Happy Trails To Something Called Ras-I Dowling

I couldn't tell you the first thing about Ras-I Dowling's skills on a football field. The Patriots released their 2011 2nd round pick (33rd overall) today which came as no surprise since the mysterious cornerback has suited up in just nine games over two seasons. In fact, both years ended on injured reserve for him making Julian Edelman look like an iron man in comparison.

I normally don't bother to write a blog post about a guy with 10 career tackles (0 interceptions) and one pass deflection but Dowling is a fine example of the crapshoot that is the NFL Draft. He was a second-team All-American at Virginia and the first player chosen in the second round so basically a first-round talent. The knock on him was that he often got injured so lo and behold, that scouting report proved to be prophetic.

Just for fun, I thought you'd like to know that Niners superstar quarterback Colin Kaepernick was taken three spots after Dowling. Then Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith and Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb were selected later in the second round. So yeah, needless to say the Pats would like that pick back but unfortunately that's not how it works in real life.

The entire NFL has their final preseason game (yes!) tomorrow night as the Patriots host the Giants in a contest that I couldn't give a rat's ass about. What I'm focused on is Saturday at 4 p.m. when New England will name its 53-man roster heading into the opener at Buffalo on September 8. Meaningful football is in the air, can you smell it? In fact, college football kicks off tomorrow night giving us a tasty appetizer before the NFL starts a week later.

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Week 9 Patriots-Rams Injury Report, London Style

This whole week has been out of whack since the Patriots and Rams had to fly across the globe to London for Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium (1 p.m., CBS). Today, the injury report came out and New England wasted no time to declare seven guys out already (you only have to designate seven on gameday).

Running back Brandon Bolden (knee), safetys Patrick Chung (shoulder) and Steve Gregory (hip), cornerback Ras-I Dowling (thigh; also placed on season-ending IR for the second straight season), tight end Aaron Hernandez (ankle), defensive end Trevor Scott (hamstring) and linebacker Tracy White (foot) all skipped the trip to the UK. The good news for them-minus Dowling-is that since the Patriots' bye week is next week, they'll have an additional week to rest and recover.

The Rams have been in London since Tuesday but only tackle Rodger Saffold (knee) and defensive end Eugene Sims (knee) have been ruled out so far. Five guys on St. Louis are questionable: wide receiver Danny Amendola (shoulder), defensive tackle Matt Conrath (knee), linebacker Mario Haggan (thigh), tackle Wayne Hunter (back) and tight end Mike McNeill (knee).

11 Patriots are questionable but I don't know how many more will sit since technically they've already reached the required amount. Defensive tackle Ron Brace (back), wide receivers Julian Edelman (hand), Brandon Lloyd (knee) and Wes Welker (ankle), tight end Rob Gronkowski (hip), linebackers Dont'a Hightower (hamstring) and Jerod Mayo (elbow), guard Logan Mankins (calf), center Nick McDonald (shoulder), cornerback Sterling Moore (knee) and tackle Sebastian Vollmer (back) are all 50/50 in the eyes of the NFL but not New England.

Load up on your supplies of Fish & Chips and London Pride (a local brew) as we get set for the Patriots' second game in London in the last four seasons.

UPDATE 10/27: Cornerback Malcolm Williams was promoted off the practice squad to the 53-man roster. He'll play tomorrow as he takes Dowling's spot.

UPDATE 10/28: Amendola, Hunter, Conrath, quarterback Austin Davis and Haggan are all inactive for the Rams.

Mankins has also been declared inactive for the Patriots, meaning Donald Thomas will start. Yikes.

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Patriots Release Leigh Bodden Two Days Before Facing Pittsburgh

Leigh Bodden was no longer a starting cornerback for the New England Patriots. He had fallen to third on the depth chart in the 2011 season and he didn't appear to be making the proper adjustments when it came to covering slot receivers.

Still, I have to say that I was surprised when I saw on ESPN's Bottom Line this afternoon that the Pats had released him. I guess that means he won't be making his weekly appearance on the Sports Hub's Felger and Mazz anymore.

