New England Patriots Projected 53 Man Roster - Fly Like An Eagle Edition

Did big back candidate Jonas Gray (35) give Belichick something to think about last Friday night?

What the heck happened?

In perhaps the New England Patriots last realistic chance to see fringe players in game action before the cutdown from 90 players to 75, very little was decided in Friday night's 42-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Normally, there is a clean and obvious divide between the have's and the have not's, but in the 2014 version of the Patriots' annual right of passage, most of the starting spots were guaranteed from the start, with the coaching staff merely needing to ascertain which players were good enough to line the team's depth chart, and which were not.

Turns out, defacto General Manager Bill Belichick stocked his camp roster with so many quality players that slicing 15 players just a few days after next Friday's third preseason game against the Carolina Panthers is going to be far more difficult than in seasons past - not to mention cutting 22 more a week later in advance of the first regular season game at Miami.

But all things considered, that is an excellent problem to have.

The reality is that Belichick is going to have to release some pretty good players back into the wild with hopes that a select few happen pass through waivers unscathed and unclaimed to stock his practice squad - and those players, plus guys that will end up on the shelf on either the IR or PUP lists must be carried on that 75 man roster, making Belichick's margin for error even smaller.

In all, the Patriots have to trim but 14 players as the currently are carrying 89 on their preseason roster by 4:00pm on August 26th, then an additional 22 by 4:00pm on August 30th, and here is what we think that final 53 man roster - actually 55 man roster with the exclusions for Brandon Browner's and Brian Tyms' suspensions - is going to look like:


Quarterbacks (2)

12 - Tom Brady
10 - Jimmy Garoppolo (R)

No changes from original projection

Garoppolo had another solid outing, but this time Patriots' fans were looking to see if last week's performance against the Washington Redskins was an anomaly, or if the kid was for real - and even the fans who chastised Belichick for "wasting" second round draft capital on a "project" from Eastern Illinois have been converted.

Mallett also turned in a nice effort.  Not coincidentally, the offensive line gave him a bit of a cleaner pocket than they did for him against the Redskins and he was able to step into his throws more consistently, and even showed some pocket presence in giving himself some room to operate with some subtle movement around the pocket.

That said, the race for the backup gig to Brady - who looked sensational against Philadelphia, by the way - will probably come down to the final preseason game at New York, though both should see action next Friday when the Patriots host the Carolina Panthers...

The old gunslinger Brady

...and given that the third preseason game is considered the "Dress Rehearsal" for the starters on both teams, whoever relieves Brady against the Panthers will most likely get to face a more stout defense than they did in the first two contests.

If it's Garoppolo and he does well, circumstances would dictate that Mallett - in his fourth year - would be classified as dead weight and perhaps dealt, but if it's Mallett and he does well, that changes things a bit as several variables come into play - which is hardly fair, but that's the reality in the NFL...

Running Backs (5)

22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
28 - James White (R)
35 - Jonas Gray
46 - James Develin
  
Added Gray from original projection

Sometimes it's tough to pump the brakes on a player when working with such a small sample of work, but Jonas Gray was the best running back on the field on Friday night - for either team - and causing people to do a double take to make sure LeGarrette Blount didn't sneak in to Gillette Stadium and suit up for old time's sake will surely get you noticed.

Can Gray make this team?  Well, why not?

None of the other backs have really done anything of note and, as a matter of fact, haven't really looked that good.  Ridley had some nice moments on Friday night, but just happened to fumble on the play before he was scheduled to leave the game - at least that's what he says, but many think it a curious coincidence that he didn't see the field again.

Vereen has been inconsistent in the pattern out of the backfield and White seems to be struggling with his transition from the drive blocking scheme that made him so effective in college at Wisconsin to the stretch zone blocking scheme that his vision and toolbox full of moves were supposed to be perfect for.

Blocking has been inconsistent for sure, but seemed to come easier later in the games when Gray and jitterbug Roy Finch are handling the ball - perhaps because the personnel stayed consistent along the line against the third layer of the opposition's depth chart.

With contracts coming due on Ridley, Vereen and Brandon Bolden, it goes to figure that the Patriots are not going to be able to negotiate contracts for all three, so dumping Bolden now and training replacements for the other two is just smart business - though it is possible that Ridley and Vereen could be around beyond this year if their price is right.

