August 25th Roster Musings

[mgteich]

We are less than 10 days until the cut to 53 players and another 10 days until we have our beginning 2010 roster (after final signing of vets from other teams).
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THE FINAL THREE ROSTER SPOTS
I think 50 players will win roster spots at the various positions, wlthough we don't really "need" 4 ILB's or 4 safeties or 5 corners. These players give us fine depth.

The "final" roster spots are usually special teamers, although a 10th OL or 5th RB or 7th DL or a utility player are certainly options. Candidates include ARRINGTON, AIKEN, WOODS, Lockett, Alexander, Williams, Bussey, Wendell, Brown, Fletcher, Deaderick, Larsen and Welch. 10 of these are likely to be cut. Several will be on our Practice Squad. At least one player is likey to come from another team, certainly before September 19th (Game 2).
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THREE ROSTER POSITIONS OPEN AT BACKUP OFFENSIVE LINE
There are four positions and the field is still wide open. LeVoir seems to have the Game Day backup OT spot. Ohrnberger and Wendell seem the best candidates for the backup interior line positions; both play all the positions and know Dante's system. Ojinnatta and Bussey seem to be battling for the last position.
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LEWIS AND DEADERICK
I still have Lewis winning the #6 DL roster spot, with Deaderick on the PS.
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WHEATLEY AND WILHITE
I see absolutely no reason to cut either of them. We could have the best #5 corner in the league.
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LINEBACKER
I think that we are all set, with Woods forced to win a special teams spot to stay on the roster. The good news for Woods is that he is one of our top special teamers.
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ROSTER STRUCTURE
OFFENSE (23)
QB 2
RB 4 (we have four solid, healthy, experienced running backs)
WR 5 (we can afford to keep Price as a developmental player with Hernandez on the 53)
TE 3
OL 9 (4 OT, 3 OG, 1 C, 1 OG/C)
DEFENSE (24)
DL 6
OLB 5 (Nino and Murrell edge out Woods)
ILB 4
CB 5 (Arrington is not close to being one of our best 5 corners)
S 4
THE FINAL SPOTS (3)
ST 3 (My choices are Arrington, Woods and Aiken)

 

[bucky]

We could have the best #5 corner in the league.

Well that just gives me a warm and fuzzy!

Seriously though, the #5 CB probably won't be seeing the 45 man game roster unless he's on ST. So the question then becomes - who is a more valuable person to carry on the 53 - 5th corner, 7th DL, 4th safety, 10th OL, etc. Essentially, the last 2 spots on the roster are open to any position. IMHO, we keep a 7th DL. So either one of the 3rd year CBs or one of the OLBs goes.

 

[Mark Morse]

Keep in mind, if the Pats want to keep Josh Barrett, they will have to keep him on the final 53 man roster. Then they can IR him and grab another S. In other words ... I think McGowan gets cut and possibly resigned when Barrett is put on IR.

Also, Assuming he makes the final 53, how does the suspension for Ojinnaka affect the opening day roster?

 

[Sciz]

Barrett to IR when Ojinnaka comes back from suspension. That was easy!

 

[Calciumee]

WR 5 (we can afford to keep Price as a developmental player with Hernandez on the 53)

Do you reckon that Price wouldn't make the team? I can't see anyway that he wouldn't make the team this year!

 

[Patriot 37]

Keep in mind, if the Pats want to keep Josh Barrett, they will have to keep him on the final 53 man roster. Then they can IR him and grab another S. In other words ... I think McGowan gets cut and possibly resigned when Barrett is put on IR.

Also, Assuming he makes the final 53, how does the suspension for Ojinnaka affect the opening day roster?

McGowan has been part of the "starting" Dime package in both preseason games. There NO way he gets cut.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Keep in mind, if the Pats want to keep Josh Barrett, they will have to keep him on the final 53 man roster. Then they can IR him and grab another S. In other words ... I think McGowan gets cut and possibly resigned when Barrett is put on IR.

