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Patriots Training Camp Positional Battles

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Patriots Training Camp

Unlike many teams in the NFL, the Patriots don’t really care what players have done previously or how they were acquired. At the start of training camp, it’s a blank slate for all and the players who stay healthy and perform are the ones who earn the jobs. Nowhere is this more apparent than the undrafted rookie free agents who make a seemingly stacked team almost every single year, and often play significant roles during the season.

This year there wasn’t a ton of roster turnover so the true competition spots are mostly in backup roles, but you can’t rule anything out with how the Patriots level the playing field each summer.

Here’s a list of interesting position competitions to keep an eye on.

(Note – the following appears in the 2016 PatsPropaganda Season Preview Book. You can pick up a digital download of the full 40-page preview here.)

LaAdrian Waddle vs. Marcus Cannon – Backup Swing Tackle

Cannon has a $4.75 million cap hit in this, the final year of his contract, and he’d cost just $1.07 million in dead cap space if they were to cut him. That contract, along with his up and down performance last year certainly puts a target on his back as the swing tackle. Waddle can play both sides as well, and though we didn’t see much of him in game action last year, the Pats thought enough of him to give him a two-year, $2.4 million deal this offseason. This season Waddle is making roughly one-fifth what Cannon is due to make and that could give him not only the inside track on the swing role this year, but possibly a shot to take over as the starting right tackle in 2017. Waddle was at left tackle in minicamp, while Cannon was on the right side with both Solder and Vollmer out.

Donald Brown vs. Tyler Gaffney – Early Down Running Back

Unless Dion Lewis is ready to go in Week 1, it’s probable that there will be a new running back in the mix at the start of the season. We’ve been waiting on Gaffney for two years now, and while Brown had a disappointing stint in San Diego, his overall versatility could make him a better fit in New England. Both can catch the ball, but have the size to take some early down punishment as well. James White’s job is far from safe as well, as it seems the Pats consider him just a receiving back and almost completely refused to hand the ball off to him last season. Undrafted rookie DJ Foster, could also be in the mix, but he fits the receiving back mold as well. It seems like it’s Brown vs. Gaffney at this point.

Cyrus Jones vs. Justin Coleman – “Star” Cornerback

The competition at cornerback this summer should be fascinating from top to bottom. I don’t think it’s a lock that Logan Ryan gets handed the starter’s spot opposite Malcolm Butler (the only lock), despite having a really solid year last season. All nine of the corners on the roster are feisty and physical, and capable of playing man-to-man. The easiest place to monitor first will be in the slot, where last year’s starter Justin Coleman will get a tough challenger in Cyrus Jones. Neither have an overwhelming physical advantage so it will boil down to who is showing up most consistently in practice. And really, you can’t rule any of the other corners out of the mix either. Depth in the secondary is always of vital importance and though most of them are thin on experience, their schematic fit is unquestionable across the board. In minicamp, Coleman was on the outside, while Jones was in the slot.

Tre Flowers vs. Geneo Grissom vs. Rufus Johnson – 4th DE

As I wrote earlier in the player previews, one of these guys really needs to emerge this season. Ninkovich isn’t playing forever and there’s no lock that Jabaal Sheard can definitely be re-signed, so this season must be about grooming at least one potential starter replacement. All three of these guys have their strengths – Grissom the most athletic, Flowers the toughest, and Johnson the biggest. How will it all play out in camp is tough to tell, but there’s potential here and hopefully one of these guys can begin with some pass rush time, followed with some long looks at defensive end. Preseason snaps will be critical for all. Another piece is replacing the 30 percent of special teams snaps that Chandler Jones played.

