2020 Pats: The Training Camp
- Thread starter DJnVa
- Start date
I feel like we’ve had a really good back half of the roster since like 2014... It would take a lot of research for an in-depth dive but I’ve been going over the rosters since 2000 (I’ve been doing this the past 3-4 years for draft purposes as well) and I think we’ve traditionally had strong back half’s of the roster from say 2003-2008 and then 2013/2014-present. Our top half of the roster was strong from 2009-2012/2013 but many of those years had a lean back half of the roster whereas our top half of the roster has been on the decline since 2017 while the back half remains strong.
Once again we have a lot of quality depth at almost every position but front 7 edge and LBs and TE.
2001-2002 reminds me a bit of 2018 and 2019 where you had decent depth but not a ton of star power at the top of the roster.
Once again we have a lot of quality depth at almost every position but front 7 edge and LBs and TE.
2001-2002 reminds me a bit of 2018 and 2019 where you had decent depth but not a ton of star power at the top of the roster.
Yeah, what's helping is the somewhat unexpected growth of the 2nd year players and a rookie class that could be one of the better ones in recent memory.
Speaking of 2nd year players, The Gun Show leads all receivers with 20 receptions through 9 practices:
View: https://twitter.com/MarkDanielsPJ/status/1298694711918637057?s=20
Speaking of 2nd year players, The Gun Show leads all receivers with 20 receptions through 9 practices:
View: https://twitter.com/MarkDanielsPJ/status/1298694711918637057?s=20
Hybrid rules for scrimmage? Sack and interception on same play would seem difficult. Unless they count it as a sack but let it play out.
Bedard had this on Thuney today: "New injuries: LG Joe Thuney (left hand) did not return. RB Damien Harris (left calf) stayed in."
Also had this, "A running back who will be anonymous threw a really nice pass to Olszweski."
BSJ
Sounds like Newton was in the grasp but got the ball out for the INT.
Also had this, "A running back who will be anonymous threw a really nice pass to Olszweski."
BSJ
Sounds like Newton was in the grasp but got the ball out for the INT.
Sounds like Thuney is not serious
View: https://twitter.com/mikereiss/status/1299108910943608833?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/mikereiss/status/1299108910943608833?s=21
I'm getting seriously excited to see what this offense does. Reading the tea leaves of camp reports from the various beat writers and it sure sounds like this offense is going to look a whole lot more like those old Carolina offenses than it will the Brady-era Pats offense. Which makes sense considering you build the offense around what your players do well. Get ready to see a lot of read option.
This Grantland article from Chris Brown is 8 years old, from way back when Cam was still just getting started, but it's a good quick look into the type of stuff I think we'll see from this offense.
https://grantland.com/the-triangle/cam-newton-and-the-diversity-of-carolinas-zone-read-package/
This Grantland article from Chris Brown is 8 years old, from way back when Cam was still just getting started, but it's a good quick look into the type of stuff I think we'll see from this offense.
https://grantland.com/the-triangle/cam-newton-and-the-diversity-of-carolinas-zone-read-package/
From what I’ve heard and read, particularly from the most critical of media sources (surprisingly, the writers at Patriots.com), the offense has been really inconsistent and somewhat worrying. Definitely agree it‘ll be different, and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing the Cam-led O in action, but I would temper my expectations.
I'm really just excited to see how it unfolds and see what they do. I'm not all that concerned about them struggling against the Pats defense in practice while they figure it out.
I agree with this. My guess is the upside case is a healthy O lone lets them ground and pound with occasional sneakiness with Cam or Stidham. But it could very easily look like a slightly better version of last year.
The defense, on the other hand, could be pretty pretty good.
This is one of those years where practice against another team would be a lot more enlightening than the present circumstances. Offense versus defense with this group isn't going to test the LB group or the DL group in significant ways (I'd think that would just be grinding down the team). So essentially it is using the skill players against the secondary... which happens to be among the most experienced and talented in the league... so how do the Pats get a real read on the offense? It will be tough to make evaluations, with the exception I guess of saying if player X looked good against OUR defense, he's likely to look good against any defense. But anyone that struggled... what does that show... they struggled against the very best. Interesting camp.
I suspect that we'll see games where this stuff appears to be working and everything is clicking and the O looks good, but other games where the opposing D is shutting down the run or the Pats fall behind early and they have to throw. I'm skeptical about the team's ability to throw when they have to with this group of receivers. It's 2020; you gotta be able to throw the ball out of 11 personnel.
Cam is where we would expect him to be 3 weeks into running a new offense. He doesn’t have the timing and anticipation down yet. I would imagine the early part of the season he’s going to struggle. He also has struggled making adjustments at the LOS. None of this is surprising given his situation but it doesn’t bode well for the early passing offense.
Asiasi is turning heads at camp. Thanks to Evan Lazar I’ve gotten to see him at the top of his breaks. He’s so fluid. He has such great breaks he can snap off routes like he was a slot receiver. If there was a rookie TE who seems like he is going to be good for 300-400 yards it’s Asiasi. Still though relying on a rookie TE to carry your unit is a dubious proposition.
