The Center Position

Ryan Wendell isn't playing nearly as well as he was last year, and while he has faced some stiff competition you have to worry if we're seeing his physical limits.

http://www.nepatriotsdraft.com/2013/09/whats-wrong-with-wendell.html

Does he get that contract?

Wendell is a serviceable guy that is best used as a back-up. As a starter, he's undersized and leaves the franchise susceptible to DT's bull rushing right up the middle. He and Connolly were both getting overpowered this past Sunday against the Bucs, and that isn't even the best DT combination that the team is going to face this season. I'm not sure why they haven't experimented more with Cannon at RG yet, as that seems to be where he's the most natural fit. But I would love to see it as it would move Connolly back to C.

DocHoliday said:

Ryan Wendell isn't playing nearly as well as he was last year, and while he has faced some stiff competition you have to worry if we're seeing his physical limits.

Are the Patriots Set at Center With Ryan Wendell? | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2014 NFL Draft

Does he get that contract?

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I have wanted them to go after a top flight center in the last couple of draft's but they clearly don't see it that way. I think they sign him to a team friendly deal but nothing more, I wouldn't give him anything over 4 million a year and in truth wouldn't want them to even go that high. i would prefer Connolly at Center and Cannon at RG. I have real concerns about how they match up against the really big and good DL's, when they met Detroit in the pre-season they were dominated up front.

I've been higher on Wendell than most, but, yeah, he hasn't played very well so far this year. Hopefully it doesn't haunt the team come playoff time.

JackBauer said:

I've been higher on Wendell than most, but, yeah, he hasn't played very well so far this year. Hopefully it doesn't haunt the team come playoff time.

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That's what I'm worried about. 2010's playoff hopes were ended because the Jets were getting after Brady going right through the A gap and Dan Koppen. Last year, the Ravens were doing the same thing with Wendell. The gauntlet of quality DT's will get tougher in the playoffs and, if Wendell is still the C by then, hopefully he can do a better job than what he's been giving the team thus far.

I have been a massive fan of wendell for years. I feel he gets a hat on a hat better than anybody we have and he gets to the secondary level the best. He has been a little overpowered this season but he is not a liability in my eyes and love to keep him for years to come.

I honestly wish he could be our fullback. I love the way he gets to the second level and blocks anyone instead of looking stupid and indecisive and ultimately blocking no one like some other guys.

But I can't confidently say that wendell will be resigned. BB might be confident that they can mold a new center. Wendell was the weakest guy I have ever seen years ago in the preseason and got pancaked multiple times and also spent some time on the practice squad. Then before you knew it he was stronger and playing with the starters in spot duty in 2010 until he became our starting center. When i see the pathetic olines out there like pitt for example, I can really appreciate Dante.

Personally, I think the best combination may be Connolly at center and Cannon at RG, but since we haven't seen this in action it is only speculation. I still think Connolly is a better center than Wendell, but he may still not be 100%.

But one thing to keep in mind, the Pats have most likely faced most of the dominant d-lines they are going to face all year. They will have the Jets and Bills again, but only Cincy will have as good or better of a d-line than the ones the Pats have faced in the first three weeks.

KontradictioN said:

That's what I'm worried about. 2010's playoff hopes were ended because the Jets were getting after Brady going right through the A gap and Dan Koppen. Last year, the Ravens were doing the same thing with Wendell. The gauntlet of quality DT's will get tougher in the playoffs and, if Wendell is still the C by then, hopefully he can do a better job than what he's been giving the team thus far.

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I still think the pass rush by the Jets in that playoff game was overrated. Yes, at times it was very good, but a lot of the pressure they got was because the coverage was so good and Brady had nowhere to throw.

But this is taking the thread off topic.

The offense has been different this year. Brady has been forced to hold the ball much longer. We will understand more when Gronk and Amendola are back. Perhaps, then we can run our normal offense.

In any case, posters have not thought as much of Wendell as the team does for several years.

Posters have their understandings. Connolly is our best center, and Cannon is our best RG. The team has not shown that they understand the positions in the same way,

Wendell's not a starting caliber center. The difference between this year and last is that Brady needs to hold the ball longer this year because of the receiver issues, and that's causing a lot of havoc. Part of that havoc is putting pressure on the OL to hold their blocks longer than they are used to having to hold them, and Wendell's getting exposed in the process, particularly because the Patriots have been facing teams with good defensive lines.



Just my $.02

Rob0729 said:

Personally, I think the best combination may be Connolly at center and Cannon at RG, but since we haven't seen this in action it is only speculation. I still think Connolly is a better center than Wendell, but he may still not be 100%.

But one thing to keep in mind, the Pats have most likely faced most of the dominant d-lines they are going to face all year. They will have the Jets and Bills again, but only Cincy will have as good or better of a d-line than the ones the Pats have faced in the first three weeks.

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Even if Cannon isn't better at RG, it doesn't have to be him playing there. The Pats need to get a starter-caliber RG from... somewhere so that Connolly can move back to center. Right now they're playing a backup-caliber center as starter because their starter-caliber center has to play RG, where he's below average. The Patriots are essentially downgraded at two positions because they don't have an adequate solution at RG.

mgteich said:

The offense has been different this year. Brady has been forced to hold the ball much longer. We will understand more when Gronk and Amendola are back. Perhaps, then we can run our normal offense.

In any case, posters have not thought as much of Wendell as the team does for several years.

