First shot at the 53

Offense: 25
QB (2) - Brady, Hoyer
RB (5) - Faulk, Maroney, Taylor, Morris, Green-Ellis
WR (6) - Moss, Edelman, Tate, Price, Holt, Aiken (PUP: Welker)
TE (3) - Gronkowski, Hernandez, Crumpler
OT (4) - Light, Vollmer, Kaczur, LeVoir
OG/C (5) - Mankins, Neal, Koppen, Connolly, Ohrnberger

Defense: 25
DL (7) - Wilfork, Warren, Wright, Pryor, Lewis, Brace
OLB (5) - Banta-Cain, Cunningham, Ninkovich, Woods, Murrell
ILB (5) - Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, McKenzie, Alexander
CB (5) - Bodden, Springs, McCourty, Butler, Arrington
S (4) - Meriweather, Chung, Sanders, McGowan

Special Teams: 3
ST (3) - Gostkowski, Mesko, Ingram

Practice Squad: Richard, Bussey, Weston, Deaderick, Welch, Larsen, Robinson

Other notable cuts: Patten, Slater, Stanback, G. Warren (or Lewis), Crable (or Murrell), Lockett (or McGowan), Wilhite (or Springs), Wheatley

Traded/Cut: A. Thomas


...There are still some obvious weaker spots - RB, OLB, DE, maybe WR

Interesting thought. It's obviously projecting out awhile, but I would think Wheatley would be on the 53. Don't know that we'd give up on a 2nd round pick in just two years.

Doonan24 said:

Interesting thought. It's obviously projecting out awhile, but I would think Wheatley would be on the 53. Don't know that we'd give up on a 2nd round pick in just two years.

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Who would you give up? Weren't the McCourty (and Butler) selections AND the re-signing of Bodden an indictment of Wheatley?

If he couldn't get on the field last year when Bodden was out, then I don't see how he does with McCourty in the mix.

Those cuts work for me, I was wondering how this would look with so many draftees.

Hopefully Crable can win that spot with Murrell and I would definitely keep Wilhite over Springs. I hope Arrington makes it but I would have him with Wheatley in competition for that spot. Also, I would pencil Brace in but no more, I could see Warren and Lewis beating him out; he needs to come ready to compete for his roster spot, the scholarship year is over.

I dont see us keeping 5 running backs this year. I say we keep 4 then use one slot for a receiver or special teams.

That not a bad list but think we try and move Sanders in some way rather then cut one of the safeties.

We know BB likes STers that can do good things and he'll find a way to keep them as long as he can so people like Slater Lockett and Arrington will find a way on to this team

A.C Vegas said:

That not a bad list but think we try and move Sanders in some way rather then cut one of the safeties.

We know BB likes STers that can do good things and he'll find a way to keep them as long as he can so people like Slater Lockett and Arrington will find a way on to this team

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Sanders is the only leader this secondary has. He reportedly has taken Meriweather and the other younger players under his wing. They speak very highly of him.

Good. We're back to having to make some tough cuts to get down to 53.

I expect quite a few good vets ( on other teams ) to be cut in salary dumps, there might be some good talent available still this off season.

Springs & AD are pretty much locks to be cut imo.

I really like this roster. But where do you project Bryan Anderson to be? I think he has a legit crack at the roster. Also I really would be surprised if Springs came back.

pats1 said:

Sanders is the only leader this secondary has. He reportedly has taken Meriweather and the other younger players under his wing. They speak very highly of him.

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I agree now way does Sanders get shipped out, McGowen might be a suprise cut.

SeauOUCH said:

I agree now way does Sanders get shipped out, McGowen might be a suprise cut.

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I disagree.. while McGowan fell out of favor mid-season because he couldn't take the handoffs well and didn't get the communication down, if I am not wrong he made a comeback hear the end.

I would like to see him back- he is intimidating at his position. I feel that Meriweather feeds off his nastiness.

I see Green-Ellis as being less valuable than some others. I see Larsen as needed to be on the 53 to keep him at all, since he could get signed away as the some saw him as the 2nd best center available. He could bump out Ohrnberger or LeVoir. I think Alexander is in danger as well since Ninkovich played some ILB last year (not well) and that spot might be better used to add a DB like Lockett. Patten might then take Aiken's spot (if BB goes extra DB over Alexander and if Patten has anything left). I see Wilhite on the team regardless, so Springs could be the cut there. I see 10 DBs if not 11.

So, Green-Ellis, Aiken, Ohrnberger, Alexander out, Lockett, Wilhite, Larsen and Patten/Crable in.

