2019 Pats: In-Season Roster & Injury Discussion

SeoulSoxFan

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Tomlinson looks like a pure blocking TE which Watson isn't at this end. It's a really need because Izzo has been getting shellacked on the edge (which has been a problem for the run game and Michel in particular)
Tomlinson played well in 2018 before dropping weight onto his foot and going on the IR. I think it's a smart pickup.

Izzo ranked dead last out of 44 starting TE. He was supposed to be a decent blocker. What happened?
 

Shelterdog

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Tomlinson played well in 2018 before dropping weight onto his foot and going on the IR. I think it's a smart pickup.

Izzo ranked dead last out of 44 starting TE. He was supposed to be a decent blocker. What happened?
I don't know I don't think he's hopeless (sometimes he does well, particularly when he's on the move). I don't know enough to know if its strength or technique or what on the blocks he is losing.

I think he's good enough that someone picks him up so he doesn't make the practice squad but who knows. If you don't think the blocking is correctable pretty quickly it almost doesn't matter if he makes the squad or not because you can't count on him making a good block right off the line.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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That he didn't sign anywhere in the last week suggests it probably won't.
Yeah. I’ll guess around 1.5m. That would mean the Pats saved about $400k for the two weeks and should put their cap number around 1.5 million after the dust settles on all the recent moves we’ve heard about. Not much left for any trades.
 

jsinger121

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Kessler is likely getting cut for Watson. Interesting that there is no Bennett. (Trade on the horizon? or maintenance day?)
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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So, if Kessler is waived does that free up a spot? Johnson to IR and Kessler waived creates two spots and Watson and Tomlinson added but I think we had a free spot too, or is that wrong?
 

lexrageorge

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So, if Kessler is waived does that free up a spot? Johnson to IR and Kessler waived creates two spots and Watson and Tomlinson added but I think we had a free spot too, or is that wrong?
Patriots.com shows 52 players with Johnson on IR. Kessler being waived would be 51. Add in Watson and Tomlinson and they're back to 53.

All the other churn has been in the PS. Harry doesn't yet count as being on the active roster.
 

bsj

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Question- this FEELS like a lot more churn than usual. I know there have been similar years, but this seems like the most players that have been on and off the 53 man and the PS than we've seen before at this point in the season. Anyone know if this is being kept track of?
 

lexrageorge

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3 theories as to Bennett's absence:

1.) He's actually banged up, which is why his snap count has steadily decreased.

2.) He has been excused from this one practice for undisclosed reasons.

3.) He is being actively shopped in the trade front.

All of them are equally plausible, IMO.

EDIT: And, of course, Bennett selected door #4.
 
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DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Patriots.com shows 52 players with Johnson on IR. Kessler being waived would be 51. Add in Watson and Tomlinson and they're back to 53.

All the other churn has been in the PS. Harry doesn't yet count as being on the active roster.
Makes sense. Not sure why I thought there was a spot. Maybe I was already counting Lacosse given that they have signed two more tight ends but I suppose he's a candidate to go for Harry if they decide to activate Harry.
 

E5 Yaz

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I would imagine if the Pats were thinking of moving him for some help elsewhere they wouldn't have dinged his value by putting him on ice for a week for being difficult to coach.
Nah, talent is what talent is. Another team will just use him more in a manner in which he's used to playing. Reminds me of Chris Long's one year. When he left he said he did what the Patriots wanted him to do, but he had to move on to play his style
 

InstaFace

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Question- this FEELS like a lot more churn than usual. I know there have been similar years, but this seems like the most players that have been on and off the 53 man and the PS than we've seen before at this point in the season. Anyone know if this is being kept track of?
I don't have stats, but an alternative explanation is that the areas of greatest shuffling are also areas of greatest (even urgent) need for the team this year. We've never had a problem like this, not for many years, like what we've got right now with the OL, WR, TE, and FB positions. Not only did we lose our 2nd-best player from last year's team, but the next-men-up just weren't up to the task. We also lost not one but TWO starters at what is generally considered the 2nd-most-important position on the roster (LT - Trent Brown leaving and then Wynn getting hurt again). The fact that the Patriots are clearly the #1 team in the league at this moment (DVOA notwithstanding) is a testament to how absolutely godly we are in just about every other area on the roster, and what great coaches we have. So we're going to pay much greater attention to not just who we're running out there as starters, but who's second string, who's practice squad, who stands a chance of returning from injury, etc.
 

