A Few (53) Good Men: A Look at New England's Roster, Part II

This is the second part of a look at the likely composition of the Patriots' final 53-man roster for the season. You can read the first part, forecasting the defensive group by going here.

Ah, now to the fun part.

The Patriot offense was an absolute powder keg in 2007. The additions of Wes Welker and Randy Moss were perfectly timed and helped bring Tom Brady's game to heights most never foresaw.

Records were set and after one of the finest regular seasons of all time, the Patriots were undone only by one of the historic performances by the Giants in the Super Bowl.

Flash forward two years and hope seems to have returned to New England, but questions about the offense's ability to recapture its former potency—especially in the wake of Brady's major knee surgery, the offensive line's at times spotty play against the top rushing teams in the league, and the departure of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels—linger on.

Many of the questions, as they pertain to the roster, are how the Patriots will arrange their embarrassment of riches into the 53 slots.

Despite returning their franchise quarterback, all their offensive line starters, and their top two wideouts, the Patriots were aggressive in the offseason adding tight ends Chris Baker and Alex Smith, wideouts Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis, and drafting smartly to round out one of the most talented camps I've ever seen in New England.

But all that talent creates a fierce competition for the limited spots the league allows. So with that, let's look at who will (and won't) likely find their name on the roster come week one.

Wide Receivers

Locks: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Joey Galloway, Greg Lewis

Should make It: Julian Edelman

Bring your playbook: Terrence Nunn, Sam Aiken

This is one crowded group, to be sure.

There are plenty of teams in the league who would feel pretty good going into this season with this group of wide receivers—even if you took out Moss and Welker.

Galloway still brings a speed that you just can't teach and has been very durable throughout his career, last year excepted. Greg Lewis has busted his backside in the preseason games down the field and shows the kind of blocking prowess (and effort) downfield that, coupled with his veteran experience, makes him an asset to the club.

In particular, I want to call out the great block he made on Wes Welker's long screen play against the Bengals. He really threw himself into the block and opened up that play.

Julian Edelman may seem like he's here by virtue of his punt return touchdown, but I think he showed a more valuable skill in his ability to slot into the offense in Welker's absence.

The way the offense is structured, having a backup guy who can step in and play like Welker just gives the team a replacement if necessary and a complement threat opposite Wes on short slants in four-wide sets.

That Edelman allows the team to keep Welker out of punt returns except when absolutely necessary just adds to his value. The question really comes down to whether to keep Terrence Nunn, Sam Aiken, or make due with five wideouts and use Matthew Slater there if necessary.

Nunn has played very well and I think he'll have the opportunity to remain on the scout team if no other team brings him in.

Overall, though, I'm of the mind that with a group this talented there's little need to keep a sixth wideout on the roster.

Sam Aiken provides special teams ability, but so do many other players on this roster who are backing up at other positions.

I think if you're slotting 25 players for the offense and defense, it comes down to keeping O'Callaghan as a fourth tackle or Aiken as your sixth WR and, with Mark LeVoir on the PUP list, I'd feel safer keeping a fourth tackle if I were the Patriots.

Tight End

Locks: Chris Baker

Should make it: Ben Watson, David Thomas

Bring your playbook: Alex Smith

This was a very weird competition all camp long. Going into camp it was pretty clear Belichick wanted some competition. While he brought in Chris Baker, the incumbent Ben Watson, Thomas, and Tyson DeVree must not have been enough for Belichick.

So, he gave up a 2010 draft choice for Alex Smith. It was a confusing move at the time, but one that may have paid dividends if it lit the right kind of fire under Watson, Thomas, and Baker.

Baker, in particular, has shown phenomenal ability in all aspects of the game since joining the team, relegating Ben Watson to the No. 2 option. Given Watson's low salary ($900,000 a year) that's a manageable position and might spur Watson to up his play.

Thomas makes the team as a third option and as a very good run blocker. I think the team could've managed without giving up the 2010 pick for Smith, but you can't argue with the results if it brings better play out of the TE position for the Patriots in 2009.

The Patriots are likely trying to find a suitor for Alex Smith, who started 12 games last year in Tampa Bay and does have good upside.

Quarterback

Locks: Tom Brady, Andrew Walter, Kevin O'Connell

Should make it: N/A

Bring your playbook: Brian Hoyer

Brady heads up this unit, returning from injury. With Matt Cassel now plying his trade (and earning more than Brady) in Kansas City, the backup position was wide open once again. 

Second-year man Kevin O'Connell has shown good improvement this past year and is definitely one to watch for in the future, but I think Belichick will opt for the veteran backup Walter as the second man off the bench if the unthinkable happens two years in a row.

Brian Hoyer has shown good instincts and ability for an undrafted free agent out of Michigan State. I think he'll find a nice home, whether on the practice squad or with some other club, assuming he doesn't wind up on the IR because of whatever is currently ailing him.

He's done a good deal to make a case for being on the roster, though, but the Patriots likely won't keep four quarterbacks and simply can't gamble having one total year of NFL experience behind Brady.

