QB I too would like to see a QB more experienced (and more talented) than Gut as one our backup. O'Connell aleady beat out Gut for a roster spot in the last training camp.
RB We have Morris, Maroney and Faulk. This probably sufficient if all are healthy, althrough I would prefer to have a #4 who is the short yardage back and can take more reps if one of the others go down. Jordan or another FA should be signed for this role. I see no reason to have a developmental RB on the 53. Maroney should probably be returning more kicks and be used more is space. He shouldbe taking some of Faulk's reps, but I expect Faulk to be here for a couple fo years. I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign an extension (which would lower his 2009 cap). BJGE showed me no reason to keep him on the roster as a one our four running backs. Sproles would be a fine addition as a returner, but that won't happen.
FB I don't think we'll add a fullback. We'll re-sign Hochstein and Evans. Hochstein is a perfect patriot, useful at many positions. Evans is a fine STer and will make the team as such.
OT I share you evaluation of LeVoir as a capable swing OT who can start if needed. Dante, Pioli and Belichick are more than satisfied with Light and Kaczur. That's good enough for me. The question is the future. Perhaps we will simple extend Light and Kaczur. That would be a reasonable option. Alternatively, we could draft a 2010 starter. Finally, we could use the 4th roster spot simply for a backup.
If we are drafting an OT, we would tender Britt at the bottom tender, which basically gives us the right to match, with no compensation if he goes. I have extreme concerns with O'Callaghan's health history. I am fine with paying Britt $1.5M as a backup (3rd level tender) or with drafting an OT in the top 100 picks.
OG Our first issue is whether Mankins or Neal is extended. I presume that Hochstein will re-signed as a backup, the perfect #5 interior lineman. He is the perfect patriot playing LG, C, RG, TE, DS and FB.
Secondly, we need to decide whether to we can extend Mankins.
It would seem that, even with Hochstein signed and Mankins extended, we still need a top guard to likely replace Neal in 2010. This need is even greater if Mankins isn't re-signed. Yates is incumbant that we are trying to upgrade.
WR I am fine with bringing back Gaffney as a #3 or #4. There is no reason to create a hole at WR. I do agree with bring in another WR or even in drafting one to compete with Gaffney and Aiken for reps. Slater and Washington shouldn't be list as receivers. Their place on the team is as special teamers.
TE - The Enigmas
This will be Watson's breakout year. We've heard this more than once.
This will be Thomas's breakout year. We've heard this more than once.
DeVree is an OK, cap-efficient #3 TE.
I would expect us to use a top 100 pick on a TE to beat out one of the above. In any case, Watson is in his contract year.
BOTTOM LINE
This is an extremely potent offense. It was the best in 2007. It can be that again with a healthy Brady, although it may take him awhile to get back to 100% (as it did for Manning).
The needed additions are few. We should draft a TE and an OG. We might bring in a free agent QB and WR. We should re-sign Hochstein and Gaffney.
The offense is a minimal part of the offseason.
OFFENSE:
QB - Brady, O’Connell, Gutierrez- Tom Brady is the man, but he’s coming back off an ACL/MCL tear. He’ll be wearing a brace more than likely this season so his mobility will be tested.
O’Connell was the Pats 3rd round pick in 2008. He played fairly well in Training camp and many people thought that his being drafted spelled the end for Cassel. However, the Pats coaching staff cut Gutierrez instead. Gutierrez was brought back to serve as the 3rd QB when Brady went down during week 1.
It will be interesting to see how the Pats handle the QBs this off-season. My guess is that they bring in a veteran to serve as Brady’s back-up with O’Connell being the #3. There stands to be quite a few veteran QBs available.
RB – Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Sammie Morris, BenJarvus Gren-Ellis– There are definitely questions about this group. How is Maroney’s shoulder and can he stay healthy all year? Is this the year that Faulk breaks down? Can Morris go the whole year without injury? Was the success of “LAWFIRM” the result of the O-line getting its schtick together or is he the real deal that can be a true #3 RB behind a primary and a 3rd down back.
The Patriots could use a draft pick to grab a running back, but the question would be what type? A scat-back like Faulk who can play out of the back-field? A north/south runner to take over the #1 duties so that Maroney can be a complimentary back?
There should be some decent free agents available as well. Including Darren Sproles, who would be a great protégé to Kevin Faulk, though Sproles blocking needs a lot of work.
FB – NONE – I think this is the first time since BB’s 1st year as HC of the Patriots that they didn’t have a FB on the roster going into the off-season.
I’d love to see BB pick up a FB in the mold of a Lousaka Polite. Someone who can actually be a bruising, short-yardage back, while also being a bruising, lead blocker.
O-Line – Matt Light, Nick Kaczur, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, Billy Yates, Ryan O’Callaghan, Dan Connolly, Ryan Wendell, Mark LaVoir - This was a tale of two O-lines this year. For the 1st 5 games, we didn’t know which O-line would show up. The O-line from 2007 that was amongst the best in the league, or the horribly inconsistent O-line of the 2008 pre-season that made all of our QBs look horrible. More often than not, it was the latter. Then Stephen Neal returned from injury and the attitude of the O-line changed. It was almost palpable. The Pats need to add a C/G who is similar to Neal in his nastiness and who can take over when Neal is a UFA after the 2009 season
The Pats really need to look at a reserve center/guard. Someone with the same type of nastiness that Stephen Neal has.
TE – Ben Watson, David Thomas, Tyson DeVree – Watson and Thomas were extremely inconsistent this year, both in blocking and in pass catching.. And the Pats seem to have knocked the TE spot down A LOT in terms of their place in the offense. The Pats could use a dynamic TE to give this position some life and bring it back into some prominence.
WR- Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Kelley Washington, Sam Aiken, Ray Ventrone, Matt Slater –
Moss and Welker are, arguably, the best WR tandem in the league. Behind them, currently, are 4 guys who really are best suited to special teams, though some people will say that Slater is best suited to flipping burgers and totally disregard the fact he was a rookie and that rookies make mistakes.
Washington wasn’t nearly as good on special teams this year and Aiken didn’t appear to be the great special teams player we all thought we were getting.
The Patriots will probably bring in one or two WRs via free agency or the draft to challenge for the #3 spot and for some special teams spots.
