The following is a rolling 54 man roster that will be updated as situations warrant. Generally there are but 53 players on an active NFL roster, but the Patriots have received an exemption from the NFL to carry an extra player in advance of Brandon Browner's four game suspension to begin the season. When Browner is reinstated for Week 5, he will be added to the active roster and the 54th man will be waived or an injured player can be placed on the IR.
Quarterbacks (2)
12 - Tom Brady
10 - Jimmy Garoppolo (R)
Yes,
only two quarterbacks. This is not to say that Ryan Mallett will be
traded, but the fact that he was limited in OTAs and in minicamp and is
wearing a brace on his left knee is a curious development. It is
entirely possible that he begin the season on the PUP list, then either
be activated just before the trade deadline or shut down for the season. He is in camp and still wearing the brace, so it is a situation to monitor.
Running Backs (5)
22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
28 - James White (R)
36 - Stephen Houston (R)
46 - James Develin
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.
Tight Ends (3)
87 - Rob Gronkowski
47 - Michael Hoomanawanui
45 - D. J. Williams
Gronkowski
appears to be on track for the start of the season, which clears up the
tight end picture a bit. While Gronk is an all-around force, Hooman is
a decent blocker and has shown good hands in his few targets, while
Williams has yet to realize the potential that intrigued the Packers
into drafting him as a "move" tight end. Rookie free agent Justin Jones
will probably find himself stashed away on the practice squad to refine
his raw skill and potential. H-back James Develin factors in here as
well.
Receivers (7)
80 - Danny Amendola
11 - Julian Edelman
17 - Aaron Dobson
19 - Brandon Lafell
85 - Kenbrell Thompkins
18 - Matthew Slater
82 - Josh Boyce
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. Boyce
and Slater figure prominently on special teams as well.
Offensive Linemen (8)
77 - Nate Solder
70 - Logan Mankins
76 - Sebatian Vollmer
61 - Marcus Cannon
67 - Josh Kline
71 - Cameron Fleming (R)
69 - Jon Halapio (R)
66 - Bryan Stork (R)
Noticeably
absent from this list are last season's starting center and right
guard, Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly - but either could stick as depth
should the Patriots decide to keep nine linemen. Stork should start
from Day one, as should Halapio with Fleming and Cannon providing depth
on the bookends and at guard in a pinch.
Defensive linemen (9)
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
90 - Will Smith
The duo of Wilfork and Siliga at the nose and the trifecta of Kelly, Chris Jones and Easley at the three-tech make the interior of the defensive line formidable, but questions remain regarding the depth at the ends. Ninkovich and Chandler Jones form a strong set of bookends, but it remains to be seen if Smith's knee can hold up and if Buchanan has gotten his strength back after a broken jaw two years ago sapped much of it along with 30 pounds. Hightower also figures in on the line as a five-tech nickle rusher.
Linebackers (6)
54 - Dont'a Hightower
91 - Jamie Collins
51 - Jerod Mayo
45 - Steve Beauharnais
44 - Darius Fleming
55 - James Anderson
It is possible that the veteran Smith could double up on the
roster at both end and strong side linebacker but a lot depends on the status of his wheels after recovering
from ACL surgery nearly a year ago. If he can,it may mean that someone like Fleming won't make the cut. Anderson is an all-around
veteran talent that adds a lot of versatility to the scheme.The coaching staff likes Beauharnais a lot, and he is also versatile enough to play in the middle or on the weak side.
Corners (6)
24 - Darrelle Revis
39 - Brandon Browner
26 - Logan Ryan
37 - Alfonzo Dennard
25 - Kyle Arrington
35 - Daxton Swanson
Swanson
is a wild card, and wins out over fellow rookie Malcolm Butler for the
sixth corner spot. Regardless of who actually wins out in camp, the top
five corners won't allow for many snaps to Swanson or whomever - that
is, once Browner returns to the team in week five.
Safeties (5)
30 - Duron Harmon
32 - Devin McCourty
23 - Patrick Chung
21 - Jemea Thomas (R)
27 - Tavon Wilson
Solid
group of safeties, with Chung brought back to be that intimidating
presence in the middle in the nickle and dime situations. Thomas is a
versatile athlete that is probably a better corner than safety, though
he played both in college. In fact, should Thomas find a spot on the
roster, his presence could eliminate one of the listed corners and make
room for a player at another level - such as another tight end, safety
or defensive lineman.
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.
Offense: 25
Defense: 26
Specialists: 3
Total: 54
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Patriots' Camp Preview - Fantasy Island: A "No Fly Zone" Where Three-And-Out Is A Way Of Life...
Editor's note: The following originally appeared on FirstStopFantasy.com...
Fun time: Let's pretend for a moment that Bill Belichick didn't go out and sign Darrelle Revis.
For sure, he would have drafted a top college corner and probably made a play for some other crappy free agent wingman, but his base corners would have been Logan Ryan and Alfonzo Dennard - which really isn't the worst thing in the world.
Ryan brings a swagger to the position that can't be coached and Dennard is full of true grit, posting a solid year opposite Aqib Talib despite playing with a torn meniscus and a separated shoulder, both of which required surgery to repair - and the crazy thing is, the meniscus was scoped in-season, and Dennard missed only one week.
Both posted double digits in passes defended and over 40 tackles - as did Kyle Arrington from the slot despite playing nearly the entire season with a partially torn adductor muscle, for which went under the knife this offseason. Add all of this together with Aqib Talib and his glass hip/quad/groin, and the Patriots' corners were a hurting unit the second half of last season.
Yet, they still managed a middle-of-the-pack ranking in both yards and interceptions despite opposing offenses targeting them nearly 600 times, a number that ranked them among the most picked on secondaries in the league. Of course, many factors go into those numbers but the bottom line is that New England's defense as a whole surrendered a respectable 21 points per game, good for a top 10 finish.
Oh, and they helped hold Peyton Manning and Denver's prolific scoring machine to "just" 26 points in the AFC Championship Game, which would have been good enough, had the offense not been just as injured.
A good chunk of those targets and that yardage came from the production underneath, however, as the Patriots' linebackers had no answer for the opposition's tight ends and running backs, Belichick finally sacrificing his pass rush somewhat by making his defensive ends chip those players before commencing getting after the quarterback...
...the obvious trickle down effect being more time for the enemy signal callers - sometimes seeming to have all day to throw the football - yet New England's pass rushers still finished in the top five in the NFL with 47 sacks.
And all of this with a pieced together interior line and missing their top coverage linebacker.
The team is once again intact and healthy, save Dennard's shoulder - which should heal before camp breaks - and, of course, Talib has left for "Greener" pastures and to be with his buddies Wes Welker and John Elway...
And, yes.
With everyone on the defense returning to full health, a combination of Ryan, Dennard and Arrington would have formed a decent, young stable of corners - not elite, though the potential is there for them to be very good - and combined with a solid starting duo at safety, the secondary could have more than held their own.
But the Patriots did sign Darrelle Revis, who is - by the admission of his peers - the best cornerback playing the game today. They also signed former CFL and Seattle Seahawks press corner Brandon Browner to transform what would have been a very good pass defense to one of the top troupes in the entire National Football League.
Darrelle Revis is the biggest free agent signing in the history of the franchise, but the scenario above should give pause to the folks that think he is a savior to this defense and to those on the opposite end of the spectrum who point out that he is just one season removed from an ACL tear.
But Revis' influence far exceeds merely shutting down one side of the field - and it would probably be safe to say that other than quarterback Tom Brady, only Revis and tight end Rob Gronkowski have a scheme altering consequence both for the team and for their opponents.
A true shutdown corner will make any defense better, but his very presence in the Patriots' secondary substantially influences how the Patriots' opponents attack the defense and adds a dynamic that has a trickle-down effect on the entire unit - and suddenly, New England has become one of the top units in the league.
His effect is not galvanizing, as the Patriots always are one of the more close-knit groups in football, nor is he the lynch pin that holds the unit together, and that's important to remember. He is merely a prodigality, a very talented and confident extravagance that will have a diffusing effect on the opposing offense and an edifying effect on the Patriots as a whole.
How offenses will choose to attack the Patriots' defense isn't really a choice, rather, it is being restricted to attacking certain areas of the field - a sort of compartmentalization wherein the offense is forced into operating through a window, and how wide open that window is depends on the supporting cast which, as has been already mentioned, is quite good.
In fact, the opportunity for Ryan, Dennard and Arrington to have career-type seasons is a real possibility, so long as they understand that they will have to play their best ball, because the ball will be coming their way, simply because to the opposing quarterback, they are the lesser of two evils.
This shrinks the field of play, which is a ballhawk's dream because the space between players is diminished and makes it easier for a cover corner to break on a ball, has an adverse effect on the receiver's yards after catch average and promotes the presence of the nickle safety to roam no man's land over the middle because the Patriots can run with a single high safety.
But Revis is just one of three quality free agents brought into the defensive fold who have an opportunity for a real impact in the passing game.
Browner was released by the Seahawks mostly due to his at-the-time year-long suspension - which has since been reduced to just four games - but also because he had been beaten out of his starting gig opposite Richard Sherman. This is not to say that Browner isn't still a fine player, but it became increasingly evident that his better fit was as a slot corner and/or nickle safety.
The three-time Canadian Football League All Star and 2011 NFL Pro Bowl selection has been blessed with great size - which he has been dining on for years - but has only linebacker-ish 4.65 speed, which doesn't allow for him to make up ground on receivers on the vertical if he loses them when looking back for the ball.
His 6' 4", 225 pound frame is as imposing as it gets as a defensive back - his physicality at the line of scrimmage promoting that even more - and it makes him a preferred key in red zone defense, but also for tracking tight ends and slot receivers across the middle. His instincts and violent intent in run support also mandates that his area of responsibility be closer to the line.
A side effect in Browner taking on the tight ends, running backs or slot receivers, is that it presents a measure of automomy for either the weak side or strong side linebacker, who will be freed up to close on the screen and set a solid edge against the run - or even blitz...
...and the crazy thing is that Browner isn't the only guy that Belichick signed that can bring that skill set as cover 'backer James Anderson, late of the Bears and Panthers, was signed with exactly those properties in mind.
Misused in every defensive scheme he's played in - usually due to injury in the front seven - Anderson has probably found a home in New England where he can finally show off that ridiculous 4.48 speed, disruptive blitz package and physical press cover ability as a nickle linebacker.
In fact, it is these three signings that tell one all they need to know about the identity of the Patriots' pass defense. Every single corner is at their best in physical press coverage, as are both Anderson and strong side linebacker Jamie Collins. The starting safeties, Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon are both solid over-the-top defenders, with Harmon an excellent filler in run support...
...and with the defensive ends not having to worry about chipping tight ends and flankers off the line, they can generate positive momentum and get to the quarterback just that much faster - plus it helps the run defense because now New England doesn't have to sacrifice a player from the box into coverage and, in fact, can stack the box without losing anything in coverage.
There is no sense in trying to pin a label on this defense, because it is so loaded with versatile talent that it could naturally morph into just about anything that it needed to be - and in the hands of a defensive genius like Bill Belichick, well, it becomes a weapon.
