Patriots 53 Man Roster Projection 3.0

[PatsFans.com Article]

Patriots 53 Man Roster Projection 3.0
By: Steve Balestrieri

The fact that Ochocinco struggled in pre-season isn't surprising, it takes time to learn the Pats complicated offense. But is anyone worried yet that Deion Branch is invisible so far? Brandon Tate did nothing to help his own case on Saturday....

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[patsfaninpa]

Agree except with 2 minor tweaks. I think Mike Wright makes the squad if BB thinks he's done with any health/concussion problems. Anderson or Moore the odd man out. My guess Anderson. I like Koutouvides over T. White. Looks like a better lb. And, we need depth there. He comes in with the reputation as a good special teams player.

Seems like there will be a move or two though that hasn't happened yet. My predictions will be a veteran safety for Ihedigo. And, a veteran OL for Ohrnberger.

 

[mgteich]

Wright will make the team unless he is injured again. I agree than Anderson is the likely cut, but it could be Moore. Alternatively, it is here that we could have the roster "surprise", the free agent veteran who is waived.
===================
I'm very concerned about the backup situation on the interior line. Ohrnberger is not enough. I suppose this roster presumes that Wendell is on speed dial. I would fell much better if the only backup interior lineman were a veteran OG/C.
=================='==
At this point, I presume the addition of a veteran safety to replace Ihedigbo.

 

[b72s]

Brace and Butler

I am glad Chung is rising star.

But these other two picks bother me.

Brace is on verge of bust.

And butler I can see no better than Ellis Hobbs if he matures.

A lot of 2nd round picks spent here.

 

[captain stone]

Ass-uming no other injuries & no other additions from the outside
(neither of which will likely happen), this is how I would finalize the 53:

QB
- Brady, Hoyer, Mallett

RB
- Law & Order, Vereen, Ridley (Faulk to PUP, Morris released)

TE
- Gronk, Hernandez, Yeatman, Lee Smith

WR
- Welker, Branch, Stinko, Edelman, Price, Slater
(Busto Brandon Bethel Tate Johnson mercifully waived)

OL
- Light, Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, Vollmer, Solder, Maneri, Wendell
(OBurger sticks if Wendell is IRed)

- Bill could keep just 1 of Yeatman/Smith, but he could decide to see what he has with both.
- And needless to say, our backup C/G situation sux bad...and who's our backup RT?

DL
- Wilfork, Haynesworth, Wright, Ellis

DE/OLB
- Andre & Markell Carter, Cunningham, Anderson, Moore, Ninko
(We should keep as many pass-rushers as possible)

ILB
- Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, Fletcher, Niko

CB
- McCourty, Bodden, Arrington, Butler, Dowling

Safety
- Chung, Meriweather, Barrett, Sergio Brown, Ventrone

- I have a feeling that Bill will try to pass Markell Carter to the PS; therefore one of
Cohen, Love, Pryor, Richard or Warren makes it (prob. Pryor), though I wouldn't give you
a conditional 7th-rounder for the lot of them.
- I chose Koutouvides, though it could just as easily be Ricky Brown or Tracy White.
- I chose Ventrone ahead of Diggy because we need another FS.

 

[Bruschi_]

Agree with most of it.

Don't think we waste a roster spot on Sammy Morris/5th RB.

Use that spot to keep on Mike Wright.

Hope we do something about the OL. Would love an upgrade to Ohrnberger. Maybe throw Thomas Austin in and see what he can do with the 1's? I dunno.

Niko Koutouvides beats out Tracy White.

Don't think James Ihedigbo makes the team. Think Barrett will get the nod but hope a signing comes in and takes the 4th Safety spot.

 

[supafly]

And butler I can see no better than Ellis Hobbs if he matures.

Any comparison of Butler to Hobbs is completely unfair to Hobbs...but I get where you're coming from.

Hobbs was a solid #3 nickel, but had problems playing the #1 or even #2.

