Patriots All-Time Best by Position

[upstater1]

A player had to be with them for 5 years or more, so I'm not going to count Randy Moss or Curtis Martin.

EDITED FOR POPULAR DEMAND 5/22

QB Tom Brady
RB Sam Cunningham
UB Kevin Faulk or James White
TE Rob Gronkowski
TE Ben Coates or Russ Francis
WR Stanley Morgan
WR Julian Edelman
WR Wes Welker
T Bruce Armstrong
T Leon Gray
G John Hannah
G Joe Thuney
C Jon Morris

DE Julius Adams
DT Richard Seymour
DT Vince Wilfork
DE Willie McGinest
LB Steve Nelson
LB Andre Tippett
LB Donte Hightower
LB Mike Vrabel or Tedy Bruschi
S Devin McCourty
S Rodney Harrison
CB Mike Haynes
CB Ty Law
CB Ray Clayborn

KR Troy Brown
ST Matthew Slater
K Adam Vinatieri
P Ryan Allen

Failing to retain Russ Francis, Mike Haynes and Joe Thuney stand out as WARTS when it comes to talent retention.

 

[Chevy]

A player had to be with them for 5 years or more, so I'm not going to count Randy Moss or Curtis Martin.

QB Tom Brady
RB Sam Cunningham
FB Mosi Tatupu
UB Kevin Faulk
TE Rob Gronkowski
WR Stanley Morgan
WR Julian Edelman
WR Wes Welker
T Bruce Armstrong
T Leon Gray
G John Hannah
G Logan Mankins
C Jon Morris

DE Julius Adams
DT Richard Seymour
DT Vince Wilfork
DE Willie McGinest
LB Steve Nelson
LB Andre Tippett
LB Donte Hightower
LB Mike Vrabel or Tedy Bruschi
S Devin McCourty
S Rodney Harrison
CB Mike Haynes
CB Ty Law
CB Ray Clayborn

KR Troy Brown
ST Matthew Slater
K Adam Vinatieri
P Ryan Allen

My only real hesitation was the 4th linebacker position, Bruschi or Vrabel. Also, I realize Mosi didn't play a classic FB position, but at 230 pounds, he's only 5 to 10 pounds lighter than our typical FBs. Plus, we played 2 RBs on the field for most of the 1980s (Cunningham, Calhoun, Collins, C. James, Stephens, Tatupu, Andy Johnson) so it's not like Tatupu was a single back very often. He played up and had a lot of dives.

With Nelson and High inside, Tippett outside ... Give me Don Blackmon at the other OLB spot. The guy was never flashy, but solid in all three phases.

 

[upstater1]

With Nelson and High inside, Tippett outside ... Give me Don Blackmon at the other OLB spot. The guy was never flashy, but solid in all three phases.

Good point about Blackmon. He's right there with Bruschi and Vrabel. We already have Hightower and Nelson inside, or else I might consider Vincent Brown for that spot as well. We've had a lot of very good linebackers.

 

[Brotherblues]

Mankins is one of the biggest reasons 2 of our better teams went 0-2 in SBs vs Eli. I'm sure he's an amazing guy, but as a player, he is probably my least favorite former Pat. Don't care how good he was against bottom feeders in the regular season.

My feelings on this could very well be irrational, but, they're there anyway.

 

[upstater1]

Mankins is one of the biggest reasons 2 of our better teams went 0-2 in SBs vs Eli. I'm sure he's an amazing guy, but as a player, he is probably my least favorite former Pat. Don't care how good he was against bottom feeders in the regular season.

My feelings on this could very well be irrational, but, they're there anyway.

I understand. I feel similarly. But guard is not really a stellar position for us. Shelby Jordan. Sam Adams. Stephen Neal. Ron Wooten. Shaq Mason. See the problem?

Hopefully one of Mike Onwenu, Cole Strange, Sidy Sow or Atonio Mafi displace Mankins as the 2nd best Patriots guard.

