Projecting a Patriots' 53 Man Roster: Version 1.0

Im assuming this is th projected Week 1 Depth Chart..

Fred Taylor as the #4 RB.
I like Holt at #2 at WR (or at least ahead of Tate). (Holt’s Experience is necessary with Welker out, we all know how Brady can get when he’s not in sync with the WR, and I think they’ll build rapport fairly easily in camp.)
Guyton Maybe at #2/3 at OLB. (Guyton is going to be the Wildcard of the D, we’ll see him a little bit of everywhere. 3rd down ILB, but see him stealing a lot of snaps at OLB on 1st and 2nd).
I also think someone challenges Mike Wright for the start at DE and prevails.

While Miami still has four on their roster (I’m sure that’ll change). I’d assume Belichick has contingency plans involving Edelman stepping back under center? Lastly, what do you think the chances are that one of the other 31 teams would try to pluck Robinson off the practice squad?

Kyle Arrington had 18 special teams tackles 9 or 10 games. With the age of our running backs I also don’t see them cutting ties with fred taylor. Inless they see P.P being able to step in if a back goes down, I see taylor back for one more year

but we all know The Pats will sign more people and when other teams cut a guy to get to the 53 man roster the pats might pick them up, so im happy where they are now.

…Fred Taylor making the roster instead of Sammy Morris due to Aaron Hernandez being able to step in a FB.

I see Kyle Arrington making the roster over Ted Larsen and Larsen spending time on the practice squad. I say Larsen makes practice squad over Kade Weston.

I also see Shawn Crable on the opening day roster. No way he sits on the practice squad after all these years. Crable makes the roster over Burgess as Cunningham fills the Burgess role.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hernandez acting more as a third receiver, split out wider like the Colts do with Dallas Clark

I’d say your educated guess apprears rather educated. I don’t significantly disagree with anything you’re suggesting.

As anybody would, I have certain biases…. some of which are based on nothing but a hunch. Here’s one: David Patten! I do know Patten is a guy Belichick likes. At one point in time, BB respected his game, his work ethic as well as his character. I recall him mentioning it on camera many times. Particularly during the Super Bowl MVP year.

I know he left town over a contract negotiation breakdown but Bill generally understands the nature of “contract issues” and rarely takes such disputes personal. I have a hard time believing he’d bring a guy like that back in if it wasn’t his plan to give him every chance under the sun to succeed.

I say Aiken OUT……. Patten IN…… Then again, a lot of time has passed since those days!I could be way off base! LOL

Except for the pass rush. Maybe Ninkovic and/or Cunningham will have a breakout year, but otherwise this looks like a weak spot, just like it did last year.

Also, I really do think pryor will be the RE, because I don’t think Mike W. can sustain blocks,

but all in all youve got the top 40-45 guys. Everything else is a crapshoot. I like it.

Seems like a lot of depth.

Mainly because you’ve also got Burgess, Ninkovich and TBC still on the team who can fill a dual OLB/DE role. That roster spot would probably got to Fred Taylor or Kyle Arrington.

I’m also not sure Fred Taylor is the first RB cut (if any are). Sammy Morris seems to be the guy in most danger: a) he’s been injured regularly, and b) BJGE started stealing some of his RB/FB snaps. Morris might find his role stolen by BJGE, and Taylor’s a better running back outright than Morris, when he’s healthy.

Connolly is the first choice backup at Guard, but he’s also the first-choice backup at C. That flexibility might mean that he’s covering both, and if anything happens to Neal, Ohrnberger can slot in in the short-term. If it’s long-term, then Neal goes on IR and then you can promote Larsen up from the PS to fill in. It just saves a roster spot considering Connolly is probably the go-to guy anyway.

He was played situationally, and usually as the third tight end. Given the Pats:
a) now have three ‘real’ tight ends; and
b) have two swing tackles – Vollmer, and Kaczur (Kaczur played his first season as a LT when Light was injured); and
c) if one of the Ts goes down, they can always promote Welch from the practice squad to bulk out the numbers while whoever recovers;
I wonder if LeVoir might find himself squeezed out of a job.

Stanback was the emergency 3rd QB last year and I really don’t think the Pats are going to only have 2 QBs on the roster,

Therefore I think you see someone like Taylor Price come up with some random “injury” to make space for a 3rd QB.