New England Patriots Stock Watch: Which Players Are Rising and Falling at Camp

Preseason matters. These are competitive situations and the truly competitive teams take these matters seriously. The teams that plan to play in January and February get serious now, during these hot summer days and these steamy August nights.

The Patriots are a serious team. For them, preseason isn't pretend. It's "go time." And it all begins on Friday, August 9, when they take on the Eagles.

Heading into that game, let's take a look at a fresh stock watch. Here are seven players whose stock is rising or falling at training camp.

Stock Rising: DE/LB Jamie Collins

New England's defense gave up 5,972 yards in 2012, but remarkably, they only gave up 20.7 points per game. Ball disruption was a critical element for them, as they forced 32 fumbles and recovered 21. This is the meat and potatoes of the "bend don't break" philosophy which has kept this questionable defense respectable. 

Rookie Jamie Collins projects to be a major component of the team's plan to make the leap from "respectable" to "scary" in 2013. In many ways, that leap has already begun. On August 1, ESPNBoston's Field Yates had these observations:

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[Collins] forced two fumbles during drills, including one in an open-field tackling drill. [He's] shown a knack for well-timed punches and rips at the ball when attempting to take a runner down. His unique length helps him in this regard.

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On August 2, Yates observed:

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Another day, another forced fumble for Collins. This time he got fullback Ben Bartholomew. This has been an area of strength for Collins in the early goings of camp.  

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Collins' stock is rising fast. Can't wait to see him during preseason.

Stock Falling: CB Ras-I Dowling

Ras-I Dowling was healthy and active all spring. Back in June, ESPNBoston selected him as one of their top six momentum builders of the offseason. On July 29, ESPNBoston's Field Yates had these up-close observations:

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[Dowling is] such a long defensive back that even when he doesn't necessarily extend his arms or blanket an opposing receiver, he can still maintain tight coverage. Dowling's length influences the window a quarterback has to throw into, and even when he stays within a half-stride of a wideout, it's difficult for receivers to out-leverage him at the point of catch. He had, in our estimation, his best practice session of camp. 

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This was big news for Patriots fans, because it felt like Dowling was finally building some genuine momentum. There seemed to be a light at the end of this dark, injury-plagued tunnel. 

But then, the light dimmed again. Dowling started limping last week and then missed two straight practice sessions. Many fans anticipated a possible return on Monday, August 5, but he missed practice again.

It's a sad, frustrating situation, because this kid's natural length and aggression has him poised to be a special player. One has to wonder if his body will ever give him a chance to really prove his potential.

Stock Rising: DE/OLB Michael Buchanan

Rookie Michael Buchanan hasn't been dominating at camp, but he's been quietly cutting his teeth in a profound way. Reviews have been consistently positive. On July 29, ESPNBoston's Mike Reiss had these observations:

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[Buchanan] displays combination of speed and power off the edge in strong 1-on-1 rush against OT Elvis Fisher and then is competitive against LG Logan Mankins in 2-on-2 work. Later in practice, in 11 on 11, he tips a pass and has a strong rush against OT Kevin Haslam.

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On August 2, Reiss awarded Buchanan with the "decisive victory" title, adding these observations:

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[Buchanan] uses his long-arm technique (34-inch arm length), jamming his arm into the breastplate of newly-signed offensive tackle Brice Schwab to knock him out of his stance.

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On the same day as the "decisive victory," Buchanan was also named one of the Boston Globe's top three performers at practice.

Very quietly, this kid's doing some nice work out there on the field.

Stock Erratically Rising and Falling: WR Julian Edelman

There are so many reasons why Julian Edelman has the potential to be one of the faces of the Patriots. He's a workhorse, he's coachable, he's their ace returner on special teams, he's an alert player with great football instincts and he's assembled some terrific chemistry with Tom Brady.

But his health. Man oh man, his health. This kid just can't stay on the field. Last year, he wound up on injured reserve with a foot injury. He missed spring workouts because he was still rehabbing.

On August 1, he was cleared to come off the PUP list. As soon as August 2, WEEI's DJ Bean had these up-close observations:

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[Edelman] left practice early after suffering some sort of ailment on a pass from Ryan Mallett late in practice. He didn't participate in any more drills and could later be seen talking to a trainer with no shoes on. Friday was Edelman's second day of practice this preseason, and prior to it [Bill] Belichick said the veteran receiver had "a long way to go" before he was up to speed.

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Fortunately, Edelman was able to bounce back. Andy Hart, analyst for Patriots Football Weekly (PFW) on Patriots.com, had these up-close observations on August 5:

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[Edelman] got a lot of special teams work, moving around the kickoff return formation depending on what the kickoff team was expected to do. He showed nice hands to haul in one onside kick, unfortunately he also dropped a punt return attempt at one point.

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Of course, this easing process was to be expected. After all, it wasn't as if he was going to come off the PUP list and start running like lightning and spiking balls everywhere.

Still though, these erratic bumps in the road provide a glum reminder that Edelman's road back will require serious patience. For a team that needs some answers at receiver, that patience will be tough at times. Here's hoping he roars back strong. He's a heck of a ball player.

Stock Rising: TE Zach Sudfeld

If you were to name a few players who really have the potential to impact the Patriots in a physical and emotional way this season, undrafted rookie Zach Sudfeld would have to be on that list. He's a powerful underdog with charisma. He's also been consistently good since early spring workouts.

More than anything, Sudfeld brings the human element. He isn't perfect. He's had drops and mental lapses out there. But, he keeps bouncing back and correcting his mistakes.