No? Well, consider that McCourty, Harmon and Ryan are all former Rutgers University teammates, forming a natural continuity, and all are established ball hawks in their own right - in fact, Ryan earned the nickname "Instant Offense" from his peers last season for his knack of getting to the football, either to knock it away or to just plain take it away - while Browner, Arrington and Chung are hard hitters that have caused their share of forced fumbles...
...and combined with the top shelf coverage skill displayed by each, naturally including Revis and Dennard, the Patriots' pass defense has the look of a unit that will be able to dictate to the opposition like no other team in franchise history - better even than in the championship years, better even than violent mid-70's defenses.
In fact, the Patriots' defense is so loaded that even the Fantasy Football perverts will climb aboard the bandwagon as New England looks to have the swagger of a potential top three unit. With the Patriots always promoting team unity above the individual, it appears that Revis Island has suddenly reclaimed enough metaphoric shore line that a new nickname is due...
...something like "Fantasy Island", where a No-fly-zone is always in effect and the term Three-and-out is a way of life.
This is Part six of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with parts seven and eight focusing on the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, how health in the front 7 will impact the entire defense the running game..
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first five pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Part 3: Running Back Competition Wide Open
Part 4: Nasty changes coming along offensive line
Part 5: X,Y or Z? Labels mean little to Patriots' enigmatic pass catchers
Fun time: Let's pretend for a moment that Bill Belichick didn't go out and sign Darrelle Revis.
For sure, he would have drafted a top college corner and probably made a play for some other crappy free agent wingman, but his base corners would have been Logan Ryan and Alfonzo Dennard - which really isn't the worst thing in the world.
Ryan brings a swagger to the position that can't be coached and Dennard is full of true grit, posting a solid year opposite Aqib Talib despite playing with a torn meniscus and a separated shoulder, both of which required surgery to repair - and the crazy thing is, the meniscus was scoped in-season, and Dennard missed only one week.
Yet, they still managed a middle-of-the-pack ranking in both yards and interceptions despite opposing offenses targeting them nearly 600 times, a number that ranked them among the most picked on secondaries in the league. Of course, many factors go into those numbers but the bottom line is that New England's defense as a whole surrendered a respectable 21 points per game, good for a top 10 finish.
Oh, and they helped hold Peyton Manning and Denver's prolific scoring machine to "just" 26 points in the AFC Championship Game, which would have been good enough, had the offense not been just as injured.
A good chunk of those targets and that yardage came from the production underneath, however, as the Patriots' linebackers had no answer for the opposition's tight ends and running backs, Belichick finally sacrificing his pass rush somewhat by making his defensive ends chip those players before commencing getting after the quarterback...
...the obvious trickle down effect being more time for the enemy signal callers - sometimes seeming to have all day to throw the football - yet New England's pass rushers still finished in the top five in the NFL with 47 sacks.
And all of this with a pieced together interior line and missing their top coverage linebacker.
The team is once again intact and healthy, save Dennard's shoulder - which should heal before camp breaks - and, of course, Talib has left for "Greener" pastures and to be with his buddies Wes Welker and John Elway...
And, yes.
With everyone on the defense returning to full health, a combination of Ryan, Dennard and Arrington would have formed a decent, young stable of corners - not elite, though the potential is there for them to be very good - and combined with a solid starting duo at safety, the secondary could have more than held their own.
But the Patriots did sign Darrelle Revis, who is - by the admission of his peers - the best cornerback playing the game today. They also signed former CFL and Seattle Seahawks press corner Brandon Browner to transform what would have been a very good pass defense to one of the top troupes in the entire National Football League.
Darrelle Revis is the biggest free agent signing in the history of the franchise, but the scenario above should give pause to the folks that think he is a savior to this defense and to those on the opposite end of the spectrum who point out that he is just one season removed from an ACL tear.
But Revis' influence far exceeds merely shutting down one side of the field - and it would probably be safe to say that other than quarterback Tom Brady, only Revis and tight end Rob Gronkowski have a scheme altering consequence both for the team and for their opponents.
A true shutdown corner will make any defense better, but his very presence in the Patriots' secondary substantially influences how the Patriots' opponents attack the defense and adds a dynamic that has a trickle-down effect on the entire unit - and suddenly, New England has become one of the top units in the league.
His effect is not galvanizing, as the Patriots always are one of the more close-knit groups in football, nor is he the lynch pin that holds the unit together, and that's important to remember. He is merely a prodigality, a very talented and confident extravagance that will have a diffusing effect on the opposing offense and an edifying effect on the Patriots as a whole.
How offenses will choose to attack the Patriots' defense isn't really a choice, rather, it is being restricted to attacking certain areas of the field - a sort of compartmentalization wherein the offense is forced into operating through a window, and how wide open that window is depends on the supporting cast which, as has been already mentioned, is quite good.
In fact, the opportunity for Ryan, Dennard and Arrington to have career-type seasons is a real possibility, so long as they understand that they will have to play their best ball, because the ball will be coming their way, simply because to the opposing quarterback, they are the lesser of two evils.
This shrinks the field of play, which is a ballhawk's dream because the space between players is diminished and makes it easier for a cover corner to break on a ball, has an adverse effect on the receiver's yards after catch average and promotes the presence of the nickle safety to roam no man's land over the middle because the Patriots can run with a single high safety.
But Revis is just one of three quality free agents brought into the defensive fold who have an opportunity for a real impact in the passing game.
Browner was released by the Seahawks mostly due to his at-the-time year-long suspension - which has since been reduced to just four games - but also because he had been beaten out of his starting gig opposite Richard Sherman. This is not to say that Browner isn't still a fine player, but it became increasingly evident that his better fit was as a slot corner and/or nickle safety.
The three-time Canadian Football League All Star and 2011 NFL Pro Bowl selection has been blessed with great size - which he has been dining on for years - but has only linebacker-ish 4.65 speed, which doesn't allow for him to make up ground on receivers on the vertical if he loses them when looking back for the ball.
His 6' 4", 225 pound frame is as imposing as it gets as a defensive back - his physicality at the line of scrimmage promoting that even more - and it makes him a preferred key in red zone defense, but also for tracking tight ends and slot receivers across the middle. His instincts and violent intent in run support also mandates that his area of responsibility be closer to the line.
A side effect in Browner taking on the tight ends, running backs or slot receivers, is that it presents a measure of automomy for either the weak side or strong side linebacker, who will be freed up to close on the screen and set a solid edge against the run - or even blitz...
...and the crazy thing is that Browner isn't the only guy that Belichick signed that can bring that skill set as cover 'backer James Anderson, late of the Bears and Panthers, was signed with exactly those properties in mind.
Misused in every defensive scheme he's played in - usually due to injury in the front seven - Anderson has probably found a home in New England where he can finally show off that ridiculous 4.48 speed, disruptive blitz package and physical press cover ability as a nickle linebacker.
In fact, it is these three signings that tell one all they need to know about the identity of the Patriots' pass defense. Every single corner is at their best in physical press coverage, as are both Anderson and strong side linebacker Jamie Collins. The starting safeties, Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon are both solid over-the-top defenders, with Harmon an excellent filler in run support...
...and with the defensive ends not having to worry about chipping tight ends and flankers off the line, they can generate positive momentum and get to the quarterback just that much faster - plus it helps the run defense because now New England doesn't have to sacrifice a player from the box into coverage and, in fact, can stack the box without losing anything in coverage.
There is no sense in trying to pin a label on this defense, because it is so loaded with versatile talent that it could naturally morph into just about anything that it needed to be - and in the hands of a defensive genius like Bill Belichick, well, it becomes a weapon.
No? Well, consider that McCourty, Harmon and Ryan are all former Rutgers University teammates, forming a natural continuity, and all are established ball hawks in their own right - in fact, Ryan earned the nickname "Instant Offense" from his peers last season for his knack of getting to the football, either to knock it away or to just plain take it away - while Browner, Arrington and Chung are hard hitters that have caused their share of forced fumbles...
...and combined with the top shelf coverage skill displayed by each, naturally including Revis and Dennard, the Patriots' pass defense has the look of a unit that will be able to dictate to the opposition like no other team in franchise history - better even than in the championship years, better even than violent mid-70's defenses.
In fact, the Patriots' defense is so loaded that even the Fantasy Football perverts will climb aboard the bandwagon as New England looks to have the swagger of a potential top three unit. With the Patriots always promoting team unity above the individual, it appears that Revis Island has suddenly reclaimed enough metaphoric shore line that a new nickname is due...
...something like "Fantasy Island", where a No-fly-zone is always in effect and the term Three-and-out is a way of life.
This is Part six of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with parts seven and eight focusing on the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, how health in the front 7 will impact the entire defense the running game..
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first five pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Part 3: Running Back Competition Wide Open
Part 4: Nasty changes coming along offensive line
Part 5: X,Y or Z? Labels mean little to Patriots' enigmatic pass catchers
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Patriots' Camp Preview - X, Y or Z? Labels Mean Little To Enigmatic Receiving Corps
Editor's note: The following article appeared originally as a contribution on FirstStopFantasy.com...
Bill Belichick is a leverage junkie.
He is also a master tactician who believes strongly in a roster that is fundamentally sound, featuring an offensive attack so diverse that with it he can dictate to the opposing defense with such a level of efficiency that they have no choice but to defend the entire field and hope that quarterback Tom Brady makes a mistake...
So imagine how he must have felt as piece after piece of his New England Patriots passing attack fell victim to injury last season, each incident reducing his leverage incrementally until, finally, his margin had evaporated to nothing.
That moment came in the AFC Championship Game, where his abrogated receiving corps featured just one healthy wide out, three that were working through injuries and one that had no business being a target - not to mention his starting tight ends were the less-than-imposing duo of Michael Hoomanawanui and Matthew Mulligan...
...while running back Shane Vereen and his soft cast managed to hang onto five passes to go with Julian Edelman's game-high ten, thrice-cut concussion-in-waiting Austin Collie pulled down four, but no one else had more than two - all while Brady was getting his ass handed to him by the Broncos' pass rush.
So eviscerated was his corps of pass catchers that at one point Brady was reduced to lobbing footballs at special teams' captain Matthew Slater - who has exactly one pass reception in six full seasons with the Patriots - while starting receivers Aaron Dobson and Danny Amendola were held in check, nursing a fractured foot and a torn adductor, respectively.
How Belichick's Patriots came to that moment isn't as important as the knowledge that, with health, the Patriots had plenty enough talent amongst the pass catchers to contend for a title, so there really was no need for wholesale changes, nor to bring in that one dynamic and expensive free agent that would "Put them over the top" - but to properly understand this, one must also have a grasp in the roots of their offensive system.
As we know from the first three parts of this series, in the mid-1970's, Ron Erhart and Ray Perkins designed a system under Patriots' head coach Chuck Fairbanks that allowed the team to transform into anything that it needed to be, so long as there was a competent quarterback running the show - running very basic plays from very basic formations, but with emphasis on the quarterback identifying the mismatches in the defense from the line of scrimmage and getting his supporting cast in their proper positions...
...calling for play action set up by a power running game, as the philosophy was designed to give the Patriots' offense the advantage in the often-poor weather conditions that New England is famous for - and at it's best would enable the Patriots to build early leads then stomp on their opponents collective throat with their devastating ground attack.
