PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

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It has been a pleasure being around Armond, as he gave everything he could to play for us,” Belichick said. “Armond worked extremely hard since joining us last February. He’s had a lot of adversity personally that he’s had to deal with – unusual compared to most other players – but he’s always had a great attitude, worked hard and really did everything we asked him to do. While it is unfortunate he will not be able to play football, Armond is an outstanding young man who has a very bright future in whatever path he chooses.

Armond Armstead announces his retirement | Sports – Patriots | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journa

Bummer, was really looking forward to see what Armstead brought, especially last year when he was possibly going to be our interior pass rush problems. Now, with Easley in the fold, there was less of a make-or-break feeling around Armstead. Unfortunate that his career has ended like this.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/it-has-been-a-pleasure-being-around-armond-as-he/

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Wide Receiver

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2013 was a year of transition at the Wide Receiver position for the Patriots. They weathered injuries to almost every receiver, save Julian Edelman, who came through as a breakout go-to star of the offense.

Things should be better for the Pats’ aerial assault in 2014, especially if they can stay healthy. With a year of development under their belt, the Pats collection of second-year pass catchers must be counted on to take significant steps forward.

Here’s our preview of the receivers.

We must begin with Julian Edelman, who turned in his first fully healthy season and snagged 105 catches for 1,056 yards, and six touchdowns. The Pats were wise to re-sign Edelman to a four-year deal.

Edelman became one of the few homegrown receivers to blossom in New England, joining the ranks of Deion Branch, David Givens and not really anyone else. It’s all the more impressive considering Edelman was a quarterback in college.

There’s little reason to think that Edelman won’t have another 100-catch, 1,000-yard season if he can stay healthy, but that’s never a given for a fearless competitor like Edelman who makes plays all over the field and in the punt return game.

What would make life even more easy for Edelman is if the other receivers around him progress and draw some attention away from him. Danny Amendola battled a groin injury for all but the first half of the first game of the season, but could be poised to blossom in his second year in the Patriots’ offense.

While many were frustrated that Amendola was hit by the injury bug, he had flashes of brilliance even with a torn groin, including catching the game-winning touchdown against the Browns. Still, zero catches on one target in the AFC Championship was disappointing.

A trio of rookie receivers all flashed at times in 2013. Aaron Dobson was the highest draft pick and has the highest ceiling. His season was derailed just as it looked like he was “getting it” with a five-catch, 130-yard, two touchdown performance against the Steelers.

Dobson would catch just six balls the rest of the season after sustaining a foot injury that would require offseason surgery and keep him out of OTAs. Dobson’s potential as the X-receiver in the offense in undeniable. He has good size and brings a much-needed vertical element. For Dobson it’s just a matter of getting healthy and picking up where he left off against the Steelers. The sooner that happens, the better, but if he continues to miss time he could get left behind.

Kenbrell Thompkins was an undrafted rookie who was one of the standouts of training camp last season. Thompkins has good size and is shifty enough at the line of scrimmage to beat press coverage. Once the regular season started Thompkins looked like a rookie. 

Like Dobson, he still flashed some potential, including the game-winning touchdown catch against the Saints. He also put up six catches for 127 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons in Week Four.

Also like Dobson, he faded as the season progressed and was a non-factor by the playoffs, due at least in part to his own injury. Thompkins has once against emerged in OTAs this spring. This is a positive sign that Thompkins is a legitimate player, and just needs to get more game experience that will slow the game down for him. He’ll push Dobson for the starting X spot in training camp.

Josh Boyce was a fourth round draft pick last season with elite speed, but he didn’t flash quite as much potential as Dobson and Thompkins did. He had just nine catches for 121 yards on the season, catching a pass in just four games. His season ended on IR. His best route to a roster spot might be as a kick returner where he saw time this spring.

The Patriots added veteran free agent Brandon LaFell as well this offseason. LaFell is a superlative blocker and has the kind of size the Pats need outside of Dobson. LaFell has been consistent in his first four seasons and the great unknown is how he will respond playing with Tom Brady. LaFell could end up starting at the X-receiver spot, or cut at the end of training camp – neither would be a surprise.

Behind the main group are seventh-round pick Jeremy Gallon, who is undersized but an explosive playmaker. He could sneak on to the roster, especially if injuries strike at the receiver position. He’ll be exciting to watch in the preseason and should be a fan favorite. If Edelman, Amendola and Boyce avoid injury, Gallon could be headed to the practice squad.

Reese Wiggins, Wilson Van Hooser and Jeremy Johnson round out the group.

