contribute something to this thread instead of asking someone who already did contribute some facts to do more.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

So far, I've seen a lot of possible rosters, and they all show how tight roster spots will be. I've been keeping Excel spreadsheets every year since 2002 (with playres color coded as green-locks, blue-surprised if they don'tmake the team, and yellow-surprised if they do) and this year will be the toughest cuts ever. Lots of greens and more blues than 53

On my roster, Faulk isn't there, but I've seen that everyone else considers him a lock. I know BB really likes his work ethic and coachability, but I also know he favors cutting players a year too early rather than ayear too late.

At what point do we have enough pass catchers out of the back field to put Faulk's job in jeopardy? At what point, when push comes to shove, do you keep younger talent and jettison the old?

In Faulk's case, it is 2007, at least for me. Not to say he can't play, just that if Mills shows good stuff in pre-season games, and with Evans and Morris, I'd rather cut Faulk and use the roster spot elsewhere.

I don't think Faulk makes the 2007 team.

He sure can lose the big game for you... every time that TB throws to him, I instantly go into "oh sh!t" mode.

Either TB throws it off the mark, or Faulk does something to drop it...

Personally, I want Faulk off the team... but this is only my opin.

 

[Kdo5]

It would be downright insane to cut Faulk. He is a hard working, self less team player. And he is very valuable to our offense. He is also really quick and when I have seen him run right out of the shot gun, straight up the middle he has usually gotten very good gains. Its a shame we dont try it more.

And as for the fumble stuff. ABSOLUTE BULL****.

Corey Dillon(10 year pro): 28 career fumbles. 7 fumbles in 3 years with Pats(2004-2006)

Kevin Faulk(8 year pro): 11 career fumbles. 1 fumble in past 3 years with the Patriots.

How much will it take to get some of you dumb ****s to learn he is hardly fumble prone. Dillon fumbles more and a lot of people consider Dillon to be one who rarely puts the ball on the ground. Ben Watson fumbles like crazy but I dont see as many people jumping all over his ass about it. The insane part is that Faulk has fumbled a lot less than other RB's of his age. Maybe the large, bolded and underlined stats will get some people to read.

 

[frankiesfly]

So far, I've seen a lot of possible rosters, and they all show how tight roster spots will be. I've been keeping Excel spreadsheets every year since 2002 (with playres color coded as green-locks, blue-surprised if they don'tmake the team, and yellow-surprised if they do) and this year will be the toughest cuts ever. Lots of greens and more blues than 53

On my roster, Faulk isn't there, but I've seen that everyone else considers him a lock. I know BB really likes his work ethic and coachability, but I also know he favors cutting players a year too early rather than ayear too late.

At what point do we have enough pass catchers out of the back field to put Faulk's job in jeopardy? At what point, when push comes to shove, do you keep younger talent and jettison the old?

In Faulk's case, it is 2007, at least for me. Not to say he can't play, just that if Mills shows good stuff in pre-season games, and with Evans and Morris, I'd rather cut Faulk and use the roster spot elsewhere.

I don't think Faulk makes the 2007 team.

The day Evans and Morris beat out Faulk is the day i die. Faulk is one of our best players, and much different of a player than Evans. Evans is nothing but a short yardage back, so how could someone like Evans even come close to taking Faulks job. I cant believe you even came up with this idea. Let me guess your so called list has Caldwell as a lock, lol.