Breakout players this year

[Boston Boxer]

for the 2nd year in a row, i will say B. Johnson. I know he can play, really. This is his year.

 

[OhExaulted1]

James Sanders is my dark horse and I like F2P's take on the OL.

 

[Patriot Missile]

No doubt in my mind that it will be Ben Watson. He imo is the most athletically gifted player in this league,top 5 in NFL. He's smart and again imo has the knowledge and capacity to lineup as a wr if needed. He will dominate.

Interesting all this talk of Brady working in the offseason. I wonder if Watson was one of the fellas practicing with him? I know Tom seen his development last season but now I'm wondering if the recent high praise was because Ben has been part of Brady's extreme conditioning this offseason?

Great post btw Rook. I'm so hoping Claridge comes in and does well like Chad was saying. That would be a huge shot in the arm for this team.

 

[gomezcat]

At the risk of being controversial, I think it is time for the young QB from Michigan to step up- Tommy Whatshisname.

I'd agree with Hobbs and Watson. From what I saw last year, Hobbs seems to be a good, physical corner, whose understanding of the D improved immeasurably as the year went on. I would also add Steve Neal. He would appear to have Pro Bowl potential (as much as I can judge these things in a guard) and can only improve after another offseason in the weight room and sessions with Dante.

 

[Remix 6]

can be sanders if he gets a shot to start

http://www.toadlife.net/stuff/forum_stuff/fresno_state/
10 down..Patriots-Sanders if you guys remember that pretty neat play

i talked to a Fresno fan even after reading the profile of him again like last year

he said: Sanders awarness is his strength..knows whats going on. Hes not super fast but notslow..average speed for an NFL safety. He likes to give hits when he has the chance. Compares him to a slightly smaller Corey Chavous which is pretty good

 

[Kdo5]

Benjiman Watson
Oh boy, this guy is going to be incredible in my opinion, he and Branch problably have to be Brady's favorite targets coming into this year. He showed he can be a play maker and a real threat. This guy could even play as reciever. He made some very big plays, and that one against the Jags sends shivers down my spine, breaks one tackle, being spun around and breaking a tackle near the out of bounds, keeping his balence after being nailed by some guy, and out running all the DB's to the endzone. Whooooooooooo!

Ellis Hobbs
He showed awesome potential and in my opinion, as a rookie turned around the secondary. Not saying it was all him but when he stepped in as the second starter, the secondary started playing pretty well. 3 INTS in the second half of the season, as a rookie! I think he can be a pro bowler in the not so distant future. I'm looking for 7 interceptions out of him in 2006.

Eugene Wilson
Had a pretty good season in 2004. but without Harrison in 2005 he seemed lost, and not knowing what to do. Hopefully with Harrison back, Wilson can get back to where he was in 2004 and better than that. He needs more years with Harrison until he can be a good player even when Rodney's not there or gone. He's a very hard hitter, I hope he can become a pro bowl safety some day.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Troy Brown: Who had a so-so season last year. Troy gets reinvigorated with a top duo of Branch/Jackson. Troy wants part of the runup to the Super Bowl and decides he plays fearlessly like the Troy of old...reckless abandon sparring no body parts...All out.

Troy cathches 70 passes for @700 yards ... this unexpected production elevates the offense to UNSTOPABLE as the defenses have all they handle with Watson/Branch/Jackson..

I think the greatest breakout story that would send the media reeling would be a Gostkowski breakout rookie campaign. Gramatica gets injured @ game 4 and Gostkowski gets thrust into the limelight.

He kicks all PAT's

He averages 87% of his kicks
including 75% from 40+ and 50+ yards.

Justice gets served ... IMO the greatest breakout season of all.


RUNNER UP: The Entire Defense

They place in the top 3 overall as they breakout
from the media predictions of doom and gloom.
Not really a breakout....but I had to post it.

 

[Digger44]

Watson has all the tools to become a perennial pro-bowl Te, He is fast enough to burn most LB's and big enough to get by safeties. Other than that I think Colvin is going to return to his pre-injury form and hopefuly claridge will live up to his hype that all the other players have given him

Oh come on now. Let's be honest. What LB can he not burn? The dude runs a 4.4. What starting LB can do that? The dude has the ability to burn many CBs in the league let alone LB & SS/FS.

 

[Bostonian1962]

Nice post Rook. I'm one of these freaks that watches every minute of every game, preseason, and regular. I try and catch as much practice as possible too.

Well, last year, leading up to the regular season, I always saw LB Eric Alexander around the ball. I expected him to be in the mix, so maybe he was doing things my non-expert eyes didn't see. Because, I expect him to be a good player for the Patriots. This year would seem to be a good one to make it happen. He's got my vote.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Interesting POV. When Seymour was out last season, Warren and Wilfork did not carry their weight and the Pats defense struggled - big time. I think both have the potential, but have yet to meet it. IMO, Warren needs to prove he can carry without an all-pro opposite him. That's why I would love to see a "break-out" season from him - one in which he consistently plays to his potential.