So when Belichick took over at the turn of the century, he and offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss installed their own revised version of that antiquated staple that featured a five-wide spread offense to maximize mismatches in the opposing secondaries and to take advantage of rapidly expanding rules favoring the passing game.
Initially, the running game still had a prominent place in the attack, but once Corey Dillon retired following the 2006 season, the once powerful ground game became little more than a change of pace to throw at a defense to keep their safeties from going off on their receivers - rendering the offense one dimensional without that power running game that took the heat off of Brady and off of the receivers.
The receivers were competent and the quarterback was excellent, but without that grinding running game the offense - which set scoring records and received many accolades during the regular seasons - consistently fell short in the playoffs.
Why? Because the Patriots lacked the ability to make the opposing defense to defend the entire field.
It has happened every single season for the past decade, varying from the core concept that made the turn of the century teams so difficult to defend - whether it was the teams focused on the vertical game or the teams that were tight end-centric, the Patriots' lacked the ability to dictate to the defense.
Last offseason, they had the players to foster that ability, the result of four years of turning over the roster with the focus on returning to the fundamental excellence that gained the Patriots three World Titles in four seasons - but a series of arcane incidents laid waste to his plans.
When the Patriots selected tight end Rob Gronkowski out of the University of Arizona with their second round draft pick in 2010 and then Aaron Hernandez in the fourth, Belichick started a process that would see every position on the team's depth chart turn over in the space of four seasons, all the while being able to maintain dominance over the AFC East.
A little hard to believe, but true. In those four seasons starting with Gronkowski and Hernandez, Belichick doubled up on every level of his team - the result being that he has caused nearly full spectrum attrition, with only Brady, Julian Edelman, Sebastian Vollmer and Logan Mankins surviving the purge on offense.
Rarely would you find a coach or general manager doubling up on certain positions with early round draft capital the way Belichick has, as a year later he did the same thing at running back by selecting Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen on the second day and then in 2012 he repeated the trend with defensive ends Chandler Jones and Jake Bequette...
...and then last season doubling up at wide receiver (and at defensive back), completing a five year overhaul this offseason with three offensive linemen and, perhaps, their quarterback of the future - and no sane person does something like that, particularly with top end draft capital, without having a plan.
That plan, of course, is to force the defense to respect all facets of the attack, since the team had fallen so far off of the intended course that they suddenly had no identity.
Belichick tried to corner the market with the Gronkowski and Hernandez gimmick, but due first to injury and then to dark malfeasance, that innovative scheme crumbled right before his eyes, but even in his most vivid and wildest nightmares he could not have imagined that every warning sign and red flag that arose from the scouting process for both would manifest in an arcane series of felony and injury.
The intelligence was all very public - Hernandez was a dope fiend with an affinity for drink and firearms that not even University of Florida coach Urban Meyer nor teammate Tim Tebow could influence, while Gronkowski's back was so gnarled that he was limited to all of 16 games in his career at Arizona before opting to declare for the NFL Draft after his junior season.
But the prospect of unleashing those two within the Patriots' offensive concept was a hard thing to argue with at the time, and for a while it appeared that both would rise above their less-than-stellar scouting reports, prompting Belichick and team owner Bob Kraft to make them the richest set of tight ends in football history...
...but then Hernandez went on a murderous rampage while Gronkowski's twisted spine had team trainers working endlessly to keep him on the field, until a broken forearm essentially ended his 2012 season and put his 2013 season in serious jeopardy with multiple surgeries to the arm to install plates and combat infection - and while they were at it, the team went ahead and had a procedure done on his back to relieve his painful symptoms.
As it turns out, Gronkowski played in eight games in 2013, racking up some impressive numbers, all while wearing a brace that doubled as a soft cast on his forearm - which worked like a charm but couldn't protect his knee from Cleveland Safety T. J. Ward who went low and dirty on Gronkowski, shredding his ACL and MCL and causing little daggers to come flying out of Belichick's eyeballs.
Yet despite all of this, and in addition to quarterback Tom Brady working with receivers that were either inexperienced or injured or both, the Patriots managed a top 10 finish in total offense and a top three ranking in scoring offense - and the reason for that, as it has been for most of Belichick's reign, is the offensive concept.
Gronkowski is indeed a rare talent, one of the very few actual "Stars" in the Foxborough fold, and his presence means just as much for the success of the team than his absence means for their failures. With him in the line up, Gronkowski demands constant double teams, which means that he will take - at a minimum - a linebacker and a safety up the seam with him...
...leaving the box light and the wide receivers with only single coverage to beat - meaning, of course, that Gronkowski is just as lethal a weapon as a decoy as he is with his sure hands in the pattern - but his influence starts long before the ball is snapped, as Gronkowski is a powerful and devastating blocker in the running game and it is up to the defense to try and figure out if he's staying in to block, releasing into the pattern or chipping at the line and floating into the flat.
This causes the defense to become reactionary instead of attacking, giving Brady not only more options on the play call, but also the extra split second for his primary target to work his way open off the jam.
Hernandez was the initial beneficiary of the Gronkowski phenomena, but with the tight end-centric philosophy now on life support, the Patriots have taken the aforementioned measures to ensure that the only thing that has dominion over the playbook is in how Belichick decides to attack a certain foe as part of his normal opponent-specific game planning.
There is a limit to the effectiveness of the scheme, however, but it involves taking so many debilitating losses in the battle of attrition that there just aren't enough weapons to dictate terms to the defense - which happens to a Belichick coached team very rarely, but with last January's AFC Championship Game a perfect example.
With receivers Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce done for the season along with Gronkowski - and pass catchers Danny Amendola and Aaron Dobson clearly limited due to injury, Brady went in to the title tilt with just one healthy core receiver in "Minitron" Julian Edelman and a clear downgrade at tight end with try-hard Michael Hoomanawanui.
So under-manned was New England that all the Denver Broncos had to do was stop the Patriots' power running game by stacking the box and daring Brady to throw to his afflicted receiving corps - and even though Brady managed to make a game of it briefly in the fourth quarter, he did so against a Broncos' defense that was in full prevent mode.
So with human nature being what it is, at the start of the offseason many fans were screaming for Belichick to go deep with veteran receivers and tight ends in free agency, forgetting that the pass catching corps was already loaded with talent that fit the scheme and would have a full six months to recover from their injuries - bringing in only Carolina Panthers' possession receiver Brandon Lafell in free agency...
...which was ok until the draft yielded only a seventh round garden gnome at wide receiver and no tight ends at all - instead, Belichick went heavy to bolster his running game by bringing in three road-grading linemen and a Danny Woodhead type runner that could end up being the team's "featured back", such as it is in the Patriots' scheme.
Belichick doesn't select players from the draft or in free agency to mold the offense around any longer, he selects players that have exhibited the smarts and versatility to grasp his conceptual scheme, which in turn opens up his playbook to any and all possibilities, not limiting himself to labels such as "Deep threat" or "slot receiver" or "Red Zone threats", as he is able to incorporate all of these onto the field regardless of the personnel on the field.
Labels are limiting in his offense, so while many jump on the bandwagon of every free agent or talent considered to be trade bait, most of them don't possess the requisite versatility, either because they are one dimensional or are coming off debilitating injury - passing on them to employ players of whom the system can get the most out of.
So in lay terms, Edelman and Amendola would be considered slot receivers, Dobson and Boyce the speed merchants that are vertical threats and Thompkins and Lafell possession receivers that operate more on the intermediate to downfield levels - but the truth is that all of them are able to line up anywhere in the formation with equal success. Same with most of the running backs, as we will see Shane Vereen, and rookies James White and perhaps Stephen Houston line up all over the formation.
It's a diverse lot so far as the size and speed that they bring to the field, but because of their versatility, Brady can put a defense back on their heels and take advantage of the deficiencies on the opposing defense simply by barking out a concept from the line of scrimmage, no matter who he has on the field.
Each and every player is required to know where every one of their teammates are supposed to be in any particular formation, made simpler by packaging several "Window Dressing" looks into a single concept - and since all the players are trained from day one to know what route each position is supposed to run, all they need to know is where Brady wants them in the formation and they'll know what to do.
They are that versatile, and together with Gronkowski and the twin passing backs in Vereen and White, Brady will be able to make the defense feel as if they are in the wrong formation every time - even if they are in the right one - with what is going to appear to be a seemingly endless parade of personnel packages and formations.
Even so, some fans and media are still clamoring for Belichick to mortgage the franchise's future for a game-breaking receiver and to take on one of two tight ends coming off of devastating injuries, but the fact is that the offense is already loaded and, with reasonable health, can be anything that it needs to be each week...
...with Lafell being the only import worth mention, because he embodies what Belichick is looking for in players for his system. Two-thirds of his offensive snaps with Carolina came out of the slot, from where he was able to stretch the seam with his height and more than adequate speed. He is also an accomplished and willing blocker both inline and down the field, which adds yet another layer to the excellent depth.
As a direct result, much of the intrigue has been taken out of the camp battles on offense so far as the pass catching positions are concerned, where the only likely turnover is in the backfield, and shouldn't impact the receiving corps at all.
That said, The Patriots locked in on the roster likely include Edelman, Amendola, Lafell, Thompkins, Dobson and Boyce while the stable of tight ends should include Gronkowski, Hoomanawanui and H-back James Develin - with running backs Vereen and White joining in the fun out of the backfield at any given time.
Of course, injuries could play a part in one of the fringe players finding their way onto the roster, but entering camp only Dobson is not fully healed and is on the PUP list, and can come off of the list at any time.
This is Part five of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with parts six, seven and eight focusing on the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, how the changes in the secondary will impact the entire defense..
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first four pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Part 3: Running Back Competition Wide Open
Part 4: Nasty changes coming along offensive line
Bill Belichick is a leverage junkie.
He is also a master tactician who believes strongly in a roster that is fundamentally sound, featuring an offensive attack so diverse that with it he can dictate to the opposing defense with such a level of efficiency that they have no choice but to defend the entire field and hope that quarterback Tom Brady makes a mistake...
So imagine how he must have felt as piece after piece of his New England Patriots passing attack fell victim to injury last season, each incident reducing his leverage incrementally until, finally, his margin had evaporated to nothing.
That moment came in the AFC Championship Game, where his abrogated receiving corps featured just one healthy wide out, three that were working through injuries and one that had no business being a target - not to mention his starting tight ends were the less-than-imposing duo of Michael Hoomanawanui and Matthew Mulligan...
...while running back Shane Vereen and his soft cast managed to hang onto five passes to go with Julian Edelman's game-high ten, thrice-cut concussion-in-waiting Austin Collie pulled down four, but no one else had more than two - all while Brady was getting his ass handed to him by the Broncos' pass rush.
So eviscerated was his corps of pass catchers that at one point Brady was reduced to lobbing footballs at special teams' captain Matthew Slater - who has exactly one pass reception in six full seasons with the Patriots - while starting receivers Aaron Dobson and Danny Amendola were held in check, nursing a fractured foot and a torn adductor, respectively.
How Belichick's Patriots came to that moment isn't as important as the knowledge that, with health, the Patriots had plenty enough talent amongst the pass catchers to contend for a title, so there really was no need for wholesale changes, nor to bring in that one dynamic and expensive free agent that would "Put them over the top" - but to properly understand this, one must also have a grasp in the roots of their offensive system.
