Mark Harrison is the newest member of the Patriots from Greg Schiano’s 2009 recruiting class at Rutgers.

NEPD Editor: Mike Loyko

You can never have too many Rutgers players seems to be the theme of this off-season in Foxboro. Just when it looked like the Patriots were done adding former Scarlet Knights to the roster Bill Belichick strikes again, this time adding WR Mark Harrison to the roster. Harrison was a projected mid-round draft pick, but landed with the Patriots due to circumstances outside his control.

Let’s learn more about Mark Harrison the player.

It’s not an understatement to say that statistically Mark Harrison had the most impressive 2013 NFL Combine performance of any participant. During February’s combine Mark weighed in at just under 6’3″ tall and 231 lbs. When Harrison posted a 40 yard dash time of 4.46 seconds, a broad jump of 10’9″ and a vertical jump of 38.5 inches, people immediately took notice. A human being as big and heavy as Harrison isn’t supposed to put up those kind of agility numbers.

In fact, after the combine I took a look at just how rare Harrison’s combine performance was, and the results were very interesting. Since 2005 there have been only FOUR WR prospects to weigh in at 224 lbs or heavier, run sub 4.50, jump at least 37″ and broad jump at least 10’5″. Those four receivers were Calvin Johnson, Jonathan Baldwin, Matt Jones and Mark Harrison. Now those numbers don’t have any bearing on NFL success, but it goes to show the type of rare athleticism Harrison possesses.

Now comes the question as to why a player with as much physical talent aas Harrison has is available this late in the off-season.

The answer to that question has to be linked directly to Harrison’s foot injury which he suffered while warming up for his Rutgers Pro Day. Harrison broke his 5th metatarsal, which required surgery and kept him from working out for teams privately before the draft. Prior to the foot injury I was aware of at least two teams that had Mark as a 4th round selection and he was generally viewed as a mid-round selection in the draft.

As a result of the foot injury Harrison went undrafted and immediately became one of the most coveted UDFA on the market. The Bears initially signed Harrison, pairing him with his off-season workout partner, Brandon Marshall. Fortunately for Patriot fans, Harrison’s foot injury wasn’t 100% healthy and he failed his physical with Chicago.

It should come as no surprise that Harrison signed with New England yesterday, now that he is full healthy. The Patriots spent a lot of time with Mark prior to the draft, including sending offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Nick Caserio down to Rutgers to spend the day with him. Harrison becomes the 5th Rutgers player to be acquired through the draft or UDFA process.

Harrison will add speed and size to the perimeter of the offense. Something that has been lacking in big games the past two seasons. When you factor in Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce and now Mark Harrison it’s clear to see what the Patriots thinking was when choosing receivers this year. The biggest knock on Harrison will be his lack of production, despite his phenomenal physical abilities. Despite playing for four season’s he never posted more than 44 receptions or close to 1,000 yards. Despite that he did average more than 16 yards/catch.

While Boyce and Dobson are locks for the final roster. It will be very interesting to watch how the other rookie receivers, Harrison, TJ Moe and Kenbrell Thompkins fare in their battle for roster spots.

2011 second-round pick Shane Vereen is projected to see more snaps in 2013. (Photo: US Presswire)

NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones

As the New England Patriots begin preparing for their 2013 campaign, it’s time to take a look at five of the most intriguing veteran players on New England’s roster; whether or not these players develop should have a significant impact on New England’s plans for the future, as all five remain unknown quantities entering the season.

1. RB Shane Vereen

After a debut season in which he recorded just twenty-six snaps, receiving a total of fifteen carries over two games, Shane Vereen’s offensive role was expected to increase in his sophomore campaign. It did, but not as much as many expected: Vereen was on the field for 217 snaps in 2012 (including the playoffs), carrying the ball 73 times for 308 yards and four touchdowns while adding fifteen receptions for 254 yards and three touchdowns on nineteen targets. Vereen’s output was impressive considering his low snap count, but he still has yet to produce like a second-round draft pick.

Danny Woodhead took 456 snaps last season; now that Woodhead’s signed with San Diego, we should see significantly more of Vereen in 2013. Ideally, he’ll develop into an effective complement to Stevan Ridley; a third straight season with limited playing time would likely indicate that New England’s coaching staff is unhappy with the way Vereen has developed.

