Final Patriots Roster Projection
- Thread starter RedOctober3829
- Start date
Known on another board at one time as Tennis Ball Head. Looks like one and nothing between the covers.
No harm, no foul. I got worked up by a hypothetical rant in my head, punctuated by a lot of “you’re right, Mike!”s
Just like when Jimmy G was finally moved, im just happy we don't have to listen to a debate about our clearly inferior backup being a better option at QB. Mac may not be the guy, but Zappe most definitely never was, and folks wanted a camp competition, they got it and now, we have...the rest of story.
Still think this offense blows. We needed better coaching, a way better offensive line and significantly better receivers. We got one of the three, imo. Maybe the coaching can scheme up something and make chicken salad out of chicken shit with the other two. But at least, we don't have to listen to the Zappe fucking chants from folks that get all of their sports knowledge from Felger.
Still think this offense blows. We needed better coaching, a way better offensive line and significantly better receivers. We got one of the three, imo. Maybe the coaching can scheme up something and make chicken salad out of chicken shit with the other two. But at least, we don't have to listen to the Zappe fucking chants from folks that get all of their sports knowledge from Felger.
To be fair, Felger is actually a Mac guy! And it's all on Mac, nobody really cared about Zappe, the chants and calls for him to start happened because people didn't think Mac was performing well. If he struggles out of the gate this year, Malik Mania will begin, or whatever.
It's really depressing we didn't bring in more QB competition in camp. The offense is a mess and we still don't know if we have a QB that can put up points.
I'm sure one of Zappe or Cunningham will be back, but having only Mac on the roster is depressing.
I'm sure one of Zappe or Cunningham will be back, but having only Mac on the roster is depressing.
I actually think the offense can be decent if they get average line play which if healthy they will provide.
Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see Shaun Wade as a competitive NFL corner or safety. Does he play much on ST?
I don’t think there were viable options on the market that would make a meaningful difference to the team’s potential this year. I say ‘viable’ because the guys who might push Mac for the job (Carr, Jimmy G) are expensive and weren’t gonna be receptive to coming into a situation with a young incumbent QB that ownership on down wants to succeed here.
More to the point, what is the material difference between them keeping Zappe as the backup and where we are now? If you were depressed heading into this season with Mac Jones as your QB1, you are still depressed unless you were hoping that Zappe would somehow supplant Mac during the season. And if that is the case, how is that going to look besides pretty ugly for the Patriots?
If you are a Pats fan in 2023, it is Mac Jones or bust. It was always going to be thus.
LIke 10 snaps over two years.
So I think BB does see him as promising at corner and/or safety--my money is BB sees him as a viable free safety at some point in the not too distant future, possibly even with playing time this year.
That's the point. Mac got hurt three games into a season in which we had an entirely new coaching system, a sieve for an offensive line, tight ends who couldn't block and receivers that couldn't get open. Zappe came in, had a couple ok appearances against dogshit teams, and fans were ready to turn to him as the savior.
That's talk radio nonsense. When folks were saying we should have let Tom go, and kept Jimmy G in 2016, it was more of the same. Christ, when the Pars started 1-2 in 2018, with a brutal loss to Detroit in game 3, the argument started all over again.
I dont even know if Mac will be a good quarterback (I firmly believe he can be good enough if given the right team around him on offense), but I know for damn sure Zappe wasn't, and a QB controversy last year (or this year) would be the worst possible situation.
I'm already on record as saying I either want a playoff team this year, or I want Caleb Williams next season. I'd sign up for 11-6 or 0-17.
I’d rather be a 7-10 and 0-17. Maybe Williams is that good but it usually takes a long long time to get from worst to good.
Yeah, I really don't remember these widespread calls for Jimmy Garoppolo to start over Tom Brady. My point is that's life in the NFL. If your starter has no track record of real success and isn't playing well, the backup QB becomes the talk of the town. It's not a NE exclusive phenomenom. If Mac plays well, no one will care about the backup. It never was about Zappe specifically.
It was a thing and a famous Mike Giardi question in a post game press conference after a loss
I think the calls for Zappe were mainly when Mac was awful at home against the Bears, whom I think would be defined as a “dogshit team”.
I think with Wade you have to look at what he did this summer. He practiced all over the back end of the defense. He had slot responsibilities, free safety responsibilities, outside corner roles, etc. They might see him as a super sub vs just a backup outside corner. Although… Jack Jones might be suspended and you might want him as a third corner.
The thing about Shaun Wade that always interested me is that the Ravens drafted him in 2021, only to be traded to the Pats months later.
It was peculiar to me that either Bill wanted him but didn't work out a trade during the draft for whatever reasons, or that the Ravens gave up on him quickly & Bill swooped in.
It was peculiar to me that either Bill wanted him but didn't work out a trade during the draft for whatever reasons, or that the Ravens gave up on him quickly & Bill swooped in.
