Oliver Hoyte must have really impressed the coaches

[Galian Beast]

Because everyone was really high on rocky boiman. Especially his special teams play.

They must have really liked hoytes upside compared to Boiman, to be willing to drop that million.

People say Fabini didn't get cut because of money, then please explain why Boiman got cut over an undrafted free agent.

I do think we're still trying to move Ryan Fowler though.

Ware - Burnett
James - Fowler (coincidence that Hoyte is right behind Folwer?)
Ayodele - Carpenter
Ellis - Singleton

I think the same goes for Kenyon Coleman. No way he sticks with the team. Too much talent, and potential to waste on a guy with little upside.

All will be decided by week 4 or week 6.

Week 4 - Marcus Coleman returns
Week 6 - trade deadline

-If Watkins is starting by week 4, we're not going to pick up coleman, and that will save us a roster spot.

I also think we'll be looking to remove shuisam

 

[Rampage]

he impressed me bigtime on special teams

 

[conner01]

he was mighty impressive in pre season and in the long run will cost alot less than rocky. it cost us more now but he has a smaller salary so it will work out. i agree on your two trade targets but it may take an injury for some team to get the need for one of these two

 

[alancdc]

Not that it always translates to the Pro's, but I loved watching him at State, and he was always around the ball. Glad he made it. The bigger question as an NC State grad is why with all these defensive players drafted in the first round, and making Pro teams why they were 7-5 last year! Anyone know if Tulloch made it on a squad. I think we should look to pick up Tremain Hall for the practice squad. He didn't make Tenn roster, but the guy can play. He was great when Rivers was at State, but suffered from horrible QB play the past 2 years. Would be a great punt return guy.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Oliver Hoyte, North Carolina State – There really isn’t a middle linebacker in this draft who warrants being selected in round one. So Andy Hart and myself looked at some guys we thought would fit the Patriots system and would be available in the middle rounds. What we discovered is a player who could end up being an absolute steal in this year’s draft.

When we watched Hoyte on tape, we were shocked. I thought I was looking at a first round draft pick. This guy made play after play and not only when we were watching him, but also when we watched other North Carolina State players like Mario Williams and Manny Lawson. Every time we watched tape of a Wolfpack player, Hoyte stood out.

At 250 pounds, Hoyte has the size the Patriots like in their linebackers and he hits like a ton of bricks. He’s not only a big hitter, however, he’s a great tackler. A lot of players can hit (Darnell Bing) but they don’t wrap up and tackle. When Hoyte tackles someone he pops them, wraps up and drives the player back. He’s the best tackler I saw at the linebacker position and that includes Hawk. Hoyte is a very physical player with a mean streak to him. He’s kind of like Rodney Harrison playing linebacker.

Hoyte showed over and over again on tape that he has the ability to shed blocks and make plays. He makes a lot of tackles in the backfield and seems to always be around the ball. Like I said, if you watched the footage of Hoyte that we saw and didn’t know where he was supposed to be drafted, you would think he was projected to go in the first or second round.

The negatives with Hoyte are said to be his speed and the fact that he benefited from playing with a great supporting cast in college but I would debate both arguments. Hoyte proved to me that he’s a football player and a leader on the field.

He may not have blazing speed but he has football smarts that allows him to be in a spot before the play gets there. I think timed speed is overrated when it comes to middle linebackers because they usually play in a short area. Ted Johnson and Tedy Bruschi never had blazing speed but they worked out okay.

As far as playing with a great supporting cast, can’t you say the same thing about Manny Lawson? What about John McCargo? These are first and second round prospects but maybe they excelled in college because they played on the same line as Mario Williams. I think downgrading a guy because he played on a good defense is idiotic. He made a lot of plays on that defense so Hoyte must have had something to do with its success.

Besides, if Hoyte comes to New England, he’ll have a pretty good supporting cast around him here as well. I just think it’s a shallow argument. USC had a great offensive line and another productive back on their team but it’s not hurting Reggie Bush’s draft stock at all. I’m not going to penalize Hoyte because he played on a good college defense with other great players.

There was a report earlier this week that new Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees was very impressed with Hoyte when he met with him and that doesn’t surprise me at all. This guy is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft and in my opinion, the best player at his position. His leadership, intelligence on the field, physical style of play and mean streak all make him a great candidate to become a Patriot on draft day.

--Tom Casale, Patriots Football Weekly

http://www.patriots.com/search/index.cfm?ac=searchdetail&pid=16091&pcid=46

 

[fortdick]

I am wondering if the Boiman thing had an effect on the decision to keep Fabini ahead of Pettiti. Jerruh spent a lot of money bringing in the groceries that Parcells wanted during the offseason. Waiving Boiman cost JJ a cool million. Even if Bill wanted to keep Pettiti, he prolly couldn't cut Fabibi too, and have Jerruh waste another signing bonus (what was Fabini's bonus?).

