Pre Training Camp Mock Roster

Brady6 said:

Offense (25)
QB-Brady-Garoppolo (2)
RB-Blount-Bolden-Gray-Gaffney-White (5)
FB-Develin (1)
WR-Edelman-LaFell-Dobson-Amendola-Slater (5)
TE-Gronkowski-Chandler-Derby (3)
OT-Vollmer-Solder-Cannon-Fleming (4)
OG/C-Stork-Wendell-Jackson-Mason-Kline (5)

Defense (25)
DL-Siliga-Easley-Brown-Branch-Moore (5)
EDGE-Jones-Ninkovich-Sheard-Grissom-Flowers (5)
LB-Collins-Hightower-Mayo-Morris-Wells (5)
CB-Ryan-Butler-Roberts-Fletcher-Swanson (5)
SAF-McCourty-Richards-Chung-Harmon-Ebner (5)

Special Teams (3)
K-Gostkowski (1)
P-Allen (1)
LS-Cardona (1)

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It's hard to get excited about the RBs and CBs. I'm hoping that Tyler Gaffney becomes a quality compliment to Blount. On the other hand, I do like the receiving corps (including TEs) and the defensive front 6/7.

My take I don't think Ebner and Slater both make this team one or the other.
I also don't think Derby nor Fletcher Is a lock if Fletcher and Jean have similar camps then the younger cheaper more athletic player gets the nod.
I think McClain makes the roster he is a true nickel back.
Gaffney only makes this roster if he takes snaps from Gray and Blount if not he may suffer a mysterious ailment as may Derby and Wells.

ChrisR2223 said:

My take I don't think Ebner and Slater both make this team one or the other.
I also don't think Derby nor Fletcher Is a lock if Fletcher and Jean have similar camps then the younger cheaper more athletic player gets the nod.
I think McClain makes the roster he is a true nickel back.
Gaffney only makes this roster if he takes snaps from Gray and Blount if not he may suffer a mysterious ailment as may Derby and Wells.

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I just cant see Slater getting cut, but then again what do I know.

Only four receivers?

ChrisR2223 said:

My take I don't think Ebner and Slater both make this team one or the other.
.

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Different ST roles. Slater is a gunner, a premier gunner. Just who beats him out?

My binky Ebner is far more at risk. Ebner on the 53 and Slater not is unlikely as gunners are primo.

PatsWickedPissah said:

Different ST roles. Slater is a gunner, a premier gunner. Just who beats him out?

My binky Ebner is far more at risk. Ebner on the 53 and Slater not is unlikely as gunners are primo.

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Slater's also the special teams captain and they don't cut those guys on a successful squad.

I never thought Slater would be cut he's a specialist at what he does.
However unless Ebner beats out Wilson Swanson or Jean I don't see him making the team on special teams talent alone so he has to make the leap on the defense.

I wonder how the Pats settle on the numbers at each position. Do they do some statistical analysis of players lost at each position or do they go by the level of talent that they have on the current roster? Maybe both?

RayClay said:

Only four receivers?

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We should be able to slide Boyce and Tyms on to the PS.

ChrisR2223 said:

My take I don't think Ebner and Slater both make this team one or the other.
I also don't think Derby nor Fletcher Is a lock if Fletcher and Jean have similar camps then the younger cheaper more athletic player gets the nod.
I think McClain makes the roster he is a true nickel back.
Gaffney only makes this roster if he takes snaps from Gray and Blount if not he may suffer a mysterious ailment as may Derby and Wells.

Click to expand...

Based on reports in OTA Ebner looked really good and had made some significant development when playing defense.

Brady6 said:

Offense (25)
QB-Brady-Garoppolo (2)
RB-Blount-Bolden-Gray-Gaffney-White (5)
FB-Develin (1)
WR-Edelman-LaFell-Dobson-Amendola-Slater (5)
TE-Gronkowski-Chandler-Derby (3)
OT-Vollmer-Solder-Cannon-Fleming (4)
OG/C-Stork-Wendell-Jackson-Mason-Kline (5)

Defense (25)
DL-Siliga-Easley-Brown-Branch-Moore (5)
EDGE-Jones-Ninkovich-Sheard-Grissom-Flowers (5)
LB-Collins-Hightower-Mayo-Morris-Wells (5)
CB-Ryan-Butler-Roberts-Fletcher-Swanson (5)
SAF-McCourty-Richards-Chung-Harmon-Ebner (5)

Special Teams (3)
K-Gostkowski (1)
P-Allen (1)
LS-Cardona (1)

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Offense (24):
QB - same
RB - Either Cadet or (my preference) Lewis beats out Gray, and I like Gray, but another 3rd-down back
besides the pedestrian White is needed. Bill should've signed Roy Helu.
FB - same
WR - Add Brandon Gibson, place Slater at Safety where he belongs.
TE - Replace Derby with HooHah, though I'd rather have neither. Why again did Bill release Tim Mister Wright? Feckin stupid.
LT - Solder, and that's it. Ridiculous. Cannonball IS NOT A SWING TACKLE.
RT - Vollmer, Cannon
C/G - same, and that's not a good thing

Defense (25):
DT - Replace Zach Moore with Chris Jones.
DE - same
LB - Replace Hightower (PUP) & Morris with Dane Fletcher & Dekota Watson.
CB - same, and that's not a good thing either.
S - Replace Ebner with Slater.

