Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

Before the injuries start, I make the Pats' talent situation something like this:

QB -- GOAT or close to it, in or close to his prime
RB -- near the top of the league in shotgun, solid but below average otherwise. Nets out to average+
Receivers -- Aging near-GOAT, a bunch of JAGs, a Pro Bowler who should be partway back from injury by the postseason
Blockers -- Pro Bowler in his prime, a few aging borderline Pro Bowlers, and a great-looking second-year player to replace the weak link

K -- Pro Bowler
P -- below average
LS -- meh

DL (running downs) -- Pro Bowler, another above-average guy, a weak link, and a decent backup or two
DL (passing downs) -- below average (even if you say that's TBC's main job)
LB -- one above-average guy (Mayo) and a bunch of weak links
DBs -- above average, although that assumes guys grow a lot year over year

That doesn't live up to the Pats, Colts, or Chargers of a few years ago, but I'm not sure who projects a lot better this season.

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

I'd argue that you underrate Edelman and no mention of Tate. Neither are JAGs.

We have no Punter yet.

We don't know what we have in McKenzie. Guyton is solid.

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

tate is nothing yet

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

the WR corps is just terrible

As of now Edelman and Moss are the only 2 WRs we have that need defending. If we go into the season with that same line up. I'll be surprised if we win half of our games. Especially considering our lack of a real RB

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

I don't understand how a WR grouping with Randy Moss is terrible? Need to also factor in more production out of Edelman.

I would agree that the remaining players are either unknowns or JAGs at the WR position.

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

Ty Warren is not a JAG. There's a hole on the other side of the DL.

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

I'm evaluating them as a group

the Rams with Tom Brady or Peyton Manning are still a terrible team, they just have one outstanding player

Randy Moss is the only real threat and he is getting old. I love Randy, I hope he retires a Pat but '07 Randy Moss probably isn't coming back. Expecting him to flat out run away from double coverage might be a little much anymore.

Edelman is a good find but he isn't Wes Welker. I like having him on the field but the positives end with Edelman and Moss. Nobody else on the team that lines up as a WR can be trusted to catch a football. Brady is going to deal with a ton of pressure this season because opposing defenses know there are only 2 threats on the field

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

Another way of looking at it:

QB - Hoyer (24)
RB - Maroney (25), BJGE (25)
WR - Edelman (24), Tate (22)
OL - Vollmer (26), Wendell (24), Orhnberger (24)
K - Gostkowski (26)
DL - Pryor (24), Brace (23)
LB - Mayo (24), Guyton (24), Ninkovich (26), McKenzie (24), Crable (25)
CB - Butler (24), Wheatley (25), Wilhite (26)
S - Meriweather (26), McGowan (26), Sanders (26), Chung (23)

That is 23 players (with a couple of other development types I didn't mention) under the age of 27 on opening day 2010. 27 is about the age when a player starts to maximize the blend of physical ability and experience. Any of the players above could take a significant leap forward in development in the next year or two. Obviously all of them won't...in fact a handful likely won't make the 2010 roster. But it would be incredible if a handful of them DIDN'T make a huge leap in development in 2010.

Many on this board have closed the book on the development of a bunch of players on the list above (Maroney, Tate, Brace, Guyton, Crable, Wheatley, Meriweather). They are as good as they are going to get and so you either need to accept that or find a better replacement.

I look at it differently. The Pats success depends on players in this age/experience group stepping up and making key contributions. If this group stagnates or flames out, all the draft picks in 2010 aren't going to be able to make up for that.

So the Pats have stud veterans at key positions (Brady, Mankins, Moss, Welker, Wilfork, Warren, Bodden) along with a bunch of savvy, experienced guys that know how to win. The Pats will also add a bunch of talented youngsters in a month. But it will be the group I listed at the top that holds the key to adding another championship.

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

I think it's an exercise in futility to project the pats talent next season in March... The draft is still 4 weeks away and there will be moves made in conjunction with it or shortly thereafter and likely right up to TC that will likely sufficiently alter any perception formed in March...

Re: Projecting the Pats' talent next season
 

Your assessment of each player is not wrong. Your characterization of the labeling the entire group terrible is off-base IMO.

If you want to call the group collectively mediocre or average, then I would agree.