will we see some Belichick-ean roster manipulation?

[rkarp1]

Bill was masterful at finding ways to get 56-57 players on the 53 man roster.
do we see some cut and winks with some vets?
Landry to recallable IR?
Brown to recallable IR?
Pop or Hollins cut and brought back?

 

[WazzuWheatfarmer]

Yeah, I’m pretty sure we will see some roster jockeying the first couple of weeks of the season to keep a few more players in fold.

 

[PatsFan2]

Bill was masterful at finding ways to get 56-57 players on the 53 man roster.
do we see some cut and winks with some vets?
Landry to recallable IR?
Brown to recallable IR?
Pop or Hollins cut and brought back?

Not in this lifetime... Pop Douglas might be legit this year.

 

[Family]

Landry to recallable IR?

Landry is on PUP and can remain there into the season if he doesn't practice.

 

[patchick]

Bill was masterful at finding ways to get 56-57 players on the 53 man roster.
do we see some cut and winks with some vets?
Landry to recallable IR?
Brown to recallable IR?
Pop or Hollins cut and brought back?

IMO BB’s roster tricks were vastly overestimated. He had such a reputation for tactical manipulation that people interpreted routine roster moves as trickery, e.g. the mythical Foxboro Flu. And sending injured vets to IR-designated-to-return is the whole point of that rule.

BTW Pop would have to pass through waivers so he’d almost certainly be gone.

 

[Triumph]

Bill was masterful at finding ways to get 56-57 players on the 53 man roster.
do we see some cut and winks with some vets?
Landry to recallable IR?
Brown to recallable IR?
Pop or Hollins cut and brought back?

Hollins is a McD guy like Moses is a Vrabel guy.

To me, they set an example for the team, so you just cant toy with team chemistry like that.

 

[Rob0729]

Bill was masterful at finding ways to get 56-57 players on the 53 man roster.
do we see some cut and winks with some vets?
Landry to recallable IR?
Brown to recallable IR?
Pop or Hollins cut and brought back?

If Pop or Hollins are cut, they will likely not make it back. Pop would be subject to waivers since he doesn't have four accrued years and would not pass through it without someone claiming him. I think Hollins would be signed by someone with a greater WR need than the Patriots.

Last year, the Pats added Cory Durden to the practice squad at the end of August and was promoted to the final 53 man roster right before the season. He was an absolute find.

 

[rkarp1]

If Pop or Hollins are cut, they will likely not make it back. Pop would be subject to waivers since he doesn't have four accrued years and would not pass through it without someone claiming him. I think Hollins would be signed by someone with a greater WR need than the Patriots.

Last year, the Pats added Cory Durden to the practice squad at the end of August and was promoted to the final 53 man roster right before the season. He was an absolute find.

a vet cut can say yes or no to any interested teams
there could be an agreement with a vet, that they could be cut, and brought back, with some financial incentive.

 

[Rob0729]

a vet cut can say yes or no to any interested teams
there could be an agreement with a vet, that they could be cut, and brought back, with some financial incentive.

Hollins could rather come back than sign elsewhere. But I think there will be teams willing to pay him more than the Patriots if he is cut. And those teams might give him a starting role which he likely won't get here.

 

[fnordcircle]

IMO BB’s roster tricks were vastly overestimated. He had such a reputation for tactical manipulation that people interpreted routine roster moves as trickery, e.g. the mythical Foxboro Flu. And sending injured vets to IR-designated-to-return is the whole point of that rule.

BTW Pop would have to pass through waivers so he’d almost certainly be gone.

I still remember O'Connell just straight up telling someone in the Boston press that Belichick informed him he was injured and would be put on IR.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I still remember O'Connell just straight up telling someone in the Boston press that Belichick informed him he was injured and would be put on IR.

You’re mixing him up with Brandon Spikes.

Aqib Talib also said they lied.

We thought Tom Brady’s shoulder was a lie, but it turns out it wasn’t and Brady was seriously considering retirement after the 2004 season until he met Guerrero.

Another Spygate? Former Patriots say team is cheating injury reports | Fox Sports

The NFL reportedly has issued a 'no comment' after allegations that the Patriots are less-than-honest about their weekly injury reports.

amp.foxsports.com

 

[mgteich]

Bill was masterful at finding ways to get 56-57 players on the 53 man roster.
do we see some cut and winks with some vets?
Landry to recallable IR?
Brown to recallable IR?
Pop or Hollins cut and brought back?

1) I think it funny that you think that there are more than 53 on the current roster that the team wants to keep on the 53.

2) We will almost certainly have a couple of players from other teams on the Game 2 53-man roster.

3) Landry will likely start on PUP, with the hope that he is available for Game 5 or 6.

4) Brown won't be shelved for 4 games, unless the team truly doesn't expect him back until then. He is our backup center. In any case, he is our best 5th IOL. We are better with him active, instead of Rizy or Hudson.

5) Hollins is not being waived; full stop.

6) If Pop is waived, it will because we couldn't get anything for him. He is more likely to be the 6th WR on the 53 with the idea of tradin him within the week.

7) I wouldn't be surprised if we went down to 52. It matters little.

