New England Patriots' Projected 53 Man Roster - remastered...

The following is a rolling 55 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 two extra players in advance of Brandon Browner's and Brian Tym's four game suspensions to begin the season.  

When Browner and Tyms are reinstated for Week 5 - assuming both are kept on the inactive/suspended list - they will be added to the active roster and the 54th and 55th players will be waived or an injured player can be placed on the IR.

The emergence of wide receiver Brian Tyms as a legitimate downfield threat for the New England Patriots has caused us to revisit our original projected 53 man roster - as has Bill Belichick's recent propensity for favoring the 3-4 base defensive alignment over the 4-3 defense that has been his "base" for the past four seasons.

In our previous pre-camp roster, we projected that the Patriots would keep just two quarterbacks - Tom Brady and second round draft pick Jimmy Garoppolo - and the results in the first preseason game against the Washington Redskins qualify the notion.  In fact, despite the passage of time and Belichick's multi-dimensional shift in defensive philosophy, there are only a few changes from the original:

Quarterbacks (2)

12 - Tom Brady
10 - Jimmy Garoppolo (R)

No changes from original projection

Yes, still 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 was wearing a brace on his left knee was a curious development, and he didn't do himself any favors in his preseason opener meltdown.

His awkward slide at the end of a seven yard scramble against the Redskins would be the perfect excuse to land him on the PUP list to start the season - and the timing would be right as the activation of players that start the season on the PUP occurs just before the trade deadline.  He looked ok after the slide but, well, you know?  This is Bill Belichick we're talking about here. 

Rookie running back James White

Running Backs (4)

22 - Stevan Ridley
34 - Shane Vereen
28 - James White (R)
46 - James Develin
  

No changes from original projection

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

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

Tight Ends (3)

87 - Rob Gronkowski 
47 - Michael Hoomanawanui
45 - D. J. Williams 


No changes from original projection

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.

Williams has been in the elague for a few seasons, but has never shown the type of production that Green Bay had hoped for when spending 5th round draft capital on him in 2011.  In college, he was considered one of the top pass catching tight ends in the country. H-back James Develin factors in here as well.

Second year receiver Josh Boyce

Receivers (8)

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

Added Tyms since original projection

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. Tyms has flashed in practice and came through with the performance of the night for the Patriots in the Washington loss.  Boyce and Slater figure prominently on special teams as well.

Offensive Linemen (9)

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

Added Connolly since original projection

Noticeably absent from this list are last season's starting center, Ryan Wendell as incumbent right guard Dan Connolly has played first team center in practice and in Washington - and he will stick as the starter at the pivot until the injured Stork is ready to take over, but that may be a while if he doesn't return to camp soon.

Halapio and Fleming are rookie depth at this point as Kline has seized the right guard position. Cannon provides quality depth on the bookends and at guard in a pinch.

Defensive end Michael Buchanan (99)

Defensive linemen (10)

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


Added Moore since original projection

Siliga and Chris Jones have suffered injuries in the past week, making depth at tackle a bit light, but if the team is truly switching to more of a 3-4 base look, they are not as debilitating as the would in a 4-3 look, but they do limit the versatility of the group as a whole.

The Siliga injury also leaves Wilfork as the only true nose tackle on the roster, so the status of Siliga bears watching.  The five techs are in abundance, however, with Kelly, Chandler Jones, Moore and Easley, if he doesn't start the season on the PUP list.  Veteran 4-3 defensive end Will Smith may find a spot if Easley can't go, though his coaches in New Orleans thought of him as more of an outside linebacker.

Buchanan and Ninkovich are outside linebackers in the 3-4 but we keep them as line depth because they could fill many different roles, including Ninkovich as an edge setter as a defensive end.

Linebackers (6)

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


No changes from original projection

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

The starting four on the second level in a 3-4 is subject to much conjecture, as Hightower and Mayo were terrific interior defenders in college but have been playing on the outside in the Patriots' 4-3 since.  Collins is a pure strong side linebacker if there ever was one, but the weakside has been manned by Mayo for the past couple of seasons, and the only other pure weak side 'backer on the roster is newly acquired James Anderson.

Rookie free agent corner Malcolm Butler

Anderson actually is an all-around veteran talent that adds a lot of versatility to the scheme and the coaching staff likes Beauharnais a lot, and he is also versatile enough to play in the middle or on the weak side.  Fleming is a pure edge defender, and was a terrific one in college, but in both of his seasons since being drafted in the 5th round by San Francisco in 2012, he has torn the ACL in his left knee.

