15-16 positions; 14 front runners

[mgteich]

FOURTEEEN FRONT RUNNERS
Personally, barring injury, I think that all of the following 14 players are heavy favorites to make the Game One 53-man roster.

NT Wilfork, Brace
DE Warren, Wright
DL Lewis
ILB Mayo, Guyton, Spikes, McKenzie
OLB TBC, Burgess, Woods, Ninkovich, Cunningham
==========================================
And I also think that there are ten heavy favorites for secondary positions.
==========================================
BOTTOM LINE (1-2 open roster spots)
There are a couple of open spots and lots of guys ampeting for them. perhaps Pryor and Warren and Crable are the binkies here for those spots.

 

[italia44]

FOURTEEEN FRONT RUNNERS
Personally, barring injury, I think that all of the following 14 players are heavy favorites to make the Game One 53-man roster.

NT Wilfork, Brace
DE Warren, Wright
DL Lewis
ILB Mayo, Guyton, Spikes, McKenzie
OLB TBC, Burgess, Woods, Ninkovich, Cunningham
==========================================
And I also think that there are ten heavy favorites for secondary positions.
==========================================
BOTTOM LINE (1-2 open roster spots)
There are a couple of open spots and lots of guys ampeting for them. perhaps Pryor and Warren and Crable are the binkies here for those spots.

Nice,as usual,mgteich.....The OLB competition has become fascinating to me.I think this is going to come down to which of the OLB's can play behind TBC at ROLB(rolb and lolb are not interchangable)

Let's say that Cunningham is a slow starter.....who play's behind TBC?

Burgess can't.....Woods lacks instinct..Ninkovich interrests me...he's bulked-up,is smart and BB liked him inside the 10 yd line,last year.

Crable is such a wild-card,here...if healthy,you just have to keep him......ergo,imho,Burgess and Pierre Woods are in trouble.

 

[Water Boy]

Crable is such a wild-card,here...if healthy,you just have to keep him

Think so? I'm pulling for him, but I think there is a very good chance that his injuries have been what have saved him from being cut the last 2 years.

 

[mgteich]

I suggested 1-2 open roster spots on defense. Those could go to the 6th DL (G Warren, Pryor or Deaderick) and the 10th LB (Crable).

I just don't see Burgess or Woods being replaced by Crable. In fact, what you are suggesting that we need a backup for Banta-Cain. If Ninkovich or Cunningham can't preform that tole, then Ninkovich could be the one in trouble, but I don't think so.

Nice,as usual,mgteich.....The OLB competition has become fascinating to me.I think this is going to come down to which of the OLB's can play behind TBC at ROLB(rolb and lolb are not interchangable)

Let's say that Cunningham is a slow starter.....who play's behind TBC?

Burgess can't.....Woods lacks instinct..Ninkovich interrests me...he's bulked-up,is smart and BB liked him inside the 10 yd line,last year.

Crable is such a wild-card,here...if healthy,you just have to keep him......ergo,imho,Burgess and Pierre Woods are in trouble.

 

[italia44]

Think so? I'm pulling for him, but I think there is a very good chance that his injuries have been what have saved him from being cut the last 2 years.

That's why I said wild-card.....forget the 2yr injury for a moment.....who of this group at LOLB,would you want to see as a "cover" linebacker:

Burgess,Guyton,Ninkovich,Woods and Crable....In a base 3-4,we need a LOLB with coverage skills.
I'm hoping it's Crable,because of talent,that's all.

 

[patsfan13]

FOURTEEEN FRONT RUNNERS
Personally, barring injury, I think that all of the following 14 players are heavy favorites to make the Game One 53-man roster.

NT Wilfork, Brace
DE Warren, Wright
DL Lewis
ILB Mayo, Guyton, Spikes, McKenzie
OLB TBC, Burgess, Woods, Ninkovich, Cunningham
==========================================
And I also think that there are ten heavy favorites for secondary positions.
==========================================
BOTTOM LINE (1-2 open roster spots)
There are a couple of open spots and lots of guys ampeting for them. perhaps Pryor and Warren and Crable are the binkies here for those spots.

I would move Brace to DE and Add Pyror to the front runner group at NT.

Crable is my binkie on the front 7. Love to see him healthy and see what he can do.

 

[Ring 6]

FOURTEEEN FRONT RUNNERS
Personally, barring injury, I think that all of the following 14 players are heavy favorites to make the Game One 53-man roster.

