Pigskin Pfutures

The countdown to opening day has begun. Training camps are starting this week. Soon I’ll be able to stop watching the Red Sox trying to convince me that 2013 never happened or watch as Kevin Love signs with someone other than the Celtics, like that was ever going to happen. Instead, I can focus my workday coffee breaks musing on the pigskin fantasy of Andre Johnson catching passes from Tom Terrific.

Like that’s ever going to happen.

 

Despite the intractable nature of reality, like many Patriots’ fans, I continue to pine for Andre Johnson.

The financials make no sense. Johnson is owed $10m and if the Texans trade him they take an $11m cap hit. If Johnson is serious about playing for a winner then he might be open to reworking his contract but if I’m Houston I’d rather pay Johnson to sit on his couch than watch him kissing the Lombardi Trophy with Tom Brady next February.

I also can’t see a guy like Bill O’Brien, who famously went cleft chin to cleft chin with Tom Brady on the sidelines when he was the OC for New England, letting a player dictate terms.

Finally, Bill Belichick is not going to overpay for a 33-year old wide receiver and despite Johnson’s statements about playing for a winner, I don’t think it’s worth more than $10m to him.

So, why do I keep thinking about Andre Johnson in a Patriots’ uniform?

New England has done an admirable job reloading for another Super Bowl run in 2014. They’ve added Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Dominique Easley to a defense that returns Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly and Jerod Mayo from injury alongside young, rising stars in Devin McCourty, Dont’a Hightower, Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins. On offense, Aaron Dobson, Kenbrell Thompkins, Josh Boyce and Danny Amendola are in their second year, the offensive line is bolstered by three draft picks and the return of Sebastian Vollmer and Rob Gronkowski looks, perhaps optimistically, to be ready Week 1. Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen are playing for their next contract which should translate to max effort on the field. And they still have Tom Brady.

It all looks pretty good and then I’ll come across a piece about the Denver Broncos off-season. Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward, DeMarcus Ware and highly rated draft pick Bradley Robey join a defense that returns Von Miller from injury. The Broncos traded up with Emanuel Sanders replacing Eric Decker and I’m not convinced they needed to replace Decker with Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, rookie Cody Latimer and TE Julius Thomas on the roster. Montee Ball may not replicate Knowshon Moreno’s numbers but I don’t see the Broncos going run first in 2014. After all, they still have Peyton Manning.

That’s why I can’t stop thinking about Andre Johnson.

How is Aaron Dobson’s foot, anyway?

As Bill Belichick would say, let’s talk about the players who are here…

I’ve seen a few roster projections for the 2014 Patriots (ESPN Boston, NESN and Bleacher Report) and they haven’t shown much love for my boys, Jeremy Gallon and Roy Finch.

Gallon hasn’t done anything to back up his college highlight reel as yet and while the WR position group may lack star power, it doesn’t lack for depth with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Brandon LaFell, Dobson, Thompkins and Boyce on the roster. Jules, Amendola and Dobson are locks. LaFell’s versatility and the lack of TE depth should keep him on the roster. I like LaFell more as a fast, undersized tight end than as a league-average wide receiver just as I like Boyce’s speed over Thompkins’ height.

Admittedly, it’s the idea of Jeremy Gallon that I like more than the reality of Brandon LaFell and Kenbrell Thompkins.

As for Roy Finch, I’m struggling with the consensus quartet of Ridley, Vereen, James White and Brandon Bolden at running back. Okay, I’m cool with Ridley, Vereen and White. What I’m really struggling with is an opening day roster that includes Bolden and not Finch.

Bolden has been a reliable sub in his two years with New England and he has special teams value. He’s big enough to run between the tackles and he’s shown reliable hands catching the ball in limited action. HHHe’s just 24 years old. You could do worse than Brandon Bolden. (As a quick comp, should the Jacksonville Jaguars really be that excited by Toby Gerhart?). And yet, despite Ridley’s ball security issues and Vereen’s difficulty staying healthy, Bolden has never been a threat to take over the lead role in the Patriots’ running game or as their passing back. If Ridley, Vereen and White play up to expectations in 2014, Bolden’s contributions may well be limited to special teams.

Again, it’s the idea of Roy Finch that I like more than the reality of Brandon Bolden but I think Finch – should he take advantage of his reps in training camp and preseason action – has a much better chance to make the final 53.

Ultimately, not having a roster spot for Jeremy Gallon or Roy Finch is a pretty good problem to have, as problems go.

Still, it’s hard not to hang on hope for the idea of Jeremy Gallon and Roy Finch.

And Andre Johnson.