mgteich

We have great hope For Tate, McKenzie, Crable & Wheatley. Hopefully, they are all healthy and step up. However, hope is not a plan. Belichick used his top picks for each or their positions (in addition to meeting the need at punter and tight end). Maybe one of them will beat out his new competition, perhaps not.

BelichickFan

Tate is a little different from the rest as Moss and Holt are aging FA after this season so Tate and Price could end up partnering as starters, not competing for one spot.

mgteich

Agreed..........

Part of my point is that Belichick has been doing his job. He has draftedsolid prospects at all these positions. These four have been injured.
As far as meeting the tight end need, Belichick has tried the free agency route every year, with little success.

AndyJohnson

There is room for Tate regardless. And he was drated with a known injury.
I know it is possible that a player can have a total epiphany and realize all of their potential in one off-season, so Wheatley should still be allowed to show up for camp, but the chances of him being on this team are as close to zero as it can get, IMO. And thats a good thing.
McKenzie and Crable are interesting. Crable has missed 2 years with what TO US seemed to be less than severe injuries, yet has a clear path to be a starter with a good 3 weeks of practice. McKenzie had a very unfortunate debilitating injury not much later than stretching after the first ever minicamp practice of his career, (meaning he seems somehow less culpable for his predicament) yet seems blocked at his position.

Do we need any of them? NOPE
Would it be nice to have them? YUP
If we ca have them healthy and at the level that was expected of them at the draft I'd say Crable would be best to have, the Tate, McKenze and Wheatley.
The most interesting part is that Mike Mayock once again last weekend called Tate "a first round talent that they took in the 3rd because of his injury"
IF Tate truly is first round talent, we are loaded at WR.

condon84

McKenzie, Crable and Tate had legit excuses due to injury reasons. Wheatley on the other hand was relatively healthy all last season but was scratched or inactive neverthless for majority of the games.

I don't expect much from him.

The Dynasty

Tate will definitely be on the team. We need WRs until Welker returns and Tate can also play ST so he would be more valuble than a WR say like Patten.

Crable I think really has a good chance of starting this season. I think either he or Cunningham will start and I will have to give the edge to Crable. He could really play in college.

McKenzie I think will make the team but will see less playing time than the other too. I think we will see Spikes starting next to Mayo with Guyton coming in on passing downs. I see McKenzie as a 4th ILB.

Wheatley I think will make he team and be the teams 4th CB and play in some sub packages. We really arent that deep at CB even with McCourty so I think all of the guys will stay

__________________
"It is what it is" -Bill Belichick

"...as the head coach I can kind of do whatever I want. If I want to coach the punters, I can go coach the punters. If I want to watch the offensive guards, I can watch the offensive guards." - Bill Belichick

the wrothbroughterer

Of everyone in that group I have the highest hopes for Tate. The WR corps isn't exactly thin, but very much up for grabs after Moss. Add in his potential as a return man and he could be on the field an awful lot this year. I think best case scenario for him is 50 catches, splitting time with McCourty on punts, and is one of the 2 kick returners.

shirtsleeve

Agree completely. I do hope McKenzie has a chance to show us what he can do before he gets cast aside. I had high hopes for him.

Crable seems cursed. The OLB position needs help, so I hope he is properly healed. He has been around the team for a while now and should have a mental understanding of the scheme.

Tate, I wasn't expecting much last season. He rushed back early as a rook and it cost him the whole season. This is the year I had expected him to make inroads with the team.

Buh bye Wheatley.

unoriginal

It would be a great surprise if Crable is starting at the beginning of the year. He has been out of football the greater part of two years.

Having been in the weight room and the film room, and having an intellectual understanding of the larger scheme means he could go from suck to full-time starter really quickly, but first he is going to be running around on the field for months trying to get back into the flow of the game.

cmasspatsfan

BB spoke very highly of Mckenzie last year so I think he will be given every opportunity to make the team. They also knew Tate would miss 2009 and if healthy should be on the team. These are the two I have the most hope for surprising us.