As we know from the first three parts of this series, in the mid-1970's, Ron Erhart and Ray Perkins designed a system under Patriots' head coach Chuck Fairbanks that allowed the team to transform into anything that it needed to be, so long as there was a competent quarterback running the show - running very basic plays from very basic formations, but with emphasis on the quarterback identifying the mismatches in the defense from the line of scrimmage and getting his supporting cast in their proper positions...
...calling for play action set up by a power running game, as the philosophy was designed to give the Patriots' offense the advantage in the often-poor weather conditions that New England is famous for - and at it's best would enable the Patriots to build early leads then stomp on their opponents collective throat with their devastating ground attack.
So when Belichick took over at the turn of the century, he and offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss installed their own revised version of that antiquated staple that featured a five-wide spread offense to maximize mismatches in the opposing secondaries and to take advantage of rapidly expanding rules favoring the passing game.
Initially, the running game still had a prominent place in the attack, but once Corey Dillon retired following the 2006 season, the once powerful ground game became little more than a change of pace to throw at a defense to keep their safeties from going off on their receivers - rendering the offense one dimensional without that power running game that took the heat off of Brady and off of the receivers.
The receivers were competent and the quarterback was excellent, but without that grinding running game the offense - which set scoring records and received many accolades during the regular seasons - consistently fell short in the playoffs.
Why? Because the Patriots lacked the ability to make the opposing defense to defend the entire field.
It has happened every single season for the past decade, varying from the core concept that made the turn of the century teams so difficult to defend - whether it was the teams focused on the vertical game or the teams that were tight end-centric, the Patriots' lacked the ability to dictate to the defense.
Last offseason, they had the players to foster that ability, the result of four years of turning over the roster with the focus on returning to the fundamental excellence that gained the Patriots three World Titles in four seasons - but a series of arcane incidents laid waste to his plans.
When the Patriots selected tight end Rob Gronkowski out of the University of Arizona with their second round draft pick in 2010 and then Aaron Hernandez in the fourth, Belichick started a process that would see every position on the team's depth chart turn over in the space of four seasons, all the while being able to maintain dominance over the AFC East.
A little hard to believe, but true. In those four seasons starting with Gronkowski and Hernandez, Belichick doubled up on every level of his team - the result being that he has caused nearly full spectrum attrition, with only Brady, Julian Edelman, Sebastian Vollmer and Logan Mankins surviving the purge on offense.
Rarely would you find a coach or general manager doubling up on certain positions with early round draft capital the way Belichick has, as a year later he did the same thing at running back by selecting Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen on the second day and then in 2012 he repeated the trend with defensive ends Chandler Jones and Jake Bequette...
...and then last season doubling up at wide receiver (and at defensive back), completing a five year overhaul this offseason with three offensive linemen and, perhaps, their quarterback of the future - and no sane person does something like that, particularly with top end draft capital, without having a plan.
That plan, of course, is to force the defense to respect all facets of the attack, since the team had fallen so far off of the intended course that they suddenly had no identity.
Belichick tried to corner the market with the Gronkowski and Hernandez gimmick, but due first to injury and then to dark malfeasance, that innovative scheme crumbled right before his eyes, but even in his most vivid and wildest nightmares he could not have imagined that every warning sign and red flag that arose from the scouting process for both would manifest in an arcane series of felony and injury.
The intelligence was all very public - Hernandez was a dope fiend with an affinity for drink and firearms that not even University of Florida coach Urban Meyer nor teammate Tim Tebow could influence, while Gronkowski's back was so gnarled that he was limited to all of 16 games in his career at Arizona before opting to declare for the NFL Draft after his junior season.
But the prospect of unleashing those two within the Patriots' offensive concept was a hard thing to argue with at the time, and for a while it appeared that both would rise above their less-than-stellar scouting reports, prompting Belichick and team owner Bob Kraft to make them the richest set of tight ends in football history...
...but then Hernandez went on a murderous rampage while Gronkowski's twisted spine had team trainers working endlessly to keep him on the field, until a broken forearm essentially ended his 2012 season and put his 2013 season in serious jeopardy with multiple surgeries to the arm to install plates and combat infection - and while they were at it, the team went ahead and had a procedure done on his back to relieve his painful symptoms.
As it turns out, Gronkowski played in eight games in 2013, racking up some impressive numbers, all while wearing a brace that doubled as a soft cast on his forearm - which worked like a charm but couldn't protect his knee from Cleveland Safety T. J. Ward who went low and dirty on Gronkowski, shredding his ACL and MCL and causing little daggers to come flying out of Belichick's eyeballs.
Yet despite all of this, and in addition to quarterback Tom Brady working with receivers that were either inexperienced or injured or both, the Patriots managed a top 10 finish in total offense and a top three ranking in scoring offense - and the reason for that, as it has been for most of Belichick's reign, is the offensive concept.
Gronkowski is indeed a rare talent, one of the very few actual "Stars" in the Foxborough fold, and his presence means just as much for the success of the team than his absence means for their failures. With him in the line up, Gronkowski demands constant double teams, which means that he will take - at a minimum - a linebacker and a safety up the seam with him...
...leaving the box light and the wide receivers with only single coverage to beat - meaning, of course, that Gronkowski is just as lethal a weapon as a decoy as he is with his sure hands in the pattern - but his influence starts long before the ball is snapped, as Gronkowski is a powerful and devastating blocker in the running game and it is up to the defense to try and figure out if he's staying in to block, releasing into the pattern or chipping at the line and floating into the flat.
This causes the defense to become reactionary instead of attacking, giving Brady not only more options on the play call, but also the extra split second for his primary target to work his way open off the jam.
Hernandez was the initial beneficiary of the Gronkowski phenomena, but with the tight end-centric philosophy now on life support, the Patriots have taken the aforementioned measures to ensure that the only thing that has dominion over the playbook is in how Belichick decides to attack a certain foe as part of his normal opponent-specific game planning.
There is a limit to the effectiveness of the scheme, however, but it involves taking so many debilitating losses in the battle of attrition that there just aren't enough weapons to dictate terms to the defense - which happens to a Belichick coached team very rarely, but with last January's AFC Championship Game a perfect example.
With receivers Kenbrell Thompkins and Josh Boyce done for the season along with Gronkowski - and pass catchers Danny Amendola and Aaron Dobson clearly limited due to injury, Brady went in to the title tilt with just one healthy core receiver in "Minitron" Julian Edelman and a clear downgrade at tight end with try-hard Michael Hoomanawanui.
So under-manned was New England that all the Denver Broncos had to do was stop the Patriots' power running game by stacking the box and daring Brady to throw to his afflicted receiving corps - and even though Brady managed to make a game of it briefly in the fourth quarter, he did so against a Broncos' defense that was in full prevent mode.
So with human nature being what it is, at the start of the offseason many fans were screaming for Belichick to go deep with veteran receivers and tight ends in free agency, forgetting that the pass catching corps was already loaded with talent that fit the scheme and would have a full six months to recover from their injuries - bringing in only Carolina Panthers' possession receiver Brandon Lafell in free agency...
...which was ok until the draft yielded only a seventh round garden gnome at wide receiver and no tight ends at all - instead, Belichick went heavy to bolster his running game by bringing in three road-grading linemen and a Danny Woodhead type runner that could end up being the team's "featured back", such as it is in the Patriots' scheme.
Belichick doesn't select players from the draft or in free agency to mold the offense around any longer, he selects players that have exhibited the smarts and versatility to grasp his conceptual scheme, which in turn opens up his playbook to any and all possibilities, not limiting himself to labels such as "Deep threat" or "slot receiver" or "Red Zone threats", as he is able to incorporate all of these onto the field regardless of the personnel on the field.
Labels are limiting in his offense, so while many jump on the bandwagon of every free agent or talent considered to be trade bait, most of them don't possess the requisite versatility, either because they are one dimensional or are coming off debilitating injury - passing on them to employ players of whom the system can get the most out of.
So in lay terms, Edelman and Amendola would be considered slot receivers, Dobson and Boyce the speed merchants that are vertical threats and Thompkins and Lafell possession receivers that operate more on the intermediate to downfield levels - but the truth is that all of them are able to line up anywhere in the formation with equal success. Same with most of the running backs, as we will see Shane Vereen, and rookies James White and perhaps Stephen Houston line up all over the formation.
It's a diverse lot so far as the size and speed that they bring to the field, but because of their versatility, Brady can put a defense back on their heels and take advantage of the deficiencies on the opposing defense simply by barking out a concept from the line of scrimmage, no matter who he has on the field.
Each and every player is required to know where every one of their teammates are supposed to be in any particular formation, made simpler by packaging several "Window Dressing" looks into a single concept - and since all the players are trained from day one to know what route each position is supposed to run, all they need to know is where Brady wants them in the formation and they'll know what to do.
They are that versatile, and together with Gronkowski and the twin passing backs in Vereen and White, Brady will be able to make the defense feel as if they are in the wrong formation every time - even if they are in the right one - with what is going to appear to be a seemingly endless parade of personnel packages and formations.
Even so, some fans and media are still clamoring for Belichick to mortgage the franchise's future for a game-breaking receiver and to take on one of two tight ends coming off of devastating injuries, but the fact is that the offense is already loaded and, with reasonable health, can be anything that it needs to be each week...
...with Lafell being the only import worth mention, because he embodies what Belichick is looking for in players for his system. Two-thirds of his offensive snaps with Carolina came out of the slot, from where he was able to stretch the seam with his height and more than adequate speed. He is also an accomplished and willing blocker both inline and down the field, which adds yet another layer to the excellent depth.
As a direct result, much of the intrigue has been taken out of the camp battles on offense so far as the pass catching positions are concerned, where the only likely turnover is in the backfield, and shouldn't impact the receiving corps at all.
That said, The Patriots locked in on the roster likely include Edelman, Amendola, Lafell, Thompkins, Dobson and Boyce while the stable of tight ends should include Gronkowski, Hoomanawanui and H-back James Develin - with running backs Vereen and White joining in the fun out of the backfield at any given time.
Of course, injuries could play a part in one of the fringe players finding their way onto the roster, but entering camp only Dobson is not fully healed and is on the PUP list, and can come off of the list at any time.
This is Part five of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with parts six, seven and eight focusing on the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, how the changes in the secondary will impact the entire defense..
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first four pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Part 3: Running Back Competition Wide Open
Part 4: Nasty changes coming along offensive line
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Patriots' Camp Preview: Nasty Changes Coming Along Offensive Line
Editor's note: The following article appeared originally as a contribution on FirstStopFantasy.com..
Many fans have never heard of the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award.
Which is too bad, because short of an individual player receiving a Pro Bowl invite or being selected to the NFL's All Pro team, it is the only award that recognizes excellence among offensive linemen - but while the Pro Bowl and All Pro teams recognize players who are best at their individual position, the Madden Award is centered on the play of a team's entire offensive line.
And with the New England Patriots known for eschewing individual accomplishments to focus on the success of the team, there could be no higher praise for the Patriots' "Big Uglies".