Corners (6)

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

No changes from original projection

Undrafted rookie free agent Malcolm Butler has a big opportunity to make the Patriots' roster - and even stick once Brandon Browner returns from his suspension. Redskins' quarterbacks targeted Butler seven times but the rookie allowed only two catches, and both of them he still had tight coverage, losing one by being outjumped and the other was just a perfect throw and a terrific catch.

The other corners are absolute locks.

Safeties (4)

30 - Duron Harmon  
32 - Devin McCourty  
23 - Patrick Chung    
27 - Tavon Wilson 

Removed Jemea Thomas since original projection

Solid group of safeties, with Chung brought back to be that intimidating presence in the middle in the nickle and dime situations. Tavon Wilson has shown an immense amount of growth in his game over the offseason, perhaps working with Revis for a month in Arizona had something to do with it.

Wilson looks decisive and brought the wood against the Redskins.  Obviously, it takes more than one game to turn around a couple of years of futility, but he's off to a good start and may end up giving Harmon a run for his money at strong safety.

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: 26
Defense: 26
Specialists: 3 
Total: 55

Garoppolo, Tyms shine, but sloppy Patriots fall to Redskins

"Some guys leave it on the practice field, some are gamers.  Is Jimmy Garoppolo one or the other, or neither?  Patriots' fans may be pleasantly surprised to find out that Garoppolo has never really been a workout warrior, but has proven time and again in college that he steps up and delivers in actual game situations.

This is not to say that the Eastern Illinois product is going to light it up, and there is every reason to believe that he will stink up the joint.  But here's the thing: some guys are just gamers, and we'll find out tonight if Garoppolo has any of that in him as far as the pro game is concerned." - Foxborough Free Press, August 7, 2014

It was supposed to Ryan Mallett's affirmation as the Next Big Thing.  Turns out it was a coming out party for Jimmy Garoppolo instead.

The rookie, who has endured a horrific stretch of performances in training camp practice sessions, showed that he's a gamer, completing nine of thirteen passes for 157 yards and a dazzling deep bucket throw for a touchdown in the second half of play, but he couldn't help New England overcome a mistake-filled first half as the Washington Redskins' depth chart beat up on the Patriots' depth chart in Thursday night's preseason opener for both teams.

Brian Tyms hauled in this circus catch, though it was disallowed

The 23-6 final score meant nothing to either squad, neither did the savage beating the Redskins' running game dished out to the Patriots defense, nor did the fact that Ryan Mallett looked like - well - Ryan Mallett.  What did matter were three drive-killing penalties and three fumbles committed by New England and a performance by the offensive line that was just plain offensive.

Granted, there was no game plan involved and the majority of the game featured players that may or may not still be around when the roster is reduced to 53 players, but New England coach Bill Belichick has little tolerance for the mental errors and zero patience for error repeaters, which means that Monday morning's film session is going to look and sound like something out of Rob Zombie's twisted imagination...

...especially for veteran left tackle Nate Solder, who allowed a Matador sack of Mallett by Redskins' linebacker Brian Orakpo, perhaps because he didn't hold the speedy gent for a ten yard penalty like the one that wiped out a first down on a previous drive - and also for garden gnome Roy Finch, whose electric moves got him in trouble on his first kickoff return, fumbling the ball trying to pick up extra yardage.

Finch also misjudged a punt and ended up on the ground trying to tuck the ball away after it had squirted loose - not the kind of night one hopes for when planted firmly on the roster bubble.

It wasn't all bad, however, as Garoppolo's deep ball looked effortless and was consistently on target, finding rookie free agent Brian Tyms on tosses of 53 yards and 26 yards, the latter the aforementioned dazzling bucket throw - and was robbed by preseason malaise of an even niftier 40 yard connection that Tyms bobbled as he fell into the end zone, then snatched out of the air for what looked like a catch for a score...

Ryan Mallett is sacked by Brian Orakpo

...while defensively rookie free agent Malcolm Butler flashed tight coverage while linebackers Steve Beauharnais and James Anderson solidified their already secure positions on the depth chart with steady performances - and even the up-to-this-point bust Tavon Wilson did some nice things at strong safety.

Unfortunately for most everybody else, Belichick's terse presser after the game sums up what next week's practices are going to be like.

“I don’t think our protection was good enough." Belichick fumed, "I don’t think our passing game was good enough, I don’t think our running game was good enough. I don’t think our run defense, pass defense, kicking game were good enough. They all need to be improved.”

Yikes.

The pass protection was lousy, particularly in the first half when Mallett had a face full of Redskins more often than not, making it difficult to step into his throws, which is disconcerting in itself as it appears that Mallett can only "pop" when he has a clean pocket.

The running game yielded but 63 yards in 24 carries as the offensive line could generate no push at all, the best run of the night a nine-yard scramble by Garoppolo.

