Way back in April, I wrote that the Patriots might've found a viable replacement for Asante Samuel, who had recently inked a big-money contract to play for the Eagles, when they signed Lions castoff Fernando Bryant.
I based that not on the fact that head coach Bill Belichick must know something the rest of us don't because HE'S A FREAKING GENIUS (New England signs a boatload of defensive backs every spring, and inevitably, most of them aren't around by the start of the season), but because Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli spoke in glowing terms about Bryant, and stressed that the decision to release him was strictly a financial one.
Maybe that's true, and maybe Marinelli really does think Bryant is "very physical" and "a tough tackler," but I'm guessing Belichick disagrees.
Lest people think the NFL is all about talent, the Patriots' release of presumed starting CB Fernando Bryant was all about one thing: his lack of toughness. The clincher was Bryant getting steamrolled by Giants TE Darcy Johnson in the preseason finale, when he barely even tried to make the tackle on a first-quarter touchdown.You know, this sounds great -- Belichick being a hard-ass to prove a point to his team -- but I find it pretty hard to believe that THE WORLD'S SMARTEST COACH would cut "one of the most gifted players in the Patriots' patchwork CB stable" because he got steamrolled in a preseason game.
Although Bryant was one of the most gifted players in the Patriots' patchwork CB stable, coach Bill Belichick showed by cutting Bryant that he is far more comfortable going in with players who aren't afraid to stick their helmets in a pile.
Whatever, if Bryant really is as good as he's made out to be, he shouldn't have any trouble finding work (like, say, Cleveland, for example). Assuming, of course, Victor DeGrate doesn't ask him for any favors.
