Roster Turnover 2011-2012

[Urgent]

The 2012 roster features 23 new players - a very high rate of turnover for the Patriots.

A review of roster turnover by position (using opening day 2011 benchmark):

QB
Additions: none
Subtractions: Brian Hoyer

RB
Additions: Brandon Bolden
Subtractions: Ben-Jarvus Green Ellis

WR
Additions: Brandon Lloyd, Greg Salas
Subtractions: Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco/Johnson

TE
Additions: Daniel Fells, Visanthe Shiancoe
Subtractions: Dan Gronkowski

OT
Additions: Marcus Cannon
Subtractions: Matt Light

OG
Additions: Donald Thomas, Nick McDonald
Subtractions: Brian Waters

OC
Additions: Matt Tennant
Subtractions: Dan Koppen

DT
Additions: Marcus Forston, Ron Brace
Subtractions: Albert Haynesworth, Mike Wright, Myron Pryor

DE
Additions: Chandler Jones, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, Justin Francis
Subtractions: Andre Carter, Mark Anderson, Shaun Ellis

LB
Additions: Donta Hightower, Mike Rivera
Subtractions: AJ Edds/Koutovides, Gary Guyton, Dane Fletcher, Jeff Tarpinian

CB
Additions: Sterling Moore, Marquice Cole, Alfonzo Dennard
Subtractions: Leigh Bodden, Antwaun Molden

S
Additions: Steve Gregory, Tavon Wilson, Nate Ebner
Subtractions: Josh Barrett, James Ihedigbo, Sergio Brown

bold - starter
italics - rookie
red - injury

 

[ivanvamp]

The 2012 roster features 23 new players - a very high rate of turnover for the Patriots.

A review of roster turnover by position (using opening day 2011 benchmark):

QB
Additions: none
Subtractions: Brian Hoyer

RB
Additions: Brandon Bolden
Subtractions: Ben-Jarvus Green Ellis

WR
Additions: Brandon Lloyd, Greg Salas
Subtractions: Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco/Johnson

TE
Additions: Daniel Fells, Visanthe Shiancoe
Subtractions: Dan Gronkowski

OT
Additions: Marcus Cannon
Subtractions: Matt Light

OG
Additions: Donald Thomas, Nick McDonald
Subtractions: Brian Waters

OC
Additions: Matt Tennant
Subtractions: Dan Koppen

DT
Additions: Marcus Forston, Ron Brace
Subtractions: Albert Haynesworth, Mike Wright, Myron Pryor

DE
Additions: Chandler Jones, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, Justin Francis
Subtractions: Andre Carter, Mark Anderson, Shaun Ellis

LB
Additions: Donta Hightower, Mike Rivera
Subtractions: AJ Edds/Koutovides, Gary Guyton, Dane Fletcher, Jeff Tarpinian

CB
Additions: Sterling Moore, Marquice Cole, Alfonzo Dennard
Subtractions: Leigh Bodden, Antwaun Molden

S
Additions: Steve Gregory, Tavon Wilson, Nate Ebner
Subtractions: Josh Barrett, James Ihedigbo, Sergio Brown

bold - starter
italics - rookie
red - injury

I'm fine with all the turnover except in one spot: offensive line. I'm not so comfortable with this group as-is. Hopefully the young guys really step up big.

 

[Urgent]

Offensive analysis

QB - going with two QB's for now, rather than three. Assume the Patriots will continue to look at mediocre veterans, as they tend to do when they have two.

RB - an undrafted free agent replaces a starter on the roster, but hopefully the 2011 rookies make up for this.

WR - replacing Branch, with his 51 catches and psychic understanding of Brady, hopefully, is a wash. There were probably more hopes a year ago from the Ocho Cinco role than there are for unknown Greg Salas, but we all know that Ocho Cinco offered nothing. There was anticipation that the addition of a solid third WR would create more options, and certainly offer back-ups in case of injury to the two older starters.

TE - obviously already a position of strength, and hopefully far deeper when healthy.

OL - three opening-day starters, Light, Waters, and Koppen, are gone. That amount of turnover is never good for an offensive line. The replacements, however, have experience filling in during injury last year. If Vollmer misses any time with injury, this is a big concern.

DL - solid youth replacing Haynesworth and Wright.

DE - lots of youth, lots of depth, lots of potential. Can anyone replace the 10 sacks offered by both Carter and Anderson? Will Carter return in a few weeks? A rotation headed by Carter and Jones will be much stronger than Jones and Ninkovich.

LB - more youth, big upgrade in Hightower over Guyton.

CB - younger, maybe deeper, but no clear #1 corner.

S - more youth, huge upgrade in Gregory & Wilson over Ihedigbo & Brown.

On offense, while there were five starters departing, there is a strong second string from last season stepping in, especially at RB and OL.