Develin is looking more and more like a classic H-Back with his versatility, and will figure as a tight end as well as a fullback in this offense.

Tight Ends (2)

87 - Rob Gronkowski 
86 - Steve Maneri

Maneri added and Hoomanawanui subtracted from original projection

To say that the reason the Patriots are going to run with just two tight ends is because the position is being devalued in the offense is a bit of a misnomer.

The philosophy has changed, refocusing the personnel package from a fleet-of-foot matchup gimmick to a heavy, physical presence in support of the running game as the primary duty on their job description, with Gronkowski being one of the most feared receiving threats in the National Football League to boot.

Michael Hoomanawanui has been missing in action for weeks, and D. J. Williams was rolled up on last week and hasn't been seen since - and both are candidates for the IR, which means that Maneri sticks on the roster in his second attempt with the Patriots.  Maneri may have run an improper route in the Eagles game which resulted in Brady's pick-six, but he vindicated himself nicely with crisp blocking.

Develin and others make it possible to carry just two tight ends

Of course, there is also H-back James Develin who factors in here as well. Develin has been a bit of a revelation to Belichick's penchant for getting the most our of his players, and has been the Patriots' best all-around tight end in the preseason, albeit pretty much by default, but has soft hands and actually looks for people to run over as he turns upfield.

Receivers (8)

80 - Danny Amendola 
11 - Julian Edelman 
17 - Aaron Dobson 
19 - Brandon Lafell  
85 - Kenbrell Thompkins  
18 - Matthew Slater 
82 - Josh Boyce
84- Brian Tyms (suspended 4 games)

Added Tyms since original projection

Perhaps the most diverse set of weapons in the league.

With Dobson back in the fold and expected to be ready for week one, he seeks to join Amendola and Edelman as the top three weapons for Brady to throw to - but Brady has shown a chemistry with every pass catcher in camp and says that he trusts them.

Brady has a good rapport with all receivers

Edelman has evolved into an elite receiver through hard work and dedication to his craft, and runs such precise routes that even the great Darrelle Revis has a hard time covering him one-on-one - he sets the gold standard for the Patriots in practice and on the field.

Brady gushes about Lafell and Thompkins, but hasn't had the opportunity to target Tyms in a game as yet - and if that is going to happen, it will have to be this coming Friday because Brady won't play against the Giants and because Tyms is suspended for the first four games of the season.

Boyce has been very inconsistent, but has flashed in spots, so he should make the roster but can't afford the inconsistency going forward, because Tyms may well have passed him for sixth receiver, which would mean Boyce would be replaced upon Tyms' reinstatement.

The status of Dobson's foot and the thought that his conditioning will be an issue upon his return may upset this apple cart, otherwise, this is a solid group with a good mix of individual skill sets.

New addition Lafell is a veteran who understands coverages and where the sticks are, and could be in the mix at the "move" type tight end position.

Offensive Linemen (9)

77 - Nate Solder 
70 - Logan Mankins
76 - Sebatian Vollmer
63 - Dan Connolly
61 - Marcus Cannon
67 - Josh Kline
71 - Cameron Fleming (R)   
69 - Jon Halapio (R) 
65 - Jordan Devey 


Added Connolly since original projection

With the change in philosophy on offense that finds the tight end position no longer the primary focus, diversity along the offensive line is paramount.

In other words, if you can't slide in and back up at least one other area on the line other than your primary assignment, you are likely not going to find a roster spot on this team - which is why you won't find Ryan Wendell on this list.

Connolly (63) and Mankins (70) form a solid interior with Kline

Even with rookie Bryan Stork's status very much up in the air, even possibly to the IR with a designation to return, if Wendell can't win the starting center gig, he will be looking for work elsewhere because he is a center - and that's it.  Sure, he could try out right guard, but how many right guards does the team really need?

Connolly can still man his old position to the right of center should Wendell make a move, but there is still Kline, Devey, Cannon and Halapio to fill in, while Devey and Cannon have proven to be capable in spot duty at tackle as well...

...which is important, because from all appearances, starting tackles Solder and Vollmer and even Kline have shown an aptitude as tackle-eligible tight ends to provide more bulk in the running game, supplementing the thin depth at tight end - and with Devey having some tangible experience at the pivot as well, he could become sort of a Swiss army knife of the offensive line.


