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With Mini-camp wrapping up, I want to say that this is the most excited I've been for training camp..
With Amendola having had 2 surgeries and Edelman having a 2nd, there is a chance (however slight) that both start TC on the PUP. I could even see Amendola starting the season on the PUP much the way I can see Dion Lewis potentially starting there. Giving both the extra time to get into shape and be fully healed for the home stretch of the season.
What has been interesting, so far, that Bennett hasn't caught many passes (5 total in 3 days??) And that is despite Gronk not being there..
IMHO, this is going to be one of the funnest and most exciting TCs the Patriots have had in awhile.
Wide Receiver - Edelman and Amendola are locks. As is Chris Hogan. The issue becomes where Edelman and Amendola start training camp and the season. Malcolm Mitchell is also a lock. So, the question going forward is how many WR will the Pats carry. Will it be 5? Will it be 6? Who will it be?
Keshawn Martin - Picked up at the start of last season, most thought Martin would be a key player in the return game, in both kick returns and punt returns. Martin was the Pats best kick returner with 25.7 YPR, but he only had 10 kick returns. He was the Pats 2nd best punt returner with 11.5 YPR. The problem is that the Pats didn't seem to use him in key situations.. Martin provided marginal support in the passing game. Though he signed an extension, I wouldn't say his position is safe.
Chris Harper - He was the binkie for a lot of people because of his quickness. Unfortunately, he had one bad dropped punt and never seemed to recover. With the talent ahead of him, particularly the addition of Hogan and Mitchell, I see Harper destined for the PS.
DeAndre Carter - An end of the year addition to the Pats Practice squad. He's a tiny guy at 5'8 4/8. The probability of him making the team is probably less than 1% unless he beats out Martin for kick return duties.
Devin Lucien - Lucien was drafted in the 7th round by the Pats. He's got size (6'0 4/8), huge hands (10 1/8), good speed (4.49 - 40, 1.53-10), and good agility (6.93 3-cone). He's got an uphill battle, though, since I can't find that he plays special teams. I consider Lucien a dark-horse.
Nate Washington - Nate Washington made the choice to sign with the Pats partially because of Vince Wilfork. Washington is the outside receiver type that many fans have been wishing the Pats would sign. He's extremely steady and, despite his age (32) , still has plenty left in the tank.
Aaron Dobson - Aaron the enigma. Most people have him gone. I think everyone agrees that Dobson has the talent and skills to be a player in the league. However, he's just not been able to put anything together due to injuries each of the last 3 seasons. Time will tell if this is the year that everything CLICKS for Dobson or he goes the way of Chad Jackson, Taylor Price, etc..
No matter how it turns out, I think this is going to be really exciting to watch..
DE: With Chandler Jones now in Arizona and Ninkovich being groomed (ala Bruschi/Vrabel) for ILB, it will be interesting to see who is there opposite Sheard. Long, Flowers, Grissom, Johnson and McClellin.
CB: Butler and Ryan are the top 2. Cyrus Jones figures to be the "STAR". You've got Coleman, Roberts, Jonathon Jones, Biggers, Vereen, LeBlanc, and Bentley fighting for 2-3 spots behind the other 3.
Safety: McCourty, Chung and Harmon are locks. Ebner's status is up in the air as he tries out for the US National Rugby team. I think that Grugier-Hill, though he's listed as a LB) has the size and ability to be the type of safety we've not seen since Rodney Harrison.
Special Teams: Slater is the man here. The Pats brought in some college standouts in Grugier-Hill, LeBlanc, and Bentley. Brandon King is also a lock because of his play here. It remains to be seen if he becomes Slater's heir apparent as a special teams only guy or if he brings more to the table.
Kick Returner and Punt Returner will be battles, especially with the status of Edelman and Amendola up in the air.
O-line: Probably the biggest disappointment last season due to the number of injuries they suffered. All but one of their O-linemen were injured at one point or another. They've brought in a bunch of talent and brought bank Dante. If anyone can turn them around and do so quickly, it's Dante. To me, Stork, Vollmer, Solder, Andrews and Thuney are locks. I believe that Mason, Cooper, and Waddle are near locks. Jackson's status is up in the air and he could start on the PUP. Karras, Cannon, Kline, Milton, Fleming, and Barker will be fighting for the last 2 spots.
We're going to see Andrews and Stork battle it out for the starting center position. Mason, Cooper, Thuney, and whomever else will be battling for the starting guard spots.
Waddle, imho, has the inside track on being the team's #3 tackle due to Cannon's poor play last year and his salary cap figure. Milton and Fleming are long shots. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pats make a trade for another OT or be scouring the wire for someone to put on the practice squad..
Running Back: Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount are both coming back off some pretty serious injuries. I've stated that I wouldn't be surprised to see Lewis start off the season on the PUP just to make sure they have him for the stretch run. Blount could also start off camp on the PUP due to his hip surgery.
James White performed very well in the pass game. The running game, not so much. But how much of that is attributed to him and how much of it is attributed to the poor line play?
The Pats brought in veteran Donald Brown who can run and catch out of the backfield. They also brought in DJ Foster who seems to be the binkie of a lot of people. And with good reason. The kid was electric in college in open space and could provide them with special teams play as well.
They still have Brandon Bolden. Bolden, had great numbers with Dante as the O-line coach. Bolden's numbers plummeted to garbage with Gugs..Maybe it's something. Maybe it's nothing. Bolden does provide a presence on special teams and I believe that's the only thing that's kept him around. But that could change this year with the guys the Pats have brought in.
