Bright Spots
It's #GivingTuesday, consider donating. Spending the day w/ #HudsonSolder at @TheJimmyFund! @lexisolder @soldernate pic.twitter.com/TM4YZLt62n
— Jenny Dell (@JennyDell_) December 1, 2015
The first day of camp was extra special for Patriots left tackle Nate Solder. It was the first time he was able to share a football field with his son Hudson. Both father and son have battled extensive health issues in the last year. Seeing Dad in uniform and Hudson present certainly made the first day of practice special.
Dante Scarnecchia running the show with the offensive line again. We'll have you covered w… https://t.co/GkqdjHuTd9 pic.twitter.com/iCKMAUVzhA
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) July 29, 2016
Another long time Patriot reappeared out of retirement in hope of improving the offensive line. Dante Scarnecchia is back and he brings extensive coaching experience in the trenches. There will be some tight position battles and Scar will be in charge of improving the unit that protects Brady.
Joe Thuney is playing with the 1s, and he might've been the best Patriots OL in 1-on-1 drills yesterday. Good start. https://t.co/pOkrFR75rL
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) July 31, 2016
Rookie offensive guard Joe Thuney has come into camp and captured attention immediately. Jeff Howe and other members of the media cited his strength engaged with defensive opponents and his finish on every play. Since Thuney is a strong fundamental offensive lineman he can potentially work on playing tackle in addition to guard. Many suspect that is already the plan.
First Impressions
The first offensive line group consisted of Solder-Thuney-Stork-Cooper-Cannon. During camp these starting groups are subject to change every day. There will be injuries and various reasons that cause the first group to fluctuate.
This was the most interesting/significant thing I heard from a Patriots coach today: O-line rotation could be over. https://t.co/AYkeTT3J6O
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) July 27, 2016
Joe Thuney and Jonathan Cooper are favorites to win the starting guard job according to some Patriots analysts. Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder as expected to return to their starting roles at tackle. The center position is up for grabs between David Andrews and Bryan Stork.
Tackle Health
The main positional weakness of the offensive line in 2015 still remains; it’s not injury. It’s the tackles that protect the edge of Brady’s pocket.
Nate Solder, Chris Hogan, Chris Long & Joe Thuney discuss 1st day in pads #PatsCamp
WATCH: https://t.co/ONydcpqrrt pic.twitter.com/zhnyb5AZBv
— Patriots.com (@PATRIOTSdotCOM) July 30, 2016
Nate Solder has returned to practice. Sebastian Vollmer has not. Solder tore his biceps in week five of this past year and was placed on the season ending IR. It appears that the big money tackle has recovered from his injury. Solder’s cap hit in 2016 is $10,322,666.
#Patriots Julian Edelman, Tre' Jackson, Sebastian Vollmer, Danny Amendola, Clay Harbor and Nate Washington present but not participating.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) July 30, 2016
Sebastian Vollmer’s situation is concerning. At age 32, Vollmer has opened camp on the PUP list. If he is not activated by the end of camp, Vollmer misses the first six weeks of the season. The right tackle enters 2016 on the last year of his contract with a cap hit totaling $5,208,334. There is no heir apparent at right tackle. It is unlikely Vollmer is resigned in New England at his age.
Marcus Cannon returns after a highly criticized campaign in 2015. He was simply ineffective throughout his season. If Thuney cannot capture a starting guard role, it’s very possible that he beats out Cannon as the swing tackle.
#Patriots roster breakdown: OT Marcus Cannon has to fight for his roster life. https://t.co/DhiHnMvSiw pic.twitter.com/CZjP0RPJOf
— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) July 13, 2016
Cameron Fleming, LaAdrian Waddle, Keavon Milton, and Kerbyson Kyler are also listed as tackles for the start of camp. Fleming and Waddle will battle on the bubble with Cannon. Fleming offers more cap flexibility than Cannon ($4,100,000 lower) and has played both sides of the line.
The Patriots will likely only keep a total of three tackles on their active roster. Solder and Vollmer are locks if healthy. The battle for third will likely feature Cannon, Waddle, and Fleming. Milton and Kyler appear to be long shots.
Strength at Center
One of the most interesting position battles of the offensive line is likely at center. Bryan Stork and David Andrews have both been outstanding in the majority of their starts. There has been mixed signals so far as to who would take over reigns when both players were healthy.
As far as I can gather, Jon Cooper, Bryan Stork & DJ Foster started practice but didn't finish. No Mal Mitchell or Vincent Valentine at all
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) July 30, 2016
Stork’s health appears to be hindering his ability to battle for the position. Andrews returned to Patriots camp and captured the off-season conditioning award from the coaching staff. His play has also been strong since Stork dropped due to an unspecified issue or injury in an early practice.
