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It was mentioned before that ST units will see significant changes this year due to the loss of some core ST players of recent years. This is a look inside the actual units over the last two seasons and how this roster was managed . to possibly better understand whats coming up.
2017-2018 ST roster moves
1. After underwhelming 2017 ST preseason . Pats traded for 3 core ST players: Bademosi, M.Flowers and Marsh (with Marsh also trying to fill edge need). None of them remains on 2018 roster.
2. After they put Ebner on IR they brought in another core ST player from Ravens PS in Grigsby (didn't trust the backups from within).
3. In the offseason they re-signed all of their core STers: Ebner, Slater, King, Bolden, M.Flowers. They also traded for Patterson and brought in Pleasant as possible core ST players. They released three of them and traded away another one in Jordan Richards.
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> From the players that played most 1st unit ST snaps in preseason - 4 are gone: Richards (ST captain), Bolden, M.Flowers and Pleasant. Lets see who will/can replace them.
2017-2018 ST lineups (A - start of 2017; B - AFCCG; C - 2018 preseason; D - 2018 W1 proj.)
kickoff:
A -> Rowe*-Bademosi-JJ-Bolden-Marsh*-#3-Richards-M.Flowers-Langi*-King-Chung*
B -> DMC*-Bademosi-Hogan-Bolden-Slater-#3-Richards-Grigsby-Grissom-King-Chung
C -> Wiltz(Pleasant)-JJ-JMC-Bolden-Flowers-#3-Richards-Grigsby-Grissom-King-Crossen
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D -> JJ-?-?-?-Slater-#3-Ebner-Grigsby-Grissom*-King-Crossen*(Patterson)
*A: ST unit was seeing lots of changes due to injuries, roster moves. When Ebner and Slater returned Chung and Rowe were off; KVN, Hollister and others came in at times for injured Langi, until Grissom and Grigsby took over..
*B: DMC and Chung usually enter ST units in playoffs. JJ and Ebner were on IR.
*C: Lineup of Game 3 of preseason. Sam stepped up for Flowers in game 2. JC Jackson and AJ Moore were also in the mix.
*D: The only 2 new guys who looked good or ok in KO units were Crossen and JC Jackson. After losing #2 CB battle they started to put JMC in the mix but didn't look good. Grissom and Crossen are no locks to make the active roster but with holes in ST units they should get the nod imo.
With M.Flowers, Bolden and Richards gone and nobody from behind really stepping up (outside Crossen) ST units have quite some holes to fill despite Slater and Ebner coming back. Chung, DMC, Rowe, Burkhead and Hogan all have plenty of experience and capability but it would be unfortunate to play starters there on thin positions. Unfortunately backups and rotational players that normally fill those roles didn't emerge - again. Its quite disappointing that Harmon and Roberts can't make it there. Rivers tore his ACL on ST play last year so they might go slowly with him. They tried with Sam but got injured, Langi is out as well. Maybe they could try Bentley.. Hill started to get some looks not only in return but also coverage units so maybe he is one option. JMC looked soft. JC is ok but not ready for top ST competition imo.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out - but for the first two games Id go with Chung & co again and then possibly introduce backups to give them some break before the playoffs..
_______
coming up .. other units
2017-2018 ST roster moves
1. After underwhelming 2017 ST preseason . Pats traded for 3 core ST players: Bademosi, M.Flowers and Marsh (with Marsh also trying to fill edge need). None of them remains on 2018 roster.
2. After they put Ebner on IR they brought in another core ST player from Ravens PS in Grigsby (didn't trust the backups from within).
3. In the offseason they re-signed all of their core STers: Ebner, Slater, King, Bolden, M.Flowers. They also traded for Patterson and brought in Pleasant as possible core ST players. They released three of them and traded away another one in Jordan Richards.
__
> From the players that played most 1st unit ST snaps in preseason - 4 are gone: Richards (ST captain), Bolden, M.Flowers and Pleasant. Lets see who will/can replace them.
2017-2018 ST lineups (A - start of 2017; B - AFCCG; C - 2018 preseason; D - 2018 W1 proj.)
kickoff:
A -> Rowe*-Bademosi-JJ-Bolden-Marsh*-#3-Richards-M.Flowers-Langi*-King-Chung*
B -> DMC*-Bademosi-Hogan-Bolden-Slater-#3-Richards-Grigsby-Grissom-King-Chung
C -> Wiltz(Pleasant)-JJ-JMC-Bolden-Flowers-#3-Richards-Grigsby-Grissom-King-Crossen
__
D -> JJ-?-?-?-Slater-#3-Ebner-Grigsby-Grissom*-King-Crossen*(Patterson)
*A: ST unit was seeing lots of changes due to injuries, roster moves. When Ebner and Slater returned Chung and Rowe were off; KVN, Hollister and others came in at times for injured Langi, until Grissom and Grigsby took over..
*B: DMC and Chung usually enter ST units in playoffs. JJ and Ebner were on IR.
*C: Lineup of Game 3 of preseason. Sam stepped up for Flowers in game 2. JC Jackson and AJ Moore were also in the mix.
*D: The only 2 new guys who looked good or ok in KO units were Crossen and JC Jackson. After losing #2 CB battle they started to put JMC in the mix but didn't look good. Grissom and Crossen are no locks to make the active roster but with holes in ST units they should get the nod imo.
With M.Flowers, Bolden and Richards gone and nobody from behind really stepping up (outside Crossen) ST units have quite some holes to fill despite Slater and Ebner coming back. Chung, DMC, Rowe, Burkhead and Hogan all have plenty of experience and capability but it would be unfortunate to play starters there on thin positions. Unfortunately backups and rotational players that normally fill those roles didn't emerge - again. Its quite disappointing that Harmon and Roberts can't make it there. Rivers tore his ACL on ST play last year so they might go slowly with him. They tried with Sam but got injured, Langi is out as well. Maybe they could try Bentley.. Hill started to get some looks not only in return but also coverage units so maybe he is one option. JMC looked soft. JC is ok but not ready for top ST competition imo.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out - but for the first two games Id go with Chung & co again and then possibly introduce backups to give them some break before the playoffs..
_______
coming up .. other units
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