Gutierrez & practice squad

Hi Mike,
What will happen if Patriots try to put Gutierrez on practice squad and Denver signs him to their active roster. Do you think the Patriots will take that risk...?

The Patriots would be running that risk if they make that move. Perhaps they consider keeping Gutierrez and Hoyer on the practice squad to protect themselves in the event that happened. Not saying they will do it, but good to know all options when making that decision.
--Mike

That's a big risk, to carry just two quarterbacks. I guess if they went that route, they'd hope that either Gutierrez or Hoyer would clear waivers and that Edelman would be good enough to serve as an emergency QB if, forbid, both Brady and O'Connell got hurt in the same game.

Never understood why Gutierrez doesn't get more respect around the league. He always seemed to move the team downfield pretty well in his preseason work-- often outpacing his colleagues. Maybe its a "lack of upside" thing. I'm sure the coaches know what they're doing. But I wish him luck.

That's interesting Mike, but it would be better if you could've gone over each player on the roster and told us their practice squad eligibility and then compared that to other teams to see where the Patriots stand, and whether the team simply wants to stash Gutierrez on the practice squad so they don't have to pay him a full salary. You won't because you don't want to risk the wrath of Bill and stop getting exclusives from the team. And you've still never answered why we're playing in Indy for the 10th year in a row.

Ritchie, please no talk like that,...LoL

DREWFORHOF- have you never bee to this blog before? The Indy question has probably been answered at least a dozen times since the end of last season. (Ok, maybe I exaggerate, but it's been discussed and answered quite a few times, as recently as during the past week I believe). And do we really care about other team's practice squads? Give Mike a break. He gets out a lot of interesting info here, but bottom line he is a writer for the Globe, not a Patriots media person.

Hey DREWFORHOF:

Actually, I do recall Mike explaining why we play Indy every year. Teams in the same conference play a team from every other division in that conference. Which team you play is based on where you finished in your division the previous year. All the first place teams play each other, all the second place teams play each other, etc. The Patriots and Colts always seem to finish in the same position within their respective divisions. Usually, both teams finish first. Last year both teams finished second.

DREWFORHOF- I don't want to speak for Mike Reiss but he's answered your question about the Pats/Colts playing each other multiple times. It's basically a combination of both teams being in the AFC (as opposed to different conferences where teams may only play once every 4 years) and both teams often finishing in the same spot in their respective divisional standings over the last 10 years.

DREWFORHOF -- I was going to suggest that you find a sturdy piece of furniture to hide behind because you were about to get flamed. Too late.

Yeah I agree with patsfansec113. The fact that Mike follows up on readers' comments regarding practice squad eligability in itself is impressive.

DREWFORHOF, I think you are just being sarcastic.
But in case you are not, then you go find someone who provides the kind of information Mike does and then follow up on the readers' comments with the kind of research he does, then you can complain.

Been a fan of Gute ever since he managed to beat out Testeverde for a roster spot, despite being undrafted. Hope he sticks around for a while longer and gets a shot at a starting job at some point in his career.

um, guys? I think DREWFORHOF is just goofing on some of the Boston.com commenters with an exaggerated parody of the type of comments that drive real fans nuts.

DREWFORHOF is a poster on the BSMW Message Board, where they delight in the idiotic & repetitive questions put to Mike by the mouth-breathers. It's a joke.

My apoligies to DREWFORHOF, I got so worked up when I saw another comment about Indy and the schedule that I totally missed the sarcasm. Good one, you got me.

I understand why we alwas play Indy but I'm not sure why it's always an away game. Does it have any thing to do with Poilan's position on the competition comittee?

One would think that Josh McDaniels would be licking his chops if Matt Gutierrez
was free for the taking? Matt Gutierrez would have a great shot at being the
starting quarterback in Denver, given that he has a few years in the system.
It would be an easy transition. Matt Gutierrez, last preseason, in most people's eyes appeared to have out-played Matt Cassel in the preseason, but things went in favor of Matt Cassel as we all have seen. I would hate to see Denver pick him up, but I would be happy for him to do well because I believe Matt Gutierrez has what it takes. He just needs a break.