New England Patriots Rookies: Ready, Aim...

by MaPatsFan on Aug 10, 2009 9:15 PM EDT in Opinion/Analysis

Too many Pre's, I know. Thursday night can't come soon enough and I'm about to crawl out of my skin. FOOTBALL!! FOOTBALL!! FOOTBALL!! The HoF game with Bills vs. Oilers (Titans) was cool and all but it weren't nuttin' 'bout dem dare boys from Foxburah, nowahdymean? It's time to see what the team's got and whether or not some of the "on the bubble" players will live another week. That is the unfortunate reality of this gig. Some will impress to live another day and some won't.

What's got me really stoked is the quality of rookies we seem to have acquired. Belichick and Nick Caserio essentially schooled the other 31 teams on how to do a draft: don't reach, stockpile picks for the future, grab top guys if you can but pick up a few overlooked players, too. If you don't get what you need, balance it out in free agency. It's no secret we had major league trouble in the backfield. With vets getting old, injuries, and free agents failing us, it was a priority to upgrade. In walks rookies Darius Butler and Patrick Chung. These guys are making starters nervous.

Not to leave the big men out, DL "shot across the Wilfork bow" Ron Brace is doing very well. Offensive linemen Sebastian Vollmer has added some much needed youth to the aging offensive line and he appears to be a stout, young lad.

From a receiving perspective, Julian Edelman is impressing with his day in and day out productivity while Terrence Nunn is making circus catches left and right, showing us his natural ability. Apparently, this is something everyone else in the league was too stupid to pick up on (No one called Nunn - no one). Won't it be sweet to see Terrence tear up the field and watch opposing teams mouth, "Who is that guy?" That's the dude you passed on, dummy.

There is some SERIOUS talent in this year's draft class and I can't wait to see how they do in NFL game situations. That's the best part for me. Who do you have your eye on? Nunn? Brace? Maybe one of the free agents? Let's hear it, Patriots fans, let's hear it.

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The backfield

any one of them im watching
well im watching all of them from the FA’s to drafted guys

by Patsfan4life on Aug 10, 2009 9:26 PM EDT reply actions

They've been impressive

Chung, Butler, Brace, Edelman, Nunn, Vollmer… I wish I could add Tyrone McKenzie, but he’s this year’s Crable. No Crabtree-like hold-outs, no one missing camp for no good reason – Good-character, hard-working crew all around. Can’t we just keep them all? Pretty please?

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Aug 10, 2009 10:15 PM EDT reply actions

i think we'll keep the rookies

by patriotguy on Aug 10, 2009 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions

i have my eye on chung, butler, brace, and nunn

by patriotguy on Aug 10, 2009 11:43 PM EDT reply actions

whats my screen name?

Patrick will be a probowler in two years!!!!!!!

It may be now..it may be later...later aint gonna be no use! We gotta go in right now!Clean their clocks!

by Yardpenalty.com on Aug 10, 2009 11:48 PM EDT reply actions

its all about

the CBs for me. Butler, Bodden, Wheatley, Springs, and my personal favorite 2nd year Wilhite. i know we all had the expectation that Springs and Bodden would be 1 and 2, but slowly Springs is fading away and Wilhite is really stepping up in training camp like woah.

by fowler8196 on Aug 10, 2009 11:55 PM EDT reply actions

I'd love to see Chung hitting people early and often.

by bartHML on Aug 11, 2009 3:46 AM EDT reply actions

If a helmet isn't knocked off by one of his hits...

I’ll be disappointed.

I’ve also heard that Ron Brace has been going Captain Insano on Fred Taylor in practice so I’d like to see that done to another running back, also.

by BigRedDog42 on Aug 11, 2009 9:06 AM EDT up reply actions

The Youth Movement

I would love to see the defense line up like this:
RE = Seymour/ NT = Wilfork/ LE = Warren (Dime Tackle = Brace)
OLB = Thomas & Crable / ILB = Mayo & Guyton (Nickel Pass Rusher = Burgess)
CB = Wheatley, Butler, & Whilhite / FS = Meriweather / SS = Chung
If Chung puts up tackle numbers like Weddle of San Diego, we could possibly have back to back DROY awards.
(In the Nickel, Burgess would replace Guyton and Thomas would move inside.)

by Rampant_Lion on Aug 11, 2009 3:18 PM EDT reply actions

That's one heck of a lineup

If the the rookies can stand the heat at an NFL level, this would be very cool.

Blogger at SBNation's Patriots blog, Pats Pulpit

by MaPatsFan on Aug 11, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions

THE DROY will most likely be an ILB like the last few years

by Patsfan4life on Aug 11, 2009 3:34 PM EDT reply actions

The edge at DROY

I would have to say Laurinaitis. He has the starting position in St. Louis. If their offense can’t stay on the field and they trail in the 4th qtr then the opportunity for racking up some tackle numbers will definitely be there. Maualuga is also a possibility if he wins a starting position. I would like to see Chung beat out Sanders for SS as I am continually looking forward to the future, but I think we will all be surprised by what Sanders is going to do this year. Imagine if it was our Sanders going to the Pro Bowl vice the one in Indianapolis. Curry should put up a nice sack total for Seattle, but I don’t think it is enough to edge out a ILB.

by Rampant_Lion on Aug 12, 2009 2:03 PM EDT reply actions