Branch is certainly a number one receiver for the Patriots, but would he be a number one elsewhere? He still needs to improve, and I'd love a "breakout" 1000 yard season out of him. Super Bowl MVP is awesome, but one good game does not make a stellar career - just ask MVP's Dexter Jackson and Larry Brown.

Jumping Jupiter, I get busy for a couple days and come back to read a post like this! Murph, your someone I expect to know better, pull your head our of Sey's rectum and give Warren his due for being the most consistent DL in 2005.

When Sey was being handed his jockstrap in the Oakland game, Ty was teaching super stud Robert Gallery what it means to be a swinging door. You look at the graphics the broadcast crew put up to start the second half of the Kansas City game and you see that running at Seymour was the path to success while running at Warren got you inches. That was the norm for the season, Warren playing Brick wall and Sey being hot, cold, and injured.

Wilfork was a breakthrough player last year because he finally got it about 2/3rds of the way through the season and turned into a brick wall. Warren was a brick wall all season, even when hurt. Seymour had flashes of brilliance, got hurt, and came back slow to be a dominator after the KC game.

I like Seymour too, but I see no reason to worship his explosiveness and put down an exceptional player who wasn't as streaky last year. As for Branch breaking through with a 1,000 yd season....he did, it was called back by a penalty in the 2nd Miami game and BB never put him back in.

 

[dryheat44]

1. Reche Caldwell. You take a wide receiver with some athletic ability and a few years NFL experience. You put him opposite a legit #1 WR. Give him a dead-on balls accurate quarterback delivering him the football. Cover, reduce Heat and simmer for 4 preseason games. Yields a seamless replacement for David Givens.

2. Garrett Mills. I'm giddy thinking what Belichick's going to do with a great athlete and football player who can contribute in all facets of the game. It's rather like giving MacGyver a deluxe erector set.

 

[jefmblrd]

I thought Banta-Cain would make a big impact this year, but he didn't see the field too much. Hopefully, he'll get a chance this year. I just have a feeling that he can make a solid contrbution.

 

[Murphys95]

Jumping Jupiter, I get busy for a couple days and come back to read a post like this! Murph, your someone I expect to know better, pull your head our of Sey's rectum and give Warren his due for being the most consistent DL in 2005.

When Sey was being handed his jockstrap in the Oakland game, Ty was teaching super stud Robert Gallery what it means to be a swinging door. You look at the graphics the broadcast crew put up to start the second half of the Kansas City game and you see that running at Seymour was the path to success while running at Warren got you inches. That was the norm for the season, Warren playing Brick wall and Sey being hot, cold, and injured.

Wilfork was a breakthrough player last year because he finally got it about 2/3rds of the way through the season and turned into a brick wall. Warren was a brick wall all season, even when hurt. Seymour had flashes of brilliance, got hurt, and came back slow to be a dominator after the KC game.

I like Seymour too, but I see no reason to worship his explosiveness and put down an exceptional player who wasn't as streaky last year. As for Branch breaking through with a 1,000 yd season....he did, it was called back by a penalty in the 2nd Miami game and BB never put him back in.

Thanks for the lovely visual. Warren was consistent based on the simple fact that he played in every game. Still, the defense improved mightily when Seymour played healthy in the last half to third of the season (hence your comment about Wilfork "getting it".). Warren was certainly the second best lineman last year, no doubt about it - but I don't consider his 2005 performance as "break-through" - 1.5 sacks and 1 passes defensed...and that includes 4 games without Seymour.

Sorry if I "blasphemed" by questioning Warren and Branch, but I think both can improved by leaps and bounds. Not putting them down, just expecting more from them. That's why I mentioned their names as two players I'd like to see take it to the next level.

 

[Bostonian1962]

This thread having turned into a lovefest ... i've got some strange sweethearts
to throw in.
"Breakout" may not be the best description ... but let me nominate 3
high-probability surprises:

Three offensive linemen, of all creatures ...
Wesley Britt ... Ross Tucker ... and Ryan O'Callaghan.

Mammoth Britt will be fully over his SEC injury. Colvin credited him with being a top-notch sparring partner
while on the p/s. And the man himself said that he learned more about playing O-Line
in his first week under Dean Dante
than he did in months with the Chargers.

Tucker is the mean, nasty bastid ... a starter ... whom an inept coach in Buffalo made the fallguy
for a feckless offense. His ex-teammates all but mutinied when that went down.
But he is here now, and has learned our offense.

If those two lads come on like i foresee them doing, Ashworth and Mankins have to share reps with them.

If manster O'Callaghan's shoulders stay sound ... and further concussions stay away ... after a half-season or so
of acclimating, he could become the roadgrader RT so many here have insistently been whistling up.

That would displace Kaczur ... who could then stand in for any of 4 OL spots.
Not a half-bad sixth, seventh, or eighth OL !

Russ Hochstein would remain as Koppen's backup ... the ninth (and last) O-Lineman.

Anything that plays out like that makes Gorin ... Mruc ... and Yates ... all superfluous.
Barring injuries higher up the food chain, of course.

Nice post, because I was not aware of what Tucker's background was. What year he be? What school he be out of? Thanks. You have me even more pumped about this OLine than I was. It could be a powerful mean and nasty group.

