Patriots’ Quarterback Depth Chart
One of the bigger surprises of the NFL Draft was the Patriots using their second-round pick on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois. With Tom Brady still leading the charge on a team that was only one game short of a sixth Super Bowl appearance under the current regime, it was a bold choice to use such a valuable pick planning for the future.
While the team is still in a position to win now, Brady was not surprised the team selected a quarterback in the draft, writes Peter King of Monday Morning Quarterback.
“I felt like I had a pretty good idea we’d take a quarterback,” Brady said. “Coach Belichick doesn’t care who the quarterback is here. He’s always going to play the guy who he thinks gives him the best chance to win.”
It was not too long ago that the team used a third-round pick on former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett. Mallett, drafted in 2011, is now coming to the end of his rookie contract, and will be a free agent after this coming season.
Mallett was involved in trade rumors during the NFL Draft, most notably with the Texans to reunite with his old offensive coordinator, Texans’ head coach Bill O’Brien.
Of course, no deal was agreed to, and Mallett was announced as not available by the Patriots, meaning the team will enter the season with a crowd at the quarterback position.
Since 2009, the Patriots have only carried more than two quarterbacks on the roster once, in 2011 during Mallett’s rookie year, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Brian Hoyer was the main backup for the Patriots that year, in his third year with the team. Mallett was the third-string string quarterback as a rookie, before earning full backup duties in his second year with the team, as Hoyer was let walk.
The Patriots might elect to bring Garoppolo along in a similar fashion, letting him take his rookie year to learn as the third option, but it would be surprising for the team to bring back Mallett in 2015 after using such a high pick on Garoppolo.
Poll: Who Will Be Traded?
As a result of free agency and the draft, there are players around the league that now find themselves in a bit of roster limbo. Plenty of veterans could be on a team’s trading block, so NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling took a look at the top-ten trade candidates in the league.
The Vikings added Matt Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater and as a result, incumbent quarterback Christian Ponder tops Wesseling’s list. The writer states that Ponder has higher upside than a typical backup, and lists the Saints, Packers, Panthers and Falcons as potential trading partners. Fellow quarterback Ryan Mallett of the Patriots was second on the list, with Wesseling suggesting the Texans and Cowboys as landing spots.
Michael Roos‘ contract (and the addition of rookie Taylor Lewan) makes the Titans offensive tackle a definite trade option. Roos is number-four on Wesseling’s list, with the Panthers and Ravens listed as destinations. 49ers running back LaMichael James, Cardinals tight end Rob Housler and Raiders wideout Denarius Moore round out Wesseling’s offensive options.
On defense, Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers leads the way at number-four. The team is reportedly open to trading the Pro Bowler, and Wesseling suggests the Texans, Titans and Colts would be interested. Defensive end/linebackers Brandon Graham (Eagles) and Dion Jordan (Dolphins) come in at five and six, followed by Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan.
Wesseling mostly focused on players that were squeezed out of their team’s plans following the offseason. That means he omits Texans wideout Andre Johnson, who would clearly top the list if included. The Pro Bowler has been the subject of trade rumors for the past month.
Which player do you think is most likely to be traded? Is there somebody that you think should have been included? Let us know in the comments.
Who Is Most Likely To Be Traded?
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QB Ryan Mallett, Patriots 21% (224)
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RB LaMichael James, 49ers 18% (194)
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QB Christian Ponder, Vikings 17% (188)
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WR Andre Johnson, Texans 16% (175)
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CB Brandon Flowers, Chiefs 6% (64)
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DE/LB Dion Jordan, Dolphins 5% (54)
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DE/LB Brandon Graham, Eagles 5% (52)
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WR Denarius Moore, Raiders 4% (45)
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OT Michael Roos, Titans 4% (44)
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TE Rob Housler, Cardinals 4% (42)
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DE Derrick Morgan, Titans 1% (9)
Total votes: 1,091
Sunday Roundup: Pats, Jags, Browns
With the increasing importance of tight ends in today’s game–the current average for tight ends on a roster is 5.5–it is not surprising that the Patriots have brought in veteran free agent TEs Dustin Keller, Ben Hartsock, and Nate Byham for tryouts over the past couple of weeks, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. The team has two open spots on its 90-man roster, and would like to add more depth to the tight end position with Rob Gronkowski currently unavailable to practice. If the Patriots do decide to pull the trigger on any of those players, Reiss expects it will be after June 1, so they can protect their compensatory picks.
