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Pats # updates: Salas 17, Kirkland 19, Develin 46, Rivera 59, Tennant 69, Austin 72, Shiancoe 80, Bequette 92, Francis 94, Forston 98
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 2, 2012
No Hightower yet?
Can Salas break the curse of #17?
Bold taking 80, Shiancoe.
Very happy with the 92, 94, 98 changes.
In case you were wondering, this is – by far – the youngest opening-day roster that Bill Belichick has fielded. (Of course, they could change out six more guys by then) The average age of the 2012 Patriots is 25 years, 274 days. The next youngest was, according to STATS, LLC, the 2010 squad (26, 280), followed by Belichick’s first, the 5-11 juggernauts of 2000 (26, 329).
https://www.patspropaganda.com/in-case-you-were-wondering-this-is-by-far-the/
People forget playing together for a long period of time is what makes you the best as possible,” Diehl said. “Now with someone getting hurt, or free agency, you don’t see a group together very long. When we had our best years here, it was when the five of us played together during that one long stretch. That’s what you have to have to have an effective offensive line. You have to have a lot of game experience together because there is so much continuity, fitting next to each other, being on the same page, being able to communicate when you can’t hear because of the noise.
Great read on the decline of offensive lines around the NFL. At least all the guys who will be playing for the Pats all have experience in the system and are familiar with each other.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/people-forget-playing-together-for-a-long-period/
The good thing for them, is the fact they did bring in Gregory, who’s another smart player,” Harrison said. “I don’t think he’s on the level of Chung in terms of straight ability, but a lot of times you need a really smart player who’ll buy into the system. I think he’s one of those guys you can depend on. So if Chung gets hurt, that gives them a little more depth and reliability at that position. But the bottom line is still the same. You have to have everyone on the same page. You don’t have to have the most talented or the best players. But if you have players that are well disciplined, who don’t make a lot of mistakes, who don’t shoot themselves in the foot, it gives you a great opportunity to have success in that secondary.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/the-good-thing-for-them-is-the-fact-they-did/
The Pro Football Weekly 2011 draft guide described Salas this way: “Confident, scrappy, tough, physical football player who made a killing executing speed outs, underneath routes and seam routes in Hawaii’s field-stretching system. Lacks ideal slot suddenness but is a savvy, effective zone beater with sure hands and could carve a similar niche as Jason Avant.”
With Carpenter’s release, the Patriots’ linebacker corps looks like this: Starters: Mayo (weakside), Brandon Spikes (middle), Hightower (strongside) Backups: Mike Rivera (middle), Tracy White (weakside), Rob Ninkovich (statring end who could play linebacker) This group looks a bit thin, although the Patriots have also been using safeties Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner in linebacker-type roles in often-used sub packages.
Schefter: Pats release Carpenter – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston
You could even throw Jermaine Cunningham in at SLB in a pinch. The Pats will be fine without Carpenter, I was kind of surprised that we all had him easily on the 53-man roster. I just figured there was a special teams spot for him. Guess not.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/with-carpenters-release-the-patriots-linebacker/
