If you were assessing the positions that the 2005 edition o of the patriots were weak or had "questions", they would be as listed below with the outcome resolution or not in the beginning of 2006.
Punt Returner:
Tim Dwight was a PR but it was clear he was older and not as effective as he once was. Newcomers, Andrews and Smith have fair reps as PRs and less so as KRs. Smith has an NFL PR TD and Andrews has college credentials for most return yards in NCAA history. Conclusion may be better but INComplete today. Addressed Yes. Resolved: INC.
Kick Returner:
BJ had a rep going into 2005 , but there was little production in 2005 and his tenure as a WR was in regression. Newcomers Maroney and Andrews might be able to offer respectable KR. Conclusion:: But net-net its INComplete. BJ set a high bar that hates candidates might but haven't yet demonstrated on their resumes.Addressed Yes. Resolved: INC.
Kicker:
AV was a FA and seemed to be losing range,but he is a clutch kicker. Then was lost in FA to Colts. Newcomers Grammattica nd Gostkowski both demonstrated that either could have won the job. Gostkowski holds the possibility of eventually being an upgrade in KO length and long FG ability. Conclusion: Indications are more than OK, Addresses: Yes Resolved: Yes.
OL:
OLT starter Light and starting C Koppen were injured. Both appear to have made full recoveries. Britt graduated from PS to roster as backup OLT and ORT. Kaczur appears to be returning to health too. The O'C was a find. Conclusion : the Patriots were so satisfied that they let two former starters depart Ashworth in FA and Gorin and reserve Tucker for future draft picks.
Conclusion: the line is 8 starters deep and more are developing on the PS. Addressed: yes. Resolved YES.
DL:
The questions on the young DL were not with the starters and first reserve, Green. They were in depth beyond Green. Last season find, Wright proved it was no fluke. The trade for the talented but "bust" Sullivan has turned out very well. Le Kevin Smith might be a NT too.
Conclusion: The Patriots are full to overflowing with good young DL and there are no more round pegs fro square holes l;ike undersized Klecko. Addressed: yes Resolved: YES.
Safety:
The Safety position was shallow last year, and then Harrison was lost with a major knee injury. For a time this was ht most glaring weakness on the Patriots Defense. Harrison is back and appear to be his old self. Sander last years rookie is progressing and might be a starter someday, and soon. Wilson is back. And last year find former second round CB Artrell Hawkins has confirmed his talent to QB the secondary from SS. Conclusion: The Safety position is now healthy and deep and could get even better next year when IRed players Tebucky and Mitchelll return. Addressed: Yes. Resolved: YES.
CB:
Going into last season the Starters were going to be thirty plus year old vets Poole and Starks backed up by some young but barely proven youngsters. Samuels, Hobbs stepped foreword, Gay has returned to health, Scott adds veteran swing depth. Conclusion: There doesn't appear to be a TY Law here but four pretty good CBS and a couple of more in the Safety ranks can be called to duty in an emergency. Troy is still on the roster, too. Addressed: Yes Resolved: Yes (tepidly).
OLB:
Last season the starters were Willie, Vrabes and Colvin. Then Vrabes was "lost" to ILB duty. Neither TBC nor Brown seemed to offer much. They signed several low round unheralded youngsters, Mincey, Woods and May. AT OLB TBC has stepped froward to take Vrabes/Willies rotation spots. Pierre Woods might even be a find. Alexander adds to the ST and has Coverage ability for a LB. Brown is on the "Shadow roster" and can be recalled when healthy. Vrabel might be able to join the OLBs too when Bruschi returns but I think he splits time. Conclusion: The OLBs are as good and young as I recall in the BB era. Vrabel at 31 is the oldest. Addressed: Yes. Resolved: YES.
ILB:
Bruschi seemed to be all the way back until he broke his wrist in TC and will miss a few games. Seau appears to have enough left to spot as a rotation ILB. Bruschi and Vrabel as starters, make this a bear of a Defense to run against, and Vrabel has half a season of starting experienced and excellence to draw on. Gardner was proving his worth as a ILB reserve until breaking a leg. He will be back next year and he is still in his prime. Eric is a spare part. Conclusion: the ILBs are much younger than preseason 2005. Are they better. Definitely. Bruschi & Vrabel present an impregnable ILB pair. Addressed: Yes. Resolved: Yes for this Season. SEau is a stopgap. Not yet for the "long" term. But now they are one starter away from having rebuilt the entire LB corps.
TE:
Graham was dinged, Watson showed flashes and Fauria was losing it, in the preseason 2005. Now the TEs situation is the best in the League. Watson is a blooming Star; Graham is healthy and a blocking terror. Thomas and Mills replace fading Fauria and then some. Conclusion A+++ Addressed: Yes. Resolved: YES!
RB:
Dillon was beat up. Pass was a step better than a JAG. Evans was a JAG, and Kevin is a third down and change of pace back. Period. Now the FO has added Laurence Maroney . The rook looks like a future franchise back, to add to and eventually replace franchise back Dillon. Conclusion: Potentially as good as there is in the League. Addressed: Yes. Resolved: YES.
QB:
Brady was Brady. Going into 2005 the question was who backs him up. Rohan? Dougie? or 7th rounder and college backup Cassel. Cassel has proved hi might well be the third best QB in the nation after "losing" the starting job to Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and then Matt Leinart. He has played din a full seasonal game and several preseason ones. His QB rating actually outranks Brady's and has never produced an effort less than a QB rating of 89.5 Conclusion: He could be a not only a future starter but a star eventually. Addressed: YES Resolved: YES!
WR:
Finally we com to the WR. Givens was lost to FA. Branch might get traded but he is under contract still and things might possibly be resolved. Financially the impasse is not far apart. Neither side seems to be making this a personal grudge match but it is a question mark. Meanwhile the Pats stripped their roster of aging non-performers letting Davis, Dwight, BJ are gone. They brought in former 2nd rounder Reche Caldwell, Former fifth rounder Doug Gabriel and drafted 2nd round speedster with size, Chad Jackson. They resigned Old reliable Troy Brown and made him a full-time WR, and Bam Childress and a also cast of thousands.
Conclusion: They are not as good as they were in the top two positions. They appear better from third to fifth though. Assuming both Branch and Givens are both gone. there is still talent here. Jackson could mature into a #1. Caldwell has the size and speed to be better than Givens; Gabriel may actually BE better than Givens right now and Troy is back,fulltime, to do an imitation of Branch.
Conclusion: they are not as good but by the playoffs might be better than 2005. Are they very weak? NOT at all. But they are satisfactory? Probably. If Branch rejoins the Team, the position is hands down Upgraded. Addressed: Yes. Resolved: INC but No...
Summary:
The 2006 Edition of the Patriots appears to be hands down stronger it most every way than the 2005 edition and all the other editions 2004 back to 2001. The situation calls for a quote. The Rolling Stones posed it best; "Do you always get what you want ? No, but You get what you need..."
Question But time for ANSWERS...
Younger
Linear Mode
