New England Patriots training camp preview edition

The Situation: Head Coach Bill Belichick is still fuming over last seasons early exit from the playoffs. His team was embarrassed in the playoff game against the Ravens. QB Tom Brady had one of his worst NFL games ever, throwing three interceptions. It is the 2010 off-season and Tom Brady looks and feels fully healthy. Last season was Brady’s first season back from tearing his ACL in the Patriots 2008 home opener. Brady played well last season (4,398 yards passing and 28 touchdowns for a 96.2 rating). He played with a broken right ring finger and three fractured ribs, injuries that occurred throughout the season.

The problem with the Patriots last season was that they didn’t have any balance on offense. The running game was anemic. Laurence Maroney had an abysmal 757 yards rushing. Veteran RB Fred Taylor was signed last off-season to help out the Patriots running game but injuries forced him to miss most of the 2009 season. He finished last season with 269 yards rushing.

The Patriots defense was horrible last season. They didn’t have a vocal leader on defense. Before the start of last season the team let All-Pro DE Richard Seymour go, as well as LB Mike Vrabel. LB Teddy Bruschi and SS Rodney Harrison retired last year as well. The Patriots are young on the defensive side and need to find some play-makers. That’s why this year’s training camp is so important.

The Questions: The slot WR position is key for the Patriots offense. Who’s gonna be the slot WR? Will it be the ageless Torry Holt (hard to imagine him as a slot receiver at this point of his career), Brandon Tate, or Julian Edelman (37 receptions for 359 yards in the last 6 games of 2009 season)? Who’s gonna start at the DE position opposite Ty Warren? Will it be Derrick Burgess (5 sacks in 2009), Gerard Warren (2 sacks with the Raiders in 2009), or Damione Lewis (0.5 sack in 2009 with the Panthers)? Who’s gonna be the nickel corner in 2010? Will it be rookie CB Devin McCourty, Jonathan Wilhite (2 interceptions in 2009) or Terrance Wheatley (2 tackles in 2009)?

The Predictions/Solutions: The WR slot position will be a good battle to watch in training camp. Most will think Torry Holt will win this battle and should because no one runs better routes than Holt. Plus Holt has great hands but has lost some speed. Don’t sleep on Brandon Tate. He has a lot of talent. He missed all of last season and his senior season in college with sever knee injuries. But when fully healthy he is a play-maker. Tate had 1,765 all-purpose yards and led his team with seven touchdowns during his junior season at UNC. Edelman showed he has the talent to be an effective slot receiver, but keep in mind he is still raw at the WR position. Last year was his first time playing WR after playing QB in college. I predict Holt will win the slot receiver position. Holt is a savvy veteran who knows how to get open.

Derrick Burgess has all the talent in the world to be a dominant DE. The problem is that he is too injury prone and inconsistent. Right now on the Patriots depth chart they have Gerard “I’m A Fat Guy Bust” Warren and Damione Lewis listed as defensive ends. I don’t understand why they are listed at the DE position. Both players have played DT their whole career and are too slow at the DE position. But maybe head coach Bill Belichick knows what he is doing and maybe believes that a position change will help get these busty busts career on track. Sorry coach its a wrap. They are franchise bust! But I predict Burgess to be the opening day starter. For one he is fully healthy and didn’t start all 16 games last season and he wants another major payday (yeah right).

The nickel corner position was a position of weakness for this team last year. That is why the team drafted CB Devin McCourty in the first round of this year’s draft. McCourty has a lot of talent. He started 13 games at corner-back in his 2008 junior season at Rutgers, he had 57 tackles, one interception, and a blocked punt. In his senior season last year, McCourty started 13 games at corner-back, while still also working on special teams units. He had a career-high 80 tackles and also recorded one interception and 10 pass deflections. He averaged 25.4 yards on kickoff returns and had a 98-yard kickoff return. so as you can see McCourty is versatile and is a play-maker something Wheatley hasn’t shown yet. The Patriots drafted Wheatley in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft and has been a bust so far. Wilhite had a solid 2009 season. He started 8 games last season, filling in for injured corner Shawn Springs. Wilhite recorded 45 tackles, 2 interceptions and had five pass defensed. I predict Wilhite will be the nickel corner, but McCourty could challenge him for some playing time if he’s a quick learner.