2017 Minicamp Thread

[mgteich]

That's the only reason I'm seeing Bolden as a possible cut, too.

Would you keep Foster over Bolden?

With Lewis healthy, is Foster worth a roster spot?

 

[Love The Drake]

Yes because Foster can also be a emergency receiver in a pinch position flexibility I wonder how he is on special teams.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Yes because Foster can also be a emergency receiver in a pinch position flexibility I wonder how he is on special teams.

He's no Bolden on ST

 

[supafly]

Would you keep Foster over Bolden?

With Lewis healthy, is Foster worth a roster spot?

That's a real tough call. Unfortunately, I can't attempt to make an educated guess on this just yet. My initial gut feeling is that there may not be any room for Foster.

 

[long distance]

Can't wait for full gear and contact practices. All that we hear now is a nice appetizer but ultimately meaningless.

Still you can get some insight in team development.

1. Gronk actually looks to be 100%. Extremely motivated. Huge add to SB team.
2. Gilmore & Cooks are showing extra class & unassuming leadership from step one. Important in light of how big investments are taken by team.
3. JJ emerges as serious nickel option (could save important roster spot)
4. Douglas & Karras exchanging C, G snaps on 2nd string OL gives insight in how Dante sees IOL depth. Also moving up Garcia at 2nd string LT (after Fleming stepped in for Solder) immediately ahead of Waddle is telling.
5. DJ Foster looking well built and confident for battle with resurgent Lewis.
6. BB's consistent praise of sophomores felt more than routine talk.

Some other bits and pieces about Cy, B-Rex, Lucien, LBs, udfas etc.

Nice intro into laying foundations for possibly building one of the best teams the game has seen. (and that is ultimately what gives every info about this team a certain sense of meaning)

 

[Ring 6]

Would you keep Foster over Bolden?

With Lewis healthy, is Foster worth a roster spot?

I don't think either make the team.

Lewis
Gillislee
White
Burkhead

And Devlin at FB.


Foster to ps I would bet.

 

[patsfan13]

LOCKS
White, Bulkhead, Gillislee, Develin

KEEP ONE OR TWO
Foster, Bolden and Lewis

IMHO, Foster in most vulnerable. Edelman and Amendola are our punt returners.
White is our 3rd down receiver. Lewis adds more as a backup on 3rd down, since he also can play on other downs. Obviously, Bolden is a top special teamer. From a roster perspective, special teamers are always seen as most vulnerable here on this board.

I think what might be different this year is Burkhead's ability to play on ST.


Talk about 1st world problems Patriot fans sweating out the 6th RB AND ps roster.

 

[maineman209]

Too many good running backs. I have to believe they also want to keep Devlin.

Lewis, White, Bolden, Burkhead, Gillislee, Foster, Devlin

Who on that list looks most vulnrable?

Bolden IMO

I don't consider Develin as part of the RB group. His role really puts him in the TE group.

 

[maineman209]

I don't think either make the team.

Lewis
Gillislee
White
Burkhead

And Devlin at FB.


Foster to ps I would bet.

Seems doubtful to me that Foster will clear waivers this season. Anyway, he may be as much or more involved with the competition for a slot WR spot.

In 2016, they had ...

Lewis
White
Blount
Foster
... AND Bolden

And Develin at FB.

For a good chunk of the season.

 

[The Brandon Five]

The issue of who to keep in a crowded backfield brings to mind the question of whether they will continue to carry three QBs.

 

[maineman209]

Historically I agree on ST but with Burkehead being a top ST guy too, I think time runs out on Bolden. If Burkehead were irreplaceable on offense maybe not but as we're fine on offense without him, he can play lots of ST - although I would never underestimate Bill's ability to keep lots of ST only guys.

I'm still not seeing Burkhead taking over Bolden's ST role, for a couple reasons.

1) Players who are used a lot on offense rarely play even close to the number of ST snaps that Bolden has - probably because they need all the practice reps they can get on offense.
2) Burkhead, at $3.15M for 2016, is making considerably more than double what any full time special-teamer for the Pats has, ever. Slater - the full time ST captain - makes about half that.