2. OL Marcus Cannon

Marcus Cannon remains something of a mystery in New England, as he saw the field for only 182 snaps in 2012, primarily at offensive tackle. Now that Sebastian Vollmer has been re-signed, Cannon’s future with the team likely lies at offensive guard, where his tantalizing combination of size (6’5”, 358 pounds), length (34” arms), speed (5.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and strength (33 reps on the bench) could make him a long-term starter.

Logan Mankins is firmly entrenched as the organization’s starting left guard, but the incumbent starter at right guard, Dan Connolly, could be improved upon. Connolly’s contract is somewhat generous, so this appears to be an excellent opportunity to examine Cannon’s aptitude at the position. Cannon is a cheaper option with significantly more upside, so it makes sense for the Patriots to work him onto the field in 2013; if Cannon impresses at right guard, New England’s offensive line should be solidified for years to come.

3. DE Jake Bequette

Although Jake Bequette assembled three years of quality production in the SEC, his play recognition and his awareness appeared raw on tape, so it was unsurprising that he was on the field for just 29 snaps in 2012. However, the fact that his playing time was eclipsed by undrafted free agent Justin Francis, who played 302 snaps for the Patriots last year, is more concerning.

With starting left end Rob Ninkovich entering the final year of his contract, it would be nice to see what Bequette has to offer in his second season; an encouraging performance would allow New England to get cheaper and younger at the position, while a lack of refinement would increase the importance of re-signing Ninkovich. Bequette will have to compete with Jermaine Cunningham, Justin Francis, and 2013 seventh-round pick Michael Buchanan in order to see the field.

4. CB Ras-I Dowling

The addition of Rutgers cornerback Logan Ryan in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft doesn’t bode well for 2011 second-rounder Ras-I Dowling, whose career has been derailed by injuries. Dowling managed just 83 snaps in 2012, down from the meager 93 snaps he appeared on the field for in 2011 before landing on injured reserve. To compound concerns about Dowling’s inability to remain on the field, New England’s coaching staff has appeared hesitant to play him even when healthy.

That reluctance is somewhat bizarre considering his level of play while on the field, which has been encouraging (10/16, 123 yards, no touchdowns.) Dowling’s physical tools suggest starting potential, but he may not even be a lock for the roster at this point because of his unreliability. His only chance at significant playing time in 2013 may be a consequence of multiple absences at cornerback.

5. DB Tavon Wilson

New England’s decision to select little-known Illinois defensive back Tavon Wilson with the 48th overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft was highly criticized for its perceived lack of value, but thus far the choice has turned out to be significantly more reasonable than anticipated. As a rookie, Wilson was on the field for 500 snaps, including four starts he made in the middle of the season (from New England’s victory over Denver in week five through their victory over St. Louis in week eight.) Wilson appeared relatively comfortable in coverage and had the awareness to record four interceptions on the season, recovering a pair of fumbles as well.

However, whether or not Wilson has starting potential remains to be seen; he lacks ideal top-end speed and fluidity, and had some trouble getting the proper depth in his zone drops, resulting in four touchdown passes allowed. During the offseason, New England added additional competition at the position in Adrian Wilson and third-round pick Duron Harmon, meaning Wilson will have to show more as a sophomore to maintain his snap count.

Gronk hurt. Gronk sad.

NEPD Staff Writer: Tony Santorsa

The 2013 season for Rob Gronkowski continues to get worrisome by the week.

With reports indicating that Gronk will be requiring a fourth surgery on his forearm in the upcoming week, Mike Garafolo of USA Today is reporting that New England’s All Pro tight end might be dealing with a back problem.

Per Garafolo:

The New England Patriots’ tight end recently underwent an MRI on his back to check on a disc issue he had dating back to last season, a person informed of Gronkowski’s medical status told USA TODAY Sports…

…The person said the hope is, if surgery on his back is required, Gronkowski will be back within the same time frame as his recovery from the arm injury.

According to Garafolo’s report, Gronkowski will be meeting with spine specialist Robert Watkins in the upcoming weeks to determine what the necessary steps are needed for his potential disc issue.

