Patriots Training Camp Primer - Offensive Line

Patriots Training Camp Primer - Offensive Line

Steve Balestrieri

The team is banking heavily on the return of coach Dante Scarnecchia who was retired for two years. The health of this group is a big question mark

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Nice article, though personally I would not place as many players in the roster locks category as Steve does.

In my opinion most of the offensive line roster slots are wide open. The only players I would designate as 'locks' are Solder, Vollmer and Thuney; everything else is up for grabs.

I would add Shaq Mason to your Locks category, jmt; otherwise, I agree with those you mentioned.

Nobody else - and I mean nobody - should feel that they deserve a place on the OL that protects The Franchise, based soley on their "performance" last season.

I do agree with Ballesteri that the inability or unwillingness to acquire a legitimate Swing Tackle, with either pro or college experience at LT, is one of the most infuriating chapters of this off-season. It's as if everthing after week 10 never happened.

captain stone said:

I would add Shaq Mason to the Locks category; otherwise, I agree with those you mentioned.

Nobody else - and I mean nobody - should feel that they deserve a place on the OL that protects The Franchise, based soley on their "performance" last season.

I do agree with Ballesteri that the inability or unwillingness to acquire a legitimate Swing Tackle, with either pro or college experience at LT, is one of the most infuriating chapters of this off-season. It's as if everthing after week 10 never happened.

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I would agree with your four locks and yes--the lack of addressing another OT was certainly frustrating. For me, I've got to assume that Belichick has some type of plan in place (obviously).

What that plan is would be anyone's guess, but perhaps it involves a positional change and/or the hope of acquiring another team's castoff during TC cuts?

you never know at camp. I'm watching Mankins looking pretty good last summer and "BANG"...gone with the freakin' wind. While I agree with the rest of the posts in this thread I really have no clue what BB will do. I never do.

THE most important positional unit on this year's team, by far. These guys damn well better be healthy, and if the Patriots need to trade for help then so be it.

Tunescribe said:

THE most important positional unit on this year's team, by far. These guys damn well better be healthy, and if the Patriots need to trade for help then so be it.

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I been saying it all off season. Line play and health will be the only things to stop the Patriots this season.