New England's run defense suffered through a miserable night, particularly on the right side where no one could seem to set the edge, Washington Rookie Lache Seastrunk consistently turning the corner for big gainers.

The sledding was a little tougher up the middle, but the Patriots' interior defenders suffered from the 3-4 alignment that they were in for the majority of the evening and found themselves fighting through double teams and latching on to the ball carriers instead of meeting them in the hole.

The total damage of 177 yards on the ground seems appalling on the surface, but it took 44 carries to get there - or, to put the entire night in perspective, those 44 carries were just six shy of New England's total plays for the entire game as Washington dominated the time of possession by nearly a two-to-one margin, the Patriots' offense managing just 50 snaps in a little over 20 minutes.

Yet despite all of the ugliness, eliminate the drive-killing penalties and Stephen Houston's fumble in Redskins' territory, then challenge the Tyms circus catch, and there was a close ball game.

With the Redskins leading 3-0 and driving at will, backup quarterback Kirk Cousins finished off a 10 play, 60 yard drive by burning Patriots corner Logan Ryan on a 10 yard strike to slot receiver Aldrick Robinson on a slant route that Ryan misplayed for a 10-0 lead, and another Redskins' field goal made the lead at halftime thirteen points.

Garoppolo led three long drives in the second half

Washington third-string quarterback Colt McCoy got the scoring started in the second half, hitting tight end Ted Bosler with a laser for a 20-0 Redskins' lead in the third quarter after the lanky pass catcher had gotten behind the Patriots' linebackers and gathered in McCoy's offering for the easy score.

Garoppolo was sensational - albeit tethered to the fact that he was facing layers from the Redskins' depth chart, but the sharpness of his short throws and the sick accuracy on the deep ball were impressive regardless of the competition.

The rookie from Eastern Illinois led drives of 56, 74 and 78 yards deep into Washington territory, but the wrongly disallowed circus catch by Tyms instead turned into a first down inside the Redskins' 10, and the Patriots couldn't convert on four downs and came away empty...

...Houston's fumble killed Garoppolo's second series after he had taken the Patriots offense from their own five yard line to the Redskins' 21 in just five plays, then a thre and out on his next series was followed by the perfect touch pass to Tyms.

After the game, Mallett offered his take on the evening, saying, "Obviously, you're gonna see stuff on the film that you didn't see in the game because your eyes may not have been over there because that wasn't your first read. It's tough to second guess yourself then when you're playing the game."

He's going to see stuff on film, alright, and the reviews are not going to be entirely favorable - but at least Mallett can take solace in the fact that he martyred his hide behind a turnstile-like offensive line, meaning that Tom Brady didn't have to.

At least not yet - but Brady's day is rapidly approaching, which means that the offensive line needs to find some rhythm even more rapidly...

Patriots to focus on depth against Redskins; Mallet scheduled to start

Brian Tyms has had a tough life.

His parents both abusive and neglectful, the New England Patriots receiver bounced from one foster care group home to another until he finally landed in a permanent home at the age of 12, where years of love and respect from his foster parents somewhat soothed over the pain of his parents drug-addled existence and subsequent related deaths.

Tyms has a shot at the roster, but will have to make his mark on special teams

Sports, particularly basketball and football, helped him channel the anger and disappointment - but in starting organized sports so late in his childhood - he didn't play football until his senior year in high school - he didn't attract any scholarship offers.

Undeterred, the 6' 3", 210 pound Tyms hit the books and the field at Broward County Community College before enrolling at Florida A&M, where his exceptional grades and constant haranguing of the coaching staff earned him a walk-on tryout and, eventually, a scholarship.

Tyms is uniquely qualified to endure the rigors and constant disappointment that comes with the life of an undrafted free agent in the National Football League, what with bouncing from the San Francisco 49ers to the Miami Dolphins to the Cleveland Browns and now in camp with the Patriots, where he will get the opportunity to strut his stuff against the Washington Redskins on Thursday night.

Tyms has been a steady, if unspectacular, contributor in camp and catches everything that the quarterbacks throw his way, and has built a particularly strong rapport with backup signal caller Ryan Mallett, whom it is being reported will actually start the team's preseason opener at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland...

...which is neither here nor there, given the fact that the Boston media are issuing conflicting reports regarding who is starting the game, though it goes to figure that Mallett will get the majority of the reps no matter who lines up first, and Tyms could be the player that benefits the most.

Brady won't play, but Mallett (15) and Garoppolo (10) will see action

If the Patriots are indeed shopping Mallett around as most media outlets are speculating, we will be in for a pass-heavy game with players like Tyms, Wilson Van Hooser and Derrick Johnson getting extended looks while veterans Josh Boyce and Brandon Lafell will see more than they would otherwise, as it would go to figure that an impressive resume tape on Mallett would include every throw an NFL quarterback would be likely called upon to deliver.

