Bedard's thoughts (May 29 OTA practice)

[patriot lifer]

Yeah, it's a bit early to think too hard about Cannon showing up with a little more bulk. To me that doesn't really point to much of anything, besides the fact that he's trained hard during the offseason.



First let me say that I think you have just as much chance as being correct as myself or anyone else. All we really can do is speculate at this time.

However, I'm not so sure that Vollmer's health issue would be any different in terms of Cannon's duties, especially since Vollmer played in almost 90% of all snaps last year.

It's possible that you could be correct. It's also possible that they simply want Cannon to continue to progress as a backup tackle. After all, he'll likely be the first man up if/when either one of Solder or Vollmer miss any time.

I think the speculation will be at its highest in TC when Belichick likely gives Cannon some reps at guard. Then we'll be trying to figure out if it's just for emergency purposes to familiarize himself better, or if he's really looking at Cannon as a guard. Only time will tell. My guess is that he's capable of playing either position should it come down to it.

I don't know on this one. Last year, I think the team was in a bind at the tackle position. They really needed a Svitek-type player (a steady veteran who has starting experience at tackle), but there wasn't any value on the market. I think they went with the next best option with Cannon, and I think it speaks to the level of confidence they have in his abilities to play (being only his sophomore season last year). Vollmer had the serious injury issues the year before, so they needed a competent player at the position as a backup - someone they could trust out there. Now that they brought in Svitek and have a younger tackle in development, I think they feel comfortable moving him to the interior where he's more needed.

You're right that we don't have a long history of the player to go by. It's a guess in the end, but I think that his time served as a back-up tackle last year will be aberrant for his career. Granted it's a valuable line on his resume to have legit tackle experience. In reading the tea-leaves, the fact that they entrusted him to serve as the #1 back-up to protect Brady after Vollmer's prior year injury woes speaks to some level of confidence in his abilities. I interpret that as increasing his chances of being involved in more offensive plays this year, under the theory of getting your best players out on the field at once. Whether he's starting at the guard position, more in the mix as the #1 back-up, or lining up as an extra OL on running plays.

 

[Fencer]

.......One day Gregor Bedard, a traveling NFL writer, wakes up to find himself transformed into a "monstrous vermin", often interpreted as a giant cokkroach or insect. He believes it is a dream, and reflects on how dreary life as a traveling sports writer is.....

Kafkaesque?....No

Jokeresque?....Bullseye, bunky!!!

One day Michael Felger, a ****roach, woke up and found himself transformed into a another kind of monstrous vermin, a sports talk show host.