PFW: Minicamp Breakdown RBs...

[Brady-To-Branch]

http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=19628&pcid=41

I'm rooting for Heath Evans to make the 53-man roster.

I'm surprised Garrett Mills wasn't included since he's considered to be a FB.

 

[Remix 6]

i feel really good about our RBs..we have 2 capable starters as every down backs and Faulk to take pressure off receivers and Brady out of backfield. We added speed. I was hoping we get a FB thats a true blocker .. a guy who can pave the way because we will need that once we start using Maroney more. WE need a big solid guy to clear way for speedy Maroney in future. We never really needed one becasue of the system but it would be real nice to have a Richardson, Neal type of guy. Anyways..we have speed, power and reliablity in the backfield aswell as versatility.
Dillon = Power
Maroney = Speed + versatility
Faulk = Reliability + versatility
Pass = Versatility

All these backs can catch well..same with Mills. Hoping we use Maroney properly to lead him into becoming starter..start iwth 5 carries and add more as season goes on.

 

[spacecrime]

http://www.patriots.com/news/index.cfm?ac=latestnewsdetail&pid=19628&pcid=41

I'm rooting for Heath Evans to make the 53-man roster.

I'm surprised Garrett Mills wasn't included since he's considered to be a FB.

They didn't address FB at all, just RB. Can't picture Mills taking too many handoffs.

It will be an interesting FB blocking battle to watch this summer, Pass vs Mills.

Both Pass and Mills figure to be STers, and I think if Mills can block better than Pass (shouldn't be too hard) we may have seen the last of Patrick.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

And that would be a happy moment in Pats history.

 

[spacecrime]

And that would be a happy moment in Pats history.

I like Pass. It's just that he is getting old, and the Pats are getting better.

Once JR Redmnd could play for us. Not any more.

Same with Pass, I'm afraid

 

[patsox23]

I like Pass. It's just that he is getting old, and the Pats are getting better.

Once JR Redmnd could play for us. Not any more.

Same with Pass, I'm afraid

Agree sorta, but...is Pass really "old?"

 

[spacecrime]

Agree sorta, but...is Pass really "old?"

Not relative to me, he isn't.

But he has been around long enough to show his cceiling. That's the thing aobut JAGs. Eventually you realize they will be this good, no better. And it's pretty good. But the new guy, the rookie, who knows who good he might get.

We had a couple veteran WRs better than Givens but BB kept Givens. ANd it panned out.

Doesn't always, but if one out of three or four late round rookies workout, it was worth it to keep the others.

Really, what have we lost by cutting Pass and keepong Mills or Cobbs? If neither owrk out, we can draft a couple more next year. And if one doeswork out real well, then it was worth it.

Plenty of reward for going with the rookie, very little risk with soem vets. It isn't like the 2006 season will be made or lost with Pass.

Or Faulk

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Overall a decent summary by Casale, though he took a trip to fantasy land discussing Evans - "[t]he big bruising fullback isn’t a great blocker but he’s probably more effective in that capacity than Pass." Two points from that quote, Evans isn't a FB, he's a RB with FB size, next, he is a horrible blocker - Pass may not have the size to bull open a hole on the line, but he is one of the more effective open field blockers on the team.

Barring injury, BB has a nice mix and match pool from which to build his backfield.
- Dillon, Evans, and to a lesser extent Pass are power runners.
- Faulk, Pass, and Evans are good receivers.
- Faulk, Pass, and Dillon are good blitz pick-ups.
- Maroney is a nice blend of speed, power, receiver, and blitz pick-up for Ivan Fears to play around with, and the veterans to share knowledge.
- Cobb's reported quick feet and college production are encouraging.
- Charles is a mystery with his injuries; he ran for a 1,000 as a junior and cranked out 800 more with a bum knee as a senior. You wonder if that senior year screwed up his knee that much more, but two things to note, Pioli brought him back after the initial tryout and cut, and his production came at Marshall who seems to play a reasonably competitive schedule.

I think BB made an effort to rebuild the running game this season, which should help the passing game. He also is trying to rebuild Special Teams, which will hopefully give the offense a shorter field. Grind out the yardage and keep Tommy upright, a philisophy I can appreciate.

