I think that we should focus on open positions rather than bubble players. I agree that Crable has a roster spot locked. The issue is UPGRADES. Can a position be upgraded for now and/or for the future? See below for SIXTEEN positions that could be potentially upgraded.
Surely there is room for 6-10 rookies to make the team by beating out the inclumbant below. And for the record, I believe that Hochstein, LeVoir, Banta-Cain, Ventrone and Hanson are more safe than the rest, so I have 11 open spots. Others may have a slightly different list. But, in the end, there is LOTS of room for rookies.
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OFFENSE - 9 POSITIONS THAT COULD BE UPGRADED
#3 QUARTERBACK
Why would GUTIERREZ have a spot locked? He could easily be cut and replaced by a Pa White or perhaps be a quarterback at spot 199. Gutierrez is not our backup, wasn't our backup last year and has shown us very little.
#5 RUNNING BACK
Green-Ellis can easily be upgraded.
#3 TIGHT END
Thomas is in his contract year, as is Watson. Are you really saying that Pettigrew wouldn't be an upgrade to Thomas? Drafting a top TE would solidfy the position for several years, something Belichick has always focused on. BTW, we could do worse than drafting Barwin to be our #3 2009 TE.
#3 and #4 OFFENSIVE GUARDS
You post that BOTH Yates and Hochstein have their positions locked in. ?????????? Mankins has one more year at most. Neal is in his contract year and is often injured. And you have Yates and Hochstein who we keep signing to ONE year contracts as the future at OG? I strongly disagree. I think Unger or Wood would send one of these packing in a heartbeat, as would several of the later guard/centers.
#3 and #4 OFFENSIVE TACKLES
We have LeVoir, O'Callaghan and Britt competing for these positions. Surely we MIGHT draft an OT who would beat out these stars for a position, and might even chanllenge Kaczur for his starting position.
#5 AND #6 WIDE RECEIVERS
Slater, Ventrone and Aiken are competing for these positions. Surely, none of the positions are locked. Surely, these players COULD be beaten out by rookies.
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DEFENSE - 6 POSITIONS THAT COULD BE UPGRADED
#6 DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
With Seymour and Green and Wilfork in their contract years, LeKevin Smith is vulnerable as Belichick looks to the likelihood of replacing Green or Seymour in 2010.
#4 and #5 OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
Thomas, Woods and Crable are safe. Banta-Cain and Redd are not.
#4 INSIDE LINEBACKER
The competitors are Ruud and Alexander. I think a draftee could beat them out.
#8 and #9 DEFENSIVE BACK
Seven seemed locked in: Bodden, Springs, Hobbs, Wheatley, Wilhite, Meriweather, Sanders. The last two are certainly open. The compeititors are Richardson, Spann and Williams.
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SPECIAL TEAMS - 1 ADDITIONAL POSITION THAT COULD BE UPGRADED
#1 PUNTER
nuff said
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I disagree with your list of people on the bubble. Realistically, these guys are not going to get beat out by rookies:
There are also some in there that I doubt a late pick will be more valuable to the team. Slater, Lewis, Aiken, Alexander are all valuable special teams players. Richardson, O'Callaghan, Britt have been in our system for a couple of years.
Rookies will of course make the team, but I doubt it will be more than 6.