NT Wilfork, Brace
DE Warren, Wright
DL Lewis
ILB Mayo, Guyton, Spikes, McKenzie
OLB TBC, Burgess, Woods, Ninkovich, Cunningham
==========================================
And I also think that there are ten heavy favorites for secondary positions.
==========================================
BOTTOM LINE (1-2 open roster spots)
There are a couple of open spots and lots of guys ampeting for them. perhaps Pryor and Warren and Crable are the binkies here for those spots.

Why is Lewis ahead of Warren a clear cut decision? They seem to come in about equal in competition.
I don't think Woods is a certainty by any stretch of the imagination nor is Ninkovich. Crable certainly has more raw ability than either, so it would not be an upset at all if, providing he stays healthy (insert joke here) he is ahead of both.

I would change it to:
Locks: Wilfork, Warren, Brace, Wright
and 2 of Warren, Lewis, Pryor, Deadrick or someone else. I don't see any favorites yet, because you have either older vets or youngsters who have never or barely played, and both could be a reason to be left on the outside looking in.
Locks: TBC, Cunningham, Burgess
and 1 or 2 of Ninkovich, Woods, Crabel and again I see no clear favorite because there is one known commodity and where he sets the bar is not very high.

 

[mgteich]

A) I have Lewis ahead of the rest because I think that he is a much better player.

B) I do indeed that Ninkovich and Woods are current "frontrunners" over Crable. You state that if Crable is healthy and plays up his talent level that he could be ahead of both Woods and Ninkovich. OK, I agree. But I certainly don't think that this is a likely occurence. I therefore think that Crable has a long way to go, and that Woods and Ninkovicha re frontrunners at the moment.

Why is Lewis ahead of Warren a clear cut decision? They seem to come in about equal in competition.
I don't think Woods is a certainty by any stretch of the imagination nor is Ninkovich. Crable certainly has more raw ability than either, so it would not be an upset at all if, providing he stays healthy (insert joke here) he is ahead of both.

I would change it to:
Locks: Wilfork, Warren, Brace, Wright
and 2 of Warren, Lewis, Pryor, Deadrick or someone else. I don't see any favorites yet, because you have either older vets or youngsters who have never or barely played, and both could be a reason to be left on the outside looking in.
Locks: TBC, Cunningham, Burgess
and 1 or 2 of Ninkovich, Woods, Crabel and again I see no clear favorite because there is one known commodity and where he sets the bar is not very high.

 

[Ring 6]

A) I have Lewis ahead of the rest because I think that he is a much better player.

B) I do indeed that Ninkovich and Woods are current "frontrunners" over Crable. You state that if Crable is healthy and plays up his talent level that he could be ahead of both Woods and Ninkovich. OK, I agree. But I certainly don't think that this is a likely occurence. I therefore think that Crable has a long way to go, and that Woods and Ninkovicha re frontrunners at the moment.

A) OK. I would think he is more in the group than ahead of, but I accept your p.o.v.
B) You could look at it the other way too, in that it is unlkely those guys would be ahead of a healthy Crable. I don't know that I'm ready to say his injuries are inherent or more than bad luck (I tend to think most players injuires are a matter of luck, not an inherent quality or lack of it). My point is that its hard for me to consider a player the forntrunner when the trailer is very likely to supplant him if both stay healthy. Arguably Woods and Ninkovich have as much chance of getting injured as Crable does, unless you are saying you think Crable is a malingerer or a wuss or not tough enough to play in the league. I don't know whether that is your opinion or not. Again, I would throw them into a group, and probably include Murrell as well and expect 1 or 2 to make the squad but I'm not ready to put any of the 4 far ahead, since all have their warts. Put it this way, it wouldn't be hard for a decent OLB to make the team over Woods or Ninkovich to whom so far decent would be a complement.

 

[mgteich]

We disagree with regard to Woods. We agree with regard to Ninkovich and Crable.
================================================================
WOODS
I see him a one of an 8-10 linebacker grouping with a couple of roles to play, including special teams. I think he does what has been asked of him and is well deserving of a roster spot. What we have is a backup linebacker and a top special teamer without question marks. We know what we get when we put Woods on the field. And as you have pointed out, Belichick is fine with starting Woods opposite Banta-Cain.

NINKOVICH
I agree that he could easily be beaten out. He just seems to be ahead of others at the moment. However, I do not feel at all strongly about Ninkovich and would be fine if he didn't make the squad.

