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Defensive Line (10): Vince Wilfork, Kyle Love, Jonathan Fanene, Ron Brace, Brandon Deaderick, Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jake Bequette, Jermaine Cunningham, Trevor Scott
Linebacker (6): Jerod Mayo, Dont’a Hightower, Brandon Spikes, Bobby Carpenter, Jeff Tarpinian, Niko Koutovides
Cornerback (5): Devin McCourty, Ras-I Dowling, Kyle Arrington, Sterling Moore, Will Allen
Safety (4): Pat Chung, Steve Gregory, Tavon Wilson, James Ihedigbo
Practice Squad (4): DT Marcus Forston, LB Mike Rivera, CB Malcolm Williams, SS Nate Ebner
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Tried to look at the Week #1 roster makeup from past years to see if there are any noticeable trends. None of these are absolutes, but generally see:
1) 10 active skill position players (RB, WR, TE)
2) 7 active OL plus 2 more inactive
3) 4 active RBs plus 1 more inactive
4) 6 dedicated active STers (non-returners)
While this doesn't say anything directly about the defense, it does make everything else fairly predictable...solidifying the defense by process of elimination:
46 active - 2 QBs - 10 skill - 7 OL - 6 ST = 21 active defenders
7 inactive - 1 QB - 2 OL - 1 skill = 3 inactive defenders
That means a trend of 24 total defenders as you are forecasting. My best guess based on the info above:
Active
QB Brady, Hoyer
RB Ridley, Vereen, Woodhead, Demps
WR Lloyd, Welker, 2 of Edelman/Gaffney/Stallworth/Branch
TE Gronkowski, Hernandez (keeping a healthy Fells displaces a WR)
OT Solder, Vollmer, Cannon
C/G Connolly, Mankins, Koppen/Thomas/Waters, Wendell
ST Gostkowski, Mesko, Aiken, Slater, Tarpinian/White/Niko/Larsen, Ebner/Cole
Inactive
QB Mallett
RB Bolden (or a hurt WR/TE with Bolden going to PS)
OL McDonald, JWarren (or other dev guy)
That leaves 21 active and 3 inactive defenders. While this is all interesting to discuss, injuries will have more to do with the roster makeup than any prognosticating we can do at this point.
The guys who would "definitely" get snaps on defense are in bold. (Of course, the depth chart could flip.) Comments in bold too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mayoclinic
Core Defensive Personnel (19):
DT/DE(4): Wilfork, Love, Fanene,Deaderick
DE/OLB(4): Jones, Ninkovich,Bequette,Cunningham
LB(4): Mayo, Hightower, Spikes, Carpenter
S(3): Chung, Gregory, Wilson
CB(4): McCourty, Dowling, Arrington,Moore But with 6 guys to back up, the 7th guy is a good bet to get some snaps.
I would expect all of these guys to be on the active game day roster, barring injury.
Additional Defensive Personnel (5):
DT/DE(1): One out of Warren/Harrison/Brace/Forston
DE/OLB(1): One out of Scott/Francis
LB(1): One out of Tarpinian/White/Koutivides Presumably active DB(2): Ebner, Dennard Definitely want one active for depth, and to soak up ST reps that the actual defensive players would otherwise have to take.
I would see 2 of these guys being on the active game day roster, barring injury. Of course, there's always the possibility that one or more could play themselves onto the "core" list (e.g., Dennard supplanting more as the 4th CB, Scott/Francis supplanting Cunningham as the 4th DE/OLB).
Possible PUP:
DT/DE: Pryor
DE/OLB: Possibly Andre Carter
I'd be pretty happy with that group.
I'd be happy with it too.
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"To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness." -- Oscar Wilde
RDE/DE Jones
DT/NT Wilfork
DT/DE Fanene
LDE/OLB Ninkovich
WLB/ILB Mayo
MLB/ILB Spikes
SLB/OLB Hightower
LCB McCourty
RCB Arrington
SS Chung
FS Gregory
2nd Team...
RDE/DE Bequette
DT/NT Love
DT/DE Deaderick
LDE/OLB Cunningham
WLB/ILB Carpenter
MLB/ILB Rivera
SLB/OLB Tarpinian
LCB Moore
RCB Dowling
SS Ebner
FS Wilson
... gets me to 22
I agree that capping the D at 24 makes sense given the logjam at TE/FB/WR/RB. So for my last two roster spots...
- Cole (as a gunner)
- Brace (as Fanene insurance)
Practice squad
- Dennard
- Williams
- Francis
Waived and likely to be claimed
- Scott
- Barrett
Shadow roster
- Allen
- Koutouvides
- Ihedibo
- Warren
- Carter
- Brown
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"We want to build a big, strong, tough, smart, fast, disciplined football team that will consistently compete for a championship."
-- Scott Pioli, from the Patriots scouting manual
1) I too am pretty happy with this group. I certainly agree with your core.
2) I would list the backup DB's as "DB(2): Two out of Dennard/Ebner/Ihedigbo/Barrett/Cole".
3) Of the backups, I could see only the Ster being active, giving us 3 inactives. I could also see 2 inacives as you indicated.
4) In any case, injuries likely still have a role to play. For example, I could see Dennard ending up on the IR.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mayoclinic
I've had 25 offense/25 defense until recently. But with (1) Pryor looking increasingly likely to start the season on PUP, (2) Dane Fletcher going on IR, (3) the versatility shown by some of the core defensive players, and (4) the Demps signing and the increasing squeeze on offense, I think 26 offense/24 defense. It could even be as skewed as 27/23.
I would expect all of these guys to be on the active game day roster, barring injury.
Additional Defensive Personnel (5):
DT/DE(1): One out of Warren/Harrison/Brace/Forston
DE/OLB(1): One out of Scott/Francis
LB(1): One out of Tarpinian/White/Koutivides
DB(2): Ebner, Dennard
I would see 2 of these guys being on the active game day roster, barring injury. Of course, there's always the possibility that one or more could play themselves onto the "core" list (e.g., Dennard supplanting more as the 4th CB, Scott/Francis supplanting Cunningham as the 4th DE/OLB).
I've had 25 offense/25 defense until recently. But with (1) Pryor looking increasingly likely to start the season on PUP, (2) Dane Fletcher going on IR, (3) the versatility shown by some of the core defensive players, and (4) the Demps signing and the increasing squeeze on offense, I think 26 offense/24 defense. It could even be as skewed as 27/23.
I would expect all of these guys to be on the active game day roster, barring injury.
Additional Defensive Personnel (5):
DT/DE(1): One out of Warren/Harrison/Brace/Forston
DE/OLB(1): One out of Scott/Francis
LB(1): One out of Tarpinian/White/Koutivides
DB(2): Ebner, Dennard
I would see 2 of these guys being on the active game day roster, barring injury. Of course, there's always the possibility that one or more could play themselves onto the "core" list (e.g., Dennard supplanting more as the 4th CB, Scott/Francis supplanting Cunningham as the 4th DE/OLB).
Possible PUP:
DT/DE: Pryor
DE/OLB: Possibly Andre Carter
I'd be pretty happy with that group.
Belichick is going to cut Vince Wilfork? Bold move. Reminiscent of Lawyer Milloy.
Re: 24 Defensive Players
Linear Mode