Gronkowski appeared in 11 games this past season with the Patriots as he recorded 55 receptions for 790 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Michael Hoomanawanui, Daniel Fells, Jake Ballard and recent UDFA Zach Sudfeld may be looked on to fill Gronkowski’s shoes in 2013 – a formidable task to be sure.

Where he will be missed most is in his blocking – none of the other tight ends on the roster offer the Patriots offense the same crushing blocking ability – an ability that keeps some defenses from substituting into their nickel defenses.

The Patriots offense has shown the ability to change rapidly to incorporate new parts or cover up missing ones – that might be tested early this year.

Zoltan Mesko’s roster spot is far from guaranteed in 2013. (Photo: US Presswire)

NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones

New England received strong contributors across the board in 2012, but nonetheless the organization appears interested in the possibility of replacing some players with high 2012 snap counts; read on to find out who may be looking for work elsewhere in 2013.

1. RG Dan Connolly (1,051 snaps in 2012)

Dan Connolly was an adequate starter for the Patriots in 2012, and his versatility, possessing the ability to play any of the three interior offensive line positions, could make him a difficult cut. However, Connolly has a fairly high cap number for 2013, $3.33 million, and roughly $1.17 million would be saved by releasing him, the fifth-highest figure on the roster. Now that right tackle Sebastian Vollmer has re-signed with the team, the Patriots could simultaneously get younger and save money by converting high-upside lineman Marcus Cannon to right guard, where he may be more effective.

2. SS Steve Gregory (901 snaps in 2012)

Releasing Gregory would save just under $900,000 of his $2.56 million cap figure in 2013, which may be attractive to the organization considering his average play in the defensive backfield. The Patriots drafted Tavon Wilson in the second round last year to groom for a significant defensive role; Wilson ended up playing 500 snaps in 2012 and looked better than anticipated. This offseason, the Patriots signed Adrian Wilson to a three-year contract and additionally bolstered their depth in the defensive backfield by drafting Rutgers safety Duron Harmon in the third round of the 2013 draft, making Gregory’s roster spot far from a sure thing.

3. DL Jermaine Cunningham (487 snaps in 2012)

Former second-round pick Jermaine Cunningham has been a bust in New England through the first three years of his career; his four-game suspension last year for performance-enhancing drugs won’t help his cause. Cunningham’s contract is set to expire at the end of the year, and the Patriots have recently added a great deal of depth at the defensive end spot, making him expendable. Younger players such as Justin Francis, Jake Bequette, and Michael Buchanan may be more deserving of opportunities this season, as any snaps granted to Cunningham may stunt their development in favor of a player who appears unlikely to be on the roster in 2014. Of the aforementioned replacements, Francis, who played some defensive tackle at Rutgers, may be best suited to Cunningham’s role as an interior rusher in sub packages.

4. TE Daniel Fells (338 snaps in 2012)

Daniel Fells was on the field less often than Michael Hoomanawanui in 2013; although Fells proved his blocking acumen over the course of his 338 offensive snaps, he contributed little as a receiver, catching just four passes on the season on nine targets. Releasing him would save over $900,000 of his $1.58 million cap figure, which appears to make even more sense given Jake Ballard’s anticipated return to the field; should Rob Gronkowski miss time at the beginning of the season while recovering from another surgery, New England would remain well-stocked at the position with Aaron Hernandez, Hoomanawanui, and Ballard.

5. P Zoltan Mesko (snap information not available)

Zoltan Mesko is one of the more popular punters in the league; however, his 43.1 yards per punt in 2013 ranked New England’s punting unit 28th in the league; Mesko also posted a disappointing 37.9-yard net average. By signing two-time Ray Guy Award winner Ryan Allen as an undrafted free agent, the Patriots have indicated that they desire additional competition at the position; moving to Allen would allow New England to save $1.32 million of Mesko’s $1.37 million cap figure. Allen averaged 46.1 and 48.0 yards per punt in 2011 and 2012, respectively, compared to Mesko’s 46.5 and 43.1 yards.

Why did Shane Vereen get passed on the depth chart by Brandon Bolden? (Photo: US Presswire)

NEPD Staff Writer: Oliver Thomas

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban once said, “Everything that Bill Belichick does has some purpose.”