Defensive linemen (10)

50 - Rob Ninkovich 
75 - Vince Wilfork 
93 - Tommy Kelly 
95 - Chandler Jones 
99 - Michael Buchanan
74 - Dominique Easley (R) 
94 - Chris Jones 
96 - Sealver Siliga
71- Zach Moore (R)

Added Moore since original projection

If Sealver Siliga's hand or wrist injury involves a fracture, the recovery time frame involved will place him three to five weeks into the regular season, so the team must make a decision as to whether it keeps Siliga - who has proven his worth in filling in for Vince Wilfork last season - on the active roster and make him a game day inactive until he's ready to return, or place him on the IR.

Wilfork is clearly recovered, but there is no depth with Siliga out

If placed on the IR, the Patriots could give him their lone designation-to-return tag provided there isn't an injury to a starter that would severely limit the team, in which case Siliga would be lost for the season and his salary still counting against the cap.  One of these two options would open the door for Joe Vellano to stick with the team, particularly with Chris Jones also being hobbled but expected to be ready for the opener.

The Patriots have the built-in flexibility to switch between many different four and three man fronts, but in every case, they have no suitable backup for Wilfork, himself coming off a season-ending Achilles injury - so the best option for all involved would be to keep Siliga on the active roster.

And that is really the only question left to answer along the line, where the pecking order is pretty much set, though an injury may open the door for Vellano or veteran 4-3 defensive end Will Smith,  though his coaches in New Orleans thought of him as more of an outside linebacker and he hasn't really shown up as hoped in camp.

The trades for Brandon Bass and Jerel Worthy in separate transactions last week could have an impact on the depth, but for now their ambiguous injury status looks to have them stashed on the IR until 2015.

Linebackers (6)

54 - Dont'a Hightower 
91 - Jamie Collins 
51 - Jerod Mayo 
45 - Steve Beauharnais
44 - Darius Fleming
55 - James Anderson

No changes from original projection

Regardless of whether the Patriots line up in a 3-4 or 4-3, the starting linebackers are of the highest quality - but the depth behind them is very much subject to the scheme.

The team has always featured some 3-4 and nickle elements to their base 4-3 over the past few seasons, and they have players with enough versatility to pull off a switch to a primary three man front, and also on the second level, but it's an odd mix of tweeners as far as inside or outside designations.

Ninkovich and Hightower for an excellent strong side

Belichick has been running with Hightower and Collins on the interior of the 3-4 with Mayo and defensive end Rob Ninkovich on the wings - and it appears that Beauharnais and Fleming will be primary backups on the inside with Fleming also able to slide out to the strong side if needed.

James Anderson is the only other true weakside linebacker on the roster, but he is destined to be the nickle cover 'backer and actually is an all-around veteran talent that adds a lot of versatility to the scheme, and even manned the middle against the Redskins.

Cornerback Brandon Browner could also double as a nickle linebacker/safety hybrid - more commonly known as the Big Nickle - giving Belichick both an enforcer over the middle and the latitude to engage in some exotic blitz and rush packages with Hightower and / or Collins on passing downs. 

Corners (6)

24 - Darrelle Revis 
39 - Brandon Browner (suspended 4 games) 
26 - Logan Ryan 
37 - Alfonzo Dennard 
25 - Kyle Arrington 
29 - Malcolm Butler

No changes from original projection

Undrafted rookie free agent Malcolm Butler has pretty much assured himself a spot on the roster, though this is not going to be a typical depth chart.

Revis is a no-brainer at one outside spot, but the other is open to debate and conjecture.  Butler has taken over the spot opposite Revis in recent practices and started the game against Philadelphia - which actually gives Belichick even more latitude to hatch his evil plots each week, and more.

Harmon (30) is excellent at both safety spots

His emergence has aided Belichick in being able to turn his competition at safety into a full-blown reality show, with talented young cornerback Logan Ryan and grizzled slot corner Kyle Arrington both taking reps at strong, but Ryan is more suited for corner at this point, as he enjoys equal success both in the slot and on the wing.

Many are starting to see Brandon Browner for what he is, which is a unique hybrid between a cornerback and a cover 'backer who is a Big Nickle defensive back if there ever was one.  He has always been able to mask his lack of speed by using his long frame to shield receivers from the ball, but last season in Seattle was getting toasted by double moves down the sideline...

