With the 4th of July in the rearview mirror, all focus now turns to Patriots training camp, which opens in just 17 days. It was an annoying offseason, watching some important and beloved players walk and hearing constant chatter about internal discord. I’m ready for all that to be over.
How does it all translate onto the football field? We’re about to find out.
I’m especially ready for this 2018 Patriots train to leave the station. Edelman and Hightower will be back out there and they’re a huge boost. And yes, we get to watch Tom Brady play football for another season. Savor every second.
The end looms so every new moment of Brady-Belichick will be thrilling and uncertain. Fingers crossed they got another run at this thing in them, it will be historic and crazy no matter how it turns out.
In case you missed them I posted some camp battle previews :
Training Camp Battle Breakdowns:
Also, a pre-camp 53-man roster projection. All of it generated some good areas to discuss so let’s hop in with some Posits…
— Brandon Bolden didn’t make my 53-man roster but only because he’s easily cut and re-sign-able. That’s what they did with him last year. He’s a solid special teams presence but with a stacked backfield if Bolden’s getting carries there’s been some serious injury attrition. He has his passionate fans and seems to be one of the best locker room guys.
— The great Malcolm Mitchell watch begins just before camp starts, will the third-year receiver open on the PUP list? Or will he be cleared to starting camp? There’s a ton of depth at receiver, but are there any locks outside of Hogan and Edelman? I’d like to think Jordan Matthews is a lock, but we don’t know. Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson and Mitchell are all outside receivers and it’s unlikely all will make the roster. Mitchell was awesome in Super Bowl 51 and I hope he can get and stay healthy to build on his rookie success.
— Just to boil some of my most 5 key areas of focus for this training camp (more on this later this week):
- Matthews must emerge as a reliable target
- Try Langi at inside linebacker
- Left tackle: Heart – Wynn, Head – Brown
- Michel will set the offense’s ceiling
- Hightower Ride or Die for D
— Braxton Berrios is going to be another one to really watch, for the same reasons that Matthews must emerge as a reliable target. Without Amendola they have roster openings for a 4th WR and punt returner. Pats Nation seems divided between whether or not Berrios will make the roster, whether he’d make it to the practice squad. I feel like this happens every summer with quick little receivers.
— There’s more uncertainty at cornerback than I thought there’d be, but that is a position where players come from out of nowhere. I don’t think JC Jackson’s appearance with the starting group can be dismissed. Jason McCourty, Eric Rowe and Stephon Gilmore would be a solid veteran group, with Duke Dawson working in. But Jackson and/or Keion Crossen might have other plans.