Two youngsters stepped it up (Hoyte and McQ), out shinned the FA's they signed, so Bill had to swallow the bitter pill of releasing Pettiti so as to not look like he was wasting Jerruh's money.

Just a thought.

 

[Hiero]

I definitely agree about Coleman. I hope we can get an offensive lineman for him.

 

[LD Fan]

InmanRoshi

Thanks for the posting. If this guy is close to what is described there, we got a steal.

 

[AsthmaField]

InmanRoshi

Thanks for the posting. If this guy is close to what is described there, we got a steal.

I think we got a steal too. However... I've thought that before about an UDFA and been wrong, so I'm trying to temper my enthusiasm.

Still, he made the 53 man roster for now and he seems to be playing pretty well, so....

 

[wileedog]

Two youngsters stepped it up (Hoyte and McQ), out shinned the FA's they signed, so Bill had to swallow the bitter pill of releasing Pettiti so as to not look like he was wasting Jerruh's money.

Just a thought.

Nope, McQ has a better upside than Pettiti and Fabini is better right now. Rob just got squeezed out.

 

[AbeBeta]

I definitely agree about Coleman. I hope we can get an offensive lineman for him.

Coleman is staying because Ratliff is going to play some NT. He's not getting moved.

 

[fortdick]

Nope, McQ has a better upside than Pettiti and Fabini is better right now. Rob just got squeezed out.

So, you are saying that cutting two FA signings in camp would have been acceptable? Evenwith signing bonuses? I think it played a big part in the decision. IF Pettiti was so bad, how come he didn't last past the second team on the waiver wire? Even if it was Sean Peyton, Rob was too much a prospect to let go out. I think Bill did it to keep from eating crow on his offseason signings.

 

[AbeBeta]

So, you are saying that cutting two FA signings in camp would have been acceptable? Evenwith signing bonuses? I think it played a big part in the decision. IF Pettiti was so bad, how come he didn't last past the second team on the waiver wire? Even if it was Sean Peyton, Rob was too much a prospect to let go out. I think Bill did it to keep from eating crow on his offseason signings.

We cut two draft picks.

I think it is pretty clear that Bill is going to cut guys he doesn't want period.

At this point Fabini is just better than Petitti

 

[wileedog]

So, you are saying that cutting two FA signings in camp would have been acceptable? Evenwith signing bonuses? I think it played a big part in the decision. IF Pettiti was so bad, how come he didn't last past the second team on the waiver wire? Even if it was Sean Peyton, Rob was too much a prospect to let go out. I think Bill did it to keep from eating crow on his offseason signings.

So he could eat crow over his bad drafting?

Look, take the money completely out of the equation.

McQ > Pettiti, now and in the future.

Fabini > Pettiti for this season, a year you are hoping to make a run.

Columbo > Pettiti

You can't keep 5 tackles. You can't have 3 unproven guys as 75% of your tackle roster.

Who goes?

If the move makes sense from a logical standpoint, and to me it does, then what you are talking about is nonsense.

 

[burmafrd]

It ain't BP's money so he don't care.

 

[AdamJT13]

--Tom Casale, Patriots Football Weekly
http://www.patriots.com/search/index.cfm?ac=searchdetail&pid=16091&pcid=46

Tom has been posting here ever since we signed Hoyte.

 

[AbeBeta]

Tom has been posting here ever since we signed Hoyte.

from that writeup I'd assume Tom was Hoyte's agent

 

[fortdick]

It ain't BP's money so he don't care.

It's Jerruh's money, and Bill has to answer to him, especially if he throws away the groceries he ordered.

McQ is not better than Pettiti now. He will be, but not now. PEttiti played better in preseason. Fabini is old and coming off an injury. He wasn't great before.

IF Flo can't do it, we are in trouble again. Fabini may be better than Pettiti now, but I don't think it is by a lot. I think Bill is betting that McQ learns fast enough to help the second half.

As far as cutting two draft picks, both were second day picks and didn;t cost what they lost on Boiman. To double that loss with Fabini would have been burning money. Pettiti was cheaper than cutting Fabini. Simple as that.

This is a business, you know. Jerruh isn't doing this as a hobby. Losing money hurts, and it affects every decision!

 

[AbeBeta]

McQ is not better than Pettiti now.

Actually, he is. By a considerable margin.

 

[fortdick]

Actually, he is. By a considerable margin.

Not yet. HE hasn't proved a thing in real competition, and got burned more than once in preseason. He may have more talent, but he hasn't had the conditioning time, or experience yet. Just because Bill has man love for him doesn't make it true.