Are Four STO's Enough?

[mgteich]

Some says we need none. Belichick wants as many as can contribute more than others at the bottom of the roster at other positions.
============
STARTERS
Slater, Schooler, Board

ADDITIONAL PLAYERS WHO COULD MAKE IT AS STO PLAYERS (competing with bottom of the roster players at other positions)
Mitchell, Davis, Speed, Heilig
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I presume that returners will make it as part of other positions groups. In addition, one blocker usually is a utility man on Offense.

 

[Sicilian]

I feel like Bolden, Bledsoe, and Roberts could be possibilities as well, depending on how much you think they could compete for regular defensive snaps. Mack Wilson too, considering he was almost exclusively ST for the 2nd half of last year (played something like 10 total defensive snaps down the stretch).

 

[Hyped]

The reality is that once we go beyond player #35 on the roster (16 contributors on offense & defense plus 3 kicking game specialists..the remaining guys never get any live reps on gameday unless there are injuries. So, we can afford to have 6-7 guys that solely play ST's outside of the K/P/LSer. And half of those guys will also be contributors on offense/defense anyway.

Not a problem....

 

[Pape]

Two or three are fine, the rest of the unit will be made up of the remainder of the roster

 

[captain stone]

Slater & one other STO are perfect to ensure that each half of the field is lined-up properly, if those two & their coach are of league caliber at all.

The rest consists of my backups & prospects with lower snap counts from scrimmage.

If my two "aces" & their coach are unable to get the rest of their units to execute, then I'll ****-can them and find 3 others who will.

Heck I'm still of the mind-set that my backup Center should also be my primary Long-Snapperhead too.

 

[mgteich]

The reality is that once we go beyond player #35 on the roster (16 contributors on offense & defense plus 3 kicking game specialists..the remaining guys never get any live reps on gameday unless there are injuries. So, we can afford to have 6-7 guys that solely play ST's outside of the K/P/LSer. And half of those guys will also be contributors on offense/defense anyway.

Not a problem....

OK. I'll play. My perspective is a bit different. I look at the minimum number needed at each position. The result is the same, although I have one more on offense and one less on defense (probably because I include a backup QB). I do think that there are 3 starters on Special Teams.

And sure, a Defense player might play Offense or ST's, as is the case for the other positions.
===================================================
OFFENSE (17)
QB - 2
WR - 3
TE - 2
RB - 3
OL - 7

DEFENSE (15)
DL - 5
LB - 3
CB - 4
S - 3

SPECIAL TEAMS (6)
Specialists (3)
Special teams Starters (top 3 STO's) (3)
===================
BOTTOM LINE
I agree. There is room for 15 more players. Depending on the players, there is plenty of room for backups on Offense, Defense and Special Teams. For example, one might think that each unit needs 5 more players. One might argue that 3 startimg ST's is simply not enough. This is especially true, if some of the 5 (e.g Board) might also contribute at another position. Also, we need 4 returners, two KR, and 2 PR's. We usually don't allocate positions for returners.

 

[n6249c]

Slater & one other STO are perfect to ensure that each half of the field is lined-up properly, if those two & their coach are of league caliber at all.

The rest consists of my backups & prospects with lower snap counts from scrimmage.
…

one possible exception might be if a strong ST candidate made the roster over some non ST positional backup. Thing is, the athleticism required to be outstanding for ST work probably can learn to play backup to most any position of need. Maybe mediocre backup, but no more mediocre than any other edge of the roster scrub. IIRC Pats have had some stalwarts develop from initially being STO. Wasn’t that pretty much Nick’s career arc?

 

[signbabybrady]

I'd throw in a kicker and punter too

 

[mgteich]

I'd throw in a kicker and punter too

I didn't think that I need to list the three specialist positions separately: kicker, punter and long snapper.

 

[mgteich]

I feel like Bolden, Bledsoe, and Roberts could be possibilities as well, depending on how much you think they could compete for regular defensive snaps. Mack Wilson too, considering he was almost exclusively ST for the 2nd half of last year (played something like 10 total defensive snaps down the stretch).

I don't think that Bolden is a top STer. However, I do think that he has an excellent chance of making the roster as our 5th or 6th CB.

 

[mgteich]

Slater & one other STO are perfect to ensure that each half of the field is lined-up properly, if those two & their coach are of league caliber at all.

The rest consists of my backups & prospects with lower snap counts from scrimmage.

If my two "aces" & their coach are unable to get the rest of their units to execute, then I'll ****-can them and find 3 others who will.