At some point the Patriots will have to make a decision at this position. Right now it appears the goalposts are narrowing with Stork’s absence. Andrews is taking all of the work with the ones, putting in the dirty work as Stork continues to miss time.
Crowded, Injury Riddled Group of Guards
As mentioned before, Thuney and Cooper were mentioned as favorites to win a starting guard role. There are several other guards battling for the position including Shaq Mason, Tre’ Jackson, Josh Kline, Ted Karras, Chris Barker, and Jon Halapio.
Usually a team only keeps nine offensive linemen on a game day roster; right now the Patriots have nine offensive guards in camp. Thuney, Cooper, Kline, Jackson, Mason are the linemen with the highest probabilities of landing on the roster.
Following an MRI, #Patriots G Jonathan Cooper was diagnosed with a plantar fascia strain, source said. Will be off his feet for a bit.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 31, 2016
The hype for Jonathan Cooper would not last long. He would be carted off with a right foot injury in one of the first practices. Cooper is apparently battling plantar fasciitis. This situation may be related to his condition according to Ian Rapoport. Cooper was a high draft pick and has experienced an injury riddled and disappointing career. He was acquired in the deal that sent Chandler Jones to the Cardinals. If he cannot get back to health his career may come to a premature end.
Rookie G Ted Karras continues to get work alongside David Andrews/Joe Thuney on the interior O-Line. Bryan Stork was absent from practice.
— Kevin Duffy (@KevinRDuffy) July 31, 2016
When Cooper dropped out due to injury rookie Ted Karras was promoted to the first offensive line group. In my draft analysis Karras appeared to be a lineman who needed a season of practice squad work. He is a tough player but not yet fundamentally sound. Much like any other NFL rookie at this point.
Patriots opening camp on active/PUP list: Amendola, Edelman, Clay Harbor, Tre' Jackson, Dion Lewis, Shaq Mason, Sebastian Vollmer.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) July 25, 2016
Shaq Mason and Josh Kline have not been cleared to participate in team drills. Both are recovering from injuries from this past year. Mason battled through a knee injury in October 2015. Kline had shoulder surgery during the off-season and Jeff Howe reported it was, “unclear when he’ll be ready to practice”. Tre’ Jackson is also still on the PUP due to injuries from last season. This leaves a total of four guards unavailable to Scarnecchia.
The Walking Wounded
When a rookie guard is your standout offensive lineman in the early days of camp it’s a testament to where the position group is as a whole. With or without Dante Scarnecchia, this group still has work to do. Kline, Mason, Jackson, Stork, Vollmer, and Cooper are not cleared as full participants for practice. This leaves two rookie guards (Thuney, Karras) playing on the first offensive line group.
Bryan Stork and Jonathan Cooper absences could open the door for younger players to shine https://t.co/IOaf2pg6Oh
— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) July 30, 2016
Pretty much an offensive line coaches’ worst nightmare early in camp. When the group is low on bodies, more stress weighs down on the healthy players. They battle more and more in camp, and are susceptible to wear and tear.
Right now Scarnecchia is at least getting the chance to evaluate his young players. With a mass of linemen out due to injury it forces the young guys into the spotlight early in their careers. It appears Joe Thuney gets the picture. He’s played hard right through the whistle in every practice.
The Bottom Line
It’s simply too early to judge much of the play through this point in camp. Some Patriots lineman still haven’t returned from last season’s injuries.
Nate Solder appears to be the only definite starter on the offensive line. It’d be a shock if Vollmer isn’t the bookend on the right side of Brady’s pocket. Cam Fleming, Marcus Cannon, and LaAdrian Waddle battle for a third roster spot.
Guard is a mess but returning Patriots veterans should have the upper hand over Jonathan Cooper. He is already out due to injury and Josh Kline and Shaq Mason are close to returning. Rookie Ted Karras should be bumped back down in the rotation immediately. Joe Thuney has likely given himself a shot to remain with the ones due to his strong, passionate play on the line. Tre’ Jackson will also return at some point and provide further depth at the position.
It might be better for the Patriots long term if Thuney doesn’t win a starting job at guard. It would give him the opportunity to work at Tackle and potentially allow the Patriots to release Marcus Cannon. Thuney’s strong play could provide roster flexibility further down the line.
The job at center is highly contested. Right now it’s a one man job due to unspecified reasons. Bryan Stork left practice in an earlier season and hasn’t appeared since. David Andrews has been strong at center and could win the job. Stork’s injuries have begun to add up.
My early guess for the first group is Solder-Mason-Andrews-Jackson-Vollmer.