That was precisely the case when the New England Patriots selected California running back Shane Vereen at pick 56, then Louisiana State running back Stevan Ridley at pick 73 of the 2011 NFL draft.

Two years later, we now know that double-dipping at halfback was not a redundant move for New England. Both men have served a purpose. Yet thus far, one has gotten more opportunities than the other. That man has been Ridley.

The 5’11”, 220-pound back saw plenty of work as a rookie in 2011. He racked up 441 yards and one score on 87 carries, all while spelling then-Patriot BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Despite being put in the proverbial “doghouse” for fumbling issues, Ridley still flashed the explosion to be a home-run hitter.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Vereen’s rookie campaign. The 5’9”, 205-pounder played in just five games during his first year in Foxboro and netted a modest 57 yards to go with one touchdown. It wasn’t a disaster, although it was far from what you’d hope for out of a second-round pick.

Once 2012 rolled around, the backfield hierarchy was pretty well in order. Green-Ellis had shipped out to the Cincinnati Bengals and Vereen had been held back by injuries.

The No. 1 tailback job was all Ridley’s. And he certainly made the most of it.

The 5’11”, 220-pound Ridley tallied 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns on 290 carries in his first year as starter. His rushing total was good for seventh-most in the league; his rushing touchdown total was tied for third-most. In most circles, those are considered Pro Bowl numbers.

Vereen’s sophomore season was not worthy of Pro Bowl discussion. His slow start got him in a logjam with the shifty Danny Woodhead and undrafted thumper Brandon Bolden. He finished fourth on the team with 251 rushing yards, but he did manage four total touchdowns. The biggest sign of hope for Vereen was his late-season uptick. That was apparent during the AFC Divisional Round playoff game versus the Houston Texans, when he amassed three touchdowns — two via reception.

It’s year three for both draft picks. Expectations are high, and justifiably so. Because Vereen and Ridley were drafted back-to-back, their NFL careers are often compared. That’s not entirely fair, though, as their success comes down to more than statistical measures.

It comes down to utilization.

While they do share a position in title, Vereen and Ridley are vastly different types of players with vastly different skill sets. Vereen runs east to west, but can be a big factor in the receiving game. Ridley runs north to south, but can slash outside and into the open.

If the best of these two worlds could assert themselves as a one-two punch in 2013, then you’re looking at a New England version of “thunder and lightning.” That type of dynamic would certainly make running backs coach Ivan Fears proud.

And right now, all signs point toward that plan coming to fruition.

Vereen is expected to see an expanded role in the offense due to the departure of Woodhead — the team’s third-down back since 2010 — who’s now a San Diego Charger.

The absence of No. 39 leaves a huge void from a versatility perspective, seeing how the Patriots essentially used him like a wide receiver who could take hand-offs. That said, his departure also provides Vereen with an excellent opportunity to secure a steady role in the offense.

Vereen touched on Woodhead’s exodus on May 14, keeping it a team-centric matter (via NESN.com’s Luke Hughes):

“He had a lot of experience. He had a lot of knowledge. He’s a smart player. His role was pretty key to the team. I learned a lot from him. You can’t really replace him. All you can do is move on and hope to get better from there.”

It’s up to Vereen to take what he learned from Woodhead and expound upon it. If he can do so, then expect the 2011 draft picks to work in tandem. This approach would provide the Patriots with a balance of power and elusiveness, even a pass protection game and a receiving game.

For all intents and purposes, this isn’t a “backfield by commitee.” Ridley is the feature back. He’s the one who should garner 20 attempts per game and all the goal line carries. Nonetheless, Vereen’s abilities as a change-of-pace back should coincide with Ridley’s workload. His prowess in the draw game, as well as his personnel mismatch when lined up out wide, help keep defenses on their heels.

No matter how you slice it, Vereen and Ridley will always be linked. They’re good friends and even next-door neighbors. But in all, their implementation in the Patriots’ offense is where they differ.

That’s not a bad thing, it’s a symbiotic one.

The New England Patriots have agreed to terms with offensive guard Tyronne Green, as his agency –Schwartz & Feinsod – reported via Twitter on Monday. He visited Foxboro on Friday.

