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Kenbrell Thompkins

Patriots Notes: Thompkins, Browner, Tyms

October 4th, 2014 at 7:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots made some waves earlier today with a surprising roster move. Here’s more on that and the dominoes that could fall as a result as New England gets set to take on the Bengals tomorrow at Gillette Stadium..

  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (via Twitter) hears that Kenbrell Thompkins could circle back to New England rather quickly after he was released earlier today by the Patriots. Unless he’s claimed off waivers, Thompkins could be re-signed to the practice squad.
  • A source tells Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald (Twitter link) that the Patriots informed Thompkins that his release was due to a numbers crunch on the depth chart. The Pats let him know that they needed a linebacker on the active roster, forcing them to release him and activate Ja’Gared Davis from the practice squad. So, despite what some may have first thought, Thompkins isn’t out a job due to any sort of disciplinary issue.
  • Meanwhile, the Patriots will have a decision to make on cornerback Brandon Browner and wide receiver Brian Tyms. Both players are coming off of four-game bans and have received roster exemptions through October 6th. With a clear need for a deep threat, one would think that the Pats would try and find room for Tyms after tomorrow’s game. Same goes for Browner, who signed a three-year deal with the Pats this offseason. Both players would receive a good deal of interest if they hit the open market next week, especially the 6’4″ Browner.

Patriots To Waive Kenbrell Thompkins

October 4th, 2014 at 4:22pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Patriots have placed second year wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins on waivers today, reports Brian McIntyre of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Thompkins stuck on the team in 2013 after being signed as an undrafted free agent, impressing at times during his rookie campaign. He caught 32 passes for 466 yards and four touchdowns in eight starts last season.

The team was expecting him to make an improvement coming into his sophomore season, but has only caught six passes through four games. Thompkins did not play against the Vikings or Chiefs.

If Thompkins clears waivers, he could return to the team as soon as next week, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter).

Pats Notes: Amendola, White, Gaston

September 21st, 2014 at 9:20am CST by Rory Parks

After signing a lucrative five-year deal prior to the 2013 season, Danny Amendola has become the “invisible man” in the Patriots’ passing game, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Through two games in 2014, Amendola has two catches for 16 yards, and he was on the field for just 18 snaps against the Vikings last weekend. As Volin notes, “It’s a continuation from the end of last year, when he had one pass thrown his way in the AFC Championship game, which he dropped.”

Volin writes that there is a disconnect between quarterback Tom Brady and Amendola, and there is plenty of blame to go around. Some of it should be placed on the offensive line, whose shoddy pass-blocking has forced Brady to get rid of the ball on hot reads and bubble screens, and some should be placed on Brady himself (after all, Amendola has gotten himself open at least a few times and Brady has missed him). Nonetheless, there was some talk at the beginning of the offseason that New England would release Amendola, and if things do not improve soon, a release following the 2014 campaign could be inevitable.

Now for some other Patriots items:

  • Amendola is not the only New England wideout yet to establish himself in the team’s aerial attack this year. As Volin writes in the same piece cited above, newly-acquired Brandon LaFell is “frustrated as hell” that he has mostly been reduced to blocking, but Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald writes that more passes will come to LaFell, Aaron Dobson, and Kenbrell Thompkins when the Patriots “expand a game plan that called for a run-first offense and quick throws to offset protection concerns.”
  • Speaking of the run-first offense, Howe writes in the same article that rookie RB James White has been the team’s only healthy scratch for the first two weeks of the season, and despite his impressive training camp, White realizes that he will need to continue to excel in practice to get a shot on game days.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com tweets that the Patriots could look to bring back DL Bruce Gaston, who was waived by the Dolphins yesterday, and place him on the practice squad.
  • In a separate piece, Reiss writes that, since the Logan Mankins trade, Nate Solder has stepped up to fill the off-the-field leadership void. Reiss also wonders if the Buccaneers are regretting the trade, which appeared to be a big win for them at the time it happened but has drawn more scrutiny during the team’s early struggles.

