I was particularly interested in a newcomer, Michael Floyd, a receiver recently cut by the Arizona Cardinals after a DUI incident. The way the NFL works, players cut during the season are technically waived, which allows teams to 'claim' the player, starting with the lowest ranked (worst) team and moving up in ascending order. At the time that the Patriots claimed Floyd, every other team save one, the Cowboys, had passed on him.
Not surprising, really. DUI is a serious offense and generally signals deeper underlying issues, maybe even addictions. Add in that Floyd would potentially provide help to just a handful of playoff-bound teams and that he would have a few short weeks to learn enough of the playbook to be a factor, and its more surprising that any team grabbed him.
The Patriots roll differently. They saw a player with tremendous upside who might be in need of a better situation. The team trusts its veteran players to infuse the new players with the winning culture. They provide the needed resources for players with an imperfect history to make a course correction. The team does not define players by their worst moments.
I was greatly impressed by newcomer Floyd. He played hard and turned in two exemplary effort plays. One in which he dragged four opposing players into the end zone for a score and another in which he hustled to make a clean, but brutal block to free up his teammate for another score. It was great effort by a player with a second chance.
Effort is a character-defining trait. Effort does not guarantee success, but indeed, it's the only thing that delivers it. Well done, Michael Floyd.
