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Predicting the Patriots PUP’ers

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The first buzz kill of a new Patriots season is always which guys open up camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list. While players can come off the list at any time, and oftenit is just a case of not passing a physical and/or conditioning test, it puts a damper on things to not see important guys out there.

Let’s begin with who wasn’t practicing during the final OTA on June 13th (via Greg Bedard’s roll call).

Not present: TE Daniel Fells, TE Jake Ballard, DT Jonathan Fanene.

Rehabbing: TE Rob Gronkowski (ankle), RT Sebastian Vollmer (back), DE Jermaine Cunningham (undisclosed), LG Logan Mankins (knee), LB Brandon Spikes (knee), LB Tracy White (hernia), WR Matthew Slater (leg), Myron Pryor (shoulder).

Watching: OL Mark Zusevics, RB Brandon Bolden.

Injured: CB Alfonzo Dennard had his left leg examined and didn’t return from practice. DT Vince Wilfork walked off the field on his own.

Just about everyone on the list above could possibly open up on the PUP list, but we’re going stay positive and assume Dennard and Wilfork were fine.

My top five biggest question marks are:

  1. Gronk – has he completely recovered from off-season ankle surgery? We knew the timeline would make it close, but it will be excellent news if he’s out there from day one. But even if he isn’t we need him long term so there’s no need to push it. Him being active would be an uber-positive development and given his off-season activities I’ll be disappointed if he isn’t fully rehabbed.
  2. Vollmer – as I mentioned earlier this week the Pats really need Vollmer healthy this year. It’s one thing to replace one tackle, it’s another to replace both of them. He was still battling an ankle injury at least this spring, and I have a feeling they’ll bring him along slowly as well.
  3. Mankins – we’re assuming Mankins is going to be out there from day one, which is assuming the remarkable, but hey, he’s “super tough”. If he’s not out there it will mean it’s time to really start considering how Robert Gallery looks at guard. Maybe I’m crazy, but just opening camp on PUP would totally change my expectations for Mankins being ready for the opener.
  4. Myron Pryor – Pryor is one guy I’m really pulling for this year. The Pats need the kind of presence he brings, an active, get-up-the-field interior defensive lineman. He’s battled injuries for two years, this could be a make or break year.
  5. Cunningham – Cunningham struggles last season we well documented, and starting out on the PUP list would not be a good way to say good bye to his sophomore slump. He needs to be healthy and dominate in camp to win a roster spot.

Reports were that Fanene dodged a bullet with his minor injury in OTAs, hopefully that report was correct and he’s out there from the get go.

Spikes had to have surgery this off-season, he’s another one that needs a full camp or risk falling behind Dont’a Hightower on the depth chart. Stilll, if Spikes is out it will force the Pats to immerse Hightower even further.

Slater should have a roster spot locked up regardless if he’s PUP’d or not, but Tracy White will be in a fight for his life and needs to be out there.

Finally the most fun question of all, can Ron Brace finally open a training camp not on the PUP list? Seems like he’s healthy, but the conditioning run has been known to haunt him. If he can’t pass that he might be cut before training camp even starts.

Report: Pats to host TE Shiancoe – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

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Report: Pats to host TE Shiancoe – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

Everyone is enjoying making jokes about how many tight ends the Patriots have on their roster, but when you look at their health at the position it’s easy to see why they’re not done yet.

The team has six tight ends (including defensive end Alex Silvestro, who donned the offensive colors this offseason) on the active roster, but given the health of Gronkowski, Fells, and Jake Ballard (who was claimed via waivers but is recovering from a major knee injury), the Patriots may be looking to add veteran depth with training camp just eight days away.

New England Patriots Off-Season/Pre-Camp Awards

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As we wind down into the final week of the dreadfully long Patriots off-season it’s time to give out some awards and make some camp predictions. Let us bid the off-season of Gronk a fond farewell as we are proud to present the PatsPropaganda Patriots Off-Season/Pre-Camp Awards.

Best Team Move: Locking Up Gronk Long Term

Ensuring that Gronk is a Patriot for the prime of his career was a move that will ensure long-term offensive success. He could be the biggest piece in aiding the inevitable transition from Brady to the next guy.

Worst Team Move: Failing to Lock Up Welker Long Term

It takes two to tango, but failing to come to a long term agreement with Welker makes it likely this is his last year in New England. We’re used to contract battles like this, and sadly this will just be the latest indispensable Patriot who gets dispensed of before we the fans are ready.

Player Addition Most Likely To Bust: Chandler Jones

The sudden and over-the-top love for Chandler Jones in the final days before the draft surprised more than a few pundits, even coming from respected voices like Mike Lombardi and Mike Mayock. Even today some fail to see what made Jones a first round pick. He should be brought along slowly, but he’s going to need to at least flash something this year. I am most curious to see Jones in pre-season action, because from what my uneducated eyes have seen I’m not sure he’s a true impact player.

