Top 5 players to watch in TC

[BobDigital]

Just my list of 5 guys that i think should draw the most eyes in training camp. Easley and Gronk will likely not do much in the off season program on the field and so are not included.

#5 Harmon - S - As i said in a previous post safety is one of the less deep positions on this team. Ryan moving there for some snaps could help with that but the back end depth is very shaky. Wilson/Ebner are special teams players, J. Thomas is talented but a rookie so not a lot of instant impact is to be expected. We all know exactly what Chung is and he will fill his roll. Harmon however is in the position of being the 2nd year guy you hopes steps up and solidifies this spot. I am hoping for a strong camp from him.

#4 Garappolo - QB - This is the most interesting player to watch for me. It will be nice to see what we spent a 2nd round pick on. However the impact he will have this year will be minimal. The only reason he makes this list is he could actaully makes a fairly big impact this year by allowing us to free up a roster spot if he plays well. That could mean keeping that extra DL or that young WR you hope develops and could turn out to actually be important.

#3 Armstead - DT - This player is gonna draw the most fire as some would argue he is #1 and some would argue he has shown nothing and should not be on this list at all. However I will go the middle route. The talent is undeniable. He is going to be the DL man that is most watched in TC as i expect Easley not to do anything in the off season (perhaps not even 1 preseason game). Armstead has proven nothing but has been called a 2nd round talent. With a year to sit and learn now is the time to see what he can do.

#2 Stork - C - Not too much to add here. We all know what is at stake. He is fighting for a starting job and though we will probably keep Wendell no matter what anyway we are all hopeful he is healthy and perhaps can have an immediate impact fixing the middle of our OL which was a huge problem last year.

#1 Dobson - WR - Kind of a surprise to some maybe but it shouldn't be. We have issues with our offensive weapons. We know what Edelman is. Amendola if healthy can be decent as seen game 1 against Buffalo but he doesn't tend to stay healthy. Lafell is a vet with a lowish ceiling that we hope can pick up the O and step in as a #3. Dobson though is the key to this unit this year. Edelman carried it last year but we need another reliable 1000 yard option. Dobson hopefully can do this. I am looking for him to "fingers crossed* come in here and set a tone. He has the ability to be a very good (not elite) outside target and i am hoping he can do that. WRs are notorious for making big 2nd year jumps in the NFL and Dobson making one will be a key to our offense moving forward.

 

[jah]

I think the most pivotal players (most likely to cause the team to sink or swim) are:

-every single WR on the roster could pretty much end up at any spot on the depth chart. We really have no idea what the regular season WR corps will look like, or how effective it will be. The potential is there for great things, but this group could just as easily implode as well.

-TEs Watson, Jones, Williams: all may be longshots given their college production (and lack of NFL production in Williams' case) but it would be really nice to see one of them show some receiving ability. I don't think we necessarily need to replace Hernandez, but I'd rather not see the team stop throwing to TEs altogether when Gronk is injured.

-C Stork: if he can be good enough to start over Wendell, the line would be in good shape. Still, though, it's important to keep in mind that he's just a fourth round rookie.

-T/G Cannon: if he's truly capable of being a full-time guard, he'll take Connolly's job this year.

-DEs Smith and Buchanan: defensive lines in the current NFL are not made up of one starting caliber player per starting position. A rotation of good players is crucial, and a reserve DE needs to step up.

-all the LBs behind Mayo, Hightower, Collins: there is literally no depth unless one of them steps up. Beauharnais seems most likely.

-S Harmon: putting Ryan at SS could be interesting, but don't you think a defensive backfield of all cornerbacks might leave the defense a little weak to the run? Harmon played fine for a third round rookie last year and it's not impossible that he makes the starting job his own.

