Chekwa is Checked Out: DB released by Pats

Gunfighter 09

Gunfighter 09

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MentalDisabldLst said:
GF09, any comment based on observing him?
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Less than I should, but Chim Check has only played about 500 snaps in the NFL on defense over four years. Some of that is probably on him, some of that is likely because old regime (Al Davis) players have not been popular with the coaches / front office in the McKenzie era. As far as what I have seen, he is fast, but has bad ball skills and is not a great tackler. He was given a chance to play a bunch towards the end of last year and Phillip Rivers picked on him quite a bit in a game where he started. There were several throws in that game where he seemed to have his guy covered, but the Chargers threw at him anyway, confident that he could not make a play on the ball. This year he was a nickel / dime package guy and was clearly passed by rookies on the depth chart.  I remember him having a pass break up during the San Francisco game this year, but he did not have much meaningful playing time. I was not surprised when he was not tendered. 
 
He is a good athlete and seems to have a good reputation in the locker room. I would not expect much out of him, but I also would not be surprised if the Pats coaching staff turned him into a contributor. 
 
FL4WL3SS

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Having watched him at OSU, I like this signing for the underrated aspect, but don't expect him to contribute big minutes on defense. I think he'll be able to step in and be serviceable when we play nickel and dime packages, but I think his biggest contribution will be on special teams.
 
He was good, but not spectacular at OSU and hasn't done much more since joining the NFL.
 
Pxer

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I don't think he's even serviceable in nickel, Flaw. Definitely has ST value, but I expect as much from him as from Tavon Wilson in the defensive backfield. He'd be about #9 on the DB depth chart assuming we don't draft a rookie CB.
 
Kenny F'ing Powers

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This team must fucking love the Malcolm Butler/Bradley Fletcher combo. McCourty has to be back at CB now, right? The Pats are down to 5 CB's (I think?):
 
Malcolm Butler
Bradley Fletcher
Logan Ryan
Robert McClain
Darryl Roberts
 
Super Nomario

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Kenny F'ing Powers said:
This team must fucking love the Malcolm Butler/Bradley Fletcher combo. There's now that McCourty isn't back at CB at this point, right? The Pats are down to 5 CB's (I think?):
 
Malcolm Butler
Bradley Fletcher
Logan Ryan
Robert McClain
Darryl Roberts
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Also on the roster: Justin Green and Dax Swanson, who were both in camp last year, so they must like something about them, and UDFAs Jimmy Jean and Eric Patterson. All those guys would be considered long shots - but I'm sure we considered Butler a long shot last year.
 
RedOctober3829 said:
DMC was down at corner in some plays this past season.  I believe on the Harmon INT to clinch the Baltimore game he was playing corner.
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Yeah, he was on the slot WR, with Harmon deep. Pats actually ran four S on that play (Tavon Wilson and Chung bracketed Owen Daniels): http://insidethepylon.com/film-study/film-study-nfl/offense-film-study-nfl/2015/01/13/tale-two-streak-routes/
 
dynomite

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Reading between the lines, is it possible that DMC will begin the year in a hybrid CB/S role, playing down at CB in some 1st/2nd downs and then shifting to a S role on 3rd downs?

That would probably make some sense, at least, as I think the 3 of the best 4 DBs on the roster all play safety (DMC, Chung, Harmon). DMC's never really been a run stopping/in the box Safety anyway, whereas someone like Chung is best used closer to the line in those early down situations.

As the season processes, hopefully Butler/Ryan/Fletcher/etc. develop trust along the coaching staff such that DMC can move back to Safety.
Thoughts?
 
SeoulSoxFan

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Super Nomario said:
Also on the roster: Justin Green and Dax Swanson, who were both in camp last year, so they must like something about them, and UDFAs Jimmy Jean and Eric Patterson. All those guys would be considered long shots - but I'm sure we considered Butler a long shot last year.
 
Yeah, he was on the slot WR, with Harmon deep. Pats actually ran four S on that play (Tavon Wilson and Chung bracketed Owen Daniels): http://insidethepylon.com/film-study/film-study-nfl/offense-film-study-nfl/2015/01/13/tale-two-streak-routes/
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Justin Green flashed at times and would be fine as a depth CB. But w/o McC returning as a starting corner, I really don't know what's going on.
 
And I really don't think they're trading for a CB (most likely candidate is not Joe Haden with $bazillion dead cap hit, but Jonathan Joseph with a $3.5m dead cap hit and he's a F.A. in 2016).
 
M

MentalDisabldLst

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What could Chekwa have done in the 2 intervening months from March till now to go from "we've agreed on terms to sign him" to "cut"?
 
I realize NFL player contracts suck and they can be let go for whatever reason, but this seems more odd to me than it perhaps should.  At least with the Ross Ventrone saga there was some method to the madness - they made a mockery of his career, but there was a roster rationale for it at most times and he was at least actively practicing with an opportunity to impress.
 
Shelterdog

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MentalDisabldLst said:
What could Chekwa have done in the 2 intervening months from March till now to go from "we've agreed on terms to sign him" to "cut"?
 
I realize NFL player contracts suck and they can be let go for whatever reason, but this seems more odd to me than it perhaps should.  At least with the Ross Ventrone saga there was some method to the madness - they made a mockery of his career, but there was a roster rationale for it at most times and he was at least actively practicing with an opportunity to impress.
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Kenneycb hit on the most likely answer--they have some other unknown player who they now think is marginally better.
 
There are also three broad sets of issues that can arise in the off-season.
 
1.) Medical: players get hurt, get surgery, recover, etc. in the off-season.  Maybe something happened there
 
2.) Off-season workout.  The Pats know if Chekwa is attending (and improving) in the off-season workouts.
 
3.) Off field stuff:  it's always possible that Chekwa did something bad off the field-say a DUI- and we just don't know about it
 
3.)  Off the field stuff we don't know about.  We don't always hear when a player gets arrested 
 
Super Nomario

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They signed Chekwa before they signed Fletcher and McClain, drafted Roberts, picked up UDFAs Jean and Patterson, and cut Arrington and Dennard. Chekwa was a long shot anyway (at least, as more than a special teams contributor) and the secondary looks pretty different compared to when he signed.
 
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