...but if allowed to stalk underneath as the second corner or nickle linebacker, it also gives Belichick the confidence to use Hightower and Collins in some exotic blitz packages.  Of course, he is on suspension for the first quarter of the season, so any daydreaming about such things are premature and based on the overall health of the defense.

A somewhat forgotten figure in this mix is incumbent starter Alfonzo Dennard, who is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, and the depth that exists at corner - even sans Browner - is enough to allow Dennard to fully recover at a pace that the team is comfortable with.

Safeties (4)

30 - Duron Harmon  
32 - Devin McCourty  
43 - Nate Ebner    
27 - Tavon Wilson 

Removed Jemea Thomas since original projection

Kyle Arrington is a real threat to make a career-enhancing move to strong safety.

The solid slot corner started the Philadelphia game, and though Belichick tried to discount the start to being just something that the circumstances dictated, it makes too much sense to not be real.  4.4 speed and quick-twitch change of direction skills mixed with heavy striking in run support equals strong safety.

Of course, that can't happen until Browner joins the team in week five - or can it?

Penciled in strong safety Duron Harmon is actually an outstanding candidate for to back up both safety spots as he is an instinctive and quick centerfielder, as he showed with authority in relief of Devin McCourty against the Eagles, which means that the last two safety spots can be reserved for a couple of core-four special teamers.

Nate Ebner should be one of the specialists as he always seemed to be involved in the heavy hitting and Tavon Wilson should take the other, unless his injury status impedes his progress, in which case Patrick Chung would be the choice.

Specialists (3)

6 - Ryan Allen 
3 - Stephen Gostkowski 
48 - Danny Aiken

Aiken wins out over Tyler Ott in the competition for long snapper, though Aiken will probably be on a short leash after his late season air mail struggles.  Allen and Gostkowski are as dependable as they come - though both had some shaky moments in the game against Philadelphia.

Offense: 26
Defense: 26
Specialists: 3 
Total: 55

Running game in focus for Patriots against Eagles - on both sides of the ball

Ah, Bill Belichick.  Will you ever be understood?

The answer to that is a resounding "probably not", which is sad since he gives us peeks into this psyche almost every time he speaks, though most people are so ingrained in their beliefs in what Patriots' football should be, that they can't see the forest through the trees.

And it's his fault, after all.  It was Bill Belichick that introduced us to the wonders of Randy Moss, Wes Welker and the brutal tight end-centric offense, then yanked them out from underneath us like a vaudeville magician would a tablecloth from beneath a place setting.

Don't expect Gronk on Friday night, but Revis will play

The laws of inertia were overwhelmed by the gravity of each player's circumstance.  Moss was traded after he began to exhibit conduct detrimental to the team.  Welker couldn't keep his mouth shut to save his life and took his sleazy act to Denver.  Aaron Hernandez couldn't resist shooting folks and ended up in La Pinta, and Rob Gronkowski kept breaking like cheap glass...

...each player becoming the fabled external force that disrupted the integrity of the offensive concept - and while it wasn't Belichick who committed these transgressions, it was he who brought them to our attention, brought them to Foxborough and piqued our interest with delusions of grandeur, then left us always wanting more.

So it is not surprising that fans still pine for these players - or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof, and summarily reject the notion that everything that the Patriots need to win a championship is already on the team.

But here's the thing, and there's really no way of getting around it: with those players of yore and the gimmick offenses that they were the center of, the Patriots have gone 6-5 in the playoffs, including 2-3 in five conference championship games and, of course, 0-2 in Super Bowls...

...and when you stop to consider that their regular season record during that time span is an astonishing and almost obscene 78-18, the numbers suggest that the Patriots went with style over substance since their last World Title, looking pretty and scoring almost at will in the regular season - but with a lack of substance against championship caliber teams, all it got them was a dismal 2-5 record in trophy games.

So when you see names like Dustin Keller on the street waiting for a tight end needy team to pick him, well, there's a reason why no one has.  There are more teams than just New England that needs tight end depth, and no one wants to take a chance - same with Jermichael Finley - and the Patriots' title teams carried tight ends that could do it all, but their primary responsibilities were in blocking for the power running game.