STs: same

Kept one spot on offense open hoping that Bill comes to his senses and adds a legit LT/Swing Tackle.
Needless to say, I really don't like our OL - again - or our CBs.

Brady6 said:

We should be able to slide Boyce and Tyms on to the PS.

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I think your list is generally good, though I get the feeling some players might not make it in favor of more developmental players at each position.

I always applaud those, especially mgteich over the years, who compiles these lists, because I'm not inherently organized like that and enjoy having the framework to be a critic.

Some thoughts: Does Devlin add enough on S teams to stick? I ask because i have Hooman backing up 2 6'7" TEs and wonder how much we're using a full back. Agree with Captain Stone, Lewis makes the team at RB/3rd down. Also agree Gibson at WR.

Wells is safety sized and only makes it as a special teamer. That means him or Ebner IMO, because Tavon has developed into a core special teams guy that is a big hitter and a lot more likely to step in at safety or hybrid [Wells] than the other two. Pretend he was drafted in the 7th round if it makes you feel better, but I think he's going to ultimately show value in the regular defense, not compared to second round picks, but compared to his competition on the team. ST, safety, CB.

I could see carrying an extra CB and/or OLine, however that works out. A lot of the LB, pass rusher and other D line picks are really going to depend on how they play or fit in a new defense. I have a feeling they are going safety heavy to pressure receivers and blitz to cover up for corners and that favors Chung and Tavon in the short run (IMO) over the new 2nd round reach and other hybrid possibilities.

captain stone said:

WR - Add Brandon Gibson, place Slater at Safety where he belongs.

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Aaaarrrgghh! I'd much rather have him as a fake WR than a fake safety. I still have nightmares of him running around aimlessly with the rest of the hopeless crew that year.

Please don't tell me that Moulden's available either. I'm hoping, since the need has been known for a while, that they can pick up one decent CB, even if only a role player. I'm sure there's names they're watching for on cuts or cheap trades.

Jean, Roberts are gamers.
Alot of length and youth and athleticism as well as inexperience I know. Would love for both of those guys to be Gems like Malcolm my favorite Butler.

RayClay said:

..I always applaud those, especially mgteich over the years, who compiles these lists, because I'm not inherently organized like that and enjoy having the framework to be a critic...

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Yeah, at this point I look more at how the team looks on a depth chart than on a 53-man Opening Day roster because of inevitable injuries & waiver pick-ups. But in compiling a possible 53, 2 things are still apparent to me: our OL has way, way more Right-side (non-athletic) players than Left-side players;
and our CBs lack a true #1, or #2.
Bill is taking a huge risk at both position groups, more than I ever would take there.

captain stone said:

Yeah, at this point I look more at how the team looks on a depth chart than on a 53-man Opening Day roster because of inevitable injuries & waiver pick-ups. But in compiling a possible 53, 2 things are still apparent to me: our OL has way, way more Right-side (non-athletic) players than Left-side players;
and our CBs lack a true #1, or #2.
Bill is taking a huge risk at both position groups, more than I ever woulld take there.

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Can't argue there, although Cannon has looked a lot better in the past and i think they have more raw material at OLine than they have usually had under BB.

The defense as a whole is a crapshoot, although the front seven plus has the athleticism and proven players, if LB are healthy and unproven, but talented at DL and pass rusher.

I think the plan is to use safeties [pretty good group] and a much more attacking front seven to cover for a role playing/zone playing CB group.

It's really a crapshoot all the way and i don't think the defense will come together until mid-late season because of the transition.

You can cover for weak corners, but you really need to disrupt the QB and that is unproven at this point.

ChrisR2223 said:

I never thought Slater would be cut he's a specialist at what he does.
However unless Ebner beats out Wilson Swanson or Jean I don't see him making the team on special teams talent alone so he has to make the leap on the defense.

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He literally made the club from the tub in 2013 (he didn't play a single snap in the preseason), so I'm not so sure about that.

captain stone said:

Yeah, at this point I look more at how the team looks on a depth chart than on a 53-man Opening Day roster because of inevitable injuries & waiver pick-ups. But in compiling a possible 53, 2 things are still apparent to me: our OL has way, way more Right-side (non-athletic) players than Left-side players;
and our CBs lack a true #1, or #2.
Bill is taking a huge risk at both position groups, more than I ever would take there.

Click to expand...

Shaq Mason was along side Ali Marpet with the best numbers at the NFL combine. That said in this era of football the sides are less meaningful teams move players around, inside and outside. Look at a player such as Watt he lines up everywhere from NT to OLB on a regular basis.

ChrisR2223 said:

My take I don't think Ebner and Slater both make this team one or the other.
I also don't think Derby nor Fletcher Is a lock if Fletcher and Jean have similar camps then the younger cheaper more athletic player gets the nod.
I think McClain makes the roster he is a true nickel back.
Gaffney only makes this roster if he takes snaps from Gray and Blount if not he may suffer a mysterious ailment as may Derby and Wells.

Click to expand...

Pure armchair speculation/gut feeling, but I think Slater retires a patriot in his early- to mid-thirties.

Fun fact: Slater was selected to the 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 Pro Bowl as a special teamer.