Plenty Of Room At The Bottom Of The Roster

Overall I agree with the OP, the bubble is big but that isn't necessarily a bad thing as competition for spots is going to be intense and the final roster should be strong regardless of who wins the jobs. They still have needs and the roster can obviously be improved at CB but I like what they have to work with.

They will have to carry 3 QB's until Brady gets done roasting the league nuts in federal court so Flynn is probably not going anywhere any time soon.

They still need a RB with the speed to turn the corner.

Develin is going to be on this team as they will need him to protect Brady and clear holes for running between the tackles.

Bolden, Gray, White, Cadet and Gaffney are fighting for a couple of spots and I would expect more competition to be brought in this summer.

Edelman, Amendola, and LaFell are the only locks at WR. Dobson and Boyce are both on the bubble.

Gronk and Chandler are locks, Hooman and Davis are fighting for the third spot and Derby will have to have va great camp to avoid the PS. I don't know if they can carry Develin and a fourth TE, especially with 3 QB''s.

The OL battle will be fascinating, they can't risk Jackson or Mason making it to the PS so I would expect both to make the team, Kline and Devey are expendable IMO. I still want them to sign Mathis because they need to give Mason time to learn how to protect the QB and Jackson while a good prospect is still a rookie.

The defense has similar battles to resolve bit overall they are young and good but still need veteran help at CB.

mgteich said:

I picked 43 because I think that, barring injury, there are 43 very likely to make the roster.

OFFENSE (19)
2 QB Brady, Garappolo
2 RB Blount, Bolden
1 FB Develin
3 WR Edelman, Lafell, Amendola
8 OL Solder, Cannon, Stork, Wendell, Vollmer, Fleming, Jackson, Mason
2 TE Gronkowski, Chandler
1 ST Slater

DEFENSE (21)
5 DE Ninkovich, Jones, Sheard, Grisssom, Flowers
4 DT Brown, Branch, Siliga, Easley
4 LB Mayo, Hightower, Collins, Fletcher
4 CB Ryan, Fletcher, Butler, McClain
4 S McCourty, Chung, Harmon, Richards

SPECIALISTS (3) Gostkowski, Allen, Cardona

OPEN POSITIONS
Note that these 10 don't need to be as in the positions listed below.
RB 2
WR 2
TE 1
OL 1
DL 1
LB 1
CB 1
S 1

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I'll add these 10.

1. Gaffney - RB - Beats out Gray. Can keep both until Blount comes back.
2. Dobson - wr - If healthy, he's on the squad.
3. Roberts - CB - Too much talent to sneak thru waivers.
4. Kline - G - Played well in the playoffs.
5. Hoo-Man - TE - Will be pushed by Derby and Dean.
6. Wells - LB - Helped by Spikes erratic driving.
7. Jones - DT - Easley plays some de, need depth there.
8. Wilson - S - I thought he looked good last year. Could be dealt for a pick if someone else likes too.
9. 3RD Down Back - Not currently on the roster. I'm hoping for A. Bradshaw. Maybe, Sproles??
10. 5th WR or 6th LB - I'll say WR for now. B. Gibson. I think some of the lb hopefuls can make it
to the practice squad.

Looks like a repeat to me

patsfaninpa said:

I'll add these 10.

1. Gaffney - RB - Beats out Gray. Can keep both until Blount comes back.
2. Dobson - wr - If healthy, he's on the squad.
3. Roberts - CB - Too much talent to sneak thru waivers.
4. Kline - G - Played well in the playoffs.
5. Hoo-Man - TE - Will be pushed by Derby and Dean.
6. Wells - LB - Helped by Spikes erratic driving.
7. Jones - DT - Easley plays some de, need depth there.
8. Wilson - S - I thought he looked good last year. Could be dealt for a pick if someone else likes too.
9. 3RD Down Back - Not currently on the roster. I'm hoping for A. Bradshaw. Maybe, Sproles??
10. 5th WR or 6th LB - I'll say WR for now. B. Gibson. I think some of the lb hopefuls can make it
to the practice squad.

Looks like a repeat to me

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Your list of ten is fine for now. I have Freeny over Wells. I don't think Roberts is a great risk with regard to the Practice Squad. In any case, I think Roberts might be considered to be one of the best 10. BTW, when was the last time we lost a 7th?

mgteich said:

McClain has been a pretty good nickel back. It seems that he should be able to make the roster as the 4th or 5th CB. We have our three outside corners in Fletcher, Ryan, and Butler. I don't see any of these three as our primary nickel back, although I suppose that this could happen against certain teams.

Do you think that any of the others is ready to be depended on as our starting nickel back, or even backup nickel back? I expect one to emerge as our 5th corner.

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Generally, I agree with your overall point. I think it will depend on how much time our expected "outside" guys may see at nickel back.

supafly said:

It's nice to be having this conversation again, which will be ramped up over the next 10 weeks or so.

