2018 Patriots Roster

Saints Rest

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Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was making the list with “major contributor” referring to year one overall; “slow-developing” as being someone who takes multiple years to become a major contributor; and “role player” as that person’s ceiling.
I mostly used Games Played and Games Started in Year One as the definition for “major contributor”.
 

lexrageorge

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Sorry, I should have been more clear. I was making the list with “major contributor” referring to year one overall; “slow-developing” as being someone who takes multiple years to become a major contributor; and “role player” as that person’s ceiling.
I mostly used Games Played and Games Started in Year One as the definition for “major contributor”.
And I believe that is a good distinction to use. Not many rookies will jump in on Game 1. But Bryan Stork played 13 games in his rookie year, starting 11 of them. Plus playoffs. Mason played 14 with 10 starts, missing 2 games with injury. Neither should be lumped in as role player no matter what definition for that term is used.
 

Saints Rest

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Lots of great players in the list, that's still 9 major contributors in 10 years.
And that was my original take-away, that typically, on average, the Pats manage to get one guy in each draft who ends up contributing a lot, even in his rookie year. Are they Pro Bowlers as rookies? No. Are they starters in Game One? Not necessarily. But they do end up playing a lot, generally more and more as the season goes on, either as a starter or as a key rotation guy.
 

streeter88

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And that was my original take-away, that typically, on average, the Pats manage to get one guy in each draft who ends up contributing a lot, even in his rookie year. Are they Pro Bowlers as rookies? No. Are they starters in Game One? Not necessarily. But they do end up playing a lot, generally more and more as the season goes on, either as a starter or as a key rotation guy.
Totally agree, and for a team that has mostly picked between 29th and 32nd this past 10 years, that is pretty good.
 

DJnVa

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Niklas is big (6'6") and picked in 2nd round, but hasn't caught many balls in the NFL. He's the nephew of HOFer Bruce Matthews.

Jordan has had some nice seasons, but I can't imagine he'd want to join the logjam of receivers here.
 

Super Nomario

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I can't believe he signed this inexpensively. I might have thought he'd get three times this. I'll be shocked if the Patriots don't draft a T with one of their first three picks, and won't be at all surprised if they use their first on a tackle.

Niklas is big (6'6") and picked in 2nd round, but hasn't caught many balls in the NFL. He's the nephew of HOFer Bruce Matthews.

Jordan has had some nice seasons, but I can't imagine he'd want to join the logjam of receivers here.
Matthews is interesting because he's big (6'3") and the Patriots really don't have a lot of size other than Kenny Britt. He also did his best work in the slot in Philly (something Matt Waldman predicted coming out of Vanderbilt). I don't know why the "big slot" thing didn't really take off league-wide after the Saints had so much success with Colston. The Pats have never really tried it other than that dalliance with Tim Wright a few years back. I think Matthews would be competing with Hollister as much as any of the WR, really.

EDIT: I guess Patterson is pretty big. I forgot about him. Maybe I'm dumb. Again. Though I think he is a pretty different kind of receiver than Matthews.
 
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SMU_Sox

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I can't believe he signed this inexpensively. I might have thought he'd get three times this. I'll be shocked if the Patriots don't draft a T with one of their first three picks, and won't be at all surprised if they use their first on a tackle.
Waddle's deal and that he signed for less than Fleming both shocked me. I expected a multi-year deal for Waddle given the thinness of the position on the FA market. I also expect a tackle taken.
I trust BB but in Scar I trust even more which is saying something.
 

tims4wins

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Yeah that Waddle deal is shocking. He can actually play LT in the NFL, at least in a pinch, whereas Fleming can really only play RT.

I bet Waddle ends up as the starter this year then makes some serious money next year as a UFA, while the Pats draft a tackle this year and either that guy or Garcia takes over in 19. At least that's the hope.
 

Harry Hooper

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Maybe Waddle's medical records and missed playing time reduce suitors' enthusiasm for him?
 

bakahump

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I think the fact that he has a great opportunity to Start, Play Well (Thanks Fast Release Brady) and be a FA next year might have played into this.

If he has a "Starting quality" season as LT for the Pats he gets paid either by the Pats (who would have to have their socks knocked off) or more likely by another team.
 

Jimbodandy

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Yeah that Waddle deal is shocking. He can actually play LT in the NFL, at least in a pinch, whereas Fleming can really only play RT.

I bet Waddle ends up as the starter this year then makes some serious money next year as a UFA, while the Pats draft a tackle this year and either that guy or Garcia takes over in 19. At least that's the hope.
Love getting Waddle back, but I'll be saying novenas this summer that Fleming is nothing more than depth.
 