There was a lot of noise to bench Mac at Halftime of the Bengals game.
He was awful, but he threw a quick TD when he got into the game, which was an insane moment in Foxboro. I remember joking “that’s it, he’s gonna start for the next 20 years”.
But yeah, Zappa stinks.
It was more than just that too. At the time, Brady was restructuring his contract year after year, and there was non stop conversation about letting him go and giving the reigns to Jimmy. When the Pats got off to a slow start (gasp, Brady threw like 6 picks in 4-5 games), there was the debate again, even though Jimmy was already gone. There were threads here about it, talk radio was insane...
What's the plan at running back, why leave yourself with only two? The dreamer in me wants to believe that they're working on a deal for Jonathan Taylor, but that would be insane.
Bring back Harris or JJ Taylor, use Marcus Jones as a 3rd down back, see if another team cuts someone interesting, WTF?
Bring back Harris or JJ Taylor, use Marcus Jones as a 3rd down back, see if another team cuts someone interesting, WTF?
11 OL, 7 DT but only 1 QB only 2 RB and only 2 TE?
I’m confused
I guess he wants to focus on the trenches
Obviously moves to make
I’m confused
I guess he wants to focus on the trenches
Obviously moves to make
Pretty sure everyone they cut today at RB will clear waivers, and there are plenty of good RBs who got cut elsewhere or were already FAs... getting a 3rd string RB is incredibly easy in the current NFL. Given they have Stevenson and Zeke.. you're talking about just pure depth at that position anyway, until one of the other 2 gets hurt they'll get all the touches.
Exactly. Today's moves were just BB and the rest of the brain trust gaming the process by cutting the names that were most likely to clear waivers (save for Myles Bryant, whose possession of highly-compromising photos of Belichick guarantees an unjustified employment with the Patriots in perpetuity).
Guys, isn’t it obvious. No second QB. Tom retired. Irina vacationing with Bradley Cooper.
It’s the return of the king!
It’s the return of the king!
Looking at the numbers right now is pretty pointless because it's painfully obvious they aren't going to go into the season with 1 qb and 2 rbs
So, my guess is that Thornton and Reiff will be headed to IR once Thursday rolls around. Opens up a spot for a backup QB and 3rd RB (Montgomery or Taylor). They could also use the PS for the backup QB for the first couple of weeks, and instead bring in TE depth. Also would not be surprising if they try to get someone like Jake Andrews onto the practice squad once the dust settles. Other longer shot candidates for the initial IR list do include Strange and Jonathan Jones, although it appears the former is closer to returning, and I thought I saw Jones was as well but I could be wrong. And still want to keep an eye on Lawrence Guy as a potential trade candidate.
One of their TEs is a TINO (TE in name only, ie, big WR who will not be lining up on the line very often), they currently have 2 RBs and 1 TE, with the latter not known for his blocking.
So they will definitely be addressing that. As you note, there are many options. Stevenson and Elliott are both versatile backs who do everything, so some of what they lack in depth they gain in versatility, but there will most definitely be some moves.
OL, DL, WR and CB is where they left some meat on the bone. The IR machinations will be interesting. Also might be easier to get someone through waivers and onto the PS later in the week after the initial cuts/pickups.
Exactly. They'll try to stash Cunningham on the PS, maybe Zappe too (though he seems to actually have fallen out of favor in Foxboro). They'll look to add a veteran QB who can pick up the offense quickly - maybe one who has experience with BOB. They'll add at least one RB for week 1 (maybe that's all they'd need for week 1). They'll likely cut an OL once all the health concerns shake out. Probably cut Wade or Bryant (Wade more likely) to make room for one of these additions. Maybe move Thornton to IR.
Lots of movement still to go, but it's also true that it's a super weird and interesting initial 53.
He's right, in a vacuum, about the Pats and not addressing their OL issues this offseason, but if they had Curran would be on his podcast saying they didn't address the DB situation or something else. You can't patch everything at once.
And the responses of "They had cap space to sign Player X" are faulty unless we know that player would sign HERE for that money.
The Pats kept 11 OL and 6 WRs on the roster. The local media is going insane over this.
Yet:
Jets: 10 OL, 7 WR
Dolphins: 10 OL, 6 WR
Bills: 9 and 6
Chiefs: 10 and 7
There's nothing atypical about these numbers for this time of year. Every team is going to make changes, perhaps a lot of changes, to their roster by the time Game 1 rolls around.
Yet:
Jets: 10 OL, 7 WR
Dolphins: 10 OL, 6 WR
Bills: 9 and 6
Chiefs: 10 and 7
There's nothing atypical about these numbers for this time of year. Every team is going to make changes, perhaps a lot of changes, to their roster by the time Game 1 rolls around.
To be fair the local media is just stirring up a shitstorm because they need ears and eyeballs, but your point is perfectly valid.