Defense - Open Roster Questions

[Brady6]

So, I'm assuming that you're going to can one of Ebner/Wilson when Browner comes back then?

I can understand having 5 safeties for the first four weeks if that's the case, with Butler taking over that role when Browner returns, thus cutting it down to 4 again.

Honestly I anticipate an injury clearing a spot for Browner. Otherwise yeah we would have a decision to make.

Sudfeld taught me not to get to ahead of myself for UDFA with great preseasons so I'm not even sure if Butler sustains. I hope does and he seems to be what he has shown but the regular season will be telling.

 

[ATippett56]

DE (3) Jones, Ninkovich, Buchanan
DT (5) Wilfork, Kelly, Easley, Jones, Siliga
ILB(3) Mayo, Hightower, Beauharnais
OLB(3) Collins, Fleming, White
CB (6) Revis, Browner, Dennard, Ryan, Arrington, Butler
SS (3) Harmon, Wilson, Ebner
FS (2) McCourty, Chung
ST (3) Gostkowski, Allen, Aiken

Total players: 28
Created with Pats Picker: http://patspicker.patsfans.com

Last position on defense:

Vellano versus Worthy versus Smith

Not impressed with James Anderson or Will Smith whatsoever in preseason.

Practice Squad Defense (5):

Moore, Zach
Vellano/Worthy
Davis, Ja'Gared
Davis, Kanorris
Thomas, Jemea

 

[captain stone]

1) I keep Vellano. He has lots of position flexibility, and has done OK...

Mediocrity at 3-4 DE, 3-4 NT & 4-3 DT is not the same as having Lots of Position Flexibility.
I'd rather have Jerel Worthy & Ben Bass on my roster than Nice Guy Joey, who has neither the height,
length or power to ever produce in any 3-4 alignment. He is at best a 3rd-string-caliber 4-3 DT.

 

[mgteich]

At safety, I am simply projecting last year's safeties and replacing Gregory with Chung.

5 safeties is too much.

 

[mgteich]

The last time?
McCourty, Gregory, Wilson, Harmon, and Ebner

I don't see it. Especially with corners taking reps there.
When is the last time we kept 5 safeties? Ever?

 

[mcmurtry86]

Mediocrity at 3-4 DE, 3-4 NT & 4-3 DT is not the same as having Lots of Position Flexibility.
I'd rather have Jerel Worthy & Ben Bass on my roster than Nice Guy Joey, who has neither the height,
length or power to ever produce in any 3-4 alignment. He is at best a 3rd-string-caliber 4-3 DT.

I'm not a Vellano guy but saying you'd rather have Bass seems like a grass-is-greener type comment. Bass has shown nothing in his NFL career thus far other than an inability to stay healthy. He's played precisely one pre-season snap in New England. There's no reason to take him over Vellano other than irrational dislike of Vellano, who is an admittedly marginal player.

 

[ATippett56]

Mediocrity at 3-4 DE, 3-4 NT & 4-3 DT is not the same as having Lots of Position Flexibility.
I'd rather have Jerel Worthy & Ben Bass on my roster than Nice Guy Joey, who has neither the height,
length or power to ever produce in any 3-4 alignment. He is at best a 3rd-string-caliber 4-3 DT.

Ben Bass has not done crap this preseason.

 

[mgteich]

Mediocrity at 3-4 DE, 3-4 NT & 4-3 DT is not the same as having Lots of Position Flexibility.
I'd rather have Jerel Worthy & Ben Bass on my roster than Nice Guy Joey, who has neither the height,
length or power to ever produce in any 3-4 alignment. He is at best a 3rd-string-caliber 4-3 DT.

Yes, Vellano is mediocre. Whatever do you expect from the bottom 5 players on a roster? He only has a chance at the roster because of the injuries to Easley, Siliga and Chris Jones. It is also not clear that Smith has anything in the tank. Worthy is simply a big question mark. As I indicated I expect one of Smith or Worthy to make the team.

If Easley, Siliga, Smith and Chris Jones are all healthy, then OF COURSE Vellano does not make the team. He will go and be someone else's #52 or #53 player, or be on our Practice Squad.

BOTTOM LINE
There is room on rosters for mediocre players with some NFL experience, sometimes called JAG's.

 

[captain stone]

Ben Bass' ceiling is as of now still unknown; Vellano's ceiling is known, and besides we already have
a better version of him in Chris Jones.