In that scenario, the tight ends should see some significant action as well, as Justin Jones and Asa Watson have a golden opportunity to tighten up the race to make a roster spot for themselves in the absence of Rob Gronkowski and Michael Hoomanawanui.

If the Patriots are not shopping Mallett, there will still be balls in the air, but the Patriots would likely sustain a more balanced attack as there are some questions as to the pecking order amongst the running backs, which also will involve the tight ends as inline blockers and safety valves in play action.

Linebacker depth on display:

With there being zero doubt about the three starting linebackers for the Patriots, there is some conjecture as to what kind of depth the team possesses.

At this point, backup run-stuffer Steve Beauharnais has had a ferocious camp and is a virtual lock, as is cover 'backer James Anderson.  The former Panther and Bear Anderson represents possibly the best nickle linebacker the Patriots have fielded in more than a decade, if not longer.

If there is to be a sixth - and perpetually game-day inactive - linebacker on the squad, it will likely be between veteran journeyman Darius Fleming and rookie free agents Deonte Skinner and Cameron Gordon, though the raw and smallish Gordon may ultimately end up on the practice squad.  Both will get long looks this evening.

Garoppolo in a real game situation:

Some guys leave it on the practice field, some are gamers.  Is Jimmy Garoppolo one or the other, or neither?  Patriots' fans may be pleasantly surprised to find out that Garoppolo has never really been a workout warrior, but has proven time and again in college that he steps up and delivers in actual game situations.

This is not to say that the Eastern Illinois product is going to light it up, and there is every reason to believe that he will stink up the joint.  But here's the thing: some guys are just gamers, and we'll find out tonight if Garoppolo has any of that in him as far as the pro game is concerned.


Connolly, Klein and who backs them up:

In the unfortunate absence of rookie center Bryan Stork, Belichick has been running mostly with Dan Connolly at center rather than incumbent Ryan Wendell, and second year man Josh Kline has all but assumed the right guard position held down last season by Connolly.

Belichick has talked up Wendell recently, which is usually the kiss of death.  The boss does praise players who do a good job for him, but Belichick got right into what sounded like a scripted list of accolades last week - almost like a letter of recommendation - as he spun a yarn of how Wendell went from being cut and then to the practice squad and eventually to starting center.

Don't be surprised if Wendell is an early cut, as Belichick likes to release veteran players whom he respects early enough in the preseason to allow them time to latch on somewhere else.

Expect Marcus Cannon, Jordan Devey, Braxston Cave and rookies Cameron Fleming and Jon Halapio to get the majority of the action as Belichick attempts to start putting his offensive line together.

How much does Browner play, and where?:

There appears to be quite an amount of conjecture as to where Brandon Browner will fit in this secondary, but those who have taken the time to do any research at all will discover that he lost his starting outside corner job to Byron Maxwell last season in Seattle, and was relegated to nickle and dime duties covering the double slot.

With the Pro Set virtually assured, White will get every chance

At issue is a lack of deep speed and seeming difficulty turning to look for the ball without losing his man in coverage, particularly down the sidelines.  We may see that manifest in some manner tonight as Browner will probably receive a good number of reps. 

He will play outside and inside, with his best spot as an enforcer and intimidator over the middle, perhaps even in coverage on Washington's sensational sophomore tight end Jordan Reed.

Another intriguing point of focus should be on corner depth, particularly with rookies Malcolm Butler and Travis Hawkins displaying good anticipation in camp, with Butler even taking snaps with the first team opposite Darrelle Revis at times.  Both are in the mix for a sixth corner and will get plenty of looks on Thursday night.

First real look at the running game:

The Patriots' typically do not tip their hand as to scheme and such in the preseason, but with the tight end-centric offense essentially on life support, Belichick will most likely return to the Pro Set on offense this season, featuring backs with diverse skill sets in a split backfield, one tight end and two wide receivers.

Why?  Because the aforementioned diversity within the running back corps is the key to keeping the opposing defense back on their heels as both Shane Vereen and rookie James White are equally adept at pass catching as they are running the ball, and to make sure that one or both are in the backfield at any one time can create mismatches on the second level and effectively set up the play action.

It will be interesting to see how power back Stevan Ridley is used in the Pro Set, as he has taken reps as a lead blocker in the split backfield - ala Sammy Morris - in camp at times, with favorable results.

So....Vereen, White, Ridley and...who else?  Brandon Bolden is reportedly dealing with an undisclosed injury and is back in Foxborough, so big backs Jonas Gray and rookie Stephen Houston will get some looks against the Redskins - and it's pretty safe to say that it is those two and Bolden are in competition for one roster spot.

