We May Only Need 8 Offensive Linemen

mgteich said:

If Thuney isn't a starting OG, he can be considered the 8th OL, including the role as the 4th OT, and 5th interior lineman.

OT (3) Solder, Vollmer, Waddle or Cannon
C (1) Stork or Andrews
G (3) choose three, one of whom needs to be able to be the backup center
G/T (1) Thuney

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Good thoughts but thats cutting it a bit too thin.

The team typically has 9 OL and sometimes 10.

supafly said:

I think the younger players recently drafted (along with Andrews) hammer your point home even more, particularly with the return of Scarnecchia. This is a position where they'll likely go an extra player, not one less. I think we have a better chance of seeing 10 OL than we do 8 OL.

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They started with 10 last year and ended with 8. I can't imagine what it would have been like, if they started last year off with 8. Yikes!

Cannon is a great backup must not a good starter. Great guy to come in for a couple of downs and give somebody a rest but just leave him at that, never start him no matter how good he looks. I expect him to be back next year unless he has a big cap hit.

No matter what, we're going to cut some significant contributors from last year. I just can't figure out who.

supafly said:

So, under your scenario we'd be losing Cannon, Kline, Fleming, and continuing to pass on Wendell. While I can't fully get on board with that much turnover with keeping 5 interior lineman who are all relatively new to the team, I certainly agree that there will be at least 2/4 if not 3/4 players gone.

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Yes. I like Cooper, Mason and Jackson as young veteran guards, all with an upside. Kline is the one guy who might stay, but I just don't see him as a better alternative, especially with the two rookies coming in, and the emergence of Andrews and Stork as excellent depth at center.

At tackle, Cannon just doesn't have it. Fleming really needs to step up his game if he is to stick. Scarnecchia may be able to get more out of him.

I hadn't even thought about Ryan Wendell. Isn't he officially retired?

Mack Herron said:

With 3 QBs they have to trim someplace. Not sure OL is the best place though.

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I'm just presenting the option. I'm fine with carrying four WR's.

QB 3
RB/FB 4
TE 3
WR 4 or 5
ST 2 (Slater,Bolden)
OL 8 or 9

supafly said:

I think the younger players recently drafted (along with Andrews) hammer your point home even more, particularly with the return of Scarnecchia. This is a position where they'll likely go an extra player, not one less. I think we have a better chance of seeing 10 OL than we do 8 OL.

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I agree and with that and the 3rd QB, another position will have to take the sacrifice, either that or the Pats will gamble in a season injury free like 2014. I think those 4th or 5th safety/special teams will take the cut. I can see only Slater, Gost and Ryan as special teams only players.

robertweathers said:

Good thoughts but thats cutting it a bit too thin.

The team typically has 9 OL and sometimes 10.

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10 was their typical number for a majority of the years that Belichick has been here. There was 1 year he finished with 11. And a couple years he finished with 9..

varjao said:

No way they go with only 8 lineman, specially after 2015.

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I tend to agree, especially given the options they now have. Furthermore, there are chronic injury concerns with:

• Stork -- concussions
• Vollmer -- back
• To a lesser extent Solder -- concussion(s), general weakness from a cancer recovery

and none of those guys has a clean injury history otherwise.

varjao said:

I can see only Slater, Gost and Ryan as special teams only players.

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That kind of prediction is made every year, and never is fulfilled.

K/P/LS -- three ST-only positions right there.
Slater, Ebner, King -- I think all three are extremely likely to be back.

All the other guys on the roster largely because of STs might be ones who are also relied on in the depth chart at other positions, e.g. Bolden at RB, one or more lightweight LBs, or the various WRs who field punts. But I think those 6 ST-only positions are very unlikely to be reduced in number.

