WR - Tate, Edelman, and Slater fighting for maybe one spot?

CB/S - Wilhite, Lockett, Butler, and Brown fighting for one spot unless Ras-I ends up on IR.

Is TE Smith that good?  Is he worth giving up that spot for a 3rd TE?  I miss Crumpler, but I even question if he is worth that roster spot! Have to make up for carrying 3 QB's

Tough cuts ahead, hate to see good talent get away.  Maybe BB will have IR injuries with younger players so we can evaluate them for another year.

You might be right about WR.  I think Tate will be gone but I do think there's a good chance Edelman and Slater can both stick because of their special teams play.

Regarding TE's, I don't think there's any chance they only carry 2.  Depth is needed because they have many formations with 2 TE's on the field at the same time.  I see Smith as almost a lock to make the team.  If his stock falls, I could see them re-signing Crump when he's ready to go.   I think there's also a good chance that kid Yeatman ends up on the practice squad.  He looks like a beast physically. 

Great thread.

I think Smith makes the team. O'Brien put a lot of work into creating the new offense built around multiple TE sets, and I can't see why they would go with only two. 25% of the plays they put in last season would not work with Hernandez getting manhandled at the line by a defensive end. Plus Smit is legit. Ok, so he isn't great at getting open. That is why he came cheap. He has soft hands and is a terrific blocker. He is almost like having an extra tackle who can catch if he finds his way onto some clean grass.

The WR spot is harder. All three of those players add value but none of them is complete. Edelman is likely the best WR and returns punts, but he has been touch and go this preseason at both, and took a step back last season as a WR. Slater is a great ST player, but can't return anything. Tate is a 5th WR in my mind. Maybe he improves. He had trouble with punts, but is great at KR. I think they keep two of them myself.

The corners. They keep one or two. I don't know who it is, but Butler didn't help himself and has the worst contract. Wilhite hasn't been good. But at least those two are a known commodity. The overall track record of the guys makes me think Wilhite has the inside track. Butler not being far behind.

if they could find a long snapper that plays another position, that will save a roster spot! 

QB: None
RB: Does Morris make the team as a 5th RB or perhaps as a 4th if Vereen goes on IR? Medlin is a long shot but has looked good in practice and, other than a ST penalty, during the first preseason game.
WR: Tate and Edelman will make the team. Slater may have another spot but is competing perhaps with Malcolm Williams and Sergio Brown.
TE: Smith or Yeatman or both?
OT: Maneri or Levoir?
DL/OLB: So many possibilities, not too many spots. At least Brace and Deaderick are simple with them on PUP.

I think they keep 4 safeties as well. So, I would think Brown or Lockett make it, my money is on Brown. I like the way he played last year with limited reps. I haven't see much on Lockett from camp...anyone know how he is doing?

CB..have to agree with ZB on this one. Butler's contract althought not huge, is not advantageous to him given how he is playing. Wilhite's contract isn't that great either to be honest. I'd rather see a kid like Malcolm Williams develop, be a dime option CB or safety, and Dowling get into the line-up. Williams also has good ST value. If he could be at least on par with Butler/Wilhite, I'd take him over those 2 clowns.

TE..no chance we only have 2 on the roster. I would even say I'd like 4, and keep the big lacrosse player on the active roster. He can't stash him on the PS, unless BB pays him well, even then, too many teams would line up for him up. If he has any sort of potential, this is what I woudl do with him.

The D line is going to be where we see some talent depart, or perhaps, do some difficult things and IR some guys like Brace in whch I was hoping he would have a breakout season after some inspiring play last year before his injury. Could Wright be a casualty given his injury history? Do you keep Love and Pryor over him? How many DL do you keep? I think we see 8 or 9.

Smith makes the team. Slater makes it for special teams. No way he is cut. 

The wide reciever spot is an interesting one, because you get the feeling a guy they cut could potentially develop into something and the guys we keep are not going to be here very long. At 33 Ocho should make the team and help, but how much does he have left? What is Welker? 30..31? He doesn't have deep speed and if he loses that quickness...Branch is already on the wrong side of 30 and has lost that speed.

As low as I am on Edelman, do you keep him for potential? I could care less about Tate; I wasn't impressed with him last year even after his good games. Price is a lock.

In Response to Re: Position battles to get a roster spot:

No way Hoyer or Cunningham are getting cut.

ahahah its pointless to mention cuts here and there without looking at a 53 man roster.  I can promise you that hoyer will not get cut.

 I don't know why everyone is so down on Edelman, he is a younger Wes Welker. When welker was hurt he came in and did a great job. He's only played WR for a while, and if you cut him he will play great somewhere and probably in the division. He's a solid player, just needs to play regularly. Great punt returner too. Tate show some skills but is not the home run guy we thought. Price is better. Butler is the worst CB in the league as far as i can see, wlihite not much better. I'd wait to see who gets cut and bring someone else in for both, you could go to any gym in the USA and find 2 guys as good as they are. They play with no instinct, not smart enough I guess. Cunningham is not big enough or mean enough to play his position, I'd cut him.

In Response to Re: Position battles to get a roster spot:


hy kyle,
   liked what i saw of medlin, dont know if they can fit him  or hide him, tate wouldnt be on my 53 man, pup ir or release, need a punt and kick returner reliable, doesnt have to be great at this point (dont like price there, too dangerous a position for guys with irreplaceable skills). like the 4 te's, hide or pup yeatman or fit him  as part of the offensive line. looked very good thurs.

