QB (3)

Chad Pennington, Chad Henne, Pat White

RB/FB (4)

Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs, FB Lousaka Polite 

  cut  Lex Hilliard, FB Joe Kowalewski

WR (5)

Ted Ginn Jr., Davone Bess, Greg Camarillo, Brian Hartline, Patrick Turner             

 cut Brandon London,  Anthony Armstrong, James Robinson

TE (3)

Anthony Fasano, David Martin,Joey Haynos

cut John Nalbone

OL (9)

Jake Long, Vernon Carey, Justin Smiley, Donald Thomas, Jake Grove, Shawn Murphy, Joe Berger
Andrew Gardner, Brandon Frye                                                             

cut Nate Garner, Mark Lewis

DL (8)

Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, Tony McDaniel, Jason Ferguson, Phillip Merling, Paul Soliai, Lionel Dotson, Rodrique Wright                          

cut: Ryan Baker, Louis Ellis

ILB (3)

Channing Crowder, Akin Ayodele,ReggieTorbor                                                                                                                  cut: William Kershaw, J.D. Folsom

OLB (5) + one Injury reserve

Joey Porter, Jason Taylor, Cameron Wake, Charlie Anderson, Quentin Moses
Matt Roth (PUP)                                                                                                                                                                                                                             cut: cut:  Erik Walden
CB (6)
Will Allen, Sean Smith, Vontae Davis, Nate Jones, Jason Allen, Joey Thomas
cut: Will Billingsley
Safety (4)
Yeremiah Bell, Gibril Wilson, Tyrone Culver,ChrisClemons                                                                                                   cut: Courtney Bryan
ST (3)
K   

DanCarpenter       

cut:Connor Barth
P
Brandon Fields
Long Snapper
John Denney

**** Side note - for the love of goodness i couldn't get the strike through to work but the 2nd line guys are the cuts ***

Last 5 Off
Courtney Bryan,  Joe Kowaleski,  John Nalbone,  JD Folsom,  Lex Hilliard

Last 5 ON

Rod Wright, Louis Polite, Brandon Frye, David Martin, Joey Thomas

Notes…

Once again I cheated by putting Roth on the PUP list to start the season… if he ends his contract hold out ever recovers from his mysterious groin injury then Rod Wright will likely be looking for a new home.

The trade of Allerman, and EK did little to change my projections as I had both off my roster in my last projections…

http://www.thephinsider.com/2009/8/11/986054/my-crack-at-the-game-1-roster

With that in mind – I have David Martin on the same short list of Vets who likely will have a new home once September starts… My reasoning is that the team can not cut Haynos being the only above average run blocker(a point of emphasis for the team) at the position, and if the team feels that someone else will pick up Nalbone then they’ll move the most expendable TE who is at the end of their contract. Martin more likely to be moved than fassano.

Although Polite was a first down machine last year, the team is emphasizing run blocking this year (did I mention that already) and that isn’t his best attribute, so don’t be surprised if Kowaleski beats out polite for the position. (Remember kowaleski is a DC Coach P recruit at the cuse and TE Coach Deleon was his OC – so long term ties to the coaching staff seem to help or in this case equalize polite’s ties to the staff)

Although Joey Thomas is #5 on my last on list, I think he is a lock or close to it to make the team.

If Brandon Frye whiffs in game 3 and/or 4 a few more times that result in direct hits on mr Henne then add Nate Garner to the roster and bid adieux to mr frye.  Guys on the cut line getting the future of the franchise hammered don’t last on rosters long.

Finally – I think the last roster spot is going to come down to Courtney Bryan/Lex Hilliard/Rod Wright as all others on my list are direct position battles (kowalewski vs polite) that will not change the final count numbers. So I wouldn’t be shocked if ST ace Bryan beats out Rod Wrights D-line depth since there is so much versatility between the D-line and the OLB and the DEs.

Notes on the roster….

Depth on the defensive side of the ball is much better than on the offensive… the D-line is deep with a good mix of vets and youth, so don’t expect much change after roster cuts,  where as LB is pretty deep right now, yet there is a lack of youth, in particular up the middle,so I wouldn’t be shocked by some cut down chumming here… say Charlie Anderson or Lionel Dotson getting axed/moved for someone giving up on an early round pick…

The secondary is pretty deep right now and is scary young. I won’t be surprise by some big numbers being put against them early(say Indy & SD), but hopefully they will have short memories and by the end of the year will be a solid bunch… it’s going to be ugly back there for a little while folks.

Finally – there really isn’t any O-line depth… after the first team you have a couple of malingerers (berger, Frye) paired with some what really are practice squanders (garner, gardner)…. Expect some cut down chumming here, especially if they think they can sneak gardner onto the practice squad….

After that the rest of the Offense is pretty much set, other then STers kowalewski vs vets Polite and youth Nalbone vs vets martin …. Hilliard might sneak onto the roster at FB??? And Nalbone if they can’t deal martin and are afraid of some thievery could make the roster… but I don’t see it at this time.