PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Mike Dussault

Predicting the Patriots PUP’ers

by

The first buzz kill of a new Patriots season is always which guys open up camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list. While players can come off the list at any time, and oftenit is just a case of not passing a physical and/or conditioning test, it puts a damper on things to not see important guys out there.

Let’s begin with who wasn’t practicing during the final OTA on June 13th (via Greg Bedard’s roll call).

Not present: TE Daniel Fells, TE Jake Ballard, DT Jonathan Fanene.

Rehabbing: TE Rob Gronkowski (ankle), RT Sebastian Vollmer (back), DE Jermaine Cunningham (undisclosed), LG Logan Mankins (knee), LB Brandon Spikes (knee), LB Tracy White (hernia), WR Matthew Slater (leg), Myron Pryor (shoulder).

Watching: OL Mark Zusevics, RB Brandon Bolden.

Injured: CB Alfonzo Dennard had his left leg examined and didn’t return from practice. DT Vince Wilfork walked off the field on his own.

Just about everyone on the list above could possibly open up on the PUP list, but we’re going stay positive and assume Dennard and Wilfork were fine.

My top five biggest question marks are:

  1. Gronk – has he completely recovered from off-season ankle surgery? We knew the timeline would make it close, but it will be excellent news if he’s out there from day one. But even if he isn’t we need him long term so there’s no need to push it. Him being active would be an uber-positive development and given his off-season activities I’ll be disappointed if he isn’t fully rehabbed.
  2. Vollmer – as I mentioned earlier this week the Pats really need Vollmer healthy this year. It’s one thing to replace one tackle, it’s another to replace both of them. He was still battling an ankle injury at least this spring, and I have a feeling they’ll bring him along slowly as well.
  3. Mankins – we’re assuming Mankins is going to be out there from day one, which is assuming the remarkable, but hey, he’s “super tough”. If he’s not out there it will mean it’s time to really start considering how Robert Gallery looks at guard. Maybe I’m crazy, but just opening camp on PUP would totally change my expectations for Mankins being ready for the opener.
  4. Myron Pryor – Pryor is one guy I’m really pulling for this year. The Pats need the kind of presence he brings, an active, get-up-the-field interior defensive lineman. He’s battled injuries for two years, this could be a make or break year.
  5. Cunningham – Cunningham struggles last season we well documented, and starting out on the PUP list would not be a good way to say good bye to his sophomore slump. He needs to be healthy and dominate in camp to win a roster spot.

Reports were that Fanene dodged a bullet with his minor injury in OTAs, hopefully that report was correct and he’s out there from the get go.

Spikes had to have surgery this off-season, he’s another one that needs a full camp or risk falling behind Dont’a Hightower on the depth chart. Stilll, if Spikes is out it will force the Pats to immerse Hightower even further.

Slater should have a roster spot locked up regardless if he’s PUP’d or not, but Tracy White will be in a fight for his life and needs to be out there.

Finally the most fun question of all, can Ron Brace finally open a training camp not on the PUP list? Seems like he’s healthy, but the conditioning run has been known to haunt him. If he can’t pass that he might be cut before training camp even starts.

Report: Pats to host TE Shiancoe – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

by

Report: Pats to host TE Shiancoe – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

Everyone is enjoying making jokes about how many tight ends the Patriots have on their roster, but when you look at their health at the position it’s easy to see why they’re not done yet.

The team has six tight ends (including defensive end Alex Silvestro, who donned the offensive colors this offseason) on the active roster, but given the health of Gronkowski, Fells, and Jake Ballard (who was claimed via waivers but is recovering from a major knee injury), the Patriots may be looking to add veteran depth with training camp just eight days away.

by

Per the chart that was whipped up by Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus, Lloyd’s numbers in both the intermediate and deep routes the last two seasons are impressive, and will provide a serious boost to the Patriots’ offense. (via It Is What It Is » What the addition of Brandon Lloyd means for the Patriots’ passing game)

https://www.patspropaganda.com/per-the-chart-that-was-whipped-up-by-steve/

by

Despite making a lot of tackles [Jerod Mayo] was rarely a downhill, impact type of player and seemed more of a clean-up specialist than a linebacker really influencing the game. In this regard he was not unlike the Jets’ David Harris. This season though, the move to the 4-3 seems to have helped him be more of a downhill force. He is making more of his tackles in the right area. 39 of his tackles have been defensive stops this season, a far better ratio than in previous seasons where he was aligned slightly further back from the line of scrimmage so that he could control both sides if necessary. The hype for Mayo has always outweighed the real impact he has on the defense, but it would also be somewhat unfair to say that he does little of substance, as his contribution and reliability are not to be underestimated, and he does get involved in a lot of plays, even if it is almost always fewer than the generosity of the New England scorer would suggest. The area where he still struggles the most is in coverage, where he has allowed 416 yards this season with 319 of them after the catch. Only four other 4-3 OLBs have allowed more YAC than Mayo has this season and throwing into his coverage yields opposing QBs a 92.0 QB rating.

Pro Football Focus Interview With BSMW — Boston Sports Media Watch

Thanks to Frenz for the heads up on this article. Last year when me and Frenz were tailgating before the Giants game we had a long discussion of Mayo asking if he was overrated. There’s no question he has all the intangibles you look for, though I do have a slight preference for fiery guys on the inside like Spikes. He started to make some big plays last year, like the game sealing interception against the Redskins. Still, his pass coverage can be glaringly awful at times. Just look at this play from the Super Bowl.

That should be an interception or the very least a pass defended. It’s the perfect call but Mayo just doesn’t get his head around. There’s a lot to like about Mayo, but there’s also a lot of places he can improve.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/despite-making-a-lot-of-tackles-jerod-mayo-was/