Now for some more notes around the league on this Sunday morning:
- In the same piece, Reiss says that if the Patriots are looking to add a veteran linebacker, James Anderson might be their guy. He was in for a tryout last week, and he offers solid coverage abilities. Again, if New England were to sign him, it would be after June 1.
- Finally, Reiss takes a look at the players the Dolphins drafted with the picks they received in the Brandon Marshall trade and comes to an obvious conclusion: the Bears got the better end of the deal.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union examines UDFA Allen Hurns‘ path to the Jaguars‘ roster and what attracted the team to Toby Gerhart, who currently tops the Jacksonville’s depth chart at running back.
- Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com offers his early projections as to how the Bears‘ final roster might shake out, with the caveat that injuries and veteran additions will inevitably happen.
- Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com looks at a number of Browns-related topics in his weekly mailbag, including several clarifications on the Josh Gordon saga and an early look at the right tackle position battle.
- Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers an early take on the 49ers‘ roster battle at inside linebacker.
AFC Mailbags: Raiders, Patriots, Bengals
We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier tonight. Let’s dive into the AFC mailbags to end this Saturday night…
- If Raiders rookie Khalil Mack ultimately starts, veteran Kevin Burnett could be expendable, writes Paul Gutierrez.
- Gutierrez projects that Raiders‘ seventh-round pick Travis Carrie and undrafted rookie George Atkinson III will stick around on special teams.
- It wouldn’t shock Gutierrez if the Raiders add a veteran tight end to compete with Mychal Rivera and David Ausberry.
- When asked if the Patriots would go after Lions tight end Joseph Fauria, Mike Reiss writes that a trade isn’t likely. Reiss says the Lions wouldn’t trade the red zone target for “anything less than a high-round pick.” Fauria is the nephew of former Patriots tight end, Christian Fauria.
- After the Bengals added Jeremy Hill to Giovani Bernard and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, it’s easy to forget about former sixth-round picks Rex Burkhead and Cedric Peerman. Coley Harvey thinks there is room for all five running backs, adding that Burkhead was “redshirted last season for a reason.”
Andre Johnson Links: Texans, Patriots, Chiefs
We heard earlier this week that Texans’ head coach Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith are attempting to alleviate star Andre Johnson‘s concerns about the direction of the team. While some may assume Johnson’s frustrations are attributed to the lack of quarterback talent on the team, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport points to something else.
“Johnson’s frustrations are not about the Texans‘ decision to not draft or sign a marquee quarterback,” writes NFL.com’s Dan Hanzus. “It is Rapoport’s understanding that the frustrations are the product of a deeper concern about whether Johnson wants to be part of another rebuilding process in Houston.”
Following the news of the disgruntled Johnson’s concerns, plenty of NFL writers offered their opinions on the matter. Here are some of them…
- Trading Johnson would “make no sense” for the Texans, opines CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. While Johnson is the most popular player in team history and will certainly have a positive impact on young quarterbacks, La Canfora says a trade would send a negative message to the team.
- Meanwhile, Stephen Forsha of ToroTimes.com says that Johnson and the Texans should cut ties now. Forsha believes that the longer the saga is drawn out, the more of a distraction it will become.
- Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News ranks the five likeliest teams for Johnson next season. His top team is, of course, the Texans. Iyer cites the difficulty in moving such a large contract as a reason why Johnson will stick around. The Jets, Browns, Colts and Patriots round out his top-five.
- The Patriots should absolutely be interested in the wideout, says CSNNE’s Danny Picard. Meanwhile, colleague Steve Buckley compares the situation to that of another wideout in 2007. “You can apply everything you just said, just scratch out that name and put in Randy Moss,” said Buckley. “It was different, he was trying to resurrect his career, but he was also looking to play with a good quarterback.”