All three have good hands out of the backfield and all of them have a powerful running style, but whomever emerges with the fourth spot in the backs rotation will most likely be rendered a game day inactive, but when you're talking about making an NFL roster, those things don't necessarily matter as much as getting your foot in the door.

Practices with Redskins offers Patriots' unique challenges

"The players are off tomorrow. We have to give them a day off – that’s their day off – and then we’ll travel Sunday." 

Bill Belichick is the National Football League's Duke of Deadpan, his delivery style right out of the Ben Stein archives - a former speech writer for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, Stein managed to make them look and sound even more boring then they actually were...

...which is curious because on his several notable appearances in the visual medium - namely as the persistently annoying history teacher in Ferris Buhler's Day Off and as the folksy uncle persona on his self-named game show, Win Ben Stein's Money - he is comically delightful, and one almost felt bad for him if someone actually won his money.

There are really no similar sentiments forthcoming for Belichick, however, because when he addresses the media, he does so only at the mandate of the league - and he is rarely delightful, nor does his monotone droll evoke any sort of sympathy, because football's not like that.

That said, Bill Belichick has a terrific sense of humor, and his grasp of sarcasm mixed with his disdain for league mandated discovery meetings with the media sometime drip from every word - particularly when speaking in regard to a league rule that handcuffs his preparation time.

We have to give them a day off – that’s their day off...

Regardless, the Patriots are now in Richmond, Virginia preparing for their three day joint practice session with the Washington Redskins in advance of the preseason opener for both on Thursday evening, and with two weeks worth of training camp to draw intelligence from and to postulate opinions from...

...and while certain questions get answered, others spring up - but if you're looking for an itinerary from Belichick, or even a clue of what he might be looking at or hoping to gain from the four day road trip, you're barking up the wrong tree. 

"Obviously we’re not game planning for them or anything." Belichick said on Friday night, "We’ll just go down there, do what we do and they’ll do what they do and we’ll kind of figure it out as we go. We’ve seen our guys go against our guys a lot and now we’ll get to see them go against somebody else."

Word.

Part of Belichick's charm is that he wants us to think for ourselves. He is not as cryptic in his player movement as he is in his words, and all it takes is a little studying and things generally start to make sense - and keeping that in mind, here are three things on offense and three things on defense that we will be looking for as the Patriots get their first taste of action:

1. The make up of the secondary - The Redskins feature a lot of speed in their receiving corps and at the tight end position, and it will be interesting to see how the Patriots play them.

DeSean Jackson (4.35 speed in the 40) will be Robert Griffin's deep threat, while Pierre Garcon (4.48) is a physical possession type while greybeard Santana Moss (4.31) handles the slot duties along with free agent pickup Andre Roberts (4.46) - that lineup, if in sync with quarterback Robert Griffin, could pose problems for any secondary.

Sadly, the only matchups that we will get to see along those lines will be in practice because the starters on both sides of the ball will yield to the scrubs after a couple of series, but there is still intrigue as to where free agent cornerback Brandon Browner lines up.

Perfectly suited for a big nickle role, he is at his best up on the line and mugging slot receivers and tight ends, then redirecting their routes to the inside - though he will see time on the outside as well, as Belichick attempts to find the perfect fit opposite Darrelle Revis.

That said, Browner has the very real chance to be the intimidator in the middle of New England's pass defense, as the big nickle - a role traditionally carried out by a safety - can evolve into a corner or linebacker in the Patriots' scheme, especially with Big Bad Browner who can play all three roles.

2. Linebacker depth - Just as in New England's offense, the Redskins under Jay Gruden will have their running backs and tight ends heavily involved in the passing game, and even though lead back Alfred Morris hasn't been used much in that capacity in the past, he'll need to be available as a target for Griffin or he'll lose snaps to third down back Roy Helu or sixth round draft pick Lache Seastrunk.

Anderson should have a chance to show off his speed and cover ability

Seastrunk wasn't involved in Baylor's passing game at all, but he did play in the same backfield as RGIII for a season and will be one to watch out for, particularly on Thursday night when he figures to get many snaps - but no matter who is curling out of the backfield, it will be the first Patriots' fans will see of free agent linebacker James Anderson and his freakish 4.5 speed covering Redskins' running backs...

...while we'll see how second year strong side backer Jamie Collins handles tight end Jordan Reed, a speedy pass catcher in the mold Aaron Hernandez, though we may see cornerback Brandon Browner handling Reed underneath at times.

The top four linebackers - Collins, Jerod Mayo, Dont'a Hightower and Anderson - are all locks, with battering ram Steve Beauharnais as close to a lock as you can get, and then there's a mad scramble for the sixth, and likely terminally inactive, linebacker spot where Darius Fleming has the early leg up in camp.

