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


Sarge4Tide

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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...

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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... 

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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

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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.

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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.  

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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 

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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.

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5 hours 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.

Yeah I stopped obsessing over PFF when they gave Darron Lee a 100.0 after 2018 week 1

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5 hours ago, redlichtie said:

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.

You did see Hector on the field.  They can elevate two practice squad players per game to play.  They are allowed to do that three times and then they have to be added to the active roster to play.  That is what they were doing with Holmes who played 16 and 15 snaps the first two weeks while still technically on the practice squad.  I think they signed him to the roster when they put JJ on IR.  FWIW, I think they did it with Eguavoen the first week or two also.  I think Barnes is still on IR, when he is ready to come back they will have to think about moving somebody else.  Honestly Mosley might be an option.  They could put him on IR if this is going to keep lingering, but I don't think it is likely.   

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7 hours ago, #27TheDominator said:

You did see Hector on the field.  They can elevate two practice squad players per game to play.  They are allowed to do that three times and then they have to be added to the active roster to play.  That is what they were doing with Holmes who played 16 and 15 snaps the first two weeks while still technically on the practice squad.  I think they signed him to the roster when they put JJ on IR.  FWIW, I think they did it with Eguavoen the first week or two also.  I think Barnes is still on IR, when he is ready to come back they will have to think about moving somebody else.  Honestly Mosley might be an option.  They could put him on IR if this is going to keep lingering, but I don't think it is likely.   

Occasionally (but only very occasionally) when I come to this place, I learn something valuable …thank you 😀

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On 10/10/2024 at 1:17 PM, 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?

When I read all the fire JD stuff I love that no one talks about guys like Leonard Taylor,

Yea, JD whiffed on Zach Wilson, when you are trying to fill the most important position in sports you have to take huge swings that may miss.  Is Chris Ballard a bad GM because Anthony Richardson looks bad - maybe to some, but IMO no, he isnt.  

Since JD got here we have found a lot of late round guys who have been developed into starters, thats how you build a team - then its on the GM to find the QB somehow.

If we keep this scheme (obviously a big IF given the coaching turnover) Leonard Taylor is on the same trajectory as Jamien Sherwood to develop into a starter by year 3

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On 10/10/2024 at 3:30 PM, #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.  

JBC and Stiggers of "dubious" value?  SMH

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