5C and later - the long shots

[mgteich]

We have a very strong roster. Ingam certainly has a reasonable shot at beating out Hodel, but the old vet might hold his own.

Which of the long-shots do you think has one chance in three or more to make the roster? I think the top candidates are on the list below. All should be able to compete for Practice Squad positions, not the worst job in the world.

Ingram LS
Appleby ILB
Hoyer QB
Bussey OL
Pryor DL
Richard DL
Edleman WR

 

[AzPatsFan]

We have a very strong roster. Ingam certainly has a reasonable shot at beating out Hodel, but the old vet might hold his own.

Which of the long-shots do you think has one chance in three or more to make the roster? I think the top candidates are on the list below. All should be able to compete for Practice Squad positions, not the worst job in the world.

Ingram LS
Appleby ILB
Hoyer QB
Bussey OL
Pryor DL
Richard DL
Edleman WR

I think Ingram wins the LS job outright. Of course that also makes him a starter as well.

Another guy who can make the roster is two-down run stuffer Antonio Appleby. There are two openings on the LB corps. Vrabels and Larry Okies old jobs. TBC has taken one but the other on is available and open.

 

[mgteich]

I agree that with McKenzie on the IR, there is an open LB spot. Appleby is indeed one option. He will need to show that he is more valuable than Alexander and even Tank Williams who both want that roster spot.

I suspect that none of three will make the roster. I certainly hope that we bring in a free agent linebacker capable of making the 53-man roster.

I think Ingram wins the LS job outright. Of course that also makes him a starter as well.

Another guy who can make the roster is two-down run stuffer Antonio Appleby. There are two openings on the LB corps. Vrabels and Larry Okies old jobs. TBC has taken one but the other on is available and open.

 

[KevinFaulk-33]

Darryl Richard. I think he is a guy that con be useful, and he is very intelligent!

 

[patchick]

How about Bussey to beat out Yates? He can play some RT, too.

 

[Jimke]

We have a very strong roster. Ingam certainly has a reasonable shot at beating out Hodel, but the old vet might hold his own.

Which of the long-shots do you think has one chance in three or more to make the roster? I think the top candidates are on the list below. All should be able to compete for Practice Squad positions, not the worst job in the world.

Ingram LS
Appleby ILB
Hoyer QB
Bussey OL
Pryor DL
Richard DL
Edleman WR

The old veteran may be a clubhouse lawyer. He was the very vocal

player representative at Arizona. Maybe, that got him canned.

 

[WhiZa]

Appleby has the best chance with Mckenzie going down. I liked Appleby on draft day (but UDFA is fine too), thought I haven't heard much about him since.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

What about Hoyer beating out Guitz?

If Hoyer has anything more than a pop gun for an arm, I think he has a chance.

 

[mgteich]

Since I have Ohrenberger as a lock, Bussey would need to beat out both Yates and Hochstein. If we can, we should have an experienced Game Day backup. This is the position who backs up at LG, RG and C.

I see two backup interior OL positions that we are discussing. I think that Hochstein and Ohrenberger are the heavy favorites.

GAME DAY BACKUP INTERIOR OL
Candidates: Hochstein, Yates, Connelly, Wendall, Johnson

DEVELOPMENTAL INTERIOR OL BACKUP
Candidates: Ohrenberger, Connelly, Wendall, Bussey

How about Bussey to beat out Yates? He can play some RT, too.

 

[farn]

Even though I hope to see TFB all day, every day... I'll go out on a limb and say Edelman.

Here's my reasoning : he's versatile and athletic and I don't see the other teams giving up a spot for him. So... I think he's a PSquad lock. The others COULD make the team, but this could be 07 all over again, with lotsa rookies, not much room, and craploads of BB's offsprings waiting to pick 'em up !

EDIT : you already said PSquad is where it's at... sorry... in that case, maybe my pick is less of a garantee.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Ingram has the best shot of making the roster. Hopefully we get one or two of the other later picks to stick as well.

 

[BPF]

How about Bussey to beat out Yates? He can play some RT, too.

I'd have to agree here, Bussey is very underrated in my eyes. I also see Ingram having a good shot, of course he needs to get stronger but he is athletic.

 

[mgteich]

Clearly Bussey is underrared by many. Almost everyone but Belichick thinks that he should have been an UDFA. Belichick drafted him in the 5th.

I'd have to agree here, Bussey is very underrated in my eyes. I also see Ingram having a good shot, of course he needs to get stronger but he is athletic.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

Clearly Bussey is underrared by many. Almost everyone but Belichick thinks that he should have been an UDFA. Belichick drafted him in the 5th.

I agree, the more I research Bussey the more I like him to make the team. Out of your original list I think that Ingram LS, Appleby ILB will make the roster with Richard or Pryor on the PR depending on preseason play. I realize that this will mean that some vets will be cut but I think that guys like Yates, Connelly and Wendall are going to be pushed.