- The opportunity to add Johnson to the Chiefs should be taken “very seriously,” writes Josh Michaels of KCKingdom.com. The salary makes a deal difficult, and Michaels says the team would likely need to include players that cut a similar number against the cap (he suggests Eric Berry and Brandon Flowers). Still, while it all may be speculation, Michaels believes the team’s decision to not draft a wideout may be an indication that the team is interested.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Pats, Bills, Dolphins
When asked about the Jets’ perceived weakness at cornerback, ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini provided a blunt response: “I think fans need to come to grips with this sobering reality: The Jets believe they’re set at cornerback. I don’t agree with it, and I’m not sure [head coach] Rex Ryan does either, but [GM] John Idzik is done making significant moves at cornerback. He thinks Dee Milliner is a No. 1 corner, he invested $3 million in Dimitri Patterson and he drafted Dexter McDougle in the third round. Unless there’s a key injury, I can’t see Idzik importing a big name…”
Here’s some more AFC East notes:
- The Patriots’ top four or five receivers appear to be set, but Masslive.com’s Nick Underhill takes a look at the competitors for the remaining roster spots. Among those on the bubble are second-year players Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins (who disappointed last season after being the talk of training camp), seventh-rounder Jeremy Gallon and size-speed prospect Mark Harrison. Underhill says, “There has been some speculation that Harrison could be tried out at tight end, and while he didn’t close the door on the notion, head coach Bill Belichick said it is unlikely Harrison will see time at that spot this season.”
- In a Bills off-season wrap-up, ESPN’s Mike Rodak praised the signing of linebacker Brandon Spikes, who, teamed with Defensive Rookie of the Year Kiko Alonso, should improve the team’s run defense which ranked near the bottom of the league.
- The Dolphins plucked offensive coordinator Bill Lazor from Chip Kelly’s staff in Philadelphia, and Lazor has total control of the offense, writes Barry Jackson in the Miami Herald. Based on early indications, Dolphins players are excited about the possibilities and say the new system is reminiscent of the Eagles’.
Patriots Notes: Mallett, RBs, Siliga, Jones
Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney isn’t exactly buying Bill Belichick‘s answer when he was asked yesterday if he’d be interested in trading quarterback Ryan Mallett, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. “He was regarded highly enough as a quarterback coming out [in 2011], and I think the position creates interest in itself,” Hurney said of the Patriots signal caller. “I said this statement [from Belichick] is like if you ever go to dinner and a person says, ‘I don’t want dessert’ so you order a chocolate cake and a big piece of chocolate cake comes out and all of a sudden you look and the other person is eating half of it. I think, if the chocolate cake looks good enough for Bill Belichick, they would be interested in trading Ryan Mallett.”
Meanwhile, Doug Kyed of NESN.com answered roster questions as part of a mailbag. Among his answers:
- The futures of running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, both free agents at year’s end, are dependent upon production, health (in the case of Vereen), ball security (in the case of Ridley) and the performance of rookie James White. As of now, Kyed believes Vereen has a higher chance of being retained.
- Nose tackle Sealver Siliga played well in late-season duty, and if that continues through training camp, he’s the “perfect” backup for veteran Vince Wilfork.
- Fourth-rounder Bryan Stork, who offers center/guard versatility, could compete for a starting job this season.
- Meanwhile, the Pats have yet to add a legitimate No. 3 tight end, seemingly a position of need. Undrafted free agent Justin Jones out of East Carolina could be a sleeper, however, writes Karen Guregian in the Boston Herald. She talked to Jones’ college coach, Ruffin McNeil (who also coached Wes Welker and Danny Amendola in college), who had this to say: “I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised with him. He’ll catch on. He’ll work hard. Justin was taught the same concepts in our offense, as Danny and Wes had at Texas Tech. Plus, he’s got great hands, athleticism, and he’s got length. He was a mismatch any time in the red zone.” The 6-8, 277-pounder went undrafted after not playing in 2013 when he was academically ineligible.
