Patriots Get Healthier, Defense Taking Shape
by Greg Knopping on Aug 23, 2010 4:16 PM EDT
in Training Camp
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At today's practice, the Patriots welcomed back a slew of injured players. Returning to practice were Leigh Bodden, Tully Banta-Cain, Gary Guyton, Damione Lewis, George Bussey, and linebackers Dane Fletcher and Thomas Williams.
With three top defenders (Guyton, Banta-Cain, and Bodden) back and practicing, we got a look at how the Patriots defensive depth chart stands currently.
Banta-Cain returned to his starting outside linebacker spot, taking the spot of Marques Murrell. This means that the recently re-instated Derrick Burgess is holding down the other side. While Jermaine Cunningham, who appears to be a starting option, is still out injured, the fact that Burgess is still running with the starting group tells us that he still is a big part of the Patriots plans, despite the personal conflicts that held him out of the first couple of weeks of training camp.
Like Tully Banta-Cain, cornerback Leigh Bodden also moved back into his starting cornerback spot in practice. Bodden had been out the past couple of weeks with a minor knee injury. Bodden also took rookie cornerback Devin McCourty's spot, meaning Darius Butler is still running with the starting unit. Despite this, McCourty still saw a ton of reps.
Finally, it appears that Gary Guyton has a lot of work to do if he's to pass Brandon Spikes on the depth chart. While Guyton was with the 1st team in early camp, before his injury, Brandon Spikes appears to have a hold on the spot now. I wouldn't expect Spikes to let that spot go, as he has really seized the opportunity to start, and has already become a leader on the Patriots' young defense.
Overall, it's just great to see some of these players back, and see a Patriots team that's been ravaged by injuries, get a little bit healthier.
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Good: Spikes Not Good: Richie Cunningham
I love Spikes and think he is going to do great things for the team.
I want to like Jermaine as well, but he needs to get on the field ASAP to have a shot at impacting the D this year.
cunningham ... that's who i am waiting to see in game
everyone else has played or played last year
the real interest in preseason is watching the rookies or players who haven’t played
along with maybe seeing which rookies have improved
too bad we won’t see him this week … maybe next week
I don't know if the patriots have been ravaged by injuries
Or if they’re just be extremely careful with any signs of injuries this year. It seems like, outside of kaczur, these have all been fairly preemptive measures, more than anything.
It also gives them an idea of how to deal with injuries during the season through a dry-run now
Much like how in 2009 when the Pats literally ran out of OLBs to throw at the Colts after injuries to TBC and Ninkovich, holding out the guys who are slightly nicked up now forces the Pats to adjust and play guys out of position (Wilfork at LDE, anyone?). It doesn’t just test the depth in the second- and third-string lineups, it also tests the depth in the first-string by forcing them to learn and adjust too.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 23, 2010 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Ty Warren's on IR
G. Warren was at LDE in the last game, but he and Wilfork would swap for passing-downs – Wilfork to LDE and Warren on the NT as a penetrator. It’s unusual and a different look to anything I remember Wilfork doing. He played RDE against the ‘Phins last year to counter Jake Long and keep him away from the ’Phins inside brawlers, but I don’t remember Wilfork playing on the left previously.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 23, 2010 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions
We also lost Holt
he never really played so you cant say what he would of done, but he could of done somthing to improve the team.
I suspect merely having him around would help Tate and Price
Holt was a 6’ receiver of good speed, route-running and hands. There’s a lot he could teach those two young guys that Moss (6’4", blinding speed) and Edelman (5’9", blinding quickness) couldn’t, just because a 6’ WR has different issues to a 6’4" speed guy or a 5’9" quickness guy.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
by Comedic.Sans on Aug 23, 2010 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Let alone the amount of 3rd downs TB would love having him run precise routes
Guy is a top 3 WR over the last 10 yrs, he would have known what to do in nearly every situation on the field. Which would have made him incredibly dangerous on 3rd downs or any 3 wide set with Moss and Welker.
Moss and Welker run their routes, a guy like Holt runs an option route where he reads how the D is reacting to the other two and finds the open spot.
It would be similar/greater then the value Gaffney provided TB and the offense.
Yeah, I was kinda looking forward to that.
Oh well. It is what it is.
Cunningham's absence is becoming more concerning.
Game 3 is it. Game 4 is a nothing event, and then the season starts against Cincinnati. Cunningham has one chance to see meaningful minutes in pre-season, and he is still on the sidelines.
I wonder if we should worry about his issue.
if it was a late round pick i would be concerned
being second string and thinness at OLB, he will ultimately get his reps
whether in preseason or regular season
he played a little against NO so he got taste of NFL
but like you i want to see him play to evaluate him more
You could have said the same thing about Crable
There is something to be said for early picks getting a longer leash
There is also something said to having too many minutes to make up.
Realistically if he can’t play in week 3, it’s very hard to see him making an impact beyond special teams this year.
He won’t have enough time getting up to speed on the defense sets, let alone the speed of the game or the variables OLBs have to account for in game for the Pats.
I’m not saying he’s going to have a lost year but to me he’s gone from potential starter to special teamer and maybe 3rd down pass rusher.
Not terrible, but not what it could be just yet.
so it's his ankle...
What’s your best guess, high ankle sprain or low?
High ankle sprains are the worst, that’s what Dez Byrant has and is supposed to be out 4-6 weeks (from when he suffered it.)
The low ankle sprain is probably just a week or two recovery, but hasn’t it already been that long…?
Either they’re playing it real conservative with a low, or he’s got a high and won’t be back until the season has started I think.
The ghost third option is that he broke his ankle, but that’s unlikely at this point… They would go IR if that was the case
reports monday afternoon had him doing rehabilitative exercise on side with medical staff so not third option. i think we would have heard something if it was more major.
he had ankle problem i think on 11th so wednesday would complete 2 weeks
i would expect them to err a little on conservative side
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