We discussed this before, but who gets cut now that DT Leki Fotu is back from IR?

[Sarge4Tide]

Fotu is a big ole dude: 6-5 335 run stuffing defensive tackle.  He spent the last 4 years with Arizona, starting 9 games each year in 2023 and 2022.

The most obvious choice is DL Jalyn Holmes 6-5 283 DT/DE.  He's played 32% of the defensive snaps so far and 8.5% of special teams snaps.  So he has been contributing.

We also have to look at our 3 undrafted rookies on the DL: Leonard Taylor, Eric Watts, and Braiden McGregor

Let's just go ahead and say they aren't cutting Taylor under any circumstances right now and that Taylor would never make it through waivers back onto the practice squad....

• Watts  21 Defensive Snaps, 11 Special Teams Snaps
• McGregor 35 Defensive Snaps, 15 Special Teams Snaps

Neither plays the same position as Fotu.  Holmes has played more than either so far.  Between Watts and McGregor, which one is more likely to be claimed off waivers?  McGregor has played more but Watts might have more upside.

So, it will be Holmes, Watts, or McGregor released and almost certainly it will be Holmes.  But.....you never know...

[Larz]

Bates 

twice 

[Sarge4Tide]

3 minutes ago, Larz said:

Bates 

twice 

Kenny Yeboah is coming back soon, so Bates will be gone soon enough

[The Voice of Reason]

8 minutes ago, Sarge4Tide said:

Fotu is a big ole dude: 6-5 335 run stuffing defensive tackle.  He spent the last 4 years with Arizona, starting 9 games each year in 2023 and 2022.

The most obvious choice is DL Jalyn Holmes 6-5 283 DT/DE.  He's played 32% of the defensive snaps so far and 8.5% of special teams snaps.  So he has been contributing.

We also have to look at our 3 undrafted rookies on the DL: Leonard Taylor, Eric Watts, and Braiden McGregor

Let's just go ahead and say they aren't cutting Taylor under any circumstances right now and that Taylor would never make it through waivers back onto the practice squad....

• Watts  21 Defensive Snaps, 11 Special Teams Snaps
• McGregor 35 Defensive Snaps, 15 Special Teams Snaps

Neither plays the same position as Fotu.  Holmes has played more than either so far.  Between Watts and McGregor, which one is more likely to be claimed off waivers?  McGregor has played more but Watts might have more upside.

So, it will be Holmes, Watts, or McGregor released and almost certainly it will be Holmes.  But.....you never know...

All the TEs on this team... 

[Plen T]

CJ Mosley.

[mrcoops]

Probably Holmes, with McKinley as an outside bet.

But most likely Holmes.

[redlichtie]

Leonard Taylor has really impressed in limited snaps but Jalyn Holmes was out there a lot last week, they seem to like him so I’,m not so sure, personally I don’t rate him much at all……perhaps Bruce Hector?

[Ecuadorian Jet]

41 minutes ago, Sarge4Tide said:

Fotu is a big ole dude: 6-5 335 run stuffing defensive tackle.  He spent the last 4 years with Arizona, starting 9 games each year in 2023 and 2022.

The most obvious choice is DL Jalyn Holmes 6-5 283 DT/DE.  He's played 32% of the defensive snaps so far and 8.5% of special teams snaps.  So he has been contributing.

We also have to look at our 3 undrafted rookies on the DL: Leonard Taylor, Eric Watts, and Braiden McGregor

Let's just go ahead and say they aren't cutting Taylor under any circumstances right now and that Taylor would never make it through waivers back onto the practice squad....

• Watts  21 Defensive Snaps, 11 Special Teams Snaps
• McGregor 35 Defensive Snaps, 15 Special Teams Snaps

Neither plays the same position as Fotu.  Holmes has played more than either so far.  Between Watts and McGregor, which one is more likely to be claimed off waivers?  McGregor has played more but Watts might have more upside.

So, it will be Holmes, Watts, or McGregor released and almost certainly it will be Holmes.  But.....you never know...

Last in, first out. Holmes

[Sperm Edwards]

1 hour ago, Larz said:

Bates 

twice 

Seriously.

Also Kuntz must be the dumbest or most unaware football player they have under contract.

That big and that fast and that athletic, with just about the most senior guy on the staff as his position coach both offseasons, and even on a team with weak TEs all around they still can't justify promoting him even to TE3 because he can't unseat a 25 year-old undrafted rookie who's so far only demonstrated prowess at whiffing on blocks.

Whatever, he was a 7th round pick and - outside of kickers/punters - 95% of those guys never become starters anyway (most - like Kuntz - don't even make the roster as rookies). But man, he must really have no instincts whatsoever.

[Rich Thornburgh]

1 hour ago, Larz said:

Bates 

twice 

Him or Mosely.  Can we cut Gipson too?

[Rich Thornburgh]

1 hour ago, The Voice of Reason said:

All the TEs on this team... 

JD can’t find one TE who can block

[Jack Straw]

If we've started housecleaning before week 6, we should dump Mosley for a 7th rounder.

[CrazyCarl40]

45 minutes ago, Rich Thornburgh said:

JD can’t find one TE who can block

Ruckert is a very good blocker. He has been for the last few years. 

(From this offseason about last year) According to Pro Football Focus, Ruckert received a 57.5 blocking grade, the 12th-highest among tight ends, and received a blocking grade of 60-plus five times.