All the Young Guards – Starting Guards

There at least five guards who could be starting for the Patriots in Week 1. Factor in the versatility of center Bryan Stork and David Andrews and the options only expand. So it’s impossible to know how it will play out, especially at a position where injuries happen a lot. Mason and Jackson played well as rookies, but each has their issues (size for Mason, injuries for Jackson). Kline was the best guard last season but what’s his ceiling and how soon will he be back and healthy? Then there’s Cooper, the most gifted of all of them, but he was a big disappointment in Arizona. Can he recapture the magic that had him being the best guard in the 2013 draft? What about rookie Joe Thuney who played all over the line in college? This whole group, except Jackson, has played both guard spots and that complicates things even further.  Throw Dante Scarnecchia back into the mix and this is one of the most fluid camp battles we’ve seen in a long time.

Bryan Stork vs. David Andrews – Center

Assuming Stork and Andrews do stay permanently at their natural center position there might only be room for one of them. This is the most clear head-to-head battle and that was confirmed in minicamp where both players saw time with the top unit. Stork played a number of different spots in 2015 and that boosts his chances for making the team. The loser could be a trade candidate but you’d love to hang on to two great young players who can both do the job.

Other Battles to Watch:

Vincent Valentine vs. Markus Kuhn – 4th DT

AJ Derby vs. Clay Harbor – 3rd TE

DeAndre Carter vs. Keshawn Martin vs. Chris Harper – 5th WR

Jonathan Jones vs. Darryl Roberts – 5th CB

Patriots Cornerbacks by the Numbers: 10 Observations

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Patriots CornerbacksQuestion to Patriots fans everywhere – 2014 aside, when was the last time you went into a season feeling overwhelmingly confident about your team’s depth at corner? In my recollection there was a dark time between 2009 and 2014 where the back half of the roster could’ve been described as a land of misfit toys.

I apologize for my lack of faith. If this team has taught me anything it is that Nick Caserio, BB & Staff have the best personnel department in the league, but guys like Derrick Martin, Malcolm Williams, and Justin Green never really had me nodding my head in confidence. Especially given the Patriots heavy usage of DB-heavy sub packages, and the fact that we’ve used 3CB schemes with increasing regularity for the past half-decade, depth at corner is crucial to almost any team in the NFL’s success.

I’m happy to say that this year our corners have me as excited as Edelman at a Tom Brady autograph signing. As a disclaimer, I tend to fall in love with the back half of the roster pretty much every year (e.g. was convinced Dax Swanson was the second coming, and may or may not have compared James Morris to Bruschi) but this is a new year. I pledge to at least try to be a little more careful…

That said, let’s bust out the brown paper bags from under the bed and take a look at some naughty, naughty numbers:

Pats CBs

There truly is something compelling athletically about all of these athletes. I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume that the Patriots will carry five CBs this year, and that Butler, Ryan & C. Jones are all locks. That leaves a 6 man competition for two spots between–E.J. Biggers, Justin Coleman, Darryl Richards, Jonathan Jones, Cre’Von LeBlanc, and V’Angelo Bentley. All of whom are compelling players in their own rights and I will be breaking down individually in order to predict who will make the roster.
A couple quick observations in looking at this group strictly on paper:

  1. Obviously a young group experience-wise. Biggers is the old veteran & Logan Ryan is one of the old men at this position. That’s certainly a positive looking at the group moving forward.
  2. Seems like ~7.2 is the cutoff for 3-cone time, and ~4.2 is the cutoff for the 20-yard short shuttle. BB likes to play to his position group’s strength’s, and while there’s no one trend among all the players, all of them are excellent in one column or another.
  3. With regards to 3-cone & 20-yd times, these skills are more important for the slot corners who need elite short-area quickness to stay with receivers on quick, short routes. This is why guys like Justin Coleman, Cyrus Jones & you would assume E.J. Biggers (though I couldn’t find his stats) have good numbers there.
  4. Straight line speed is more important for boundary corners like Butler, Ryan & Roberts who need to flip their hips in man coverage and run with receivers down the field. Straight line speed is also crucial for special teams players like jammers and returners, something Jonathan Jones and Cyrus Jones might project to in their first years respectively.
  5. Newcomer Jonathan Jones on paper is the fastest player at the position. Interestingly, Jones was a 110m hurdler in Ga. in high school, 110, and apparently he was pretty damn good. He won the national title, as in fastest in the country at the event, with a time of (13.72), the world record is 12.80. Keep in mind Jones is only 5’8! Here’s a look at him hurdling:
  6. Justin Coleman, also from Ga., was a 110m hurdler among other track events, his best time (that I could find on the interwebs) of 14.61 is nearly a second slower than Jones. Hurdling is not football, but it’s an interesting competition that I’m sure the personnel department is aware of.
  7. I’ve read that ~4.4. time is what scouts would prefer in an NFL corner. This is why Malcolm Butler was overlooked by many because of his 4.6 time. As Belichick detailed to weirdly enough, Coach K, the Patriots timed Butler at 4.4 in pre-draft private workouts. All hail Caserio.
  8. On paper, Justin Coleman really stands out with the best Bench, 3-Cone, & 20-yd dash times in the group. All good skill for a guy who needs to play a slot corner  who needs to jam and then run with receivers underneath,
  9. Darryl Roberts broad jump and vert are nice compliments to his height and make him unique to this group as one the longest players. Leaping ability is nice, but the Patriots have been lacking CBs with size desperately. Roberts by all accounts was having a great spring last year before landing on IR at the end of camp, so it will be interesting to see if he can stay healthy this year and maybe steal a roster spot for himself.
  10. At least on paper Logan Ryan had a better year than Malcolm Butler last year. That to me was somewhat noteworthy, but this also reflects that Ryan was thrown at much more than Butler.

Pats fans should be excited about this group of players. They are a unique group of talents at a crucial position in a pass-heavy league.I will be taking a look at the bubble players, aka not Butler, Ryan or C. Jones, in upcoming pieces. All of them have great stories of their own that I’ll try to explore more in depth before the season starts. Here’s to training camp!

 

Patriots Rookie Eyeball Test

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Ty Law Super BowlAlmost every year since I started blogging the Patriots I’ve done a rookie eyeball test when the rookie numbers and helmet/facemask choices were finally revealed. This is purely superficial, but as someone who was always obsessed with “look good, play good”, I find it incredibly relevant.

Some guys just don’t look the part – their number doesn’t fit their position or it’s got bad juju (like 17 on the Pats) or their helmet doesn’t fit quite right or they have an unorthodox facemask choice that doesn’t fit their position. Yes, the meaningless options are endless.

As pics started to leak out from rookie minicamp here’s a review of those I could identify from the first batch of pics that Patriots.com released today:

 

Cyrus Jones: #24

First, I love the choice of #24 and was there really any other option for Jones if he considers himself a legit professional cornerback in the National Football League? If he had turned that down for something in the thirties I’d have real concerns about Jones’ long-term viability.

As for his facemask/helmet I’m not totally feeling this right now, and it’s more the helmet because generally this facemask style is the best option for a cornerback. But he’s gone the Josh Boyce route with the helmet and it’s riding just a bit too high and tight for me to truly give him an elite cornerback look grade. I’m worried a stiff arm to the facemask will break his face.

Ty Law, a seen above in SB36, is of course the ideal.

Grade: A-


Malcolm Mitchell #19

I was hoping for #81 with Mitchell but am fine with the consolation choice of #19, which was my own number in high school (hockey, but still). As for the helmet, I’m a little deer-in-headlights at the moment because he looks so friggin’ much like Aaron Dobson.

Though these new helmets are safer and seem to have good range of vision, I just can’t give a receiver an elite grade when they’re wearing this. While his college look was similar, it had some extra bars that took the Dobson feel of it all out of the equation. Maybe we can talk him into going back to that? There’s still plenty of time for a change.

Still, dude looks pretty solid and I’m excited to see what he can do.