Posters have their understandings. Connolly is our best center, and Cannon is our best RG. The team has not shown that they understand the positions in the same way,

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I believe the reason for this is that we as fans are not able to assess one of Wendell's key responsibilities: making line calls. It is very difficult to know if he is doing it well if the play s not known, the pre-snap defense, etc...The Pats have seemed to gravitate toward the smaller, but smarter OC since Brady arrived. If necessary, they sacrifice size and run blocking for smarts in the passing game.

I suppose that since BB hasn't looked to develop another OC, or move Connolly over there, Wendell must be looking good on film.

I think he's more than adequate when things are going right for the offense, but he's the kind of guy who can make an unfavorable situation a bad one. Once the offense gets healthy again, I think he'll be just fine.

I expect him to re-sign this offseason, but I really hope they don't overpay him.

I think his competition over the first 3 weeks has been pretty damn good.

Buffalo: Kyle Williams | Marcell Dareus
New York: Sheldon Richardson | Muhammad Wilkerson
Tampa Bay: Gerald McCoy | Akeem Spence

McCoy – 3rd overall pick in 2010
Dareus – 3rd overall pick in 2011
Wilkerson – 30th overall pick in 2011
Richardson – 13th overall pick in 2013

Williams is a multi-time all pro player and Spence has been playing well as a rookie and receiving a lot of praise.

After the performance that Wendell provided last season I think it is premature to make a statement that he is not a starting caliber center, he certainly was last season and his drop in play has not been any more dramatic than most of are linemen as they have been forced to hold blocks a lot longer this season.

BradyFTW! said:

Even if Cannon isn't better at RG, it doesn't have to be him playing there. The Pats need to get a starter-caliber RG from... somewhere so that Connolly can move back to center. Right now they're playing a backup-caliber center as starter because their starter-caliber center has to play RG, where he's below average. The Patriots are essentially downgraded at two positions because they don't have an adequate solution at RG.

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Week 1 of 2014 Dan Connolly will be 32 years old, if we moved on from a 33 year old Dan Koppen last season for the younger Wendell I have a really hard time thinking that we’d commit to Connolly as are starting center, add to that the fact Connolly has not played very well this season himself and I see no chance of it.

Although he is injured now one of the biggest loses of the offseason in my opinion was Donald Thomas who just turned 28 years old on the 25th and appeared to be really coming into his own last season, I am not sure of the cap ramifications but I would rather have kept Thomas and cut Connolly.

One major issue is that Connolly is a reasonable starter at center. Thomas was a fine guard.

Brady6 said:

Week 1 of 2014 Dan Connolly will be 32 years old, if we moved on from a 33 year old Dan Koppen last season for the younger Wendell I have a really hard time thinking that we’d commit to Connolly as are starting center, add to that the fact Connolly has not played very well this season himself and I see no chance of it.

Although he is injured now one of the biggest loses of the offseason in my opinion was Donald Thomas who just turned 28 years old on the 25th and appeared to be really coming into his own last season, I am not sure of the cap ramifications but I would rather have kept Thomas and cut Connolly.

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KontradictioN said:

Wendell is a serviceable guy that is best used as a back-up. As a starter, he's undersized and leaves the franchise susceptible to DT's bull rushing right up the middle. He and Connolly were both getting overpowered this past Sunday against the Bucs, and that isn't even the best DT combination that the team is going to face this season. I'm not sure why they haven't experimented more with Cannon at RG yet, as that seems to be where he's the most natural fit. But I would love to see it as it would move Connolly back to C.

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In all likelihood if Wendell is playing poorly than Mankins and Connolly are contributing factors to that, my thought is that if the 2 guards were playing at well Wendell wouldn’t be getting exposed so often, are center has always been zone lineman and more reliant on ball security and run blocking than holding up against the pass in a 1on1 matchup. If Wendell is getting beat in the pass rush in my opinion is more because Connolly (the guy people are advocating to resign) is playing awful this season just as he did last season.

mgteich said:

One major issue is that Connolly is a reasonable starter at center. Thomas was a fine guard.

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Connolly has not played center since 2011 and his play declined each year since, I have no issue with Wendell I think he does what we need are center to do and does it well when the linemen around him are playing at a high level.

The line is in great shape at the tackles with 2 young all pro caliber players in Solder and Vollmer, Wendell I think can do what we need are center to do, but are guards are both older, declining and injury prone. Hopefully Cannon can be the answer at one of the guard positions but I still think we need to look at drafting an interior lineman in the first 3 rounds next year, because I cannot see paying $10 mil for Mankins given his play over the last 2+ seasons.

We agree on Wendell.

Also, I have been calling for drafting a top OG for years.

With regard to waiving folks, we need to focus on new money money, not cap. Personally, I think that Connolly is worth $3M as a backup next year as we groom his rookie replacement.

Brady6 said:

Connolly has not played center since 2011 and his play declined each year since, I have no issue with Wendell I think he does what we need are center to do and does it well when the linemen around him are playing at a high level.

The line is in great shape at the tackles with 2 young all pro caliber players in Solder and Vollmer, Wendell I think can do what we need are center to do, but are guards are both older, declining and injury prone. Hopefully Cannon can be the answer at one of the guard positions but I still think we need to look at drafting an interior lineman in the first 3 rounds next year, because I cannot see paying $10 mil for Mankins given his play over the last 2+ seasons.

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I think we're all in agreement that at least one, if not two OL (interior) need to be taken at some point throughout the upcoming draft in the spring.

Possibly a high pick, and an additional pick later on in the draft; or another possible "double pick" situation in the higher rounds.

I believe that the team needs some more flexibility with the situations of both Wendell and Connelly, not to mention talent, youth, and depth.