Players who could be on the bubble for the Patriots in 2014

With OTAs started and the draft two weeks away it brings into focus the players who are on the bubble this year, these are the players at risk in my opinion.

· Jake Bequette – Drafted in the third round of 2012 he has barely seen the field in his first two seasons.
· Tavon Wilson – Drafted in the second round of 2012 he was in the dog house all of last year, and had an up and down rookie season.
· Ryan Wendell – Resigned this offseason to a prove type contract, played very well in 2012 but was terrible in 2013 allowing 37 QB disruptions.
· Dan Connolly – In the final year of his contract and had similar struggles as Wendell in 2013.
· Kyle Arrington – Unlikely cut because of his contract but is currently the #5 CB on the depth chart.
· Josh Boyce – I cannot envision Belichick giving up on Boyce after one season but he could be cut if he does not show up this year.
· Kenbrell Thompkins – He could be this years Justin Francis, a UDFA who turned some heads as a rookie but did not have the talent to sustain at the NFL level.
· Danny Amendola – Like Arrington he is an unlikely cut because of his contract but he is currently a reserve WR.
· Armond Armstead – Unlikely cut but if health continues to be an issue the Patriots may choose to move on.

Those are the bigger names, there are other players but they are fringe players to begin within and on the outside looking.

A good way to approach the bubble search is via this depth chart thread...

Pre-Draft Depth Chart | PatsFans.com

I'm waiting until post draft because there will be at least 3 and maybe more "uncuttable" players added to positions on the 53 via the draft which when mapped onto the depth chart will let us know who is most at risk.

PatsWickedPissah said:

A good way to approach the bubble search is via this depth chart thread...

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/threads/pre-draft-depth-chart.1109706/

I'm waiting until post draft because there will be at least 3 and maybe more "uncuttable" players added to positions on the 53 via the draft which when mapped onto the depth chart will let us know who is most at risk.

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I agree I would say given we have five picks in the first four rounds and this is the deepest draft in recent memory there will be at least five players who are uncuttable that come via the draft. If we trade out of the #29 spot and pick up additional selections in the first four rounds that number will grow even more.

Browner's suspension is sort of a positive because it opens roster spot for the first month of the season and by the end of the suspension it's very likely that we will have an injury or an underperforming player that can be moved off the 53 man roster to accommodate Browner's return.

Brady6 said:

· Kyle Arrington – Unlikely cut because of his contract but is currently the #5 CB on the depth chart.

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More like "the #1 slot CB on the depth chart."

ctpatsfan77 said:

More like "the #1 slot CB on the depth chart."

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I have to respectfully disagree with you here. This belief that Arrington is such an effective slot cornerback is grossly exaggerated, over the past two regular seasons he was replaced by Cole or Ryan several times because of poor play. There is no way in hell Kyle Arrington is going to be on the field ahead of Dennard, Browner, and Ryan if all are healthy and active on game day.

Arrington is a good slot cornerback in comparison to his play on the outside, that is where this perception that he is so great in the slot stems from him being awful in the outside, it is total misconception.

I think the Patriots are stuck with Arrington because of his contract, but have to agree with B6 that he's ineffective even as a slot corner. I don't necessarily think Wendell and Connolly are bubble players. They're reasonably priced and, while they could definitely be upgraded as starters, they're good depth and provide versatility.

Brandon Bolden

(Amendola *yawn*)

Agree with most of your list except for Wendell who signed a team friendly deal that pays him well if he ends up starting and backup money if he's a backup. He is our backup center. Connolly at $3 million is expensive and is more bubbly.

Have to think Patrick Chung is on the bubble too depending on if we grab a safety early in the draft. We could even bring back Steve Gregory for veteran minimum at this point and he'd be ahead of Chung.

Mike the Brit said:

Brandon Bolden

(Amendola *yawn*)

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We only have 2 RB

Mike the Brit said:

Brandon Bolden

(Amendola *yawn*)

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I cannot see them releasing Bolden, he is a solid depth RB who was productive in each of his first two seasons with the team. He is signed for minimal money, and is still just 24.