My top 5 players I'll be watching will probably be:

1. Harmon
2. Dobson
3. Beauharnais
4. Buchanan
5. Cannon

 

[goheels22002]

My top five:

1) Asa Watson - has the tools and if he's in NFL shape after losing so much time to the heart surgery, he could be the surprise UDFA

2) Darelle Revis - it's been a while since the Patriots have had a player of this caliber in the secondary

3) Brandon LaFell and Aaron Dobson - if these two WRs are effective, Brady will have the big outside the numbers threats he needs to make the most of Edelman, Amendola and Boyce

4) Marcus Cannon - it's time for him to establish himself as the man at guard

5) Jamie Collins - showed flashes of becoming a major factor at LB, especially if he can make the secondary even better by covering underneath receivers

 

[AzPatsFan]

1. I'd want to see what Center Bryan Stork looks like.

2. I'd want to see what LB James Anderson has left.

3. I'd want to see what DL Armon Armstead is.

4. I'd like to see DT Dominique Easly looks like.

5. I'd want to see what DTs Wilfork and Kelly have left.

 

[Brady6]

Easley – I have not been this excited about a Patriots rookie in years. I think you are going to see this kid doing things from multiple positions, inside and outside, I would not even be surprised if Belichick stood him up every once and a while. He is the most explosive college player I have ever seen from an inside technique.

Armstead – I was excited for him last season, it is a shame the health issues kept him off the field. My hopes are still high for him, and think that he and Easley will allow this team to have dominating sub packages.

Harrison – His talent is just so intriguing, I want to see if he can be a player.

Dobson/Boyce – I am hopeful that they make the second year leap, I think they will, I think Boyce is going to especially surprise many fans.

Stork/Halapio/Fleming – I want to see how they work in, and what they can contribute as rookies.

DJ Williams – He is my sleeper to make the roster, very talented player who never really got an opportunity in Green Bay or Jacksonville. He could be the move tight end.

I know it is more than five but I could have rattled off a handful more. I am just excited

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

1. Wilfy & Kelly...we need at least one of these 2
1a. Armstead...is his yeast infection cured
2. AD...is his foot OK & does he make the 2nd year leap some feel is possible
3. Center Brian Stork...can he push for a starting position
4. The TEs... can one of the noobs step forward. I know, I know...Studfeld redux
5. Browner...just to watch studness

What I could not care less about is the #2 QB battle. Unless The Hammah regresses we're as good as ever there

Gawd but I love training camp

 

[Brady6]

One thing I think we should all be cautious of is labeling Wilfork or Kelly as done if they do not perform well in the preseason. These are both big guys coming off major leg injuries so I would not be at all surprised to see them bring them along slow.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

If we can't make premature hysterical definitive statements what fun is camp?

 

[jsull87]

Mine would be More aimed at the starters than the backups:

1. Wilfork - This has a huge ripple effect on our Defense
2. Revis - If I start hearing "Moss 2007" like reports of his play I am going to be very excited.
3. Stork/Cannon - Can one of these two take that starting position of Connolly/Wendel ?
4. Dobson - Is he healthy and can he make the leap
5. Collins - the last 2 games of 2013 a coming out party or a flash in the pan?

 

[Ivan]

Dominique Easely-If he's as good as advertised this defense is going to get a major lift and combined with the radically improved secondary could make them a top 5 scoring defense.

Tom Brady-I really think the selection of Garrapolo and Belichick's comments about being ready for the succession are going to light a fire under Brady. He doesn't need it but i think he will use it as serious motivation.

Bryan Stork-If they got themselves a big upgrade at starting center it will make that line much much better.

Vince Wilfork-I expect Kelly to be ready but Wilfork is a big question mark, if he shows up healthy and has a shot at returning to form it would be another boost for their already better defense.

Danny Amendola-Amendola played with a serious injury all season and was unable to start and stop quickly and unable to make sharp qucik cuts all season long, both are the attributes that make him a really good player when healthy. A healthy Amendola will be a radically different player than we saw last season and will make a huge difference for their receiving corps.

Aaron Dobson-Dobson needs to show up for camp healthy and ready to make a big leap in 2014. He has to show he is on the same page as Brady. Hopefully he packed on another 10 lbs. of muscle in the offseason because he needs to be a more physical presence than he was last year.

 

[mgteich]

I like your list. I would Ryan, add our new safety.

Just my list of 5 guys that i think should draw the most eyes in training camp. Easley and Gronk will likely not do much in the off season program on the field and so are not included.

#5 Harmon - S - As i said in a previous post safety is one of the less deep positions on this team. Ryan moving there for some snaps could help with that but the back end depth is very shaky. Wilson/Ebner are special teams players, J. Thomas is talented but a rookie so not a lot of instant impact is to be expected. We all know exactly what Chung is and he will fill his roll. Harmon however is in the position of being the 2nd year guy you hopes steps up and solidifies this spot. I am hoping for a strong camp from him.

