Lockette is a really interesting name to me. I remember thinking he'd be a nice late round pick for somebody a couple of years ago.

The Pats are probably going to try to bring back Fells after Week 1 so his contract isn't guaranteed, similar to Miami with Lance Louis. I'd like to bring him in though. He's battling an injury, but I think it's worth having him at the back end for a couple of weeks over keeping Kyle Miller.

Zebrie and Crezdon are interesting names... that's for darn sure...

Tight ends Jake Ballard and Daniel Fells were the most notable names on the list.

Also cut were defensive lineman Marcus Benard, receiver Johnathan Haggerty, linebacker Mike Rivera, offensive lineman Luke Patterson and Matt Stankiewitch, fullback Ben Bartholomew, and defensive linemen Gilbert Pena and Scott Vallone.

Ballard is done.

Didn't come back from his injury well at all. Has been terrible in the last few weeks of camp.

New England Patriots tight end Jake Ballard misses a pass during NFL football practice in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, May 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)


By Jeff Fedotin, National Football Post

At first the move appeared curious — perhaps a bit vindictive. Then it seemed like pure genius.

When the Giants tried to stash injured TE Jake Ballard on waivers to preserve a roster spot last year, the Patriots signed the player away from their Super Bowl nemesis despite having one of the best sets of tight ends in football.

Like any shrewd talent evaluator, coach Bill Belichick knows you can never stockpile enough depth.

Fast forward a year. With Rob Gronkowski sidelined by forearm and back injuries and Aaron Hernandez charged with murder, it looked like the Patriots cleverly had found a tight end who could pick up some of the slack.

We go through this every year. There is a reason they are cut.

Eleven months ago, Bill Belichick seemed amused when asked a question about potentially breaking an "unwritten rule" by claiming injured tight end Jake Ballard on waivers from the Giants.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin called it "very disappointing" but made it clear he didn't harbor any ill feelings toward the Patriots. He called the move a "calculated risk [that] didn't work."

Belichick said simply that there are no unwritten rules on claiming injured players.

Still, that didn't stop some from questioning Belichick's decision. The Patriots already had a stocked depth chart topped by Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Daniel Fells, and they would later add Michael Hoomanawanui, so why did they even need Ballard?

So Belichick weighed the cost of paying Ballard his 2012 salary of $540,000 while he rehabbed with the potential reward of seeing him on the field in 2013 when he'd earn a base salary of $630,000 . He decided the investment of tight end insurance was worth it -- the only coach/personnel man in the NFL to do so -- and it's a move that is looking awfully smart right now as Gronkowski (left forearm/back) and Hernandez (shoulder) are rehabbing

Time will tell if Ballard emerges as a contributor for the Patriots, but the early indication is that this is another classic case of the forward-thinking

I can see the headline if this was Ireland...Dolphins waste more money during an offseason of wasted money with another failed Ireland acorn!

You mean the media gives the benefit of the doubt to teams that are consistent winners, and don't to teams that have made the playoffs only twice since 2001? How patently unfair of them! [/sarcasm]

Max Starks was waived too. That's a name that interests me

Da'Rick Rodger. Get him signed to the PS & let him mature & become a professional. Remember the days when few wanted to touch Dez Bryant? How many would take him now? Rodgers has far more physical ability to just walk away from. IMO

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Seahawks released FB Michael Robinson.
Robinson broke the news on his Twitter account. Robinson is one of the league's better lead blockers and special teamers, but was due a hefty $2.5 million, and was out indefinitely with an "illness." Rookie Spencer Ware should now pave the way for Marshawn Lynch and company. Robinson is on the wrong side of 30, but will almost certainly find work this season.

Then you didn't watch him in the preseason. He's done.

Cardinals waived/released OG Chilo Rachal

Jaguars waived TE Ryan Otten

Rams waived TE Philip Lutzenkirchen

Tebow was cut....again.

The world (sans Tebow lovers) stands in shock.

Packers waived TE D.J. Williams.
Williams is a pass-catching tight end that consistently gets trucked in the run game. He finished the preseason with six catches for 38 yards and no scores.

Cowboys waived WR Tim Benford.
Per FOX Sports, the Cowboys are "hoping" Benford clears waivers so they can stash him on the practice squad. The 2012 undrafted free agent caught 11 passes for 135 yards this preseason.

Bengals waived WR Cobi Hamilton.
Hamilton was Tyler Wilson's top target at Arkansas last season, racking up a 90/1355/5 line. But the sixth-round rookie ran a mere 4.56 at the Combine and failed to distinguish himself as a possession receiver at camp. Hamilton is a candidate for the practice squad. He lost out to Dane Sanzenbacher.

Ravens waived TE Matt Furstenburg, DL Cody Larson, and OT J.J. Unga.
Furstenburg is a quality "move" tight end prospect and will surely be re-signed to the practice squad if he clears waivers. He got squeezed out when the Ravens signed Dallas Clark to complement Ed Dickson.

Redskins waived CB Chase Minnifield.
The Minnifield cut surprised Redskins beat writers, who'd expected him to make the final 53. Washington is hoping to stash him on its practice squad.

this guy is definitely worth stealing from Cincy

He had a decent preseason too... surprised by this cut.

bring him in

You are joking right?