New England Patriots Don't Need Much Help on Offense

With the Patriots' training camp approaching, the team has been left with some interesting positional battles to monitor and some roster decisions to make. I'll try and break down the Pats' roster, position-by-position, and discuss possible roster cuts, as well as needs.

Let's start with the offense.

Quarterback

Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez, Kevin O'Connell

Of course, the Pats don't need much help in the quarterback department: Tom Brady is the best QB in the league.

However, it would be ignorant for the front office to ignore the threat of injuries. With that in mind, the Pats have stacked three quarterbacks behind Brady: Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez, and Kevin O'Connell.

Matt Cassel, the returning No. 2 QB, has the prototypical quarterback build (6'4", 230lbs), and is quite possibly the best backup quarterback to ever exist (he backed up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC before coming to the NFL to watch Brady).

However, he failed to impress in his few opportunities last year, even with all the offensive weapons a quarterback could ask for. He is also entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Next is Matt Gutierrez, who beat out veteran Vinnie Testaverde for a roster spot last year. He has a decent arm and has above average speed, but he has not distinguished himself in any one way. He was listed as the third QB last season, and started getting more opportunities when Cassel failed to impress.

The team's lack of confidence in Cassel (or lack of confidence in him returning next year) was apparent when they drafted QB Kevin O'Connell 94th overall. O'Connell has great speed, a good arm, and is a natural leader (he led San Diego State in both rushing and passing yards in 2007, while serving as captain for each of his four seasons with the team). He is a great athlete and I would be shocked to see him released by the team.

Needs: None

Expected Cut: None. I expect the Pats to carry four quarterbacks, and use O'Connell in creative ways. However, if they do cut a player, expect it to be Cassel or Gutierrez—and expect them to be grabbed before they clear waivers, which would prevent them from being signed to the practice squad.

Running Back

Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis

The Patriots' running-back situation is a difficult one to analyze: they're extremely skilled, but they also lack durability.

Laurence Maroney has shown steady improvement since being drafted by the Pats, but he has shown a tendency to let his injuries linger. Last year, his lack of reps caused some NFL analysts to question whether Maroney still had the full support of the Pats' staff (the Patriots refuted this claim). Maroney quieted naysayers with a strong surge late in the season.

Sammy Morris is a beast, but an injury against the Cowboys sidelined him for the remainder of last season. Whether or not he's healthy is going to make a huge difference in the coming season: Morris is the team's pound-it-out RB, and is essential to Maroney's success.

Nothing much needs to be said about Kevin Faulk. He has been one of the most consistent, team-first players in the Pats' organization for years. Even with all those offensive weapons to choose from, Tom Brady still seems to trust Kevin Faulk more than most of his other targets. And for good reason, too. Faulk rarely drops a pass or misses a block. He's the model Patriot.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis was considered a sleeper in the NFL draft. He is touted as a having a rare package of agility, acceleration, and size. He does, however, lack skills in the passing game, which will most likely lead to his release. On the Pats, you need to be able to catch, unless you're damn good at something else.

Needs: Durability

Expected Cut: BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The Pats will likely try to retain him on their practice squad.

Fullback

Heath Evans, Kyle Eckel

Heath Evans was released by the Dolphins

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