As another training camp for the New England Patriots comes to a close, it’s time to take a look back and hand out some awards for those who did or didn’t stand out for the right or wrong reasons.
Undrafted Rookie Star: An undrafted rookie makes the team almost every year and this year certainly won’t be an exception due to the exceptional play of cornerback Malcolm Butler. Rarely did a practice or game pass where Butler wasn’t making plays on the ball. Butler is a near-lock to make the roster.
Biggest Surprise(s): The immediate return to health of Vince Wilfork and Rob Gronkowski has been one of the nicest surprises of camp. Usually players coming off major injuries like a torn ACL or Achilles start out on the PUP list, but both of these major injury concerns appear to be on track for the season opener. Wilfork still shows great get-off and almost appears refreshed after the season off.
The “They are what they are” award: What can you say about Tom Brady and Darrelle Revis that hasn’t been said. They are two of the best players in the NFL today and they continued to prove it this summer. It should be a thrill to watch these two this fall.
The “Brady’s Window Storyline Killer” Award: I never really subscribed to Tom Brady’s window being a major impetus for the decisions the Patriots make. Now with Jimmy Garoppolo showing real promise it should put that angle to rest. Now it can just be about building the best team possible for now and the long term, regardless of when the Brady-to-Garoppolo transition happens (which is how it kind of always was anyways).
The “You’re Not Helping Yourself” Award: Stevan Ridley put the ball on the turf against the Eagles and though it may or may not have been a fumble, he’s certainly not helping himself to put his ball security questions behind him. Mike Reiss even speculated last week that Ridley could be cut. That’s a long shot, but Ridley really needs to hold on to the ball this season if he wants another contract from New England.
The “Will Someone Please Step Up” Award: Seems like heading into the regular season the door is still wide open for the safety spot next to McCourty. It seems to make sense that some combination of Duron Harmon/Patrick Chung/Tavon Wilson will rotate depending on circumstances, but right now this looks like the weak point in the Pats starting defense.
The “Buzz Kill” Award: Last year at this time Chris Jones and Sealver Siliga were not even on the roster, yet by January they were important cogs to the Patriots defense with long-term potential. Both sustained injuries that don’t appear to be serious, but they were pencilled in to be important parts of the Pats’ DL rotation. Siliga has been back at practice while Jones remains out. Once both are back up to speed the Pats defensive line will get a major boost.
The “Look Out NFL” Award: I’m giving this one to Jamie Collins and Dominique Easley because these two players are exactly what the Pats’ defense has been missing. They embody what every defense needs these days – athletic linebackers who can cover and explosive interior defensive linemen who can cause instant chaos in the quarterbacks lap. If both live up to their potential these two guys could be huge keys to the Pats’ fortunes.
The “It’s About Time, But Still Too Late” Award: Ryan Mallett hadn’t shown me much in his previous preseasons, but against the Eagles he finally showed the potential I’ve been looking for. He’s still not a great fit for the offense New England has built, but he certainly looks like he’ll get a shot somewhere else next season. Unfortunately it didn’t come sooner to help the Pats trade him while he still had value to them. I remain skeptical that Mallett will make the team.
The Giant Question Mark Award: We didn’t seen much out of Aaron Dobson after his breakout game against the Steelers just before the bye last season. Can he live up to his draft status? Rumors are that the Pats still have high hopes for him, but can he make a Year 2 jump? It’s still a huge unknown that will have great impact on the Pats’ offensive potential. He really needed that touchdown grab that he got against the Giants and looked strong and decisive. Opponents might not know what’s about to hit them with a new and improved Dobson.
The “Don’t Get Hurt” Award: Gotta split this one up five ways between defensive ends Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones and linebackers Jerod Mayo, Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower. Depth behind all five is pretty thin, especially at defensive end and losing any one of these five will be cause for concern. It’s frighteningly similar to the defensive tackle spot last year and the unthinkable happened there. Hopefully that won’t happen for a second year in a row.
The “Boyce Brigade” Award: This goes to all the huge Josh Boyce fans out there who are assured he’ll make the team. I have no horse in the race. I’d love for him to be good, but I just haven’t seen anything out of him in the last year that gets me excited about him in any role on offense. But he certainly has his fans out there, so this one’s for you.
The Underdog Award: Roy Finch joins an illustrious group of undersized but explosive playmakers trying to carve out a role in the preseason. It’s hard not to root for Finch, but is he ready for an NFL-size pounding? A year on the practice squad might be best for him, but he could use a big performance in the last two preseason games.
The “Stop Teasing Us” Award: This one goes to Kenbrell Thompkins, who had plenty of buzz once again this offseason, yet continues to be inconsistent. Thompkins needs to put it all together and start playing with confidence. If he does that he could be a breakout star on offense. But his inconsistencies might hold him back just enough to let Dobson or Brandon LaFell pass him on the depth chart.
The “No Idea” Award: I just have no idea what to expect out of Michael Buchanan this season. He could play significant snaps and be a rotational third defensive end, or he could be stuck in a special teams fill-in role once again. Haven’t seen a ton out of him this preseason to get me excited, but there’s really no one to challenge him. Zach Moore seems a year away to me despite a solid showing last night. Jake Bequette is a close second for this award.
