Cuts continue
 Billy Yates (Pat Greenhouse / Globe Staff) |
The Patriots announced six roster cuts, including that of QB Andrew Walter, on their Twitter feed. Here's the Tweet, which notes that the team currently stands at 66 players and must cut (or otherwise remove from the active roster) 13 more players before tomorrow's deadline:
Patriots announce the release of Andrew Walter, Billy Yates, Roderick Rogers, Steve Williams, Vinny Ciurciu and Robert Ortiz ...13 to go.
For more on the departed, you can find the team's press release after the jump.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - In anticipation of tomorrow’s mandatory NFL cut to the 53-man roster, the New England Patriots released six players today: seventh-year LB Vinny Ciurciu, first-year WR Robert Ortiz, third-year S Roderick Rogers, fifth-year QB Andrew Walter, second-year DL Stephen Williams and sixth-year G Billy Yates.
Ciurciu, 6-0, 240 pounds, signed with New England as a free agent on May 4, 2009 as a veteran of six NFL seasons with Tampa Bay (2003), Carolina (2003-06) and Minnesota (2007-8). He was originally signed by Carolina as a rookie free agent in 2003 out of Boston College. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad and 53-man roster of both Tampa Bay and Carolina before developing into a standout special teams player. Ciurciu has played in 84 NFL games and has 44 total tackles and 74 special teams tackles.
Ortiz, 6-1, 195 pounds, re-signed with New England on August 26, 2009 after spending part of the 2009 off-season with the team. He originally was signed by the San Diego Chargers as a rookie free agent out of San Diego State in 2006. Ortiz was waived by San Diego prior to the start of the 2006 season. He went to training camp with Seattle in 2007 but was waived prior to the start of the regular season. Ortiz signed with New England in the 2008 off-season but was waived prior to the start of training camp before signing with San Francisco, who released him prior to the start of the regular season.
Rogers, 6-2, 187 pounds, was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as a rookie free agent out of Wisconsin in 2007. He spent the majority of his rookie season on the Denver practice squad before being signed to the 53-man roster for the final two games of the year. Rogers began the 2008 season on the Denver practice squad before joining the 53-man roster in early November. He played in three games in 2008, including a starting assignment at free safety against Oakland (11/23). Rogers was waived by Denver on November 25 and then finished the 2008 season on the Minnesota practice squad. He was released by the Vikings on June 1, 2009 and was signed by New England on August 18, 2009.
Walter, 6-6, 230 pounds, spent the last four seasons with Oakland after joining the Raiders as a third-round pick out of Arizona State in 2005. Walter has started nine of 15 games and completed 174 of 333 passes for 1,919 yards and three touchdowns. After spending his rookie season as the third quarterback in 2005, Walter saw significant action in 2006. He started eight of 12 games and completed 147 of 276 passes for 1,677 yards and three touchdowns. Walter was waived by Oakland on July 30, 2009 and signed by New England on August 3, 2009.
Williams, 6-2, 300 pounds, was signed by New England on May 4, 2009. He was originally signed by Kansas City as a rookie free agent out of Northwest Missouri State in 2006. As a rookie, he spent time on the Kansas City practice squad and 53-man roster, seeing action in 11 games. He went to training camp with Carolina in 2007 and 2008 but did not make the 53-man roster.
Yates, 6-2, 305 pounds, has spent the last five seasons with the Patriots (2004-08) and has played in 25 career games with 10 starts. In 2008, Yates started the first seven games of the season at right guard. He was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins as a rookie free agent prior to the 2003 season out of Texas A &M.
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A little surprised at Yates, since he's been effective as a backup before, but I guess we're going young on the offensive line with Vollmer and Ohrenberger. Williams flashed a lot in the preseason games, I thought -- wonder if we'll try to get him back on the practice squad.
I'm dying from the suspense. I would hate to be a player in that locker room; the suspense is so thick I bet you can cut it with a knife.
Yates will end up in Cle, Den or KC.
the rest of these guys were long shots from the get go.
extra bodies really.
To bad for Yates, Williams and Ortiz. I'd try to keep Yates and Ortiz on the practice squad if I could.
Vinny Ciurciu ???!!!!
WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!
No surprises here. Yates has been a perennial backup and even though he's released today, the Patriots may pick him up again if another player is injured or when they settle their practice squad makeup.
I'm a little surprised by Yates. Wonder what the plan is there?
The draw down on teams roster comes tomorrow. Pats will hopefully stay put until they see the cut sheets around the league.
The Pats are going to have a tough time getting guys to the practice squad with denver and KC needing so much help
Yates and Williams do not have any practice squad eligibility left.
