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.
18 comments Last one added 11 months ago — Leave a Comment
Stephane Morneau about 1 year ago
Matt Cassell, the best back-up to ever exist?
I've seen fan boy...and I've seen this.
Analysis aren't that bad but put on some perspective glass, that wouldn't hurt.
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Matt's Pats Blog about 1 year ago
Obviously you missed the sarcasm there... the Cassel line was a joke - basically stating that he was never, ever been a starter, yet has always backed up the best. If you continued to read what I wrote about him, you'd understand that I see him as the weakest link in the quarterbacking staff.
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S M Napier about 1 year ago
Now that they can't use what the Camera records. We'll finally see how good the Patriots really are.
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Matt's Pats Blog about 1 year ago
What an ignorant comment. They were caught in the first half of the first game of last season, leaving them with absolutely no use of that tape. So we already got to see how good they are.
Without the tape, they set an NFL record for points scored, touchdowns thrown by one player, touchdowns caught by one player and wins in a regular season (and I'm sure there are a bunch more that I couldn't think of).
Get over it and move on.
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S M Napier about 1 year ago
I merely made the comment. Since Goodell did destroy documents, so something happened more than we'll ever know and nothing wrong with a fan believeing something did happen.
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Matt's Pats Blog about 1 year ago
I don't deny something happened, but your comment suggested that next year will be the first year that we know for sure they won't have use of the tapes. I simply pointed out that you were wrong.
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S M Napier about 1 year ago
Don't get upset, their has to be more or Goodell wouldn't have destroyed stuff.
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Matt's Pats Blog about 1 year ago
Oops, I guess I didn't reply in the right place, the comment below is my response :)
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Mike Dussault about 1 year ago
I heard there was footage of bigfoot on the tapes and that's why he destroyed them.
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Matt's Pats Blog about 1 year ago
Hey, I'm totally cool with you thinking there's more to the story that we don't know, and I'm fine with that. Also, I'm not upset at all - talking about sports doesn't get me upset or angry :-)
I'm merely stating that if you suggest there will ever be a clean year (which you say next year will be), then you have to accept that last year was clean, too.
If you don't think they'll ever be clean, that's fine, too. I completely respect that notion. But don't pick and choose which years they'll be clean arbitrarily.
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Chad Bayes about 1 year ago
Love you Patsies. The Chargers trashed you in 2005 at home, and should've beaten the Patsies in playoffs twice, but we choked. The Patsies didn't win, we lost. There was last year's ass-whooping you placed on us the second game, but that was the adjustment period. And then in the AFC Championship, the Chargers picked and pummeled and finally crippled that Brady gimp enough for you to blow the SuperBowl. Heh.
But let me tell you about THIS year, little women: the Patsies are going home from San Diego with a big Boo Hoo Hoo en route to their Oh So Impressive 9-7 season. On defense, the Patsies have more old people than the early-bird special at a bunko convention. On offense, you've got Brady and Welker and . . . That's it. Oh, wait, you're gonna claim Randy Moss. But don't you know, like Terrell Owens, Moss is good for a year, then a pouty little bitch who tears apart the team the next. He'll look good next year with the Jets, though. Except that he's, what, 31? Jeez, how old is that team? The Patsies must save a ton of money with their AARP discounts.
Patsies=LuhHOO-ZuhHERS.
Trash-talking Bolts fan IN YOUR FACE.
Chargers 19-0, baby.
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Chad Bayes about 1 year ago
Love you Patsies. The Chargers trashed you in 2005 at home, and should've beaten the Patsies in playoffs twice, but we choked. The Patsies didn't win, we lost. There was last year's ass-whooping you placed on us the second game, but that was the adjustment period. And then in the AFC Championship, the Chargers picked and pummeled and finally crippled that Brady gimp enough for you to blow the SuperBowl. Heh.
But let me tell you about THIS year, little women: the Patsies are going home from San Diego with a big Boo Hoo Hoo en route to their Oh So Impressive 9-7 season. On defense, the Patsies have more old people than the early-bird special at a bunko convention. On offense, you've got Brady and Welker and . . . That's it. Oh, wait, you're gonna claim Randy Moss. But don't you know, like Terrell Owens, Moss is good for a year, then a pouty little bitch who tears apart the team the next. He'll look good next year with the Jets, though. Except that he's, what, 31? Jeez, how old is that team? The Patsies must save a ton of money with their AARP discounts.
Patsies=LuhHOO-ZuhHERS.
Trash-talking Bolts fan IN YOUR FACE.
Chargers 19-0, baby.
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Ivahn Lachowsky about 1 year ago
Hey chad remember merrimans suspention for thr roids? well at least you didn't call us cheaters the pats 9-7 you got to be kidding the only challenge should be the chargers and colts have you checked the pats schedule?
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Zachary Hueras about 1 year ago
Now I know what it looks like when a nine year old talks about football on.... THE INTERNETS.
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Chad Bayes about 1 year ago
Hey, Ivahn. Have you checked that Patriots' roster? They have ONE player who could start on the Chargers: Tom Brady. Maybe Wes Welker, but I dunno. Certainly not that locker room poison named Randy Moss. And the Peppermint Patties are holding one guy, the super-boob named Junior Seau, who couldn't start on the Chargers teams of 2003-2004. That guy is USELESS. The fact he holds a roster spot for the Patriots is all I really need to say about the Patriots' roster.
Patriots: 9-7 (Stretch number 10-6).
Chargers: 13-3 (Stretch number 19-0)
I would normally say that if Brady went down, it was really all over. But I watched Kevin O'Connell play at San Diego State and that kid IS A STUD. Excellent pick-up by the Pats.
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Matt's Pats Blog about 1 year ago
I completely agree with you about O'Connell. The dude is a beast.
But about Moss not starting on the Chargers ... are you insane? He is one of the biggest game changers in NFL history (he was a starter on the top 2 scoring offenses in NFL history ... coincidence?), and having him on the same field as LT would just be unfair. A coach would literally have to be out of his mind not to have both of them on the field for as many offensive snaps as possible. Oh, just think of the possibilities.
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Eddie Jackman 11 months ago
Hey Matt - Great column. I disgree with you abit on Watson. Yes you did say the Pats still need some improvement at TE but then you said Watson was great. I have to disagree and give him a good at best.
He had a tough year in 2006 with Reche Caldwell (who most likely has Grave's disease which is responsible for his eyes...go easy on him there) as the Pats best leading receiver. The problem I had was in 2007 with all the targets the Pat's had to cover - if Watson was great he should have been an unstoppable force. Yes he caught more TD's than he ever had before but he still only registered 1/3 to 1/2 the TE production (1st downs, yards receiving, TD's) that Gates-Gonzalez-Witten-Winslow crew registered.
And in that situation, with defenses stretched that thin - if Watson couldn't find a way to dominate then I now believe he will never. He is a good TE.
In the post-season when the Brady-Moss connection dried up and Welker was getting beat up over the middle - Watson disappeared. He averaged less than seven yards per game last post-season - with 2 first downs total. With the Pats needing to move the chains and keep drives alive - a great TE would have made a difference. Watson did not. (yes he caught 2 TD's...doesn't change my argument)
He is young and can still develop - but I would hesitate at calling him a great TE right now.
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adam folarin 11 months ago
Cut matt cassel
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