AFC East Notes: Smith, Coples, Kouandijo

July 26th, 2014 at 8:24am CST by Matt Feminis

Jets second-year quarterback Geno Smith has received 74 percent of the snaps through two days of camp, per Brian Costello of the New York Post. However, GM John Idzik claims the “competition” isn’t tilted: “There will be a little bit of fluctuation in reps. Going into camp, we feel like we’re going to give the lion’s share to Geno and we’ll see how he responds.”

Here’s some more AFC East reading:

  • Jets 2012 first-round defensive lineman Quinton Coples hasn’t lived up to expectations, but he dedicated himself in the offseason, writes Costello in the New York Post. Coples reported to camp at 270 pounds (20 pounds lighter) and approximately nine percent body fat.
  • Sammy Watkins has “stolen the show” early in Bills camp, according to ESPN’s Mike Rodak, who provides an update on the team’s rookies. As for second-rounder Cyrus Kouandijo, “He’s the heir apparent at right tackle but that transition might not take place until next season,” says Rodak.
  • Kamaal McIlwain has impressed early in Bills camp, according to WGR 590’s Joe Buscaglia, who says, McIlwain could be in the mix for the final cornerback spot. Buscaglia also noted the team is making an effort to train linebackers to learn each of the three positions. Accordingly, Keith Rivers, Nigel Bradham, Preston Brown and Stevenson Sylvester have rotated with the first team, flanking Brandon Spikes in the middle.
  • The Patriots have ongoing competitions for the center and right guard jobs, according to Boston.com’s Ben Volin. Additionally, “There’s been a lot of talk about the competition between WRs Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce for a roster spot,” says Volin, “and if that is indeed the case, Thompkins appears to be ahead by a sizable margin right now.”
  • Not surprisingly, the new-look Dolphins offensive line is enduring early growing pains as the new starters work to develop chemistry, but Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel says the remodeled blocking unit should still be held to a high standard: “For those creating built-in excuses for the Dolphins’ offensive line, concerned that they’ll hold Miami’s offense back, keep in mind that this present unit collectively has 287 regular-season NFL starts heading into September.” Kelly cites the Bears, whose offensive line was atrocious in 2012 before they turned over four starters and improved drastically last season.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Pats, Bills, Dolphins

May 24th, 2014 at 9:46am CST by Matt Feminis

When asked about the Jets’ perceived weakness at cornerback, ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini provided a blunt response: “I think fans need to come to grips with this sobering reality: The Jets believe they’re set at cornerback. I don’t agree with it, and I’m not sure [head coach] Rex Ryan does either, but [GM] John Idzik is done making significant moves at cornerback. He thinks Dee Milliner is a No. 1 corner, he invested $3 million in Dimitri Patterson and he drafted Dexter McDougle in the third round. Unless there’s a key injury, I can’t see Idzik importing a big name…”

Here’s some more AFC East notes:

  • The Patriots’ top four or five receivers appear to be set, but Masslive.com’s Nick Underhill takes a look at the competitors for the remaining roster spots. Among those on the bubble are second-year players Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins (who disappointed last season after being the talk of training camp), seventh-rounder Jeremy Gallon and size-speed prospect Mark Harrison. Underhill says, “There has been some speculation that Harrison could be tried out at tight end, and while he didn’t close the door on the notion, head coach Bill Belichick said it is unlikely Harrison will see time at that spot this season.”
  • In a Bills off-season wrap-up, ESPN’s Mike Rodak praised the signing of linebacker Brandon Spikes, who, teamed with Defensive Rookie of the Year Kiko Alonso, should improve the team’s run defense which ranked near the bottom of the league.
  • The Dolphins plucked offensive coordinator Bill Lazor from Chip Kelly’s staff in Philadelphia, and Lazor has total control of the offense, writes Barry Jackson in the Miami Herald. Based on early indications, Dolphins players are excited about the possibilities and say the new system is reminiscent of the Eagles’.