The 2016 Pats already better than 2015?

19-0!

hornetfb85 said:

It comes down to injuries with the o-line. This is not breaking news, but losing Solder downgraded our line at both tackle spots. The interior was young and inexperienced, and our backup RT (any of them) were glorified statues that my mother could dip a shoulder and get around.

I'm dropping a total cliche on you, but depending on health, better coaching, and a years experience should improve our line play.

We typically will carry 9 O-lineman on the 53 man (depending on the week and injuries)

OT (4)
N. Solder
S. Vollmer
2nd/3rd Draft Pick
Waddle/Fleming/Cannon/Later Draft Pick

The reason I consider an OT a priority is for next year and beyond. Vollmer may be allowed to walk, and Solder has a big cap number of 11+ million. A solid pick that can be the #3 tackle this year with the upside to start in the near future is a big get for us.

C/G (5)

S. Mason
B. Stork
J. Cooper
T. Jackson
D. Andrews/J. Kline/possible Draft Pick

The interior is a bit more tricky to decipher, if they stick with 5 guys. I see my top four on the team, unless they are overly concerned with Storks health concerns.

Starting 5
LT: N. Solder
LG: S. Mason
C: B. Stork
RG: J. Cooper/t. Jackson
RT: S. Vollmer

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I think you lay it out nicely here, don't see anything I would really take issue with.

Agree that an OT should and will be drafted--important to keep the pipeline full. But I don't think the offensive line is a concern for 2016, with at least reasonable minimal health next year.

hornetfb85 said:

It comes down to injuries with the o-line. This is not breaking news, but losing Solder downgraded our line at both tackle spots. The interior was young and inexperienced, and our backup RT (any of them) were glorified statues that my mother could dip a shoulder and get around.

I'm dropping a total cliche on you, but depending on health, better coaching, and a years experience should improve our line play.

We typically will carry 9 O-lineman on the 53 man (depending on the week and injuries)

OT (4)
N. Solder
S. Vollmer
2nd/3rd Draft Pick
Waddle/Fleming/Cannon/Later Draft Pick

The reason I consider an OT a priority is for next year and beyond. Vollmer may be allowed to walk, and Solder has a big cap number of 11+ million. A solid pick that can be the #3 tackle this year with the upside to start in the near future is a big get for us.

C/G (5)

S. Mason
B. Stork
J. Cooper
T. Jackson
D. Andrews/J. Kline/possible Draft Pick

The interior is a bit more tricky to decipher, if they stick with 5 guys. I see my top four on the team, unless they are overly concerned with Storks health concerns.

Starting 5
LT: N. Solder
LG: S. Mason
C: B. Stork
RG: J. Cooper/t. Jackson
RT: S. Vollmer

Click to expand...

This line is likely to be much better than the one that played for us in 2015. Having Solder back does that.
I think that there may be other possibility for the 5th interior lineman, the signing of another veteran Backup. Wendell is certainly possible.

stinkypete said:

I think a well rounded pass catching running back should be a serious consideration in this draft. This offense stops functioning when it doesn't have its Faulk/Woodhead/Vareen/Lewis type back. With his injury history I view Lewis as a short term/best case scenario starter. Somebody near his caliber should be found. I'm not convinced that White can do it.

I love Kenny Dixon if he fell to 60.

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It is hard to think that Belichick won't have a better running game than in 2015, after Lewis was injured. Lewis back. Gaffney or Brown may be a factor. Belichick will certainly add another couple of bodies to camp, either draftees or free agents.

A lot depends on the health of Lewis and Gaffney. Belichick will draft based on his knowledge of their health.

BobDigital said:

The key loses were Jones and Hicks but looking at what they have added they already feel like a better team even before the draft has taken place.

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OFFENSE
Sure we're better as of now.
Solder, Lewis, Develin and Gaffney are back. We've added Bennet, Hogan, Cooper, and Harbor.

Blount and Wendell may come back when they are more healthy.

DEFENSE
We are what we are. We've lost two key pieces in Jones and Hicks. We probably have done enough to replace their production.

1) We've lost Jones and added Long and McClellan. Easley is back. This COULD be OK, or not.
2) We've lost Hicks and replaced him with Knighton. Easley is back. Brown should be more of a factor this year. Chris Jones is also back.
3) We'll add another CB or 2 or 3 through the draft or free agency. Brown could be back.

BOTTOM LINE
As of now, our uninjured team is better than the 2015 team that played most of the year.

Wasn't impressed with either Mason or Jackson.

QB12 said:

Wasn't impressed with either Mason or Jackson.

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I agree. Also, most of us were impressed with Andrews because he was able to start, not because of his quality of play later in the season. We need more at OG than these 3. Cooper is an OK first step, a one-year patch.

mgteich said:

OFFENSE
Sure we're better as of now.
Solder, Lewis, Develin and Gaffney are back. We've added Bennet, Hogan, Cooper, and Harbor.

Blount and Wendell may come back when they are more healthy.

DEFENSE
We are what we are. We've lost two key pieces in Jones and Hicks. We probably have done enough to replace their production.

1) We've lost Jones and added Long and McClellan. Easley is back. This COULD be OK, or not.
2) We've lost Hicks and replaced him with Knighton. Easley is back. Brown should be more of a factor this year. Chris Jones is also back.
3) We'll add another CB or 2 or 3 through the draft or free agency. Brown could be back.

BOTTOM LINE
As of now, our uninjured team is better than the 2015 team that played most of the year.