 

[Chevy]

We've seen a lot of these lists - here's a twist.

How about position groups by year. Each of these:

QB/WR - 2007
RB/TE - 1978
OL - 1978

DL - 2004
LB - 1985
DB - 2003

ST Kick - 2001
ST Cover - 2019

So the starters for each category have to come from the same squad.

 

[signbabybrady]

Do I dare suggest White over Faulk?

 

[p8ryts]

A player had to be with them for 5 years or more, so I'm not going to count Randy Moss or Curtis Martin.

QB Tom Brady
RB Sam Cunningham
FB Mosi Tatupu
UB Kevin Faulk
TE Rob Gronkowski
WR Stanley Morgan
WR Julian Edelman
WR Wes Welker
T Bruce Armstrong
T Leon Gray
G John Hannah
G Logan Mankins
C Jon Morris

DE Julius Adams
DT Richard Seymour
DT Vince Wilfork
DE Willie McGinest
LB Steve Nelson
LB Andre Tippett
LB Donte Hightower
LB Mike Vrabel or Tedy Bruschi
S Devin McCourty
S Rodney Harrison
CB Mike Haynes
CB Ty Law
CB Ray Clayborn

KR Troy Brown
ST Matthew Slater
K Adam Vinatieri
P Ryan Allen

My only real hesitation was the 4th linebacker position, Bruschi or Vrabel. Also, I realize Mosi didn't play a classic FB position, but at 230 pounds, he's only 5 to 10 pounds lighter than our typical FBs. Plus, we played 2 RBs on the field for most of the 1980s (Cunningham, Calhoun, Collins, C. James, Stephens, Tatupu, Andy Johnson) so it's not like Tatupu was a single back very often. He played up and had a lot of dives.

That is a real good job. I might have Jim Nance over Sam Bam. Definitely James Develin over Mosi. There were some other good FBs, Larry Centers, Sam Gash, Kevin Turner, Marc Edwards.
I'll take Bruschi in a close one, and probably Tim Fox over McCourty. I liked Rich Camarillo and Lee Johnson, but when Allen was good he was something.

 

[p8ryts]

Do I dare suggest White over Faulk?

Possible. I didn't like Faulk at first. He was a fumble looking for a place to happen and did bobble the 4th and 2 in Indy. He was a better runner than White and overcame his fumble issues.

 

[p8ryts]

I understand. I feel similarly. But guard is not really a stellar position for us. Shelby Jordan. Sam Adams. Stephen Neal. Ron Wooten. Shaq Mason. See the problem?

Hopefully one of Mike Onwenu, Cole Strange, Sidy Sow or Atonio Mafi displace Mankins as the 2nd best Patriots guard.

Shelby was a tackle. Sam Adams was very good. I overlooked him. Brian Waters was clearly the best after Hannah but only for a year.

 

[p8ryts]

Mankins is one of the biggest reasons 2 of our better teams went 0-2 in SBs vs Eli. I'm sure he's an amazing guy, but as a player, he is probably my least favorite former Pat. Don't care how good he was against bottom feeders in the regular season.

My feelings on this could very well be irrational, but, they're there anyway.

I have similar feelings about Sam Bam, Mike Haynes and Devin McCourty.

 

[upstater1]

Do I dare suggest White over Faulk?

Faulk outproduced White as both a pass catcher and a running back. But Faulk never had a playoff game like White's in 16. Still go with Faulk

 

[upstater1]

We've seen a lot of these lists - here's a twist.

How about position groups by year. Each of these:

QB/WR - 2007
RB/TE - 1978
OL - 1978

DL - 2004
LB - 1985
DB - 2003

ST Kick - 2001
ST Cover - 2019

So the starters for each category have to come from the same squad.

QB/WR/TE 2012

 

[Dingleberry]

With Nelson and High inside, Tippett outside ... Give me Don Blackmon at the other OLB spot. The guy was never flashy, but solid in all three phases.

