my 53 man roster - finally got around to writing it up

Ok – here’s my 53 man roster projection…

I may update this a little after the dallas game, which will have an impact on the bubble players but likely won’t move the core numbers around. It’s usually a fun exercise to get a feel for how to put together a roster and some of the tough decisions that do need to be made. Now all of this is made tougher by the lack of information out there on the long term injuries to w allen, nate garner, & now C Crowder… and yes, the testing of Anderson to ILB and moving Misi to the weak side makes me believe that the team is creating a plan for and extended absence by CC…

Offense

QB (3) – Starter – Henne….

Back-ups – Penne & thiggy

Henne sure looks the part at times… heck he’s even shown an ability to take some off the ball on occasion this camp... that said (and I am a believer) I think he is still a season away from being a SB level QB… which is ok since the defense looks to be a year away also… but the light does appear to be getting brighter…

Pat White’s surprise play in game 3 makes me believe that the team would like to trade on of their 2 backups and not give up on pat just yet, but I don’t know if that will happen… QB I’d most like to see go Penne – likely most value and least long term value. Thiggy will more then likely be the one because of his age. If they do keep White, I would like to see the team do things with him that make short QB’s better… (ie the flutie offense)… roll him out more… push the middle open…  and maybe, just maybe, at least once during his career run a spread offense with him….

RB –(4) Starter Ronnie Brown

Backups/starter – Williams, Cobbs, & Polite

Pretty easy group… the only hiccup is if the team feels Hilliard provides enough ST value to keep an extra back… my guess is no and I expect the team to sign one or two FA for the practice squad to eat practice reps and hopefully develop into a replacement for this OLD unit.

TE – (2) Starter Fassano/Martin

Backup – None

Didn’t think Haynos was going to make the team before the injury (surprising because I was a supporter last year) but martin’s skill set was missing from last year’s team and neither Haynos nor Nalbone match it…so they’ll go with 2 and see if they can get Nalbone on the PS… if not they’ll check out the WW and FA for a PS member.

WR (6)– Starters Marshall/Hartline

Backup – Bess, Moore

Backup bubble – Wallace & Turner ….. pruitt

When you only keep two TE’s nor the luxury 5th back, you get to keep an extra WR… and the physical potential at WR far outreaches the potential of either the 5th back or 3rd TE… but if there is a waiver wire acquisition then Wallace & Turner are the bubble boys… Moore’s running with the firsts pretty much means he’s the 4th, but the upside of Wallace is much higher and neither him nor turner are likely to be available for the PS if they are cut… they will be poached. Pruitt is PS  possible if they team loses turner or Wallace. If I was rating right now – I’d go with this order Wallace – Moore – Turner… but I’m unencumbered by external factors (some relevant – personalities, some not – draft status) and I expect the team rates them Turner – Moore – Wallace….

O-Line (10)

Starters – Long, Garner, Grove, Incognito, Carey

Backups – Jerry & Berger

Bubble Subs in cut order – Procter, Murtha, & Thomas

Missing the team not on the bubble – Gardner – bad, bad, bad camp … after a great camp last year and making the team he played himself off the team no idea what happened to him… hartline – I haven’t seen what the coaches seem to…

If Garner isn’t healthy they will take 9… if Garner is healthy enough to make the roster it is very possible that they keep 9 and Thomas would be the guy I expect them to cut…

Defense

D-Line (8)

Starters – Langford, Starks, Odrick

Backups – Grant, Soliai, McDaniel

Bubble backups in cut order – Douglas, Dotson ……. Baker, Staley

This is a battle that will be decided against dallas… Dotson has always shined in the fourth game… and has shown a knack for making big plays… Baker has shown an ability to get penetration, has versatility, but also consistently gets pushed back… Douglas and Staley are vets… Staley I can’t say I’ve noticed and am not a 100% sure he’s still around… but the team knows what they will get with douglas… BTW it is possible they keep 9 here if they are concerned about possible NFL suspensions to Grant (4 game star caps limbo & off field behavior issues)

LB (8)

Starters – Alama-Francis, Dansby, Crowder, Wake

Backups – Misi, Anderson, & Dobbins

Bubble Backup Micah Johnson

Bubble in cut order if Crowder is seriously hurt …. Walden, Folsom, & Spitler

Won’t make the team - Moses

Micah, while I have on the bubble has made the team… he has the size the team likes and while they do clock players at the combine …. He’s and example of why they should clock them with their pads on because he moves well even with a slow 40 time… the final roster spot on the team likely comes down to J Allen vs. E Walden – both are ST aces… and if W Allen is going to be kept on the active roster, then one of the STers may have to go. Folsom making the team is not out of the question… he seems to move well and understands his position, but i haven’t “FELT” him out there… but then none of the bubble guys have shown much…Moses while he has shown some potential to make plays… an injury in camp has likely doomed him… plus the no team uses every pick in their last draft on a LB if you are happy with what you have.

D-Backs (9)

Starters – V Davis, W Allen, Clemons, Bell

Back-ups – S Smith, N Carroll, Sapp, Culver

Bubble – in cut order – J Allen, …….  R Jones, Amaya, & Ness

All of this is predicated on W Allen being healthy… if not move everyone up one spot.

Jones hasn’t looked good in the preseason and I suspect they will gamble that he will fall through to the practice squad and if not Amaya will, and they will feel comfortable having one development/backup there… Culver is a capable back-up for safety and W Allen is the wild card there… I supect that Carroll will make a move into at least a time share very soon (dime coverage) and then will move up the chart if he flashes… Smith has looked poor since about ½ way through last season… frequently getting beaten deep and run support has always been a weakness… I’m not saying that all is lost for him… I’m just saying that he looks like the 3rd best long term option at CB for the teams (davis… Carroll) and a demotion is in the very near future for him….I just don’t see Smith ending the season as the starter. As I stated earlier the battle for the 53rd spot is likely between walden and J Allen and Allen’s standing has little to do with what position he plays …

STers (3) I’ll let you all figure it out…

But for the life of me – I really do not understand how or why they can’t get a berger, garner, or grove to be the LSer and have greater roster flexibility…

Last 5 on #49Murtha, #50Johnson, #51Dotson ,#52Thomas,#53 J Allen

First 5 cut – #54Walden, #55 R Jones,#56 Nalbone,#57 Baker,#58 Douglas