Presented annually by former Oakland Raiders' coach John Madden to the best offensive line in the NFL, the 102 pound trophy once resided in Foxborough - after the 2010 season when four of the five current starters along the Patriots' offensive line helped the offense become the highest scoring in the league and allowed just 25 sacks while finishing in the top 10 in total yards and rushing yards...
...and finishing the following year as the runners up to the New Orleans Saints - but despite the best efforts of the coaching staff, the line began to erode, sometimes due to injury, but mostly because the Patriots were relying on try-hard interior brutes that were serviceable, but athletically limited....
...and if 2013 taught us anything, it is that serviceable and athletically limited just aren't going to cut it any longer.
Segregated from the players that are tasked with advancing the football by the words "Skill Position", offensive linemen are generally looked upon as interchangeable parts, and the salaries paid to them - despite playing what are some of the most physically demanding positions on the field - play into that generalization.
But just like any other position, players that are drafted to play along the offensive line fit into a tight rookie pay scale and have their opportunity after their rookie contracts expire to earn a pay raise - but in turn they are also still vulnerable to that same rookie pay scale, as the scale itself promotes turnover at the positions every four years.
Some, such as left guard Logan Mankins and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer, have risen above that bias toward the cheap and earned significant pay raises as tenured veterans, and left tackle Nate Solder will be in line for a protracted pay increase after he plays out his team option in 2015...
...even some undrafted free agents find their way into the millionaire's club by working their way into the starting lineup and playing through injury. Either way it happens, linemen earn every penny of their pay - and all one has to do is to look at the Patriots' salary cap to understand how much they value the men who battle in the trenches.
The incumbent linemen from last season hold down five of the top twenty salaries on the team, and if you add in other positions on the team that typically engage in hand-to-hand combat along the line of scrimmage - tight ends and defensive linemen - that number doubles, but when being just serviceable and athletically limited come into play, the salary structure becomes skewed.
So it doesn't take a genius to figure out why coach Bill Belichick cashed in three of his draft chips for offensive linemen in May's draft, all of them at positions where the team can simply use an upgrade and/or quality depth, with the potential for significant salary cap savings as well.
Individually, there is nothing remarkable about any of the draft picks, as all were projected third day selections, but as we know from studying the Erhardt-Perkins' offensive philosophy, there is no random pick that Belichick hopes will fit the scheme, he selects players from a very shallow pool of players that he feels, from long experience, will be successful it.
With that said, what exactly are we supposed to think when Belichick takes three surly-tempered behemoths with consecutive picks between the 4th and 6th rounds, with only an ankle-breaking, potential three-down running back breaking the trend - and particularly when every one of them came from schools that employ multiple man/zone blocking schemes?
The competition along the offensive line in training camp is positioned to be the most spirited in recent memory, with incumbent center Ryan Wendell and lunchpail-type right guard Dan Connelly particularly in focus, as their play in 2013 dropped off significantly from their previous campaigns, only two years removed from being part of what was considered one of the best offensive lines in the game.
Wendell is simply undersized at 6' 2" and 300 pounds, and while his run blocking is still exceptional, he has become increasingly exposed in pass protection, unable at times to properly anchor and getting shoved around at the pivot by bigger nose tackles - and where quarterbacks have this thing about not being able to throw the football effectively with large human beings impeding their line of sight, or even knocking them on their butts, this is a bad thing.
In fact, things got so bad that Brady started calling more and more play action out of the stretch, which enabled the mostly immobile signal caller to set up shop to the left or right of center - and with a defensive lineman's natural instinct to rush toward the flow of the ball, the ploy set up double teams at the point with either Connolly or grizzled veteran Logan Mankins providing the bracket.
As the weather turned ugly and cold, Wendell's deficiencies in pass protection became masked somewhat as the Patriots turned to their power running game and rendering the opposing defensive line to a less aggressive posture and giving him an extra split second to anchor.
But despite the late success, Wendell was absolutely mauled in the AFC Championship Game in freakish 60 degree weather in Denver, when New England's receiving corps were so broken that the Broncos simply lined up in their base defense to stop the run and dared Brady to pass - and when he did, he took a brutal beating from the interior pass rush.
If the Patriots are to move past this ugly trend, health and balance on offense is paramount - but neither of these are guaranteed and Belichick just can't afford to take that chance. Changes have to be made.
Connolly is actually a better option at center - he took over at the pivot when Dan Koppen went down with a broken ankle in 2011and performed well enough to allow the team to cut Koppen in training camp the following season - but when enigmatic right guard Brain Waters refused to report to Patriots' training camp after a Pro Bowl season in 2012, Connolly was forced to slide to the right, and Wendell took over at center.
That's the way the line has looked since, with twin 6' 8", 320 pound Pro Bowl-quality tackles in Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer, the perennial All Pro Mankins manning left guard and the combination of Wendell and Connolly accounting for the the rest of the interior...
...and while the team already has a potential starter in Marcus Cannon to plug in at right guard so Connolly could slide back to center, Cannon is much too valuable a swing tackle and capable interior reserve to be tied down to one spot, though he did a yeoman's job in filling in for Vollmer after the right tackle broke his leg halfway through the season.
Second year man Josh Kline flashed enough promise in filling in for Mankins late last year that the team is probably comfortable with him being the top option at the guard positions - so with depth along the line mostly set, Belichick went after players in the draft that he feels are going to be replacements for his incumbents at center and right guard.
Wendell is almost certainly gone, although Belichick signed him to a very tenuous contract with minimal guarantees at the start of the free agency process as insurance in the event that he couldn't get his targeted center at a position of value in the draft - but he did in Florida State's Bryan Stork.
The 6' 4", 315 pound Stork is a solid anchor with his football IQ and leadership qualities off the charts, and the fact that he took first team reps during OTA's and minicamp is compelling. Of course, when the pads go on in training camp it will be the first look at him exerting his physicality, so he is still a bit of an unknown to the pro game and the Patriots' offense, but chances are he will be the starting center in Week 1.
Connolly has a better chance of sticking on the roster, though his value to the team will probably be as an experienced back up to both Stork and Florida rookie Jon Halapio at right guard - but Connolly's cap hit could trump his value somewhat, and if Halapio turns out to be the player Belichick desires at the position, Connolly could find himself being released as well.
In that scenario, he would be a candidate to be resigned to a more cap friendly contract - but he would have to clear waivers for that to happen, and chances are that his experience would preclude that and he would end up elsewhere - regardless, Halapio is an absolute mauler with mad strength at the point of attack and really dim view of his opponent.
As far as health is concerned, the one true concern is with Vollmer at right tackle, as his chronic back issues took a back seat to gruesome broken leg last season - and though Cannon was reliable as a backup, his rookie contact is up after this season - So as insurance for both, Belichick drafted Stanford tackle Cameron Fleming.
Fleming is huge, but has the potential to get even bigger. His mild-mannered disposition belies his intelligence - he says he's looking forward to "Geeking out" with fellow aeronautics fan, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels - but he is a certified road grader that probably has a year to add more muscle and to develop a nastier temperament.
The Erhardt-Perkins offense has been noted as the original "Ground and Pound", and while there are as many variations of the philosophy as there are coaches running it, they are all predicated on Erhardt's axiom that for a team to be successful on offense, they must "Pass to score, run to win".
What Erhardt meant by this is that he wanted his offense to gain a lead quickly utilizing the passing game, then run the equivalent of the four minute offense - a run-heavy concept that utilizes short, high percentage passes as an extension of the running game...
...and while the personnel packages change among the "skill" players and quarterback Tom Brady can audible to put these players in position to create potential mismatches, the lone constant in this concept has to be the intelligence of the linemen and the quality of their play, or else nothing else really matters.
The Patriots are loaded in these "Skill" positions - pass catchers and running backs - but questions remain along the offensive line. If those questions are answered in camp, look for Wendell and Connolly to be released early enough to have a shot at making another team's roster, with Connolly potentially returning at a reduced salary.
This is Part four of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with part five focusing on the pass catchers, while parts six, seven and eight look at the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, how the changes in philosophy impact the pass catchers in training camp.
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first three pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Part 3: Running Back Competition Wide Open
Many fans have never heard of the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award.
Which is too bad, because short of an individual player receiving a Pro Bowl invite or being selected to the NFL's All Pro team, it is the only award that recognizes excellence among offensive linemen - but while the Pro Bowl and All Pro teams recognize players who are best at their individual position, the Madden Award is centered on the play of a team's entire offensive line.
And with the New England Patriots known for eschewing individual accomplishments to focus on the success of the team, there could be no higher praise for the Patriots' "Big Uglies".
Presented annually by former Oakland Raiders' coach John Madden to the best offensive line in the NFL, the 102 pound trophy once resided in Foxborough - after the 2010 season when four of the five current starters along the Patriots' offensive line helped the offense become the highest scoring in the league and allowed just 25 sacks while finishing in the top 10 in total yards and rushing yards...
...and finishing the following year as the runners up to the New Orleans Saints - but despite the best efforts of the coaching staff, the line began to erode, sometimes due to injury, but mostly because the Patriots were relying on try-hard interior brutes that were serviceable, but athletically limited....
...and if 2013 taught us anything, it is that serviceable and athletically limited just aren't going to cut it any longer.
Segregated from the players that are tasked with advancing the football by the words "Skill Position", offensive linemen are generally looked upon as interchangeable parts, and the salaries paid to them - despite playing what are some of the most physically demanding positions on the field - play into that generalization.
But just like any other position, players that are drafted to play along the offensive line fit into a tight rookie pay scale and have their opportunity after their rookie contracts expire to earn a pay raise - but in turn they are also still vulnerable to that same rookie pay scale, as the scale itself promotes turnover at the positions every four years.
Some, such as left guard Logan Mankins and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer, have risen above that bias toward the cheap and earned significant pay raises as tenured veterans, and left tackle Nate Solder will be in line for a protracted pay increase after he plays out his team option in 2015...
...even some undrafted free agents find their way into the millionaire's club by working their way into the starting lineup and playing through injury. Either way it happens, linemen earn every penny of their pay - and all one has to do is to look at the Patriots' salary cap to understand how much they value the men who battle in the trenches.
The incumbent linemen from last season hold down five of the top twenty salaries on the team, and if you add in other positions on the team that typically engage in hand-to-hand combat along the line of scrimmage - tight ends and defensive linemen - that number doubles, but when being just serviceable and athletically limited come into play, the salary structure becomes skewed.
So it doesn't take a genius to figure out why coach Bill Belichick cashed in three of his draft chips for offensive linemen in May's draft, all of them at positions where the team can simply use an upgrade and/or quality depth, with the potential for significant salary cap savings as well.
Individually, there is nothing remarkable about any of the draft picks, as all were projected third day selections, but as we know from studying the Erhardt-Perkins' offensive philosophy, there is no random pick that Belichick hopes will fit the scheme, he selects players from a very shallow pool of players that he feels, from long experience, will be successful it.
With that said, what exactly are we supposed to think when Belichick takes three surly-tempered behemoths with consecutive picks between the 4th and 6th rounds, with only an ankle-breaking, potential three-down running back breaking the trend - and particularly when every one of them came from schools that employ multiple man/zone blocking schemes?
The competition along the offensive line in training camp is positioned to be the most spirited in recent memory, with incumbent center Ryan Wendell and lunchpail-type right guard Dan Connelly particularly in focus, as their play in 2013 dropped off significantly from their previous campaigns, only two years removed from being part of what was considered one of the best offensive lines in the game.
