Freeman out; Cloud rolls in
FOXBOROUGH -- In a bit of a surprise move, the Patriots released safety Arturo Freeman yesterday to make room for free agent running back Michael Cloud.
Cloud played in five games for the Patriots two years ago, rushing for 118 yards on 27 carries with a team-high five touchdowns. In his last game as a Patriot, he ran for two short touchdowns against Indianapolis, New England's opponent Monday night. Cloud, who played for Boston College, was in training camp with the Giants, but was released Sept. 4.
With tailback Corey Dillon limping on a sore ankle, Kevin Faulk recovering from a broken foot, and Patrick Pass likely out with an injured hamstring, the Patriots have had to add two running backs this week.
If Dillon plays -- he was at the early part of practice Thursday, but not there yesterday -- and gets reinjured, the Patriots will be down to two backs who have been on the squad less than a week.
The team picked up fullback Heath Evans Tuesday, and continued to work out runners, including Olandis Gary, Jesse Chatman, and Anthony Thomas, before coming to an agreement with Cloud. The Patriots made an offer to Thomas but the parties didn't make a deal, and he worked out for the Saints yesterday.
Before the Cloud signing was announced, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked to name his emergency running back.
''Who is our emergency running back? Last week it was Dillon," Belichick said with a smile. ''It's whoever is active."
No safety net
The release of Freeman is curious in that he was the lone healthy strong safety on the roster.Rodney Harrison and Guss Scott are out for the season with knee injuries, and James Sanders is questionable with a sore ankle and hasn't been at the opening of practice this week.
Freeman signed with the Patriots Oct. 12, and was forced into action four days later at Denver. He started last Sunday against Buffalo.
Barring an off-the-field issue or an injury, his exit likely means the Patriots are working on an unusual game plan for the Colts. Belichick may have decided he didn't need Freeman for this game, and plans to bring him back in the next week or two. Freeman's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he had no comment on his client's release.
Linebacker Don Davis played a couple of games at safety last year, and has worked out with defensive backs lately. Michael Stone is a special teams contributor, and not expected to play defensively.
The Patriots do have a couple of reserve cornerbacks in Ellis Hobbs and Hank Poteat, who played in nickel and dime situations against the Bills. Cornerback Randall Gay continues to wait for a sore ankle to heal.
To be more physical against the Colts, the Patriots like to put linebackers up against slot receivers to bump them off routes. With Indianapolis being a true one-back team, the Patriots could use reserve corners in coverage against inside receivers, though technically, that doesn't address the situation at safety.
Don't look back
The irony wasn't lost on agent Markeeth Taylor. When he sat down with former Patriots practice squad running back Kory Chapman after two games of the NFL season, they talked about opportunity. The Colts wanted to sign Chapman to their active roster. The Patriots wanted to keep Chapman, a Jacksonville State product who played well in NFL Europe after spending 2004 on the Patriots' practice squad. Yet with a healthy stable of running backs, the Patriots decided not to block the Colts' move, instead focusing on their depleted defensive backfield. So Chapman signed with the Colts Sept. 20; he was active for his first two games with the team and inactive for the last three. He's played primarily special teams and doesn't have a carry. Had he stayed in New England, it's not a stretch to say Chapman would be on the active roster, perhaps even starting Monday night. Regrets? ''Since New England gave him his first opportunity, he has great feelings for the organization, but he doesn't regret leaving because when a team wants to activate you, it's an opportunity you don't know will ever come again," Taylor said . . . Thirteen Patriots remained questionable (50-50 chance to play) as per the team's injury report yesterday. Defensive end Richard Seymour was not on the field for the beginning of practice, but lineman Ty Warren was. The Colts list 10 players as probable, including defensive end Dwight Freeney (foot), linebacker
