Pigskin Cuts and Bruises

Godspeed, Nick Folk Hero!

The trade of Folk - the one constant positive for New England's offense over the last three years - was a bit of a surprise, but then came cutdown day and suddenly everyone was wondering if Bill Belichick can still count to 3.

Or 2.

Obviously, Belichick's hand was forced given the situation at offensive tackle (you don't trade for two guys - Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. and Vederian Lowe - in the days before roster cuts and not keep them) and at wide receiver; neither Demario Douglas nor Kayshon Boutte would've made it through waivers to the practice squad and both could contribute in 2023, even though they'll start out as 4th and 5th options (I'm guessing Tyquan Thornton winds up on IR/Return in the next 48 hours) at WR behind DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Kendrick Bourne.

Keeping more than the usual number of suspects at two positions inevitably means fewer players at other positions. Zero sum.

So, Belichick went light at running back, keeping just Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekial Elliot, and ultra light at QB, with just Mac Jones on the initial roster.

Key word in that last sentence being "initial."

You know there will be more moves coming up in the next few days as players are moved to the IR/Return list, freeing up roster spots for a backup QB and at least one more running back. A trade (methinks the Pats doth protest too much regarding Kendrick Bourne being unavailable to WR-needy suitors) is also a possibility. 

Running back may be the most fungible asset in all of NFL football. Maybe Ty Montgomery returns. Maybe there are yet better options available now that every other NFL team has cut n+1 running backs. New England will add an RB to the active roster and another to the practice squad before the dust settles.

And Belichick and Bill O'Brien will find a backup quarterback. Maybe Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham clear waivers and get signed to the practice squad. Maybe they don't and one of the Case Keenum types available today in the Discount QB Bin at Target is on the practice field later this week.

I've seen reports that the Pats "hope" Zappe and Cunningham clear waivers and will sign with New England's practice squad but I'm not so sure. Not because I think other teams will pick them up (Zappe hardly lit it up in preseason action) but because (if memory serves) Belichick has said in the past that when you cut a player, you have to assume they're gone.

Zappe appeared, even to this untrained eye, to regress in his second season; he was off target more often than on. As noted, I've seen some posts from local pigskin pundits and bobbleheads today indicating the Pats want to bring Zappe back (if he clears waivers); I've also seen posts that hinted at Zappe being a poor fit for Bill O'Brien's offense. I'm still more intrigued by Malik Cunningham but if I was a betting man, I'd bet that neither one of them will play for the Patriots in 2023. I just think some other GM is going to roll the dice. Remember, nobody really knows what a good NFL QB is. If they did, Tom Brady wouldn't have been a 6th round draft pick. They're all just guessing. And if you are guessing, then why not take a chance on a guy who was drafted by the guy who did draft Tom Brady?

No, I don't know for sure if that's how these things work but, yeah, I think that's how these things work. 

Whatever. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it goes because it's still going. 

We're all a work in progress, aren't we?

Go Pats!