BY: Chris Lehan
Quarterback (2)
Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett, *Tom Brady (suspended 4 games)
Nothing new to see here, Jimmy will start the first four and Brissett will back him up. No veteran QB needed.
Running back (5)
LeGarrette Blount, James White, James Devlin, Tyler Gaffney, Branden Bolden, *Dion Lewis (PUP)
Blount will be a very important piece to the offense for the first four games. I think he’ll get around 25-30 carries per game. Jimmy will need to be able to rely on him for the Patriots to be able to win. He has looked awesome in the preseason this year. James White is going to step right into Lewis’ role this year just like he did last year. Lewis isn’t as big a loss as last year because they’ve gone without him for so long they just have to keep going. White was awesome in the replacement of Lewis and will be great again this year after his best camp of his career. Devlin will return to his crucial role as fullback and it will help their struggling run game. Bolden will keep his role in the special teams game. If Lewis had been healthy, I would have cut him to keep the other guys. Tyler Gaffney has been fun to watch this preseason; he has earned his spot on this roster.
Wide Receiver (6)
Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Keshawn Martin, Matthew Slater
Nate Washington only played in the second half of the last preseason game so he is done, cut. Pretty much all of the guys that made the team were pretty much locks. The only one that was somewhat fighting was Marti but they just extended him so he was pretty much a lock. And I read on Rotoworld yesterday that Mitchell could be ready for week one. He has been in full pads pretty much every day so it’s a real possibility.
Tight End (3)
Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, AJ Derby
Derby is going to beat out Harbor because Derby has been much better than him this preseason. Derby was a real receiving threat in the first two games.
Tackle (3)
Nate Solder, Marcus Cannon, LaAdrian Waddle, *Sebastian Vollmer (PUP)
Marcus Cannon can be a good tackle. He is back to his position on the right side and is fully healthy. He gets a bad rep for the AFC title game last year but he was playing with turf toe, Stork was tipping the snap count, and he was blocking Von Miller. That is a tough situation. I’m going to put Vollmer on the PUP because I am not just going to end his season, he could be back, so I am keeping the door open.
Interior Linemen (6)
David Andrews, Joe Thuney, Shaq Mason, Josh Kline, Bryan Stork, Jonathan Cooper
Andrews will be your starting center with Thuney at the left guard, and Shaq Mason at the right guard. If Mason is ready to go after his broken and he’ll start, if not, Kline will step right in. Cooper has to make the roster because of how we got him. Stork was the last guy I put in here. H lost the center job, Mason and Thuney can play center if needed and Andrews has been awesome and has improved so much this offseason. Stork is only here because Vollmer is hurt. If he wasn’t, Stork would be cut. Stork also is valuable with his versatility. He can play tackle and in my opinion, he can do it well. That’s why he made it and why I only carried three tackles.
Defensive Linemen (9)
Jabaal Sheard, Chris Long, Rob Ninkovich, Trey Flowers, Geneo Grissom, Malcolm Brown, Vincent Valentine, Alan Branch, Terrance Knighton.
Terrance Knighton vs Marcus Kuhn is the battle here for the last spot. Knighton has not been good this preseason; he’s been playing into the fourth quarter. Nate Washington has been playing into the fourth quarter also and look how that turned out for him earlier. I really wanted to cut Knighton because he just has not been good this preseason, while Kuhn has. Kuhn has spent some snaps with the first team. If Knighton plays into the fourth quarter again against Carolina, I’m changing this up and putting Kuhn in over him. Also, Anthony Johnson was a savage against Chicago last week. If he continues that he’ll put himself on the 53, rather than the practice squad.
Linebacker (5)
Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Shea McClellin, Jonathan Freeny, Kamu Grugier-Hill
Solid core right here.
Cornerback (6)
Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, Cyrus Jones, Justin Coleman, Jonathan Jones, Brandon King
Jonathan Jones is locked in a battle with Darryl Roberts and Cre’von Leblanc for the last cornerback spot. Right now Jones leads the way. If Leblanc or Roberts have a great game against Carolina, they might jump ahead. The two who don’t make it should end up on the practice squad.
Safety (5)
Devin McCourty, Pat Chung, Duron Harmon, Jordan Richards, Nate Ebner
Usual suspects, one of the top safety groups in the NFL.
Special teams (3)
Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona
Players I want on the Practice Squad
RB DJ Foster
WRs DeAndre Carter and Chris Harper
OL Cameron Fleming and Ted Karras
TE Bryce Williams
DL Anthony Johnson and Rufus Johnson
CB Cre’von Leblanc
Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett, *Tom Brady (suspended 4 games)
Nothing new to see here, Jimmy will start the first four and Brissett will back him up. No veteran QB needed.
