So far, the 2012 Patriots have proven to be quite a
spectacle – even if the long bombs and hard hits haven’t left the confines of
the Gillette practice field yet, the excitement and adrenaline is back in all
of its glory. With all the fanfare surrounding the Patriots as they begin their
2012 campaign, it’s hard not to get excited. As I’ve discussed in the past, the
name of the game this year is competition with the intent to push each player
to train harder than the other 3 or 4 guys lobbying for his position. So far,
this has made for an incredible energy at camp. I’ve even heard the numbers “16-0”(Gasp!)
uttered a few times. I wouldn’t go that far just yet. Nonetheless, there are many facets of this
roster that spark a bit of intrigue from a competitive standpoint.
Position: 2nd-String Quarterback.
Players: Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallet.
Despite
all of the acquisitions to the defensive side of the ball, nothing has me more
excited than seeing these two duke it out for a shot at holding the clipboard
for Brady. To be frank, this will be the most important matchup of the 2012
offseason. Being able step in and maintain the pace of this offense in the
absence of Brady will be quite a task. Factor in the fact that there are a lot of
question marks surrounding the Offensive Line, and you almost need to have one
of these guys at a starting caliber behind TB12. Ryan Mallett looked like a
veteran in his rookie preseason last year, and Brian Hoyer has been reliable in
the very few times his name has been called since signing with the Patriots as
an UDFA in ’09. Both of these guys will be with the Patriots throughout ’12,
but the one who can do enough to earn the 2nd spot will be
invaluable to this franchise.
Projected outcome:
Ryan Mallett.
He was
cool and collected in a year in which his rookie offseason was cut short due to
the labor dispute. With a full, uninterrupted season under his belt, what will he be
capable of?
Position: Middle Linebacker.
Players: Dane Fletcher, Dont’a Hightower.
With 2
seasons under his belt, 2012 looks to be a breakout year for Dane Fletcher.
That’s all well and good, except for the fact that 2012 First-rounder Dont’a
Hightower has literally sent shockwaves throughout the practice field at
Gillette. In one-on-one drills, Hightower blew through Fullback Eric Kettani
and accidentally Hit Stick 2.0’d
Running Backs coach Ivan Fears. The hit was enough to draw a rousing applause
from the more than 10,000 fans in attendance. On the other hand, Fletcher has
NFL experience. He has cultivated his talents in this system, and has proven to
be one of the more reliable players of the past year.
Projected outcome: Don’t’a
Hightower
Given the high draft selection, and the aggressiveness
with which both sides negotiated, the Patriots have put a lot of chips on the
table for Hightower, and they’re not about to fold.
Position: Free Safety.
Players: Steve Gregory, Sergio Brown.
Out of
all the intriguing matchups of the offseason, this may be the most-one sided of
them all – and with little surprise. Steven Gregory essentially walked into the
Patriots organization with a persona reminiscent of Rodney Harrison. According to
CB Devin McCourty, his football IQ is off the charts, conducting the defense
with a Keith Lockhart-like fluidity in practice. Sergio Brown proved himself to
be a contender for FS, but Steven Gregory was made to be a Patriot.
Projected outcome:
Steven Gregory.\
There
hasn’t been a sure thing in the Patriots’ secondary since Asante Samuel left in
‘08. While Gregory won’t provide that
type of skill on the field, his leadership in the locker room will be
reminiscent of a Kevin Faulk or Andre Carter.
Stay logged into Reign Over New England throughout Pats Camp
for 3 Step-Dropbacks, A rapid-fire style of reporting that will highlight 3 key
areas of the many topics that surround this Patriots squad. Follow @ReignOverNE
on Twitter to keep up!