Edit: I guess Ebner isn't really ST-only, but that's like saying Larry Izzo wasn't because he got some defensive snaps (and even got an INT once, I think). The broader point still holds.

varjao said:

I agree and with that and the 3rd QB, another position will have to take the sacrifice, either that or the Pats will gamble in a season injury free like 2014. I think those 4th or 5th safety/special teams will take the cut. I can see only Slater, Gost and Ryan as special teams only players.

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We go through this every single year.

Belichick values his special teamers much more that 3rd string backups. Ebner and King are going nowhere.

Sign Matt Slauson. Cut Cannon now that we drafted someone that can be a swing tackle in Tuney.. Slauson is a pro bowl caliber guard that can be had for what was allocated capwise for Cannon.

Fencer said:

I tend to agree, especially given the options they now have. Furthermore, there are chronic injury concerns with:

• Stork -- concussions
• Vollmer -- back
• To a lesser extent Solder -- concussion(s), general weakness from a cancer recovery

and none of those guys has a clean injury history otherwise.

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I understand.

However, consider that if Thuney is ready contribute, we will have no developmental roster players. The Practice Squad can be used for guys like Karras (guys like Barker and Kline in the past). Last year, we had 3 rookies, and hoped for production.

Consider the situation if Stork is waived because of his conclusion history. I would have little problem with going with 8 OL's, presuming that Mason was up to being a center or backup center.

BOTTOM LINE
I've fine with 9 OL's. However, if folks are set on 9, then we need to understand that this likely means 5 RB's (including any FB or STer like Bolden) and 5 WR (including Slater).

OFFENSE (25)
QB 3
RB/FB 4
TE 3
WR 4
ST 2 (Slater, Bolden)
OL 9

goheels22002 said:

I hadn't even thought about Ryan Wendell. Isn't he officially retired?

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I think you are referring to Dan Connelly from last offseason.

Ryan Wendell was a serviceable interior lineman who has not received any interest thus far in free agency, although it's always possible that they could add him as a vet presence who knows the system.

Canuck said:

It's possible that they could go with 9 on the OL. They could groom Thuney as the back-up center and release Andrews.

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Andrews started a lot of games recently and is really cheap. I guess he could go if they get a nice trade offer, but otherwise I think they'd be reluctant to part with him.

For the most part, we all bashed Dan Connolly before our last superbowl season, but g'damn I never thought I'd say he would be as devastating a loss as this last season has proven.

I hope between evoking Scar from retirement, Cooper getting on a team with an OL coach, and the new bodies entered into the mix, that we can get Brady some breathing room and even just a good push for the run game.

If Tom is clean for 3 seconds it will take 60 minutes of excellence to stop us.

mgteich said:

If Thuney isn't a starting OG, he can be considered the 8th OL, including the role as the 4th OT, and 5th interior lineman.

OT (3) Solder, Vollmer, Waddle or Cannon
C (1) Stork or Andrews
G (3) choose three, one of whom needs to be able to be the backup center
G/T (1) Thuney

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How about two tight ends instead?

Gronkowski
Bennett

Derby to the practice squad.

ATippett56 said:

How about two tight ends instead?

Gronkowski
Bennett

Derby to the practice squad.

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What about Michael Williams? Or how about Clay Harbor? It's difficult to imagine neither of them making the team as the 3rd TE.

supafly said:

What about Michael Williams? Or how about Clay Harbor? It's difficult to imagine neither of them making the team as the 3rd TE.

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I'm not impressed with Michael's three career receptions nor Clay's fourteen receptions last season.

Let's face facts, Bill Belichick won't cut Brandon Bolden or Matthew Slater.

ATippett56 said:

I'm not impressed with Michael's three career receptions nor Clay's fourteen receptions last season.

Let's face facts, Bill Belichick won't cut Brandon Bolden or Matthew Slater.

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I definitely agree with your second paragraph. Those ST only players are staying, and if we include a guy like Bolden, we're up to at least seven.

I think Michael Williams has proven his value as a blocking, physical TE though. It will be interesting to see if Belichick keeps him around or not. He also provides some versatility as a backup emergency tackle.