Those offenses weren't flashy - in fact they barely made a ripple in the style points - it was all about three yards and a cloud of dust setting up play action, and the offense was so balanced that they were almost impossible to defend, as evidenced by their 34-4 total record in their back-to-back title run in 2003-04, including winning 21 straight, an NFL record spanning regular season and playoffs.

Maneri represents a new tight end philosophy

The 2014 version of the New England Patriots are built upon the same principles as those title teams.  There are few big names and the offense is loaded with veteran professional pass catchers and a powerful corps of running backs - a grinding ball control offense that will be more methodical than flashy, but with the audacity and daring manner that enables a team to drive the field when its winning time on the biggest stage.

Remember those teams?

Tight end corps no longer the focus:

Tight ends?  Well, there's Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui and a constantly growing list of one night stands - and none of them a suitable compliment to the pass catchers already on the roster - because that's not what Belichick is looking for.  What he wants is beef, and that's all Patriots' fans will get on Friday night when New England hosts the Philadelphia Eagles.

Newly signed Steve Maneri and H-back James Develin are the only healthy "Tight ends" that New England will be able to scrape up for the team's second preseason game, and neither are what one might call a "natural" tight end.

Maneri comes to New England for a second stint, but his first as a tight end as he has since converted from an offensive tackle to what has amounted to being purely a blocking tight end for the past four seasons with a plethora of different teams, while Develin is a converted defensive end that has shown enough versatility as a fullback to warrant a look-see as an H-back.

Both are capable pass catchers but are seldom targeted, so expect the Patriots to showcase their power running game against the Eagles as both will be end-of-the-line supplements to New England's zone blocking scheme.

More mixing and matching along the offensive line:

In practices this week, both Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer have taken reps as tackle-eligible tight ends as well, with Marcus Cannon and rookie Cameron Fleming manning the left and right tackle positions, respectively, which pretty much sums up the rest of the offensive line.

There is little doubt that the opening night right tackle will be Vollmer and left guard will be capably manned by tough guy Logan Mankins, but everything else is up for grabs - especially at center and right guard, where we may need a program and a spotter to recognize who is on the field at any given time on Friday night.

Dan Connolly should start at center to give line a semblance of continuity and Josh Kline will probably start at right guard, but with regular left tackle Solder hobbled in Thursday's practice - as well as suffering through a dismal camp - Cannon will likely get the start in his stead.

Connolly should start at center...

Expect to see Jordan Devey in spot duty at guard, as well as Jon Halapio, with the intriguing road grader Fleming taking over for Vollmer when the team grinds out the running game.

How does Tyms look against better competition?

Receiver Brian Tyms burst onto the scene last week in Washington, albeit against second and third string competition, and the natural evolution would be to see him get some snaps with the first team as Belichick attempts to ascertain where the third-year deep threat fits into the concept.

With four legitimate pass catchers over the height of 6' 2" - Gronkowski at 6' 6", Aaron Dobson and Tyms at 6' 3" and Brandon Lafell at 6' 2" - Belichick has built a red zone nightmare in which he can spread out defenses with in an attempt to improve on last year's red zone efficiency, while 6' 1" Kenbrell Thompkins and 6' 0" speedster Josh Boyce join the aforementioned to help improve 3rd down efficiency.

Dobson (L) won't play but Thompkins and Boyce will have big roles

Munchkins Danny Amendola (5' 11") and Julian Edelman (5' 10") are pretty much locked in with just about an concept and are known quantities so don't expect them to play much beyond quarterback Tom Brady's snap count and, of course, don't expect Gronk or Dobson at all.

Don't sleep on rookie free agent Wilson Van Hooser who will see plenty of reps and is an Austin Collie-type possession receiver, and expect that James Develin and the running backs will see some balls coming their way as well.

How much does Brady play, and who replaces him when he comes out?

It will be nice to see Tom Brady running the offense for the first time this preseason, but how long we get to see it depends on the fluidity of the offense.

If the first team struggles to gain traction against the Eagles' defense, perhaps we see Brady and his cohorts play extended reps in trying to iron out whatever bugs that ail them, while smooth sailing may mean an early night for the sure-fire Hall of Fame signal caller.

But who replaces him in the game?  Ryan Mallett has been limited in practice this past week - in fact missing two practices - so it is difficult to determine how much he will play, if at all.  Rookie Jimmy Garoppolo has taken full advantage of his increased reps in practice and is looking to build upon the momentum he set in last week's loss to the Redskins...