Wendell is simply undersized at 6' 2" and 300 pounds, and while his run blocking is still exceptional, he has become increasingly exposed in pass protection, unable at times to properly anchor and getting shoved around at the pivot by bigger nose tackles - and where quarterbacks have this thing about not being able to throw the football effectively with large human beings impeding their line of sight, or even knocking them on their butts, this is a bad thing.
In fact, things got so bad that Brady started calling more and more play action out of the stretch, which enabled the mostly immobile signal caller to set up shop to the left or right of center - and with a defensive lineman's natural instinct to rush toward the flow of the ball, the ploy set up double teams at the point with either Connolly or grizzled veteran Logan Mankins providing the bracket.
As the weather turned ugly and cold, Wendell's deficiencies in pass protection became masked somewhat as the Patriots turned to their power running game and rendering the opposing defensive line to a less aggressive posture and giving him an extra split second to anchor.
But despite the late success, Wendell was absolutely mauled in the AFC Championship Game in freakish 60 degree weather in Denver, when New England's receiving corps were so broken that the Broncos simply lined up in their base defense to stop the run and dared Brady to pass - and when he did, he took a brutal beating from the interior pass rush.
If the Patriots are to move past this ugly trend, health and balance on offense is paramount - but neither of these are guaranteed and Belichick just can't afford to take that chance. Changes have to be made.
Connolly is actually a better option at center - he took over at the pivot when Dan Koppen went down with a broken ankle in 2011and performed well enough to allow the team to cut Koppen in training camp the following season - but when enigmatic right guard Brain Waters refused to report to Patriots' training camp after a Pro Bowl season in 2012, Connolly was forced to slide to the right, and Wendell took over at center.
That's the way the line has looked since, with twin 6' 8", 320 pound Pro Bowl-quality tackles in Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer, the perennial All Pro Mankins manning left guard and the combination of Wendell and Connolly accounting for the the rest of the interior...
...and while the team already has a potential starter in Marcus Cannon to plug in at right guard so Connolly could slide back to center, Cannon is much too valuable a swing tackle and capable interior reserve to be tied down to one spot, though he did a yeoman's job in filling in for Vollmer after the right tackle broke his leg halfway through the season.
Second year man Josh Kline flashed enough promise in filling in for Mankins late last year that the team is probably comfortable with him being the top option at the guard positions - so with depth along the line mostly set, Belichick went after players in the draft that he feels are going to be replacements for his incumbents at center and right guard.
Wendell is almost certainly gone, although Belichick signed him to a very tenuous contract with minimal guarantees at the start of the free agency process as insurance in the event that he couldn't get his targeted center at a position of value in the draft - but he did in Florida State's Bryan Stork.
The 6' 4", 315 pound Stork is a solid anchor with his football IQ and leadership qualities off the charts, and the fact that he took first team reps during OTA's and minicamp is compelling. Of course, when the pads go on in training camp it will be the first look at him exerting his physicality, so he is still a bit of an unknown to the pro game and the Patriots' offense, but chances are he will be the starting center in Week 1.
Connolly has a better chance of sticking on the roster, though his value to the team will probably be as an experienced back up to both Stork and Florida rookie Jon Halapio at right guard - but Connolly's cap hit could trump his value somewhat, and if Halapio turns out to be the player Belichick desires at the position, Connolly could find himself being released as well.
As far as health is concerned, the one true concern is with Vollmer at right tackle, as his chronic back issues took a back seat to gruesome broken leg last season - and though Cannon was reliable as a backup, his rookie contact is up after this season - So as insurance for both, Belichick drafted Stanford tackle Cameron Fleming.
Fleming is huge, but has the potential to get even bigger. His mild-mannered disposition belies his intelligence - he says he's looking forward to "Geeking out" with fellow aeronautics fan, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels - but he is a certified road grader that probably has a year to add more muscle and to develop a nastier temperament.
The Erhardt-Perkins offense has been noted as the original "Ground and Pound", and while there are as many variations of the philosophy as there are coaches running it, they are all predicated on Erhardt's axiom that for a team to be successful on offense, they must "Pass to score, run to win".
What Erhardt meant by this is that he wanted his offense to gain a lead quickly utilizing the passing game, then run the equivalent of the four minute offense - a run-heavy concept that utilizes short, high percentage passes as an extension of the running game...
...and while the personnel packages change among the "skill" players and quarterback Tom Brady can audible to put these players in position to create potential mismatches, the lone constant in this concept has to be the intelligence of the linemen and the quality of their play, or else nothing else really matters.
The Patriots are loaded in these "Skill" positions - pass catchers and running backs - but questions remain along the offensive line. If those questions are answered in camp, look for Wendell and Connolly to be released early enough to have a shot at making another team's roster, with Connolly potentially returning at a reduced salary.
This is Part four of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with part five focusing on the pass catchers, while parts six, seven and eight look at the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, how the changes in philosophy impact the pass catchers in training camp.
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first three pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Part 3: Running Back Competition Wide Open
Monday, July 21, 2014
Patriots' Camp Preview - Running Back Competition Wide Open; Changes Certain
Editor's note: The following article appeared originally as a contribution on FirstStopFanatsy.com...
Scheme Versatility. It's a phrase that you'll hear mentioned around Gillette Stadium at times.
And why not? After all, it's scheme versatility amongst the "skill position" players that makes the New England Patriots' version of the Erhardt-Perkins offense one of the most potent schemes in all of the National Football League - and also why we may see big changes in the Patriots' running game this fall.
Wholesale changes, perhaps unlike anything we've seen before.
For the past three years leading up to last season, the Patriots' offense has focused it's philosophies on the tight end-centric attack - devastating in theory, but the practical application proved to be difficult with both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez proving fragile enough that the only thing really consistent about the scheme is that it usually sputtered to a stop when the games counted the most.
Of course, the team has moved on from Hernandez while Gronkowski is coming off a season that can only be considered a nightmare involving scalpels and rouge safeties diving at his knees - and with the team shying away from reinforcements, it is clear that the tight end position is being integrated into the system instead of actually being the system.
That said, scheme versatility will be the key word as the team moves on from last year's season of pain and into an a philosophy that more closely resembles the balance that was a common thread linking the better teams in franchise history.
Not necessarily the run-heavy teams of the late 70's because it would be a fool's errand to take the ball out of Quarterback Tom Brady's magical right hand - rather - to coordinate a relentless assault based on the versatility of all ball carriers.
Because even Brady detractors have to stand in awe of the command that he has of the Patriots' offense - so it only goes to figure that the moves that coach Bill Belichick has made this offseason to bring more versatility to the offense gives the master that many more options in his pre-snap reads, which in turn makes Brady that much more lethal.
As was discovered in part two of this series, Belichick's version of the Erhardt-Perkins offensive system relies on brains as well as brawn - and a versatility that seems like most players possess, yet very few have the combination of all three...
...and with the Patriots evolving into an up-tempo, play action based entity, one-dimensional players such as Stevan Ridley may find themselves either with a reduced role, or even on the outside looking in.
Belichick's interpretation of the Erhardt-Perkins system requires that all running backs have H-Back type malleability - displaying and putting into practical application a litheness that transcends labels, wherein any backs on the field have the ability to not only to take the hand off and explode through holes created by the offensive line, but also to pass protect, curl out into the pattern as a safety valve or to line up flanked or in the slot.
The theory behind this mindset is that this versatility keeps the defense on their heels, not knowing whether Brady is going to take the snap and turn to hand off or set up in the pocket after the play fake, particularly when taking the snap under center and running the stretch - and even more so in the no-huddle.
Shane Vereen can handle it, as can new kid James White. Brandon Bolden has shown that type of flexibility and undrafted free agent Stephen Houston is adept as well - anyone who isn't is gone or will be gone.
Running Backs Roster 2014 Camp
22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
38 - Brandon Bolden
46 - James Develin
28 - James White (R)
35 - Jonas Gray
29 - Roy Finch (R)
36 - Stephen Houston (R)
The New England Patriots have had their share of good runners in the backfield - and starting with names like Cunningham, Collins and James in the 70's and 80's all the way through to turn of the century names like Martin, Smith and Dillon, they all had two things in common: running with power and confidence through the line and contributing mightily in the passing game.
Now, this isn't to say that Stevan Ridley can't be an effective back. His history suggests that he is an explosive back through the hole and gains many of his yards with his manic style, keeping his legs churning and fighting for every yard and giving full effort - and he actually has soft hands to contribute in the pattern.
The issue with Ridley is that he has almost no lateral agility nor elusiveness which limits his ability on the second level and yards after the catch, and since he isn't going to gain much separation nor outrun any linebacker who is covering him, he is close to being a liability in the passing game, particularly given that his technique in pass protection is marginal.
Does this mean that Ridley's tenure in Foxborough is about to expire? Not necessarily in 2014, but almost certainly in 2015. Belichick let LeGarrette Blount, -who is a better receiver and pass blocker - walk for Pittsburgh for what amounts to chump change for the same reasons and may let Ridley walk next offseason - that is, if he's still around.
Forget the fumbling "issue" - That is a media-driven embellishment fueled by Belichick's policy of benching any back who puts the ball on the ground, though there are obvious steps that Ridley can take to minimize the frequency.
Ridley's upright running style is the biggest culprit, his pad level being too high to effectively initiate contact and drive through tackles, taking some unnecessary wicked shots to his upper body. The fourth year load from LSU can improve his standing among the contestants in Belichick's backfield lottery by running with lower pad level and initiating contact with defenders instead of running high and trying to spin out of tackles.
He can be a workhorse in the four-minute offense, but he's going to have to stick to what he can do well - running with power and running over defenders - to make the team, because many of the other backs in camp have more tools to work with.
Vereen is almost in the same boat as Ridley, but for entirely different reasons.
The three-year veteran from California has all of the versatility that Belichick could want in a back, if he could stay on the field. A participant in only 26 of a possible 48 games since being drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft, Vereen suffered a broken bone in his wrist in last season's opener at Buffalo that he admits still hasn't fully healed.
The soft cast that he wore on the wrist when he returned from the Injured Reserved list in November seriously impacted his ability to showcase his usually Spiderman-like hands, particularly along the sidelines as he the ball seemed to simply bounce off of him like he was trying to catch it with a tennis racket.
Of course, he denies that the cast had anything to do with his ability to catch the football, but only dimwits, Jets' fans and other people who really don't care will believe that - the cast was a serious hindrance, but he seemed to adapt to it as the season neared its conclusion, finishing thrid on the team with 47 receptions on 70 targets.
Vereen is a competent runner, though not nearly as explosive as Ridley through the hole, and is not as sudden as one would expect in the open field as he has to build up to top speed - but with less than 200 total touches on his NFL resume and no protracted consistency to fall back on, Vereen is still sort of a wild card, no matter how you slice it...
...so is there any mystery as to why Belichick drafted White and signed Houston as a priority free agent with a large amount of guaranteed money?
Houston's hopes can be buoyed somewhat by the money spent and also by the presence of fellow undrafted free agent Brandon Bolden, who could very well find himself with an increased role - but could just as easily find himself on the bread lines come final cutdowns.