Running Back

Locks: Lawrence Maroney, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk

Should make it: BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Bring your playbook: Chris Taylor

The Patriots rushing attack has been a source of intense speculation for this whole offseason.

Many casual fans look at the group and don't see a standout rusher and, by extension, don't see an outstanding rushing attack.

The numbers disagree.

The Patriots were sixth in the league (and second in the AFC) in yards per game and total rushing yards last season.

Yet coming in this year, there's considerably more competition for carries than there has been in recent years.

Sammy Morris made his case filling in admirably (as he's done his whole career) when Maroney bowed out for the season with a hurt shoulder. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, ditto.

Fred Taylor is just one of the most productive backs of all time who has never gotten the credit he deserves for a career that has seen him gain 11,271 yards for the Jacksonville Jaguars, yet only attend a single Pro Bowl.

He should be a lock hall-of-famer and a lock for the Patriots.

The real questions in this group come down to two players: Lawrence Maroney and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Green-Ellis has run very hard and looks like a valuable player given how injury prone the running back position is in the NFL.

Maroney, however, has developed a reputation as soft, a guy who has great athleticism but who too-often tap dances behind his blocks.

I think the reputation is undeserved. He tries to break the long run too often and hasn't developed elite NFL vision, but he's a solid back who played as long as he could through a broken shoulder last season, then kept mum when the whole world questioned his toughness.

Maroney deserves another chance to prove his doubters wrong. His opportunities will be limited by the arrival of Taylor, but he has to know this is his best, if not last, chance to prove he's not a first-round bust.

Offensive Line

Locks: Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Nick Kaczur, Stephen Neal, Sebastian Vollmer, Rich Ohrnberger, Dan Connolly

Should make it: Ryan O'Callaghan

Bring your playbook: George Bussey, Billy Yates

While the starters were all likely returning, the trade of Russ Hochstein makes the picture of this group a little clearly. I'd say Rich Ohrnberger makes the club over veteran Billy Yates, while Dan Connolly could take over center duties behind Koppen with Russ gone.

Ryan O'Callaghan makes the club and gets some early opportunities to prove himself but I think he needs to continue a big showing if he wants to makes the final 53. With the team extending Mark LeVoir today, now on the PUP list, O'Callaghan's opportunity to make the big club will likely be limited to these first few games.

At best, he may be showcasing himself for another team once LeVoir returns.

Nick Kaczur, much maligned on talk radio shows after the Bengals game, was also extended this week.

Nick gets a bad rap that is, largely, undeserved. He's a very serviceable right tackle who is actually quite good in the running game, as most right tackles need to be.

He doesn't always finish blocks the way you might like technically, but he gets the job done. He was particularly called out by many observers for the big hit Brady took but, like most things involving the offensive line, it was a case of multiple people, not just Nick, making errors.

The extension that he received perfectly explains the faith the club has in his ability, even if the finer points of offensive line play are invisible to the untrained eye.

Special Teams:

Locks: Stephen Gostkowski, Jake Ingram/Nathan Hodel, Chris Hanson

This is an easy group, as most of the special teams players in question beyond the specialists have already been discussed. The only decision here is whether to keep Jake Ingram or Nathan Hodel at long snapper to replace Lonnie Paxton.

As Belichick has stated, the long snapping position is all about consistency, which both guys have shown in the practices and camps the media has been able to see.

It really just comes down to who the team sees as the more reliable option, which may be a cut they wait until the last minute to make.

Other than that, Gostkowski and Hanson have looked pretty good so far despite facing no competition in camp. 

Overview:

While I wrote "Get your playbook" today for the group of guys likely to be left off the roster in this scenario, I'm not anywhere close to writing them off entirely.

Right now, this roster is stacked with talent but there are any number of things that can change between now and when the final cuts have to be in.

Some of these battles are likely already settled in the coaches' minds, barring a huge turnaround or a major injury. I think that's why you're starting to see extensions and roster moves finalized.

But some of the fringe guys, especially the guys who are the second or third backup but offer special-teams impact, can still earn their spot.

Particularly I'm softening my stance on Matthew Slater. I originally put Slater as a lock, then saw him as a guy who should make the roster but wrote yesterday that he would likely be left out.

With some of the movement with the club today, I think he's very much still in the discussion. His ability to play both ways and return kicks (as well as cover kicks, which he does very well) gives him the inside track to a roster spot over some other fringe guys.

Regardless, most of these picks came down to personal opinion and, really, splitting hairs based on a very limited look on what these guys are capable of.

I will say that, without a doubt, this is the most talented roster I've seen the Patriots field in a long time. It's got, arguably, four hall of famers in Brady, Fred Taylor, Randy Moss, and Richard Seymour.

Vince Wilfork, too, certainly could get there eventually, especially given how the three-four has come back with a vengeance and how in demand he will be next season if he hits free agency.

Throw in what looks like a phenomenal rookie and sophomore class and this is a team primed to do big things in 2009.

The fact that it faces, again, an AFC that boasts teams like the Chargers, Steelers, and Colts—loaded with potential HOFers themselves—just means one thing:

It's going to be a fun season.