Grade: B

 

Jacoby Brissett #7

Was hoping Brissett might go with #9 but #7 will do, it’s sure better than #13 or, Hoodie forbid, #1. This was the same helmet/facemask combination that he went with in college and I’m a little more accepting of this style for a QB than I am for a receiver like Mitchell.

Of course, in a perfect world he’d go with the Brady look, the queen mother of quarterback helmet/facemask looks, but I think the young guys might be scared off of that helmet because concussions or something.

Brady is the standard-bearer for all-time QB looks, not only with his number 12, but with the perfect loose-fitting helmet. That’s probably my biggest problem with bad helmet looks, when they’re too tight and ride too high on their head. Brissett looks pretty good here without much rookie high-hat.

Not perfect, but I’m intrigued.

Grade: A-

 

Joe Thuney #62

Hey look, it’s Ryan Wendell. Just kidding, it’s everyone’s favorite new genius offensive linemen Joe Thuney. Okay, nothing against Thuney here but I’m not feeling this facemask for an offensive lineman, like at all. It’s too short. You’re gonna get popped in the chin, bro.

Logan Mankins is my standard-bearer for interior offensive linemen looks. And if we’re really getting picky I’d far prefer the old Matt Light/Dan Koppen look more than anything. There’s just nothing to get excited about here, not the number nor the questionable choice in facemask. Thuney has work to do to crawl out of the boring, average look category. I’m sure he cares very much about this and will respond accordingly.

Grade: C

 

Not Ted Karras #64

Saving Thuney is Not Ted Karras, who I thought was Ted Karras before getting corrected because most of the rookies haven’t been officially designated on Patriots.com yet and apparently this guy’s got a tattoo that Karras doesn’t have so here we are.

But it doesn’t really matter, whoever this guy is it’s not what I’m looking for. Now body-wise there’s a lot to like about Not Karras but WHAT. IS. THIS. FACEMASK? No no no no. This cannot stand.

A couple years ago Brandon Bolden tried to rock one of these weird new facemasks and I haven’t forgiven him since even though he abandoned it. Not Karras is probably some guy in for a tryout that we don’t know and probably never will.

Grade: D

Patriots 2016 Draft Wrap

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My favorite time of the draft season is here! No longer are we looking at hundreds of players who might possibly, but probably not, end up on the Patriots. Nope, now we know who the Pats have and can dive in on those players and how they fit.

This was my worst draft performance of my six seasons putting together a big board and mock drafting. Cyrus Jones was the only player I had on my 50 prospect big board and for the first time, I got zero guys in my mock draft. However I don’t think I was alone. This draft seemed especially filled with lesser-discussed players.

Really, by the end, I think almost all Pats draft pundits (except Mike Reiss, who was dead on with a couple of the “who’s that??” guys) were all targeting the same guys and thus we were all way off. But none of that really matters so let’s jump in and take a big picture look at what the Pats did over the last three days.

The headline for me is that they didn’t take a running back. I thought of all the positions of need, running back was the one that they had to take. So of course they didn’t touch any of the guys that we connected them to, even when they were right there for the taking. Worst of all, many of those guys went to direct rivals, like Devontae Booker to the Broncos, Jonathan Williams to the Bills and Kenneth Dixon to the Ravens.

So now it looks like Tyler Gaffney and Donald Brown must show something because entering the season with only Dion Lewis, James White and LeGarrette Blount as backs who can make an impact is scary. My priority this offseason was to re-make the running back position and the Pats have barely touched it.

Of course, if Dion Lewis returns and stays healthy they’ll be fine. But that’s a big if, and it’s hard to count on a player who, aside from an electric start to 2015, hasn’t done much else.

The other big area of need I felt had to be addressed was offensive tackle, where they had to plan for 2017. We don’t know for sure if it was addressed but it would seem that it wasn’t. The question mark is Joe Thuney who has played every position on the line but generally, due to his size, would seem a better fit inside.