 

[mgteich]

Ben Bass' ceiling is as of now still unknown; Vellano's ceiling is known, and besides we already have
a better version of him in Chris Jones.

If Chris Jones is healthy, then we don't need Vellano.

 

[Ring 6]

I tend to agree but it appears to be the direction just the same. I am intrigued by the idea of Easley at RDE and Jones at ROLB.

I think you are reading too much into preseason scheme.
I'd rather see Easley at RDT over the G and Jones as may DE instead of dropping into coverage half the time

 

[Brady6]

I think you are reading too much into preseason scheme.
I'd rather see Easley at RDT over the G and Jones as may DE instead of dropping into coverage half the time

I could be. I have said many times I like us in a 4-3 more than a 3-4 but the preseason has been essentially all 3-4 as a base. I am interested to see how they come out in Miami.

 

[Ring 6]

I could be. I have said many times I like us in a 4-3 more than a 3-4 but the preseason has been essentially all 3-4 as a base. I am interested to see how they come out in Miami.

It could be 34 but it would be one with 43 personnel and either nink or jones standing up really being a 43 that looks like a 34 lb IMO.
Collins mayo Hightower will be on the field with those 2 and 2 300 lbs. whether it's called 34 or 43 is not really relevant to me.

 

[Brady6]

It could be 34 but it would be one with 43 personnel and either nink or jones standing up really being a 43 that looks like a 34 lb IMO.
Collins mayo Hightower will be on the field with those 2 and 2 300 lbs. whether it's called 34 or 43 is not really relevant to me.

I agree with your thinking. At least 60% of the time it will be a 4-2-5 or 4-1-6 anyway.

I just want to see some packages that have Jones, Easley, and Collins all rushing the passer from the same side of the field. I think that would be filthy.

 

[pencilneckgeek]

LDE, in Kelly's spot - sometimes at a 3-tech, sometimes 5-tech. He looked reasonably stout after his first play, where a smaller OL got under his pads and took him for a welcome back skate.

Per Reiss (New England Patriots 3rd-quarter review: Josh Kline as TE - espnBoston), Worthy played further in at 1-tech, too. It will be good to see how he does as they move him along the line next week, whether reports from GB regarding his lack of 2-gap prowess are accurate.

5. I focused a little more on former Packers defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, who mostly aligned as a 3-technique (outside shade on right guard) and 1-technique (outside shade on center). He occasionally lined up over the right tackle and was clearly getting his feet under him early after having not played for a long time, while also adjusting to a new scheme. The 6-foot-2, 308-pound Worthy was knocked back multiple times on his opening drive.​

 

[mayoclinic]

Per Reiss (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-...rter-review-kline-as-te?ex_cid=espnapi_public), Worthy played further in at 1-tech, too. It will be good to see how he does as they move him along the line next week, whether reports from GB regarding his lack of 2-gap prowess are accurate.

5. I focused a little more on former Packers defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, who mostly aligned as a 3-technique (outside shade on right guard) and 1-technique (outside shade on center). He occasionally lined up over the right tackle and was clearly getting his feet under him early after having not played for a long time, while also adjusting to a new scheme. The 6-foot-2, 308-pound Worthy was knocked back multiple times on his opening drive.​

I'm personally rooting for Worthy. It will take him time to adjust. Injury and motor are questions, but he has real talent, and he was not used to his strengths in GB. Combine Joe Vellano's motor with Worthy's talent and you would have a really talented young DT. I'm hoping that the light finally goes on.

 

[mgteich]

I'm personally rooting for Worthy. It will take him time to adjust. Injury and motor are questions, but he has real talent, and he was not used to his strengths in GB. Combine Joe Vellano's motor with Worthy's talent and you would have a really talented young DT. I'm hoping that the light finally goes on.

I think almost all of us are rooting for Worthy. My latest view is too keep Worthy instead of Vellano, who can be added later if needed (for example if either Jones or Siliga is put on one of the IR lists)

 

[Ring 6]

Ben Bass' ceiling is as of now still unknown; Vellano's ceiling is known, and besides we already have
a better version of him in Chris Jones.

Your logic is a guy you know nothing about is better than one who you started last year? Odd.
Vellano and Chris Jones are very different players. By your logic, we shouldn't keep Bass or Worthy because we already have a better version in Chris Jones.
I would assume Vellano is cut depending upon health, but for the 6th DL on a team, he is actually pretty good.