Patriots release Joseph Addai July 25, 2012, 4:44 pm Phil Perry CSNNE.com Let the cuts begin. Yes, it's early. Patriots training camp hasn't even started yet. Still, that doesn't mean guys can't lose their jobs, a fact of which Joseph Addai is well aware right now. The Patriots announced on Wednesday that Addai has been released. It's a bit of a puzzling move because the he figured to be a decent fit in New England. Addai was signed back in May after a six-year stay with Indianapolis. Even if he had lost a step or two, at the time, he was viewed as a capable back used to playing in a pass-happy offense. His hands were thought to be good enough to be an option as a receiver out of the backfield, and he figured to have enough experience to perform blitz-pickup duties. And he was only 29 years old. He had to have had something left in the tank, was the thought. Well, maybe not. The move leaves the Patriots a little thinner at running back. Second-year backs Shane Vereen and Stephen Ridley are back, as is Danny Woodhead. After that, there's undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss Brandon Bolden, and that's it. Addai made $75,000 guaranteed in the form of a signing bonus.
Lets sign this beast! He can fill the aging RB catching passes out of the backfield role I was afraid we moght be missing this year!
A great point on ESPN was how the Pats never fumbled the ball in their running game (a huge part of this because of BJGE). I have a feeling that trend is going to change substantially this year.
They also rarely broke long runs (a huge part of this because of BJGE). I have a feeling that trend is going to change substantially this year with Vereen and Ridley running the ball. I still see them picking up a veteran RB this year. I'd love to see Benson, but it might be they just bring Kevin Faulk back.
They were both rookies. Ridley fumbled twice by my count, (but by all NFL stat pages was charged with only 1) on 87 carries. Hardly fumble prone. One is too many for BB, so I think that is where this perception comes from. As far as Vereen goes, he never missed a game in college. he got dinged up in camp last year and with no OTA's got behind. Hardly "injury prone" If you said they are still a bit of a question mark, that would have been accurate. but much like the Jets fans with their young guys, I'm optimistic.
Both guys are second-year players. Typically it takes more than one season to tack a guy with the "prone" label. I don't know much about Ridley's college career but he fumbled twice in two games at the end of the season (including one late in the Denver blowout) and was subsequently benched. Vereen had no history of chronic injuries until the hammy problem he had during camp that lingered well into the season and put him behind pace with his competition.
He fumbled once in the playoff game against the Broncos and didn't see the field much after that. Prone was a bit too harsh, but I was being a little antagonistic so I'll give myself a pass :wink:
How is 2 fumbles in 87 carries not fumble prone ? When Adrian Peterson (who was known for serious fumbleitis) had the worst fumbling season of his career he had 9 fumbles on 363 carries, which is roughly 1 per 40 carries. His second worst year was 7 fumbles on 314 carries, which is 1 per 44 carries. He had 2 (according to you) in 87 carries, thats 1 per 43.5 Obviously that sample size is way too small to mean anything whatsoever, but thats not exactly a good ratio. Shonn Greene by no means a great HB, but he had 1 fumble in 253 carries last year. 3 in 185 the year before. Theres a big difference between being good with fumbles and not. 2 in 87 is not
He had 1 fumble in 87 carries during the regular season, and it was the last game of the season. His 2nd fumble came in the the playoff game against the Broncos. Hardly can make a case for fumble prone at this stage of his career. Even the person who posted the remark admitted he was being a bit facetious.
Im not suggesting hes fumble prone at all, I even said the sample size was way too low. However you made it sound like 2 fumbles in 91 carries (which were his #s on the entire year) wasnt bad. But 2 fumbles on 91 carries definitely not good, although it doesnt mean much due to such a small sample size. I think we can both agree however without true veteran talent that its very probable that the Pats will fumble the ball in the ground game notably more than in years past. And the fact that he got benched for the Ravens/Giants games (unless he was hurt?) doesnt bode very well either.
BB wasn't gonna give the rookie the ball when he had BJGE, so i don't think that is too bg a deal. I really think they like Vereen alot. They did draft him a round earlier than Ridley. Plus, I still think they'll have a veteran in (maybe Faulk).