At the moment, I personally wouldn't consider McClain anything of a lock, especially with the addition of Cox last week. Devlin would probably be the other player who I wouldn't consider a lock. Other than that, I'm in full agreement. Nice job.

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supafly said:

It's nice to be having this conversation again, which will be ramped up over the next 10 weeks or so.

At the moment, I personally wouldn't consider McClain anything of a lock, especially with the addition of Cox last week. Devlin would probably be the other player who I wouldn't consider a lock. Other than that, I'm in full agreement. Nice job.

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Agreed Supa, definitely nice to be talking football again and Mgtech usually does a good job with these posts.
I agree with you on McClain, I think there is a chance that the top three cb's might be Fletcher, Ryan and Butler and who knows with the rest of the guys. I would be shocked however if Devlin doesn't make the team. I think he is invaluable in short yardage and we have nobody else on the roster that can do what he does.

[. BTW, when was the last time we lost a 7th?[/QUOTE]



Not sure what you mean. 7th round pick?

patsfaninpa said:

[. BTW, when was the last time we lost a 7th?

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Not sure what you mean. 7th round pick?[/QUOTE]

When was the last time that the team was not able to put a 7th on the Practice Squad?

mgteich said:

Not sure what you mean. 7th round pick?

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When was the last time that the team was not able to put a 7th on the Practice Squad?[/QUOTE]

Not sure. Maybe, we've kept 7th's because we were afraid of losing them. He plays a position we
can't afford to gamble at. If he's good enough to help, he's on the 53. If he's not, be prepared to do
without him.

patsfaninpa said:

When was the last time that the team was not able to put a 7th on the Practice Squad?

Click to expand...

Not sure. Maybe, we've kept 7th's because we were afraid of losing them. He plays a position we
can't afford to gamble at. If he's good enough to help, he's on the 53. If he's not, be prepared to do
without him.

Click to expand...

Thomas Welch, 2010.

As Parcells once said about the Center position before drafting Dave Wohlabaugh the following year,
we are being held hostage by the CB & LG positions.
Unfortunately, neither position was addressed in the draft, unless some are deluding themselves into
believing that Darryl Roberts & Tre Jackson are actually addressing the positions.

My 50 as of today:

QB - Brady, Garoppolo (Flynn)
RB - Blount, Bolden, Develin, White, Gaffney, Gray (Lewis, Cadet)
TE - Gronk, Chandler (HooHah loses v Develin, Derby to PS, rest = garbage)
WR - Edelman, LaFell, Amendola, Gibson, Dobson, Boyce (rest = garbage)
OL - Solder - Wendell - Stork - Cannon - Vollmer; Fleming, Jackson, Mason, Kline (rest = garbage)
DE - Jones, Ninko, Sheard, Flowers (Moore, ****son to PS)
DT - Brown, Jones, Siliga, Easily, Branch
LB - Collins, Mayo, Watson, Fletcher, Grissom, Wells (Hightower to PUP)
(Fleming, Freeny, Johnson, Martin, Morris, White all in mix)
CB - Butler, Ryan, Fletcher, McClain, Swanson (Roberts to PS, rest = garbage)
S - McCourty, Chung, Richards, Slater, Ebner (Harmon, Wilson)

LJRomanoff said:

Thomas Welch, 2010.

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Welch refused to be on the patriots' Practice Squad. He chose to be on the Practice Squad of the Vikings.

Devlin also played 25% of ST plays last season.

In 2014 Jeremy Gallon was waived. He was a 7th round draft pick.

mgteich said:

Welch refused to be on the patriots' Practice Squad. He chose to be on the Practice Squad of the Vikings.

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Yes, exactly. The Patriots couldn't get this seventh rounder onto the Practice Squad because the process meant another team could make him a better offer.

Miguel said:

In 2014 Jeremy Gallon was waived. He was a 7th round draft pick.

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The Patriots didn't even try to put him on the Practice Squad if I remember correctly. He was out of the league for the rest of 2014.

LJRomanoff said:

The Patriots didn't even try to put him on the Practice Squad if I remember correctly. He was out of the league for the rest of 2014.

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He was on the Raiders sometime in 2014.

My overall point is that in order for a player to be placed on the Patriots practice squad that player first has to clear waivers.

Miguel said:

He was on the Raiders sometime in 2014.

My overall point is that in order for a player to be placed on the Patriots practice squad that player first has to clear waivers.

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Having looked it up, Gallon signed a futures contract with the Raiders on 30 December 2014.

I think everyone understands that players have to go through waivers to get to the Practice Squad, which is why the initial question was: when was the last time the Patriots failed to get a 7th rounder onto the Practice Squad as a consequence of the fact that the player has to be waived first? And the answer to that is Thomas Welch in 2010.

We have done well with 7th rounders lately. Edelman, Dennard and Deaderick.V

patsfaninpa said:

We have done well with 7th rounders lately. Edelman, Dennard and Deaderick.V

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Matt Cassel also.