Patriots Roster Prediction #23: OT/OG George Bussey
by Richard Hill on Aug 17, 2010 1:00 PM EDT
in Patriots Player Profiles
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PrintPlayer Name: OT/OG George Bussey
Experience: 1 Season in the NFL, with the New England Patriots
Past Role: Bussey spent his rookie season on the IR due to an injury. In college, he was a one time second team All-Big East tackle and a two time first team All-Big East tackle. In pre-season, Bussey has been used as a second string tackle.
Predicted Role: Although his small size (he's only 6-2) may prevent him from being a great tackle, he provides great depth at both the guard and tackle position. This prediction spot was initially going to go to Nick Kaczur, who was expected to be starting Left Guard before his terrible back injury. Bussey has been the next best tackle in camp, behind Matt Light and Sebastian Vollmer and has earned the role of top back-up. His ability to play guard adds value and earns him a roster spot. Should Kaczur not be able to play this season, Bussey should provide back-up a tackle and guard.
Predicted Season Numbers: 0 Games Started, 5 Games Played
Predicted Depth Chart: #3 , #4 G
Summary: Bussey should be behind Light and Vollmer at Tackle and should be behind Connolly, Neal and Ohrnberger at guard. His great versatility should earn him a roster spot.
Note: If Nick Kaczur gets cleared for the team (I think he'll be PUPed), then Bussey might not make the roster.
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I may be mistaken
But I don’t think Kaczur can be placed on Reserve/PUP because he didn’t start camp on the Active/PUP. I could be wrong.
greg i think u are.
i am pretty sure any player anytime in camp can be pup’ed.
I looked it up, and it seems that I was actually right
And one of the most important rules, a player must be on Active PUP in order to be considered for Reserve PUP.
At the end of preseason, if an Active PUP player is still several weeks away from being able to play, the team may place him on Reserve PUP.
Reserve PUP players are not eligible to play for the first six weeks of the season.
Reserve PUP players do not count against the 53 man roster.
Reserve PUP players have a three week window after Week 6 to practice with the team but a roster decision must be made, either to activate to the 53 or to IR the player, within that timeframe.
by Greg Knopping on Aug 17, 2010 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions
good work
i stand corrected. wont be the last time i am sure lol.
I'm pretty sure:
* PUP list: Physically Unable to Perform –
this List designates players with serious injuries that will keep them from being able to start a season on the 53-man protected list but may be able to return to the roster during the regular season. The players must be placed on this roster at or before the league-wide 65-man summer roster cutdown to be eligible for this designation, and they must stay on this list for at least the first six weeks of the regular season. After this time teams have 3 weeks to evaluate such players after which each such player must be placed on the 53-man roster, season-ending Injured Reserve (IR) or waivers.
Which means that the Patriots don’t have to PUP him until the first cuts.
by Richard Hill on Aug 17, 2010 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions
My daughter got his autograph at Camp
He signed it, appropriately, “Big Bus 66.” He is one big dude.
Keep the faith!
by Marima on Aug 17, 2010 2:06 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
If Kaczur has the potential to return and play
within 6 games [given that they have an early bye week], I would opt to keep him active on the 53-man roster while he gets healthy. They have enough line depth to absorb his absence for that time window. He’s too good to IR him when compared to his replacements. Short term, they can survive with the replacements. But, it would be much better to get Kaczur back after game 5 if possible.
Patriots Offensive Line problem comes down to this:
They need another tackle and guard for depth
1) Tackle
Only alternative is Thomas Welch
2) Guard (able to play Center is a plus)
CG Ryan Wendell
G Eric Ghiaciuc
G Brian Simmons
CG Ted Larsen
or undrafted
or someone cut from roster of other team
all above names mediocre are best although maybe unknown Simmons has talent.
They really could use someone who could play center also or added depth.
Finding a guard is a lot easier than tackle.
Bottom Line
I don’t see Guard as the difficult problem.
They need enough OL depth at tackle to make it to the Superbowl or they need enough luck to avoid injuries and exhaustion (latter part of season).
