Who are the starters right now?

[QB12]

OFFENSE
Thompkins
Solder
Mankins
Wendell
Cannon
Vollmer
Ballard
Amendola
Dobson
Ridley
Brady

DEFENSE
Jones
Kelly
Wilfork
Spikes
Hightower
Mayo
Ninko
Dennard
Talib
McCourty
A. Wilson

 

[truk83]

Id put that lineup, once Gronk is back healthy, up against anyone. With the attrition of the AFC, we are very much in contention for the title. If our young wrs are as advertised, we are going to be in for a very fun season! I can't wait to see what our young guys on O and D have to offer!

 

[patsinthesnow]

The defensive starters are basically set, barring T. Wilson or Harmon have a spectacular camp. I really like the defense besides CB and Dline depth.

On offense, you have Cannon vs. Connolly for starting RG, with Cannon currently in the lead. You then have a logjam at WR with the kids in the lead, notably Dobson and Thompkins beating out Jenkins for outside WR at the moment.

I eventually see that as our 3 WR set, but when was the last time an undrafted rookie WR (or any skill player) started week 1 in the NFL?

 

[Sicilian]

I think you've got it pretty much. I'd only swap out Jenkins for Thompkins, at the moment. I think BB will prefer to have the veteran opposite Dobson as opposed to another rookie, and I don't think that's changed because of a few good days of practice... yet. By week one, that could be the case, but on July 29th, I think Jenkins is the "starter".

 

[manxman2601]

I don't think that Thomkins starts ahead of Boyce who I think is the much more accomplished WR.

 

[truk83]

Bill has proven over the years that he will stick however out there that gives us the best chance to win. Regardless of whether its an udfa rookie. If Thompkins earns it, Bill will reward him. I love this wr competition! Boyce even sounds like a great replacement option, if we lose Danny for any part of the season.

 

[jah]

I think if Edelman comes off the PUP he'll replace Thompkins in the starting lineup (and take a roster spot from Aiken).

 

[BradyManny]

From what we've read, seems like those are the guys running with the 1's right now, and therefore the starters. Arrington-Dennard might be the only swap, where Arrington seems to be with the 1s right now.

The 3WR set might give way to more 2TE stuff once Gronk gets back, and perhaps that becomes what we'd call the starting group.

 

[QB12]

Id put that lineup, once Gronk is back healthy, up against anyone. With the attrition of the AFC, we are very much in contention for the title. If our young wrs are as advertised, we are going to be in for a very fun season! I can't wait to see what our young guys on O and D have to offer!

I see it similarly. While our offense may not be as explosive, high-powered, or score as many points, it will be more diverse and ultimately harder to defend much less stop in January or February.

The defense will be opportunistic, and the speed at all levels will continue to create turnovers at a league leading level.

 

[ivanvamp]

OFFENSE
Thompkins
Solder
Mankins
Wendell
Cannon
Vollmer
Ballard
Amendola
Dobson
Ridley
Brady

DEFENSE
Jones
Kelly
Wilfork
Spikes
Hightower
Mayo
Ninko
Dennard
Talib
McCourty
A. Wilson

The only one on this list I would question is Thompkins, but everything I'm reading suggests that he may, in fact, be starting come week 1.

Good list. This Pats team is going to surprise a LOT of people. They'll be very, very good.

EDIT: By "surprise a lot of people" I am referring to the many folks who think that this rough offseason will mean they'll struggle to win 10 games and the AFCE.

 

[mgteich]

1) Hooman over Thompkins
2) Connolly over Cannon (although I'm fine with Cannon)
3) The starting safety position opposite McCourty is wide open.

OFFENSE
Thompkins
Solder
Mankins
Wendell
Cannon
Vollmer
Ballard
Amendola
Dobson
Ridley
Brady

DEFENSE
Jones
Kelly
Wilfork
Spikes
Hightower
Mayo
Ninko
Dennard
Talib
McCourty
A. Wilson

 

[QB12]

I've read here some are down on Hooman because he was a shrinking violet in the AFC championship game against Baltimore.

 

[Brady6]

As of today this is what I have. I think they will start with 2 RB's because they will want to have Ridley and Vereen on the field as much as possible. They can split Vereen out of the backfield, line him up different places. Its important to have our play makers on the field until Gronkowski gets back.

QB Brady
RB 1 Ridley
RB 2 Vereen
WR X Dobson
WR Z Amendola
TE Y Ballard
LT Solder
LG Mankins
C Wendell
RG Cannon
RT Vollmer

OLB Ninkovich
DT Kelly
NT Wilfork
DE Jones
OLB Hightower
SILB Spikes
WILB Mayo
LCB Talib
RCB Dennard
LS McCourty
RS A. Wilson

 

[jah]

As of today this is what I have. I think they will start with 2 RB's because they will want to have Ridley and Vereen on the field as much as possible. They can split Vereen out of the backfield, line him up different places. Its important to have our play makers on the field until Gronkowski gets back.

