Re: Pre-camp 53 Man Roster Prediction
53 spots doesn't stretch as far as it used to....
QB BRADY, Cassel
LWR MOSS, BROWN
RWR Stallworth, Welker, Gaffney
LT Light
LG Mankins, Yates
C Koppen, Hochstein
RG Neal
RT O'Callaghan, Clint Oldenburg
TE Watson, Thomas, BRADY
FB Evans, Mills
RB Maroney, FAULK, MORRIS
LDE Warren, Wright
NT Wilfork, Smith
RDE Seymour, Green, Brown
LOLB COLVIN, Woods
LILB BRUSCHI, Alexander
RILB SEAU, Lua IZZO
ROLB THOMAS VRABEL
LCB Samuel, Gay, JAMES
SS HARRISON, Sanders, HAWKINS
FS Wilson, Brandon Meriweather, Andrews
RCB Hobbs, SCOTT
P MILLER
PK Gostkowski
LS Paxton
Practice Squad - Kight (WR), Corey Hilliard (OL), Justise Hairston (RB), Quantrill Hill (FB), Mays (LB - Not sure he is still elligible for PS…), Bissinger (LB), Justin Rogers (LB), Mike Richardson (CB)
Cuts - Kelly Washington, Caldwell, Mike Elgin, Kaczur, Quantrill Hill, Hawkins,Mitchell, Chad Brown
PUP Chad Jackson
The only thing I would question is the couple of veterans so low on your depth chart. No sense keeping Hawkins or Scott as gameday inactives.
The starting 25 (off+def+ST) is pretty much set pending injury and Samuel reporting. Pick one of O'Callaghan, Kaczur or Britt at RT and either Brady or Thomas at TE. Let's go with O'Callaghan and Brady for now.
I think there are 8 reserve spots that are pretty well set also (Cassel, Faulk, Morris, Welker, D.Thomas, Green, Sanders and Meriweather). That leaves 12 spots left on the active 45.
Around 8 of those 12 will likely be specific positions that need to be filled to round out a gameday roster (2 WR, OT, G/C, DL, 2 LB and a DB). This is where the veterans (excluding ST-only guys) not in the top 33 will have to earn their spot. Here is my take on the options in this group:
WR - 4th and 5th WR spots are not going to see a lot of time. Putting a veteran here used to getting significant work (Caldwell) may be bad for chemistry. Also, assuming Jackson comes off PUP during the season, someone will need to go. Given these factors, I'm putting Troy and K.Washington in these spots. Troy should be effective with a limited workload (plus some PR and isolated DB duties) and K.Washington would be in a 6-9 week tryout to show his upside. Caldwell and Gaffney are likely not in the long-term plans and don't bring any unique skills to the table this year.
OT - One of the O'Callaghan, Kaczur or Britt group that didn't get the starting job. Let's give it to Kaczur.
G/C - The "center" skill here is key since Koppen needs a gameday backup. Let's put Hochstein here since I'm not sure if Yates has shown the same skills at center and I would think Elgin needs some time to develop.
DL - I know everyone wants to put a backup NT here but given the position flexibility of the DL, I'm not sure that is necessary. If K.Brown can learn the scheme and show he is motivated, he has a huge upside. He only showed it in flashes at Miami, but I still like him here over Wright and Smith.
LB - Seau fits here obviously since he is one of the top 5. The braintrust seems to see something in Alexander so I'll give him the other spot.
DB - Gay, Scott and Hawkins fight for one spot. If Gay can get back to form, I'll give him this spot due to upside and position flexibility.
That leaves 4 spots open for essentially exclusive special teamers. Izzo is the captain. Evans has a large ST role so unless Mills overtakes him, Evans gets this spot. Any number of options for the other 2 spots but I'll go with Andrews and Woods.
The 8 gameday inactives are a crapshoot but here goes. Mills and Yates seems to be logical fits here. Same for the O'Callaghan/Kaczur/Britt loser if they aren't injured or traded. Gotta have some rookies who impress (Lua, Richardson, Elgin) or are projects (Rogers). For the last spot, I'll go with a third QB...either Vinny (mentor/coach) or Gutierrez (project). I'll lean to Gutierrez and let Vinny hang around the team on his own time.
Fun to think about but unfortunately injuries will likely change the landscape during TC.