First shot at the 53

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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Nice list. Gets even harder if you try to project a gameday 45 if (on the off chance) everyone stays healthy. What that says to me is that this team is relatively prepared for training camp and in season injuries.

As I've mentioned in other threads, this training camp is shaping up to be Darwinian. Step up or step off. Should result in quality depth.

Good job!

The one thing we know, of course, is that the final 53 won't be that.

Not just the unfortunate but inevitable injuries.

It seems fairly clear that this was an unusual year for New England. BB usually likes to complete his team via free agency before going in to the draft (which is not to say that all of the free agents then make it as far as the opening of the next season -- Paris Lenon, Fernando Bryant, etc.). This season, not only were the holes deeper and wider -- tight end, defensive end, outside linebacker, wide receiver -- but the number of players coming on to the market was smaller. Arguably, this will be balanced later in the year as teams take the opportunity to shed surplus players without putting themselves over the cap by accelerating the cap hits. I'd be surprised if there weren't further signings at these positions of obvious need -- and perhaps at RB as well (call me old-fashioned, but a fullback would be nice).

Patspsycho said:

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

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thanks , wish i could write better. I have a tendency to eat words when i am thinking , think it might have something to do with english being the 3rd language i learned.

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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Springs is gone, I think Sanders is cut also and we keep McGowan instead.

Wheatly, Wilhite in their place. We can go with 3 Safeties and carry another CB.

I really hate our RB lineup.....damn.

WR's will be OK if we get anything from Price and Tate....we may see Aiken head down the road, ST's be damned if by some chance Bryan Anderson shows something in training camp. He is officially my camp hopeful crush....a big target with good hands.

pats1 said:

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.

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Guys like Wheatley and maybe Wilhite might need to earn their bones on teams.
Alexander and Murrell don't both make the team, maybe neither. I think the re-sign Burgess.

Springs is gone

You have six linemen listed, but (7) as the number. I agree with your six and also agree we keep 7 and it's a dog fight.

4 RBs I think

Ghost of Ben Dreith said:

Springs is gone, I think Sanders is cut also and we keep McGowan instead.

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Sanders won't be cut.

pats1 said:

DL (7) - Wilfork, Warren, Wright, Pryor, Lewis, Brace

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That looks like 6 names on your list of 7 DL, which could make room for the guy I consider the biggest omission: Deaderick. He's a natural 5-technique who can really anchor.

Mike the Brit said:

Good job!

The one thing we know, of course, is that the final 53 won't be that.

Not just the unfortunate but inevitable injuries.

It seems fairly clear that this was an unusual year for New England. BB usually likes to complete his team via free agency before going in to the draft (which is not to say that all of the free agents then make it as far as the opening of the next season -- Paris Lenon, Fernando Bryant, etc.). This season, not only were the holes deeper and wider -- tight end, defensive end, outside linebacker, wide receiver -- but the number of players coming on to the market was smaller. Arguably, this will be balanced later in the year as teams take the opportunity to shed surplus players without putting themselves over the cap by accelerating the cap hits. I'd be surprised if there weren't further signings at these positions of obvious need -- and perhaps at RB as well (call me old-fashioned, but a fullback would be nice).

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Yup, that's the wild card, especially this year. The cut list will get really interesting -- one team's Leon Washington is another team's Adalius Thomas.

i think this is the year alexander is gone, giving us 4 ilb's (hoping mckenzie makes it)

also, i see as the cb's very difficult to call, i believe ONE of springs, wheatley and wilhite will be gone, not sure which though

considering tate and price can contribute to an extent, i see the WR corps as being fine at this time

i see us going with 5 rb's and 3 te's like you

notable: u dont think any of this years OL draftees are better than last years?
i see some changes in the G/C spots, but dont know what

same OT's as you

i see one more body on the D line for some reason

and more than 4 olb's

notable: i dont see slater, arrington, locket making this team, one special teamer in aiken will have to do

I'd add Lockett, Deaderick, Wilhite. Add Dane Fletcher to the practice squad or 53. Murrell goes. Larsen on the 53. Slater stays. Aarington goes. Alexander goes. Maybe need to find a way to keep Zac Robinson on the 53 after he throws bombs to Price and Tate in preseason. j/k

From those of us who no longer have the time to follow the PATS daily we thank you for your analysis.
Agree with Welker on PUP. Don't think Edelman and Aiken make the final 53.

Edelman gets cut, eh? That must mean that Anderson and Price are unbelievably good.

patfanmike said:

Don't think Edelman and Aiken make the final 53.

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What, pray, leads you to think we will cut Edelman? Perhaps you see something I don't?

I don't see both making it.

patfanmike said:

I don't see both making it.

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And why is that?

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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Looks like a good approximation for the time being. On that list I would replace:
Aiken with Slater
Murrell with Burgess (think he can be had for cheap)
Arrington or Springs with Wilhite

patfanmike said:

From those of us who no longer have the time to follow the PATS daily we thank you for your analysis.
Agree with Welker on PUP. Don't think Edelman and Aiken make the final 53.

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I rarely post here, but I lurk hours a day...and I must say...

HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA Edelman doesn't make the roster, that's a good one :bricks:

i agree mostly. would like to see bryan anderson on the roster instead of aiken. also im hoping adalius thomas is gone like you said. its time to move on and admit the mistake.

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

Click to expand...

Springs is gone.

Looks like another tight squeeze on final cut down day.

The special teams spots look particularly interesting. Slater, Lockett, and Alexander look like they'll have to make it based almost entirely on ST; Aiken and Woods look to have at least some value outside of ST; Murrell and Arrington may or may not be looked at as having some outside ST value; then there's the likes of Chung, McGowan, Ninkovich, and Meriweather who definitely have value on defense, and the rookies who may or may not have value anywhere at all.

I fully expect Arrington to make it because he was unbelievable last year, plus Aiken and Woods. I've always been on Eric Alexander's side, but if Murrell shows potential value as a sub rusher, it could squeeze Alexander out. There there's Lockett, who if I remember correctly, was on every ST unit until his season ended.

Any of the ST guys out there got a better idea of where everyone may fit? Do Murrell, Lockett, or Arrington potentially provide value on defense?