...and when the circumstances collide, particularly if Mallett's knee is still an issue, that might mean that "Jimmy Football" will get some quality early snaps under center.

Running the ball and stopping the run.

With most of New England's starters along the offensive and defensive lines either taking the night off or hitting the showers early last Thursday, the Patriots could neither run the the ball on offense, nor stop the run on defense - so look for both to be in focus on Friday night against the Eagles.

Rookie runner White should see more opportunities

With it looking more and more like the Patriots keeping just three running backs on the roster this season to accommodate a larger than usual receiving corps, the top three - veterans Stevan Ridley and Shave Vereen along with rookie James White - look to be locked in with roster spots, so we expect a heavier dose of that trio than we saw against the Redskins.

The Redskins ran for 177 yards against New England's front seven last week, which at first glance is horrific, but it took them 44 carries to get there and most of that coming right up the gut.  The outside linebackers did a good job of setting the edge and funneling plays inside where the big bodies lurk...

...but without their big bodies, the Redskins manhandled the Patriots in the middle to the tune of five yards per carry as New England's tackles couldn't keep the guards off of the inside linebackers, causing Steve Beauharnais and James Anderson to have to shed blocks to get to the ball carrier instead of filling downhill - and the result would have been the same regardless of who was playing on the second level.

The issue being that the backups for starters Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly have been sidelined for the rest of the preseason with injuries, leaving third stringers to do the dirty work once those two leave the game - so any improvement in the run defense from last week will mean improvement among the reserves, and still should not be indicative of what the product will look like when game start to count.

Where, oh where do the defensive backs line up:

Right now, Darrelle Revis is a myth - like Sasquatch or the elusive chupacabra - as he has been spotted in and around Foxborough and even in uniform last week in Washington, but Patriots' fans have yet to see the creature on the field.

That should change on Friday night, and hopefully at full speed.

The uber-confident owner of his own island has little to prove, but will play at least a series or two before giving way to any number of reserve cornerbacks, any of whom are capable as Belichick has assembled perhaps the best cumulative group in the league.

The big story has been the emergence of Malcolm Butler, who has taken first-team reps opposite Revis in practice and started last week's preseason opener.  Of course, Butler's reps could be the result of Belichick rotating his veteran corners in and out of the safety corps as he attempts to get them acclimated with the role of the big nickle, but he has held his own regardless of whom he is matched against.

That said, who will start opposite Revis in this game is pretty much anyone's guess.  It could be Brandon Browner, though his best position is in the slot or as the big nickle covering tight ends.  It could be Logan Ryan, who struggled in Washington but has had a good week of practice against the Eagles.

Maybe it could even be Butler, who has earned the opportunity - but one thing is for sure: whoever it is should expect many balls coming at them with Revis on the other side.

Shift in defensive philosophy on display:

Jamie Collins showed last season that he can handle tight ends coming out into the pattern, and if this week's practices against the Eagles is any indication, he can also handle the better running backs in the league as well - which is important to remember, as the defense is undergoing a transition from a read-and-react entity to an aggressive, attacking unit.

Collins is a big part of that and is proving to potentially be one of the best cover linebackers ever seen in New England, and can play any position along the second level - either inside or out, though to limit him inside doesn't play to his strengths on the outside, where he can easily handle both the strong and weak sides.

This versatility is what makes it possible for the Patriots to run their big nickle, either in the 3-3-5 or 4-2-5 base - and we are likely to see that versatility on Friday night, particularly if Jerod Mayo isn't in the lineup.  Mayo typically lines up on the weak side and takes care of running backs in the pattern or in the flat, as does James Anderson - who is also not expected to play...

...so expect to hear Collins' name a lot, along with Darius Fleming's who will most likely man the strong side as well as play inside if the team goes to a 3-4 base against the run.

El Jefe Speaks - Belichick giving Wendell every chance to earn roster spot with Patriots

For those who think of Bill Belichick as cold and heartless, it is important for you to pay attention to the competition at center for his New England Patriots as the clock ticks down on the 2014 preseason - and not just on the field, but in his words.