Player Addition Least Likely To Bust: Brandon Lloyd

Things are never a slam dunk with the Patriots until they did what everyone thought they would and acquired Brandon Lloyd. So far in OTAs Lloyd has been as-advertised, drawing praise from Tom Brady and flashing in ways Ochocinco never did. If he stays healthy he will be a deadly addition and fill a major need by challenging defenses on the perimeter.

Best Under-The-Radar Addition: Trevor Scott

Scott is your prototypical Pats free agent signing. Flashed some versatile potential for a perennial loser before getting set back by an injury. Now he’s healthy and plays a position of need. He’s one of my favorites to be a major impact newcomer this year.

Undrafted Rookie Most Likely to Make 53-Man Roster: Justin Francis

There’s always at least one and I have to go with what the beat guys observed in OTAs, especially Bedard, on this one. But from the sound of it, Francis has a lot of what the Pat lack. Most obvious is his ability to rush the passer on the interior, but also the versatility he has to play in multiple spots along the line.

Most Likely to Get Injured in Training Camp: Joseph Addai

I refuse to believe the guy who scored the game winning TD in the 2006 AFCCG against us is going to be a Patriot this year. Let’s just go the safe route and have him get hurt the second week of camp. Plus I could never give a Patriot I actually like this award.

Most Likely to be Most Improved: Stevan Ridley

I think Ridley puts the fumblitis behind him and becomes a back who can play any down. Without much of any off-season last year he did pretty well. Now with a full off-season he should really blossom.

Worst Off-Season: (tie) Gronk’s Shirts/Brady’s Hair

Hard to pick one or the other here. Gronk’s shirts were consistently disregarded and destroyed, while Brady’s hair kept making odd choices that put it in the line of fire. I look forward to hearing nothing more about either of these things.

Most To Prove: Jermaine Cunningham

It’s well documented how Belichick had his eye on Cunningham for a long time before drafting him. He showed some potential in 2010 but last year it was a Murphy’s Law year. Scheme change, injuries, and poor performance put him in a rough sophomore slump that has some calling him a long shot to even make the roster. I still think he has something to add to this team, but he’ll have to stay healthy and take a big leap forward.

Player Most Needed Healthy: Sebastian Vollmer

It’s one thing to replace one tackle, and Solder should have that covered, but if Vollmer is banged up again this year it’s going to put some serious question marks along the Pats offensive line. Marcus Cannon isn’t a disaster and could possibly be pretty good, but suddenly having two second-year guys on the edges of your o-line is never something you can be totally comfortable with. A healthy Vollmer would give the Pats a level of continuity that they’ll really need for an offensive line facing significant changes/questions.

Biggest Question Mark: Ras-I Dowling

Can he stay healthy? How good is he really? No Patriot has more questions surrounding him than Ras-I. First and foremost is he just needs to stay healthy, which is easier said than done. But if he can do that he has a chance to make the entire Pats secondary better. He could be starting game one, or end up cut or on IR again. I have no idea.

Tightest Camp Battle: Donte Stallworth vs. Deion Branch

When you break it down I think these two guys are neck and neck for a roster spot. Stallworth’s a little more of a burner, Branch is a little more savvy. I give a slight edge to Branch unless he’s lost any more of his quickness.

Breakout Star of 2012: Stevan Ridley

Ridley finally should give the Pats a homerun threat in their backfield, something they really have never had during Belichick’s reign. We can expect Brandon Lloyd to do great thing, but Ridley should be the player that everyone is talking about this year.

Comeback Position of the Year: Fullback

There’s no guarantee that either Spencer Larson or Tony Fiametta will make the roster but it’s nice to see some traditional fullbacks back on the Pats roster.  I don’t think it signifies any real philosophical change for the Pats (as much as I wish it did), but both guys are interesting players that would bring a new wrinkle both in short yardage situations and even in passing ones.

Most Needing to Stay Healthy: Patrick Chung

There’s a lot on the line for Chung this year as he enters the final year of his rookie deal being the de facto leader of an oft torched secondary. No doubt he’s the Pats best safety, but just how much will the Pats be willing to spend to lock him up long term? Staying healthy is key, and not an easy thing to do for a player who plays where and how Chung does. His health could go a long way toward determining how much improved the defense is. Let’s remember every year Rodney Harrison stayed healthy the Pats went to the Super Bowl and that’s where Chung is playing now.

Best Rookie: Dont’a Hightower

I don’t know how Hightower will be used but I think he’ll be used a lot and give the Pats a lot of flexibility in their linebacking corps. Look for him, Ninkovich and Spikes to have a battle royale in camp to determine who plays where, but I think when the dust settles we’ll see more and more of Hightower. It’s hard not to be excited to add one of the best players off one of the best defenses in college football. He has to help, right?