Agreed about Blackmon.

There was one game he was definitely flashy though. Squish the Fish game in Miami AFCCG. Blackmon was the best player on the field that game.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Glenn over Edelman.

Slade over Vrabel.

Good luck arguing against this.

There also needs to be 2 TE's to add Coates. That is just disrespectful to leave him out.

 

[Pape]

A player had to be with them for 5 years or more, so I'm not going to count Randy Moss or Curtis Martin.

QB Tom Brady
RB Sam Cunningham
FB Mosi Tatupu
UB Kevin Faulk
TE Rob Gronkowski
WR Stanley Morgan
WR Julian Edelman
WR Wes Welker
T Bruce Armstrong
T Leon Gray
G John Hannah
G Logan Mankins
C Jon Morris

DE Julius Adams
DT Richard Seymour
DT Vince Wilfork
DE Willie McGinest
LB Steve Nelson
LB Andre Tippett
LB Donte Hightower
LB Mike Vrabel or Tedy Bruschi
S Devin McCourty
S Rodney Harrison
CB Mike Haynes
CB Ty Law
CB Ray Clayborn

KR Troy Brown
ST Matthew Slater
K Adam Vinatieri
P Ryan Allen

My only real hesitation was the 4th linebacker position, Bruschi or Vrabel. Also, I realize Mosi didn't play a classic FB position, but at 230 pounds, he's only 5 to 10 pounds lighter than our typical FBs. Plus, we played 2 RBs on the field for most of the 1980s (Cunningham, Calhoun, Collins, C. James, Stephens, Tatupu, Andy Johnson) so it's not like Tatupu was a single back very often. He played up and had a lot of dives.

sam cunningham was a true fullback

rg sam adams or len st. jean
lg john hannah

4th lb - old school - nick buoniconti deserves the nod here

k i get adam, but gino deserves consideration

 

[jimnance]

Hard to argue with most of it.
I'd take Jim Nance over Sam Bam.

 

[signbabybrady]

Faulk outproduced White as both a pass catcher and a running back. But Faulk never had a playoff game like White's in 16. Still go with Faulk

Out produced maybe but only cause White has a career ender. Stats show White was the better catcher and Faulk the better rusher and STer. But those 2 or 3 years in a row White had as a pass catcher was the most special thing either of them did culminating in what could of been an SB MVP if not for TB being TB.

 

[Joker]

Faulk MADE the first down on 4th and 2..that call was a judgement on the spot by a ref working in Indy...I saw a study done by an MIT grad using lasers. Faulk was a good 2 feet over the LOS. I remember Faulk was a wash his first two seasons....fumbled the ball way too much. He MADE himself into the dependable all purpose back so important to Patriot success during that period. I bristle every time I see someone reference the 4th and 2 play in Indy. You people have to understand....the league changed the rules FOUR seasons in a row with Polian heading the competition committee. That year we played in Indy.,..if the ref makes the CORRECT call...game over. That's when I first realized there was something rotten in Goodell-mark.
Just one more reason I despise that ginger moron. A blurb from Bleacher Report post game in 2009..


Looking at NBC's replays of the decisive 4th and 2 call in the Colts 35-34 victory over New England in Indianapolis, it was clear that Kevin Faulk did indeed have possession of the ball in front of the first down marker. Faulk's completion would have sealed a win for the Patriots.

While Faulk did bobble the football initially, he quickly recovered to firmly wrap two hands around the ball prior to his forward progress being stopped by the Colts defender, which was slightly ahead of NBC's yellow first down line.

The replay also showed that the official who made the call had an awful vantage point, and saw more of Faulk's back than so-called bobbled football. It's disapointing that both Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, who is usually an outstanding analyst, failed to point this out.

 

[turkeyneck]

Nance over Cunningham.

Buonoconti has to be in the LB corps.