Patriots 53-Man Roster Projection 2.0

[Brady6]

1) I did not say that helping the team was limited to one game.

MG – I’m not saying that is what you said and I apologies if that was the implication of what I wrote. What I meant is you appear to want the best player at the end of Aug to make the final roster. I’m suggesting that is not always the case some players have to be retained based on their potential for what they could be.

2) Salas is poor example in that he was useless to us, then and now.

Salas is actually a great example as we protected him, but when were in crunch for a roster spot because of WR/TE injuries we placed him back on the practice squad and the result of that was us losing a potentially impactful player, because someone else stepped in and took advantage of our circumstances.

3) Forston was an OK and inexpensive backup DT.

We don’t really know what Fortson is yet; he played in one game last season for next to no snaps; he was kept because he was considered a high upside player that dropped out of the draft because of injuries and motivation concerns. He could be a future starter, he could be the next Vince Wilfork, or he could never take a snap in the NFL, but Belichick felt he was worthy of protecting.

4) I did not favor cutting Warren. We would have had a better team with Warren on the roster.

We would have been a better team with Warren in 2012; long term we wouldn’t have been though, so the question had to be asked is Warren going to make the team that much better now to justify weakening it in future years and Belichick did not feel that way.

5) Belichick will indeed play with the "bottom" of the 53 man roster a lot throughout the season, especially in the first couple of weeks.

Agreed; he will cut veterans to avoid paying guaranteed contracts, he will stash players till a certain week when he feels more comfortable with them being placed on the practice squad, and all the other strategic moves he generally makes.

6) There are many choices at DE and DT. Buchanan may or may not be one of the best ones.

Buchanan might not be the best one on Aug 31st but he certainly has more talent, a stronger college resume and a far higher ceiling than Francis, Grissom, and even Cunningham or Benard, the question is more can one of those players I listed make the team that much better now to justify losing a potentially impactful player in the future? I honestly would cut any of them over Buchanan; but that’s just me.

 

[Brady6]

Blount vs. Bolden
Bequette vs. Buchanan
Cole vs. Dowling
Ebner vs T. Wilson
Tebow vs. The World

I don’t think it necessarily comes down to position by position battles. I look at it in terms of JAG verse Upside.

Jenkins vs. Buchanan
Fells vs. T. Wilson
Gregory vs. Bolden

I think the question is really is this JAG in at one position going to provide that much more in the short term to justify cutting players that could longer term be impact contributors. Basically the fundamental question is does the ends justify the means.

 

[FoxWhiskey]

QB (3) Brady, Mallett, Tebow
RB (4) Ridley, Vereen, Washington, Blount
WR (6) Amendola, Dobson, Boyce, Edelman, Slater, Thompkins
TE (5) Hoomanawanui, Sudfeld, Fells, Gronkowski, Ballard
C (2) Wendell, Connolly
G (3) Mankins, Cannon, McDonald
T (3) Vollmer, Solder, Svitek
DE (4) Ninkovich, Jones, Benard, Francis
DT (3) Wilfork, Kelly, Forston
ILB(3) Spikes, Koutouvides, Fletcher
OLB(3) Mayo, Hightower, Collins
CB (5) Talib, Dennard, Arrington, Ryan, Cole
SS (3) Wilson, Wilson, Ebner
FS (3) McCourty, Gregory, Harmon
ST (3) Gostkowski, Aiken, Mesko

Total players: 53
Created with Pats Picker: Pats Picker 2013

PUP:Armstead, Harrison
ST: Ebner, Slater, Koutouvides
PS: Sims, Beauharnais, Allen, Aiken, Buchanan
notable CUTS: Ras-i-Dowling, Cunningham, Bolden, Jenkins
on the Bubble: Tebow,Hooman, Tarpinian, Bequette

 

[jmt57]

For comparison Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald divvied up the roster in to four categories:

Roster lock: Based on contract, draft position, talent and place on depth chart, this player will be on the team.

Safe for now: If the 53-man roster were decided today, this player would be on the team.

Bubble: Status could quickly change in either direction.

