3RINGS@COUNTING

Vrabel said only 10 players from the 2001 team would have made the cut for this team. 20 from the 2003 team and 30 from the 2004 team would have made the cut for this team.....

PromisedLand

Let's see, Brady, Bruschi, Seymour, Light, Izzo, Vrabes himself and Faulk - are those the only holdovers from 2001? So he thinks only about 3 others would have made this team - I can think of Troy (in his prime), Vinatieri (I know, I know), and Ty Law in his prime ... beyond that, it's hard to remember any other studs from that team ... you know, he might be right!!

edit: Lonnie Paxton was also on the 2001 squad...

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Seacoast Fan

Don't forget Ty Law.

Seacoast Fan

oops, sorry, you had Ty in your answer.... I missed it the first time...

PromisedLand

I actually edited my post about 30 seconds after posting it and added him in... then I added it again just now to add the note about Lonie Paxton.

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kolbitr

You forgot to add Lonie Paxton as someone still on the team. Snow Ball snap!

I would add Ted Johnson, Willie, and Lawyer Milloy (Pro Bowler that year).

Perhaps one wouldn't count Bledsoe, since he would not have been here as a backup had Brady been the starter. He would be better than Cassell, though. And a case could be made for Andruzzi on OL and (maybe) T-Buck on special teams?

I found it interesting to think about...Though I am sure (Before anyone says it!) that Vrabel was not being exact.

Edit: Beaten to Lonie!

PromisedLand

I agree about Willie and Lawyer ... not sure I agree with TJ ... he wouldn't be a starter anyway.

Yes, I agree Vrabes was talking in round numbers, but it is amazing how close he is (IMHO) at least as far as 2001 is concerned. I don't have time to look at the 2003 and 2004 rosters just now but I bet he's not too far off on that either. I wonder if he figured it out himself or if he repeated something he heard from BB or SP?

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kolbitr

Well, TJ was stout against the run--his presence would allow AD to play more OLB. Even if he didn't start, I feel he'd be on the team.

Here's a list of 2003 players still on the roster and not mentioned from your earlier post (correct as necessary):

Jarvis Green, Colvin, Rodney, Asante, Wilson, Kevin Faulk. So that's six more.

Daniel Graham would make the squad, but who else? Ty Poole? Don Davis? Probably not Givens or Branch, unless they were to take over for Washington? That comes near-close to twenty there, taking into consideration our other additions (Willie, maybe TJ, etc).

Fencer

It's tough to interpret because:

A. A lot of the guys who stayed are better now. Does that mean the then-versions of them wouldn't have made the team?

B. Should we count starters who'd be good backups or not?

If we take the more expansive answer to both those questions, then 10 is way too low:

Brady
Bledsoe
Light
Woody
Faulk or Redmond
Brown
Seymour
Hamilton
Vrabel
Bruschi
Phifer
McGinest
T. Johnson
Law
Milloy
O. Smith
Izzo
Tebucky (for STs)
Paxton
Vinateri
Walter

But if the list is more like positions/roles that have or haven't been upgraded (and not just by the same guy staying and getting better, as Brady has), then the keepers are more like:

Vinateri
Paxton
Walter
Izzo
Brady
Troy Brown (close call vs. Welker or Stallworth)
Woody (close call for Neal's guard spot)
Seymour
Bruschi
Vrabel
T. Johnson (close call vs. Seau)
Milloy (close call vs. an aging Rodney)
Law
Bledsoe (as backup QB)

So Vrabel's comment isn't nuts.