Butler hasn't even showed us he can properly be the #5 here, and that's not even bringing up Hobbs' incredible worth as a KO returner, which has not been replaced to this day.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Captain Stone, did you cut Danny Woodhead?

 

[jmt57]

Captain Stone, did you cut Danny Woodhead?

I think he just accidentally left him off, because if my fingers and toes are correct he only has 52 on his roster without Woodhead.

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

I'm sure Captain Stone cut him by accident.

 

[captain stone]

I refer to Sheriff Woody & the Law Firm as Law & Order, for a total of 4 RBs & 53 overall.
Sorry for the confusion.

 

[mgteich]

OFFENSE
It doesn't seem reasonable to keep 4 TE's and have such poor OL depth. Belichick will add someone from free agency. We could have 8 on the roster if the addition is a solid veteran OG/C. I still have us to keep Morris, a key special teamer. So the final spot on offense might be tough, but it shouldn't be a TE. The Morris spot might come in place of the 5th safety, the tenth defensive back.

DEFENSE
Pryor and Warren would help the pass rush much more than Markell Carter.
I would keep only four safeties. Having 8 defensive backs who know the system is plenty. Dowling is our #9 for now.
===========
It seems that we badly need to add a veteran backup at OL and S. That's fine, There is roster room (upgrading Barrett and Wendell). And there are, or will be, about 800 players on the market, not counting potential trades for players under contract.
======
BOTTOM LINE

1) I would keep Morris instead of the 5th safety; this is a special teams position; besides Morris is our fullback for short yardage situations.
2) I would add a 9th OL instead of the 4th TE.
3) I would keep Pryor instead of Carter.
4) I would continue looking for an upgrade for our 4th safety, although if Dowling is our 4th safety, then perhaps a STer like Barrett is OK for our #4.
5) Warren may make the team over a surprise front seven cut; he is my current #54.
6) I have White over Niko.

SO, I agree with you on 49 positions. 2 of our disagreements are on special teams positions. The other 2 involve my desire for better backup on the lines (9th OL and Pryor) instead PS players Carter and the 4th TE.

Ass-uming no other injuries & no other additions from the outside
(neither of which will likely happen), this is how I would finalize the 53:

QB
- Brady, Hoyer, Mallett

RB
- Law & Order, Vereen, Ridley (Faulk to PUP, Morris released)

TE
- Gronk, Hernandez, Yeatman, Lee Smith

WR
- Welker, Branch, Stinko, Edelman, Price, Slater
(Busto Brandon Bethel Tate Johnson mercifully waived)

OL
- Light, Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, Vollmer, Solder, Maneri, Wendell
(OBurger sticks if Wendell is IRed)

- Bill could keep just 1 of Yeatman/Smith, but he could decide to see what he has with both.
- And needless to say, our backup C/G situation sux bad...and who's our backup RT?

DL
- Wilfork, Haynesworth, Wright, Ellis

DE/OLB
- Andre & Markell Carter, Cunningham, Anderson, Moore, Ninko
(We should keep as many pass-rushers as possible)

ILB
- Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, Fletcher, Niko

CB
- McCourty, Bodden, Arrington, Butler, Dowling

Safety
- Chung, Meriweather, Barrett, Sergio Brown, Ventrone

- I have a feeling that Bill will try to pass Markell Carter to the PS; therefore one of
Cohen, Love, Pryor, Richard or Warren makes it (prob. Pryor), though I wouldn't give you
a conditional 7th-rounder for the lot of them.
- I chose Koutouvides, though it could just as easily be Ricky Brown or Tracy White.
- I chose Ventrone ahead of Diggy because we need another FS.

 

[Synovia]

Agree Mgteich.


I don't think Lee Smith has a snowball's chance in hell of making the roster.