Expect to see lots of Beauharnais and Fleming on Thursday night.

3. Ambiguity at defensive end - It's weird that Jake Bequette seems to finally get it now.  He has shown up at camp with a new repertoire of moves and has been a penetrating force, much to the delight of Belichick, and could actually be making a run at keeping his roster spot.

He wont have it easy off the right edge where Washington is tight with Trent Williams and Shawn Lauvao, but if he comes off the left edge he will be facing any number in a mixture of veterans and rookies trying to shore up the strong side.  A strong showing could go a long ways to getting his name in the hat for a roster spot while Michael Buchanan and rookie Zach Moore figure to get long looks as well.

Newcomer Will Smith will see time on the strong side as well and may even see time at linebacker.

4. Right side of the offensive line - One of the more intense battles in camp has been along the right side of the Patriots' offensive line, where a lower-leg injury to rookie center Bryan Stork has thrown a wrench into the competition at both center and guard.

In Stork's stead has been mostly the versatile Dan Connolly, who has played at right guard for the past couple of years after a successful stint at center - so it will be most interesting to see who starts at center on Thursday night between Connolly and incumbent Ryan Wendell.  If it's Connolly, do not be surprised to see Wendell get the axe early in the preseason to give him the time to catch on somewhere else.

Second year guard Josh Kline has stepped up and made a claim for the spot to the right of center, and veteran swing tackle Marcus Cannon has been added to the mix at guard to to form what should be a terrific battle.

Rookie tackle Cameron Fleming should play most of Thursday night's game while starter Sebastian Vollmer stays safe on the sidelines, and with he and Cannon wide bodies of similar build and requisite toughness in the running game it would be interesting to see how wide of a hole they could open up for a back.

5. Tight end depth on display - Obviously, Rob Gronkowski will be very limited in his participation in practice and will be a non-participant in the game, and with Michael Hoomanawanui on the skids, the door for either D. J. Williams or rookie tower Justin Jones to steal the inside track for a roster spot will be wide open.

Gronkowski won't play, giving rookie Jones a big chance

And it should be a good test for them and H-back James Develin as the outside linebackers for Washington - Brian Orakpo and Ryan Karrigan - are very good, as is rookie Trent Murphy.  Williams has never lived up to his potential, but he will never have a better opportunity than he does in the next few weeks, and if Jones runs over linebackers and displays the hands in Washington as he has in Foxborough, he could emerge as the sleeper of this year's rookie class.

6. Changing of the guard at running back? - The Patriots are loaded with talented running backs - in fact, way too many talented running backs and only four roster spots.

For certain, Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen lead the way with Brandon Bolden, James White, Jonas Gray and Stephen Houston competing for two spots.  White has had a terrific camp and, according to some in the know, has passed Bolden on the depth chart already - but this has been just in practice where full speed isn't necessarily full speed and where someone on the opposing team isn't try to flatten him.

That said, look for White to get plenty of carries throughout practice and during the game as the Patriots begin their quest to impliment their power running game that was so successful toward the end of last season while Bolden desperately attempts to hold off Gray and Houston for the last roster spot.

Patriots' Résumé - James Anderson

Dear Coach,

Heard you were looking for a Big Nickle.  Here I am.

For years, this team has lacked a legitimate nickle linebacker, getting by with weakside linebacker Jerod Mayo going sideline to sideline - but when his season ended with a torn pectoral muscle, so did your chances of consistently being able to cover anyone underneath, something that the Broncos exploited to their full advantage in the AFC Championship game.

In that game, as you know, your defense struggled to cover all of Peyton Manning's receivers to begin with, then were completely overwhelmed once Wes Welker took out Aqib Talib - yet they still managed to keep the game close enough for Tom Brady and your offense to make a 4th quarter run.

And that, more than anything else, is why I wanted to play in New England.  In my nine years in the NFL, I have been to exactly one playoff game - 2008 with the Panthers - and we got our asses handed to us by the Cardinals in our own house despite having a first round bye.  We didn't have what it took for the limelight, but your Patriots do, and I wanted to be part of that.

I just want to contribute to a winner, and I don't need to be a starter - which is excellent because you already have Dont'a Hightower as your downhill thumper and Jamie Collins is an athletic freak with a stanglehold on the strongside, so combined with a healthy Mayo you appear to be set with your starting trio - but when the nickle is called for, Hightower can now come out in favor of an honest-to-goodness nickle backer.

That would be me.