While the move may be written off by some as a way to fill the 90-man camp roster, it’s not quite that simple. Green’s resume alone suggests he is more than just another “camp body.”

Coming out of Auburn in 2009, Green was seen as an athletic specimen with unpolished fundamentals. At the time, NFL.com’s scouting report noted that he has “good quickness of the snap” yet he “struggles to sustain blocks.” Taking the good with the bad, the San Diego Chargers saw enough out of Green to make him a fourth-round draft pick.

Since then, the 6’2”, 316-pounder has recorded 28 starts in 41 career NFL games.
After logging time in just three games as a rookie, the Pensacola Fla., native played in 12 contests in 2010, starting seven of them. In 2011, he upped his workload to 13 contests and eight starts.

Green’s most eventful professional season came in 2012. He assumed sole possession of the Chargers’ left guard job for all 13 games he played in. By season’s end, he registered a total of 756 snaps. That said, he also garnered just a -0.3 rating from Pro Football Focus, which graded him out as the No. 41 guard.

At first glance, Green projects as a backup with upside. Expectations must be tempered, but don’t rule him out as a candidate to assume Donald Thomas’s old role as the No. 3 swing guard.

Green provides the Patriots with a veteran who can battle it out with 25-year-old utility man Nick McDonald, 2011 fifth-round pick Marcus Cannon and last year’s undrafted pick-up Markus Zusevics. But unlike Green, those three have the flexibility to spell in at offensive tackle.

All in all, the signing comes at a good time for the Patriots. Starting right guard Dan Connolly is coming back from offseason shoulder surgery and the squad’s other reserve interior linemen – Penn State’s Matt Stankiewitch, Kent State’s Josh Kline, Michigan State’s Chris McDonald – are all undrafted rookies.

By no means should Green be considered a 53-man roster lock. He should, however, be considered a viable backup with starter work under his belt.

That’s not a bad consolation prize at this point in the free agency period.
The Patriots now have 89 players on the 90-man roster; 14 of whom are offensive linemen.

The New England Patriots’ 2013 draft strategy was clearly influenced by Bill Belichick’s relationship with Greg Schiano. (Photo: USA Today Sports Images)

NEPD Contributor: Dan Hope

For much of the first decade of the 21st century, the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick were a team considered to be ahead of the curve when it came to the NFL draft.

From consistently finding diamonds in the rough who became team building blocks, to mastering the art of trading up and down the draft board for better value, the Patriots laid the foundation for three NFL championships and five Super Bowl appearances in an 11-year span.

But as the rest of the league has caught up, with teams such as the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks making brilliant offseason moves translate into on-field success, the Patriots are at risk of falling behind.

As a result of Belichick’s success at the beginning of the century, winning three Super Bowls in the first five years of the millennium, he has typically received benefit of the doubt. Belichick’s decisions are ultimately expected to be for the better — understandably given his accolades — even if they are unexpected or unconventional.

That said, it’s time to start looking past the benefit of the doubt, with the Patriots now eight years removed from their last Super Bowl title. Specifically, the decision to use three of seven draft picks on Rutgers players, coinciding with an apparently burgeoning friendship between Belichick and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano, should raise a red flag.

Belichick’s relationship with Schiano has been no secret in recent years, or at least a poorly-kept one. It is a relationship fostered by Belichick’s son, Steve, who was a student at Rutgers from 2007-2011. After playing lacrosse for four years, the younger Belichick actually walked onto the Scarlet Knights football team, coached by Schiano at the time, as a long snapper in 2011.

Steve Belichick is now a coaching assistant with the Patriots.

With a close connection linking Bill Belichick and Schiano, the Patriots have often pulled from the Rutgers pool in recent years. Most notably, they drafted defensive back Devin McCourty with their first-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft, but have made undrafted free agent additions from the Scarlet Knights as well.

During this year’s NFL draft, however, that relationship was perpetuated to an unprecedented obviousness. The Patriots drafted three players who played for Schiano and were teammates with Steve Belichick: cornerback Logan Ryan and safety Duron Harmon in Round 3, and inside linebacker Steve Beauharnais in Round 7.