 

[jmt57]

By comparison here's the roster projection by the espnBoston Mike & Mikes, Reiss and Rodak:

New England Patriots -- Predicting the final 53-man roster (version 4.0) - espnBoston

Here is their consensus roster:

QB (3): Brady, Mallett, Hoyer
RB (4): BJGE, Woodhead, Ridley, Vereen
-- Rodak also has Sammy Morris on the roster
WR (6): Welker, Branch, Ochocinco, Edelman, Price, Slater
-- both have Brandon Tate being cut, much to the delight of many here
TE (3): Gronkowski, Hernandez, Yeatman
-- both have Lee Smith being cut in favor of Yeatman
OT (4): Light, Vollmer, Solder, Maneri
-- Steve Maneri makes the team with LeVoir gone
G/C (4): Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, Wendell
-- Rodak also includes Ohrnberger; both have Wendell on the team and neither has Austin making the cut

DT (5): Wilfork, Haynesworth, Wright, Love, Pryor
-- Reiss also includes Gerard Warren; neither one includes Darryl Richard
DE (4): Cunningham, Moore, Ellis, Andre Carter
-- Reiss also has Mark Anderson on the team
LB (6): Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, Ninkovich, Fletcher, White
-- both have Tracy White over Niko Koutouvides, Jeff Tarpinian and Markell Carter for that last roster spot
CB (5): McCourty, Bodden, Arrington, Dowling, Butler
S (4): Meriweather, Chung, Brown, Barrett
-- both have Josh Barrett over James Ihedigbo

ST (3): Gostkowski, Mesko, Dearth

The only players these two disagree on are Morris, Ohrnberger, Warren and Anderson.

Presumably Brace, Deaderick and Faulk go to IR or PUP.

 

[captain stone]

OFFENSE
It doesn't seem reasonable to keep 4 TE's and have such poor OL depth. Belichick will add someone from free agency. We could have 8 on the roster if the addition is a solid veteran OG/C. I still have us to keep Morris, a key special teamer. So the final spot on offense might be tough, but it shouldn't be a TE. The Morris spot might come in place of the 5th safety, the tenth defensive back.

DEFENSE
Pryor and Warren would help the pass rush much more than Markell Carter.
I would keep only four safeties. Having 8 defensive backs who know the system is plenty. Dowling is our #9 for now.
===========
It seems that we badly need to add a veteran backup at OL and S. That's fine, There is roster room (upgrading Barrett and Wendell). And there are, or will be, about 800 players on the market, not counting potential trades for players under contract.
======
BOTTOM LINE

1) I would keep Morris instead of the 5th safety; this is a special teams position; besides Morris is our fullback for short yardage situations.
2) I would add a 9th OL instead of the 4th TE.
3) I would keep Pryor instead of Carter.
4) I would continue looking for an upgrade for our 4th safety, although if Dowling is our 4th safety, then perhaps a STer like Barrett is OK for our #4.
5) Warren may make the team over a surprise front seven cut; he is my current #54.
6) I have White over Niko.

SO, I agree with you on 49 positions. 2 of our disagreements are on special teams positions. The other 2 involve my desire for better backup on the lines (9th OL and Pryor) instead PS players Carter and the 4th TE.

I don't think Bill will keep 4 TEs either, esp. after Week 1. But I find it hard to believe (& very disappointing) that Bill would waive a healthy 5th-round rookie. I was no fan of the Lee Smith pick on draft weekend; I'm even less a fan of it now. Maybe he can pass waivers easier than Yeatman can, then go to the PS.

I would be more disappointed if Sometimes Sammy Morris is kept. He's old, slow, injury-prone, and not that good a blocker. I can't wait until he's off the team for good.

I also think that Bill will try to sneak Markell Carter through waivers, and keep Pryor.
I wouldn't do it, mainly because we have no other young OLB/DEs besides him & Cunningham.

I don't know how much pass-rush help Gerard Warren can provide, but he's prob. no worse than the rest of the backup DT dreck we have. Perhaps he stays, too, at the expense of the 5th Safety. No big loss either way.