#4 Garappolo - QB - This is the most interesting player to watch for me. It will be nice to see what we spent a 2nd round pick on. However the impact he will have this year will be minimal. The only reason he makes this list is he could actaully makes a fairly big impact this year by allowing us to free up a roster spot if he plays well. That could mean keeping that extra DL or that young WR you hope develops and could turn out to actually be important.

#3 Armstead - DT - This player is gonna draw the most fire as some would argue he is #1 and some would argue he has shown nothing and should not be on this list at all. However I will go the middle route. The talent is undeniable. He is going to be the DL man that is most watched in TC as i expect Easley not to do anything in the off season (perhaps not even 1 preseason game). Armstead has proven nothing but has been called a 2nd round talent. With a year to sit and learn now is the time to see what he can do.

#2 Stork - C - Not too much to add here. We all know what is at stake. He is fighting for a starting job and though we will probably keep Wendell no matter what anyway we are all hopeful he is healthy and perhaps can have an immediate impact fixing the middle of our OL which was a huge problem last year.

#1 Dobson - WR - Kind of a surprise to some maybe but it shouldn't be. We have issues with our offensive weapons. We know what Edelman is. Amendola if healthy can be decent as seen game 1 against Buffalo but he doesn't tend to stay healthy. Lafell is a vet with a lowish ceiling that we hope can pick up the O and step in as a #3. Dobson though is the key to this unit this year. Edelman carried it last year but we need another reliable 1000 yard option. Dobson hopefully can do this. I am looking for him to "fingers crossed* come in here and set a tone. He has the ability to be a very good (not elite) outside target and i am hoping he can do that. WRs are notorious for making big 2nd year jumps in the NFL and Dobson making one will be a key to our offense moving forward.

 

[Joker]

Why not get a Patriot roster and GO to training camp at Gillette and , you know, WATCH ALL THE PLAYERS?

It's these narrow, picayune "lists" that blind some fans from seeing REAL developments, like the battle between Ryan Allen and Mesko. You "list" watchers missed the FACT that Allen was consistently, day in and out, beating Mesko out. When I stated the same here last summer I was savagely attacked by the "listers" who scoffed at any notion that Mesko could be beaten out. The reason they missed it was they WERE NOT WATCHING.

Personally, I like to attend camp sessions with other fans and break down the practices and players into segments, giving each player in their respective units a good once over at least. The offensive line, for example, should provide great insight into the direction it will take as far starters and backups, right from the jump. What good is just watching Stork, when a Halapio could be beasting right there for anyone to see, if only one of the "listers" would take notice.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Dobson is my #1, I hope his surgery/injury doesn't keep him out too long, this is a HUGE season for him. I'm hoping for an Alshon Jeffrey type of year 2 jump.

Collins is my #2, really wanna see him make a Chandler Jones/Andre Tippett type of year 2 jump. I wanna see him be a dominating outside LB.

Running backs are my #3. Ridley and Vereen are in their contract years, and White, Finch AND Houston all look very talented. I'm hoping Houston can take Blount's place as our big pounding back, and he has a ton of talent and good speed for a 230 pounder.

I wanna see Chandler Jones in beast mode this year, and I wanna see Hightower dominate finally. The secondary should be interesting.

 

[AzorianPats]

In no order.

Armstead & Easley: Both guys have the ability to really get at the QB inside. Something I don't think we've had for a long time. BB also classifies them as DE's. If these 2 pan out it can take our defense to a whole other level.

Revis: Best DB in football, long time rival, Im dying to see him with the flying Elvis logo.

Garrapolo: He's probably going to get the most attention during camp. Possibly the future starter after the GOAT hangs it up...

The WR group: Let's see how the second year guys look after having a full season under their belts. Also let's see if Brady and Amendola can get back on the same page.

Gronk: Will he be ready for TC? If so will he be limited? And if not how is he going to move. A healthy Gronk alone makes us an elite offense.

 

[BritPat]

1. Tom Brady.

Err, that's it.

 

[BTTA]

It's these narrow, picayune "lists" that blind some fans from seeing REAL developments

This is a good point. We can miss some important things while looking at other things.