Bodden spent three seasons in New England and they were strange ones. He came in as a free agent in 2009 and performed very well with five interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a touchdown. That earned him a four-year, $22 million dollar deal (with approximately $10 million guaranteed).

A torn rotator cuff in a preseason game in 2010 made him miss the entire season and it was clear so far this season, that he wasn't the same player anymore (13 tackles, four assists, four passes defensed) in six games.

In Bodden's place, Antwaun Molden figures to move up a spot behind starters Devin McCourty and Kyle Arrington. This is a scary proposition since Molden was picked up off the scrap heap from Houston during the preseason. I can't say I know much about him but he obviously doesn't have much of a resume.

As far as the injury report goes for Sunday's game at Pittsburgh, Patriots linebacker Dane Fletcher is out and cornerback Ras-I Dowling is doubtful. Linebacker Jerod Mayo, safety Josh Barrett, running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth and offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer are all questionable for New England.

For the Steelers, linebackers James Harrison and Jason Worilds, offensive linemen Chris Hoke and Doug Legursky are all out. Linebacker James Farrior and wide receiver Hines Ward are questionable.

UPDATE 10/29: The Patriots activated veteran running back Kevin Faulk from the PUP list along with defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick and placed Dowling on IR. So if you're a cornerback that can play, report to Foxborough immediately.

UPDATE 10/30: Ward and Farrior have been declared out for today's game. Mayo and Vollmer both return today. Healthy scratches for the Pats include defensive end Jermaine Cunningham (what has happened to him?), running back Shane Vereen, offensive lineman Donald Thomas (who I've never heard of) and wide receiver Julian Edelman.

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Welch Promoted From Practice Squad, Ventrone Released; 3 More Declared Out

As I said last week, you never know what you're going to get in terms of the bottom of the New England Patriots' roster once gameday rolls around.

Today, the Pats announced that offensive lineman Thomas Welch was promoted from the practice squad while safety Ross Ventrone was released (expect him to go back to the practice squad, where he spent the first two weeks of the 2011 season) after getting activated for one week of glory against the Bills.

Welch was a 2010 seventh-round draft pick of New England, who was active in Week 1 against Miami before being released and re-signed to the practice squad (get the picture?).

With Sebastian Vollmer out tomorrow against the Oakland Raiders, rookie Nate Solder is expected to start at right tackle and Welch will add some depth to the offensive linemen.

Ventrone's release likely signals that safety Patrick Chung is healthy enough to play after missing last weekend's game in Buffalo with a hand injury. This is a good thing, the Patriots desperately need his playmaking ability and hard hits. Hell if he can tackle, he'll be a huge improvement over Josh Barrett and Sergio Brown.

The other roster news that broke today is that cornerbacks Leigh Bodden (groin) and Ras-I Dowling (hip) have been declared out for tomorrow. Albert Haynesworth is also out, meaning that New England will need to designate one more inactive before kickoff against Oakland.

Devin McCourty will start opposite either Kyle Arrington (it's gotta be him) or Antwaun Molden. Phillip Adams will be coming off the bench as a substitute for the cornerbacks.

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Patriots Ink Rookies Dowling & Vereen

Ras-I Dowling and Shane Vereen might not exactly be household names right now in New England but come this fall, don't be surprised if they're both getting significant playing time for the Patriots.

Both rookies signed contracts today although as always, the terms were not disclosed.

Dowling is a cornerback out of the University of Virginia and he was the first pick of the second round (33rd overall). I've seen Patriots beat reporters already project him to be in the nickel and dime substitutions for the corners.

Vereen is a running back out of the University of California that was 56th overall in the second round. Tonight in a Q&A with Mike Reiss (in my opinion, the best Patriots reporter) on Twitter, he said Vereen could be 1B on the running backs depth chart (behind BenJarvus Green-Ellis at 1A) so we should see plenty of the shifty but undersized Vereen.

The only 2011 draft pick that remains unsigned by the Patriots is first round pick and offensive lineman Nate Solder. I assume that could happen any day now, no reason for him to miss any more time. The good news is that Matt Light is back so Solder likely will begin the season as a backup (although offensive lineman drop like flies once the hitting starts for real).



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