Projection:

With depth extremely thin at the tight end position, the Pats could look to more 11 personnel this year, which means multiple wide receivers will see a lot of snaps.

Edelman and Amendola should help keep the Pats offense on time, but for them to truly hit the next level, they need Dobson, Thompkins or LaFell to be an outside and vertical threat.

Doesn’t really matter which of them does it, though Dobson seems to have the most potential on paper and Thompkins has put together two of the best offseasons by a receiver in memory. LaFell might be the fallback option, but his size is certainly a welcome addition.

For the other receivers to get into the mix they’ll have to rely on injuries, which seems likely given the respective track records of those atop the depth chart.

Previously:

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Health of rehabbing players will be key story line as Patriots open training camp | Sports – Patriots | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journa

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Health of rehabbing players will be key story line as Patriots open training camp | Sports – Patriots | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journa

There’s nothing like the gut punch of the random guys who end up on the PUP list to start training camp. The Pats have multiple guys coming off ACL injuries this year – Gronk, Easley, Kelly and Will Smith, along with Vince Wilfork’s Achilles. Those are major injuries and it wouldn’t be out of the question for the Pats to hold them out in the early days of camp.

There’s also the notion of winning the war, not the early season battles. As much as you’d love to see all of these guys out there in Week 1, it’s important to make sure they’re fully ready to go in January.

There’s also a certain advantage to having a couple guys on the PUP list to start the season to open up some extra roster spots. Brandon Browner’s suspension provides a little advantage in that regard as well.

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Running Backs

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Running back is one of the most intriguing positions on the New England Patriots’ roster this training camp. The headline of the offseason was the loss of breakout player LeGarrette Blount, but the Pats didn’t make a veteran addition to replace Blount, leaving the spotlight on fourth-year veterans Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen, both of whom enter contract years.

With a diverse set of rookies also on the roster, this could be one of the most competitive position battles in training camp.

Our Training Camp Preview series continues with a look at the running backs.

It would be easy to pencil in Stevan Ridley as the early-down starter and Shane Vereen as the passing-down starter, with Brandon Bolden spelling both. But things are never that simple with Bill Belichick’s Patriots.

Both Ridley and Vereen have their respective baggage. For Ridley, it’s fumbles and for Vereen it’s injuries. Ridley has had four fumbles in each of his last two seasons, and while that total isn’t egregious, Belichick does not take kindly to “error repeaters”.

Vereen played just eight games in 2013, but continues to brim with potential. The effects of a first-game wrist injury in 2013 haunted him for the rest of the season, yet he still possesses elite pass-catching skills. 

Surrounding their top two options there are a lot of “ifs”. IF Ridley can hang on to the ball… IF Vereen can stay healthy… Both are good players, but the NFL is loaded with good players and if they can’t stay on the field the Patriots will move on to find running backs who can.

Brandon Bolden returns for his third season after nearly-identical stats in his first two years. Bolden is a better fit as a base-down running back, but doesn’t get many yards-after-contact and was miscast filling in as a receiving back for Vereen. 

Could he be due for a breakout year in 2014 where he challenges Ridley for early-down carries? That might be expecting too much.

Behind Ridley, Vereen and Bolden are a group of rookies who cover the spectrum. 

Stephen Houston is 6’, 230-pound power back. James White is a fourth-round draft pick much in the same mold of Vereen as a pass-catching threat. Roy Finch is a 5’7", 180-pound scatback who turned heads in OTAS. Jonas Grey rounds out the group as another power back after spending his rookie season on Baltimore’s practice squad.

Projection:

There’s at least one open spot on the roster for a running back to replace Blount – Houston or Grey would seem to be the favorites for the short yardage/change-of-pace duties behind Ridley, but nothing is set in stone.

With the evolution of the game toward more passing offense, there’s certainly an argument to be made for the kind of value that White and Finch could bring as well.

Finch especially should be a preseason fan-favorite. He’ll get plenty of carries and likely splash some shifty explosion.

If Ridley or Vereen falter, the Pats could have an entire new look in their offensive backfield this season but they’ve got some promising talent that should do fine running behind a veteran offensive line and lighter boxes that are respecting Tom Brady’s passing game.

Previously:

Quarterbacks

Year of Growth: Revisiting the Rookie Seasons of Patriots Wideouts Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins | NEPatriotsDraft.com – 2014 NFL Draft

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Year of Growth: Revisiting the Rookie Seasons of Patriots Wideouts Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins | NEPatriotsDraft.com – 2014 NFL Draft

Nice read as always from Oliver Thomas. These two guys should have one of the more intriguing training camp battles. I’d expect Brandon LaFell to be in the mix as well.