QB Brady
RB 1 Ridley
RB 2 Vereen
WR X Dobson
WR Z Amendola
TE Y Ballard
LT Solder
LG Mankins
C Wendell
RG Cannon
RT Vollmer

OLB Ninkovich
DT Kelly
NT Wilfork
DE Jones
OLB Hightower
SILB Spikes
WILB Mayo
LCB Talib
RCB Dennard
LS McCourty
RS A. Wilson

What makes you think they're going to run a 3-4?

 

[Deus Irae]

Brady
Solder
Mankins
Volmer
Amendola

Wilfork
Jones
Mayo
Talib
McCourty

 

[manxman2601]

Brady
Solder
Mankins
Volmer
Amendola

Wilfork
Jones
Mayo
Talib
McCourty

That's going to leave us a little short-handed

(I know what you're saying and you're not far off. So many questions right now)

 

[MTM558]

Seems pretty accurate based on how Camp has started. I've been trying to focus on what the Patriots' "base offense" could look like, now that their heralded "12" personnel is seemingly used more as a package with Gronkowsk sidelined and Hernandez gone.

While I'm sure the Patriots will certainly continue to dabble in the 2 Tight End sets, as well as "21" or even "22" personnel (multiple Running Backs, to use Ridley and Vereen), I think the most likely offensive formation that the Patriots will base out of to start the season will be the standard 3-WR "11" personnel.

The "12", "21" and even "22" are used more often when you have a player(s) who can be a matchup nightmare. The Patriots don't really have that player at the moment, so their best bet is to spread out the defense and work the open receivers.

Based on how the depth chart looks in camp right now, I would agree with the initial projection of the starting offense:

WR"X": Kenbrell Thompkins
LT: Nate Solder
LG: Logan Mankins
C: Ryan Wendell
RG: Marcus Cannon
RT: Sebastian Vollmer
TE: Jake Ballard
WR: Danny Amendola
WR: Aaron Dobson
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Stevan Ridley

However... an undrafted rookie starting at WR seems like a stretch, so I could easily envision Boyce or Jenkins sliding into that role. Connolly could reclaim his RG spot. Fells could challenge Ballard for starting TE duties, as Fells has arguably been the best Tight End in camp. If Ridley continues to have ball security issues, Vereen could be the starter, allowing for a more up-tempo approach.


On defense, the Patriots have been mixing it up with a lot more 3-4 looks than in year's past, but when it comes time for 11 on 11s when a defense is usually in its base to start, it looked like the standard 4-3 we've come to know:

LDE: Rob Ninkovich
LDT: Tommy Kelly
RDT: Vince Wilfork
RDE: Chandler Jones
SLB: Dont'a Hightower
MLB: Brandon Spikes
WLB: Jerod Mayo
LCB: Aqib Talib
SS: Adrian Wilson
FS: Devin McCourty
RCB: Kyle Arrington

The Patriots have a lot of flexibility on the line and with their linebackers, so I fully expect them to play a lot of 3-4, but I still consider this a "4-3" defense based on personnel and their strengths... Depth is a concern on the DL, especially at DT. At linebacker, Jamie Collins could eventually take over for Spikes, as 4-3 sets were ran with those two switching out, it seems Adrian and Steve Gregory are battling for the SS spot next to McCourty... Arrington is the current RCB, yet Dennard is clearly better. Maybe they're just prepping for his possible suspension?


All in all, it's a solid start, especially for the defense. The offense will come into it's own as Gronkowski returns and the rookies develop.

 

[Brady6]

What makes you think they're going to run a 3-4?

I don't I think it will be a hybrid front just like last season. I look at terms of technique.

Ninkovich; as a OLB/DE in a 7 or 9 technique.
Kelly; as a DT in a 3 or 5 technique.
Wilfork; as a NT in a 1 or 0 technique.
Jones; as DE in a 5, 6, 7 or 9 technique.

Truthfully I just consider Ninkovich an OLB, similar to Terrell Suggs being labeled an OLB but he primarily lines up as a DE.


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[Brady6]

WR"X": Kenbrell Thompkins
LT: Nate Solder
LG: Logan Mankins
C: Ryan Wendell
RG: Marcus Cannon
RT: Sebastian Vollmer
TE: Jake Ballard
WR: Danny Amendola
WR: Aaron Dobson
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Stevan Ridley

Not disputing it I'm just curious to know why you have Thompkins as the X over Dobson who I assume you have as the Y and Amendola as the Z?




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[MTM558]

Not disputing it I'm just curious to know why you have Thompkins as the X over Dobson who I assume you have as the Y and Amendola as the Z?




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This is based off of the most recent training camp practice, using the depth chart presented by which players ran with which team.

A true X receiver needs to be able to consistently beat press coverage. As of right now, Thompkins is better than Dobson in that area. While Dobson could certainly improve, this is a projection based on what we've seen so far. Dobson is definitely running with the 1s though, and he's an outside guy, so he'd play the Z receiver in a manner similar to how Anquan Boldin did in Arizona and Baltimore. Amendola plays the slot.

The Patriots have seemingly made an emphasis of getting bigger and faster at WR this year. Even though half of the WRs on the roster are rookies, they are also bigger, faster, and arguably have a higher ceiling than any WR core going back to 2010.

Two big-bodied players on the outside, a bigger, shiftier player in the slot, and an athletic pass catching tight end seem to be the format the Patriots want for now.