The OL is going to be good and even the depth minus maybe OT looks to be fantastic this year compared to the rest of the NFL.
The RBs minus Sony can catch the ball well. Harris needs to prove he can do it in a game but I trust him. OL and FBs and RBs are solid though. The problem is they won’t be able to overcome stacked boxes and a bad passing offense.
The WRs still give me pause. Gunner flashing is nice but even a bigger, stronger, and faster Gunner doesn’t solve our woes at X. Byrd has had a good camp but he’s unproven. Harry worked on his footwork in his releases and from what I can tell got most of his reps at X and had ups and downs. It’s hard to be consistent when your game revolves around so many contested catches. Jules is a versatile piece but he’s better in the slot or as a flanker and not an outside guy. Jules is also old and has had his share of injuries the past 3 years. I like their depth at receiver. I think we have decent slot and flanker options at the bottom of the depth chart but who are the starting 3? Who is going to step up at X?
If QB, WR, and receiving TE play has question marks then it’s hard for me to be confident in the passing game. Throwing out of 11 is crucial. Throwing out of any formation is crucial and right now I expect them to struggle early on. The good news is that once they start to click in the passing game they will be able to exploit lighter boxes with their running personnel. Until then like others have noted expect 17-13 slogs.
Asiasi is turning heads at camp. Thanks to Evan Lazar I’ve gotten to see him at the top of his breaks. He’s so fluid. He has such great breaks he can snap off routes like he was a slot receiver. If there was a rookie TE who seems like he is going to be good for 300-400 yards it’s Asiasi. Still though relying on a rookie TE to carry your unit is a dubious proposition.
The OL is going to be good and even the depth minus maybe OT looks to be fantastic this year compared to the rest of the NFL.
The RBs minus Sony can catch the ball well. Harris needs to prove he can do it in a game but I trust him. OL and FBs and RBs are solid though. The problem is they won’t be able to overcome stacked boxes and a bad passing offense.
The WRs still give me pause. Gunner flashing is nice but even a bigger, stronger, and faster Gunner doesn’t solve our woes at X. Byrd has had a good camp but he’s unproven. Harry worked on his footwork in his releases and from what I can tell got most of his reps at X and had ups and downs. It’s hard to be consistent when your game revolves around so many contested catches. Jules is a versatile piece but he’s better in the slot or as a flanker and not an outside guy. Jules is also old and has had his share of injuries the past 3 years. I like their depth at receiver. I think we have decent slot and flanker options at the bottom of the depth chart but who are the starting 3? Who is going to step up at X?
If QB, WR, and receiving TE play has question marks then it’s hard for me to be confident in the passing game. Throwing out of 11 is crucial. Throwing out of any formation is crucial and right now I expect them to struggle early on. The good news is that once they start to click in the passing game they will be able to exploit lighter boxes with their running personnel. Until then like others have noted expect 17-13 slogs.
Yeah, a lot of it is going to come down how the receiving corps develops. I'm still excited to see the weird run-package stuff they can do with the line, backs, and tight ends. Asiasi seems unusually polished for a rookie tight end; he may play a lot more than I originally expected. Keene maybe not so much, but the athleticism is obvious. He'll probably just be a package guy in the early going, but his development as a weapon could be exciting.
Sounds like Harry has improved his releases quite a bit, but is still struggling with his breaks at the top of his routes. Lazar had some good stuff on that. Even if Harry is improved and plays a key role, they probably still need someone else to step up. Edelman and Sanu are both creaky vets that are starting to show some wear. They need Gunner, Byrd, or somebody like Devin Ross, who has had a great camp, to step up and be a functional player in this offense.
What happened to Jakobi Meyers? Has he been lapped? Or are they just trying to get good looks at the players they don't know as well? You don't hear a whole lot about him coming out of camp. Without pre-season games it's more difficult than usual to judge this stuff from the outside looking in.
Sounds like Harry has improved his releases quite a bit, but is still struggling with his breaks at the top of his routes. Lazar had some good stuff on that. Even if Harry is improved and plays a key role, they probably still need someone else to step up. Edelman and Sanu are both creaky vets that are starting to show some wear. They need Gunner, Byrd, or somebody like Devin Ross, who has had a great camp, to step up and be a functional player in this offense.
What happened to Jakobi Meyers? Has he been lapped? Or are they just trying to get good looks at the players they don't know as well? You don't hear a whole lot about him coming out of camp. Without pre-season games it's more difficult than usual to judge this stuff from the outside looking in.
Meyers has been battling a shoulder injury for most of camp per Doug Kyed. That has certainly hampered his camp production. I think when healthy he should see time.
I think Meyers is going to quite possibly be a casualty here, maybe because of his injury. He just hasn’t shown in camp while other guys have stepped up. Stidham has good rapport with him last summer but Cam has hardly played with him, so that won’t help Meyers either.
Fortunately with the larger PS this year, the Pats (like every other team) won’t have to cut as many guys, so maybe he sneaks on there.
Fortunately with the larger PS this year, the Pats (like every other team) won’t have to cut as many guys, so maybe he sneaks on there.
