Great, another University of Michigan linebacker we will eventually put on IR.
OK, OK, that’s uncalled for and it’s unfair. I’m jaded by Shawn Crable because I had high hopes for him, but he never made the field in 2008 and will miss all of ’09 as well. Maybe it’s because his legs are too skinny to endure the stress from pro football.
On Tuesday, the Patriots sent a conditional seventh round pick to Baltimore for Prescott Burgess, a 6-3 247 pound LB with the ability to play inside or outside.
Do I think he will be good? Who knows? Like Crable, Burgess had a tough time staying on the field.
Burgess was drafted in the sixth round in 2007. He played in eight games before being shut down for the year. Burgess didn’t play a down in ’08 as he was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Gee, does this story sound familiar? If I didn’t know any better, I’d start thinking Burgess and Crable were like G.I. Joe’s Tomax and Xamot, evil identical twins that telepathically felt each other’s pain.
Like Crable, I was high on Burgess when he played for the Wolverines. I knew he wasn’t a top shelf ‘backer, but I thought he could play at the highest level. I don’t know if he left a good impression with the Ravens, but they were willing to give him up for a conditional seventh. That’s not high praise.
In a sign of how quickly players are forgotten, Burgess will wear 93 after he washes any trace of Richard Seymour out of it. Hopefully he will be available to play soon because he would provide valuable depth to a unit that lacks experience behind the starters. Whether Burgess will be any good is anyone’s guess. If Prescott can stay healthy for the year, it’s a step in the right direction.
Questions? Comments? Send to talktome@randolphc.com
Be sure to check out my Love Letters to two former Patriot players in light of New England's disappointing play after two weeks.
