OL dept. : stork ? ? ?

[kelly]

-- With the New England Patriots releasing centerBryan Stork on Wednesday, a move that comes as only a mild surprise, it clears a path for second-year man David Andrews to be the team's top player at the position.

Patriots followers got an early look at Andrews in 2015 when he admirably stepped in as the team's starting center for the first 10 games when Stork was on the short-term injured reserve list because of a concussion. Andrews played well, helping the Patriots to a 10-0 start. But when Stork returned, Andrews was quickly moved to a backup role by former offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo,

That was a clear indication of how DeGuglielmo viewed the depth chart at the time, as it seemed like a pretty quick hook for Andrews, even though he had struggled a bit in the 10th game against some of the Buffalo Bills' challenging blitz packages.But the first sign that things were changing in 2016 came when Andrews and Stork split first-unit repetitions in spring practices. One day it was Stork, the next it was Andrews.

Three factors seemed to be swinging the momentum in Andrews' direction :

 

• 1) The return of offensive-line coach Dante Scarnecchia, who had been retired the prior two seasons.

•  

• 2) Andrews reportedly was an offseason award winner for his solid work in the weight room and in training.

•  

• 3) Stork's concussion history and also his inconsistency, which included a wild episode at an Aug. 16 practice with the Bears in which he threw punches (that didn't connect) at linebacker John Timu. That upset Bill Belichick.

Belichick and players sometimes relay word that "dependability is more important than ability" and that applies well to Andrews.Despite playing well at Georgia against some of the top players in the country, he went undrafted in 2015, in part because he was considered undersized (he's listed at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds). But since signing with the Patriots after the draft, I don't recall him missing a practice, as he's shown a steady rate of improvement.

The nephew of longtime NFL head coach Dan Reeves, he has a lunch-pail mentality that seems to have endeared himself to Scarnecchia, who has worked wonders in the past with lesser-heralded linemen such as Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly.Now the path has been cleared for Andrews to be the team's starting center, which, for those who have watched closely in 2016, is far from a major surprise.

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4794971/bryan-storks-release-clears-path-for-david-andrews-as-patriots-center

[UnitedWhofans]

I dont think we have the cap space. But if they cut an OL we can use him for depth

[Ex-Rex]

I don't think so. RB is a more pressing need and Karlos Williams is available. Need to take a look at least.

[peebag]

25 minutes ago, Ex-Rex said:

I don't think so. RB is a more pressing need and Karlos Williams is available. Need to take a look at least.

Brian Winters and Breno Giacomini.  'nuff said.

[NYs Stepchild]

30 minutes ago, Ex-Rex said:

I don't think so. RB is a more pressing need and Karlos Williams is available. Need to take a look at least.

Do you really think we need a 4th string RB more than we need a 2nd string center? 

[PepPep]

I like Stork as a potential future C. The problem is, assuming Friend goes on PS, you still have to cut another O-lineman to make room for Stork. I think Dozier is currently slotted to backup Mangold, and I think the Jets like Dozier. So who do you cut to make room for a backup C when you have Dozier as backup and a developmental C in Friend?

[NYs Stepchild]

15 minutes ago, PepPep said:

I like Stork as a potential future C. The problem is, assuming Friend goes on PS, you still have to cut another O-lineman to make room for Stork. I think Dozier is currently slotted to backup Mangold, and I think the Jets like Dozier. So who do you cut to make room for a backup C when you have Dozier as backup and a developmental C in Friend?

Wesley Johnson has been starting at center, and he started when Mangold was out last year.

I like Dozier to compete for the RG spot. If we are going to keep Johnson I'd rather have Stork. 

[Hael]

Stork was really good his rookie year, as in, one of the better centers in the NFL good and held up well in the playoffs, including against the Seattle front in the superbowl.  Last year he was pretty mediocre after returning from injury, and the general belief was that concussions were getting to him.

With yet another concussion this summer I think the belief is that the writing is on the wall for his career.  He's a very talented player, but this stuff is pretty unforgiving.

[Copernicus]

18 minutes ago, Hael said:

Stork was really good his rookie year, as in, one of the better centers in the NFL good and held up well in the playoffs, including against the Seattle front in the superbowl.  Last year he was pretty mediocre after returning from injury, and the general belief was that concussions were getting to him.

With yet another concussion this summer I think the belief is that the writing is on the wall for his career.  He's a very talented player, but this stuff is pretty unforgiving.

This ^^^^^

[kelly]

The New England Patriots releasing recent starters is newsworthy, sure, but it’s hardly shocking at this point. Even if the player in question this time plays a hard-to-fill position — center — and is still in his prime at 25.Bryan Stork, who was the starting center as a rookie for most of the Patriots’ season, will reportedly be released. He now will be subject to waivers and almost certainly will be claimed.

This is now the fifth member of the team’s 2014 draft class whom the team has released, including first-rounder Dominique Easley. (Jon Halapio was cut before re-signing this offseason.) Second-round quarterback Jimmy Garappolo and fourth-round running back James White will play important fill-in roles this season, especially in the early going, that could help this class from being an almost total bust. Knowing when to cut bait on player has become a hallmark of the Bill Belichick regime, and he does it without emotional tie, which is a rare trait in this stubborn NFL.

The team getting Stork will be getting a one-position player with an extremely tough and surly disposition, but also a player who has been beset by injuries in his brief career. Stork started only six games last season in the Patriots’ ever-rotating offensive line, spending a big chunk of the season on the injured list. Stork also suffered a concussion in training camp and missed a week’s action, and he has a history of them dating back to Florida State.

Stork was worked over in the AFC championship game in January — a game in which the Denver Broncos might have had a big tell on Stork’s snapping, which led them to snow Tom Brady under much of the game. Stork also had a costly unnecessary roughness penalty for head-butting Broncos defensive lineman Vance Walker that cost the Patriots valuable field position and perhaps is an example of Stork’s temper boiling over.

Former Patriots offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo was seen getting spoken to sternly by head coach Bill Belichick in that game, and the absence of DeGuglielmo now — he was fired in the offseason — and the return of former OL coach Dante Scarnecchia might also have had something to do with Stork’s release. Although Scarnecchia was aiding the team with scouting the offseason they drafted Stork, it’s possible that the meet-the-new-boss-same-as-the-old-boss position coach has a different idea of what he wants inside.

This pushes David Andrews to the head of the line now as the starting center. By all accounts so far this training camp, Andrews had outplayed Stork. Andrews, a 2015 undrafted rookie, did a remarkable job as the primary starter last season, and he is backed up by Josh Kline, who now has a better chance of making the roster because of the Stork transaction.

Stork also might not have done himself many favors with his fight last week that got himkicked out of joint practices with the Chicago Bears. Interesting to note, too: The Bears are among the handful of teams looking for help at center.

>      https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/patriots-release-former-starting-center-bryan-stork-135349871.html

[JETSfaninNE]

Only the ******* Pats announce the release of a player and then turn around and work out a trade to get a conditional draft pick....

 

[rillo]

Apparently he's going to retire. I can't blame him, multiple concussions and he has a ring.