Running back (5)
LeGarrette Blount, James White, James Devlin, Tyler Gaffney, Branden Bolden, *Dion Lewis (PUP)
Blount will be a very important piece to the offense for the first four games. I think he’ll get around 25-30 carries per game. Jimmy will need to be able to rely on him for the Patriots to be able to win. He has looked awesome in the preseason this year. James White is going to step right into Lewis’ role this year just like he did last year. Lewis isn’t as big a loss as last year because they’ve gone without him for so long they just have to keep going. White was awesome in the replacement of Lewis and will be great again this year after his best camp of his career. Devlin will return to his crucial role as fullback and it will help their struggling run game. Bolden will keep his role in the special teams game. If Lewis had been healthy, I would have cut him to keep the other guys. Tyler Gaffney has been fun to watch this preseason; he has earned his spot on this roster.
Wide Receiver (6)
Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Keshawn Martin, Matthew Slater
Nate Washington only played in the second half of the last preseason game so he is done, cut. Pretty much all of the guys that made the team were pretty much locks. The only one that was somewhat fighting was Marti but they just extended him so he was pretty much a lock. And I read on Rotoworld yesterday that Mitchell could be ready for week one. He has been in full pads pretty much every day so it’s a real possibility.
Tight End (3)
Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, AJ Derby
Derby is going to beat out Harbor because Derby has been much better than him this preseason. Derby was a real receiving threat in the first two games.
Tackle (3)
Nate Solder, Marcus Cannon, LaAdrian Waddle, *Sebastian Vollmer (PUP)
Marcus Cannon can be a good tackle. He is back to his position on the right side and is fully healthy. He gets a bad rep for the AFC title game last year but he was playing with turf toe, Stork was tipping the snap count, and he was blocking Von Miller. That is a tough situation. I’m going to put Vollmer on the PUP because I am not just going to end his season, he could be back, so I am keeping the door open.
Interior Linemen (6)
David Andrews, Joe Thuney, Shaq Mason, Josh Kline, Bryan Stork, Jonathan Cooper
Andrews will be your starting center with Thuney at the left guard, and Shaq Mason at the right guard. If Mason is ready to go after his broken and he’ll start, if not, Kline will step right in. Cooper has to make the roster because of how we got him. Stork was the last guy I put in here. H lost the center job, Mason and Thuney can play center if needed and Andrews has been awesome and has improved so much this offseason. Stork is only here because Vollmer is hurt. If he wasn’t, Stork would be cut. Stork also is valuable with his versatility. He can play tackle and in my opinion, he can do it well. That’s why he made it and why I only carried three tackles.
Defensive Linemen (9)
Jabaal Sheard, Chris Long, Rob Ninkovich, Trey Flowers, Geneo Grissom, Malcolm Brown, Vincent Valentine, Alan Branch, Terrance Knighton.
Terrance Knighton vs Marcus Kuhn is the battle here for the last spot. Knighton has not been good this preseason; he’s been playing into the fourth quarter. Nate Washington has been playing into the fourth quarter also and look how that turned out for him earlier. I really wanted to cut Knighton because he just has not been good this preseason, while Kuhn has. Kuhn has spent some snaps with the first team. If Knighton plays into the fourth quarter again against Carolina, I’m changing this up and putting Kuhn in over him. Also, Anthony Johnson was a savage against Chicago last week. If he continues that he’ll put himself on the 53, rather than the practice squad.
Linebacker (5)
Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Shea McClellin, Jonathan Freeny, Kamu Grugier-Hill
Solid core right here.
Cornerback (6)
Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, Cyrus Jones, Justin Coleman, Jonathan Jones, Brandon King
Jonathan Jones is locked in a battle with Darryl Roberts and Cre’von Leblanc for the last cornerback spot. Right now Jones leads the way. If Leblanc or Roberts have a great game against Carolina, they might jump ahead. The two who don’t make it should end up on the practice squad.
Safety (5)
Devin McCourty, Pat Chung, Duron Harmon, Jordan Richards, Nate Ebner
Usual suspects, one of the top safety groups in the NFL.
Special teams (3)
Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Joe Cardona
Players I want on the Practice Squad
RB DJ Foster
WRs DeAndre Carter and Chris Harper
OL Cameron Fleming and Ted Karras
TE Bryce Williams
DL Anthony Johnson and Rufus Johnson
CB Cre’von Leblanc