Patriots sign Mickens.. God I hate the Patriots ESPN.com In a move that further cripples a New England secondary ravaged by injuries for a third straight year, the Patriots on Monday evening placed starting free safety Eugene Wilson on injured reserve, ending his 2006 season and forcing the team to finish the campaign without a proven playmaker. Wilson, 26, played in only four games in 2006 because of a recurring hamstring injury. He finishes the year with 24 tackles and two passes defensed. To replace Wilson on the roster, the Pats, who continue to shuffle their secondary on a near-weekly basis, signed veteran free agent Ray Mickens, who earlier in his career was regarded as one of the NFL's premier nickel cornerbacks, but who has not played this season. Wilson becomes the fifth New England defensive back to go onto injured reserve, joining Tebucky Jones, Randall Gay, Mel Mitchell and Gemara Williams. The loss of Wilson likely means that veteran Artrell Hawkins, who had primarily played cornerback during his NFL career before signing with the Patriots in 2005, will finish the year as the starting free safety. The Pats are also playing without starting strong safety Rodney Harrison, who has a fractured scapula. Although coach Bill Belichick said last week that Harrison is improving, there is no timetable for his return. A fourth-year veteran, and a second-round choice in the 2003 draft, Wilson has been a starter since his rookie season, making a superb transition to free safety after playing cornerback for much of his college career at Illinois. Before the hamstring injury befell him this year, Wilson averaged 15 starts in his first three seasons in the league. He is an instinctive player with solid "ball" skills, as demonstrated by his nine interceptions and 23 passes defensed in his first three seasons, and is deceptively tough. His nine interceptions from 2003-2005 were the most on the team in that stretch. At times, Wilson lined up at cornerback because of injuries. Mickens, 33, has appeared in 142 games and the former Texas A&M star has 383 tackles, six sacks, 11 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and four recoveries. Mickens spent the 1996-2004 seasons with the New York Jets, then signed with Cleveland in 2005 after his release. He is the kind of savvy veteran, like Hawkins and Chad Scott, to whom the Patriots often turn in times of injuries and, having played for Belichick in the past, could be called on to contribute quickly. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2686364
I liked Mickens, however I dont get in too much of a fit when I see our former players turn up way past their prime in NE, not like we will remember hi stint there in another 10 years.(Knock on wood)
I posted this over in the newswire forum before I saw this thread. Bout and hour late and in the wrong forum I guess. Regardless, I still hate the Pats.
I'm not too bothered... only if they got one of our GREAT players who truly meant something to the franchise. And also we got Curtis the great from them so who cares
