Patriots Cut Down Day Recap: Adios Meriweather

Today at 6:00pm ET marked the disappointing end of the Brandon Meriweather Era in Foxboro.  After being drafted 24^th overall out of THE U in 2007, Meriweather proceeded to make two Pro Bowls for the Patriots.  After looking promising as a defensive stalwart for the Pats over the past three seasons, he initially started the season on the bench last year after going against Bill Belichick’s schemes and by his own admission, “freelancing” on defense.  Taking over for James Sanders in week four, he had a solid enough season to be named to said second Pro Bowl.

Now, Meriweather did several things particularly incorrect that led to the writing on the wall in Foxboro. He free-lanced on defense inside Belichick’s system.  You do not go out on your own and decide to free-lance in Belichick’s system.   He did little to get better this year, as apparently The Hoodie was comfortable enough to keep Sergio Brown and James Ihedigbo as the only two Strong Safeties on this year’s incarnation of the Patriots.  He also had quite the long list of off the field issues, including being a possible suspect in a double-homicide, of which he was later dropped.

What looked to be a position of great strength earlier in the preseason for the Patriots, the safety slot seems to look a little thin at the moment.  Patrick Chung is in his third season out of Oregon, and is the longest-serving Patriot at the free safety position.  Chung is going to have to take on a lot more of the slack left behind by the departures of Meriweather and solid reserve James Sanders, as the remainder of the safety core is still relatively new to the Patriots system.  Chung’s backup is former Denver Bronco Josh Barrett.  I don’t see Barrett, who wasn’t expected to make the team at the beginning of camp, making a huge impact on the field barring an unforeseen injury to Chung (knock on wood).  On the other side of the coin, the strong safety position is going to be manned by second-year man Sergio Brown out of Notre Dame, as well as former New York Jet, as well as a UMass Minuteman, James Ihedigbo.  I don’t know who will end up becoming the starter there, but I have to think that Belichick would use Ihedigbo if he has picked up the system sufficiently in his short time with the Patriots.

In other Patriots news, a surprising move with the release of UDFA tight end Will Yeatman out of Maryland, who as of yesterday had done pretty much all but locked up a spot on the team.  If he clears waivers, he will most likely be signed to the practice squad.  Another who will be missed will no doubt be wideout Tiquan Underwood, who single-handedly is trying to bring back the Will Smith high-top fade.

Others who did not make the roster:  DL Landon Cohen, LB Niko Koutouvides, DE Eric Moore, RB Sammy Morris, WR Brandon Tate, OL Thomas Austin, RB Eric Kettani, DB Ross Ventrone, Markell Carter, DL Aaron Lavarias, DE Alex Silvestro, and TE Lee Smith.

One last note: Darius Butler made the initial 53-man roster.  Surprising considering he has been shacked up in Belichick’s dog house for the better part of two seasons now.

I’ll leave you with this:

I hope I went SWOLE on this post.

@jlang20