By themselves, the Ryan and Beauharnais selections look like great choices. Ryan is a physical, instinctive cornerback who is comfortable in both man and zone coverages, has the potential to take over a starting role in 2014 if Aqib Talib leaves via free agency, and was good value as a third-round selection. Beauharnais is a well-rounded linebacker who is a great fit to back up Brandon Spikes at middle linebacker, and was a very solid choice in the seventh round.

Combining the Harmon selection together with the Ryan and Beauharnais picks, however, make the Rutgers-heavy draft look the result of an unconventional draft strategy based upon a coaching friendship and not upon the typically successful route of year-round scouting.

That’s not saying Harmon won’t turn out to be a quality addition to the Patriots’ secondary, but calling it a questionable choice is an understatement.

The Patriots did not have a need at the strong safety position, yet selected Harmon far earlier in the draft than anyone else had expected him to go, reportedly including the Patriots’ own scouts. Well-known draft analyst Tony Pauline of TFY Draft Insider wrote that Patriots scouts were “overruled” by the team’s “brain trust,” while Pauline also said no scouts he talked to pre-draft thought Harmon would be drafted among the top 100 picks.

This alludes to a potential problem within the Patriots organization. The Patriots have scouts who work year-round to find the best prospects from across the college football landscape. Belichick, on the other hand, is unable to devote most of his year to scouting college talent, making him more likely to become quickly enamored with a player whose program he has a connection to without necessarily comparing him to the other talent at his position.

Belichick (along with director of player personnel Nick Caserio) calls the shots, so if he makes a decision, it ultimately does not matter if every scout in the room is against his choice.

Josh Boyce was a critical component of Texas Christian’s 2011 upset of Boise St. (Photo: US Presswire)

NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones

The new England Patriots spent their fourth-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, #102 overall, on Texas Christian wide receiver Josh Boyce. After the jump, take a look at some film cutups of Boyce in action against Boise St. during 2011, his sophomore season.

It will be interesting to see how New England plans to employ Armond Armstead in 2013. (Photo: US Presswire)

NEPD Editor: Matthew Jones

On Sunday morning, we took a look at New England’s potential 2014 NFL Draft needs on the offensive side of the ball, which you can read here; today, we’ll consider some of their possible areas of weakness on the defensive side of the ball, taking into account as diverse a range of possibilities as possible, including potential free agent losses, 2014 salary cap hits/savings, and player performance.

Defensive Tackle

Tommy Kelly is guaranteed $500,000 of his $3 million cap figure in 2014, meaning that he is a legitimate contender for the starting defensive tackle job. The position could very well be up for grabs, as incumbent starter Kyle Love (who played 592 snaps in 2012) is probably best suited to a reserve nose tackle role due to his lack of pressure in the passing game; Love’s contract is also set to expire at the end of the season.

Free agent signing Armond Armstead is a potential starter at the position, but it is difficult to evaluate the chances of him receiving significant playing time right away because of his lack of experience in New England’s defense; it’s also possible that Armstead, at 6’5” and just under 300 pounds, may be projected as a replacement for reserve/rotational player Brandon Deaderick, who has similar size and played 468 snaps for the Patriots in 2012.

With interior pass rusher Jermaine Cunningham (487 snaps in 2012) expiring alongside Deaderick, the Patriots may find their depth depleted moving forwards, although it’s possible that defensive end Justin Francis could slide inside to defensive tackle on obvious passing downs, a position he played at Rutgers.

Defensive End

Whether or not defensive end is a need entering next offseason will depend on a multitude of factors, most notably starting left end Rob Ninkovich’s contract status; Ninkovich is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and the Patriots could opt to go in a different direction. 2012 third-round pick Jake Bequette is one possible option, although he played just 29 snaps last season behind below-average rotational players such as Jermaine Cunningham, Brandon Deaderick, Justin Francis, and Trevor Scott.

At this point, it’s probably too early to expect much from 2013 seventh-rounder Michael Buchanan outside of a reserve/rotational role. Even if Ninkovich returns, the Patriots may want to replace impending free agents such as Cunningham and Deaderick with more effective options.

Five-Technique

Implementing more 3-4 looks is one possibility for New England in 2013 based on their 2013 NFL Draft; at 250 pounds, Jamie Collins is probably best suited to a rush linebacker role (the ROLB position in the 3-4), and it’s no sure bet that a player such as Tommy Kelly or Armond Armstead will end up offering starting-caliber play, although both players figure to get opportunities on the end in 3-4 fronts should New England opt to integrate the package into their defense more consistently than they did in 2012.