CRABLE
Two major injuries cannot be ignored. Crable is not a 5-10 year veteran with a couple of recent injuries. He is a player who has never contributed because he has been unlucky enough to have been injured twice. I believe that success in such a case is rare. Yes, Crable could be the one who comes back, against long odds, and succeeds are two injuries at the beginning of his career. I'm rooting for him. I just don't think that his chances are equal to those of Ninkovich. Hopefully, in two months, Crable will be the frontrunner instead of Ninkovich.

A) OK. I would think he is more in the group than ahead of, but I accept your p.o.v.
B) You could look at it the other way too, in that it is unlkely those guys would be ahead of a healthy Crable. I don't know that I'm ready to say his injuries are inherent or more than bad luck (I tend to think most players injuires are a matter of luck, not an inherent quality or lack of it). My point is that its hard for me to consider a player the forntrunner when the trailer is very likely to supplant him if both stay healthy. Arguably Woods and Ninkovich have as much chance of getting injured as Crable does, unless you are saying you think Crable is a malingerer or a wuss or not tough enough to play in the league. I don't know whether that is your opinion or not. Again, I would throw them into a group, and probably include Murrell as well and expect 1 or 2 to make the squad but I'm not ready to put any of the 4 far ahead, since all have their warts. Put it this way, it wouldn't be hard for a decent OLB to make the team over Woods or Ninkovich to whom so far decent would be a complement.

 

[jmt57]

Glad you used the terms 'front runners' and 'favorites', because some of these are not 'locks' to make the team, simply 'most likely' to make the team at this point. For example, if one of those six unnamed corners does not make the 53-man roster I would not be surprised at all.

 

[mgteich]

I'd certainly be fine if Ninkovich or Wheatley get beaten out by someone, anyone. But for now, they seem to frontrunners. We talking about the bottom of the roster.

Glad you used the terms 'front runners' and 'favorites', because some of these are not 'locks' to make the team, simply 'most likely' to make the team at this point. For example, if one of those six unnamed corners does not make the 53-man roster I would not be surprised at all.

 

[drew4008]

Like patsfan13 said, I'd add Pryor to the list and would say he has the same likelihood of being cut that Brace has, regardless of their draft positions.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I'd be shocked if Gary Guyton starts the season opener over Spikes or McKenzie. Guyton is better suited to relieve one of the two on 3rd downs.

 

[ALP]

Like patsfan13 said, I'd add Pryor to the list and would say he has the same likelihood of being cut that Brace has, regardless of their draft positions.

i would have to say pryor is above brace in likelyhood of staying...without much question

i would also say that ninkovich is more likely to stay than woods....he seems to have an instictint for the scheme we run

 

[lillestroom]

I'd certainly be fine if Ninkovich or Wheatley get beaten out by someone, anyone. But for now, they seem to frontrunners. We talking about the bottom of the roster.

We will probably go with 5 corners, but I wouldnt be shocked top see 4 on the roster. It may well be that Sanders\Chung plays Nickel CB at times.

Predict a lot of Chung on 3rd down blitzes too.

 

[patriotscpfc]

A) I have Lewis ahead of the rest because I think that he is a much better player.

B) I do indeed that Ninkovich and Woods are current "frontrunners" over Crable. You state that if Crable is healthy and plays up his talent level that he could be ahead of both Woods and Ninkovich. OK, I agree. But I certainly don't think that this is a likely occurence. I therefore think that Crable has a long way to go, and that Woods and Ninkovicha re frontrunners at the moment.

Warren is running with Ty and Vince in all practices so far.

He's going nowhere fast.

 

[Sicilian]

Like patsfan13 said, I'd add Pryor to the list and would say he has the same likelihood of being cut that Brace has, regardless of their draft positions.

i would have to say pryor is above brace in likelyhood of staying...without much question

I have to disagree with both of you. Brace is the only other body that seems capable of playing a natural NT. Whether he did it effectively last year as a 2nd round rookie is another question, but name another player on the roster who could play the nose if Wilfork is injured.

Pryor may make the team, but we have other players (Wright, Lewis) who can fill his role as a sub package interior lineman.

 

[Deus Irae]

Warren is running with Ty and Vince in all practices so far.

He's going nowhere fast.

Well, the Fernando Bryant experience shows that running with the first team is no guarantee of making the team.

 

[patsfan13]

Brace was playing DE during camp, Pryor provided a good inside rush at times last year.