Edit: For the record, Mills is carried as a TE. He may create a niche for himself as a FB as some point, but for now he's a TE trying to make the team as a utility player.

 

[Pats726]

Charles is a mystery with his injuries; he ran for a 1,000 as a junior and cranked out 800 more with a bum knee as a senior. You wonder if that senior year screwed up his knee that much more, but two things to note, Pioli brought him back after the initial tryout and cut, and his production came at Marshall who seems to play a reasonably competitive schedule.

He was here for a tryout and then some...cut before TC as more WRs were needed than RBs. Interesting that he was re-signed after the season and sent to Europe..although on IR there. Is his knee injury that bad that he may never play up to potential?? Mystery player who could be IRed or PSqd...I do like Cobbs as well as a future RB.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Agree sorta, but...is Pass really "old?"

He's 28. His B-day is Dec 31, so even for a man at his position I think he still has a bit left in the tank.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I guess if I like klecko than you guys can like Pass, but I've never seen him do anything special except like one or two plays in his CAREER. I would so much rather that somebody comes in and excels at that position.

Faulk looked great in mini-camp, and will once again be a good 3rd down back and no chance to be featured.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I guess if I like klecko than you guys can like Pass, but I've never seen him do anything special except like one or two plays in his CAREER. I would so much rather that somebody comes in and excels at that position.

Faulk looked great in mini-camp, and will once again be a good 3rd down back and no chance to be featured.

Carolina game, Gamble takes a punt and returns up the sideline behind a very nice wall of blockers, Watson eventually sprints downfield, foreshadowing his Baily Bash in Denver, and makes the tackle. What set him up for the tackle was Patrick Pass sprinting down the field and forcing Gamble to turn back into the pursuit, Watson made a heroic effort, but Pass made the same effort to force the conclusion.

I was pleasantly surprised by his running before the infamous hamstring incident. The guy has played hard and done what his assignments called for, whether it is blocking (he is one of the better open field blockers and is quite good at blitz pick-up), running in relief of Dillon (I think he has gotten better each year), or receiving out of the backfield (remember the famous Brady on his butt play?). The Patriots can upgrade at his position, but until someone beats him out, he gives BB and Tommy and Seely an effective multi-tool.

 

[arrellbee]

Carolina game, Gamble takes a punt and returns up the sideline behind a very nice wall of blockers, Watson eventually sprints downfield, foreshadowing his Baily Bash in Denver, and makes the tackle. What set him up for the tackle was Patrick Pass sprinting down the field and forcing Gamble to turn back into the pursuit, Watson made a heroic effort, but Pass made the same effort to force the conclusion.

I was pleasantly surprised by his running before the infamous hamstring incident. The guy has played hard and done what his assignments called for, whether it is blocking (he is one of the better open field blockers and is quite good at blitz pick-up), running in relief of Dillon (I think he has gotten better each year), or receiving out of the backfield (remember the famous Brady on his butt play?). The Patriots can upgrade at his position, but until someone beats him out, he gives BB and Tommy and Seely an effective multi-tool.

I'm pretty sure I haven't much of a clue as to how Belichick will value either Faulk or Pass if he has alternatives or feels that he only wants to carry a certain number of RBs and TEs altogether.

However, just for interest. Faulk and Pass had about the same number of carries and receptions last year (50+ carries and 20+ receptions each).
Carries:
Faulk 2.8 avg, 13 longest, 0 TD, 5 FD
Pass. 4.5 avg, 31 longest, 3 TD, 12 FD
Receptions:
Faulk 9.0 avg, 23 longest, 2 20+, 0 TD, 13 FD
Pass. 10.3avg, 39 longest, 4 20+, 0 TD, 8 FD
I say 'for interest' because who knows how much stats apply to anything.

Faulk and Pass both have baggage of injuries and fumbles. As Box pointed out so clearly, Pass has ST value unless he gets beat out of those duties in TC.

The RB/TE roster decisions are obviously going to be absolutely fascinating to see - and it's going to be a whole two months before we get to find out how the story ends. Agony oh agony.