Things might start to get a little slow here on the blog in the next few weeks due to my impending move back to Boston, especially in the first two weeks of June. Between packing up my entire house to be shipped across the country and this quiet portion of the NFL offseason, I just can’t bring myself to concoct fluff pieces just in the name of posting new content.
You know, random nebulous rankings, or barely-Patriots-related off field stuff like “Guess what Tom Brady posted on Instagram? (Don’t just go to his Instagram, read my post with his Instagram post embedded in it for maximum insight!)” or the like.
As I always say, this is a football blog and there’s not a whole lot of real football stuff going on so I’m not going to force it. I will drop my third annual season preview book with blurbs about all 90 Patriots training camp players, depth charts, statistical analysis and game-by-game breakdown plus plenty more by June 1st, when I’m due to hit the road and drive across this wonderful country, including a stop at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Until then here’s some Pats Posits on things I’ve been kicking around.
— The new numbers came out on Monday and overall I’m pretty happy.
Numbers!
WR Brandin Cooks – 14
CB Stephon Gilmore — 24
RB Rex Burkhead – 34
RB Mike Gillislee — 35
TE Dwayne Allen – 83
DE Kony Ealy – 94— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 8, 2017
Cooks took 14 over 88? I don’t get it. Not one bit. I really just once in my life wanted to see a blazing fast Patriots receiver in #88 and for some reason it always gets ignored. Now James O’Shaughnessy, the Chiefs tight end they traded for during the draft has 88, like it was an afterthought.
Cyrus gave up 24 to Gilmore, his Bills number, which is fine for Gilmore, but Cyrus went to…wait for it…41. I had high hopes that Cyrus would put his rookie season behind him and was also hopeful that a new number might mean a fresh start but 41? 41? No. Just no.
Ealy, Allen and Gillislee all stuck with the numbers they had had with their previous teams as well. All are pretty basic and fitting. That’s all I have to say about them.
If there’s a highlight it’s gotta be Burkhead wearing 34. Just one of the two best running back numbers in my book (32 being the other) and one that has been far under-appreciated in recent years. I liked Shane Vereen in it, but I didn’t love it because he’s just not a big physical bruising back that a 34-wearer needs to be. Enter Burkhead and boy I’m excited to see a hard running guy like him in it.
— One schematic thought I’ve been kicking around is that I wonder if Malcolm Butler‘s going to shift inside to the slot this year on clear passing downs like Logan Ryan did last year. Butler seems to have all the skills necessary to play in the slot, while the presence of Gilmore gives the Patriots more outside flexibility than they had last year. Then Rowe comes on and Butler slides inside. Of course if this happens it will be billed by the Hot Taekers that the Pats are trying to reduce his value when in reality the slot job is one of the hardest on the field, especially on short third downs. The Patriots could take advantage of his tackling and even send him on some more blitzes like they did with Ryan. It’s hard to argue Coleman/Cyrus in the slot over Rowe outside/Butler in slot.
— There seems to be an overwhelming sense of excitement for this Patriots team and how the roster has been constructed. I’m not sure confidence has ever been this high. In 2007 you truly didn’t know if the Patriots could be an explosive offense (they could) and in 2014 they still didn’t have quite the embarrassment of riches on offense that they have now. But now it’s hard to know where to start and stop. Guys like Ealy and Allen are almost completely forgotten behind Cooks and Gilmore but are every bit as important to the overall picture. Still, no matter how stacked they look right now all that matters is who makes it to January healthy. And then it’s about who makes it to February healthy.
— Per PatsCap the Pats still have close to $20 million in cap space which just seems insane considering all the moves they’ve made this offseason. It would still seem they’re primed for a significant extension or two. Players to keep an eye on would include Brady, Edelman, Solder (though perhaps less likely now with the drafting of two athletic OTs), and maybe David Andrews who will be an RFA next offseason.
— Saw a few people thinking that Dion Lewis could be traded or cut after the influx of Burkhead and Gillislee along with James White‘s extension, but I don’t see it. The Patriots still haven’t lost with Lewis in the lineup, not that that matters really, but he still seems like a unique and useful tool for the toolbox even with the others in the mix. They’ve brought in passing down backs constantly over the last couple seasons so I believe they see value in having great depth there because so much of their offense depends on having a good player in the spot. To me, Lewis seems the perfect balance between White and Burkhead. I also wouldn’t discount Lewis being a full two years removed from his ACL injury and re-capturing the elusiveness he had in 2015 that faded a bit in 2016.
Thanks for the column Mike. I know its a slow time for football but us Patriot fans always enjoy any talk about our team. Have a safe drive back East.