RedOctober3829

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Source: the Patriots are signing former Ravens & Jaguars OL Luke Bowanko.


C/G Luke Bowanko (6-6, 300) entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick out of Virginia in 2014. Has appeared in 40 career games (15 starts, 12 of which came as a rookie). Adds depth/competition on the interior at a time when rosters are at 90 players.
 

bsj

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I dont see a fit at all, but for shits and giggles was poking around and I never realized how many parallels there are between Dez now and Randy then.
 

Cellar-Door

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I dont see a fit at all, but for shits and giggles was poking around and I never realized how many parallels there are between Dez now and Randy then.
Except Moss was maybe the most freakishly athletic/fast WR in the league at that point, Dez runs like late career Anquan Boldin now
 

bsj

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Except Moss was maybe the most freakishly athletic/fast WR in the league at that point, Dez runs like late career Anquan Boldin now
Perhaps, but he was coming off a stretch where 2 of 3 seasons were statistically down, and there were some who thought he may be on the decline.Agreed, though, the Dez situation seems more acute
 

BigSoxFan

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By 2007, Moss’ speed had started to slip. He wasn’t running like 2000 Moss in a Patriots uniform. He was obviously still very fast though.

Dez has never been a blazing speed guy but he did look very slow last year. I think Boldin is the best comp and Boldin himself put up consecutive 1000 yard seasons with SF in his age 33/34 seasons.

If Dez still fancies himself as a #1 option, his next stop could be disastrous. If he buys in for a year or two, he can still be productive but probably not worth whatever his next team pays him.
 

Hoodie Sleeves

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Moss was significantly faster in 2007 than Bryant has ever been. (supposedly ran a 4.3 40 during Patriots workouts)

Boldin is probably best case scenario, late career Keyshawn is probably more likely.
 

Super Nomario

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Perhaps, but he was coming off a stretch where 2 of 3 seasons were statistically down, and there were some who thought he may be on the decline.Agreed, though, the Dez situation seems more acute
Moss was also way better than Bryant in his prime, and his down seasons were in the context of offensive dysfunction. He had a 1000 yard season in Oakland catching passes from Kerry Collins, then slipped dramatically on the 32nd-ranked offense catching passes from a shouldn't-have-been-in-the-league Andrew Walter. Bryant's down year in 2015 was understandable given his injury and terrible QB play, but he hasn't really rebounded the last two seasons even though the offense has been good. Dak's completion percentage is 65% overall and Dez' catch rate is 52%; that's not great.

If Bryant had a Boldin-like season, it would be a really nice addition. The options at outside WR aren't great after Hogan.
Boldin was a slot guy at that age, though ... which is maybe where Bryant should be at this point.
 

RedOctober3829

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Is anyone surprised the Patriots didn’t pick up Malcolm Brown’s 5th year option? He is a very important part of the future of the front seven. I imagine they’ll try to re-sign him, but I’m a little surprised they didnt lock him up for next year.
 

tims4wins

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Is anyone surprised the Patriots didn’t pick up Malcolm Brown’s 5th year option? He is a very important part of the future of the front seven. I imagine they’ll try to re-sign him, but I’m a little surprised they didnt lock him up for next year.
$7M tag for a DT is pricey. I'm not super surprised
 

SMU_Sox

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I am surprised because I think he is an above average starter and their depth at DT beyond this year is not inspiring. They didn’t draft anyone either so in 2019 it’s Guy, Butler, and Valentine. Granted there is a long way to go between now and then and the front 7 is a WIP. Still, expected that option to be signed for 2019.

Edit: $7m is a lot for Brown or most DTs who are not elite pass rushers. Is it pre-season yet? So much on the roster to sort out by competition.
 
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SMU_Sox

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Injuries always happen and will help whittle a few names off of this list but the Patriots are going to have some intense roster competition: (NESN's list)

At the end of the position I will give the number of 53 man spots last year - number of current 90 man spots.

QB (3): Brady, Hoyer, Etling. Not as much competition here. -1

Running back (7): Michel, White, Burkhead, Bolden, Gillislee, Hill, Webb. Last year they carried 4. -3

Wide Receiver (12): Edelman, Hogan, Mitchell, Patterson, Slater, Britt, Dorsett, Berrios, Hollister, Lacy, Matthews, McCarron. Usually they carry 6 WRs. I wonder if they increase that to 7 this year given the depth here. Also, thinking if any of these guys could get traded to say the Cowboys or other WR needy teams sometime pre-season. -6

Tight End (8): Gronk, Allen, Develin (Fullback), Hollister, Izzo, Niklas, Wimann, Tye. They had 4 last year including Develin. -4