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Well i am looking at injuries aside. The team as it was healthy in 2015 vs the team as it seems to be now.

BobDigital said:

Well i am looking at injuries aside. The team as it was healthy in 2015 vs the team as it seems to be now.

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That is actually a tough choice because prior to the injuries to Dion, Jules, O line etc... the 2015 team was on a record pace.

Man, just thinking about what they went through last year and still coming within 3 points from going to another SB is mind blowing.

They're better on paper right now than they were at this time last year - by a long way.

Last year, they had Solder, Vollmer, Stork, Wendell, Devers, Kline, Cannon, and Flemming on the OL. This is what they had to build off of. Yeesh. With Mason, Jackson, Andrews all with a year under their belt, and the addition of Cooper, they're in a better position now, and it isn't close.

I'll take the receiving corps right now, too. Thank you, Bennett. Maybe LaFell was considered better than Nate Washington, but marginally.

They still need a running back, but they'll get there. They weren't in great shape last year at this time, and Lewis shocked everyone.

On defense, at this time last year, they didn't have Brown or Hicks. Jones is a big loss, but Knighton should be a big gain. Long and Flowers won't hurt, either.

Last year, CB looked like a trainwreck, but now we know that Butler and Ryan both stepped up, Roberts looked promising, and Coleman played pretty well.

We expected more from Mayo last year, but they're actually deeper at LB right now than last year at this time, too.

They're in good shape - have to be clear favorites to represent the AFC in the SB at this point, for what that's worth.

50-yard-line said:

I'll take the receiving corps right now, too. Thank you, Bennett. Maybe LaFell was considered better than Nate Washington, but marginally.

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I think Hogan will be a nice addition too.

aluminum seats said:

I think Hogan will be a nice addition too.

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yeah, I wasn't even thinking of him - he might turn out to be a sleeper pick up.

I think Bennett is the real wild card here. He's unquestionably a top 10 TE, arguably a top 5 when he's got it going. You gotta be salivating at the double TE sets BB will be utilizing! Without a doubt this looks to be a stronger team than the injury riddled 2015 edition.......

BobDigital said:

The key loses were Jones and Hicks but looking at what they have added they already feel like a better team even before the draft has taken place.

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Well of course they're better -- none of them are injured (yet).

IMO it is much too early to be rating 2015 vs 2016. Last years team if healthy we win the SB.

I don't expect Brady the first 4 games this season.

Lots of unknowns to consider regarding comparisons.

Tunescribe said:

Well of course they're better -- none of them are injured (yet).

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I think the conversation is meant independent of injuries...just the talent on the rosters.

Brewskies said:

IMO it is much too early to be rating 2015 vs 2016. Last years team if healthy we win the SB.

I don't expect Brady the first 4 games this season.

Lots of unknowns to consider regarding comparisons.

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Of course it's early, but that's ok.

Brady will play every game.

A part of me would love to see Jimmy G go 3 and 1,
a pissed off Brady comes in and the Pats smoke team after team.

The rest of the nfl (including inbred owners) start ****ting green Easter eggs when they realize the next Brady is already in the pipeline and their half-assed, thinly veiled attempt at dictated parity/Communism has not and never will work.

It's a little too early to say....but we might have a better picture of the 2016 team once we know the results of the draft

I don't know.

The 2016 New England Patriots have not been assembled, yet. Hypothetically, they could go with what they have on paper, now. And the draft has not been decided, yet. Of course, there's the final roster.

And there's been so many moves, there's a lot to sort out without getting at least some reports from the practice field. Here's what they've done, to date:

DATE / TRANSACTION
March 30, 2016 Signed DB E.J. Biggers.
March 24, 2016 Signed WR Nate Washington.
March 18, 2016 Signed RB Donald Brown, DE Chris Long and LB Shea McClellin.
March 15, 2016 Traded DE-LB Chandler Jones to Arizona Cardinals for G Jonathan Cooper and a 2016 second-round draft pick. Re-signed DB Nate Ebner.
March 11, 2016 Signed DE Frank Kearse and WR Chris Hogan.
March 10, 2016 Signed QB Tom Brady to a two-year contract extension.
March 10, 2016 Signed LB Ramon Humber. Released LB Dane Fletcher.
March 9, 2016 Signed LB Ramon Humber. Released LB Dane Fletcher.
March 4, 2016 Released LB Darius Fleming.
March 2, 2016 Released TE Scott Chandler and WR Brandon LaFell.
February 29, 2016 Agreed to terms with QB Tom Brady on a two-year contract extension.
February 18, 2016 Released DB Leonard Johnson.
January 27, 2016 Signed DL Joe Vellano to a reserve/future contract.
January 26, 2016 Signed LB James Vaughters, OL Chris Baker, WR DeAndre Carter, RB Joey Iosefa, DB Rashaan Melvin, OL Keavon Milton, S Cedric Thompson and DB Brock Vereen to reserve/future contracts.
January 23, 2016 Signed LB Kevin Snyder from the practice squad.
January 19, 2016 Placed LB Jerod Mayo on injured reserve.
January 14, 2016 Released OL Torrian Wilson from the practice squad. Re-signed WR DeAndre Carter to the practice squad. Signed DB Cedric Thompson and WR J.J. Worten to the practice squad.
January 12, 2016 Released WR DeAndre Carter from the practice squad. Signed S Cedric Thompson and WR J.J. Worton to the practice squad.