Guy Not Named Brady We Can’t Afford to Lose: Vince Wilfork

I considered almost not writing this but it has to be said, I’m not sure what happens if Big Vince goes down for any period of time. He’s the key to the entire front 7, and where the defensive game plan starts. How well could the Pats get by with Gerard Warren, Kyle Love, Jonthan Fanene and Brandon Deaderick? I shutter even thinking about it. Let’s stop even talking about it.

The “No Expectations” Award: Shane Vereen

We forget Vereen was drafted before Ridley. No one knows exactly how he fits in, though it seems clear he’s fast and can catch. Is he good enough to make Woodhead irrelevant? That remains to be seen, but no other player has more limited expectations that Vereen, which is insane for a second round pick.

The “Super Tough” Award: Logan Mankins

As I’ve said before, if Belichick calls you “super tough” I don’t expect a little ACL tear to prevent you from coming back for the opener. I think Mankins should be out there day one and hopefully it’s not a down year for him because we certainly can’t afford that.

Face value Patriots tickets: The Impossible Dream

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This morning Patriots tickets went on sale on Ticketmaster, and excited Pats fans with multiple browser windows open began their quest to secure face value tickets at 10am EST.

What followed shortly thereafter was a collection of responses like these from Twitter:

Even an informal twitter poll by yours truly failed to turn up one single fan who was able to get tickets this morning. This is nothing new, and there has to be a better way for regular fans to get tickets before they get bought up by the bots and resold at an increased price.

Here’s my proposal: why not go back to the old fashioned way? You know, have actual hard copies of tickets that real human beings can wait in line for and purchase?

The Patriots could even make an event out of it. I know more than a few people willing to drive down to Foxboro in early summer to wait in line with other fans. Put Pats highlights up on the jumbotron, play some music, get Coach Belichick to come out and shake hands, maybe cut some sleeves off (okay maybe that’s a little much). What a great way to get people pumped for the season!

And think of all the business it would drive to the Hall and Patriots Place! That’s money that goes back to the organization and not to ticket brokers like Stub Hub.

At least it would certainly be better to stand and wait with other passionate fans at the stadium than sitting in front of a computer, frantically refreshing multiple browsers only to find yourself screwed by Ticketmaster yet again.

It should not be this hard for average fans to get tickets at face value. Game day experiences are expensive enough without having to deal with all the increases the ticket brokers stick on them.

Ticketmaster is completely broken for sales days like today and it has been for a long time, yet it is still pitched to the fans as a chance to actually get tickets to a game, which rarely happens for anyone who’s not a ticket bot.

If the Pats are serious about getting tough on ticket brokers they should really look into new methods to get their tickets into the hands of their passionate fans who want and deserve them most. Ticketmaster is completely corrupted by online technology, and it’s unfair to continue to act as though getting tickets is as easy as logging on when the sale starts.

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Maybe this is why the Pats didn’t give Welker an extension? I kid of course.

Look, we all love watching Welker play, and with the number of receivers the Pats have developed over the years there’s no question there’s some risk should the Pats lose Welker after this year, which at this point seems probable, BUT….

There is no denying that receivers start to lose it after age thirty. Couple that with Welker’s penchant for taking huge hits where he makes his living in the middle of the field and it’s easy to see why the Pats might balk at giving him a monstrous long term contract. The risk that Welker is not the same player within the next two years is considerable and it’s not like the Pats give out big, long-term contracts anyways.

The Patriots offense is going to be built for the long-term around Gronk, and really, if you had to choose between Welker and Hernandez as the complimentary piece who are going to put your money into? To be honest I’m not even sure the lack of Welker long term deal means a long term one for Hernando next off-season, but it’s clear Welker is the riskier investment.

It’s always tough when it comes to the Pats, players we have grown to love and contracts, but the front office in Foxboro doesn’t let nostalgia get in the way of their offers. They continue to do things with a long term outlook, and ultimately that’s the thing that has kept them winning over the past decade, not loyalty to great players who have been a blast to watch.

It’s unfortunate, but it just goes to show that we should all enjoy this year of Brady and Welker together, it might not ever happen again. And that’s okay.

https://www.patspropaganda.com/maybe-this-is-why-the-pats-didnt-give-welker-an/

Scout’s notebook: Safeties – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

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Scout’s notebook: Safeties – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston

The most important key to the Patriots’ safety play in 2012 is the return to full health of Patrick Chung. Chung is their most gifted and, within their system, most experienced safety. His ability to stay on the field is paramount to the secondary’s success. If he can be penciled in as one starter, it remains to be seen who his partner will be. The leading candidate is veteran Steve Gregory, who signed a three-year pact this offseason to join the Patriots. Other potential starting candidates include second-round pick Tavon Wilson. James Ihedigbo, a recent re-signing, played extensively in 2011, but is probably best suited in a situational role. Fellow veteran Will Allen, who has played primarily as a corner in his career, worked at safety this offseason. Reserve options include Josh Barrett, Brown and sixth-round choice Nate Ebner, who will be a fascinating player to watch in training camp; his role at Ohio State was almost exclusively on special teams.