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Quick Hits on Patriots Positional Groups

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As I not-so-patiently wait for the first rookie helmet/number reveal it’s a good time to run through the Patriots position groups heading into mini-camps. There’s still some team building to be done over the course of the summer — re-works (Hi Gronk!), extensions perhaps — but for the most part the Patriots’ main core is set.

Like nearly all Patriots’ teams, this one has some question marks and some noticeable lack of depth at certain spots. But the Pats will do what they do, let competition and injuries play out and then figure things out from there.

Here are two notes on each position group.

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Patriots Should Overstock Front Seven, Not Add Costly Corner

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My takeaway from the 2017 defensive season was that a high-priced secondary isn’t worth much if the front seven stinks, so I was surprised by reports connecting Aqib Talib and Richard Sherman to the Patriots. Yes, the Pats will probably (definitely) lose Malcolm Butler, but with Eric Rowe still there, Jonathan Jones returning and the veteran trio back at safety, maybe it’s best to not make a drastic move at cornerback for a second year in a row?

I know corners like Talib and Sherman are shiny objects, but I’d far prefer my Patriots shiny defensive objects to be defensive end and linebacker types. There was just so much attrition at those spots in 2017, basically losing four veteran edge players who made some of the biggest plays of the last few seasons. The position group needs to be flooded with as much camp competition as possible, to let the next Ninkovich emerge and also find out how good guys like Dietrich Wise, Adam Butler, Derek Rivers and Eric Lee really are.

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Five Most Intriguing 2018 Returning Patriots

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As we slowly start to turn the page to 2018, it’s hard not to get excited about the number of players the Patriots have already welcomed back to the roster off of IR. It was a banner year on the injury front which is always a terrible thing, but it can pay off down the line as young players get additional playing time and have a chance to develop at an accelerated pace.

With a number of significant free agent holes, that start at left tackle and running back, there are also quite a few positions where the Patriots suddenly have some impressive depth, and the number of intriguing players who will take the field this summer is already high before we’ve even touched a free agent or a rookie.

Here’s a quick list of the five guys I’m most interested to see re-integrated into the team this summer.

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Patriots Gameplan: The 2018 Offseason

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And just like that, the team-building portion of the season has commenced. We’re on to 2018.

Belichick and McDaniels staying, at least one more go-round with Tom Brady, and a bunch of really good players returning from injury. As we turn the page on 2017 and the loss to the Eagles, next fall is already looking promising if only by getting Julian Edelman and Dont’a Hightower back alone. Not to mention Derek Rivers, Harvey Langi, Shea McClellin and others like Tony Garcia, etc.

There are two places the Patriots must start — left tackle and running back. From there the dominos will fall, into external free agency and the draft.

Here are the headlines of what’s coming this offseason and an early feel on the needs.

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Patriots Set Practice Squad

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It was a far quieter day than I expected on the Patriots roster front and good thing too, as the internet in the Ministry of PatsPropaganda was out for most of the day. The Patriots did end up setting their nine-man practice squad and surprisingly it features all players who were in training camp with the team.

Usually there’s at least a couple players who were elsewhere this summer but were cut and signed to New England. But that was not the case this year and, at least initially, that’s a good sign of how much the team liked their own players.

Let’s take a look at the initial nine guys signed to the practice squad.

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Patriots Position Preview: Safeties

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Today we’re taking a closer look at the last line of defense — the safeties.

It was somewhat surprising to see the Pats bring back Duron Harmon on a four-year, $20 million deal, but it’s hard to complain about keeping a trio of veteran safeties together who have been amongst the best in the league since 2014.

The rotation is clear now. Devin McCourty plays on the back end on early downs but has been used more and more in coverage closer to the line of scrimmage on passing downs. Patrick Chung rarely comes off the field now as well and spends his time mostly in the box or in man-to-man coverage on tight ends.

It’s Harmon’s back end ability that allows the defense to move McCourty around and that kind of flexibility is invaluable.

We know what we’re getting with McCourty, Chung and Harmon, but it’s then bottom of the roster that might be the most intriguing for training camp. The team brought in a trio of rookie safeties who should push third-year player Jordan Richards, who fell off the radar in 2016.

An injury to one of the top three would immediately change the dynamic of the defense on the back end that we’ve gotten comfortable with for the last three seasons. So while it’s easy to just assume everything will be great at safety the complexion can change quickly and suddenly, and the lower end players could end up getting called upon to contribute.

Let’s take a closer look at the safeties and how rookies David Jones and Damarius Travis could be the undrafted rookie(s) to make the team this year.

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Three Patriots Undrafted Rookies Most Likely To Make It

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It’s an annual right of passage. Some rookie who managed to slip through all seven rounds of the draft without a team selecting him manages to make a stacked, Super Bowl-contending Patriots team and find a way to contribute against the odds.

It’s a testament to New England truly being a level playing field once players arrive. Play better than someone who the team spent a draft pick on? You’re on the team, regardless of how it makes Bill Belichick’s “draft grade” look to the pundits. That’s why undrafted players are excited to come to Foxborough every summer, because one or two of them is almost certainly going to make the team.

Here’s a quick look back at the last nine years of UDFAs that have made the roster, and which three I think are most likely to continue the trend in 2017.

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