Patriots sign Montee Ball and DeAndre Carter to PS, Cut WR Austin Hill and DT Kelcy Quarles.

[soxhop411]

“@RyanHannable: Running back Montee Ball has a locker in the Patriots locker room.”

“@DougKyed: The Patriots signed WR DeAndre Carter. He had a locker at Gillette.”

Doug Kyed ‏@DougKyed 1m1 minute ago
The Patriots signed RB Montee Ball and WR DeAndre Carter to their practice squad. Cut WR Austin Hill and DT Kelcy Quarles.

 

[dynomite]

Ball makes sense with LGBT likely out until the playoffs.

To keep it an all Wisconsin analogy, Ball has decent, James White-ish speed and size -- 5'10", 215, 4.43 40 time at his pro day (he's a little bigger and faster) -- and is pretty much just an early down runner.

Had a just absurd junior season at Wisconsin (1,923 yards and 33! TDs), never been much of a pass-catching back.

 

[Corsi]

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn 24s24 seconds ago
Interesting development. I know he worked out for #Packers and they were unimpressed with his physical conditioning

 

[tims4wins]

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn 24s24 seconds ago
Interesting development. I know he worked out for #Packers and they were unimpressed with his physical conditioning

Werder may be right, but as of right now I put very little stock in what he has to say

 

[Super Nomario]

Both guys appear to be Practice-Squad-eligible, so I wouldn't necessarily presume either is on the 53.

 

[AlNipper49]

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn 24s24 seconds ago
Interesting development. I know he worked out for #Packers and they were unimpressed with his physical conditioning

He's scheduled to get hurt next week anyhow.

 

[Dogman]

No? I would think with just two RB's able to play in Bolden and White, the team needs another RB on the roster immediately. I'd guess you are correct with Hopkins.

 

[Super Nomario]

No? I would think with just two RB's able to play in Bolden and White, the team needs another RB on the roster immediately. I'd guess you are correct with Hopkins.

Carter, not Hopkins (alas). I also expect to make this typo a billion times, at least until he's cut next week.

They will likely add another RB. It could be Ball, but they could also promote Trey Williams and put Ball on the PS.

 

[Dogman]

Oh, right. Hopkins on the brain from last week.

Good point on Flowers, forgot all about him. Either way, yeah, another back is necessary.

 

[tims4wins]

Per Schefter Ball was signed to the practice squad

 

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

If only there was something Montee Ball could have done to improve his physical conditioning after word got back to him or his agent that the Packers were displeased with his current condition. Something like that would have blown Ed Werders mind

 

[RedOctober3829]

They will make a decision on who to bump from the 53 this week to make room for Ball. There's no way they go into Sunday with 2 RBs.

 

[PaulinMyrBch]

I wonder how Green Bay running back conditioning tests work. I'll bet all you have to do is out run Eddie Lacy.

 

[TomTerrific]

They will make a decision on who to bump from the 53 this week to make room for Ball. There's no way they go into Sunday with 2 RBs.

Well, with Easley to IR looks like there's one spot right there.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Well, with Easley to IR looks like there's one spot right there.

Yep, that would be correct.

 

[ShaneTrot]

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn 24s24 seconds ago
Interesting development. I know he worked out for #Packers and they were unimpressed with his physical conditioning

Well the Packers are certainly experts on poorly conditioned running backs, Eddy Lacey looks like he swallowed a refrigerator.

 

[DJnVa]

Blount to IR per EEI?

 

[soxhop411]

Doug Kyed ‏@DougKyed 1m1 minute ago
The Patriots signed RB Montee Ball and WR DeAndre Carter to their practice squad. Cut WR Austin Hill and DT Kelcy Quarles.

 

[tims4wins]

Haven't seen it on twitter yet

 

[Ed Hillel]

Jerry Thornton is the guy running with it, and I was pretty pessimistic when a guy with a hip injury ends up on crutches. I honestly wouldn't be upset either way, I think Blount is pretty JAGish.

 

[mwonow]

Don't the Pats have a big FB-type on the practice squad?

 

[soxfan121]

Don't the Pats have a big FB-type on the practice squad?

Joey Iosefa.