It seems to me that Bolden's ST role would more likely be filled by someone like O'Shaughnessy (as a #3/#4 TE), or by another DB.

 

[The Brandon Five]

I'm still not seeing Burkhead taking over Bolden's ST role, for a couple reasons.

1) Players who are used a lot on offense rarely play even close to the number of ST snaps that Bolden has - probably because they need all the practice reps they can get on offense.
2) Burkhead, at $3.15M for 2016, is making considerably more than double what any full time special-teamer for the Pats has, ever. Slater - the full time ST captain - makes about half that.

It seems to me that Bolden's ST role would more likely be filled by someone like O'Shaughnessy (as a #3/#4 TE), or by another DB.

If they replace Bolden, it will have to be with someone who can bring the wood.

 

[mgteich]

Seems doubtful to me that Foster will clear waivers this season. Anyway, he may be as much or more involved with the competition for a slot WR spot.

In 2016, they had ...

Lewis
White
Blount
Foster
... AND Bolden

And Develin at FB.

For a good chunk of the season.

Some think that Foster is competing with Lewis.

You think that he has a shot of beating out both Amendola and Hawkins?

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Seems doubtful to me that Foster will clear waivers this season. Anyway, he may be as much or more involved with the competition for a slot WR spot.

In 2016, they had ...

Lewis
White
Blount
Foster
... AND Bolden

And Develin at FB.

For a good chunk of the season.

Foster is a binkie of mine so I might be biased but I highly doubt he clears waivers. Someone will snatch him up and give him a shot. Lots of talent there.

 

[Love The Drake]

Some think that Foster is competing with Lewis.

You think that he has a shot of beating out both Amendola and Hawkins?

I do

 

[JayNM]

He's no Bolden on ST

If Burkhead picks up bolden's ability there (or some of if), I'd gladly replace him for Foster

 

[supafly]

The issue of who to keep in a crowded backfield brings to mind the question of whether they will continue to carry three QBs.

You still think Garoppolo may get traded then, I assume?

 

[patsinthesnow]

Reiss on Lewis:
Sudden and smooth in practice, Dion Lewis is ready to fight for his spot


quote:

"He's had a good offseason," head coach Bill Belichick said Thursday. "He really worked hard to get back for the end of last year [because of a knee injury], and then this year, he's been able to improve on that. [I'm] anxious to see him in training camp, but he's done a good job out here."

Lewis appears to have regained the shiftiness and explosiveness he displayed before a torn ACL in November of 2015 ... Some have speculated that perhaps Lewis could get squeezed out of a roster spot because of the numbers crunch, but it's hard to imagine that based on how he's looked in spring practices.

On Thursday, for example, Lewis was second in line as pass-catching running backs worked with quarterback Tom Brady on out routes in the red zone. When he planted his right foot and then broke toward the sideline, it was sudden and smooth.

Dion Lewis returning to 80-90% of his 2015 form would really throw a wrench (in a good way) into snaps at the position.

No disrespect to the other backs, but in nearly 20 years the only RBs that approached elite level of play here under BB were Dillon & Lewis. He was our Brian Westbrook and played a big part in that 2015 team starting 10-0.

That'd be a great surprise if he could return to anywhere near that caliber of player.

 

[The Brandon Five]

You still think Garoppolo may get traded then, I assume?

Yeah, or maybe Brisket gets traded/released. Reports from camp that I saw indicated that he wasn't one of the sophomores who had made a jump.

My comment is more about how one logjam can create others and thus the resolution might come from a place you are not expecting.

 

[supafly]

Yeah, or maybe Brisket gets traded/released. Reports from camp that I saw indicated that he wasn't one of the sophomores who had made a jump.

My comment is more about how one logjam can create others and thus the resolution might come from a place you are not expecting.

I hear what you're saying about roster battles and logjams at certain positions. I would be pretty surprised to see Brissett released prior to a second season. He'd really have to be sucking pretty badly, and it would leave the team in an awkward situation since there's no resolution with the Garoppolo dilemma.

I think there's a pretty good chance that it will be 3 QBs on the roster for the season.