Chandler Jones would likely feature as New England’s right end in the formation, similar to how Arizona used long-limbed defensive end Calais Campbell. The strength of his bull rush as well as his long arms should allow him to attack blockers effectively in a two-gap front despite his lack of ideal bulk for the position.

Linebacker

Brandon Spikes is set to hit free agency at the end of the season; his limitations in coverage could push New England in another direction. One option that makes sense is to slide strongside linebacker Dont’a Hightower into the middle, where his lack of ideal range would be masked, while starting Jamie Collins on the strongside. However, if New England decides to use Collins as a defensive end instead, they could choose to look for a third linebacker; re-signing Rob Ninkovich and converting his position is another option.

Regardless of what happens with the starting personnel, the Patriots could still use a coverage linebacker; this season, Dane Fletcher may receive some looks in that capacity. Niko Koutouvides, Mike Rivera, and Jeff Tarpinian have yet to demonstrate any value outside of their special teams roles, and seventh-rounder Steve Beauharnais is another strict special teams player.

Left Cornerback

Starting left cornerback Aqib Talib is on a one-year deal, and any further injuries or off-the-field issues would likely cause the Patriots to cut ties with him at the end of the season. New England has two additional options at left cornerback in Ras-I Dowling and 2013 third-round pick Logan Ryan, but neither player can be considered a future starter at this point. Dowling has struggled to stay on the field and is probably best suited to a backup role, while Ryan’s draft status, intangibles, size, and physicality should not hide the fact that he struggles in coverage.

Based on what the two aforementioned players show in 2013, the Patriots could decide that they need additional personnel on the outside, although this is probably an unlikely scenario for the time being. Fortunately, the Patriots are set at right cornerback (Alfonzo Dennard) and in the slot (Kyle Arrington) moving forwards.

Defensive Back

Devin McCourty is a definite starter at free safety, but the strong safety position is currently stocked with quantity rather than an ideal starting option. Steve Gregory could very well be released this season or during the offseason, where cutting ties with him would save $2.35 million of his $3.18 million cap number in 2014. At this point in his career, Adrian Wilson may be best suited to a sub package role, possibly as New England’s third safety or even as a coverage linebacker.

2012 second-rounder Tavon Wilson and 2013 third-rounder Duron Harmon could both compete for starting roles eventually, although it may be too soon to consider either of them a safe starting option. This is probably a minor need for now, but could become more pronounced depending on how the four options (Gregory, Adrian Wilson, Tavon Wilson, and Harmon) perform in 2013.

The New England Patriots might have Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden, LeGarrette Blount and Leon Washington to make up their running back corps—but you can always improve.

The way that I look at it: You can never have enough running backs.

Much like baseball, in which you can never have enough pitchers, I believe that you can never have enough running backs in football.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Wednesday night that free agent running back Felix Jones will be visiting with the Patriots:

Ex-#Cowboys RB Felix Jones is visiting #Patriots today and tomorrow. The plan is for him to work out, I’m told. Visited #Eagles recently

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 8, 2013

Jones, who turned 26-years-old on Wednesday, will be entering his sixth season in the NFL.

Throughout Jones’ five-year career, he has spent his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys. Jones has recorded a career 2,728 rushing yards while averaging 4.8 yards per-carry. However, running the ball isn’t the only thing that Jones is good at—he’s a solid receiver.

Jones has a career 127 receptions on 156 targets for 1,062 yards while averaging 16.6 yards per-reception and reeling in three touchdown passes. His best receiving season came in 2010 as he reeled in 48 passes for 450 yards while landing one touchdown reception.

Jones is certainly a versatile running back that could fit nicely in New England’s offense, but would have a tough time seeing the field in the team’s already crowded backfield.

Jones is definitely worth bringing in for a visit but might not have any true future with the Patriots. However, Jones would add some depth—which is always a good thing.

In other news, the Patriots signed former Titans and Cal receiver Lavelle Hawkins to a 2-year deal. He is looked at as insurance for Julian Edelman’s nagging ankle injury.