Patriots Training Camp Position Battles & Players to Watch
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Final Running Back Spot: Brandon Bolden vs. Stephen Houston vs. Roy Finch
The top of the running back depth chart is set as Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen in contract years, James Devlin showing great promise and James White joining the team via the NFL Draft. That leaves three players - Bolden, Houston and Finch - fighting for one spot.
Bolden holds the edge in terms of experience. The 3rd-year back has 22 games of experience at running back with two starts. Bolden is also an important part of the Patriots special teams units. Bolden has shown inconsistency at times, but his special teams value could help tip the scale in Bolden's favor.
Houston is the biggest of the three backs (6-0, 225 pounds) and brings a between the tackles running style that the Patriots are lacking. Houston is also a surprisingly good pass catcher for a bigger back. Houston hauled in 65 career passes in college. Houston's size and speed also make him a prime special teams candidate.
The final candidate is Roy Finch. Finch is a small (5-7, 180 pounds), speedy back. He has tremendous speed and a lot of experience at Oklahoma, excelling against good competition. Finch's speed makes him a prime candidate to return kicks and help return punts. Finch does find himself behind the curve already however. Finch was placed on the Reserve - Non-Football Injury list according to the NFL transaction wire. If Finch misses any significant time, he could find himself on the outside looking in.
Another option for Finch could be "stashing" him on NFI until midseason, then evaluating his health and either activating him or placing him on injured reserve.
Expected Winner: Stephen Houston
Interior Offensive Line: Ryan Wendell vs. Dan Connolly vs. Jon Halapio vs. Bryan Stork
Three of the five starting spots along the Patriots offensive line are set. Logan Mankins, Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder are all secure in their jobs, but the right guard and center spot are far from set.
The two spots were held by Ryan Wendell, at center, and Dan Connolly, at guard. They will be challenged in 2014 by Patriots draft picks Bryan Stork (center) and Jon Halapio (guard).
The guard position appears to come down to Connolly and Halapio. Both players are natural guards, but Connolly will make $4,083,344 against the salary cap in 2014 while Halapio will make $450,775 if he makes the team. This monetary factor combined with the inconsistency Connolly showed in 2013 could help Halapio. In the end Connolly holds his fate in his hands and should win the job.
The center position is a little more complicated. Wendell is the incumbent starter but struggled late in 2013, especially against larger defensive tackles. His main competition is Stork, a rookie 4th Round draft pick from Florida State. Stork is bigger than Wendell (6-4, 310 pounds vs. 6-2, 300 pounds) and has a very high upside. There is a chance, however, that neither wins the job. Dan Connolly could also be in the fold for the center position, where he started in Super Bowl XLVI in 2011.
Expected Winners: Bryan Stork (Center), Dan Connolly (Guard)
Backup Quarterback: Ryan Mallett vs. Jimmy Garoppolo
When the Patriots used their 2nd Round draft pick on Jimmy Garoppolo it came as a surprise to many. The Patriots still have Ryan Mallett under contract for 2014 and Tom Brady still is performing at an extremely high level.
Could Garoppolo beat Mallett in Training Camp and become the primary backup to Tom Brady? Will Mallett even be a part of the Patriots roster? Mallett has been the subject of multiple trade rumors, but they have not developed into anything as of yet.
It is conceivable that the Patriots do carry three quarterbacks in 2014. The last time the roster had three quarterbacks was Mallett's rookie season when he and Brian Hoyer both handled backup responsibilities.
Expected Winner: Ryan Mallett
Related Slideshow: Patriots to Watch: Training Camp 2014
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