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New England Patriots: Making a defense of former Patriots

By Luke O'Brien

Nov 13, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones (55) leaves the field after the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals won 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones (55) leaves the field after the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals won 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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New England Patriots
Nov 20, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Jamie Collins (51) before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports /

Linebacker

Left Outside Linebacker – Jamie Collins (Browns)

Middle Linebacker – Jonathan Casillas (Giants)

Right Outside Linebacker – Jabaal Sheard (Colts)

2nd String – Barkevious Mingo (Colts)

3rd String – Ramon Humber (Bills)

Special Teams – Jon Bostic (Colts)

Special Teams – Dekoda Watson (49ers)

Cut in Camp – LJ Fort (Steelers), Deontae Skinner (Giants), James Morris (Cowboys), Dewey McDonald (Seahawks), Kamu Grugier-Hill (Eagles), Trevor Reilly (Dolphins), Kevin Snyder (Broncos)

The Linebacker position for the team is actually quite strong. While Bill Belichick might have wanted to move on from Jamie Collins, the Ex-Pats will welcome him with open arms. Sheard provides another NFL starting caliber talent at outside linebacker and with Casillas anchoring the middle the trifecta is complete. The backups are also pretty strong also. While Barkevious Mingo might not have played much at Linebacker whilst in New England, he is still a raw talent that has potential.

Humber was the first free agent signed by the Patriots in 2016 (does that make him a priority free agent?) but failed to make the team. The nine-year veteran is a career backup but a competent one at that and was a standout special team’s player for the Saints for years. Bostic and Watson are career special teamers but decent ones at that.

There is a veritable bevy of players that didn’t make the team and there definitely was competition for the bottom few spots. There wasn’t much to choose from between all of them but Kevin Snyder was the only player that did not record an NFL statistic so far in his career.

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