In Response to Re: Position battles to get a roster spot:



i also would go with 4 rb's on the roster, edelman over tate, if not cutting both(if we need the room. edelman is not a unique talent in my eyes) no way hoyer is cut.
if need a stand in, hoyer will be decent. mallet not ready and hoyer will get a 3 or 2 if we wait.
i also would like to keep farnham 2 ways and st.
make a reliable kick and punt returner from th eroster who is not a top 4 receiver or top 2 back as its a high injury position.
meri is gone if i can replace him.
butler wilhite not that good.
arrington, in my eyes cannot do coverage. he can watch a guy and then be clkose to tackle him when he catches a pass yes. so ideally, he eventually get replaced and released. more guys in secondary like ras, devin and bodden.

edelman is jus tok at this point. could get a little better. i dont know he is ever gonna be special. and hes iffy for me if we need an extra spot due to carrying 3-4 te's and all the dl's we're gonna need with these older guys we're gonna carry and getting after teh passer.

not going to even address cunningham. 

This post has been removed.

In Response to Re: Position battles to get a roster spot:


ZB,

I agree with everything with the possible exception of Tate being great at kickoffs. He averaged 25.8 per return last year, which is respectable, but take away the two 100 yarders and it's more like 22.4 per return. In fact, it's hard to recall another 30+ yard return; after the pair of TDs that came in the first couple of games, it seemed like every return was 20-25 yards. If Tate doesn't get a quick hole through which he can exploit his speed, he doesn't seem to have enough wiggle or creativity to make something out of nothing.

He's still probably the best we have on the roster, however, so maybe that earns him a spot.

Goodbyes are coming soon to several projects! BB keeps bringing in known commodities. Niko Kuotuovides replaces Slater or White or Murrell. If they sign any of the FA's they brought in today the axe is going to fall...BB only keeps those who can help the team win!!!!

No way Hoyer or Cunningham are getting cut.


+1 

Why would we cut either. especially Hoyer when he has trade value?

None of  you have the guts to make a tough call. :)

QB (3) Brady, Hoyer, Mallett
For the first time in a while, Pats carry 3 QBs. And hopefully only one sees the field. Hoyer a FA next season, Pats will be at an interesting cross roads then.
HB (5) BJGE, Ridley, Vereen, Woodhead, Morris (Faulk - PUP)
I don't know severity of Vereen's injury, hopefully not enough to IR him. Morris on the bubble, but his FB/RB/ST versatility I think he makes the team over Slater, but its tough to say. By week 6, one RB should be injured giving Faulk a chance to come back.
WR (5) Welker, Ochocinco, Branch, Price, Tate
I think Edelman goes, he was underutilized last season, but he definitely regressed. He also formerly served as an emergency QB when the Pats carried 2-if they are going to carry 3 (they will) the roster spot has to come somewhere. He may become a good player, but I don't think it will be here. One out of Tate, Edelman, Slater will make it and I give Tate the slight advantage for now. I still think he has the bigger upside.
TE (4) Gronkowski, Hernandez, Smith, Crumpler
Still would like to see Crumpler come back, with more 2 TE sets we will carry at least 3. Not resigning Crump gives Yeatman an outside chance, but I'd like to see Yeatman on the PS and let Crump tutor for another year.
OT (4) Light, Vollmer, Solder, Maneri/LeVoir
No surprises here.
OG/C (5) Mankins, Koppen, Connolly, Ornberger, Wendell
Cannon on PUP to start...could use him for depth purposes, but we won't rush him. Depth is lacking as Ornberger and Wendell are very mediocre
DL (6) Wilfork, Haynesworth, Ellis, Wright, Anderson, G. Warren
This is who I would roll with. Brace should be cut IMO. The big question is health. Who ends up on PUP/IR? Obviously, Deaderick, Love, Pryor are in consideration for Warren's spot, but I'll take the vet who played 16 games for us last season and that can play 4-3 DT or 3-4 DE. That being said, given current health status in 3 weeks, this position remains fluid.
DE/OLB (4) Cunningham, Moore, Ninkovich, Carter
LB (4) Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, Fletcher
Hope to see Tarpinian on PS, he's looked good. Bye-bye Tracy White.
S (4) Meriweather, Chung, Sanders, Brown
I'll take Brown over Barrett or Lockett. Sanders may be on chopping block opening the door for one of them, but I hope he stays.
CB (5) Bodden, McCourty, Arrington, Butler, Ras-I
I keep Butler over Wilhite solely for potential. he didn't play well lest year, but in his rookie season he did. Wilhite has always been a bum. The emergence of Arrington and McCourty along with the drafting of Ras-I push him down the depth chart, but maybe that will take some pressure off and light a fire under him to get better this season. Still too early to cut ties with him IMO.
K/P (2) Gostkowski, Mesko
Given...

This is a 51* man roster.

I hate the fact that teams have a player who just long snaps...Ninkovich can do it. I'm sure someone else too. but the fact is Katula might make this team for this skill alone, though I would use that spot on another player. I would take Edelman, a DL, or other players on this list over Katula.

Not sure how others value a long snapper...

And one open spot for a lucky player.

In Response to Re: Position battles to get a roster spot:


No, that's why we have Bill!

ps . . . the teams dress 46 this year instead of 45 so the Pats will carry three QBs.

I  say  cut  Cunningham.  He  has  struggled  in  camp  and  clearly  doesn't  fit  BB's  new  system.  I  wasn't  that  high  on  him  anyway.  Many  posters  kept  mentioning  his  promise  just  as  many  posters  were  initially  excited  about  Ty  Warren  returning.  I  didn't  see  the  promise  of  either  of  these  options.  Also, I'd  cut  Wilhite, Butler  and  Merriweather.  Merriweather  no  longer  plays  the  " Patriot  Way."  Wilhite  and  Butler  are  easy  cuts.