Like I said, it's gonna be fun and exciting..
With Amendola having had 2 surgeries and Edelman having a 2nd, there is a chance (however slight) that both start TC on the PUP. I could even see Amendola starting the season on the PUP much the way I can see Dion Lewis potentially starting there. Giving both the extra time to get into shape and be fully healed for the home stretch of the season.
What has been interesting, so far, that Bennett hasn't caught many passes (5 total in 3 days??) And that is despite Gronk not being there..
IMHO, this is going to be one of the funnest and most exciting TCs the Patriots have had in awhile.
Wide Receiver - Edelman and Amendola are locks. As is Chris Hogan. The issue becomes where Edelman and Amendola start training camp and the season. Malcolm Mitchell is also a lock. So, the question going forward is how many WR will the Pats carry. Will it be 5? Will it be 6? Who will it be?
Keshawn Martin - Picked up at the start of last season, most thought Martin would be a key player in the return game, in both kick returns and punt returns. Martin was the Pats best kick returner with 25.7 YPR, but he only had 10 kick returns. He was the Pats 2nd best punt returner with 11.5 YPR. The problem is that the Pats didn't seem to use him in key situations.. Martin provided marginal support in the passing game. Though he signed an extension, I wouldn't say his position is safe.
Chris Harper - He was the binkie for a lot of people because of his quickness. Unfortunately, he had one bad dropped punt and never seemed to recover. With the talent ahead of him, particularly the addition of Hogan and Mitchell, I see Harper destined for the PS.
DeAndre Carter - An end of the year addition to the Pats Practice squad. He's a tiny guy at 5'8 4/8. The probability of him making the team is probably less than 1% unless he beats out Martin for kick return duties.
Devin Lucien - Lucien was drafted in the 7th round by the Pats. He's got size (6'0 4/8), huge hands (10 1/8), good speed (4.49 - 40, 1.53-10), and good agility (6.93 3-cone). He's got an uphill battle, though, since I can't find that he plays special teams. I consider Lucien a dark-horse.
Nate Washington - Nate Washington made the choice to sign with the Pats partially because of Vince Wilfork. Washington is the outside receiver type that many fans have been wishing the Pats would sign. He's extremely steady and, despite his age (32) , still has plenty left in the tank.
Aaron Dobson - Aaron the enigma. Most people have him gone. I think everyone agrees that Dobson has the talent and skills to be a player in the league. However, he's just not been able to put anything together due to injuries each of the last 3 seasons. Time will tell if this is the year that everything CLICKS for Dobson or he goes the way of Chad Jackson, Taylor Price, etc..
No matter how it turns out, I think this is going to be really exciting to watch..
DE: With Chandler Jones now in Arizona and Ninkovich being groomed (ala Bruschi/Vrabel) for ILB, it will be interesting to see who is there opposite Sheard. Long, Flowers, Grissom, Johnson and McClellin.
CB: Butler and Ryan are the top 2. Cyrus Jones figures to be the "STAR". You've got Coleman, Roberts, Jonathon Jones, Biggers, Vereen, LeBlanc, and Bentley fighting for 2-3 spots behind the other 3.
Safety: McCourty, Chung and Harmon are locks. Ebner's status is up in the air as he tries out for the US National Rugby team. I think that Grugier-Hill, though he's listed as a LB) has the size and ability to be the type of safety we've not seen since Rodney Harrison.
Special Teams: Slater is the man here. The Pats brought in some college standouts in Grugier-Hill, LeBlanc, and Bentley. Brandon King is also a lock because of his play here. It remains to be seen if he becomes Slater's heir apparent as a special teams only guy or if he brings more to the table.
Kick Returner and Punt Returner will be battles, especially with the status of Edelman and Amendola up in the air.
O-line: Probably the biggest disappointment last season due to the number of injuries they suffered. All but one of their O-linemen were injured at one point or another. They've brought in a bunch of talent and brought bank Dante. If anyone can turn them around and do so quickly, it's Dante. To me, Stork, Vollmer, Solder, Andrews and Thuney are locks. I believe that Mason, Cooper, and Waddle are near locks. Jackson's status is up in the air and he could start on the PUP. Karras, Cannon, Kline, Milton, Fleming, and Barker will be fighting for the last 2 spots.
We're going to see Andrews and Stork battle it out for the starting center position. Mason, Cooper, Thuney, and whomever else will be battling for the starting guard spots.
Waddle, imho, has the inside track on being the team's #3 tackle due to Cannon's poor play last year and his salary cap figure. Milton and Fleming are long shots. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pats make a trade for another OT or be scouring the wire for someone to put on the practice squad..
Running Back: Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount are both coming back off some pretty serious injuries. I've stated that I wouldn't be surprised to see Lewis start off the season on the PUP just to make sure they have him for the stretch run. Blount could also start off camp on the PUP due to his hip surgery.
James White performed very well in the pass game. The running game, not so much. But how much of that is attributed to him and how much of it is attributed to the poor line play?
The Pats brought in veteran Donald Brown who can run and catch out of the backfield. They also brought in DJ Foster who seems to be the binkie of a lot of people. And with good reason. The kid was electric in college in open space and could provide them with special teams play as well.
They still have Brandon Bolden. Bolden, had great numbers with Dante as the O-line coach. Bolden's numbers plummeted to garbage with Gugs..Maybe it's something. Maybe it's nothing. Bolden does provide a presence on special teams and I believe that's the only thing that's kept him around. But that could change this year with the guys the Pats have brought in.
Like I said, it's gonna be fun and exciting..
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