I'm not too proud to admit that I wore down toward the end of last season in Chicago, when injuries forced me to man the strong side the entire year.  I made a lot of tackles for sure, but I am not your prototypical SAM and my impact was limited because I'm not really big enough to set and hold the edge in the running game - and knowing that, the opposing team ran the ball right at me.

Thought you might enjoy a pic of me destroying Victor Cruz

I am at my best on the hip of a running back or tight end in the pattern, and with 4.5 speed to go along with my 6' 2", 235 pound frame, my calling is as a hybrid safety / linebacker in press coverage - and if that is indeed why I'm here, it will be the first time in my professional career that I'd actually be playing to my strengths.

Even at 30 years old, I still run faster than most running backs and tight ends, and perhaps many slot receivers as well - and I can generate some heat in the pass rush off the edge, fully cognizant of trap draws and screens and with the loose hips, speed and agility to get to get to the ball carrier and close him down before he gets too much forward momentum going.

So at this point in my career, I'm what you would call a piece of the puzzle - but an important piece as a Big Nickle is an essential thing to have in this age of spread formations and monstrously athletic tight ends - and to play that role for the New England Patriots and have a shot at making the playoffs is an honor.

Who knows?  Maybe together we can win a championship - and that's something that looks pretty good on anyone's résumé.

Respectfully,

James Anderson

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Résumé

James Nathaniel Anderson

c/o New England Patriots

Gillette Stadium

1 Patriot Place

Foxborough, Massachusetts 02035

https://twitter.com/50janderson 

Career Focus: 

To help the New England Patriots win more Lombardi Trophies

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Studio Arts from Virginia Tech (Class of 2006)
• Graduate studies in Physical Education  (current)

 Professional Experience:

• 2006 - 2012 - Carolina Panthers (Selected in 3rd round of 2006 NFL Draft)
• 2013 - 2014 - Chicago Bears
• 2014 - Present - New England Patriots

Awards & Honors

• Four-time Excalibur Award winner at Virginia Tech (Workout Award)
• Franchise record 20 tackles for Panthers vs. Giants in 2012
• Was granted permission by Mike Singletary to wear his number 50 for the Bears

Regular Season Stats (110 Games):

• 556 Total tackles (402 solo, 154 helpers)
• 12 Career Sacks
• 3 Career interceptions and 23 passes defended
• 5 Career forced fumbles and 8 fumble recoveries

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:

1. Tom Brady - Quarterback & Offensive Captain

2. Vince Wilfork - Nose Tackle & Defensive Captain

3. Ryan Allen - Punter

4. Danny Amendola - Receiver
5. James White - Running Back

Patriots' linebacker corps better through attrition, deft acquisitions

Leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, very few considered linebacker depth amongst the New England Patriots' pressing needs.

This despite the fact that weak side mainstay and defensive captain Jerod Mayo missed the last 10 games of the season after tearing his pectoral muscle, and not taking into account that starting middle linebacker Brandon Spikes was essentially fired late last season while the man that picked up some of Mayo's slack, Dane Fletcher, fled for Tampa - leaving the linebacking corps just one layer deep with six players lining the depth chart.

Anderson may turn out to be a key acquisition for New England

Granted, three of those players - Mayo, third-year man Dont'a Hightower and sophomore sensation Jamie Collins - comprise perhaps potentially the most dynamic 4-3 linebacking corps in the league, with second year players Steve Beauharnais and Ja'Gared Davis and Lions' retread Chris White, leftovers that formed a fairly non-descript group of backups...

...with Beauharnais perhaps the only leftover with enough upside to consider on the 2014 depth chart.

Of course, that's no longer the case, as coach Bill Belichick has pulled out the change jar and visited the local Good Will, coming out with some pretty decent additions to the depth chart at bargain-basement discounts - along with the usual assortment of undrafted rookie free agents.

Beauharnais projects as the primary backup for Hightower, who will be manning the middle linebacker position on early downs, then joining the ranks at the end of the defensive line as a pass rusher, with rookie Taylor McCuller, fifth year free agent Josh Hull and White looking to unseat Beauharnais.

The second year run-stuffer out of Rutgers showed plenty of upside in the 2013 preseason, enough even to make the 53 man roster and kept there even though he was a healthy scratch just about every week.  At 6' 1" and 240 pounds, Beauharnais has some lateral agility to play some strong side in a pinch, but he is best when moving forward and plugging the running lanes...

...while Hull and White are more effective in nickle roles covering the middle of the field in a Cover-3 type scenario.  All three are limited, but Beauharnais carries the most upside - which may or may not matter as far as roster spots are concerned.

Rookie Free agents Cameron Gordon out of Michigan and Mississippi State's Deontae Skinner are looking for spots behind Collins on the strong side, though they will have some competition from former New Orleans Saints' nickle rusher Will Smith who is looking to overcome an ACL tear in his right knee.

