The Patriots made room for Lousaka Polite when they waived Ventrone yesterday, marking the 3,523 time he's been waived this season. I like this signing even though it's probably only for a one-week fill in until Mankins gets healthy. They plan to keep Donald Thomas at Guard and move Polite into a situational full back.

You would have thought they'd have done that last week.

Polite is a pretty good fullback and I hope he is not coming to play guard.

This team needs  A Full Back.

Maybe this means they realize starting slow and waiting for Bradys arm to warm up in playoffs is not gonna work and they are actually help out our backs by giving them a lead blocker.

Its a step in the right direction. We are lucky that he is available at this time. He was a stud for Miami. Rated 90 overall in madden.

In Response to Re: Pats sign FB Polite:

In Response to Re: Pats sign FB Polite:


Nice.  If I remember, Ryan Leaf also had a 90ish rating back in the day...

In Response to Re: Pats sign FB Polite:



And im sure he was good IN madden too.

Its in real life that he struggled.

I guess what I am saying is that this signing could be more impactful than the regular run of the mill cb/s carousel we have seeing all year.

This guy could actually help a lot if they use him.  We havent had a true fullback since H.Evans.

Basically from what i am reading/hearing is that Matkins is out this week, so that moves Dave Thomas to his spot on the line.  In the Pats goal-line/Jumbo package they had been using Thomas as the FB.  Now Polite would take that role with Thomas on the line. 

I would only expect to see him out there in these situations and not like the Pats are going to use him regularly in the running game.

Hopefully Matkins "heals" faster then Spikes who is going on 8 weeks out with a sprained MCL.

In Response to Re: Pats sign FB Polite:


No doubt Jay.  They need a big back.  I just hope they get Mankins back.

My post wasn't meant to irritate...just remembering the good old days of that franchise and how suspect some of the ratings were.

Donald Brown was playing FB, but now he has to play on the line with Mankins out so they had to find someone else to do it.

This post has been removed.

Doubt he gets more than about 5 carries.  They need his blocking when they don't clear the backfield. 

Jeez Rusty, Mankins is on the team you cheer for, can't you just leave it be?  He's played well this year and last year when he finally came in.  The contract dispute is over, let it go.

In Response to Re: Pats sign FB Polite:


Couple things here...

First, NE certainly does NOT need a Fullback.  Much smarter to use the vastly more adaptable variations in skill-set provided by a 2nd dual threat TE on field at a given time, rather than the standard totally singular limited usability of what a fullback can and WILL do when he's on the field most often in the 11-man positional place of that 2nd TE.  Add this in to the fact that only 50+ you can secure as being Roster Guys, i.e. players another team can-NOT just take away from your practice squad, and ya end up needing to weigh the limitations of even an exceptional fullback verses just even a "somewhat decent player" and/or "young player with potential in the future" who's on the PS, but who's at anyy much more critical position with fuller time usage in a game.

Second, THAT part said...  IF the choice HAS to be between a Safety of the quality of Sergio Brown, verses a guy who by many accounts I guess, is a pretty dang good Fullback...Although NE's in a said state of affairs RE: Safety Players & their skills, and Safety being such a more in-demand position per any moment on the field...I'll STILL choose the better player at the limited fullback spot, over Sergio Brown or Ross Ventrone, or WhomeverTH they've cut & resigned 20X thus far (I don't think it matters much whether it actually IS Brown or Ventrone...neither individual player would be much of loss).

Finally, don't know much about him, But LOVE that he's an RB or FB off the 'Fins...  Say what'cha will about Miami, but their talent evaluation when it comes to excellent but extremely underrated RBs and/or FBs, is exceptionally good (specifically amongst bigger, hard-pounding runners who are just as skilled running the ball with adequate agility and speed).  

     

Curious signing this late in the year. 

This post has been removed.

This post has been removed.

In Response to Re: Pats sign FB Polite:


I like Polite and he could have a solid impact for the playoffs.

Polite will be better at Pass Protection, than some of the smaller Rb's. nice addition

This post has been removed.

Under listing for top 10 3rd down backs, Polite comes in at #7

Lousaka Polite(notes), Miami Dolphins -- 24.3% DVOA (16 carries, 39 yards, 88% Success Rate)

Polite has been one of the real old-school backs over the last few years. He amassed 15 first downs on 26 carries in 2010, his first-down percentage is always among the league's highest, and he's known as perhaps the best back in the pros when it comes to that necessary final yard. 15 of Polite's carries came on third-and-1 last year, and he converted 14 of those third downs. That, friends, is the kind of guy you want on your roster.

He was always a pain for us to stop

Polite? This team needs swagger! Dumb joke I hope he can help or turn out to be something but my gut feeling is he is filler until the Pats figure out which Olineman are healthy for the playoffs then it will be back to 5 starters and 3 backup Olineman with no FB.

I guess I just have a hard time getting excited about these late season signings.  If these guys are so good, why are they still available?

This post has been removed.

LOL.  The unpredictability is amusing. Some folks have been calling for a large back for some time now to replace Heath Evans.

My guess is that with Light and Mankins injured, BB is thinking about someone who can help protect Brady.  Law Firm and Woody are so-so blockers, and Ridley is still green.

Hope he contributes in a positive way.