[OtherwiseHappyinLife]

Didn't they cut Saleh to make room?

Sorry - that was too soon.  I actually do wish him the best.

[#27TheDominator]

2 hours ago, redlichtie said:

Leonard Taylor has really impressed in limited snaps but Jalyn Holmes was out there a lot last week, they seem to like him so I’,m not so sure, personally I don’t rate him much at all……perhaps Bruce Hector?

Bruce Hector is on the practice squad, so that does not get Fotu back on the roster.  I think things worked out pretty much as I expected on cutdown day.  They cut Holmes and carried him on the practice squad, while keeping the younger upside UDFA Taylor, McGregor, and Watts on the roster.  Then they elevated Holmes each game day and played him a ton of snaps. 

I think Holmes is more DE/DT tweener and took a lot of Johnson's snaps.  He seems the likely choice, unless due to another team's injuries he might get poached.  I'm sure they don't want to lose him.  They already had elevated him a couple of times before he was put back on roster.  I know there is a limit to the number of times a player can be elevated, but I am not sure if that resets when they are added to the active roster and then cut again.  I think he is very solid - a true JAG.  A replacement level player.  You can do better, but he isn't killing you out there.  McGregor looked completely lost in at least one game.  Giving up the edge on runs without any fight.  He has plenty of upside, but I don't think the other DEs give much in run support.  Even if Reddick came back these guys are all smaller quicker guys, with Holmes and Thomas as more tweener types.  That may be less important since they seem to be playing more 3 LB sets. 

They could go with Bates and if they lose him they can elevate Firkser, but I think Firkser has been active and they seem to like having 4 TE on game day.  This could be dependent on Yeboah's timeline.Other choices might be at CB where they have JBC and Stiggers only playing specials and of dubious value on the defensive side of the ball.  My personal choice is Sam Eguavoen who is basically a special teams LB.  He is an older dude and like Holmes was on the street on cutdown day and brought back to the practice squad and then active roster.  I like him for specials, but they can add him back and the practice squad and elevate him and if he ends up elsewhere they can elevate McCrary-Ball who seems like a similar player and like Hector is on the practice squad.  

[OtherwiseHappyinLife]

1 hour ago, Ecuadorian Jet said:

Last in, first out. Holmes

"LIFO".  Ahh, brings me back to Sophomore year at Rutgers when I was contemplating becoming an accountant. 

I'm happy I took the male stripper route

 

[bitonti]

I like Braden McGregor but he hasn't been active since NEP

and his 3 games 2 tackle stat line could be carried on the taxi squad 

 

[bitonti]

37 minutes ago, CrazyCarl40 said:

Ruckert is a very good blocker. He has been for the last few years. 

(From this offseason about last year) According to Pro Football Focus, Ruckert received a 57.5 blocking grade, the 12th-highest among tight ends, and received a blocking grade of 60-plus five times.

PFF has Ruckert as the 2nd worst run blocker of all TEs this season 75 of 77

but they also have him as 10th best pass blocker

so I guess it depends on what phase of the game we're talking about 

[redlichtie]

26 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

Bruce Hector is on the practice squad, so that does not get Fotu back on the roster.  I think things worked out pretty much as I expected on cutdown day.  They cut Holmes and carried him on the practice squad, while keeping the younger upside UDFA Taylor, McGregor, and Watts on the roster.  Then they elevated Holmes each game day and played him a ton of snaps. 

I think Holmes is more DE/DT tweener and took a lot of Johnson's snaps.  He seems the likely choice, unless due to another team's injuries he might get poached.  I'm sure they don't want to lose him.  They already had elevated him a couple of times before he was put back on roster.  I know there is a limit to the number of times a player can be elevated, but I am not sure if that resets when they are added to the active roster and then cut again.  I think he is very solid - a true JAG.  A replacement level player.  You can do better, but he isn't killing you out there.  McGregor looked completely lost in at least one game.  Giving up the edge on runs without any fight.  He has plenty of upside, but I don't think the other DEs give much in run support.  Even if Reddick came back these guys are all smaller quicker guys, with Holmes and Thomas as more tweener types.  That may be less important since they seem to be playing more 3 LB sets. 

They could go with Bates and if they lose him they can elevate Firkser, but I think Firkser has been active and they seem to like having 4 TE on game day.  This could be dependent on Yeboah's timeline.Other choices might be at CB where they have JBC and Stiggers only playing specials and of dubious value on the defensive side of the ball.  My personal choice is Sam Eguavoen who is basically a special teams LB.  He is an older dude and like Holmes was on the street on cutdown day and brought back to the practice squad and then active roster.  I like him for specials, but they can add him back and the practice squad and elevate him and if he ends up elsewhere they can elevate McCrary-Ball who seems like a similar player and like Hector is on the practice squad.  

Thanks for the clarification, I thought I saw Hector on the field against Denver & Minnesota but perhaps I’m mistaken? It jumped out at me because he was wearing a number I didn’t recognise and it was definitely Hector on his jersey so that’s why I thought he was part of the active roster.
I’d agree with Eguavoen as the guy to drop out as we still have Surratt & Zaire Barnes around and Mosley ready to return to an area of the line-up that I think most people would agree has been one of the few bright spots under Sherwood and Q.

[Bronx]

2 hours ago, Sarge4Tide said:

Kenny Yeboah is coming back soon, so Bates will be gone soon enough

Cut Bates and Lazard.   

[Thai Jet]

HACKETT !!