It is difficult to ascertain whether Bolden's sporadic usage is spurred by his sometimes undisciplined techniques or simply due to there not being enough touches to go around - but either way, he is nothing short of an enigma. He is a big back with decent speed, patience to set up his blocks with an explosive burst once he decides on a hole and with the power to break through arm tackles and to finish runs.
He is Ridley but with far better production in the passing game and he should get the opportunity to finally prove it this preseason - as will Houston, who is similarly sized as the two incumbents, but with intriguing upside.
Perfectly suited for the zone blocking scheme that Belichick employs, Houston is an absolute monster on the stretch run - a one cut, downhill runner with deceptive speed who has all of the tools to be an every down back. He has the build and power to run between the tackles, but will more often than not cut to the outside to avoid contact.
Running Backs coach Ivan Fears took on Houston as a personal project in hopes to draw out his inner beast, but even if the rookie free agent remains a downhill slasher, he is still versatile enough for the scheme and looks so fluid in his routes and in turning upfield after catching the ball that he could turn into a intricate piece of the backfield puzzle.
There is no doubt at all about White's fit in Belichick's scheme, as he is a polished runner who can do it all - just ask him, he'll tell you.
With many comparing him to Vereen - largely due to his receiving ability - White is actually a more willing north-south runner in the mold of Danny Woodhead who has the patience of a saint and a dossier full of sick moves that earned him the moniker "Sweet Feet" from his legions of fans at the University of Wisconsin.
Like Houston, White looks natural in the pattern and quickly turns upfield with the ball, but is incredibly elusive in space and when reaching the second level, which happened regularly in college. He's not going to outrun nickle backers, corners or safeties in the pros, but his other-worldly quickness, vision and change of direction ability make him a threat to take the ball to the house.
White will certainly see a ton of carries in the preseason as Belichick and his staff try to unravel what appears to be a wide open competition to line up behind Brady in the Patriots' backfield - something that Hback James Develin will do at times, but the former defensive end is getting a hard look in OTA's and mini camp at tight end - and since his ability as a blocking back is without question, we'll leave his assessment to that group...
Holdover bruiser Jonas Gray and garden gnome Roy Finch are long shots to make the final roster, though Finch is an ellusive jitterbug that catches well and could find a place on the practice squad. But they will both be given their shot in a competition that could leave the running back corps with a fresh new look when all is said and done...
...a backfield that will be reliant on an offensive line that will probably be going through a period of transition itself, something that we will cover in part 4 of this series...
This is Part three of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with parts four and five focusing on the offense, while parts six, seven and eight look at the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, the potential changes along the offensive line and how that impacts the entire offense.
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first two pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Scheme Versatility. It's a phrase that you'll hear mentioned around Gillette Stadium at times.
And why not? After all, it's scheme versatility amongst the "skill position" players that makes the New England Patriots' version of the Erhardt-Perkins offense one of the most potent schemes in all of the National Football League - and also why we may see big changes in the Patriots' running game this fall.
Wholesale changes, perhaps unlike anything we've seen before.
For the past three years leading up to last season, the Patriots' offense has focused it's philosophies on the tight end-centric attack - devastating in theory, but the practical application proved to be difficult with both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez proving fragile enough that the only thing really consistent about the scheme is that it usually sputtered to a stop when the games counted the most.
Of course, the team has moved on from Hernandez while Gronkowski is coming off a season that can only be considered a nightmare involving scalpels and rouge safeties diving at his knees - and with the team shying away from reinforcements, it is clear that the tight end position is being integrated into the system instead of actually being the system.
That said, scheme versatility will be the key word as the team moves on from last year's season of pain and into an a philosophy that more closely resembles the balance that was a common thread linking the better teams in franchise history.
Not necessarily the run-heavy teams of the late 70's because it would be a fool's errand to take the ball out of Quarterback Tom Brady's magical right hand - rather - to coordinate a relentless assault based on the versatility of all ball carriers.
Because even Brady detractors have to stand in awe of the command that he has of the Patriots' offense - so it only goes to figure that the moves that coach Bill Belichick has made this offseason to bring more versatility to the offense gives the master that many more options in his pre-snap reads, which in turn makes Brady that much more lethal.
As was discovered in part two of this series, Belichick's version of the Erhardt-Perkins offensive system relies on brains as well as brawn - and a versatility that seems like most players possess, yet very few have the combination of all three...
...and with the Patriots evolving into an up-tempo, play action based entity, one-dimensional players such as Stevan Ridley may find themselves either with a reduced role, or even on the outside looking in.
Belichick's interpretation of the Erhardt-Perkins system requires that all running backs have H-Back type malleability - displaying and putting into practical application a litheness that transcends labels, wherein any backs on the field have the ability to not only to take the hand off and explode through holes created by the offensive line, but also to pass protect, curl out into the pattern as a safety valve or to line up flanked or in the slot.
The theory behind this mindset is that this versatility keeps the defense on their heels, not knowing whether Brady is going to take the snap and turn to hand off or set up in the pocket after the play fake, particularly when taking the snap under center and running the stretch - and even more so in the no-huddle.
Shane Vereen can handle it, as can new kid James White. Brandon Bolden has shown that type of flexibility and undrafted free agent Stephen Houston is adept as well - anyone who isn't is gone or will be gone.
Running Backs Roster 2014 Camp
22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
38 - Brandon Bolden
46 - James Develin
28 - James White (R)
35 - Jonas Gray
29 - Roy Finch (R)
36 - Stephen Houston (R)
The New England Patriots have had their share of good runners in the backfield - and starting with names like Cunningham, Collins and James in the 70's and 80's all the way through to turn of the century names like Martin, Smith and Dillon, they all had two things in common: running with power and confidence through the line and contributing mightily in the passing game.
Now, this isn't to say that Stevan Ridley can't be an effective back. His history suggests that he is an explosive back through the hole and gains many of his yards with his manic style, keeping his legs churning and fighting for every yard and giving full effort - and he actually has soft hands to contribute in the pattern.
The issue with Ridley is that he has almost no lateral agility nor elusiveness which limits his ability on the second level and yards after the catch, and since he isn't going to gain much separation nor outrun any linebacker who is covering him, he is close to being a liability in the passing game, particularly given that his technique in pass protection is marginal.
Does this mean that Ridley's tenure in Foxborough is about to expire? Not necessarily in 2014, but almost certainly in 2015. Belichick let LeGarrette Blount, -who is a better receiver and pass blocker - walk for Pittsburgh for what amounts to chump change for the same reasons and may let Ridley walk next offseason - that is, if he's still around.
Forget the fumbling "issue" - That is a media-driven embellishment fueled by Belichick's policy of benching any back who puts the ball on the ground, though there are obvious steps that Ridley can take to minimize the frequency.
Ridley's upright running style is the biggest culprit, his pad level being too high to effectively initiate contact and drive through tackles, taking some unnecessary wicked shots to his upper body. The fourth year load from LSU can improve his standing among the contestants in Belichick's backfield lottery by running with lower pad level and initiating contact with defenders instead of running high and trying to spin out of tackles.
He can be a workhorse in the four-minute offense, but he's going to have to stick to what he can do well - running with power and running over defenders - to make the team, because many of the other backs in camp have more tools to work with.
Vereen is almost in the same boat as Ridley, but for entirely different reasons.
The three-year veteran from California has all of the versatility that Belichick could want in a back, if he could stay on the field. A participant in only 26 of a possible 48 games since being drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft, Vereen suffered a broken bone in his wrist in last season's opener at Buffalo that he admits still hasn't fully healed.
The soft cast that he wore on the wrist when he returned from the Injured Reserved list in November seriously impacted his ability to showcase his usually Spiderman-like hands, particularly along the sidelines as he the ball seemed to simply bounce off of him like he was trying to catch it with a tennis racket.
Of course, he denies that the cast had anything to do with his ability to catch the football, but only dimwits, Jets' fans and other people who really don't care will believe that - the cast was a serious hindrance, but he seemed to adapt to it as the season neared its conclusion, finishing thrid on the team with 47 receptions on 70 targets.
Vereen is a competent runner, though not nearly as explosive as Ridley through the hole, and is not as sudden as one would expect in the open field as he has to build up to top speed - but with less than 200 total touches on his NFL resume and no protracted consistency to fall back on, Vereen is still sort of a wild card, no matter how you slice it...
...so is there any mystery as to why Belichick drafted White and signed Houston as a priority free agent with a large amount of guaranteed money?
Houston's hopes can be buoyed somewhat by the money spent and also by the presence of fellow undrafted free agent Brandon Bolden, who could very well find himself with an increased role - but could just as easily find himself on the bread lines come final cutdowns.
It is difficult to ascertain whether Bolden's sporadic usage is spurred by his sometimes undisciplined techniques or simply due to there not being enough touches to go around - but either way, he is nothing short of an enigma. He is a big back with decent speed, patience to set up his blocks with an explosive burst once he decides on a hole and with the power to break through arm tackles and to finish runs.
He is Ridley but with far better production in the passing game and he should get the opportunity to finally prove it this preseason - as will Houston, who is similarly sized as the two incumbents, but with intriguing upside.
Perfectly suited for the zone blocking scheme that Belichick employs, Houston is an absolute monster on the stretch run - a one cut, downhill runner with deceptive speed who has all of the tools to be an every down back. He has the build and power to run between the tackles, but will more often than not cut to the outside to avoid contact.
Running Backs coach Ivan Fears took on Houston as a personal project in hopes to draw out his inner beast, but even if the rookie free agent remains a downhill slasher, he is still versatile enough for the scheme and looks so fluid in his routes and in turning upfield after catching the ball that he could turn into a intricate piece of the backfield puzzle.
There is no doubt at all about White's fit in Belichick's scheme, as he is a polished runner who can do it all - just ask him, he'll tell you.
With many comparing him to Vereen - largely due to his receiving ability - White is actually a more willing north-south runner in the mold of Danny Woodhead who has the patience of a saint and a dossier full of sick moves that earned him the moniker "Sweet Feet" from his legions of fans at the University of Wisconsin.
Like Houston, White looks natural in the pattern and quickly turns upfield with the ball, but is incredibly elusive in space and when reaching the second level, which happened regularly in college. He's not going to outrun nickle backers, corners or safeties in the pros, but his other-worldly quickness, vision and change of direction ability make him a threat to take the ball to the house.
White will certainly see a ton of carries in the preseason as Belichick and his staff try to unravel what appears to be a wide open competition to line up behind Brady in the Patriots' backfield - something that Hback James Develin will do at times, but the former defensive end is getting a hard look in OTA's and mini camp at tight end - and since his ability as a blocking back is without question, we'll leave his assessment to that group...
Holdover bruiser Jonas Gray and garden gnome Roy Finch are long shots to make the final roster, though Finch is an ellusive jitterbug that catches well and could find a place on the practice squad. But they will both be given their shot in a competition that could leave the running back corps with a fresh new look when all is said and done...
...a backfield that will be reliant on an offensive line that will probably be going through a period of transition itself, something that we will cover in part 4 of this series...
This is Part three of what will eventually be a nine part series previewing the New England Patriots' upcoming training camp, with parts four and five focusing on the offense, while parts six, seven and eight look at the defense. Part nine will cover special teams.
