memento
Third String But Playing on Special Teams
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2008
- Messages
- 804
- Reaction score
- 508
Registered Members experience this forum ad and noise-free.
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.What about Dane Fletcher?
TE Dan Gronkowski -- 19 of 71
TE Nate Solder -- 18 of 71
&
1 WR/3 TE/1 RB -- 18 of 71
"The Chargers have a very good defensive front. They have outstanding guys on the end of the line [at outside linebacker] with [Travis] LaBoy, [Shaun] Phillips and [Antwan] Barnes, so just having another guy out there to handle them or another guy on the wing with Dan Gronkowski just puts a little more presence on those positions," coach Bill Belichick explained.
Here is how the Patriots' production broke down out of the Solder power package:
Runs: 14 for 63 yards, TD
Passes: 3 of 3 for 41 yards
On one snap, the Chargers were penalized for a neutral zone infraction.
The package was used seven times in the first half, and 11 times in the second half. In the second half, it helped the Patriots impose their will on the Chargers on the final touchdown drive.
I think if you're going to have 2 (42 out of 71 snaps) or 3 (18/71) tight ends on the field for most of the time, you need to have more than three on the roster. There are usually 2 safeties on the field, and there are four on the roster. How many WR or RB are on the roster and how many combined snaps do they take? They need to change their way of thinking about some of these roster numbers.
Three of the four safeties on the roster play on three or more special teams units. None of the tight ends play on more than one.
I doubt they cut Vereen or Price to put another tight end on the roster.
The 4th TE in the short yardage formation used to be Vrabel. Usually, it is an OL who isn't starting that day (Hochstein used to be our #4). Solder is now our 4th TE.
==============================
The 3rd TE is the issue. Belichick didn't like Mills, Yeatman or Smith enough to keep on the 53-man roster. He liked Dan Grankowski enough. I suspected that he would wanted any of the 3 cuts to make the Practice Squad. He ended up with Mills. That's certainly OK.
==============================
The BOTTOM LINE is that we 3 have TE's on the active roster, plus Solder for short yardage, plus Mills on the Practice Squad.
I would argue that this is a better TE situation than any team in the league. Lots of posters preferred Yeatman and/or Smith as our #3. I'm fine with Belichick's choice of Gronkowski. I would also have been fine if Belichick chose Yeatman or Smith or Crumpler. They had plently of chances in practice and preseason to impress the coaches.