Heck I'm still of the mind-set that my backup Center should also be my primary Long-Snapperhead too.

Yup, this is the extreme limit, K, P, and two ST aces.

If course, we will carry a long snapper and aces Slater and Schooler (your two aces).
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I'm OK with other STer being at least emergency backups at positions, e.g. Board, my 3rd STO "ace".

 

[captain stone]

If course, we will carry a long snapper and aces Slater and Schooler (your two aces).
=========================================
I'm OK with other STer being at least emergency backups at positions, e.g. Board, my 3rd STO "ace".

My 2nd STO would actually be Board... I have no time whatsoever for useless crap like Schooler, Webb, Mitchell, the ***ot, Sig Heilig, Bedsore, Myles Away & Speed; Not One of these stiffs will Ever contribute on plays from scrimmage, so why bother having Any of them in the building? ****-can the lot and find kids who actually might have a future in the league... But that would mean not only knowing what you're doing on draft weekend, but also staying vigilant post-draft for top UDFAs & vet releases, neither at which Notgoat & Al Groh's kid have proved competent for the past 4-5 years.

 

[Sicilian]

My 2nd STO would actually be Board... I have no time whatsoever for useless crap like Schooler, Webb, Mitchell, the ***ot, Sig Heilig, Bedsore, Myles Away & Speed; Not One of these stiffs will Ever contribute on plays from scrimmage, so why bother having Any of them in the building? ****-can the lot and find kids who actually might have a future in the league... But that would mean not only knowing what you're doing on draft weekend, but also staying vigilant post-draft for top UDFAs & vet releases, neither at which Notgoat & Al Groh's kid have proved competent for the past 4-5 years.

You can cut this **** out right now.

 

[Zuma]

My 2nd STO would actually be Board

Board can play some defense… so I agree

.. I have no time whatsoever for useless crap like Schooler,

Schooler may only end up being a STO player but IMO he could be really “special” there.

Webb

No high hopes

Mitchell

Who?

the ***ot

Deserves a chance

Sig Heilig

Heard more than once they are high on him. We’ll see.

Bedsore, Myles Away & Speed

Fine with them cut

Also I think Bolden can be a DB and ST player.

 

[Ring 6]

My 2nd STO would actually be Board... I have no time whatsoever for useless crap like Schooler, Webb, Mitchell, the ***ot, Sig Heilig, Bedsore, Myles Away & Speed; Not One of these stiffs will Ever contribute on plays from scrimmage, so why bother having Any of them in the building? ****-can the lot and find kids who actually might have a future in the league... But that would mean not only knowing what you're doing on draft weekend, but also staying vigilant post-draft for top UDFAs & vet releases, neither at which Notgoat & Al Groh's kid have proved competent for the past 4-5 years.

So you put worse special teams players on the field to keep young guys who are never going to help anyway?

 

[captain stone]

Who?

DE DaMarcus Mitchell, recently removed from the PUP list... If you watch the back-breaking KO return in Minnesota, he was the one just standing there and ass-uming somebody else was gonna make the tackle...until it was too late.

Also I think Bolden can be a DB and ST player.

His chances of being both are certainly better than Speed's that's for sure; but that shuttle time...

 

[DaBruinz]

DE DaMarcus Mitchell, recently removed from the PUP list... If you watch the back-breaking KO return in Minnesota, he was the one just standing there and assuming somebody else was gonna make the tackle...until it was too late.



His chances of being both are certainly better than Speed's that's for sure; but that shuttle time...

You mean the Shuttle Time that he ran while HURT? Yes. He had an injury to his RIGHT HIP. But he still ran it.. Says a LOT about the guy.

 

[Zuma]

My 2nd STO would actually be Board... I have no time whatsoever for useless crap like Schooler, Webb, Mitchell, the ***ot, Sig Heilig, Bedsore, Myles Away & Speed; Not One of these stiffs will Ever contribute on plays from scrimmage, so why bother having Any of them in the building? ****-can the lot and find kids who actually might have a future in the league... But that would mean not only knowing what you're doing on draft weekend, but also staying vigilant post-draft for top UDFAs & vet releases, neither at which Notgoat & Al Groh's kid have proved competent for the past 4-5 years.

FWIW the Texans had 2 guys covering Schooler on punts last night.

 

[captain stone]

FWIW the Texans had 2 guys covering Schooler on punts last night.

They more likely than not would've had two guys covering whoever happened to be standing there.