PatsBlog: A Patriots Blog

Most of the moves were what I expected, but there were a few that I didn’t see coming.  Here are a few things that surprised me:

1. Vinny Testaverde - Well, I don’t like Belichick’s thinking here.  I know he wouldn’t provide much to the team (if anything), but he is a veteran prescence, who could help lead a guy like Matt Cassel if something happened to Brady.  I understand the thinking however, because Matt Gutierrez looks like he has some serious potential, but it doesn’t seem very classy for Belichick to cut a guy like Testaverde, who will likely retire now.  Plus, there is still a roster spot open, which could mean there is a guy the Patriots are looking at who is on waivers.

2. Richard Seymour on PUP, David Thomas off.  I was thinking that Richard Seymour would be ready to go for the start of the season, but I guess I was wrong.  He is going to be out for at least 6 weeks.  So this means starting time for Jarvis Green, and increased playing time for Le Kevin Smith.  Also, I thought David Thomas wouldn’t be coming off PUP, and again, I was wrong (poor Marcellus Rivers was praying I was right).

3. Rashad Baker NOT cut.  I figured he would be cut because he barely played for us last year and he has a broken hand.  But a player’s fortune can always change quickly, as Harrison’s suspension has granted Baker at least four weeks with the team.

Now, a little more fun begins.  Will the Patriots make any moves off the waivers wire?  Well, we’ll find out in the next two days, as the Patriots will begin preparation against the Jets.

The report is out, according to Mike Reiss:

In addition to placing Richard Seymour on the reserve/PUP list; activating David Thomas off the PUP list; and placing Oscar Lua on injured reserve, the Patriots announced the following cuts tonight.

DB Larry Anam
OLB Chad Brown
WR Bam Childress
WR Chris Dunlap
C/G Mike Elgin
OT Corey Hilliard
TE Brian Jones
WR C.J. Jones
WR Kelvin Kight
ILB Corey Mays
TE Garrett Mills
NT Rashad Moore
C/G Gene Mruczkowski
OT Clint Oldenburg
TE Marcellus Rivers
OLB Justin Rogers
RB Quinton Smith
QB Vinny Testaverde
DL Santonio Thomas
CB Dante Wesley
DL Zach West

With the final cut less than two hours away, I thought I would make my predictions for the Patriot’s final roster.  Here it goes:

 QUARTERBACK

1. Tom Brady  2. Matt Cassel  3. Vinny Testaverde  4. Matt Gutierrez

Note: Gutierrez has looked too good to cut, and he likely won’t clear waivers, and Bill Belichick won’t cut Testaverde, which would leave the team with four quarterbacks.

RUNNINGBACK

1. Laurence Maroney  2. Sammy Morris  3. Kevin Faulk  4. Heath Evans (FB)

This is really a no brainer choice.  Quinton Smith gets a nod on the practice squad after he clears waivers.

RECEIVERS

1. Randy Moss  2. Donte Stallworth  3. Wes Welker 4. Jabar Gaffney  5. Kelley Washington  6. Reche Caldwell

Reche didn’t play in the back-up’s game, so I think that gives him the lock on a roster spot (but will he hold on to it)?  The Patriots might have to think twice about cutting Bam Childress, as it is getting harder to tell if he will clear waivers, and he can bring some real versatility to the team (same with CJ Jones).

TIGHT END

Ben Watson

Kyle Brady

Marcellus Rivers

David Thomas is recovering, but he will go on PUP.  Rivers played well enough in the preseason to warrant a roster spot, but will he be able to hang on to it once David Thomas.  Garrett Mills is a hard cut, but he just hasn’t done enough.  If he somehow clears waivers, he will be on the practice squad.

OFFENSIVE LINE

C: Dan Koppen LG: Logan Mankins RG: Stephen Neal RT: Nick Kazcur LT: Matt Light, Bench: Ryan O’Callaghan, Billy Yates, Ross Hochstein, Wesley Britt

Usually the Patriots don’t keep 10 lineman, but they have had problems with depth this year.  Billy Yates, Ross Hochstein, Gene Mruczkowski, and Wesley Britt aren’t too strong.  Possibly, Clint Oldenburg or Mike Elgin can replace one of them, or the team might keep just 8 or 9. UPDATE: 57 players, so I cut Mruczkowski

DEFENSIVE LINE:

DE: Richard Seymour, Ty Warren DT: Vince Wilfork.  Bench: Jarvis Green, Mike Wright, Le Kevin Smith, Kareem Brown.

This is the best defensive line in football, if not of all-time.

LINEBACKERS:

OLB: 1. Mike Vrabel 2. Rosevelt Colvin 3. Pierre Woods ILB: Tedy Bruschi, Adalius Thomas, Junior Seau, Larry Izzo, Eric Alexander, Oscar Lua

Lua depends on how bad his injury is.  The other thing, is that I think the Patriots will keep Justin Rogers over Chad Brown, but I like Chad, and I’d like to see him be on the team this year. UPDATE: 57 players, so I cut Brown.

CORNERBACK

1. Asante Samuel  2. Ellis Hobbs  3. Randall Gay  4. Tory James

The thing here is versatility.  Meriweather is a corner as well as a safety, which is nice to have.

SAFETY:

SS: 1. James Sanders 2. Brandon Meriweather 3. Mel Mitchell

FS: 1. Eugene Wilson 2. Brandon Meriweather 3. Willie Andrews

This position suddenly becomes interesting with the Harrison suspension.  James Sanders will definately start, but it means more playing time for Meriweather at safety.  Also, Wilson might be injured, which would push Meriweather into the starting lineup.  Mel Mitchell may be cut when Rodney returns,  but for now, he provides solid special teams play.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

K: Stephen Gostkowski P: Chris Hanson (tentative) LS: Lonnie Paxton

The Patriots get to keep 55 because of the Samuel exemption and the Harrison suspension.

According to ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen, Rodney Harrison has been suspended for using HGH.  The report:

New England Patriots strong safety Rodney Harrison has been suspended for the first four regular-season games after violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, the league said early Saturday.

The 34-year-old Harrison, suspended without pay, will be eligible to return to the Patriots’ active roster following the team’s Oct. 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He acknowledged the suspension in a late Friday night conference call, admitting that he obtained human growth hormone but said that he had never taken steroids.