WEEI.com: More Pats Under Post-Minicamp Microscope

[Christopher_Price]

All right, folks. You asked for it, and I delivered. Based on the suggestions from this thread -- as well as the suggestions of some e-mailers -- I have completely emptied out my notebook and delivered more post-minicamp observations on a dozen more players.

Christopher Price | More Pats Under The Post-Minicamp Microscope

As always, don't be shy with your opinions. And sign up to follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/capeleaguer.

 

[efin98]

Great break down Chris.

Nice of you to include the mention of Crables' legs...multiple pages of talk finally answered there

 

[patchick]

Excellent piece, Chris. I came away with a very encouraging impression of everybody's favorite worry spot, the LB corps. Would you agree?

 

[MetalBleachers]

Thanks a lot, Chris. Good to get the full perspective as we get into the lean weeks. I'm rooting for Redd due to his potential, but having too many linebackers can't be a bad thing.

 

[ALP]

very nice chris thanks

interesting note about wilhite, i was of the opinion that wheatly was ahead of him....

as for crable and his skinny legs gone thats a nice sign, and his speed isn't something bad either

so u say Lenon is really making that type of an impact....do u see any possibility he starts next to Mayo? could he take on blockers?

 

[fgssand]

great stuff chris...........is it september yet??????

 

[Sicilian]

Very interesting to hear that Slater is going to be playing mostly safety... the numbers game there could create some surprises as well:

Meriweather
Sanders
Chung
Williams
McGowan
Spann
Slater

I'm guessing McGowan doesn't make it. Williams is good as a hybrid S/LB for situational purposes. Spann and Slater have special teams value. Be interesting to see.

 

[jmt57]

interesting note about wilhite, i was of the opinion that wheatly was ahead of him....

As I recall last year Wilhite was being used primarily to cover slot receivers, while Wheatley was used on the outside. I wonder if that will still be the case with the turnover on the roster at the CB position.

 

[363839]

That was a fun read. It gives me a lot of confidence for this team.
Particularly on D.
Loved hearing about Crable too. Sounds good.
Thanks Chris.

 

[patsfan13]

Thanks Chris, good info.
Happy to hear the secondary appears to be deep and could be better than in recent years.


Happy to hear about Crable also.


How do you feel Redd has progressed since last year?

 

[Frezo]

Good article. Well done. Applause applause... It seems there are a lot of new players worth following this pre-season.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Excellent read. Makes me hunger for those many TC reports, now just 6 weeks away!

 

[Dragda]

Hey, great work. You're improving as a journalist--one of the best now.

 

[AzPatsFan]

This was a good summary of the critical players. The most important two peopel are Woods and crabel.. it sggod to hear that Woods si at 258 pounds, that si almost exactly the weifght at which Willie and Vrabel played the SOLB position.

It is also good to hear that Crabel has beefed up and particularly in his lower body, is playing hard. I thought it was optomistic to list him at 243 last season. It didn't look like he even weighed 240, last season. What do you think he weighs in at now? Is he over 245, the minimum that I think it takes to be an OLB for the Pats?

 

[patsox23]

Great stuff, as always, Chris. Really enjoyed it. Almost like being there!

 

[PatsBoy12]

Thank you for taking the time to produce this for the board.

 

[Gwedd]

Yes indeedy,

Thanks much for this post, and all the other ones. it's nice to watch you progress over time into a first-class journalist.

respects,

 

[RayClay]

Thanks chris, that's gold. Great to hear the young linebackers have been totally dedicated and Lenon has stepped up to the challenge.

Had to LOL about Matt Slater, though. I sure hope he's got confidence from his new coach, but the coach can't catch those kickoffs. Being a nervous at first type myself, I sympathize, but when you have no position and your rep is based on kick returns, you need to start getting it right the first time everytime pretty soon.

Unfortunate fact of life. There's other people who can return and play teams.

 

[PYPER]

That was an excellent piece. Great job! Keep up the good work.

 

[JoeSixPat]

On Ron Brace VERRRY interesting that the Pats are taking no chances of letting the media - or anyone else - see him - period.

Ron Brace: I would love to tell you I saw plenty of the big 6-foot-3, 330-pound rookie out of Boston College. But the defensive linemen practice in the far corner of the practice field, so far away from where the media was sitting that whatever they were doing was a mostly just a rumor to us. As a result, I don’t have many notes on his performance throughout the spring practices.

Obviously if he were sucking it up and that got reported that's going to change their negotiating stance with Wilfork... best to have the team issue positive statements if need be and keep him from the press.

In this case I get the feeling that they aren't interested in doing anything that might inflame potential negotiations with Wilfork. So I take that as a very good sign.