In about twenty-four hours this whole thing will be blown to bits by trades, poachers and breaking IR reports, but here's one last shot of how I'd do it if I was running the show.
When you sit down and map it all out you realize how hard the decisions must be. The Jets have it easy, they only have 48 guys who are any good anyway.
A soon-to-be totally wrong 53-man roster after the jump...
Offense
Quarterback: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer
Runningback: Fred Taylor, Sammie Morris, Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk
Wide Receivers: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate, Sam Aiken, Taylor Price
Tight End: Alge Crumpler, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez
Offensive Lineman: Matt Light, Dan Connolly, Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, Sebastian Vollmer, Ryan Wendell, Mark Levoir, Quinn Ojinnaka (after week one suspension)
Defense
Defensive Lineman: Gerard Warren, Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright, Myron Pryor, Ron Brace, Brandon Deaderick, Kyle Love
Linebackers: Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Gary Guyton, Derrick Burgess, Tully Banta-Cain, Rob Ninkovich, Pierre Woods, Jermaine Cunningham, Eric Alexander, Tyrone McKenzie (week one, then moved to PS)
Cornerbacks: Darius Butler, Devin McCourty, Jonathan Wilhite, Terrence Wheatley, Kyle Arrington
Safeties: Brandon Meriweather, Pat Chung, James Sanders, Brandon McGowan, Sergio Brown
Specialists: Stephen Gostkowski, Zoltan Mesko, Jake Ingram
For our 8-man practice squad priorities are:
- Developmental DL to be acquired.
- Dane Fletcher
- Tyrone McKenzie
- Thomas Welch - T
- Ted Larsen - OL
- George Bussey - OL
- Rich Ohrnberger - G/C
- Darnell Jenkins - WR
Benjarvus Green-Ellis: we've seen his ceiling, Morris the better fullback, not powering in last night on 4th down had to hurt.
Marques Murrell: Pierre Woods is a better run stopper/special teams contributor and Rob Ninkovich is a better pass rusher.
Matthew Slater: Jack of all trades, master of none.
Comments/Concerns:
Ojinaka, Levoir and Wendell are unproven depth backing up an offensive line known that is well capable of getting dinged up. Ohrnberger is right on the bubble.
Brace, Deaderick and Love are young prospects who will see time.
Fletcher might be better than McKenzie but is more under the radar. He could be a surprise to make the 53. He's fast, and reacts quickly and also has pass rush skills that we haven't seen yet.
Chung might find himself playing slot coverage a little more now with Bodden gone and McCourty having to slip outside. Sanders and Meriweather make a solid back end in passing situations.