Outside looking in: If the 53-man roster were decided today, this player would not be on the team.​

Breaking down all 90 players' chances of making the Patriots roster | Boston Herald


He has 54 players in the top two categories. Figuring that at least one of them ends up exempt (NFI, PUP, IR), his current roster projection looks like this (see column for details and explanation):

QUARTERBACKS (3)
Tom Brady, Ryan Mallett, Tim Tebow

RUNNING BACKS (8)
Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, LeGarrette Blount, Leon Washington

WIDE RECEIVERS (11)
Danny Amendola, Josh Boyce, Aaron Dobson, Matthew Slater, Kenbrell Thompkins, Julian Edelman, Mark Harrison

TIGHT ENDS (6)
Rob Gronkowski, Jake Ballard, Daniel Fells, Zach Sudfeld, Michael Hoomanawanui

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (16)
Logan Mankins, Ryan Wendell, Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon, Dan Connolly, Will Svitek

DEFENSIVE TACKLES (8)
Tommy Kelly, Vince Wilfork, Armond Armstead, Marcus Forston

DEFENSIVE ENDS (8)
Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Marcus Benard, Michael Buchanan, Justin Francis

LINEBACKERS (10)
Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Steve Beauharnais, Dane Fletcher

CORNERBACKS (8)
Kyle Arrington, Alfonzo Dennard, Logan Ryan, Aqib Talib, Marquice Cole

SAFETIES (7)
Duron Harmon, Devin McCourty, Adrian Wilson, Tavon Wilson, Steve Gregory

SPECIALISTS (5)
Stephen Gostkowski, Danny Aiken, Zoltan Mesko


TOTALS
Roster locks: 30
Safe for now: 24
Bubble: 15
Outside looking in: 21
​

 

[TyronePoole]

will never happen, but this would be my ideal 53 at the end of camp:

QB (2) Brady, Mallett
RB (5) Ridley, Vereen, Blount, Washington, Bolden
WR (6) Amendola, Thompkins, Dobson, Edelman, Boyce, Slater
TE (5) Gronkowski, Ballard, Sudfeld, Fells, Hoomanawanui
C (1) Wendell
G (3) Mankins, Connolly, Cannon
T (3) Vollmer, Solder, Svitek
DE (5) Jones, Ninkovich, Francis, Benard, Buchanan
DT (4) Wilfork, Kelly, Forston, Armstead
ILB(3) Spikes, Fletcher, Beauharnais
OLB(3) Mayo, Hightower, Collins
CB (5) Talib, Dennard, Arrington, Dowling, Ryan
SS (3) Wilson, Wilson, Ebner
FS (2) McCourty, Harmon
ST (3) Gostkowski, Mesko, Aiken

Total players: 53
Created with Pats Picker: Pats Picker 2013

 

[ATippett56]

He has 54 players in the top two categories. Figuring that at least one of them ends up exempt (NFI, PUP, IR), his current roster projection looks like this (see column for details and explanation):

QUARTERBACKS (3)
Tom Brady, Ryan Mallett, Tim Tebow

RUNNING BACKS (8)
Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, LeGarrette Blount, Leon Washington

WIDE RECEIVERS (11)
Danny Amendola, Josh Boyce, Aaron Dobson, Matthew Slater, Kenbrell Thompkins, Julian Edelman, Mark Harrison

TIGHT ENDS (6)
Rob Gronkowski, Jake Ballard, Daniel Fells, Zach Sudfeld, Michael Hoomanawanui

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (16)
Logan Mankins, Ryan Wendell, Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon, Dan Connolly, Will Svitek

DEFENSIVE TACKLES (8)
Tommy Kelly, Vince Wilfork, Armond Armstead, Marcus Forston

DEFENSIVE ENDS (8)
Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Marcus Benard, Michael Buchanan, Justin Francis

LINEBACKERS (10)
Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Steve Beauharnais, Dane Fletcher

CORNERBACKS (8)
Kyle Arrington, Alfonzo Dennard, Logan Ryan, Aqib Talib, Marquice Cole

SAFETIES (7)
Duron Harmon, Devin McCourty, Adrian Wilson, Tavon Wilson, Steve Gregory

SPECIALISTS (5)
Stephen Gostkowski, Danny Aiken, Zoltan Mesko

Thru the first preseason game, the current roster battles at the present:

If four running backs, Blount versus Bolden.

If four tight ends, Ballard versus Fells vs Hoomanawanui (or Gronkowski to PUP).

If eight offensive lineman, Green versus Zusevics.

If five safeties, Ebner versus Gregory.

If five cornerbacks, Cole versus Dowling (just plain awful, pink slips for both).