I think stabilizing the offensive line problem of the Patriots will come down to …
How fast Welch can develop to be at least a half decent substitute tackle.
OR
Kaczur gets healthy… ideal solution since he can play guard or tackle
OR
Wait till next years draft where all remaining holes will be plugged and everything will come together.
OR
Luck
Wait till next years draft where all remaining holes will be plugged and everything will come together.
Funny how the main gaps in the roster are the places the Pats are particularly good at drafting and coaching – O- and D-line.
I’m not counting OLB because the Pats system (when working well with a good D-line) allows guys of so-so talent and athleticism like Banta-Cain to contribute.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 17, 2010 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions
You have to draft well especially at those crucial positions.
I think aging is the major part of the problem. The older the players get, the more likely they tend to get injured it seems. This creates too much potential instability for a superbowl run. The Patriots are one major injury away on OL from being seriously weakened.
SIgning Mankins doesn’t even fix the problem.
I think Welch played some Guard also as I remember.
Next games, I will be focusing on Deaderick and Welch performance. They hold the keys in stabilizing and solidifying the major weakness and vulnerability to positions depth wise.
Edelman went from QB to WR.
Welch is going from QB to TE to OT.
You really like Welch!
Did you get to watch him a lot in college?
by Richard Hill on Aug 17, 2010 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions
it's more thinking
That Welch has the physicals. he matches up with volmer closely.
Somebody who can transition from QB to TE to OT must have an above average football IQ so can adapt quicker tan most football players.
Playing those other positions enhances his abilities overall.
Except for Bussey and maybe Levoir subbing some, i don’t see much talent on patriots future OL players beyond starters. So If another major injury hits, there has to be someone big enough to fit in.
The Patriots would not have chosen Welch if Scarnecchia didn’t see enough of something he liked.
If Kaczur or Welch are not there to sure up the offense then this year just is a dice roll.
So if it is not Kaczur, it better be Welch or some good luck
If Welch did not have the volmer like physicals, be under the tutelage of scarnecchia and seemingly adaptable and smart, he would be a moot issue to talk about.
True, to an extent
The Patriots would not have chosen Welch if Scarnecchia didn’t see enough of something he liked.
They traded two of their 7th round picks to get him, but then… they traded two 7th round picks to get him. The Pats collect 7th round picks like a bucket collects raindrops in a monsoon.
He’s definitely a project, given he’s a recent conversion job to T. But then, he’s only a project. Those don’t always pan out. For every LeVoir TE-to-T conversion job you have a dozen failures.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 17, 2010 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions
well
his body grew really fast in recent past so maybe he has to get more comfortable with it
levoir doesn’t have the physicals one looks for to have any upside
for rookies to plug major holes, they need enough upside
when he was drafted, i was expecting him to just to have luxury to just go into development and we wouldn’t hear anything about him till next year
i saw kaczur as the safety valve. if someone got injured part way through season, the patriots could manage the situation
i don’t see any OT becoming available so it really comes down to Welch if Kaczur stays injured.
He might be a long term development project but i’d rather hope he surprises us
i found this scouting report
A former quarterback in high school, Welch bulked up as a tight end during his redshirt season at Vanderbilt before becoming a fixture on the offensive line. He spent most of his senior season at right tackle, starting all 11 games in anchoring a young group of linemen. Welch has been compared favorably to former Commodores star Chris Williams, a first-round draft pick by the Bears two seasons ago. Scouts have raved over Welch’s adaptability in learning how to play tackle at the SEC level. Welch earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl and the NFL scouting combine, and did not disappoint. He showed good strength with 29 reps on the bench press and solid athleticism with a 29-inch vertical jump and broad jump of 8 feet, 9 inches. Although Welch’s 40 time of 5.40 seconds wasn’t up to par, it served to confirm scouts’ beliefs that he’s a better fit in the NFL on the right side since his lateral movement is average at best. Welch has shown steady improvement every season in college and looks to have recovered from ankle problems that hampered him the final six weeks this past season. It appears that Welch has solidified himself as a possible fifth- or sixth-round pick.
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