Also, Assuming he makes the final 53, how does the suspension for Ojinnaka affect the opening day roster?

They can place Barrett (or anyone else, without subjecting them to waivers) on IR on August 31, the day rosters need to be cut to 75.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

They can place Barrett on IR on August 31, the day rosters need to be cut to 75.

I was going to say, they IRed McKenzie before the start of the season last year, so there had to be some point pre-season where they could do that without exposing him to waivers.

In any case, as someone noted, Ojinnaka is suspended for week 1 anyways, so he wouldn't count against the 53 at that point.

 

[jmt57]

I'm pretty much in agreement with mgteich, the roster seems to have worked itself out primarily due to injuries. Some of the roster spots have worked themselves out due to injuries to other players at that position. However, I think there may be more than three roster spots that are still undecided at this point. For example the Pats could go with four RB and six WR, or they could go with five each. How many offensive linemen, how many defensive linemen, how many linebackers? I do agree that the final spots are as much or more about special teams as they are for the 'official' position on the field for the player. It could come down to an offensive lineman vs a defensive lineman, or lineman vs a linebacker rather than simply 'which offensive lineman?' gets to stay.



QB (2): Position is set with Brady and Hoyer.
RB (4/5): Maroney and Faulk are locked in. One of Taylor, Morris or BJGE could be cut, or they could all make the roster.
TE (3): The rookies are automatics, and Crumpler is a lock because the Pats are not going to play the season with just two rookies at the position.
WR (5/6): Moss, Welker, Edelman, Tate and Price are locks. There is a chance that the Pats go with those five rather than a sixth receiver due to the addition of Hernandez; that would leave Aiken on the bubble.
OL (9/10): Light, Vollmer, Koppen, Neal and Connolly are the starters. Kaczur is a huge question mark, it sounds like he could end up on IR; Ojinnaka appears to have been brought in to replace him, though he is certainly no lock at this point even if Kaczur is done. LeVoir came into camp as the first backup OT, though I haven't seen or heard much about him this month. The other positions are between Ohrnberger, Bussey, Wendell, Welch, and Larsen; Ghiaciuc and Simmons appear to be on the outside looking in.

DL (6/7): Wilfork, Wright and Warren are the starters right now. One of Brace, Pryor, Deaderick or Lewis could be cut, or all four could make the team. From that group Lewis and Deaderick seem to be the ones on the bubble.
OLB (5/6): TBC and Cunningham are locks, and it would be a shock if Burgess were to be cut. That leaves Murrell, Ninkovich and Woods all either on the team, or possibly battling for one spot.
ILB (4/5): Mayo, Spikes and Guyton are locks, and McKenzie is a near-lock; Alexander, Fletcher and Williams are on the bubble.
S (4/5): The Pats are set with Meriweather, Chung, Sanders and McGowan. Lockett was a possibility before camp, but he hasn't been able to get on the field. Brown is a longshot.
CB (5/6): Bodden, Butler and McCourty are locks. That leaves Wheatley, Arrington and Wilhite all either on the team, or battling for two spots between them.

ST (3): Gostkowski, Mesko and Ingram.



Granted some of those I mentioned are either longshots (Brown) or near-locks (McKenzie) but in my opinion there may be a half dozen or more roster spots still undecided.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

I was going to say, they IRed McKenzie before the start of the season last year, so there had to be some point pre-season where they could do that without exposing him to waivers.

In any case, as someone noted, Ojinnaka is suspended for week 1 anyways, so he wouldn't count against the 53 at that point.

I edited my original post. They can IR a player anytime, however before Aug 31 they must pass through waivers first. This is how the Pats acquired Barrett, Denver exposed him to waivers with the intention of placing him on IR and the Pats claimed him.

 

[JSn]

Do you reckon that Price wouldn't make the team? I can't see anyway that he wouldn't make the team this year!

