< Back to Front Page
Text size
–
+
Eyes on practice, Part 6
FOXBOROUGH -- On Tuesday, the question was asked "What would you be watching for if you were at Patriots practice?"
Emailers filled the comments section and this entry is the final segment.
The Patriots ask reporters the courtesy of following these guidelines:
With 5 seeming locks at cornerbacks (Bodden, Butler, Springs, Wheatley, Wilhite) and 3 at safety (Chung, Meriwether, Sanders) and 4 at wide receiver (Moss, Welker, Galloway, Lewis), what role are the multi-positional players on the bubble taking (Slater, Ventrone)? Is Brandon McGowan, the safety from Chicago, going to crack the DB rotation? What is the max total of DB + WR you see this team carrying?
Slater was working solely at safety in this session. Ventrone was not on the field, so his primary position remains a bit unclear at this point, but my hunch would be safety. I think McGowan has a real chance to crack the safety rotation. He was working more into the mix as a fourth option at safety. I agree with your locks at the three positions mentioned above. In terms of picking a maximum number of defensive backs and receivers, I'd go with 16. Numbers 15 and 16, though, will have to be core special teams contributors for it to be such a high number.
Everybody asks about the players, yet I would really like to know about the new coaches too. How comfortable they look? What catches the eye first as a diffrence from previous years?
We'll see if the results show, but my first impression is that it looks as if special teams coach Scott O'Brien has been with the club for 10 years. Like former special teams coach Brad Seely did, O'Brien takes charge when it's time for special teams work and is not shy about getting after the players. Seems to me that new quarterbacks coach Bill O'Brien, the offensive coordinator without the title, has stepped up into more of a leadership/vocal role. Receivers coach Chad O'Shea looks like he's getting his feet wet and is less vocal. Tight ends coach Shane Waldron doesn't appear to be a screamer, either. As for differences from past years, in terms of approach, there are few. These coaches get after it.
I'm always interested in knowing, among other things, how Kevin Faulk looks. I know he's been an extremely consistent weapon for the Pats, but he has quietly gotten on in years (for his position). Do his legs still look fresh?
Keeping in mind there is no contact, and the drills aren't at full speed, I thought Faulk looked like his steady self. He is a smooth route-runner and his hands in the passing game are true. I saw nothing that would lead me to believe Faulk is slowing down.
Any significant sign of velocity dropoff with Brady's passes? Where are the rookie offensive linemen playing? Who's lining up opposite AD, and how are the reps split between Woods and Crable?
I didn't notice any drop in velocity on Brady's passes. On the rookie linemen, in this practice it was Sebastian Vollmer at left tackle, Rich Ohrnberger at center, and George Bussey at right tackle. Rookie free agent Jermail Porter rotated in at right tackle. At outside linebacker, Woods lined up opposite of Adalius Thomas. Crable was rotated into that mix, but I don't have an exact split as to how the reps went. My impression is that Woods is the top guy.
My interest is in the development of Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite. Not sure how to evaluate them at the OTA's, but what impact will they have on the nickel and dime packages, as well as pushing Springs and Bodden for starting time?
While it's dangerous to read too much into OTA's, as you note, one of my top notes from this session was: "Don't undersell Jonathan Wilhite in this cornerback competition." He was playing quite a bit in the slot with Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden. I also thought he previously made one of the nicer plays of OTA's by staying with a broken play and intercepting quarterback Brian Hoyer on a throw down the right side to receiver Robert Ortiz. I don't have as good of a read on Wheatley, but it's easy to see how fast he is.
With Rodney and Vrabel out of the picture who, aside from Bruschi, appears to be taking up the mantel of leadership on the defensive side of the ball?
It's a bit early to tell, but if I had to choose one player at this point, I'd go with Adalius Thomas.
Have you seen Myron Pryor at the OTA's? Is he working as an NT or does he primarily work as an end in the Patriots scheme? Does Pryor look like he could win a spot on the regular roster or practice squad?
I haven't seen enough of Pryor to be able to answer this right now. Part of it is that the Patriots haven't been in the base defense that much, as their work has been more based in sub packages. Another part of it is that there is no contact, which makes it difficult to get a feel for the linemen. Pryor and Darryl Richard are players I'll try to keep a closer eye on in this week's mandatory minicamp so I can better answer, as it's also a challenge to account for all of the 78 players on the field in one practice.
Part 1 of the series
Part 2 of the series
Part 3 of the series
Part 4 of the series
Part 5 of the series
Comment
Permalink
EmailThis blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Mike Reiss, Christopher L. Gasper and the rest of the Globe team provide regular updates –and a behind-the-scenes look– on the daily happenings of the Patriots.