Extra Points: Matthews, Gordon, Rams, Pats
It’s a new day when it comes to rookie contracts in the NFL, writes former exec Andrew Brandt for The MMQB. Of course, salaries and contract length are now predetermined for every pick, taking the negotiating out of the process. Because of that, many players are questioning why they need to have an agent to handle rookie contracts at all. Here’s more from around the league..
- Falcons first round pick Jake Matthews will receive a $10.269MM signing bonus on his four-year, $16.435MM guaranteed deal, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. As is the case for the rest of his fellow first-rounders, the deal for the No. 6 overall pick also includes a fifth-year option.
- Browns General Manager Ray Farmer said that he doesn’t think a superstar receiver is crucial to a team’s success, which may not bode well for Josh Gordon‘s long-term future with the club, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer. “I would say ‘how important are those guys?”’ Farmer told 92.3 The Fan. “Name the last big-time receiver to win a Super Bowl. Name the last mega-guy. (Gordon) matters to me because I like the guy and I think he’s a really good player, but at the end of the day, when you look at the teams that have these mega-receivers, name the last guy that won a Super Bowl?… There are none. The last guy that really helped his team get there was T.O. (Terrell Owens).”
- The Rams signed undrafted free agent wide receiver Jordan Harris, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The Baylor product racked up over 2,200 yards over the last two years.
- The Patriots announced that they have signed first-year defensive back Daxton Swanson out of Sam Houston State and undrafted free agent defensive lineman L.T. Tuipulotu from Utah. To make room, the Pats released rookie free agent safety Jeremy Deering (Rutgers) and first-year wide receiver Greg Orton (Purdue).
- Packers free agent Jermichael Finley tweeted out that he has received “Awesome News!” with the hashtag “#IWillRiseAgain” which could be an indictation that he has been cleared to play. Finley, once regarded as one of the best tight ends in the NFL, missed the bulk of last season.
AFC East Notes: Marshall, Jets, Pats
Linebacker James Morris is probably disappointed after being cut loose by the Patriots due to a failed physical, but he can’t complain about the paycheck. The Iowa product scored a $10K signing bonus and $10K in other guarantees, netting him $20K. Here’s more out of the AFC East..
- Brandon Marshall says that the trade sending him from the Dolphins to the Bears two years ago was a “career-saving” move, writes Adam L. Jahns of the Sun-Times. “The transformation started in my life before I was traded here,” Marshall said. “But I think it was career-saving. I don’t think I’d be sitting in this position talking about an extension. I probably wouldn’t even be having the success that I was having on the field in that environment (in Miami). It wasn’t right for me.“
- Jets free agent acquisition Michael Vick hinted again today that he’ll serve as Geno Smith‘s backup, writes Seth Walder of the New York Daily News. “Going through the competition with Nick, we knew both of us coming in that it was open competition and the best guy was going to win the job,” Vick said. “Pretty much cut and dry. This situation is different. It’s kind of unique. Even though it’s not an open competition, we’re both competing every day.”
- The Patriots tried out unrestricted free agent cornerback Terrell Thomas, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (on Twitter). At last check, the former Giants reserve traveled to Oakland along with Justin Tuck in March.
Belichick: Not “That Interested” In Mallett Trade
Ryan Mallett has been mentioned rather frequently here on Pro Football Rumors over the past few months, but if Patriots coach Bill Belichick is to be believed, he probably won’t be going anywhere. In an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter), Belichick said that trading the backup quarterback isn’t something that the team is “that interested in.”
Mallett, 26 in June, is entering the final year of his contract and some have wondered if he might be out of the Pats’ plans after the club drafted Eastern Illinois signal caller Jimmy Garappolo in the second round. However, it sounds like the Arkansas product is likely to play out the final year of his deal in New England. Depending on who you ask, the Patriots and the Texans may have discussed a Mallett swap prior to the draft, though Houston GM Rick Smith denied the report.
Mallett was listed as the No. 2 QB for the Patriots in 2013 but didn’t throw a single pass.