You see, Belichick isn't quite as secretive as many bemoan him for, as he sometimes presents his statements and answers questions from the media in such a way as to offer clues to his psyche - a cryptic game of cat and mouse in which he bares his football soul for everyone to see, a sliver of tangible emotion in the middle of his penchant for innocuous soliloquy.

"Wendy" has a tough road ahead to make the Patriots' roster

Belichick can be quite terse with reporters - he seems to take great joy in giving the business to Albert Breer and Ron Borges, for example - but when a beat writer pops up with an intelligent and thought-provoking question that begs for elaboration, Belichick is more than accommodating.

Monday's pre-practice press conference was one of those times.

The competition at center in training camp has been of particular interest to those who are truly intrigued by the intricacies of the game, spurred by what was considered a down year along the offensive line and, in particular, the failure of the line to protect quarterback Tom Brady in the AFC Title game last January - though there were very conspicuous circumstances surrounding that debacle...

...such as Brady having one healthy receiver to throw to, which enabled the Denver Broncos to focus on shutting down the Patriots' running game by initially stacking the box, then pinning their ears back and overwhelming the offensive line with sheer numbers and heft.  They didn't stand a chance.

Even so, when New England offered incumbent center Ryan Wendell a middle-of-the-pack free agent contract worth $3.25 million over two years which included $850,000 in guaranteed money by way of a signing bonus, many pondered aloud what could have possessed Belichick to make such an investment in a player that had seemingly already reached his potential and was sliding back down.

But in late July he offered his perspective relative to popular opinion, and the responses that he gave waxed of sentiment.

"When Ryan first got here, he couldn’t even make our practice squad. He was a camp player, wasn’t on our practice squad at the beginning of the season." Belichick said, initiating a monologue that was as telling as anything heard from his mouth, perhaps ever. "We brought him back to the practice squad during his first year -  He has worked his way from there on to a consistent practice squad player to a roster player to playing more plays, or whatever it was, played as many plays as anybody in the league did."

"I’d say it’s been about as big of a progression as really any player could have, any player I’ve had or any player could have – maybe Steve Neal, but it’s the same kind of thing, guys that weren’t even on the practice squad that eventually became starting players in the NFL." Belichick continued. "That’s a pretty big jump. It took a lot of time, a lot of hard work and he’s certainly done his part and worked hard."

"He’s put in a lot of sweat equity himself and he’s got a good result to show for it. It’s a great story. It’s a great example of perseverance and dedication and hard work with good results; I love to see it."

Now, for a guy that usually has his emotions tucked into his sock like a challenge flag, that's a ringing endorsement - and also an excellent reason to continue to try and work with a player.

"As long as the player is improving you keep working with him and see how much more improvement they make. If they continue to improve then you continue to work with them." he said.  "At whatever point you think it’s kind of leveling off or you’ve reached the high water mark, then you have to decide whether that’s good enough."

But given the fact that Belichick selected a center in last May's draft - the Rimington Award winner from last season no less - and has had both Bryan Stork and right guard Dan Connolly taking the majority of first team reps in camp, has Wendell reached that point of leveling off?

That question won't be answered until the final cutdown of the Patriots' roster to 53 men - and even though it doesn't appear to be in the cards for the sixth-year Fresno State product, he certainly shouldn't be counted out - because it is clear from Belichick's statements that he wants "Wendy", as the dark master calls him, to step up and claim his job.

"I think every year you start all over again." Belichick opined.  "Certainly if we would have projected Ryan Wendell and Steve Neal their rookie years; none of us would have thought Brady for that matter. His rookie year, he didn’t do anything either. None of us would have thought that those guys would be the contributors they ended up being. That’s why we go out there and have training camp. That’s what competition is about. Sometimes you find out things differently."

For certain, it would be a sad day for Belichick if Wendell doesn't make the roster, but he has never shied away from moves that give him the best chance to compete on Sundays, difficult as they are at times - but one can be assured that there will be no sentiment in Belichick's decisions, and things could even reach the point where he does Wendell a favor by cutting him loose in time to latch on somewhere else...

...he's done it before with players that he's truly respected, and it's clear that Wendell fits that profile - but since it hasn't happened as yet means that the mercurial coach believes that he has a fighting chance at a roster spot, particularly with Stork's injury status being so ambiguous.

"We’re football players on a team." Belichick finished. "If a guy can improve and contribute to the team, then he’ll eventually have a role for the team."