 

[BelichickFan]

Sorry if I "blasphemed" by questioning Warren and Branch

Branch was actually a slight disappointment last year with a few drops we aren't accustomed to seeing from him. I'm sure he's well aware of it and will get back to his usually sure hands in 2006.

 

[Murphys95]

Branch was actually a slight disappointment last year with a few drops we aren't accustomed to seeing from him. I'm sure he's well aware of it and will get back to his usually sure hands in 2006.

I guess that's when we ask ourselves, "what constitutes a break-out season?"

For me, in pointing out Warren and Branch, I would provide two benchmarks (statistically): Bobby Hamilton in '01 and Troy Brown in '01.

Ty Warren: Bobby Hamilton, played DE, recorded 52 tackles, 7 sacks, and had 5 passes defensed in 2001. I think that's a reasonable expectation for Warren to meet in order to have a "break-out" season, especially considering Ty was a #1 pick. JMO.

Deion Branch: This one is trickier, because many fans feel he has already "broken out". But considering Branch is a 2nd round pick and a Super Bowl MVP, I'd consider a break out season from him to be something more akin to Troy Brown in 2001. Troy caught 101 passes for nearly 1200 yards, and 5tds.

Branch is undoubtedly closer to the mark than Warren. Maybe my expectations of Deion are too high, but I'd like to see him muster 10-15 more receptions per year. Hopefully, with a plethora of new offensive talent surrounding him, 2006 will be that year.

 

[big mike]

No doubt in my mind that it will be Ben Watson. He imo is the most athletically gifted player in this league,top 5 in NFL. He's smart and again imo has the knowledge and capacity to lineup as a wr if needed. He will dominate.

Ditto. Since he was the one draft pick I got right that year, I've been pulling for him ever since. Physically he's right there with Vernon Davis IMO. Davis may be a bit "quicker" in the open field, but Watson has him beat in other areas I think. Watson has the intelligence and ability to be a star.

That said - with how much the Pats like to spread the ball around, it seems somewhat unlikely that any Pats WR, TE, or RB will really be perceived by the rest of the league as an All-Pro, since they're not as likely to have a 100 catch season as players on other teams might be.

Interesting all this talk of Brady working in the offseason. I wonder if Watson was one of the fellas practicing with him? I know Tom seen his development last season but now I'm wondering if the recent high praise was because Ben has been part of Brady's extreme conditioning this offseason?

Hopefully.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Thanks for the lovely visual. Warren was consistent based on the simple fact that he played in every game. Still, the defense improved mightily when Seymour played healthy in the last half to third of the season (hence your comment about Wilfork "getting it".). Warren was certainly the second best lineman last year, no doubt about it - but I don't consider his 2005 performance as "break-through" - 1.5 sacks and 1 passes defensed...and that includes 4 games without Seymour.

Sorry if I "blasphemed" by questioning Warren and Branch, but I think both can improved by leaps and bounds. Not putting them down, just expecting more from them. That's why I mentioned their names as two players I'd like to see take it to the next level.

"Blasphemed" implies religious values, my take was based on player performance and Seymour was the most disappointing of the three DL based on expectations and actual play during the season. There may be a handful of DL who could come in and improve Warren's RDE position, 'may' being the operative word based on how well he did play in 2005. Consistency wasn't only based on appearing in every game, the observations I noted watching tape had Warren controlling his gaps and forcing clubs to run at Wilfork and Seymour.

As for Seymour's return causing Wilfork to "get it" - horse feathers. You must have forgotten the threads last fall discussing Wilfork playing off the line further after the KC game. He had backed up a good yard from where was lining up to start the season, which allowed him to control the center and brace himself for the guard's doubleteam. He had stopped trying to chase the play and started controlling 'his' gaps and trusting his team mates to play their responsibilities. Seymour didn't return to form until after the KC game when BB lit a fire under some dragging backsides.

 

[dryheat44]

I guess that's when we ask ourselves, "what constitutes a break-out season?"


Deion Branch: This one is trickier, because many fans feel he has already "broken out". But considering Branch is a 2nd round pick and a Super Bowl MVP, I'd consider a break out season from him to be something more akin to Troy Brown in 2001. Troy caught 101 passes for nearly 1200 yards, and 5tds.

Branch is undoubtedly closer to the mark than Warren. Maybe my expectations of Deion are too high, but I'd like to see him muster 10-15 more receptions per year. Hopefully, with a plethora of new offensive talent surrounding him, 2006 will be that year.

If you cut Caldwell, Brown, and Jackson, then sign up Patten, Charles Johnson, and Fred Coleman to round out the receiving Corps, cut Graham and Watson, and sign Rod Rutledge and Wiggins, then Deion will probably put up a season equal to Troy in 2001.

 

[big mike]

Personally, I'm rooting for Reche Caldwell and/or Chad Jackson to have breakout seasons, rather than Deion Branch. If Branch has a big breakout season, it would up how much he'd command for re-signing, and decrease the likelihood of him being re-signed. So, let this be his "down year".