I am intrigued with Appleby possibly being able to rep with Guyton at SILB if Bru were to go down or now work out this season. Appleby has experience in the 3-4 and production

"Coming from the University of Virginia, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebacker made 227 tackles in his four-year college career. He made 4.5 sacks and made 16.5 tackles for a loss. In his final season, Appleby made a career-high 72 tackles."

Patriots sign five rookie free agents – New England Patriots - NESN.com

It will be interesting to see if BB will try to bring in a ILB now that McKenzie has gone down for the year or is he comfortable with Bru and Guyton working with Appleby??

 

[Jimke]

I agree, the more I research Bussey the more I like him to make the team. Out of your original list I think that Ingram LS, Appleby ILB will make the roster with Richard or Pryor on the PR depending on preseason play. I realize that this will mean that some vets will be cut but I think that guys like Yates, Connelly and Wendall are going to be pushed.

I am intrigued with Appleby possibly being able to rep with Guyton at SILB if Bru were to go down or now work out this season. Appleby has experience in the 3-4 and production

"Coming from the University of Virginia, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebacker made 227 tackles in his four-year college career. He made 4.5 sacks and made 16.5 tackles for a loss. In his final season, Appleby made a career-high 72 tackles."

Patriots sign five rookie free agents – New England Patriots - NESN.com

It will be interesting to see if BB will try to bring in a ILB now that McKenzie has gone down for the year or is he comfortable with Bru and Guyton working with Appleby??

The Pats may cut more vets than normal because so many have contracts

that expire after 2009. They have the rights to rookies for 4 years.

 

[BradyManny]

We have a very strong roster. Ingam certainly has a reasonable shot at beating out Hodel, but the old vet might hold his own.

Which of the long-shots do you think has one chance in three or more to make the roster? I think the top candidates are on the list below. All should be able to compete for Practice Squad positions, not the worst job in the world.

Ingram LS
Appleby ILB
Hoyer QB
Bussey OL
Pryor DL
Richard DL
Edleman WR

I think Ingram will make it, they've shown that position is important to them, they got the best player in college at that position and can now invest a few years in him.

Appleby has a chance to take the spot McKenzie would've had.

Bussey will struggle to make the squad given the depth at OL, especially inside, is quite good.

I see Hoyer destined for PS, I'd rather carry 2 QBs and have him and Gutes on PS, I think you feel the same.

I don't see either of Richard/Pryor making the team this season, but hopefully they land on PS and make it next year when DL will need some potential replacements.

I don't see room for Edelman either unfortunately, but again, he's another guy who I hope can land on the PS.

I'm always nervous about cutting a guy and having him move to the PS, especially when so many teams out there are beginning to value the same things the Pats do. But more often than not, its not an issue, so these guys will go to PS and compete for a roster spot again next season.

 

[DocE]

I think Ingram is a favorite to win a 53 man spot as not many long snappers are drafted. Pryor and Richard are in a numbers crunch on the DL, but one of them could possibly stick though it will be tough for Pryor as his height appears to limit him to the NT position. Don't count on getting a DL that looks good in preseason through to the practice squad. I could see somebody snagging Pryor or Richard off waivers. I think Bussey is in the toughest spot of all the drafted rookies to make the team. Why? I can't see the Patriots keeping 3 rookie Olineman on a roster that will likely contain a total of 9 Olineman. I think Bussey is targeted for the practice squad unless he beats our Ohrnberger. Edelman has a shot at the active roster if he proves he can cover kicks, return punts, and play the slot. I think he'll likely wind up on the practice squad as well. Hoyer competes with Gutierrez and a possible veteran QB for the 3rd QB slot. If Gutierrez wins the 3rd spot, I don't see the Pats keeping a QB on the practice squad. I think it's possible the Pats go with just 2 QB's on the active roster and Hoyer on the practice squad. Appleby has a shot now that McKenzie is out for the year.

A lot of guys are in competition with the likes of Yates, Hochstein, Slater, Adams, Smith, Ventrone, and Slater for bottom of the roster slots. I could see the fates of these players also being affected by the play of guys like Mike Richardson and Dave Thomas who might force the Pats to keep an extra DB or TE and bump someone from another position group.

 

[Pats726]

Clearly Ingram has the best shot of sticking....I think a LOT will depend on injuries of course...I really like Richard an dPryor...but it may be a numbers game..If Edelman can play tough special teams, he may have a shot as well...

 

[mgteich]

How could Belichick possibly be comfortable with Appleby without any camp competition in case he isn't worth more than a Practice Squad spot, and in case of injury?

It will be interesting to see if BB will try to bring in a ILB now that McKenzie has gone down for the year or is he comfortable with Bru and Guyton working with Appleby??

 

[mgteich]

You guys do understand that Hodel is one of the best deep snappers in the NFL and that Ingram was the best in the NCAA?