New England Patriots 2008 Training Camp Update

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady has been going through his usual practice drills and is playing well. He is limited to a certain amount of throws each day of training camp to preserve his arm and keep him in good health. Backup Matt Cassel is much more prepared to operate the Patriots offense and has grasped a better understanding of the playbook, according to coach Bill Belichick. Teammates have said he is more accurate and decisive in his throws in comparison to last season. At this point, is it pretty much guaranted that those two will remain on the roster. The quarterback battle comes down to Matt Guiterrez and Kevin O'Connell. Guiterrez is regularly the first one to practice and the last to leave and his work ethic has gained the attention of Patriots coaches." Guiterrez is probably as hard working a player as we have on this team. He's worked hard to get better and build off last year." Although he threw one preseason pass in 2007, he is completing the majority of throws in scrimmages and game situations that have been held this camp. O'Connell is still learning the offense and even though he has been guided through numerous practice drills, he appears to be a step behind Guiterrez.

Runningbacks/Fullbacks: The Patriots acquired Lamont Jordan in the offseason as an "insurance policy", in case Laurence Maroney or Kevin Faulk is injured. Jordan brings toughness and physicality to the offense and with the Raiders he was excellent at gaining additional yards after the hit. Maroney and Faulk are still expected to receive the bulk of the playing time during the regular season, but so far Lamont Jordan has pleased Bill Belichick with his efforts. The Patriots will likely keep all three runningbacks on the roster. Currently, New England has three fullbacks, Kyle Eckel, Heath Evans and Sammy Morris. In 2007, Morris received over half of the total carries, with 85 on the year. Evans and Eckel were used sparingly and averaged a little under 3 yards per play. Seeing that short running plays and a rush-based offense are not the Patriots preferred style of play, it's possible that a fullback would be released from the team, although coaches and management have not hinted at the possibility.

Receivers: It seems like most of the positions are already set but the rookies and free agents are still going through training camp with full effort. Chad Jackson is the fastest receiver but never had a pass thrown to him in a 2007 regular season game. He's made some catches in practice but is still far behind Jabar Gaffney for the third receiver spot. Gaffney was a nice role player for New England last season with 449 yards and 5 touchdowns. He has been a starter in the past and will probably be one again this year. Gaffney looks to be in good form and is active and energetic in camp. Sam Aiken was originally signed to be on special teams but is currently trying to be the fourth or fifth receiver, and if he gets that position, will work with the second string offense. Randy Moss is the star receiver on this team and has definitely gained the trust and respect of his teammates and coaching staff. Belichick calls him one of the smartest players he's ever coached and most Patriots admire his work ethic. Welker has been taken off the physically unable to peform list and is practicing harder, although he personally admits he is not at full speed. CJ Jones did not play a single down last year and since he has only two years of NFL experience, he will probably be cut. Matt Slater is a rookie and it doesn't appear there is any room for him on the roster. Kelley Washington did play in a few games in 2006 and even though he didn't play in 2007, the Patriots will likely keep him to work with the backup quarterbacks and the second string offense. Marcus Pollard and Benjamin Watson are the starting tight ends for New England. Last season, Pollard got a couple of touchdown passes in goal line situations and was used as more of a decoy receiver. Watson played a more significant role in the offense, with 36 receptions and 389 yards. Stephen Spach and Jonathan Stupar are unproven receivers with no game experience and for a top team like New England, there simply isn't any role for them and both are at risk of being cut.

Offensive Line: The line is a strong point for the Patriots since they gave up very few sacks last year and Tom Brady was well protected. Stopping penetration and allowing more time for passing plays was something that this group excelled at a year ago. In training camp, emphasis is placed on indivudual drills and boosting game and situational knowledge, instead of scrimmages and full contact action. During camp, New Englad has put in time to grasp a strong understanding of the new plays and wrinkles added to the playbook and it will help pass protection and blocking assignments. The Patriots have several linemen with more than five years of experience and they knows what it takes to pefrorm at a high level and win. Matt Light, Stephen Neal and Anthony Clement anchor the offensive line with lots of experience and big playmaking ability. Their speed and toughness brings energy to this unit on game changing plays. Considering that this group has even more motivation with last year's Super Bowl loss, expect the pass offense to once again have exceptional production.

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Defensive Line: New England excels in pass defense and even though the secondary and linebacking units have been great the past few years, the defensive line is not to be ignored. With good skill players in Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour and Ty Warren, this group is very capable of pressuring the quarterback. Last year, the defensive line got great penetration and were able to force the quarterback to scramble out of the pocket. They also created many pass deflections and knockdowns which is a result on reading the quarterback and receivers and knowing where the ball will be thrown. Sometimes, the game knowledge that was instilled in the players during weekly preparation and film study produced extra sacks or incompletions. The defensive linemen are committed to putting in extra time in the film room or on the practice field and are some of the hardest working players on the team. In practices, more emphasis is being put on scrimmages since the first preseason game is soon. It will be an opportunity to see how the line is performing in the new quest for a championship.

Linebackers: This group is led by veterans Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel. Both have more than 10 years of experience in this league and have routinely been among the best linebackers year after year. Another season of strong, determined play should be seen out of both players as they have what it takes to control a premier defense. Larry Izzo is garnering the attention of defensive coaches and head coach Bill Belichick. He has an improved knowledge of defensive schemes and plays and is becoming a more vocal player on the field. Izzo is in great shape and is very energetic during practices. Linebackers have always been a dominant unit during the Patriots successful champiuonship era,and this season has the talent to produce another talented group. Rookie Jerod Mayo is impressive and detrmined according to veterean teammates and is making big plays during scrimmages and team drills. He is making solid tackles and covering top receivers on pass plays. Mayo knows where to be on the field and is becoming a vocal leader in camp. Adalius Thomas is another experienced linebacker who can change a game with a key tackle or forced turnover.

Secondary: The cornerback position will receive a lot of attention in training camp since there are several players fighting for a few spots. Ellis Hobbs is definitely a starter and he has been sharp during practice and performing with enthusiasm. Fernando Bryant is receiving compliments and praise from coaches for him improved knowledge of the New England playbook. He is gradually gaining the respect of his teammates and is sometimes telling others what to do on defense. Terrence Wheatley was one of the draft choices and although he still has a lot to learn, he is getting better with each practice. Wheatley made a few tackles and intercepted a pass in a recent practice session. The Patriots have a few other players fighting for a spot but these will be difference makers in the near future. Rodney Harrison is entering his 15th season and says he is in excellent shape. He does not consider age to be a factor when playing football and is anticipating the first regular season game. Tank Williams was acquired in the offseason and has the talent to be a permanent starter. Brandon Merriweather is getting adjusted to the rigors of the NFL and despite being so young, he has worked his way up to a roster spot. The secondary is expected to be a dominant force for the Patriots defense and training camp certainly reflects that belief.

Special Teams: Stephen Gostkowski is the place kicker and had a pretty good season in 2007. He made 21/24 field goals and was perfect on extra points. Considering how good the offense has been in recent years, Gostkowski may not get a lot of field goal attempts, but is accurate when he does get a chance. He also does kickoffs and he routinely able to reach the end zone, giving the coverage team plenty of time to pin back the opposing team. Chris Hanson is the punter and compared to the rest of the league, his average is near the bottom. Averaging only 37 net yards a kick is not good, but with a great offense, Hanson does not punt very often. Punting is one of the few weaknesses for the team. New England will put both offensive and defensive players on special teams during the preseason so the kick coverage and return teams will experience playing with new teammates.

By Chad Fukuoka
ProFootball-fans.com New England Patriots Correspondent