The Talented Allen Ripley

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The Athletic goes into the playing time crunch:

Bennett has been productive when on the field and has 2 ½ sacks through six games, but the role that was envisioned for him is no longer a predominant part of the defense. The Patriots were still looking to use a four-man defensive line when they acquired Bennett via a trade with the Eagles in the offseason and expected to insert him in the role vacated by Trey Flowers. Since then, the team added linebacker Jamie Collins and has become more of a 3-4 defense.

New England has only played 29 snaps, or about 8 percent of its defensive plays, with at least four defensive linemen on the field. Last year, the defense used at least four players on 49 percent of the defensive plays.
 

Gambler7

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Nah, talent is what talent is. Another team will just use him more in a manner in which he's used to playing. Reminds me of Chris Long's one year. When he left he said he did what the Patriots wanted him to do, but he had to move on to play his style
Bedard on Felger & Mazz through out a Bennett trade to Detroit for Amendola.
 

RoDaddy

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Tomlinson has taken snaps at FB in his career, per Reiss.

View: https://twitter.com/MikeReiss/status/1184160802208649216?s=20


With the Patriots signing TE Eric Tomlinson, he adds a blocking presence at the position. There is also a carryover to FB, where the Patriots have placed James Develin and Jakob Johnson on IR. Tomlinson has lined up in the backfield on 74 snaps in his career, per @ESPNStatsInfo
I'm pretty psyched about this singing. He's very big for either TE or FB, and his scouting report says he's strong blocker (with good hands as a receiver interestingly enough). But to go from the worst TE in the game (Izzo) to a strong blocking one - especially now with Watson on board as a complementary good receiving TE - AND ALSO potentially filling Develin's blocking FB spot seems like a really good (and cheap) upgrade

Now watch BB turn around and cut him lol
 

Willie Clay's Big Play

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I'm pretty psyched about this singing. He's very big for either TE or FB, and his scouting report says he's strong blocker (with good hands as a receiver interestingly enough). But to go from the worst TE in the game (Izzo) to a strong blocking one - especially now with Watson on board as a complementary good receiving TE - AND ALSO potentially filling Develin's blocking FB spot seems like a really good (and cheap) upgrade

Now watch BB turn around and cut him lol
Same here, low key I have high expectations for this signing. They took Johnson from PS to having an impact in the run game.

Parcells had a quote about BB, can't remember ot verbatim, but basically said he's been around so long he knows the qualities he's looking for relative to the role to be filled. He throws plenty if darts, but really cleans up when looking for a specific skill set to be utilized as a business need.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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I'm pretty psyched about this singing. He's very big for either TE or FB, and his scouting report says he's strong blocker (with good hands as a receiver interestingly enough). But to go from the worst TE in the game (Izzo) to a strong blocking one - especially now with Watson on board as a complementary good receiving TE - AND ALSO potentially filling Develin's blocking FB spot seems like a really good (and cheap) upgrade

Now watch BB turn around and cut him lol
I rewatched the last bit of the Super Bowl recently. I also watched a bit of the Chargers' game on NFL Gamepass not too long ago. Gronk, Dwayne Allen and Develin were just demolishing d-lines. There were holes that I probably could have run through. They're gone. Karras is just now getting settled to his new position. We've got a converted RT who was a free agent to start the year doing everything he can to figure out how to protect the blind side of the greatest (and very not mobile) QB of all time. Anything Tomlinson can add will be welcome. There's just no space at all for Sony right now.
 

BigSoxFan

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Wonder if Jakobi Meyers is showing enough to convince BB to forego trading for a WR like Sanders or Sanu.

Edelman
Gordon
Dorsett
Meyers
Harry
Gunner

Could do a lot worse than that group. Still probably would pull the trigger given Edelman’s injuries and Gordon’s overall risk profile.