B. Anderson on the practice squad.

pats1 said:

Offense: 25
QB (2) - Brady, Hoyer
RB (5) - Faulk, Maroney, Taylor, Morris, Green-Ellis
WR (6) - Moss, Edelman, Tate, Price, Holt, Aiken (PUP: Welker)
TE (3) - Gronkowski, Hernandez, Crumpler
OT (4) - Light, Vollmer, Kaczur, LeVoir
OG/C (5) - Mankins, Neal, Koppen, Connolly, Ohrnberger

Defense: 25
DL (7) - Wilfork, Warren, Wright, Pryor, Lewis, Brace
OLB (5) - Banta-Cain, Cunningham, Ninkovich, Woods, Murrell
ILB (5) - Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, McKenzie, Alexander
CB (5) - Bodden, Springs, McCourty, Butler, Arrington
S (4) - Meriweather, Chung, Sanders, McGowan

Special Teams: 3
ST (3) - Gostkowski, Mesko, Ingram

Practice Squad: Richard, Bussey, Weston, Deaderick, Welch, Larsen, Robinson

Other notable cuts: Patten, Slater, Stanback, G. Warren (or Lewis), Crable (or Murrell), Lockett (or McGowan), Wilhite (or Springs), Wheatley

Traded/Cut: A. Thomas


...There are still some obvious weaker spots - RB, OLB, DE, maybe WR

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Doonan24 said:

Interesting thought. It's obviously projecting out awhile, but I would think Wheatley would be on the 53. Don't know that we'd give up on a 2nd round pick in just two years.

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Based on coach Belichick's playing time decisions from last season, I would expect Wilhite to make the team over Wheatley or Springs. I do expect Wilhite to return to his original position of slot corner though.

don't think murrel or jge make it....crable probably will, ohnberger I don't think they cut.

Patspsycho said:

I disagree.. while McGowan fell out of favor mid-season because he couldn't take the handoffs well and didn't get the communication down, if I am not wrong he made a comeback hear the end.

I would like to see him back- he is intimidating at his position. I feel that Meriweather feeds off his nastiness.

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No he did not make a comeback it was sanders who got more and more time from mcgowan. Mcgown even with the bears will flash great play for 5-6 games and then either fade or get injured.

Sanders is not going anyway merriweather looks at him as leaders and also not sure what intimidating you saw , but 2 games in a row sander blew the opposing TE in the first quater and they never returned.It seemed like once 6week of game tape was avialable mcgown got exploited.

OLB
I think Ninkovich is on the bubble and the fight now is between Ninkovich/crabel/murell . ninkovich and murell having a leg up on crable due to better spl team contribution. Spikes on 3rd down can lineup on the weakside over the TE which means we will have mayo/guyton and spikes on the field together one effectively playing OLB.

CB
Wilhite is another one i do not see cut. CB in nfl atleast young ones including butler learn to play the ball last. all interference calls on butler and pass completion on wilhite are first year learing mistakes. i really do not see them being cut having invested the time. these 2 always were near the ball and wr.Moving wilhite to play inside with butler/devin on the outside with bodden will be a solid set.

satz said:

No he did not make a comeback it was sanders who got more and more time from mcgowan. Mcgown even with the bears will flash great play for 5-6 games and then either fade or get injured.

Sanders is not going anyway merriweather looks at him as leaders and also not sure what intimidating you saw , but 2 games in a row sander blew the opposing TE in the first quater and they never returned.It seemed like once 6week of game tape was avialable mcgown got exploited.

OLB
I think Ninkovich is on the bubble and the fight now is between Ninkovich/crabel/murell . ninkovich and murell having a leg up on crable due to better spl team contribution. Spikes on 3rd down can lineup on the weakside over the TE which means we will have mayo/guyton and spikes on the field together one effectively playing OLB.

CB
Wilhite is another one i do not see cut. CB in nfl atleast young ones including butler learn to play the ball last. all interference calls on butler and pass completion on wilhite are first year learing mistakes. i really do not see them being cut having invested the time. these 2 always were near the ball and wr.Moving wilhite to play inside with butler/devin on the outside with bodden will be a solid set.

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Well your opinions are one of the very few on this board that I respect, so I will defer to your thoughts.

upstater1 said:

I see Larsen as needed to be on the 53 to keep him at all, since he could get signed away as the some saw him as the 2nd best center available.

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I agree on Larson, his ability to be usable now and significant upside having only moved to the OL two years ago makes him a very likely guy to make the 53.

One more thing to consider is training camp injuries. I don't like to think about them, but I bet Belichick arranges his board in this fashion and then keeps a little collection of favorites as non-makes/non-cuts as he expects injuries. I don't know how many injuries we have each year but I'm guessing about 2.

There will be an extra 2 spots available if this year is anything like previous years. Last year it was just Crable.

BelichickFan said:

I agree on Larson, his ability to be usable now and significant upside having only moved to the OL two years ago makes him a very likely guy to make the 53.

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Agreed. 10char