A perfect example came on July 30. On that day, PFW's Paul Perillo offered his up-close observations about Sudfeld's ability to bounce back:

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Sudfeld drew the ire of [Tom] Brady at one point in the red area when he did not execute his motion properly. [Sudfeld] lined up to the left of the formation and was supposed to cross behind Brady in motion before returning to the left. It took him three attempts before he did so the way Brady wanted, and to make matters worse he proceeded to have Brady's pass toward the back corner of the end zone sail through his hands. But the rookie did not let it get to him and he responded with the play of the day later. Bill Belichick interrupted a red area drill by proclaiming it third-and-goal from the 1 as the offense huddled for a play. Brady sailed a similar pass to Sudfeld and the rookie made a terrific diving, one-handed catch behind Jerod Mayo and Adrian Wilson. He then jumped to his feet and emphatically spiked the ball.

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Fellow PFW analyst Andy Hart documented Sudfeld's continuing progress with these up-close observations on Aug 3:

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Sudfeld made the most of his time working with the top two quarterbacks. He caught a nice play down the left side on one of Brady’s first throws of the day. Later he seemed to connect almost endlessly with [Ryan] Mallett, including a number of would-be touchdowns. It was easily the rookie free agent’s best practice of the summer and looked reminiscent of the consistent positive performances he was putting forth during spring practice.

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Without a doubt, this kid has been one of the major stories of New England's offseason. He's making a case for a roster spot with unbelievable conviction and passion. A good showing against the Eagles on Friday would really hit the spot for him and for Patriots fans everywhere.

Stock Falling: WR Michael Jenkins

The Patriots addressed their need for additional leadership this offseason by grabbing safety Adrian Wilson and receiver Michael Jenkins to serve as mentors who lead by example.

The Jenkins move required a smidge more faith, mostly because the receiving unit feels like a bigger project than the secondary (never thought I'd say that). That's a lot of responsibility on Jenkins' shoulders, given the fact that he's 31 and on the bubble.

Nevertheless, earlier this spring, things were progressing nicely. WEEI's Christopher Price offered these up-close observations back on June 14:

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[Jenkins has] shown up positively on the occasions where the media was allowed to view the OTAs and minicamp...When it comes to shadowing Tom Brady, the former Ohio State wide receiver has been a constant presence throughout the spring. Even if it's just standing there listening to a conversation between the quarterback and another pass catcher (usually Danny Amendola), Jenkins has always been very attentive to everything Brady has been saying. When it comes to getting up and down the field, he's still a bit of a strider in his running style, but he certainly did enough to open some eyes this spring.

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That energy has wavered a bit at camp. The Boston Globe cited him on their "three down" list on July 28 and July 30. PFW's Paul Perillo made this up-close summation on August 5: 

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[Jenkins] rode stationery bikes during practice...[He] has been the least impressive of the pass catchers thus far and now is nursing an apparent hamstring injury that caused him to miss the last two days of practice. Jenkins has the experience but has yet to showcase the quickness or hands necessary to emerge as one of Tom Brady's targets.

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Jenkins' falling stock isn't just a problem for him, it's a problem for the team. This receiving unit needs leaders. No matter how good Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce or Danny Amendola might prove themselves to be, they'll need a spiritual guide. Brady's certainly a huge part of that, but they need someone else to help carry that load.

Who's going to be that leader?

Stock Rising: QB Tim Tebow

After a week's worth of erratic practices, Tim Tebow was able to string together some consistently impressive days. On August 3, PFW's Andy Hart had these observations:

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[Tebow] had his best practice of the summer. He ran primarily more traditional Patriots plays, rather than the Pistol and option work he took part in on Friday, although he did run at least one designed QB draw that likely would never be called with either Brady or Mallett under center. Though he still had a few ugly throws mixed throughout, Tebow had a number of nice completions down the field. He particularly succeeded in that area connecting with Quentin Sims. Tebow has a nice knack for throwing the ball to a spot on deep fades. He also had a nice completion down the right side throwing to a spot for Boyce, who ran past Justin Green for the reception. 

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On August 4, ESPNBoston's Mike Reiss had these over-arching observations:

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We've already seen improvement on the practice field [from Tebow]. [He's] getting top-notch instruction (often times 1-on-1 with Brian Daboll) and the Patriots seem to be playing to his strengths. The final conclusion: If it doesn't work out for him here, it won’t be because of the [media] circus. It will strictly be about football. However you feel about Tebow, and he sure is a lightning rod, there is something refreshing about that. 

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From a personal standpoint, I'd love to see Tebow make this team. I believe he can be extremely valuable from both a physical and emotional standpoint, similar to Zach Sudfeld and defensive end Chandler Jones.

To this point, though, my biggest concern with Tebow is the occasional appearance that he's playing a passive role in his own development. This guy was basically trapped in a bottle last season with the Jets, he was confined in every way possible. Now, he's free. I want to see him breakout.

This opportunity is incredible for Tebow. Not only does he have a shot to revive his career, but he has a shot to become a Super Bowl champion this year. This is the stuff dreams are made of. The coaches can help guide him, but ultimately, a role on this team is his to sculpt.

I don't want to see Tebow get a spot, I want to see him emphatically take it. Snatch it. Make sure nobody else takes it away. I want to see the unrelenting aggression that initially defined him. With a resurgence of that aggression, he can prove that this team needs him in order to win. That's the goal here. He needs to prove they need him.

Now's the time to prove it.