 

[GBrushTWood]

I was pretty down on Blount these last couple of weeks, but when I looked at his numbers this year, they're actually decent. 4.3 YPA puts him at 17th in the NFL amongst qualified running backs. Nothing elite, but better than a lot of other guys. Only 1 fumble this year, so he's been steady there. He seems to hit the holes and take what the defense gives him, which doesn't attract many headlines, but is a steady contribution to the offense. Hopefully the reports from La Canfora imply he could come back for the playoffs.

I guess I'm not sure how much of a difference in performance we'll see from Bolden compared with Blount. Bolden has never received enough consistent carries as the lead running back to know. The other consideration with Bolden is whether more rushes impacts his special teams contributions. Assuming Blount doesn't come back, my guess is Bolden gets the majority of the carries, Montee Ball backs him up in case of injury/sucking, and they keep James White strictly as the 3rd down pass catching option. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the 2 practice squad guys (Iosefa / Trey Williams) outplays Ball and ends up earning carries.

 

[mwonow]

Joey Iosefa.

Thanks, that's him. I thought when he was signed that he might be able to be a ball carrier in addition to a Devlin-type lead block hammer...

 

[dynomite]

Thanks, that's him. I thought when he was signed that he might be able to be a ball carrier in addition to a Devlin-type lead block hammer...

Eh. He's a little bit faster than Develin (4.8 to 5 second 40 times*) but still incredibly slow for a ball carrier.

At most he would be a goal line/3rd and short back, but I'm not certain it's worth a spot on the game day roster for that.

edit: for reference, a 4.8 40 is what Peyton Manning ran at the combine.

 

[mwonow]

Eh. He's a little bit faster than Develin (4.8 to 5 second 40 times*) but still incredibly slow for a ball carrier.

At most he would be a goal line/3rd and short back, but I'm not certain it's worth a spot on the game day roster for that.

edit: for reference, a 4.8 40 is what Peyton Manning ran at the combine.

Yeesh. Thanks. Teach me to give any credence to those highlight reels on YouTube.

 

[Granite Sox]

I'd be surprised if Bolden gets all the Blount carries. BB probably averages 15-20 ST plays per game (too lazy to look up numbers). He's one of only a handful of guys who plays on all four. My belief is that the Patriots value him more for his ST play, and wouldn't want to overload him with total plays. I'd be shocked if he got 15+ carries in addition to ST. Against a team as bad as the Titans, I imagine he'll get 10-15 total plays on offense, Ball will get activated for a handful of carries, and we'll see more James White catching passes out of the backfield.

 

[joe dokes]

I was pretty down on Blount these last couple of weeks, but when I looked at his numbers this year, they're actually decent. 4.3 YPA puts him at 17th in the NFL amongst qualified running backs. Nothing elite, but better than a lot of other guys. Only 1 fumble this year, so he's been steady there. He seems to hit the holes and take what the defense gives him, which doesn't attract many headlines, but is a steady contribution to the offense. Hopefully the reports from La Canfora imply he could come back for the playoffs.

I guess I'm not sure how much of a difference in performance we'll see from Bolden compared with Blount. Bolden has never received enough consistent carries as the lead running back to know. The other consideration with Bolden is whether more rushes impacts his special teams contributions. Assuming Blount doesn't come back, my guess is Bolden gets the majority of the carries, Montee Ball backs him up in case of injury/sucking, and they keep James White strictly as the 3rd down pass catching option. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the 2 practice squad guys (Iosefa / Trey Williams) outplays Ball and ends up earning carries.

I didn't think Blount was the same since his 30-carry game a month or so ago.

 

[tims4wins]

I didn't think Blount was the same since his 30-carry game a month or so ago.

You may be on to something. Aside from his first game (Buffalo: 2 carries for 4 yards) and the Jets game where they didn't try to run (3 carries for -3 yards; I think that included 1 carry for -10 or something), he had been very consistently good through the Washington game. YPC of 4.3, 5.7, 5.8, 4.2, 4.4. Since that game he has gone 3.5, 3.5, 3.0, 4.2, and 5.3. I will say he was looking better vs. Houston and actually looked decent against Philly too but he may have been nursing something for the last month or so.

 

[Corsi]

Ed Werder ‏@Edwerderespn 57s57 seconds ago
Montee Ball on #Patriots practice squad but not in top shape. Told he weighed 205 when Broncos drafted, 240 for #Packers tryout, 230s now.