Bill Belichick pointed out in his press conference that there were similar questions with Matt Light‘s size and he worked out fine at left tackle, but if Thuney does end up inside the Pats have a log jam of guards and centers and will likely have to cut a player or two that played significant snaps for them last year, while tackle depth remains thin.

Outside of those two concerns, there’s still plenty to love about the players the Pats selected.

I’m most excited about Cyrus Jones and Malcolm Mitchell. In watching their film, it’s clear they fit what the Patriots do extremely well. I wouldn’t say Jones is just a slot corner, though that’s probably where he will start. He’s a smart, quick man-coverage player who has the tenacity to play against bigger receivers. And his punt return vision is unique and exciting.

Watch Mitchell’s film and you’ll see him running many of the same routes we saw out of Brandon LaFell last season — outside comebacks, digs, etc. It’s clear that he’s already done a lot of what the Patriots ask of their primary X receiver and he should combine with Chris Hogan to give the Pats two new outside options that should take some heat off of the middle of the field. Aaron Dobson has a tough road ahead to make the roster with these two in the mix.

The final four picks were all interesting flyers — S/LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB Elandon Roberts, G Ted Karras and WR Devin Lucian (who seems like a poor man’s version of everyone’s favorite Patriots prospect Sterling Shepard). Karras was the one player who was on my radar early in the process, but of course I discounted him because I thought we were so stacked at guard. But he certainly fits the mold of our favorite kind of maulers.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know quarterback Jacoby Brissett too. Yes, I still like Jimmy Garoppolo, and we think Brady still has a few years left, but injuries can derail anyone in the blink of an eye. Having two young promising quarterbacks is a huge bonus and the Pats are smart to keep the pipeline strong should anything unforeseen happen to Brady.

Brissett is a lot of fun to watch with sneaky athleticism that doesn’t jump off the screen, only makes him seemingly impossible to tackle in the open field, with subtle moves that always seem to pick up first downs. He has good touch in the short passing game and processes defenses, knowing where to go with the ball. It will be fun to watch him and Garoppolo this summer. Plus he’s extremely tough to bring down, showing good playing strength.

Another draft has come and gone. I certainly feel excited that Jones and Mitchell will contribute to the 2016 team, but as for the rest it’s going to be a process to see who can do what. My concerns about lacking an early-down pounder at running back and having the same tackle depth that killed us last year are real, but of course, there could still be moves to come before the season-opener. We’ll just have to trust the process until then.

But let’s remember, at the top, this is one of the best rosters in the NFL and if they aren’t ravished by injuries, especially in a couple key spots, they certainly have the talent to once again make a Super Bowl run.

Here’s the current depth chart. Thanks to Mike Loyko and James Christensen of NEPatriotsDraft.com for tracking all the undrafted rookie signings.

Screenshot 2016-05-01 at 7.56.58 AM Screenshot 2016-05-01 at 7.56.41 AM

Patriots Day Two Draft Pick Posits

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I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning last night, watching almost everything I could find on the four newest Patriots. I have to say I generally feel more excited that immediately after the draft. I was really only familiar with Cyrus Jones of all the draftees, so it was a process of discovery, and there’s a lot to like from these players.

You can check out some of the videos over at my media-heavy Tumblr site, PatsPropaganda.net. More will be popping up throughout the day.

Here are some general thoughts as I dove in deeper on the new guys:

