ALP
Pro Bowl Player
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Continuity is great to have, but I think that the defense could have used a bit more of a makeover.
The offense will always be fine as long as Brady is under center. Look at 2006 as proof. The Patriots had to revamp their Wide Receiver corp this year, but the Offensive Line remains in tact, the Tight Ends should be healthy, the Running Backs have proved their worth...
The Defense will again look like the following (going into OTAs and TC):
Ninkovich - Wilfork - Love - Jones
Hightower - Spikes - Mayo
Talib - McCourty - Gregory - Dennard
Obviously, we expect one of Adrian or Tavon Wilson to win the Strong Safety spot over Gregory, so that is one change. With Jamie Collins coming in and Dane Fletcher returning, the Linebackers now have some extra versatility and coverage ability - awesome.
Outside of these depth additions, though, the Patriots haven't added an always welcome presence or "game-changer" to this defense. They're banking on Wilfork and Mayo to continue their excellent play, for Jones and Hightower to make progress, and for the Secondary to finally come together.
The Defensive Tackle spot next to Wilfork still remains an issue, in my opinion. Tommy Kelly and Armond Armstead were brought in to help create an interior pass rush. I'd be disappointed if one of Love or Deaderick end up starting next to Wilfork again. If there is potential for change, I want to lean Armstead.
At Left Defensive End - Ninkovich is a solid player. But he is not a great or an exceptional player. I still believe that unless the Patriots suddenly sign a Dwight Freeney or a John Abraham to be the 3rd Defensive End in the rotation, that Ninkovich should fill that roll. Justin Francis, Jake Bequette, Michael Buchanan, Cunningham... all of them have a much thicker build that would fit the LDE mold.
It will still be exciting to see how it all unfolds.
Hopefully we can get a new RG (maybe Cannon?), enabling Connolly to move back to C, where he's better than Wendell.
If we are not already there, we are fast approaching the point where the designation of 'starter' is a nebulous and perhaps somewhat insignificant designation for many players that earn that title.
While there is obviously a Grand Canyon chasm of a difference at a position such as QB, the difference in not so well defined in terms of amount of playing time for some of the other positions due to how often the team is in sub packages.
2012 Offensive Snap Counts (1,240 total)
Quarterback
1,224 - 98.7% - Tom Brady
16 ----- 1.3% - Ryan Mallett
Running Back and Fullback
555 - 44.8% - Stevan Ridley
423 - 34.1% - Danny Woodhead
158 - 12.7% - Shane Vereen
93 --- 7.5% - Brandon Bolden
9 --- >1.0% - Dan Connolly
8 --- >1.0% - Lex Hilliard
2 --- >1.0% - Donald Thomas
Wide Receiver
1,085 - 87.5% - Wes Welker
1,051 - 84.8% - Brandon Lloyd
482 --- 38.9% - Deion Branch
299 --- 24.1% - Julian Edelman
37 ----- 3.0% - Matthew Slater
20 ----- 1.6% - Donte’ Stallworth
6 ----- >1.0% - Greg Salas
3 ----- >1.0% - Kamar Aiken
Tight End
743 - 59.9% - Rob Gronkowski
575 - 46.4% - Aaron Hernandez
293 - 23.6% - Daniel Fells
283 - 22.8% - Michael Hoomanawanui
51 --- 4.1% - Visanthe Shiancoe
15 --- 1.2% - Marcus Cannon
9 --- >1.0% - Nick McDonald
4 --- >1.0% - Kellen Winslow
Offensive Line
1,234 - 99.8% - LT Nate Solder
1,231 - 99.5% - C Ryan Wendell
1,096 - 88.6% - RT Sebastian Vollmer
890 --- 71.8% - RG Dan Connolly
744 --- 60.5% - LG Logan Mankins
606 --- 48.9% - RG/LG Donald Thomas
246 --- 19.8% - G/C Nick McDonald
175 --- 13.6% - RT Marcus Cannon
6 ----- >1.0% - G Mitch Petrus
2012 Defensive Snap Counts (1,112 total)
Defensive End
923 – 83.0% - Rob Ninkovich
746 – 67.1% - Chandler Jones
446 – 40.1% - Jermaine Cunningham
252 – 22.7% - Trevor Scott
193 - 17.4% - Justin Francis
29 --– 2.6% - Jake Bequette
Defensive Tackle
904 – 81.3% - Vince Wilfork
549 – 49.4% - Kyle Love
378 – 34.0% - Brandon Deaderick
92 --– 8.3% - Ron Brace
16 –-- 1.4% - Terrell McClain
8 --– >1.0% - Marcus Forston
Linebacker
1,066 – 95.9% - Jerod Mayo
736 --– 66.2% - Brandon Spikes
574 --– 51.6% - Dont’a Hightower
71 ----– 6.4% - Tracy White
19 ----– 1.7% - Mike Rivera
9 ----– >1.0% - Niko Koutouvides
6 ----– >1.0% - Bobby Carpenter
6 ----– >1.0% - Jeff Tarpinian
Cornerback
1,092 – 98.2% Devin McCourty
838 --– 75.4% Kyle Arrington
599 --– 53.9% Alfonzo Dennard
306 --– 27.5% Aqib Talib
233 --– 21.0% Sterling Moore
197 --– 17.7% Marquice Cole
84 ----– 7.6% Ras-I Dowling
69 ----– 6.2% Derrick Martin
Safety
749 – 67.4% - Steve Gregory
536 – 48.2% - Patrick Chung
473 – 42.5% - Tavon Wilson
34 –-- 3.1% - Nate Ebner
Note: Obviously many of McCourty's snaps were at safety, but I don't have that breakdown between the two positions handy.
