***THE OFFICIAL 2014 New England Patriots training camp thread***

[Coach42]

Useful players are going to be cut this year. That's just the way it has to be with a 53 man roster and 25-26 "starters". The game is so brutally physical why not expand the rosters and reward the teams who can develop the most talent?

 

[patsinthesnow]

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 3m
TE D.J. Williams, who was rolled up on in Tuesday's practice, not dressed for this morning's practice. Wearing sleeve on right leg.

Gronk, Hooman, and most likely Williams out for tomorrow's game. Jone's roster audition with the 1s tomorrow should be interesting.

 

[Kontradiction]

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 3m
TE D.J. Williams, who was rolled up on in Tuesday's practice, not dressed for this morning's practice. Wearing sleeve on right leg.

Gronk, Hooman, and most likely Williams out for tomorrow's game. Jone's roster audition with the 1s tomorrow should be interesting.

Here's hoping they get some red zone reps in tomorrow night. It would be interesting to see if Jones is Brady's primary read down there, given his size.

 

[Sicilian]

Mike Reiss ‏@MikeReiss 3m
TE D.J. Williams, who was rolled up on in Tuesday's practice, not dressed for this morning's practice. Wearing sleeve on right leg.

Gronk, Hooman, and most likely Williams out for tomorrow's game. Jone's roster audition with the 1s tomorrow should be interesting.

I wonder if it will actually be Jones though, or if Develin will take the TE snaps between the 20's with Jones getting a few snaps in red zone if they make it. Watson is the dark horse here as well. I'm guessing we'll be seeing a lot of all three throughout the game, because after them there's no one else.

 

[dales804]

And DeSean Jackson goes off injured:

Dianna Marie Russini @NBCdianna · 29m
DeSean Jackson hobbled off the field. Looks like he's in pain. Something with his foot\leg #Redskins

 

[patsinthesnow]

@jeffphowe: Practice ends. Light walkthrough. No point charting passes because no one was competing. Easy transition into tomorrow.

 

[Kontradiction]

And DeSean Jackson goes off injured:

That's too bad for the Foreskins. Hopefully it's not serious.

 

[patchick]

40 time is one of the most ridiculous and useless stats in football

In general, I totally agree. But if there's any position on the field where it DOES matter, it's KR.

Punt returns are about vision, agility and quick cuts. Kick returns are pick-a-lane-and-go. That's why Julian Edelman is a better punt returner than Ted Ginn, and vice versa for kickoffs.

 

[PatsFan2]

I wonder if it will actually be Jones though, or if Develin will take the TE snaps between the 20's with Jones getting a few snaps in red zone if they make it. Watson is the dark horse here as well. I'm guessing we'll be seeing a lot of all three throughout the game, because after them there's no one else.

What's wrong with JJ getting those reps from the 20's also? I hope Justin Jones turns out to be like former Giants TE Jake Ballard before his injury. Not going to beat Granny in an all out foot race but has knack for getting open.

 

[signbabybrady]

What's wrong with JJ getting those reps from the 20's also? I hope Justin Jones turns out to be like former Giants TE Jake Ballard before his injury. Not going to beat Granny in an all out foot race but has knack for getting open.

I think I trust Devlin more to do the right thing and with Brady on the field let's limit what Jones has to do in pass protection for his first 10 reps of his career.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

Thing about Boyce is I think he may even be on the outside as KR. As Malcolm Butler has been returning kicks (and last I heard was not bad at it) and Bill may want to keep him at least for the first 4 weeks with Browner out.

More importantly, Butler is likely to offer more on the 3 other special teams, either jamming the opposing gunner or in coverage. It's hard to be a one-trick pony at a position that doesn't see much action before Thanksgiving, when it is finally cold enough that kickoffs don't routinely travel deep into the end zone.

Belichick routinely retains 9 or 10 DBs and still finds himself short-staffed in that area every other year. Lots of folks are projecting 8 DBs to start the season, because they like something about each of our 6 WRs. However much potential is there, they still need to construct a roster with depth in all three phases of the game. Keeping a 6th WR as a developmental prospect is a tough sell with that consideration, especially when WRs are easier to come by than 300# guys with quick feet. When you consider that from a depth perceptive Slater is a 7th WR, who can at least run the routes, fulfill his assignment, and take a defender out of the play - even if he doesn't make plays; the place where the extra player is most needed is on defense. When you consider that DBs and LBs make-up the core of ST talent, it's hard to argue for that extra receiver. Boyce might not only want to take a kickoff to the house, he might want to see if he can get in some reps at gunner.

 

[Sicilian]

What's wrong with JJ getting those reps from the 20's also? I hope Justin Jones turns out to be like former Giants TE Jake Ballard before his injury. Not going to beat Granny in an all out foot race but has knack for getting open.

I think I trust Devlin more to do the right thing and with Brady on the field let's limit what Jones has to do in pass protection for his first 10 reps of his career.

SBB pretty much summed up my answer to your question, but just to add to it, I absolutely think that JJ will get snaps between the 20's. Like I said, there's only three guys likely to be active tomorrow who could be considered tight ends (and one of them is primarily a FB). There aren't enough bodies for him to be a specialist throughout the game.

But the original post about it referenced him getting lots of time with the 1's, which I think is unlikely unless they're close to the goal line. Once Mallett/Garropolo and the 2's are in there, I'm sure he'll get his chance in the open areas of the field.

 

[PatsFan2]

I think I trust Devlin more to do the right thing and with Brady on the field let's limit what Jones has to do in pass protection for his first 10 reps of his career.

Being a man with his Massive Size as Big and long as our Tackles what you mentioned there should be a Strenght for JJ. With him being green and all I know what you mean.

 

[Big-T]

What's wrong with JJ getting those reps from the 20's also? I hope Justin Jones turns out to be like former Giants TE Jake Ballard before his injury. Not going to beat Granny in an all out foot race but has knack for getting open.

That better than any TE in the draft with a combine invite 3 cone of 6.88 at his pro day (best at the combine was Fiedorowicz 7.10) shows how he will get open, he has ridiculous short area quickness for someone his size.

That time beat every single LB apart from Trent Murphy & Anthony Barr too, just to throw that in because it's likely a LB will be covering him.

Source on the Jones numbers: http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=90226&draftyear=2014&genpos=TE

ESPN was the source of the other players.

 

[PatsFan2]

SBB pretty much summed up my answer to your question, but just to add to it, I absolutely think that JJ will get snaps between the 20's. Like I said, there's only three guys likely to be active tomorrow who could be considered tight ends (and one of them is primarily a FB). There aren't enough bodies for him to be a specialist throughout the game.

But the original post about it referenced him getting lots of time with the 1's, which I think is unlikely unless they're close to the goal line. Once Mallett/Garropolo and the 2's are in there, I'm sure he'll get his chance in the open areas of the field.

I am just glad to hear about Justin Jones steady progress. Imagine going into the regular season with this position being considerably better than last year with the addition of a massive Rookie FA. Asa Watson shoud get some looks too I hear he has very Good straight line speed. Sucks what happened to D.J. Williams I really wanted to see him tomorrow night...hope he'll be back out there soon.

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Just an interesting aside on the Richmond practices. I got a chuckle out of the Boston based media on yesterdays weather..."Hot and Humid".

For Virginia, yesterday was a below average temp and humidity day. Especially on the humidity. It was downright pleasant!!

 

[patchick]

Belichick routinely retains 9 or 10 DBs and still finds himself short-staffed in that area every other year. Lots of folks are projecting 8 DBs to start the season, because they like something about each of our 6 WRs.

I agree on the principle of prioritizing DB over WR, but I think that in this case most of the folks projecting short on DBs are doing so because they know they can plug in Browner after four games.

 

[Sicilian]

I agree on the principle of prioritizing DB over WR, but I think that in this case most of the folks projecting short on DBs are doing so because they know they can plug in Browner after four games.

I also feel like we know with more certainty what we have in the DB's (at least at corner), where as at WR we may need to see how the kids respond to actual games before being able to determine who truly belongs.

 

[patsinthesnow]

@jeffphowe: Jimmy Garoppolo: "I’ve never actually been to an NFL game before, so this will technically be my first one, I guess."

 

[captain stone]

The love for Finch is reminiscent of how many people felt about George Winn 365 days ago, who is apparently now with his seventh NFL team.

I think that I'd still rather have him than Brandon Bolden.