CURRENT ROSTER NEEDS

[mgteich]

Dugger played 100% of the snaps for the last two weeks. Pettus was the next man up.

Our healthy number 2 RB was in for 9 reps on Offense, about the same as the garbage time backups and Williams.

Oh, and BTW, many posters wanted our #1 to get many, many fewer reps. With no choice, he got all most all the reps.

NUF said

 

[Bill Lee]

Haven't I've seen this movie before? Yep, I have....

T

Content Post Post in thread 'Idle thoughts: the "NEXT" edition.'

Oct 21, 2025

Well don't hold back list them. Also list what starting caliber players are on the market at those positions.

RB
TE
Safety
CB
DE
LB

As fans, no one knows who is or is going to be available at the trade deadline.

• Taxed in Maine

 

[VrabelJr]

FS, LB, and Edge (depth) for this season.

All that plus Interior OL and maybe RT next season.

 

[patchick]

For me the areas where I think a realistic pickup could help are EDGE, FS, CB and FB. RB only if the player is a plus in pass protection.

I think the LB group is coming together, and I'm skeptical about finding a plug-and-play IOL who could upgrade the starting lineup midseason.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Safety
Lb
Edge depth or upgrade
Wr , though i would wait on this as theyre still developing. See where Williams/boutte/douglas are at seasons end and go from there if we still don’t have a consistent deep threat. The top 3 needs im fairly confident the solution NOT on the current roster.

Secondary needs - rt prospect, iol depth / prospect to possibly replace onwenu, rb

Very doable in one more offseason!

 

[mgteich]

0, 1 or 2 trades MIGHT be made. Very few trades are completed near the dealine, certainly fewer than 2 per team.
===================
Yes, depth or next year may be addressed at almost any position.
In addition, Vrabel will continue to look for depth on the waiver wire. So far, we have Woods, Divito, Gregory, Durden and Meyers.
=======
For me, a current NEED is a hole in the roster.

 

[mgteich]

FS, LB, and Edge (depth) for this season.

All that plus Interior OL and maybe RT next season.

I don't think that we are going to trade for a LB better than Tavai who is depth both inside and outside.

INSIDE: Spillane, Elliss, Gibbens, Mapu
OUTSIDE: Landry, Chaisson, White, Murphy, Ponder, Jennings
BOTH: Tavai

 

[Bill Lee]

For me the areas where I think a realistic pickup could help are EDGE, FS, CB and FB. RB only if the player is a plus in pass protection.

I think we need to figure in supply vs demand. Without doing a deep dive, I would think EDGE is something a lot of other teams want and few other teams want to give up. Personally I think it's far more likely some team would want to give up an expensive veteran RB they don't plan on re-signing. Kamara gets mentioned a lot.

0, 1 or 2 trades MIGHT be made. Very few trades are completed near the deadline, certainly fewer than 2 per team.

Indeed. The deadline happens early enough that coaching staffs feel they still might turn things around and not lose their jobs so they don't give up good players too easily. The league wants the deadline to be early otherwise all the good teams would wait for the bad teams to sell off their good players.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Where is the welcome to Caleb Murphy thread?

 

[patchick]

I think we need to figure in supply vs demand. Without doing a deep dive, I would think EDGE is something a lot of other teams want and few other teams want to give up.

Agreed -- while the Mike Evans injury got most of the attention from the Buc-Lions game, Tampa also lost edge rusher Haason Reddick. That's one more team with big playoff aspirations in the edge market.

 

[mgteich]

Where is the welcome to Caleb Murphy thread?

Our 11th LB (10th if White is a DL).

But for many, this is a critical in-season need on which we should spend a draft pick.

Many seem fine with Dugger playing 100% of the reps and for Stevenson to play 75%.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Our 11th LB (10th if White is a DL).

But for many, this is a critical in-season need on which we should spend a draft pick.

Many seem fine with Dugger playing 100% of the reps and for Stevenson to play 75%.

Why didn't you do your job and start a new Caleb Murphy thread? Everyone is waiting for you and you are letting the team down.

DAMN - RIng6 beat you to it. You have to be quicker on the trigger finger in the future.

 

[Ring 6]

Our 11th LB (10th if White is a DL).

But for many, this is a critical in-season need on which we should spend a draft pick.

Many seem fine with Dugger playing 100% of the reps and for Stevenson to play 75%.

You can’t include Edge players and off the ball LBs as one position group.

 

[jmt57]

RB is the current #1 roster need, in my opinion.

Running backs get banged up; it's inevitable when 11 players on the other team are attempting to hit the ball carrier with as much force as possible.

Whether it be a trade, a free agent, or promoting Jennings or Corbin from the practice squad, the Patriots need another RB - if for no other reason than giving Stevenson an occasional breather.

Relying on Stevenson to play 70-plus percent of the snaps for the remainder of the season is a recipe for disaster.
(46 snaps, 72% at NO; 49 snaps, 75% at Tenn)

As someone said earlier, whomever this new RB is, they must be good in pass protection. That's more important in this role than the potential to break away for a long gain. Even if the team is comfortable with Westover (his playing time has gone up since Gibson was injured), I would still prefer to have one more RB on the roster.

 

[mgteich]

Why didn't you do your job and start a new Caleb Murphy thread? Everyone is waiting for you and you are letting the team down.

DAMN - RIng6 beat you to it. You have to be quicker on the trigger finger in the future.

I don't think that I have ever started a welcome thread. Perhaps, my memory is failing more than I think.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I don't think that I have ever started a welcome thread. Perhaps, my memory is failing more than I think.

You start more threads than any poster so you have to pick up your game. Ring6 is kicking your ass.

 

[dliverey44]

I don't think that I have ever started a welcome thread. Perhaps, my memory is failing more than I think.

I would like to point out how funny it is that you referred to your memory failing and then ended it with I think. Just funny to me.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Haven't I've seen this movie before? Yep, I have....

T

Content Post Post in thread 'Idle thoughts: the "NEXT" edition.'

Oct 21, 2025

Well don't hold back list them. Also list what starting caliber players are on the market at those positions.

RB
TE
Safety
CB
DE
LB

As fans, no one knows who is or is going to be available at the trade deadline.

• Taxed in Maine

That was me in response to an earlier post where I said there are six other positions where I could possibly see an upgrade that are higher priority than another WR at the trade deadline.

 

[Simpelton]

Time. Many of our issues will become less severe simply by having key personnel gain experience. Especially our younger OL. As they improve we will have greater margin of error on both the pass and the rush.

 

[Vindicate]

RB is the current #1 roster need, in my opinion.

Running backs get banged up; it's inevitable when 11 players on the other team are attempting to hit the ball carrier with as much force as possible.

Whether it be a trade, a free agent, or promoting Jennings or Corbin from the practice squad, the Patriots need another RB - if for no other reason than giving Stevenson an occasional breather.

Relying on Stevenson to play 70-plus percent of the snaps for the remainder of the season is a recipe for disaster.
(46 snaps, 72% at NO; 49 snaps, 75% at Tenn)

As someone said earlier, whomever this new RB is, they must be good in pass protection. That's more important in this role than the potential to break away for a long gain. Even if the team is comfortable with Westover (his playing time has gone up since Gibson was injured), I would still prefer to have one more RB on the roster.

I do feel like, until Henderson gets some more muscle and can pickup the blitz, we need a pass-catching/scat back that can do as much. A scat back would be nice that can take what the OL gives him and then create some yards out of pace and ability to juke.

What I'm saying is I want prime Dion Lewis again