Snaps: Final look at '12 on offense - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Snaps: Final look at '12 on o-line - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Snaps: Final look at '12 on defense - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
We're returning 22 of 24 starters as of today. Once the camp battles start I expect competition to push the number down by 2 or 3.
offense
QB Tom Brady
RB Stevan Ridley
WR Josh Boyce
WR Danny Amendola
TE Rob Gronkowski
TE Aaron Hernandez
C Ryan Wendell
LG Logan Mankins
RG Dan Connolly
LT Nate Solder
RT Sebastian Vollmer
defense
RDE Chandler Jones
LDE Rob Ninkovich
DT Vince Wilfork
DT Tommy Kelly
MLB Jerod Mayo
OLB Dont'a Hightower
OLB Brandon Spikes
SS Tavon Wilson
FS Devin McCourty
CB Aqib Talib
CB Alfonzo Dennard
ST
P Zoltan Mesko
K Stephen Gostkowski
PR Julian Edelman
KR Josh Boyce
If we are not already there, we are fast approaching the point where the designation of 'starter' is a nebulous and perhaps somewhat insignificant designation for many players that earn that title.
While there is obviously a Grand Canyon chasm of a difference at a position such as QB, the difference in not so well defined in terms of amount of playing time for some of the other positions due to how often the team is in sub packages.
2012 Offensive Snap Counts (1,240 total)
Quarterback
1,224 - 98.7% - Tom Brady
16 ----- 1.3% - Ryan Mallett
Running Back and Fullback
555 - 44.8% - Stevan Ridley
423 - 34.1% - Danny Woodhead
158 - 12.7% - Shane Vereen
93 --- 7.5% - Brandon Bolden
9 --- >1.0% - Dan Connolly
8 --- >1.0% - Lex Hilliard
2 --- >1.0% - Donald Thomas
Wide Receiver
1,085 - 87.5% - Wes Welker
1,051 - 84.8% - Brandon Lloyd
482 --- 38.9% - Deion Branch
299 --- 24.1% - Julian Edelman
37 ----- 3.0% - Matthew Slater
20 ----- 1.6% - Donte’ Stallworth
6 ----- >1.0% - Greg Salas
3 ----- >1.0% - Kamar Aiken
Tight End
743 - 59.9% - Rob Gronkowski
575 - 46.4% - Aaron Hernandez
293 - 23.6% - Daniel Fells
283 - 22.8% - Michael Hoomanawanui
51 --- 4.1% - Visanthe Shiancoe
15 --- 1.2% - Marcus Cannon
9 --- >1.0% - Nick McDonald
4 --- >1.0% - Kellen Winslow
Offensive Line
1,234 - 99.8% - LT Nate Solder
1,231 - 99.5% - C Ryan Wendell
1,096 - 88.6% - RT Sebastian Vollmer
890 --- 71.8% - RG Dan Connolly
744 --- 60.5% - LG Logan Mankins
606 --- 48.9% - RG/LG Donald Thomas
246 --- 19.8% - G/C Nick McDonald
175 --- 13.6% - RT Marcus Cannon
6 ----- >1.0% - G Mitch Petrus
2012 Defensive Snap Counts (1,112 total)
Defensive End
923 – 83.0% - Rob Ninkovich
746 – 67.1% - Chandler Jones
446 – 40.1% - Jermaine Cunningham
252 – 22.7% - Trevor Scott
193 - 17.4% - Justin Francis
29 --– 2.6% - Jake Bequette
Defensive Tackle
904 – 81.3% - Vince Wilfork
549 – 49.4% - Kyle Love
378 – 34.0% - Brandon Deaderick
92 --– 8.3% - Ron Brace
16 –-- 1.4% - Terrell McClain
8 --– >1.0% - Marcus Forston
Linebacker
1,066 – 95.9% - Jerod Mayo
736 --– 66.2% - Brandon Spikes
574 --– 51.6% - Dont’a Hightower
71 ----– 6.4% - Tracy White
19 ----– 1.7% - Mike Rivera
9 ----– >1.0% - Niko Koutouvides
6 ----– >1.0% - Bobby Carpenter
6 ----– >1.0% - Jeff Tarpinian
Cornerback
1,092 – 98.2% Devin McCourty
838 --– 75.4% Kyle Arrington
599 --– 53.9% Alfonzo Dennard
306 --– 27.5% Aqib Talib
233 --– 21.0% Sterling Moore
197 --– 17.7% Marquice Cole
84 ----– 7.6% Ras-I Dowling
69 ----– 6.2% Derrick Martin
Safety
749 – 67.4% - Steve Gregory
536 – 48.2% - Patrick Chung
473 – 42.5% - Tavon Wilson
34 –-- 3.1% - Nate Ebner
Note: Obviously many of McCourty's snaps were at safety, but I don't have that breakdown between the two positions handy.
Snaps: Final look at '12 on offense - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Snaps: Final look at '12 on o-line - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Snaps: Final look at '12 on defense - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston