Mayo, Ridley done for season, Patriots may have solutions in-house

The injury bug can be a harsh and cruel bedfellow to a team with championship aspirations - just ask anyone associated with the New England Patriots.

Injuries are part of the game, and there are precious few vocations in the world that endorses that cliche - but even with the knowledge that a twist that way or a step this could end a players' season is the terrible reality that all players sign on for to play in the National Football League, and the Patriots have had their fair share of misfortune.

Sunday's rousing victory over the Buffalo Bills came at a high price, as the Patriots' training staff had enough injuries to deal with to set up a mobile triage unit, complete with the dreaded meat wagon, essentially a golf cart modified to bear the length and girth of injured 300 pound men and their attending physician...

Gray earned a shot at this opportunity in training camp

...and when the cart comes out, a player, the coaches, the fans and the media has a pretty good idea that the somber ride down the tunnel is the last that they will see of that player on the field for a while - and sometimes they never return.

So when defensive captain and signal caller linebacker Jerod Mayo was loaded onto the wagon and wheeled off, he knew his season was over.  So did his teammates, who gathered around and offered their encouragement to a man that they knew they would sorely miss on the field of battle.

But not all season ending injuries require the slow roll, proven on Sunday when running back Stevan Ridley gimped to the training room with a torn ACL and a torn MCL in his right knee. The team wasted no time in scheduling surgery for the power back, and he is done for the season.

Ridley's knee injury is a more common malady than what Mayo has suffered - reportedly a ruptured Patella Tendon, an injury that more often times than not includes a concomitant ACL tear and one that has a time table from surgery to full recovery in about nine months.

Season ending knee injury for JEROD MAYO @Patriots likely involves his extensor mechanism (quad/patella tendon or patella fracture), surgery
— David J. Chao, MD (@ProFootballDoc) October 14, 2014

Typically, the affected athlete can start to flex the knee at around the six week mark and begin running at around the six month mark, so it is a long, long protracted process that may last into training camp of 2015 and beyond.

So with the players in question well cared for, albeit in pain and not particularly ambulatory, the focus turns to how the Patriots replace the services of their fallen warriors, and while the team is more prepared for the long-term repercussions of season-ending injuries as they were when the bug ripped a hole in the middle of their defense last season, it's still going to be difficult to make up for their losses.

White will get his shot to contribute with Ridley on the shelf

At least with Ridley, the answer is likely on the roster.

Shane Vereen will probably see more snaps and carries on Thursday night, given the short turnaround and abbreviated preparation time, which also means that rookie James White will be on the 46 man game day roster along with Brandon Bolden to supplement a ground game that will be facing the top-ranked run defense of the New York Jets.

But in the 10-day break that the team has following the tilt with the Jets, it will interesting to see if Belichick tries to bring in a veteran power back via free agency or a trade, or if he calls up 6' 0", 235 pound Jonas Gray from the practice squad.  Gray had a breakout performance in the preseason and was the Patriots' best back in camp, yet he ended up cut and resigned to the squad.

Of course, the perfect replacement would have been LeGarrette Blount, who bolted for Pittsburgh in the offseason with a promise for more playing time, but is now floundering on the Steelers' depth chart to the tune of six carries a game as the backup for work horse Le'Veon Bell, so the next best thing is Gray, who displayed Blount-like plodding in the preseason as well as perhaps a bit more speed.

Replacing Mayo will prove to be more difficult, because the team is not just replacing a weak side linebacker, but also the veteran presence of their defensive captain and signal caller.

Fleming has some cover skill and is excellent at setting the edge

Perhaps the trials that middle linebacker Dont'a Hightower endured last season in taking over for Mayo when he tore a pectoral muscle can now officially be viewed as a blessing in disguise, the experience gained in leading a defense void of veteran leadership tapped for the greater good now that Mayo is gone.

The roster spot vacated by Mayo will surely be filled with another linebacker, as depth has become an issue - and there could be worse options than third-year man Darius Fleming, who has taken a leadership role on the practice squad and showed a ton of grit in playing mostly every snap in the preseason.

Fleming is a weak side defender with cover ability combined with an uncanny ability to play the screen and set the edge.  Steve Beauharnais has just been signed to the Washington Redskins' practice squad, and since players on the squad are considered free agents, Belichick would have every right to poach him away from Washington if need be, but would have to keep him on the active roster for a minimum of three weeks.

Word also has it that the Patriots worked out a number of linebackers on Monday, so there seems to be no lack of options for Belichick to choose from in attempting to fill the weak side linebacker spot for the second consecutive season.

Belichick unveils the dark underbelly of his Patriots - but not everyone likes it

The Patriots used the second half of last Sunday's win to get their power ground game going.

In Bill Belichick's world, the second half of Sunday's win at Minnesota was nothing more than a game-speed scrimmage.

This little nugget seems to be disturbing to many fans of the New England Patriots, as it is difficult for them to fathom why the Dark Master would sacrifice points for any reason at all, let alone in the name of practice...

...but what Belichick and the rest of his Patriots got out of it was a full thirty minutes of game-speed scrimmage - a rarest of treats for a man who refers to all things that he values as "capital" - much the way an investment banker would assign value to a stock - only for Belichick, time and opportunity are assets that he holds in higher regard than money.

For example, during the offseason you will hear Belichick refer to his draft picks as "draft capital", from which he is unwilling to part with unless tendered an offer than he can't refuse - see the 2013 draft, where he quadrupled his "capital" by trading away the 29th pick overall to Minnesota - so when the Dark Master was offered a deal that he couldn't refuse from Chandler Jones last Sunday, he gladly cashed in his stock.

Gronkowski saw five targets in the second half

What he traded was points during a game that had been all but decided - or had already been decided if considering how well his defense was playing - and gained perhaps the most invaluable training tool afforded a head ball coach in the National Football League: Real-time, situational practice.

Of course, he may or may not had been planning it all along - as is what most certainly occurred the previous Sunday in Miami - but the opportunity presented itself in a more convenient form once Jones blocked a field goal attempt late in the second quarter and took it to the house to give the Patriots a 17 point lead going into the locker room.

It really didn't look too good up to that point, as the Vikings were lining up for a 48-yard field goal attempt that would have cut the Patriots' lead to single digits - but then Jones burst through the protection like he was shot out of a cannon and used his condor-like wingspan to easily get to the ball, then took the perfect ball bounce off the turf and before you could say "Defensive Player of the Week", the New England lead was 17.

That ten-point swing allowed Belichick to continue to install his running game and to target tight end Rob Gronkowski almost exclusively in the passing game - working on situational football and fundamentals without the albatross of needing to score points hanging around their collective neck.

And that's what folks are not understanding.

Opportunities like the one that presented itself last Sunday are priceless in the mind of a football coach - and since he was determined to achieve his goals regardless of ease of implementation, it worked out for the best.

As a result, the statistics look a little bit skewed in the favor of the running game, while the few targets from Brady in the passing game were geared toward getting Gronkowski into football shape, much the same as he would have in the preseason, had Gronk been cleared for contact.

Of the 14 times Brady dropped back to pass in the second half, he targeted Gronkowski five times, as compared with three times for Julian Edelman, twice each for Aaron Dobson and Shane Vereen and one a piece for Danny Amendola and Tim Wright - though on two of Edelman's and one of Dobsons's and one of Vereen's, the plays were negated due to penalty.

In all, Brady targeted eight different receivers in the contest - as Michael Hoomanawanui and James Develin also notched receptions in the first half - not a bad ratio for dropping back into the pocket only 27 times, which is made even more remarkable when stopping to consider that Brady didn't even throw a pass until he found Dobson on 13 yard gain with just a little over four minutes left in the first quarter.

Up until that point it had been all Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen as Belichick methodically installed his power running game, hammering the heart of the Vikings' run defense sixteen times that would set up a terrific display of smashmouth, four-minute offense in the second half when the Patriots gained 105 of their 150 total rushing yards...

...coming on just 21 carries as Ridley did much of his damage between the tackles against a worn out Minnesota front seven, while Brady happily got some one-on-one work in with his man-child tight end.

And that's how it works.

Questions arose in the post-game presser and in subsequent interviews regarding the teams' seeming lack of targets for receivers not named Gronkowski and Edelman, and while both Brady and Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels jabbered happily about the win and about how they are far from satisfied and about how there is a need for balance in the offense, the truth is that they are just telling the beat writers what they want to hear.

After all, these guys aren't stupid.  They know full well that no matter what comes out of their mouths, someone's going to twist it around for the sake of sensational headlines in the name of readership and stir up the constituency with a big stick - and while there is truth to what they are saying, the writers never lose sight of the ultimate goal: Page Views.

In truth, there was no no favoritism on the part of Brady, no ignoring other receivers, no lost faith in the receivers' ability to get open nor to catch the football - just a cascading set of priorities, the success of which most assuredly brought a smile to the face of the Dark Master, but also a furrowing scowl to the features of those who saw an opportunity to pile on points against an inferior foe.

That's just the way it is in Patriots Nation, as victory draws out the nit-picking of the Brady and Belichick detractors just as surely as the few losses they suffer each season bring out the doomsayers.

But for fans of the dark underbelly of football - the part of the game unseen by the public, the part of the game that involves the endless sweat and preparation that makes the Patriots the model franchise of the National Football League - last Sunday is about as beautiful as football gets.

Patriots stomp Vikings 30-7, but Brady unimpressed

Stevan Ridley rushed for 101 yards in the Patriots' 30-7 victory over the Vikings in Minneapolis on Sunday

"Three yards and a cloud of dust used to be the standard for success in the National Football League.  It is the most fundamental concept in the game, and has been the backbone of championship teams since the very beginning - and teams that ignore its importance are doomed to defeat." - Foxborough Free Press, September 14, 2014

The Minnesota Vikings were without running back Adrian Peterson on Sunday afternoon.

So now that the caveat has been issued, anything positive that the New England Patriots' defense accomplished on Sunday afternoon against the Vikings' offense is clearly due to the absence of one of the all time great running backs - so thank goodness for the Patriots' offense.

Just don't expect quarterback Tom Brady to buy into that.

“I’m happy we won." Brady groaned after the game. "I wish we could go out there and play like we are capable of. Just the way it is."

The way it is, is that Stevan Ridley ran for 101 yards and Shane Vereen 40 more as the Patriots cleared football's version of baseball's Mendoza Line with plenty to spare, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, and Chandler Jones blocked a field goal attempt and took it to the house as the New England Patriots routed the Minnesota Vikings by a score of 30-7 at TCF Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota on Sunday afternoon.

Perhaps Brady was unhappy that the offense was only 5 of 14 on third down conversions, or maybe it was the inordinate number of penalties, or maybe even the fact that New England left points on the field due to those blunders, or it could be that he steamed that he was only allowed to throw 22 passes compared to having to hand the ball off 37 times - but whatever it is, Brady is looking forward to rectifying it.

“We are going to try and make improvements, so that’s why we get back to work tomorrow and see what we can do better,” Brady snarled. “Similar to after last week, try to make some improvements and hopefully we can go out there and do a better job.”

The Vikings weren't so fortunate on the ground, counting on third-year back Matt Asiata to fill the void left by Peterson's indiscretion, leading a Minnesota running game that produced only 54 yards on 19 rushing attempts, coach Mike Zimmer abandoning the running game by necessity in the second half in favor of, well, that was the problem.

Minnesota quarterback Matt Cassel paid a heavy price for the offense's inability to run the ball, taking six sacks by the relentless Patriots' pass rush, and getting drilled eight more times after releasing the ball - the pressure having much to do with Cassel throwing four interceptions, though the athleticism of the New England defensive backs played a part in it as well.

After the Minnesota Vikings drove the length of the field to score an easy-looking opening touchdown against the New England Patriots, the television play-by-play announcers made it a point to mention that since halftime of the Patriots' loss to Miami on opening weekend, they had been outscored 30-0...

...but it was just a matter of a couple of minutes before the Patriots scored the first of their own thirty unanswered points, safety Devin McCourty's 60 yard interception return setting up Ridley from the one yard line for a 7-7 game midway through the opening frame.

The first of three Stephen Gostkowski field goals gave New England a 10-7 lead at the end of the quarter, then a Darrelle Revis interception led to a filthy Brady lob to Julian Edelman in the left corner of the end zone to give them a 10 point lead just into the quarter, then the teams traded punts before Chandler Jones came away with the play of the game.

Cassel caught fire with just under three minutes remaining in the half, leading the Vikings to what appeared to be a simple 48 yard field goal attempt and a chance to cut the lead to just one score heading into the room, but Jones penetrated through the protection and used his 6' 6" frame and octopus-like span to block the kick, picking up the ball at the Patriots 42 and returning it 58 yards for the dagger.

“It was a huge 10-point play,” Belichick said of Jones' effort. “It’s a huge play. We work on that every week, and it was great to see it happen in the way it did and see that hard work in practice pay off and become reality in the game. That’s what it is all about."

Up 24-7, the Patriots turned to their running game in the second half, settling for two Gostkowski field goals after long, clock eating drives to provide the final margin while the New England defense pinned their ears back and went after Cassel, forcing two more interceptions and sending Minnesota to their first defeat of the young season.

Afterward, coach Bill Belichick was in a rare jovial mood, complimenting his coaching staff and players just seven days removed from their worst performance in years - and just after his team improve to an astonishing 38-1 when one of their backs rushes for 100 yards or more, and 34-5 after a loss the week before.

"We had good opportunities to run the ball and that led to play-action passes,” Belichick said, offering the obvious after his 200th career victory. "Our offensive line, our tight ends, James Develin is part of that, they blocked well. Stevan ran hard."

It wasn't perfect, as Brady will be quick to tell you, particularly after being flagged for 15 penalties for a whopping 163 yards, but it was a marked improvement from the week before, and a victory made sweeter being the first one since their ugly loss in last January's AFC Title game...

...and hopefully one where the Patriots learned that sticking with their running game regardless of the level of initial success, is how to win football games.  They didn't do it in Denver and the didn't in Miami last week, but on a cool late summer afternoon in Minnesota, New England did stick with their ground game, and it opened up the entire playbook.

Just don't expect Tom Brady to be satisfied, because there's only thing that will do that - something tall and shiny that he has to go to Arizona to get, but it's far too early to think about such things.

Offensive line, running game in spotlight for Patriots vs Panthers

The last time we saw the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers on the same field, old rivals Steve Smith and Aqib Talib turned their bitter feud into a street fight and Panthers' linebacker Luke Kuechly mugged Patriots' tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone as time expired, sending quarterback Tom Brady into a frothing rage.

Ridley (22) and Develin expect to see many snaps on Friday night

That Monday night game became an instant classic that carried on the rich tradition between the inter-conference rivals, a rivalry that continues on Friday night as the Panthers travel to Foxborough to take on New England in the third preseason game for both clubs.

But while Smith and Talib took their punk acts elsewhere, the Patriots' offense and Panthers' defense have remained essentially the same, save the Carolina secondary that lost three of it's four starters and replaced them with aging journeymen, which could negatively impact one of the NFL's best defenses from last season...

...which is neither here nor there as far an an exhibition game is concerned, but the schedule makers didn't do the Patriots any favors as the Panthers played just five nights ago with their starters playing well into the contest, those two facts possibly impacting the playing time for the Carolina defenders.

It isn't a stretch to say that turnovers changed the entire complexion of last season's game, what with a Stevan Ridley fumble deep in Carolina territory destroying a long drive that would have answered a Panthers' touchdown in the first quarter, then a Brady pass that would have been a game winner picked off in the end zone to end the game instead.

In between, the Patriots' offense routed the second-ranked Carolina defense to the tune of 390 total yards, the second most yards given up by the Panthers all season.  But while that ultimately wasn't enough, it should give us an idea of what to expect on Friday night.

Boyce is looking for some consistency to assure himself a roster spot

Before Kuechly's blatant pass interference / hold that prevented Gronkowski from getting to Brady's throw into the end zone that would have won the game - leading to an epic Brady meltdown when the officials decided to pick up their flags because they claimed the pass was uncatchable - the Patriots had scored on four consecutive drives.

Granted, two of those scores were drives that fell short of the end zone due to mistakes by the Patriots and not really anything that the Panthers were doing on defense - a Logan Mankins personal foul ruining one drive and suspect play calling stalling another, both drives leaving points on the field as New England forced themselves to settle for field goals.

Point being, even against one of the league's top defenses, the Patriots offense pretty much had their way, and only their miscues prevented them from blowing out the eventual NFC South Champions on their home turf - and since then the Panthers' secondary has taken hits in free agency this offseason, while New England's offense has been strengthened simply due to better health - facts that should manifest themselves on Friday night.

Of course, last season Brady had to endure breaking in almost all new receivers - and as painful as that was, the diligence shown by he and coach Bill Belichick should pay off in spades this season, as the three rookies Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins each have a year and two camps under their belts...

...free agent signee Danny Amendola has had a full offseason to get used to not having an adductor muscle and Belichick signed Brandon Lafell away from the Panthers to join the dynamic talents of receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski to form the most scheme-specific talented pass catching corps in the league.

But the success of the Patriots' offensive attack both this season and last was - and is - dependent on the power running game that lends a balance to a scheme that is one of the most difficult to defend in the NFL - particularly since running backs Shane Vereen and rookie James White are excellent options for Brady out of the backfield in addition to what they bring with Ridley up the gut.

That said, the key to it all is the play of an offensive line that was atrocious in the first preseason game against the Washington Redskins as Belichick tried out several different lineups, but seemed to gain some continuity against the Philadelphia Eagles last week and Belichick will be looking to solidify the starting five as the first unit for the Patriots should play into the third quarter in this dress rehearsal for the regular season opener.

It appears that veteran Dan Connolly is the favorite to rekindle his role as New England's starting center from two years ago while the battle for Connolly's right guard spot still seems up in the air between second year men Josh Kline and Jordan Devey, but the rest of the line is set with Mankins at left guard, Nate Solder at left tackle and Sebastian Vollmer at right tackle...

Who spells Brady in the third quarter?

...though Vollmer is suffering through a foot ailment of some sort and probably won't play on Friday night, perhaps being replaced in the lineup by swing tackle Marcus Cannon, though the possibility exists that rookie drive blocker Cameron Fleming could man the right and leaving Cannon free to go left should Belichick choose to employ Solder as a tackle-eligible tight end to get extra push in the running game.

Which isn't such a bad idea, considering that the Panthers front seven is about as stout as it gets.

Panthers' coach Ron Rivera invested heavily in his interior defensive line last season, drafting Utah's Star Lotulelei and Purdue's Kawann Short, two 320 pound rocks in the middle of Carolina's 4-3 alignment, with ends Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson form perhaps the best set of pass rushing bookends in the game - and even more so when one considers that the depth at end include rookie terror Kony Ealy and former CFL All Star Alex Hall.

Even more difficult to comprehend is that as good as the line is, the linebackers may be even better.  Gronkowski mugging aside, Kuechly is one of the top middle linebackers in the league while Chase Blackburn and Thomas Davis are exceptional outside linebackers and are backed up by second year man A.J. Klein as the nickle linebacker, though none of these men are liabilities in the passing game and don't need to come off the field...

...which in keeping the state of the Panthers' secondary in mind may be their saving grace.

Gone is corner Captain Munnerlyn and both starting safeties in Michael Mitchell and Quintin Mikell, replaced by grey beards Roman Harper at free safety and Thomas DeCoud at strong while veteran backup Antoine Cason gets elevated to starter at corner across from the lone returner from last season, Melvin White.

White actually serves as an example for Patriots' cornerback Malcolm Butler as he made the team as an undrafted free agent last year and earned the starting gig opposite Munnerlyn six games in.  Rotating in at corner will be Josh Norman and Charles Godfrey while rookie Tre Boston and second year man Robert Lester provide depth at safety.

But as tempting as it will be for Belichick to just let Brady air it out and abuse the Panthers' secondary, it is the running game that needs the most attention, and there is not a better front seven to try and get it on track against than Carolina's.

Thus far in the preseason, none of the backs that are likely to make the regular season roster have shown up with anything significant in either game, although Ridley started to get untracked against the Eagles before putting the ball on the ground and being removed, while rookie Roy Finch and second year load Jonas Gray have flashed enough potential to warrant another look.

That look may not come on Friday night as the Patriots need to assess the play of Vereen and White, neither of whom have had any impact in games, but have flashed skill in practices - though Gray has earned some time in the four minute offense and could be seen in short yardage and end of the half roles.

H-back James Develin will get plenty of snaps, both in the four minute offense and also as a flanker and as an inline tight end, his role expanding to the point that Brady called him the "best fullback in the NFL" - high praise for a former Ivy League defensive end.

As one may guess, Develin will be joining newbie Steve Maneri in handling the tight end duties for the evening - perhaps joined by Solder as previously mentioned - while both Rob Gronkowski and Michael Hoomanawanui slowly make their way back from injury, which by nature will leave the bulk of the receiving duties to the wide receivers and the passing backs.

Aaron Dobson may not play, but that only leaves room for the other receivers to display their wares.  Josh Boyce is hoping to find a little consistency in his game to match what Kenbrell Thompkins, Brandon Lafell, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman and rookie Brian Tyms have shown - with Tyms hoping to match up against top level competition as part of some first team personnel packages...

...with White and Vereen trying to find room in the flat to show what their shiftiness in space out of the backfield.

Throwing to them will be Brady, of course, and probably into the third quarter as the third preseason game affords the team their first opportunity to make halftime adjustments for the team to bond further in a game situation - but the real story at quarterback will be which one backup relieves the old gunslinger.

Jimmy Garoppolo was first in against the Eagles and got some good snaps against better competition than he did against the Redskins, building upon that game and gaining some downhill momentum in his quest to overtake Ryan Mallett as Brady's number two. 

Mallett did an admirable job against the Eagles as well so whoever it is coming in for Brady in the third quarter can probably be assumed to be in line for some primary clipboard holding in the regular season.

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

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' incumbent backs no roster locks as rookies ready to compete

"Both the University of Wisconsin and the Patriots are afforded the luxury of having the 5' 10", 200 pound White split carries both with the power backs that Wisconsin is noted for and that the Patriots' "By Committee" approach begs for - but in White, Patriots' coach Bill Belichick has drafted a back that can do everything the veteran backs can do - combined." - Foxborough Free Press, May 16, 2014

How much does Bill Belichick regret letting Danny Woodhead get away in free agency last offseason?

The Hoodie makes some mistakes in personnel, but usually not so egregious as to facilitate 2013's Summer of Pain, when he lost his top receiver, top third down back and half of his twin tight end attack - carrying over into the regular season when he lost Shane Vereen in the season opener with a broken bone in his wrist, then three defensive mainstays in successive weeks.

Belichick gambled that Vereen would at least match Woodhead's production and that new receiver Danny Amendola would come close to approaching "Welker-esque" numbers - but there was no replacing Aaron Hernandez as he sat - and still sits - rotting in jail...

...and coupled with the fact that the team was running with Michael Hoomanawanui and Matthew Mulligan as their tight ends at the start and at the end of the season, the onus fell on a group of rookie receivers and a brace of running backs that, while individually one dimensional which made the Patriots' offense predictable, those mistakes finally caught up with Belichick in the AFC Championship Game.

New England Patriots on Paper - White, Houston primed to make noise in backfield competition

James White is going to be a star.

The kid from the University of Wisconsin that the faithful in Madison have dubbed with the dubious nickname "Barry" - as in Sanders, for his quick feet and violent cutting ability - is far more than what the Badgers used him for, and if he becomes everything that the Patriots envision for him, he could be the most complete running back that has roamed Foxborough for at least a decade.

Both the University of Wisconsin and the Patriots are afforded the luxury of having the 5' 10", 200 pound White split carries both with the power backs that Wisconsin is noted for and that the Patriots' "By Committee" approach begs for - but in White, Patriots' coach Bill Belichick has drafted a back that can do everything the veteran backs can do - combined.

"I'd say he's a guy that has shown he has four-down value." Belichick offered in his post-draft presser. "He's been productive in the kicking game, he's been productive catching the ball. He has a high average per carry. He can run inside. He can run outside. He makes good space plays and he can get some tough yards."

Reloading the Musket - Part 3: Patriots' offensive balance dependent on three-down back

So, what can we take from the fact that for the second year in a row, the New England Patriots have let a productive running back escape their system in free agency - and for very affordable money.

It raises questions for sure, not the least important of which is why Gillette Stadium seems to be turning into a clearing house for quality running backs - and also taking into account how the experts regard the position to be devalued in the modern NFL.

Last offseason, It was Danny Woodhead, whom the Patriots let walk to San Diego under what would have been an easy to absorb two-year, $3.5 million deal for what was essentially the same role that he played in Foxborough - that of a quick-twitch, jitterbug third-down back...

Towson's Terrance West could be a mid-round gem

...while hammer back LeGarrette Blount, whom the Patriots picked up in a draft weekend trade with Tampa Bay last offseason was allowed to bolt for Pittsburgh under a similar deal for a backup role with the Steelers.

The backlash for the Woodhead debacle was muted somewhat due to the outrage over first the Wes Welker defection to the Broncos, then the news that Rob Gronkowski needed back surgery and wouldn't be ready for the start of the season and then the sobering reality that Aaron Hernandez was a murderous thug...

...but then came to the forefront when third down back Shane Vereen broke his wrist in the first game of the season in the role that he took over in the place of Woodhead - coupled with the lack of familiar receiving targets for quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots' offense suffered and sputtered like it never had in the Bill Belichick era.

And now, Blount has bolted to Pittsburgh, leaving the Patriots "power" ground game in the sometimes slippery mitts of Stevan Ridley, seldom used Brandon Bolden and Vereen - and what's worse, is that all three are in a contract year, making it very difficult to keep the group together beyond this season.

Fortunately, the Patriots didn't bite on the contract demands of any aging veterans on the market - so with no viable options beyond the backs currently on the roster entering their big payday audition season, it would appear that the draft is where the Patriots will be seeking to add to the depth chart.

And they need to, because if they learned nothing else from the Woodhead error, it's that fortune favors the prepared, and in this case, being prepared is having a solid backup plan.

But what is a solid backup plan to Belichick?

Belichick had a backup plan in Shane Vereen when he let Woodhead test the market, but the Blount one year rental is where things become murky.  When Belichick traded for Blount, the thought was that the team was going to become more balanced offensively, with Ridley and Blount serving as power backs with Vereen and Bolden in a more all-purpose role.

And we saw snippets of the balance throughout the first dozen games, but it wasn't until the already shaky receiving corps suffered so many injuries that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had no choice but to feature a run-heavy attack that Patriots' fans truly witnessed what that running game was capable of - and so dominating was it that the feeling was that the team would ensure Blount remained to pick up where the group left off.

But he's gone - which leaves one to wonder exactly what the offense is going to look like.  It truly is a make-or-break year for all of the runners on the roster and we've probably seen the best of what the team is going to get from them.  They are all capable, so Belichick could elect to go into the season with his 2012 version of the running game...

...or he could try to build on last season's success through the draft by going after a big featured back that the team hasn't had since Corey Dillon left as part of the failed and wrong Laurence Maroney experiment, and because Brady hasn't had a three-down guy that he could turn and give the ball to 20 times and throw it to four or more times a game since Antowain Smith left a dozen years ago.

And that's what is needed.  The Denver Broncos were able to shut down New England's offense in the AFC Title Game because Brady's receiving options were limited, and because his two lead backs were runners only and didn't offer much in the passing game, the Broncos' front seven were able to tee off on Brady because they knew what was coming depending on who was on the field.

Ridley is a strong runner but has stone for hands, and all three backs are borderline as far as size to physically handle the beating that at bell cow receives, and all have had limiting injuries in their tenure - leaving the door open for a less expensive option for the next four years through the draft.

The only question is, what kind of draft capital is Belichick willing to invest in the running game?  If he wants one of the top runners in the class, a kid that he can leave on the field for three downs without rendering the offense predictable, he's probably going to have to cough up a second rounder, at minimum.

