NEPD Staff Writer: Matthew Jones
NFL teams have until August 27th to cut their rosters down to 75 players. They will then have to further pare down their team to 53 players by 8pm on Friday the 31st.
Here is how I see the final roster ending up.
Changes:
Removed DT Jonathan Fanene, LB Niko Koutouvides, and CB Will Allen. Added LB Jeff Tarpinian, CB Marquice Cole, and CB Alfonzo Dennard.
Projection:
Quarterback (3): Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett
Running Back (4): Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, Jeff Demps
Wide Receiver (6): Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Julian Edelman, Jabar Gaffney, Deion Branch, Matthew Slater
Tight End (3): Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Daniel Fells
Offensive Tackle (3): Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon
Guard (4): Logan Mankins, Brian Waters, Donald Thomas, Dan Connolly
Center (2): Nick McDonald, Ryan Wendell
Defensive Line (9): Vince Wilfork, Kyle Love, Ron Brace, Brandon Deaderick, Jake Bequette, Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jermaine Cunningham, Trevor Scott
Linebacker (6): Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes, Bobby Carpenter, Dont’a Hightower, Tracy White, Jeff Tarpinian
Cornerback (6): Devin McCourty, Ras-I Dowling, Kyle Arrington, Sterling Moore, Marquice Cole, Alfonzo Dennard
Safety (4): Pat Chung, Steve Gregory, Tavon Wilson, Nate Ebner
Specialist (3): Stephen Gostkowski, Zoltan Mesko, Danny Aiken
Injured/PUP: TE Jake Ballard, TE Brad Herman (IR), OT Kyle Hix (IR), OT Markus Zusevics, C Jamey Richard (IR), DT Myron Pryor, LB Dane Fletcher (IR)
List of cuts:
RB Brandon Bolden, FB Eric Kettani, FB Spencer Larsen, WR Jeremy Ebert, WR Jesse Holley, WR Donte’ Stallworth, TE Visanthe Shiancoe, TE Alex Silvestro, TE Tyler Urban, OL Derek Dennis, OL Kyle Hill, OL Matt Kopa, OL Dan Koppen, OL Dustin Waldron, OL Jeremiah Warren, OL Darrion Weems, DT Marcus Forston, DT Marcus Harrison, DT Gerard Warren, DE Tim Bulman, DE Justin Francis, LB Niko Koutouvides, LB Aaron Lavarias, LB Mike Rivera, CB Will Allen, CB Ross Ventrone, CB Malcolm Williams, FS Sergio Brown, SS Josh Barrett, SS Derrick Martin, SS James Ihedigbo, K Chris Koepplin
Practice squad:
RB Brandon Bolden, WR Jeremy Ebert, TE Alex Silvestro, OT Matt Kopa, OG Jeremiah Warren, DT Marcus Forston, DE Justin Francis, CB Malcolm Williams
Tags: Roster Projection, Training Camp
I honestly don’t expect half the guys you got listed as practice squad to slip past waivers. On the other side I hope we raid some other teams waiver wire I’m not happy with our O-line I’d like to see a salary cap victim brought in to reinforce things, especially since Waters hasn’t bothered to show up, what condition is he in to play. I think he will need to be replaced. And with Volmers back and Cannons inconsistent play another tackle would make me feel better. At least we got nine or ten starting centers.
The practice squad may be wishful thinking to some extent; I could see other teams claiming Bolden, Ebert, Silvestro, or Forston.
i like all four of those players also but in the end, we can’t keep them all
i think Ebert is still too raw for teams to claim him