So this series has been criticized as boring. Well to those people I argue, you have to know your team. So by hitting the depth chart at each spot you’ll know the guys on the field.
So let’s break down the wideouts.
Randy Moss (81) – So I watched the NFL films highlight package from last season. Remember how Cassel-Face would try two or three times a game to hit Moss for the home run only to fail? Well, Tom Brady doesn’t fail in those same situations. In the one season they played together Tom set records. They were synced right from training camp straight on through and I don’t expect them to miss a beat.
Wes Welker (83) – Listed as #2 on the depth chart, we all know he’s not the guy to play opposite Moss. Nope, instead he’s the underneath slot receiver that catches all those deke and dunk passes that Troy Brown made so famous in the Pats offense. He probably wouldn’t get as many touches if the Pats had a tight end like Tony Gonzalez to catch all the underneath stuff, but a guy like Gonzalez doesn’t have Crazy Eyes/Speedy White Guy speed.
Joey Galloway (13) – Galloway is 37 years old from…THE Ohio State University. He was one of the best when he was with Seattle in the mid nineties. After a trade to Dallas he had many injury plagued seasons and didn’t have the productivity they’d expected and before long he was in Tampa. While with the Bucs he regained that Pro Bowl form catching for 1000+ yards in ’05, ’06 and ’07. Last year he was bit by the injury bug again, but has already said in mini camps that he has had to catch passes from 25 different quarterbacks in his career and for the first time he has a guy that if he goes to his spot, the ball will be there. If he stays healthy he could have another 1,000 yard season in the tank.
Greg Lewis (17) – The Philadelphia castoff that the Patriots were able to score for a late round pick looks to get out from beneath the depth chart he was buried in while with the Eagles. He brings versatility and speed to the table. He can return kicks and punts as well as help on special teams. He’ll be the fourth wide out when the Pats look to spread the field. If he can have a great camp he may beat out Galloway for the third spot.
From there it gets muddled with a bunch of special teamers that we may see in the preseason playing wide out, but come the regular season shouldn’t see unless it’s special teams or someone has a serious injury. This includes Sam Aiken (88), Matt Slater (18) and Terrence Nunn (10) the rookie out of Nebraska. The Pats had hoped that Brandon Tate (19) from North Carolina would have made an impact but he was hurt in the team’s first mini camp and is out for the season on IR.
Tomorrow we’ll hit the mess known as the tight end position. Monday O-Line, Tuesday D-Line, Wednesday Line Backers, Thursday secondary. Then Friday, after the team’s first preseason game, we’ll wrap up with Special Teams.