The youth movement on defense is striking. The departures of Haynesworth, Ellis, Carter, and Bodden are offset by nine first-year players on defense. (Forston, Jones, Bequette, Francis, Hightower, Dennard, Wilson, Ebner, plus former PS Mike Rivera)

 

[mgteich]

if you list Brace and Cannon as additions, you should list Deaderick.

However, I think that it is somewhat misleading to included last year's PUP players as additions.

The 2012 roster features 23 new players - a very high rate of turnover for the Patriots.

A review of roster turnover by position (using opening day 2011 benchmark):

QB
Additions: none
Subtractions: Brian Hoyer

RB
Additions: Brandon Bolden
Subtractions: Ben-Jarvus Green Ellis

WR
Additions: Brandon Lloyd, Greg Salas
Subtractions: Deion Branch, Chad Ochocinco/Johnson

TE
Additions: Daniel Fells, Visanthe Shiancoe
Subtractions: Dan Gronkowski

OT
Additions: Marcus Cannon
Subtractions: Matt Light

OG
Additions: Donald Thomas, Nick McDonald
Subtractions: Brian Waters

OC
Additions: Matt Tennant
Subtractions: Dan Koppen

DT
Additions: Marcus Forston, Ron Brace
Subtractions: Albert Haynesworth, Mike Wright, Myron Pryor

DE
Additions: Chandler Jones, Trevor Scott, Jake Bequette, Justin Francis
Subtractions: Andre Carter, Mark Anderson, Shaun Ellis

LB
Additions: Donta Hightower, Mike Rivera
Subtractions: AJ Edds/Koutovides, Gary Guyton, Dane Fletcher, Jeff Tarpinian

CB
Additions: Sterling Moore, Marquice Cole, Alfonzo Dennard
Subtractions: Leigh Bodden, Antwaun Molden

S
Additions: Steve Gregory, Tavon Wilson, Nate Ebner
Subtractions: Josh Barrett, James Ihedigbo, Sergio Brown

bold - starter
italics - rookie
red - injury

 

[Urgent]

Undrafted players making their first roster:
RB Brandon Bolden
OG Donald Thomas
OG Nick McDonald
DL Marcus Forston
DE Justin Francis
LB Mike Rivera

That has to be a first for the Patriots as well.

Add that to Jones, Hightower, Wilson, Bequette, Ebner, Dennard from the draft, that's 12 first-year players. Nine rookies, three from former PS.

 

[mgteich]

We are one of the three youngest and one of the three best teams in then nil. That is truly amazing.

While we will always have transitions, I believe that our recent transition in over. The defense is now in place, and Belichick has the TE's he needs (and the OC he needs). Of course, there will always be upgrades and transitions, but in the last 3 years, the changes have been extensive.

As Belichick will tell you, the defense will take most of the season to gel, but the players are in place.

Curiously, after all the planning, the biggest potential problem for 2012 and beyond is the OL.
We are set with Solder and Mankins. Some would even doubt Solder.

 

[Urgent]

if you list Brace and Cannon as additions, you should list Deaderick.

However, I think that it is somewhat misleading to included last year's PUP players as additions.

Given roster turnover, today's roster is compared to the similar roster one year ago. There will be additional turnover that occurs over the course of this year. You could do a similar count of Game 16 starters 2011 to Game 16 starters 2012 - but don't know that one yet. So the benchmark of opening game roster to opening game roster is used to measure complete turnover.

Right on Deaderick.

 

[DarrylS]

If I had the energy would show how this roster has been changing over the past few years, we have been rebuilding on the fly and are younger, faster and less experienced.

But what is obvious is that the meritrocracy of this team is in full force and effect..

I like a healthy sprinkling of UDFA's, and like it even more when they contribute..

 

[The Gr8est]

We are one of the three youngest and one of the three best teams in the NFL. That is truly amazing.

What an astounding statement.

It's good to be the Pats.

 

[ATippett56]

We are one of the three youngest

Could you provide a source for that information. An internet link would be much appreciated.

 

[DarrylS]

Could you provide a source for that information. An internet link would be much appreciated.

Try here.. it does not specifically state they are #3, but it gives good perspective as to how young they really are..

Patriots coach Belichick goes young with roster - Patriots - Boston.com

This is by far the youngest Opening Day roster coach Bill Belichick has assembled with the Patriots. The average age of New England’s roster right now (the team could have added four more tight ends late Sunday night) is 25 years, 274 days, according to STATS, LLC. That’s more than a year younger than the 2010 squad (26-280). The third-youngest team was Belichick’s first, the 5-11 juggernauts of 2000 (26-329).

Where the youth really shows up is on defense. The average age of the starters is 25. The only other Belichick team to be under 27 was the ’10 version at 25.1, according to numbers from Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Average Opening Day ages for the championship teams: 27-177 (’01), 28-120 (’03), and 27-194 (’04). Defenses: 28.7, 30, 28.7.