OLine (16): I think with OLine because many of these guys can play multiple positions that it is easier to list them all out as a group: Andrews, Bowanko, Brown, Cannon, Croston, Ferentz, Garcia, Jelks, John, Karras, King, Mason, Thuney, Tobin, Waddle, Wynn. Another group with a lot of breadth and depth. Last year they kept 8 guys: Solder, Cannon, Fleming, Waddle, Mason, Andrews, Thuney, and Croston. -8

Defensive Tackle (7): Brown, Shelton, Butler, Guy, Valentine, Herron, Atkins. Last year they took 4. -3

Edge (8): Flowers, Clayborn, Wise, Rivers, Lee, Grissom, Davis, Harris. Last year they kept 4. -4

Linebackers (9): Hightower, Van Noy, Flowers, Roberts, King, Langi, Sam, Bentley, Grigsby, Some positional flexability and STs here too. They carried 7 here last year which gives my binkie Sam (who can also play ST) some hope. Typing the name Roberts gave me convulsions. -2

Safeties (8): DMC, Chung, Harmon, Ebner, Jones, Moore, Richards, Travis. Last year they kept 6. Richards might keep his spot. -2

Corners (10): Gilmore, Rowe, JMC, Jonathan Jones, Cyrus Jones, Dawson, Crossen, Jackson, Lewis, Wiltz. Last year they kept 5. -5

Specialists (5): Ghost, Cardona, Allen, Punter Ryan Anderson, Punter Corey Bojorquez. They will keep 3. -2

The most interesting off-season in recent memory in a decade+ of interesting off-seasons is still going strong.
 

mcpickl

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Since you're counting Bolden as an RB, they carried 5 last year not 4. Lewis, Burkhead, White, Bolden and Gillislee.

I'd imagine Hill and Gillislee are fighting for the 5th spot.(really the 4th I guess with Bolden the 5th)
 

SMU_Sox

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Since you're counting Bolden as an RB, they carried 5 last year not 4. Lewis, Burkhead, White, Bolden and Gillislee.

I'd imagine Hill and Gillislee are fighting for the 5th spot.(really the 4th I guess with Bolden the 5th)
Bolden didn’t make the initial 53 last year I do not think. At least the Pats Pulpit article I saw did not have him. I think he was perhaps an omission from the article.
 

mcpickl

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Bolden didn’t make the initial 53 last year I do not think. At least the Pats Pulpit article I saw did not have him. I think he was perhaps an omission from the article.
He technically didn't because the Patriots needed to have Shea McClellin on the initial 53 man roster before putting him on IR to leave open the option for him to return. If they put him on IR before the initial roster his season is officially over. They cut Bolden since he's not waiver eligible as a vested veteran, then when they put McClellin on IR two days later re-signed Bolden to be available for game one. I'd bet if they have an injured guy in a similar situation this season, Bolden will again be cut and re-signed, The only way they keep 4 RB on the initial 53 man roster is if Bolden isn't one of them.
 

pappymojo

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https://www.patspulpit.com/2018/5/10/17338778/new-england-patriots-starting-left-guard-joe-thuney-foot-surgery-offseason-offensive-line

While the procedure is not expected to impact his availability for the 2018 season, Thuney will naturally miss the upcoming next phase of offseason workouts as well as organized team activities. So far this year, the 2016 third-round draft pick who started all 38 of his career games at left guard has been present for the Patriots' voluntary offseason program but was a limited participant and spotted wearing a walking boot.
 

RedOctober3829

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At this point, Malcolm Mitchell is expected to be on the field when the Patriots begin OTAs in a couple weeks. Missed the entire offseason program last year before obviously going down in training camp, then the preseason and losing all of 2017.
 

dcmissle

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Few here, and maybe nobody, were holding out any realistic hope for a 2018 contribution. Pats unwilling to invest another medical redshirt season. Draft and draft pick trade make even more sense than they did before.

Mostly because we do not know (because they do not tell us) and in part because of human nature, we’re miserable at processing downside risk.
 

EL Jeffe

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Does anyone know if this is the designation where if he clears waivers, he reverts to IR (similar to what Carolina tried to do with Tyler Gaffney, but the Pats claimed him)? I'm just worried that if blood clots returned, his medical treatment is still covered by the team. If he's on IR, I'm assuming (or hoping) that's the case, even with an NFI designation.
 

Harry Hooper

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At this point, Malcolm Mitchell is expected to be on the field when the Patriots begin OTAs in a couple weeks. Missed the entire offseason program last year before obviously going down in training camp, then the preseason and losing all of 2017.
Did Mitchell get an invite to Montana from Brady, and is he going to go there if invited?