Price represents a bonus solid WR, but if it came to shove, he's the most expendable of the group. He won't see a ton of play-time, but he'd NEVER make it through waivers.

I like your thinking here, MG. The OL is the only part of this roster that seems cloudy.

I could see either Wilhite or Wheatley getting traded, but they both have more value to us than a seventh round pick (generally speaking).

 

[BlueThunder]

My best guess is if Deaderick is cut...he goes to PS

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

I was going to say, they IRed McKenzie before the start of the season last year, so there had to be some point pre-season where they could do that without exposing him to waivers.

In any case, as someone noted, Ojinnaka is suspended for week 1 anyways, so he wouldn't count against the 53 at that point.

I don't know if McKenzie was exposed to waivers last year or not, McKenzie's injury was in rookie camp not training camp, don't know if the IR rules are different because of that. Also because McKenzie's injury happened in rookie camp, right after the draft he was not signed to a contract at that time. If there is no contract, then he wouldn't be able to go through waivers anyway.

 

[patchick]

Another bit to muse over: if Aiken is cut, as many project, who gets the special teams captain job?

 

[jmt57]

McKenzie was placed on IR on August 31 last year:

Tyrone McKenzie - Official New England Patriots Biography

As I recall it was fodder for PFT and for Pats haters (Pats are cheap, they're not going to pay him, they're just going to cut him, etc.) out there until they could actually IR him.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

McKenzie was placed on IR on August 31 last year:

Tyrone McKenzie - Official New England Patriots Biography

As I recall it was fodder for PFT and for Pats haters (Pats are cheap, they're not going to pay him, they're just going to cut him, etc.) out there until they could actually IR him.

This makes me wicked pissed. People who get paid to write about football for a living should be intimately familiar with the rules, salary cap, etc. instead of pubishing agenda based ignorance.

/rant

Fun thread topic. Not much to disagree with

 

[cstjohn17]

This may help with the final 4-5 spots where special teams play is critical.

From ESPN Boston, Special teams breakdown - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

"Punt coverage: Sergio Brown, Kyle Arrington, Brandon McGowan, Eric Alexander, Rob Ninkovich, Jake Ingram, Pierre Woods, Jerod Mayo, Sam Aiken, Patrick Chung, Zoltan Mesko

Punt return: Darius Butler, Kyle Arrington, Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, James Sanders, Aaron Hernandez, Eric Alexander, Rob Ninkovich, Sam Aiken, Pierre Woods, Brandon Tate

Kickoff coverage: Kyle Arrington, Brandon McGowan, Devin McCourty, Pierre Woods, Eric Alexander, Rob Ninkovich, Sergio Brown, Sam Aiken, Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, Stephen Gostkowski

Kickoff return: Sam Aiken, Tyrone McKenzie, Marques Murrell, Eric Alexander, Pierre Woods, Brandon McGowan, Alge Crumpler, Dan Connolly, Aaron Hernandez, Sammy Morris, Brandon Tate "


Watch these units closely the next two weeks. I expect one or two players to come from outside the organization, either via waiver wire or by trade. Nervous time of year to be Slater, Aiken, Alexander, Brown, Nincovich, Woods, Murrell, Arrington, etc.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

If the meue of ST players changes tomorrow, sans injury reasons, it may be an indication of who's out.

 

[mgteich]

I expect Price to make the team, as I would with anyone drafted in the first four rounds. My point was that he is a developmental player who will likely be inactive almost always. We can afford that easily since Hernadez is available for WR duties, giving us five solid wide receivers.

Do you reckon that Price wouldn't make the team? I can't see anyway that he wouldn't make the team this year!

 

[Deus Irae]

I expect Price to make the team, as I would with anyone drafted in the first four rounds. My point was that he is a developmental player who will likely be inactive almost always. We can afford that easily since Hernadez is available for WR duties, giving us five solid wide receivers.

If this team is consistently using Hernandez as a true "wide receiver", there's a depth problem again, just like last year.