Carlos Hyde is powerfully built at 6' 0" and 230 pounds, and the Ohio State product is the bell cow type back that seems to get stronger and nastier as the game progresses, and he completes the picture with solid in pass protection skill and shows soft hands in the pattern.

Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey is perhaps the most gifted runner in the class, with similar size and skill to Hyde and could find his way into being someone's franchise back with his combination of speed, power and receiving ability - but some teams have reportedly dropped him from their big boards due to lingering off-field issues...

...which also rings true for LSU running back Jeremy Hill, who at 6' 1" and 235 pounds, is a unique threat as he can play it anyway you want - he will power through the line or slash through a hole to daylight and has good hands, both in protecting the ball and for snagging passes curling out of the backfield and is instinctive in pass protection.

Auburn's Tre Mason rounds out the top of the class, and there's little not to like.  A squatty back but lightning quick through the hole, Mason is an impact receiver and dependable in pass protection. Explosive one-cut style - when he sees a hole he gains it more quickly than any other back in the class.  Has additional value as an experienced kick returner.

It seems unlikely that New England will again settle for backs with limited skill set, but there are some backs that can be had in the middle rounds that could develop into the triple-threat back that that could make the offense a little more unpredictable.

Though smallish, Florida State's Devonta Freeman could be a late second day gem as he has the ability of any of the top backs, but back issues hurt his stock while having the luxury of running behind one of the better offensive lines in the college ranks inflates his value somewhat, but is an explosive runner with a slippery side that could become a three-down back

There are other smaller backs that project for the mid rounds, and speedsters such as Oregon game-breaker De'Anthony Thomas and Kent State's Dri Archer could fit into a third down back type of role, but the best of the smaller backs could be Towson's Terrance West.

While standing just 5' 9" tall, West is impressive physically at 225 pounds, is uniquely built to handle the rigors of running between the tackles, lower his pads to initiate contact with the defender and has an extra gear once he breaks free - and his receiving skill are top notch.  He does have room to improve in pass protection and he has a lot of carries to his credit already, but has enough tread left to contribute through a rookie contract.

Adding to the intrigue,  New England Patriots assistant to the coaching staff Mike Lombardi was in attendance at West's pro day and had a private meeting with him afterwards.

Boston College's Heisman Trophy finalist Andre Williams is a taller prospect in the same mold, but his lack of production in the passing game makes him a bit of a wildcard.In years past, Williams would have been the type of back taken in the first round with his bruising running style and decent speed - but in today's NFL that features a rotation of backs that can pass block and wheel out into the pattern, Williams is an anomoly.

Washington's Bishop Sankey is speedy and instinctive, but there really doesn't seem to be a need for a back like Sankey in the Patriots' offense. While a good receiver, his pass protection skills are far from elite and generally only gets what's blocked for him in the running game - the same going for West Virginia's Charles Sims but with the explosiveness that Sankey does not possess.

Sims doesn't project as an every down back, which isn't a concern in New England's rotational philosophy, but could be very productive in a Shane Vereen-type role as much of his damage in College came after the catch.  Durability is his biggest concern, which is why he's not more highly rated.

A list of potential late-round developmental types is led by three bigger backs, starting with Florida State's  James Wilder, Jr.  - at 6' 3" and 235 pounds, Wilder relies on brute strength to make up for his limited foot speed, but is a hammer up the middle and an effective cutter on the edge.  He has good hands and is decent in pass protection, which makes this plodding but powerful and explosive runner a good fit for New England's stable of rotational backs, but maybe not a feature back...

...while Idaho's James Baker may be the best back that no one's ever heard of - an  excellent smaller school prospect with terrific size and tremendous speed and soft hands.  At 6' 1" and 240 pounds, Baker ran a 4.55 and blew the doors off his pro day with his receiving and run after the catch ability, but the small school competition couple with ball security lapses make him a late-round or priority free agent project.

LSU's Alfred Blue is a tall back with room to get bigger if need be, with a sliding running style like the departed Blount but with more speed and decent hands but is an absolutely atrocious blocker - which is something that can be coached, but still places him in the priority free agent level.