That's too bad. I thought Williams made some nice plays throughout the preseason. I wonder what it is the Pats didn't like about him, or if it's just a matter of not keeping a certain number of DL on the roster/making room for another bubble player who fills a more important role.
This is my take on what the Roster should be like, obviously I don't know what is going to happen in the Practice squad but I put the players that I would like to keep the most but had to cut on the list symboled with an asterisk(*) Ray Ventrone was the hardest player to cut, I just couldn't find room.........if he doesn't make the 53 man roster might as well say he's a Bronco, Chief, Brown, Jet, or Dolphin......Terrence Nunn, Ninkovich, Adams and Connolly are bubble players I really hope to keep them in the practice squad, I also hope to keep Bussey and Richard so its not a waste of picks, and Jamar Love is better than Daze-Jones so thats why I put him on there.....Let me know what you think!!!!!
QB 2
Tom Brady
Brian Hoyer
RB 5
Kevin Faulk
Fred Taylor
Laurence Maroney
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Sammy Morris
WR 6
Randy Moss
Wes Welker
Julian Edelman
Sam Aiken
Greg Lewis
Joey Galloway
TE 4
Chris Baker
David Thomas
Benjamin Watson
Alex Smith
OL 9
Dan Koppen
Nick Kaczur
Matt Light
Logan Mankins
Stephen Neal
Rich Ohrenberger
Sebastian Vollmer
Ryan O’ Callaghan
Ryan Wendell
DL 9
Ty Warren
Richard Seymour
Vince Wilfork
Ron Brace
Myron Pryor
Mike Wright
Tully Banta-Cain
Derrick Burgess
Jarvis Green
LB 6
Jerod Mayo
Adalius Thomas
Gary Guyton
Pierre Woods
Eric Alexander
Paris Lenon
CB 5
Shawn Springs
Leigh Bodden
Johnathan Wilhite
Darius Butler
Terrence Wheatley
S 4
James Sanders
Brandon Meriweather
Patrick Chung
Brandon McGowan
SPT 3
Jake Ingram
Stephen Gostkowski
Chris Hanson
PUP/IR 6
Shawn Crable
Matthew Slater
Mark LeVoir
Chris Taylor
Brandon Tate
Tyrone McKenzie
Cut 13 Practice Squad 7
George Bussey*
Dan Connolly*
Darryl Richard*
Rob Ninkovich*
Titus Adams*
Jamar Love*
Terrence Nunn*
Ray Ventrone
Herana Daze-Jones
Vinny Ciurciu
Nathan Hodel
Billy Yates
Kevin O’Connell
Roderick Rogers
Stephen Williams
Robert Ortiz
Andrew Walter
Retired 1
Tedy Bruschi
This is my take on what the Roster should be like, obviously I don't know what is going to happen in the Practice squad but I put the players that I would like to keep the most but had to cut on the list symboled with an asterisk(*) Ray Ventrone was the hardest player to cut, I just couldn't find room.........if he doesn't make the 53 man roster might as well say he's a Bronco, Chief, Brown, Jet, or Dolphin......Terrence Nunn, Ninkovich, Adams and Connolly are bubble players I really hope to keep them in the practice squad, I also hope to keep Bussey and Richard so its not a waste of picks, and Jamar Love is better than Daze-Jones so thats why I put him on there.....Let me know what you think!!!!!
QB 2
Tom Brady
Brian Hoyer
RB 5
Kevin Faulk
Fred Taylor
Laurence Maroney
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Sammy Morris
WR 6
Randy Moss
Wes Welker
Julian Edelman
Sam Aiken
Greg Lewis
Joey Galloway
TE 4
Chris Baker
David Thomas
Benjamin Watson
Alex Smith
OL 9
Dan Koppen
Nick Kaczur
Matt Light
Logan Mankins
Stephen Neal
Rich Ohrenberger
Sebastian Vollmer
Ryan O’ Callaghan
Ryan Wendell
DL 9
Ty Warren
Richard Seymour
Vince Wilfork
Ron Brace
Myron Pryor
Mike Wright
Tully Banta-Cain
Derrick Burgess
Jarvis Green
LB 6
Jerod Mayo
Adalius Thomas
Gary Guyton
Pierre Woods
Eric Alexander
Paris Lenon
CB 5
Shawn Springs
Leigh Bodden
Johnathan Wilhite
Darius Butler
Terrence Wheatley
S 4
James Sanders
Brandon Meriweather
Patrick Chung
Brandon McGowan
SPT 3
Jake Ingram
Stephen Gostkowski
Chris Hanson
PUP/IR 6
Shawn Crable
Matthew Slater
Mark LeVoir
Chris Taylor
Brandon Tate
Tyrone McKenzie
Cut 13 Practice Squad 7
George Bussey*
Dan Connolly*
Darryl Richard*
Rob Ninkovich*
Titus Adams*
Jamar Love*
Terrence Nunn*
Ray Ventrone
Herana Daze-Jones
Vinny Ciurciu
Nathan Hodel
Billy Yates
Kevin O’Connell
Roderick Rogers
Stephen Williams
Robert Ortiz
Andrew Walter
Retired 1
Tedy Bruschi
Yeah, he had a killa block last night, and I thought he was a servicable backup, but that must mean these young guys Connoly, Wendell,and Ornberger have impressed enough to let him go...consider it an upgrade...As much as I like S.Neal, he is limited to me, and I believe one of these guards will replace sometime this season, and dido for Kascur in favor of Vollmer....