Cyrus Jones
  • Size is the knock on him and why everyone is only projecting him to the slot, but I think he’s smart enough and quick enough to cover just about type of receiver.
  • His quote to the media that his teammates joked about him needing his own office with the coaches because he studies so much film is so Patriots.
  • This guy is a weapon as a punt returner and that could be a huge help in cutting down on the wear and tear on Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola.
  • He immediately shoots to the top of the slot corner depth chart as I see it.
  • Understands how receivers try to set him up and knows how to counter. Extremely quick in mirroring routes, partly because of his foot speed but also his recognition.
  • Playmaker who is always around the ball.
  • Jones will make this defense better and has all the traits that make him a perfect fit. He plays with some edge and is a sound tackler. Reminds me a bit of the Tyrann Mathieu.
Joe Thuney
  • It’s pronounced “Toon-ey”.
  • Really smart, got multiple degrees as NC State.
  • Played every spot on the line, ending up at left tackle.
  • Really great hip bend. A smooth athlete with loose hips. Not ideal size for tackle, but is athletic enough to play there. Gets good leverage with good technique.
  • Not a mauler, but a technical player who can process the game and has the athletic traits where I think he could beat out Marcus Cannon for the swing tackle role. He is more athletic than Cannon or Fleming.
  • One of the best Pro Football Focus ranked pass blockers, it will be interesting to see what they do if he ends up at guard. Shaq Mason is his mirror image — a great run blocker.
Jacoby Brissett
  • Watched his 2014 game against the #1 ranked Florida State team and he was electric, making plays with both his arm and his feet.
  • Closest pro comparison? Ben Roethlisberger. He’s big and strong and fearless in the face of pressure. This can hurt him too, but he got off a few passes as he was in the clutch, about to be sacked.
  • Not an explosive runner, but an excellent athlete who knows how to make guys miss. Knows when to run and when to stay. Good pocket presence, though in the game I say the offensive line struggled against such a good front as the Seminoles.
  • Good with the short passing game. Can read defenses and knows how to look off throws to set up defenders. With a year or two to develop, Brissett could develop into something very interesting.
Vincent Valentine
  • Of the four picks, Valentine is the one I’m still scratching my head over. I get it from a size perspective, but in the few games I watched of him I didn’t see many flashes.
  • He can hold his ground and if he catches an offensive linemen off-balance he’ll truck them. But many instances I saw where he was pushed out of the way or missed the chance to make a tackle.
  • Personality-wish I got a gentle giant vibe from him, which scares me even more.
  • For those of you who’ve been with the blog since the Shawn “Crazy Legs” Crable days, Valentine is the antithesis of Crazy Legs. He already has the best calves on the team. They’re crazy huge and stand out even on a 320 pound man.
  • If I was scouting calves this guy’d be in the first round, but as a defensive tackle I have yet to see a consistent anything to get me excited.

Patriots Draft Cyrus Jones 60th Overall

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After sitting out the first round, the New England Patriots made their first selection of the 2016 NFL draft at 60th overall, taking cornerback Cyrus Jones out of Alabama. The Pats then flipped pick #61 for picks #78 and #112 to round out the gaps in their selections.

Most Patriots draft pundits were circling Jones this offseason, as he fits what the team wants out of their cornerbacks now — ability to play physical press man, good against the run, and also brings special teams experience as an excellent returner, with four punt returns for touchdowns this past season. He was formerly a wide receiver so he has skills to make plays on the ball which is always a plus in forcing turnovers, he also defended 20 passes over the last two seasons.

He’s only 5′ 10″, so it’s likely he’ll be a slot corner, and steps into competition with Justin Coleman, who performed well in that spot as a rookie. The big question is whether or not he could play outside, because the need for an outside starter next season (if Logan Ryan departs) could be significant. On the surface it doesn’t look like Jones will fit that potential need, which was why many (not me) were banging the cornerback drum as a major need.

I think this pick was a bit of a reach at this spot and I made no secret I far preferred to take an offensive tackle or defensive tackle here in the second round. Cornerback could be a need in 2017, but this is just could end up being a pick redundant to what the Pats got out of Coleman last season.

But Jones’ fit with the Patriots was obvious to everyone despite his limitations and any lack of perceived value at this spot, and I did indeed have him on my Top-50 big board, so we’re off to a pretty good start. The hope has to be that he upgrades Coleman immediately, but it will be up to training camp competition to determine that. Sounds like Jones will come in and compete hard, so you have to like that.