With the Patriots heading to Detroit this Saturday for their third preseason game there a few players who are in need of a big game to earn themselves a roster spot. This is one of the deepest teams the Patriots have ever had and spots are limited. Here's a list of a few guys who I think are on the bubble right now and will need to do some serious work to make this team.
1. Brandon Tate, WR: With the new Kickoff Rule in the NFL this season it seems like Brandon Tate's value to this team is way down. He was a top 5 Kick Returner in the NFL last year but this year he may not even be needed as kick returns will be limited. He is a much better Kick Returner then Wide Receiver and because he has been injured most of camp he hasn't been able to improve his Wide Receiver skills. Also the emergence of Taylor Price doesn't help either. Brandon Tate is going to have to have a couple big games, receiving not returning, to secure a spot on this team.
2. Sammy Morris, RB: I'm actually surprised they brought this guy back to begin with. With a plethora of young Runningbacks ahead of him on the Depth chart there is almost no way Morris makes this roster. I thought there was a slight chance if Rookie Shane Vereen could not return from his injury but with his return to camp this week Sammy is no doubt gonna be the odd man out.
3. Jonathan Wilhite, CB: If you asked me last week I would've told you he was safe and that it was Darius Butler who was on the Bubble but after the last game against the Bucs Wilhite is now the Bubble Corner. Butler actually played pretty well vs. the Bucs while Wilhite might not have been terrible but definitely didn't stand out above Butler. Obviously atop the depth chart is Devin McCourty, Leigh Bodden, Kyle Arrington, and Rookie Ras-I Dowling so in reality there is one Cornerback spot left and right now that belongs to Butler.
4. Ron Brace, DT: If I were him I wouldn't rush back from Injury. I have a feeling he might end up on the PUP List or maybe even the IR cause there is no way he makes this 53-man Roster. With all the veteran acquisitions this off season there is no spot for Brace. He would probably be better off going on the IR and coming back fresh in 2012 and compete for a spot against much older and past their prime players like Albert Haynesworth, Gerard Warren and Shaun Ellis.
5. Brandon Meriweather, S: Let's make this clear first, I am not a Meriweather hater. There are a lot of them out there but I'm not one of them. The only reason I put him on this list is because every year Belichick tends to release or at least Trade away a player we wouldn't expect. I wouldn't expect this one to happen but you never know. Meriweather has been a bit overrated the last few years, some how making two Pro Bowls and he is a free agent after this season making him an obvious candidate to be whacked. Last year it was Maroney who they replaced with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and that worked out well. We saw this all the way back in 2003 with Lawyer Milloy who was replaced by Eugene Wilson and that worked out. Belichick has a history of making one shocking move a year and Big Bang Clock is the #1 candidate this season.
1. Brandon Tate, WR: With the new Kickoff Rule in the NFL this season it seems like Brandon Tate's value to this team is way down. He was a top 5 Kick Returner in the NFL last year but this year he may not even be needed as kick returns will be limited. He is a much better Kick Returner then Wide Receiver and because he has been injured most of camp he hasn't been able to improve his Wide Receiver skills. Also the emergence of Taylor Price doesn't help either. Brandon Tate is going to have to have a couple big games, receiving not returning, to secure a spot on this team.
2. Sammy Morris, RB: I'm actually surprised they brought this guy back to begin with. With a plethora of young Runningbacks ahead of him on the Depth chart there is almost no way Morris makes this roster. I thought there was a slight chance if Rookie Shane Vereen could not return from his injury but with his return to camp this week Sammy is no doubt gonna be the odd man out.
3. Jonathan Wilhite, CB: If you asked me last week I would've told you he was safe and that it was Darius Butler who was on the Bubble but after the last game against the Bucs Wilhite is now the Bubble Corner. Butler actually played pretty well vs. the Bucs while Wilhite might not have been terrible but definitely didn't stand out above Butler. Obviously atop the depth chart is Devin McCourty, Leigh Bodden, Kyle Arrington, and Rookie Ras-I Dowling so in reality there is one Cornerback spot left and right now that belongs to Butler.
4. Ron Brace, DT: If I were him I wouldn't rush back from Injury. I have a feeling he might end up on the PUP List or maybe even the IR cause there is no way he makes this 53-man Roster. With all the veteran acquisitions this off season there is no spot for Brace. He would probably be better off going on the IR and coming back fresh in 2012 and compete for a spot against much older and past their prime players like Albert Haynesworth, Gerard Warren and Shaun Ellis.
5. Brandon Meriweather, S: Let's make this clear first, I am not a Meriweather hater. There are a lot of them out there but I'm not one of them. The only reason I put him on this list is because every year Belichick tends to release or at least Trade away a player we wouldn't expect. I wouldn't expect this one to happen but you never know. Meriweather has been a bit overrated the last few years, some how making two Pro Bowls and he is a free agent after this season making him an obvious candidate to be whacked. Last year it was Maroney who they replaced with BenJarvus Green-Ellis and that worked out well. We saw this all the way back in 2003 with Lawyer Milloy who was replaced by Eugene Wilson and that worked out. Belichick has a history of making one shocking move a year and Big Bang Clock is the #1 candidate this season.
Please help me for Christ sake.
ReplyDelete