First up the Offense…
Offense (24)
Quarterback (2) –*Tom Brady* (suspended Weeks 1-4), Jimmy Garoppolo, Matt Flynn
On Wednesday, Tom Brady’s court case will be heard in New York and maybe the Patriots will have some good news here as the drawn out Deflate-gate fiasco reaches the courts as we always thought it would. On the field he’s been extremely sharp as he puts all the distractions behind him. Jimmy G. has been up and down thus far, looking sharp one minute and not-so-much the next.
Brady and Garoppolo are locked into #1 and #2, Flynn is expected to be Garoppolo’s backup in case Brady’s suspension holds has yet to take the field. He’s been on NFI and has been seen daily pedaling the bike at the far end of the practice field.
Running Backs (5) – *LaGarrette Blount* (suspended Week1), Brandon Bolden, James Develin, Jonas Gray, James White, Travaris Cadet
Blount is suspended for Week 1, and is banged up with an MCL sprain, so we won’t see him until probably Week 2 of the regular season. That opens the door for Gray and Bolden to see increased reps as the “big back” in the offense. Neither has a ton of experience but look for them to share the load.
The third down back competition is still wide open but right now, it seems like Travaris Cadet (who also left practice Saturday), is gaining the upper hand on James White. His injury will bear watching. There were high hopes for Gaffney but he’s been out nearly a week and hasn’t flashed much when he was on the field.
Out: Tyler Gaffney, Dion Lewis, Eric Kettani
Tight End (3) – Rob Gronkowski, Scott Chandler, Michael Hoomanawanui
The addition of Scott Chandler could mean more of the “12” personnel grouping with 2 WRs, 2 TEs and a running back. Therefore they may opt to keep an extra TE than the three they used down the stretch in 2014.
Gronk has been outstanding in camp, he’s healthy and he shows daily that he’s nearly impossible to cover 1-on-1 during drills. Chandler is banged up right now but he and Hooman are locked into the #2 and #3 slots.
In a pinch as in last season, Develin can fill in as a blocker and catch the occasional pass.
Out: Jake Bequette, Jimmay Mundine, Mason Brodine
Wide Receiver (6) – Aaron Dobson, Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Josh Boyce
The top three, Edelman, LaFell and Amendola, are roster locks. LaFell hasn’t practiced yet, is on PUP but was in attendance at practice last week, usually a good sign that he’s getting close. Dobson and Tyms were vying for the #4 WR slot which it seemed Dobson was gaining control of. Now both have been out for the past few days of practice. Tyms was visibly frustrated a few times in the first week, he may be pressing a bit. But he didn’t stand out so far like I expected he would.
This could open the doors for Gibson and Boyce to emerge. Gibson has had a solid camp and has earned that extra slot. Boyce now is in a good position to challenge for that final slot as well. Health and availability will play a key role here as training camp plays out. For now…Boyce gets the nod.
Out: Brian Tyms, Jonathan Krause, Chris Harper, Zach D’Orazio,
Offensive Line (8) – Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Cameron Fleming, Marcus Cannon, Ryan Wendell, Bryan Stork, Tre Jackson, Shaq Mason
Solder and Vollmer are locks as the starting tackles, Fleming and Cannon can be either a swing tackle or fill in at guard…versatility goes a long way. Stork has been very strong in camp at center, the surprise has been the amount of reps the rookie guards Jackson and Mason have been getting. Wendell is still on PUP and could return at any time and play a starting role to give Mason a chance to develop fully.
And there is still Evan Mathis out there as a one-to-two year option at guard. He’s looking for a minimum of $5 million +; will the Patriots be willing to pay that for one of the better guards in the NFL?
Out: Josh Kline, Caylin Hauptman, Jordan Devey, Chris Barker, David Andrews, Mark Asper
Next up the Defense…
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A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)