Smith has had nearly a full year to recover from his surgery to repair the ligament, which was torn as he attempted to switch from a defensive end to outside linebacker in training camp last season - which makes him just as much an unknown at the position as the rookies in some respects.

But for the Patriots, it is the weak side that Jerod Mayo holds down that is the most critically in need of depth, and where Davis joins fellow third-year man Darius Fleming in vying for the backup spot behind the Patriots' defensive captain - and while 49ers' retread Fleming has a leg up in experience and athleticism over Davis, all of the backup spots could be trumped by the presence of James Anderson.

Signing Anderson was a boon for Belichick, as he gives the Patriots an excellent combination of size, speed and experience in a spot that has been an albatross for the unit for the past several years, and has proven over the years that he can handle either wing.

He is faster than any other linebacker in the Patriots' stable (a solid 4.5 in the 40), and while he isn't the most physical of players, his numbers for the past four years suggest that he's no slouch against the run.  But the Patriots have to hope that he's not needed in that capacity -rather - that he become their "Big Nickle", a safety-sized linebacker (6' 3", 235 pounds) with speed and skill to take on backs and tight ends in the pattern.

The Bears declined to resign Anderson after he led the team in tackles, as many within the organization felt that he wore down late in the season - but while that may be true, perhaps the Bears didn't take into account that they used the 30 year old to excess when their linebacking corps became besieged by injury, and he ended up starting every week...

...mostly on the strong side where he did an admirable job on tight ends and came away with four passes defended - combined with over 100 tackles and ranking second on the team behind Julius Peppers in sacks with four, one could certainly make a case for the Bears pulling a Danny Woodhead with Anderson in not signing one of their bright spots on a struggling defense.

But Chicago's loss is Bill Belichick's gain, as Anderson's versatility gives the Hooded One more options in coverage than in recent years - and provides the type of veteran insurance that he would have given up a kidney for last season when Mayo went down, leaving the weak side truly weak.

Typically, the weak side linebacker in a 4-3 base defense has some autonomy in that his job is to read and react, to keep track of the running back floating out into position for the screen, help set the edge in the running game and to blitz when the opportunity arises - things that Anderson has shown an unwavering penchant for in his years with Carolina and last year in Chicago.

The Patriots were absolutely gashed by the screen play last season after Mayo went down, and tight ends typically had a field day against the assailed underneath coverage and the Patriots struggled to set the edge in the running game, resulting in the team bringing in greybeard Andre Carter to provide the hard edge in the nickle.

And therein lies the problem.  Carter, a defensive end, was clearly at the end of his rope, but still provided the hard edge and inspired pass rush while used sparingly in the half a season he was with the team - while the emergence of Collins on the strong side late in the season solved a lot of the tight end issues, but the team was still lacking in that big nickle package.

Anderson could be the answer, as he could provide depth on both wings and be the nickle coverage 'backer that could be moved around to provide the defense matchup options.

Fleming is another intriguing option that could provide weak side depth - as he is purely a situational pass rusher and plays best outside the tackles, setting the edge and chasing to the sidelines.  At 6' 2" and 255 pounds, Fleming has tremendous size but has torn the ACL in his left knee twice, and in consecutive offseason camps - but if he can make it out of camp, a roster spot is probably his to lose. 

Other than those two and perhaps Smith, the rest of the depth chart - shown below with the projected players making the 53 man roster in bold - are purely camp bodies due to their limitations.

WLB:  Jerod Mayo   Darius Fleming   Ja'Gared Davis
MLB:  Dont'a Hightower   Steve Beauharnais  Taylor McCuller  Josh Hull  Chris White          
SLB:   Jamie Collins  James Anderson  Will Smith   Cameron Gordon  Deontae Skinner

Of course, as with anything Patriots, the caveat always has to do with health - but with Mayo back to full health and with little injury concern among what is projected the top five linebackers, this unit appears to be ready for some excellent camp battles.

This is part 8 of 9 wrapping up the Patriots' offseason.  Part 9 will focus on what could possibly be one of the best secondaries in the NFL.

Part 1 of 9: New England Patriots' philosophies morphing back to a simpler time
Part 2 of 9: New England Patriots' offensive philosophy - Heavy on substance, not sexy style
Part 3 of 9: Patriots surround Brady with talent, just not how most envisioned
Part 4 of 9: Patriots' incumbent backs no roster locks as rookies ready to compete
Part 5 of 9: Belichick takes a mulligan with Patriots' pass catchers
Part 6 of 9: Belichick in the spirit (of 76) in regard to offensive line
Part 7 of 9: Defensive line status up in the air while injuries mend

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