Amendola is unlikely to be released but when you consider the team has Julian Edelman, Aaron Dobson, Brandon LaFell, and Josh Boyce if the two second year players make the leap he could conceivably be the #5 WR on the depth chart. For that reason I included him, I also included Boyce and Thompkins because we generally only carry six sometimes seven WR and many expect the team to draft a WR this year as well.

Bolden did not make a major contribution last season and could easily be replaced if, as I expect, the Patriots draft or sign more than one running back as UDFA. I am not saying he will or should be (though I can remember more than one disappointing drop). Perhaps he will raise his game in his third year. But, given the injury to Vereen and Ridley's spell in the dog house, it's striking that he didn't earn more carries.

Thompkins - Better receivers on the roster pushes him down the pecking order.
Bequette - Unless he's turned into Jared Allen mkII over the off-season, that is.
Ebner - They signed Chung, another ST guy last week, and a rookie could also take his spot.
Bolden - Can easily be replaced by a rookie.
Chung - Could lose out to Ebner or a rookie.

Brady6 said:

I agree I would say given we have five picks in the first four rounds and this is the deepest draft in recent memory there will be at least five players who are uncuttable that come via the draft. If we trade out of the #29 spot and pick up additional selections in the first four rounds that number will grow even more.

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It's amazing how many rookies get red shirted to IR each year. I expect that trend to continue this year with Pats.

I think Ebner and Bolden stay....Chung and Bequette have alot to prove to stick. Thompkins on bubble with the WR currently on roster plus any that may be drafted..

BlueThunder said:

It's amazing how many rookies get red shirted to IR each year. I expect that trend to continue this year with Pats.

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It does not help the rookie's career path by getting IRd. By my count 14 rookies (Hines, Moe, Tuinei, Fisher, Ford, Mattes, Haggerty, Patterson, Chris McDonald, Grissom, Zusevics,Aiken, Anthony Rashad White, Schwab) were placed on IR in 2013. Only Mattes is on the Patriots roster now.

Mike the Brit said:

Bolden did not make a major contribution last season and could easily be replaced if, as I expect, the Patriots draft or sign more than one running back as UDFA. I am not saying he will or should be (though I can remember more than one disappointing drop). Perhaps he will raise his game in his third year. But, given the injury to Vereen and Ridley's spell in the dog house, it's striking that he didn't earn more carries.

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Bolden had 423 total yards and 3 touchdowns in 2013 for the #4 RB on the team that is good production in my opinion. He also had a 4.9 YPC average and caught 21 or 29 targets in the passing game. I know he had a few drops and I do not dispute that but he is not a third down RB, he was playing that role because we had nobody else in Vereen’s absence.

It's a good discussion but we have to wait until the draft before this picture really starts to come into focus. I don't think Boyce or Thompkins should be up there right now, for example, but that may change for at least one of those guys in June.

KontradictioN said:

It's a good discussion but we have to wait until the draft before this picture really starts to come into focus. I don't think Boyce or Thompkins should be up there right now, for example, but that may change for at least one of those guys in June.

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I agree with you on Boyce, he was a fourth round pick and has a ton of upside. I am not so sure I view Thompkins in the same way however.

Miguel said:

It does not help the rookie's career path by getting IRd. By my count 14 rookies (Hines, Moe, Tuinei, Fisher, Ford, Mattes, Haggerty, Patterson, Chris McDonald, Grissom, Zusevics,Aiken, Anthony Rashad White, Schwab) were placed on IR in 2013. Only Mattes is on the Patriots roster now.

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Was not including Boyce because he was on the 53-man roster for the regular season

Miguel said:

Was not including Boyce because he was on the 53-man roster for the regular season

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Right now, Thompkins would be in competition with Boyce for that receiver spot. If the team drafts Marquise Lee, for example, that would make at least one of them easily expendable since, aside from a horrific rash of injuries to the position, that guy won't see the field. Too much to take into account before the draft to be able to have a productive conversation on this topic. As I said, the picture will come much more into focus in June.

pretty much all our DTs except Wilfork (and thats only because of his salary).

None of them are guaranteed a roster spot.