The rest of your post, which says that we are wrong to speculate about camp from a distance, we should drop the rest of our lives to attend it and study it, is just silly.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

why not get a Patriot roster and GO to training camp at Gillette and , you know, WATCH ALL THE PLAYERS?
It's these narrow, picayune "lists" that blind some fans from seeing REAL developments, like the battle between Ryan Allen and Mesko. You "list" watchers missed the FACT that Allen was consistently, day in and out, beating Mesko out. When I stated the same here last summer I was savagely attacked by the "listers" who scoffed at any notion that Mesko could be beaten out. The reason they missed it was they WERE NOT WATCHING.
Personally, I like to attend camp sessions with other fans and break down the practices and players into segments, giving each player in their respective units a good once over at least. The offensive line, for example, should provide great insight into the direction it will take as far starters and backups, right from the jump. What good is just watching Stork, when a Halapio could be beasting right there for anyone to see, if only one of the "listers" would take notice.

Ian, we need a curmudgeon icon!

 

[Off The Grid]

Just my list of 5 guys that i think should draw the most eyes in training camp. Easley and Gronk will likely not do much in the off season program on the field and so are not included.

#5 Harmon - S - As i said in a previous post safety is one of the less deep positions on this team. Ryan moving there for some snaps could help with that but the back end depth is very shaky. Wilson/Ebner are special teams players, J. Thomas is talented but a rookie so not a lot of instant impact is to be expected. We all know exactly what Chung is and he will fill his roll. Harmon however is in the position of being the 2nd year guy you hopes steps up and solidifies this spot. I am hoping for a strong camp from him.

#4 Garappolo - QB - This is the most interesting player to watch for me. It will be nice to see what we spent a 2nd round pick on. However the impact he will have this year will be minimal. The only reason he makes this list is he could actually makes a fairly big impact this year by allowing us to free up a roster spot if he plays well. That could mean keeping that extra DL or that young WR you hope develops and could turn out to actually be important.

#3 Armstead - DT - This player is gonna draw the most fire as some would argue he is #1 and some would argue he has shown nothing and should not be on this list at all. However I will go the middle route. The talent is undeniable. He is going to be the DL man that is most watched in TC as i expect Easley not to do anything in the off season (perhaps not even 1 preseason game). Armstead has proven nothing but has been called a 2nd round talent. With a year to sit and learn now is the time to see what he can do.

#2 Stork - C - Not too much to add here. We all know what is at stake. He is fighting for a starting job and though we will probably keep Wendell no matter what anyway we are all hopeful he is healthy and perhaps can have an immediate impact fixing the middle of our OL which was a huge problem last year.

#1 Dobson - WR - Kind of a surprise to some maybe but it shouldn't be. We have issues with our offensive weapons. We know what Edelman is. Amendola if healthy can be decent as seen game 1 against Buffalo but he doesn't tend to stay healthy. Lafell is a vet with a lowish ceiling that we hope can pick up the O and step in as a #3. Dobson though is the key to this unit this year. Edelman carried it last year but we need another reliable 1000 yard option. Dobson hopefully can do this. I am looking for him to "fingers crossed* come in here and set a tone. He has the ability to be a very good (not elite) outside target and i am hoping he can do that. WRs are notorious for making big 2nd year jumps in the NFL and Dobson making one will be a key to our offense moving forward.

Great Thread, and great Post, Brother Digital!! Excellent Analysis!!

 

[Off The Grid]

I would Ryan, add our new safety.

Bizarre, your sentence structure is.

 

[Off The Grid]

why not get a Patriot roster and GO to training camp at Gillette and , you know, WATCH ALL THE PLAYERS?

It's these narrow, picayune "lists" that blind some fans from seeing REAL developments, like the battle between Ryan Allen and Mesko. You "list" watchers missed the FACT that Allen was consistently, day in and out, beating Mesko out.When I stated the same here last summer I was savagely attacked by the "listers" who scoffed at any notion that Mesko could be beaten out. The reason they missed it was they WERE NOT WATCHING. Personally, I like to attend camp sessions with other fans and break down the practices and players into segments, giving each player in their respective units a good once over at least. The offensive line, for example, should provide great insight into the direction it will take as far starters and backups, right from the jump. What good is just watching Stork, when a Halapio could be beasting right there for anyone to see, if only one of the "listers" would take notice.