Next up, the potential changes along the offensive line and how that impacts the entire offense.
In case you missed them, be sure to go back and read the first two pieces:
Part 1: Kraft's Business Sense, Belichick's Comittment Keys to Patriots' Way
Part 2: Offensive Philosophy Grounded in History
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Patriots' Armstead Retires; Medical, Legal issues indicated
Armond Armstead had so much potential as a football player that Bill Belichick once said that he would have been a high draft pick coming out of USC, had he not suffered a Toradol-induced heart attack as a Junior in the program.
Now Belichick just hopes that he can realize his potential in another walk of life, as the former defensive lineman and All Star for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before singing with the Patriots' last offseason has announced his retirement from the NFL.
"It has been a pleasure being around Armond, as he gave everything he could to play for us." Belichick said in a prepared statement. "Armond worked extremely hard since joining us last February. He's had a lot of adversity personally that he's had to deal with – unusual compared to most other players – but he's always had a great attitude, worked hard and really did everything we asked him to do. While it is unfortunate he will not be able to play football, Armond is an outstanding young man who has a very bright future in whatever path he chooses."
Of course, with a legal battle against the University of Southern California, team physicians and a pharmaceutical company pending, details of the sudden announcement are sketchy at best, though several websites have been reporting for months that Armstead has been dealing with blood clotting problems amongst other medical issues.
The civil trial has already been delayed several times as both sides have harangued a California court with an overwhelming number of discovery motions - to the point that Judge Yvette Palazuelos asked the sides to consider utilizing a "Discovery Referee" to streamline the amount of paperwork handled by court personnel.
The Trial has now been tentatively set for late March 2015 to ensure that all parties would be able to testify without interruption as many witnesses are involved in football activities starting within the next couple of weeks and extending into the first part of 2015.
The 6' 5", 305 pound defensive tackle is seeking damages from the defendants, claiming that he was "Battered" by Dr. Jame Tibone by giving him pain killing injections of Toradol without reservation and without being informed of the possible side-effects. His claim also states that the defendants are liable for potential earnings lost when he went undrafted in 2012 - and not signed by any NFL team as an undrafted free agent - forcing him to Canada to try and prove that he was not a health risk.
His one season in the CFL was one for the books, as Armstead amassed 43 tackles and six sacks - being named to the All Star team as a rookie and, curiously, performing without any limitations or concern from Toronto's medical staff. The defensive tackle's performance enticed Belichick to sign him to a three year contract last season.
Obviously, he had not been cleared to participate in any organized team activities and there was much mystery surrounding his actual status - with many in the media writing him off for 2014 after he spent all of 2013 on the team's Non-Football Injury list - so it is not clear if whatever the issues were would prevent his participation in the future, or if his legal representation advised him that he had already made sufficient effort to gain a roster spot on an NFL team.
Either way, the disappointment of not being able to see Armstead perform in a Patriots' uniform should resonate for a short period, then the player that never was will be lost as a tragic figure to Patriots' lore...
Now Belichick just hopes that he can realize his potential in another walk of life, as the former defensive lineman and All Star for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before singing with the Patriots' last offseason has announced his retirement from the NFL.
"It has been a pleasure being around Armond, as he gave everything he could to play for us." Belichick said in a prepared statement. "Armond worked extremely hard since joining us last February. He's had a lot of adversity personally that he's had to deal with – unusual compared to most other players – but he's always had a great attitude, worked hard and really did everything we asked him to do. While it is unfortunate he will not be able to play football, Armond is an outstanding young man who has a very bright future in whatever path he chooses."
Of course, with a legal battle against the University of Southern California, team physicians and a pharmaceutical company pending, details of the sudden announcement are sketchy at best, though several websites have been reporting for months that Armstead has been dealing with blood clotting problems amongst other medical issues.
The civil trial has already been delayed several times as both sides have harangued a California court with an overwhelming number of discovery motions - to the point that Judge Yvette Palazuelos asked the sides to consider utilizing a "Discovery Referee" to streamline the amount of paperwork handled by court personnel.
The Trial has now been tentatively set for late March 2015 to ensure that all parties would be able to testify without interruption as many witnesses are involved in football activities starting within the next couple of weeks and extending into the first part of 2015.
The 6' 5", 305 pound defensive tackle is seeking damages from the defendants, claiming that he was "Battered" by Dr. Jame Tibone by giving him pain killing injections of Toradol without reservation and without being informed of the possible side-effects. His claim also states that the defendants are liable for potential earnings lost when he went undrafted in 2012 - and not signed by any NFL team as an undrafted free agent - forcing him to Canada to try and prove that he was not a health risk.
His one season in the CFL was one for the books, as Armstead amassed 43 tackles and six sacks - being named to the All Star team as a rookie and, curiously, performing without any limitations or concern from Toronto's medical staff. The defensive tackle's performance enticed Belichick to sign him to a three year contract last season.
Obviously, he had not been cleared to participate in any organized team activities and there was much mystery surrounding his actual status - with many in the media writing him off for 2014 after he spent all of 2013 on the team's Non-Football Injury list - so it is not clear if whatever the issues were would prevent his participation in the future, or if his legal representation advised him that he had already made sufficient effort to gain a roster spot on an NFL team.
Either way, the disappointment of not being able to see Armstead perform in a Patriots' uniform should resonate for a short period, then the player that never was will be lost as a tragic figure to Patriots' lore...
Patriots' Résumé - Kyle Arrington
Hey Coach!
Back in 2009 when I was on your practice squad, I felt like I was languishing in exile for my third team in a row - so when Eric Mangini came a-courtin', I listened to what he had to say.
After all, he was offering me an opportunity to play and I felt like I had already paid my dues on the practice squads in Philadelphia and Tampa, and so midway through my second season I was humbled by Cleveland's offer and knew that, by rule, I had to be on their active roster for three weeks - perhaps giving me a small window of exposure to express my talent.
But I wanted to be here, so I came to you with Mangini's offer and told you how I felt about things - that I wanted to play and I wanted to play where I had the chance to win big - and you had enough faith in my talent and work ethic to promote me to your 53 man roster.
I've started 60 of the 72 games since and haven't missed one game due to injury - not even last season when a partially torn groin muscle kept me in agony for the majority of the year.
You know, both me and Amendola were afflicted with torn adductor muscles, but while rest and rehab was the suggested course of action for Danny, surgery was indicated for me. I understand why, and you understand why, but to the lay the differences are severely misunderstood.
Danny's muscle was completely torn away from the bone, and where that was the case, he couldn't do any further damage to it than what was already done - but mine was a partial tear, which meant that it was either surgery to reattach it, or suffer through another season with a couple of "achers", if you catch my drift...
So it's been since early February since I went under the knife, and I'm ready to have the kind of season that we both envisioned when I signed up for four more years last offseason - and the challenge that presents has been made doubly difficult given the attention quarterbacks are likely to give their slot receivers with the likes of Revis and Browner on the wings.
Or maybe Alfonzo takes the job opposite Revis, or maybe even Logan - that's how deep our secondary is going to be, but if there is one universal truth about the opposing team's game plan, they are not going to come into the game looking to challenge Revis, they are going to focus everywhere else but, and we have to be ready.
I know that I am facing competition for my spot in the slot, and I realize the fact that over $5 million in guaranteed money still remaining on my contract will have some impact on that - but I also realize that in this business, and you don't want that kind of money sitting on the shelf.
As you well know, I have been pummeled in the media and on social media for my struggles at the corners - but my first, best destiny is playing underneath where I can jam the receiver and get inside leverage. I shut down Mike Wallace and Wes Welker doing just that last season, even with the painful huevos - so imagine what this year could be like with the depth in the secondary.
Respectfully,
Kyle
P.S. If anyone wants number 25 (Chung?) they can have it. I need some more diapers, man!
Back in 2009 when I was on your practice squad, I felt like I was languishing in exile for my third team in a row - so when Eric Mangini came a-courtin', I listened to what he had to say.
After all, he was offering me an opportunity to play and I felt like I had already paid my dues on the practice squads in Philadelphia and Tampa, and so midway through my second season I was humbled by Cleveland's offer and knew that, by rule, I had to be on their active roster for three weeks - perhaps giving me a small window of exposure to express my talent.
But I wanted to be here, so I came to you with Mangini's offer and told you how I felt about things - that I wanted to play and I wanted to play where I had the chance to win big - and you had enough faith in my talent and work ethic to promote me to your 53 man roster.
I've started 60 of the 72 games since and haven't missed one game due to injury - not even last season when a partially torn groin muscle kept me in agony for the majority of the year.
You know, both me and Amendola were afflicted with torn adductor muscles, but while rest and rehab was the suggested course of action for Danny, surgery was indicated for me. I understand why, and you understand why, but to the lay the differences are severely misunderstood.
Danny's muscle was completely torn away from the bone, and where that was the case, he couldn't do any further damage to it than what was already done - but mine was a partial tear, which meant that it was either surgery to reattach it, or suffer through another season with a couple of "achers", if you catch my drift...
So it's been since early February since I went under the knife, and I'm ready to have the kind of season that we both envisioned when I signed up for four more years last offseason - and the challenge that presents has been made doubly difficult given the attention quarterbacks are likely to give their slot receivers with the likes of Revis and Browner on the wings.
Or maybe Alfonzo takes the job opposite Revis, or maybe even Logan - that's how deep our secondary is going to be, but if there is one universal truth about the opposing team's game plan, they are not going to come into the game looking to challenge Revis, they are going to focus everywhere else but, and we have to be ready.
I know that I am facing competition for my spot in the slot, and I realize the fact that over $5 million in guaranteed money still remaining on my contract will have some impact on that - but I also realize that in this business, and you don't want that kind of money sitting on the shelf.
As you well know, I have been pummeled in the media and on social media for my struggles at the corners - but my first, best destiny is playing underneath where I can jam the receiver and get inside leverage. I shut down Mike Wallace and Wes Welker doing just that last season, even with the painful huevos - so imagine what this year could be like with the depth in the secondary.
Respectfully,
Kyle
P.S. If anyone wants number 25 (Chung?) they can have it. I need some more diapers, man!
******************************
Résumé
Kyle Chandler Arrington, Sr.
c/o New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
1 Patriot Place
Foxborough, Massachusetts 02035
Be sure to follow the series, starting with the "Résumés" already posted:
7. Sebastian Vollmer - Offensive Tackle
Career Focus:
To remain healthy and continue my work as one of the most under-rated slot corners in the game
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Hofstra University ( Class of 2008)
- 2008 - 2008 Philadelphia Eagles (Practice Squad)
- 2008 - 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Split between practice squad & active roster)
- 2009 - Present New England Patriots
Awards & Honors:
- NFL Interceptions Leader (2011)
Career Stats (72 games):
- 313 Total Tackles (250 solo, 63 assisted)
- 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries
- 9 interceptions
- Scored 2 career touchdowns (Int & returned blocked kick)
Publisher's note: This"Résumé" is the work of the staff from
Foxborough Free Press and is part of an ongoing series highlighting the
players who - in our opinion - will be part of the 53 man roster when
Patriots' training camp breaks.
Be sure to follow the series, starting with the "Résumés" already posted:
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