Yates, Williams and Ortiz don't have PS eligibility.
No surprises. Yates' days were numbered when Pats brought in the kids. But the evil genius seldom loses telephone numbers and a player like Yates is, I'm sure, on his short hidden backup list if he (Yates) doesn't sign elsewhere.
Ninkovih looked good but Ortiz can't get around on the breaking pitch any longer
Ninkovih looked good but Ortiz can't get around on the breaking pitch any longer
Not too far off from what I was thinking. although I think Ninkovich makes it ahead of Lenon, but I prefer both to make the cut. I hope Wheatley goes away. He can't cover and has no return skills, so he is half of a Hobbs, who we didn't need. Man I hope we can find a way to keep Nunn. A very good WR.
Your cuts seem to have some merit but Ventrone, no way, he's to valuable,
lot's of talent in many areas.
Gabriel, (kool a female Patriots fan)
Take out Lennon and put in Crable.
Take out Alex Smith and put in Nunn.
And then bump Galloway to the third spot and your list will be perfect.
Love was burnt toast all night. He reminded me of Ellis.I'm surprised he wasn't first one out the door today.
Would like to find a way to keep Nunn, but unless Lewis or Galloway get the axe, no room. He is PS eligible I believe but probably won't make it there with everyone scouting the Pats cuts for upgrades to their rosters. Britt/O'Callaghan is another tough cut. One of them will be playing for another NFL team this year.
Why did I get cut? Because I totally suck and never will be more than a practice squad player. It's time for me to get a real job!
If Slater goes to IR, taking his special teams value with him, I think that may have repercussions for either the WR mix or the LB mix. For instance, perhaps Nunn's ST work and potential to return kicks bumps Galloway (who does neither).
I think Galloway has to get the axe. He has shown no speed/quickness/athletic ability, and seems to have little grasp of the Patriots offense. He has all the disadvantages of being ancient in NFL player terms and none of the advantages. Its not like he's going to play ST. I'd rather have Nunn, Aikens, Ventrone and/or McGowan.
Keep Nunn. He is another Welker...Finds the open spot and can run with it. I love that guys ability.
Why are you (mildly) surprised?
I don't know or care if Gabriel is a female Patriots fan, but I know that I sure am.
Just because our sex is shamefully excluded from all meaningful league football positions, doesn't mean we don't know our way around a diagram or a film room.
Someday, perhaps they'll "let" us hold the chains during a game - just to throw us a bone, and shut up our nagging.
Chauvinism is alive and thriving - especially in football.
they released walter becuase there is a deal in place to obtain A J Feelly
No way Alex Smith makes the cut. The Pats won't keep a TE that can't block. It's bad enough they have TEs that can't catch.
Tough cut. here. Steve Williams is not PS elligible, is he?
Tough cut. here. Steve Williams is not PS elligible, is he?
I agree with 49Patriots more.
You need to keep in mind special teams value as well.
RB 5
Sammy Morris = space needed. his role is limited. BJGE is the same but cheaper. no special teams value.
WR 6
Joey Galloway - Nunn is basically the same. Fast, good hands but comes much cheaper and can play special teams. Galloway also doesn't run tight routes like Brady likes.
TE 4
Alex Smith = again no special value. 3 Good TEs. Get a spare for the practice squad and you're good to go.
DL 9
Jarvis Green = if we weren't so weak at LB he would be a candidate to be cut as well. But we'll need him as we go more 4 - 3.
LB 6
Eric Alexander = sucks at LB. not bad on Spec Teams but is he really worth a spot?
Paris Lenon = He'll make it. We need a back up and he'll do.
Shawn Crable = if he's not injured then he's on the team.
Potentials to make the roster.
George Bussey
Dan Connolly
Darryl Richard
Rob Ninkovich
Titus Adams
Ray Ventrone
Matthew Slater
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