 

[Triumph]

Hollins could rather come back than sign elsewhere. But I think there will be teams willing to pay him more than the Patriots if he is cut. And those teams might give him a starting role which he likely won't get here.

Hes a knucklehead, but Keon Coleman for the Bills is wearing a walking boot. Seems that he is still in the Bills plans. Would Hollins go back to Buffalo? Maybe yes and maybe no. Assuming that Hollins wants a ring the Bills are in the hunt. Factor in that the Bills would likely pay up for intel about the NEP 2026 offense.

 

[rkarp1]

1) I think it funny that you think that there are more than 53 on the current roster that the team wants to keep on the 53.

2) We will almost certainly have a couple of players from other teams on the Game 2 53-man roster.

3) Landry will likely start on PUP, with the hope that he is available for Game 5 or 6.

4) Brown won't be shelved for 4 games, unless the team truly doesn't expect him back until then. He is our backup center. In any case, he is our best 5th IOL. We are better with him active, instead of Rizy or Hudson.

5) Hollins is not being waived; full stop.

6) If Pop is waived, it will because we couldn't get anything for him. He is more likely to be the 6th WR on the 53 with the idea of tradin him within the week.

7) I wouldn't be surprised if we went down to 52. It matters little.

Morton, Bryant, Crownover, Arkin, Chism are all players the team may want to try and protect and get to the PS

 

[patchick]

You’re mixing him up with Brandon Spikes.

Aqib Talib also said they lied.

We thought Tom Brady’s shoulder was a lie, but it turns out it wasn’t and Brady was seriously considering retirement after the 2004 season until he met Guerrero.

Another Spygate? Former Patriots say team is cheating injury reports | Fox Sports

The NFL reportedly has issued a 'no comment' after allegations that the Patriots are less-than-honest about their weekly injury reports.

amp.foxsports.com

Spikes was a second-round pick and Talib was a high-priced free agent, so I don’t think that’s what we’re talking about. The legendary Foxboro Flu meant “stashing” a borderline rookie for the future by putting him on IR. I can’t find any record of O’Connell mentioning it either.

This is what I mean. Sure, BB was a sneaky old bastard. But the myth of his roster trickery dwarfed the reality.

 

[mgteich]

Morton, Bryant, Crownover, Arkin, Chism are all players the team may want to try and protect and get to the PS

How does a team get a player to PS squad by keeping him on the 53 for a day? Any other team can sign him to their PS immediately or at any time during the season.

If you are suggesting that the player agrees to not signing with another team, this strategy could apply to any player on the team, just waive him and sign him after the cut. Of course, the player is free to sign with another team.

That being said, I don't think there is any danger of another team claiming any of the players you mention. In any case, if we don't want them on our 53, there is little that we can or should want to do. All are very likely to make the PS.

The team HOPES to get lucky, as we did with Durden, and sign an actual 2026 contributor,

 

[TheRainMaker]

Spikes was a second-round pick and Talib was a high-priced free agent, so I don’t think that’s what we’re talking about. The legendary Foxboro Flu meant “stashing” a borderline rookie for the future by putting him on IR. I can’t find any record of O’Connell mentioning it either.

This is what I mean. Sure, BB was a sneaky old bastard. But the myth of his roster trickery dwarfed the reality.

I know what the reference of the "Foxboro flu" is - just correcting the poster of that particular incident.

Not sure where the origin came from, but the "Foxboro Flu" is an urban legend. Majority of the players that mysteriously didn't play their rookie season happened for a reason....they flat out sucked. Many teams use this tactic of asking players they want to keep if they are dealing with any ailments. If the player says it's a "shoulder" or "quad" that team now has found a loophole to put them on IR.

The only examples that amounted to anything after they magically sat their rookie seasons where:

Shane Vereen was a 2nd round pick, but didn't play.

James White was inactive for the majority of 2014.

Damien Harris was mysterious a healthy scratch for the 2019 season. He had no business not playing at all that season.

Boutte was exiled after his non toe tap. This was when BB was really starting to lose his mind.

 

[Ring 6]

Hollins could rather come back than sign elsewhere. But I think there will be teams willing to pay him more than the Patriots if he is cut. And those teams might give him a starting role which he likely won't get here.

What team do you think he would be a 32 year old starter on?

 

[PatsFan2]

I know what the reference of the "Foxboro flu" is - just correcting the poster of that particular incident.

Not sure where the origin came from, but the "Foxboro Flu" is an urban legend. Majority of the players that mysteriously didn't play their rookie season turned out to just flat out suck. Many teams use this tactic of asking players they want to keep if they are dealing with any ailments. If the player says it's a "shoulder" or "quad" that team now has an excuse to put them on IR.

The only two examples that amounted to anything after they magically sat their rookie seasons where:

Damien Harris was mysterious a healthy scratch for the 2019 season. He had no business not playing at all that season.

Boutte was exiled after his non toe tap. This was when BB was really starting to lose his mind.

I'm not saying you should Rush em: but I like that Vrabel likes playing Rookies.

 

[PatsFan2]

What team do you think he would be a 32 year old starter on?

Barefoot Hollins best years in the NFL: though not earth shattering have been under Josh McDaniels. I have learned my lesson I'm not doubting him anymore. I think he could be even better this year he gets' meaningful snaps.