2009 Patriots Roster Prediction V.3.0

With a couple of weeks of training camp and a preseason game out of the way, I thought I’d take another look at what I think the Patriots final 53 man roster will look like.  Back at the start of June, I made my first projection.  Last week, I made my second.  Here comes the third.

QB: 1. Tom Brady 2. Andrew Walter 3. Kevin O’Connell

Thoughts: Would have liked to keep Bryan Hoyer, but Andrew Walter has performed well and I doubt the team cuts O’Connell considering their investment in him.

HB: 1. Laurence Maroney 2. Sammy Morris 3. Fred Taylor 4. Kevin Faulk 5. BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Thoughts: Green-Ellis continues to showcase hard-nosed running and while he may suck in pass protection, he adds youth, so he has a real shot at making this roster.  I wouldn’t be surprised if a veteran was cut.

WR: 1. Randy Moss 2. Wes Welker 3. Joey Galloway 4. Julian Edelman 5. Terrence Nunn 6. Sam Aiken

Thoughts: Call me crazy but I believe that Terrence Nunn has a serious shot at making this team.  Nunn has showcased some really nice hands, can catch the ball in traffic, extend, and has shown some good quickness.  If you go by performance thus far in training camp, it would be Moss, Welker, Edelman, Nunn, Galloway, and then Greg Lewis.  I’m going to give Galloway the benefit of the doubt, and I’ll give Aiken the nod over a battle with Ray Ventrone and Matt Slater.  Update: Went through and had 54 on the roster, so I gave Aiken the cut.

TE: 1. Chris Baker 2. Alex Smith 3. David Thomas

Thoughts: I think there’s a very good chance that the Pats keep four tight ends, in which case, Ben Watson would be on the roster.  I don’t think the Patriots will outright cut Ben Watson.  But I’d say there’s a good chance he’s traded for a mid-round pick before Labor Day.

OT: 1. Matt Light 2. Nick Kazcur 3. Sebastian Vollmer 4. Mark LeVoir

Thoughts: Light and Kazcur hold down their starting jobs, although Vollmer looks like he will become a really solid player.  LeVoir is also solid, and can hold down the fort on special teams.

OG: 1. Logan Mankins 2. Stephen Neal 3. Russ Hochstein

Thoughts: Ryan Wendell and Billy Yates fall short of roster spots here, as well as the rookie George Bussey.  Hochstein stays do to his versatility, as he can play guard, center, tight end, fullback, as well as special teams.

C: 1. Dan Koppen 2. Rich Ohrnberger

Thoughts: Not much debate here.  Ohrnberger may push Koppen down the line, but will back him up for now.  Rochstein can also back up here.  Al Johnson was already released.

DE: 1. Richard Seymour 2. Ty Warren 3. Jarvis Green 4. Mike Wright

Thoughts: One of my favorites Le Kevin Smith gets the cut here, narrowing the survivors of the 2006 draft class to just two (Ryan O’Callaghan didn’t make the squad either).  It’s not that he hasn’t shown anything, it’s just that he hasn’t shown as much as, say, Myron Pryor.  Darryl Richard is also a tough cut here.

NT/DT: 1. Vince Wilfork 2. Ron Brace 3. Myron Pryor

Thoughts: Myron Pryor is the “surprise” to make the team here.  He showed some good explosiveness in the first preseason game, so I think he is ahead of Smith, Titus Adams, and Richard at this point.  He also is seemingly the best fit at defensive tackle in any four man fronts the Patriots may use.

OLB: 1. Adalius Thomas 2. Pierre Woods 3. Derrick Burgess 4. Tully Banta-Cain 5. Shawn Crable

Thoughts: This is a seemingly predictable group.  I wouldn’t be totally shocked if there was a surprise cut (Woods or Crable).  Keep in mind that Gary Guyton, Eric Alexander, Jerod Mayo, and Paris Lenon can all also play outside in the 4-3.

ILB: 1. Jerod Mayo 2. Gary Guyton 3. Tedy Bruschi 4. Eric Alexander

Thoughts: Yeah, I have Paris Lenon getting cut.  He hasn’t been healthy and hasn’t really showed much thus far.  Alexander on the other hand actually has shown a lot of improvement, and is one of the team’s best special teams players.

CB: 1. Leigh Bodden 2. Jonathan Wilhite 3. Shawn Springs 4. Darius Butler 5. Terrence Wheatley

Thoughts: The only cut I have here is Mike Richardson.  Wilhite is now firmly entrenched as a starter, meaning Springs will be asked to do a little of everything.  Butler and Wheatley both struggled a little in the preseason opener, but I think Butler’s potential is much better.

FS: 1. Brandon Meriweather 2. Brandon McGowan

Thoughts: Brandon Meriweaher is emerging into one hell of a playmaker.  McGowan is a solid overall safety who is good covering kicks, and I have him beating out both Matthew Slater and Ray Ventrone.

SS: 1. James Sanders 2. Patrick Chung

Thoughts: Can I say something?  Patrick Chung is going to be dirty.  And for now, he’ll be a dirty role player.  In all seriousness, Chung has played very well up to this point, but so has Sanders.  I don’t think Chung will start this season, but I expect him to have a big role nonetheless.  Tank Williams is the only cut here.

K: Stephen Gostkowski

Thoughts: Best kicker in the game today doesn’t need any camp competition.

P: Chris Hanson

Thoughts: You might or might not like him, but this guy has set off some bombs in camp as it looks like he’s finally put the ghost of Tom Malone to rest.

LS: Jake Ingram

Thoughts: Heading into camp, I thought the vet Nathan Hodel would be the unlikely winner in this competition.  I was most likely wrong, Ingram looks like the real deal (at least for a long snapper).