Roster Turnover - Opening Roster

[Urgent]

...noting that the roster is not totally complete...
A comparison of the Labor Day roster from 2013 to 2014:

QB: +1
+ Jimmy Garoppolo

RB: same
+ James White
- LaGarrett Blount

WR: +1
+ Brandon LaFell
+ Bryan Tyms
- Josh Boyce

TE: -1
+ Tim Wright
- Zach Sudfeld
- Matthew Mulligan

OT: same
+ Cameron Fleming
- Will Svitek

OG: same
+ Jordan Devey
- Logan Mankins
(note that Chris Barker was on the Labor Day 2013 roster)

OC: same
+ Bryan Stork
- Braxton Cave

DT: +1
+ Dominique Easley
+ Sealver Siliga
- Tommy Kelly
(sort of + Chris Jones, - AJ Francis, which happened right after Labor Day)

DE: same
+ Zachary Moore
- Jake Bequette

LB: -2
+ Darius Fleming
- Brandon Spikes
- Dane Fletcher
- Steve Beauharnais

CB: +1
+ Darrelle Revis
+ Brandon Browner
+ Malcolm Butler
- Aquib Talib
- Marquise Cole

S: same
+ Patrick Chung
- Steve Gregory

LS: -1
- Danny Aiken

This accounts for in-season changes here, such as the mid-season acquisition of Sealver Siliga. Just comparing the initial roster.

This includes both suspended players as current additions.
Simple comparison of roster change.
Anything I missed? (edited for typos!)
16 new players - right in the normal range of turnover.

 

[DarrylS]

16 Players seems like a lot, but probably about right for this team..

Wonder how it compares to other teams??...

 

[patsfan13]

Bequette DE -

 

[Triumph]

Nice breakdown by the Herald

Very few old players on this team. Hard to believe that Brady is starting his 15th season.

2014 Patriots roster | Boston Herald

 

[patchick]

Some White confusion, fyi: James White is the new RB, and Chris White is on the LB roster.

 

[Triumph]

How Assembled Chart - New England Patriots - Pro Football Rosters

 

[Urgent]

Patriots team turnover last couple years:

2013: 20 players
2012: 21 players, plus several on IR
2011: 16 players
2010: 15 players​

 

[RobertWeathers]

Nice breakdown by the Herald

Very few old players on this team. Hard to believe that Brady is starting his 15th season.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/patriots_nfl/new_england_patriots/2014/08/2014_patriots_roster

15 years....my god.

 

[chasa]

our roster is improved everywhere on the team from last year.

So pumped.

 

[patsfaninpa]

4-2-5 is our base defense. Don't believe me? Look how this roster is constructed.

DE - Four to fill two slots. Jones, Ninko, Buchanan and Moore.

DT - We have 7 right now. I think we'll try to move Gaston to the practice squad and pick up a LB.

LB - Four to fill two slots. Mayo, Hightower, Collins and Fleming. I think we'll sign one more.

DB - Ten to cover those 5 positions

Two to cover each position. Have the 6 fatties if you play a little 3-4. Three really good lb's for a 4-3 look on first down.

 

[DarrylS]

How Assembled Chart - New England Patriots - Pro Football Rosters

It seems light on UDFA's, seem to recall about 13 UDFA's last year...

 

[Mack Herron]

our roster is improved everywhere on the team from last year.

So pumped.

Great roster. With the losses of Mankins and Blount while gaining White, I'm not sure I see improvement in the run game.

 

[mayoclinic]

4-2-5 is our base defense. Don't believe me? Look how this roster is constructed.

DE - Four to fill two slots. Jones, Ninko, Buchanan and Moore.

DT - We have 7 right now. I think we'll try to move Gaston to the practice squad and pick up a LB.

LB - Four to fill two slots. Mayo, Hightower, Collins and Fleming. I think we'll sign one more.

DB - Ten to cover those 5 positions

Two to cover each position. Have the 6 fatties if you play a little 3-4. Three really good lb's for a 4-3 look on first down.

I tend to agree. I think that when we have only 4 DBs we'll run a hybrid that can play a 5-2, 4-3 Under or 3-4 One Gap without changing personnel. But the majority of the time we'll be in a 4-2-5, whether you call it the "sub" or the "base".

 

[pdangle]

4-2-5 is our base defense. Don't believe me? Look how this roster is constructed.

DE - Four to fill two slots. Jones, Ninko, Buchanan and Moore.

DT - We have 7 right now. I think we'll try to move Gaston to the practice squad and pick up a LB.

LB - Four to fill two slots. Mayo, Hightower, Collins and Fleming. I think we'll sign one more.

DB - Ten to cover those 5 positions

Two to cover each position. Have the 6 fatties if you play a little 3-4. Three really good lb's for a 4-3 look on first down.

Wouldn't a 4-2-5 need a few run thumpin safeties or pass covering LBs? What's to stop a team from smashing it down NE's gut with a power run game? I think NE will use more of a 3-4 with the DE/LB's sharing similar duties, roles and positions and also thus disguising intentions. Don't think we'll see 5 DB many times. Combining those groups we get 7 DT, 7 DE+LB, 10 DB - Looks less unusual.

 

[chasa]

Great roster. With the losses of Mankins and Blount while gaining White, I'm not sure I see improvement in the run game.

Better passing attack should open up more holes for running.

When i say better passing attack I mean and dobson, thompkins playing at the start of this year, as well as they played at the end of last year when not hurt. no more early season dropsies.

Add in Lafell, and wright and we should see some pretty smooth sailing assuming riddly doesnt fumble without anyone touching him because he's trying to do a triple axle through a wise open lane.

 

[Ring 6]

Wouldn't a 4-2-5 need a few run thumpin safeties or pass covering LBs? What's to stop a team from smashing it down NE's gut with a power run game? I think NE will use more of a 3-4 with the DE/LB's sharing similar duties, roles and positions and also thus disguising intentions. Don't think we'll see 5 DB many times. Combining those groups we get 7 DT, 7 DE+LB, 10 DB - Looks less unusual.

We are mixing terminologies.
The poster is calling nickel the base because we are in nickel/done about 60% of the time.
Typically "base" is used to refer to what you play when there are 4 DBs whether it's the most frequent grouping or not.

 

[micronin127]

I think that we will add a LB and LS. We could subtract an OL (Barker?) a DT (either Quarles or Gaston) or a S (Chung, Ebner, WIlson - pick one, none of them are great in coverage).

We could even convert another CB to S when Browner is activated and release a S at that time.

Bolden is in a walk year. Any chance we go with a younger RB at some point that would be under team control for 3 or 4 years? I guess we have Gray on practice squad already. Didn't see much available from other teams cuts at the position.

Could one of our DTs (Jones?) need to go on IR with designation to return?

I think that we are heavy on both lines for our Week 1 matchup in Miami and that one way to counter the brutal heat and humidity is to implement a planned rotation in the trenches. Limit snaps so that we don't wilt in the 4th quarter.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Younger RB is Tyler Gaffney who is on IR
Jones could go on IR to return but I would think that would have happened already to free up a spot on the 53

 

[micronin127]

Forgot about Gaffney.

Noticed that Daxton Swanson is signed to the practice squad. Can never have enough guys who can cover. I would actually prefer a 6-to-4 split between CB and S, rather than the current 5-to-5. Even in nickel, I would prefer 4 CBs and McCourty.

 

[Bruins29]

Great roster. With the losses of Mankins and Blount while gaining White, I'm not sure I see improvement in the run game.

Having Gronk and Vollmer available for the entire season, healthy will help tremendously.