An Open Letter

Posted by Randolph Charlotin July 23, 2008 (5 weeks ago) at 11:58 pm

Dear Rookies,

 

Welcome to the NFL, the greatest pro league in North America despite the fact there isn’t a franchise outside of the United States (For now. We’ll see about Buffalo). To the draftees and rookie free agents, you are now a part of the New England Patriots, the premiere franchise in the league and the team of the decade. Appreciate the fact you are on one of the few teams with a legitimate chance to advance in the playoffs and win it all. There are a lot of guys that envy your position.

 

Congratulations on your new contract, valued at more money you have seen in your life. Heck, a couple of you guys became instant millionaires.

 

Now it’s time to earn that money. Unlike the other pro leagues, your contract isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. The only guaranteed money is the signing bonus. The base salary is paid out every two weeks over the course of the 17-week season. You have to make the team for the full season to get all that money.

 

The good news is, for some of you at least, you will have a chance to cash out. The linebacker and corner back depth took a hit in the off-season. There are opportunities to earn significant playing time, if not become a starter.

 

First let’s look at the linebacker position. OLB Rosevelt Colvin is no longer on the team and ILB Junior Seau’s plans are unknown. Does he retire for good or will he play another season after getting so close to the ring that eluded him throughout his 18-year career?

 

Don’t wait for Seau to make up his mind. He’s old. It probably takes him longer to do than nowadays. Talking about age, look at the remaining starters: Tedy Bruschi is 35 while both Mike Vrabel (32) and Adalius Thomas (30) add one to their respective age in August. There’s one starting job open for now, but in a few years, the veterans will step aside.

 

If you can’t supplant a starter, try to be their back-up. You might be able to leapfrog Eric Alexander or Pierre Woods. It doesn’t matter that you weren’t drafted like Jerod Mayo, Shawn Crable, or Bo Ruud. That doesn’t mean a Gary Guyton or Vince Redd can’t make the team.

 

Similar opportunities are available in the secondary. Three defensive backs (CBs Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, FS Eugene Wilson) left as free agents. The team is down a starter and the top reserve. There’s also a question mark regarding a returning starter. CB Ellis Hobbs was hobbled by a hernia and a torn labrum in his shoulder. He needed surgery to repair the damage. Is he 100 percent right now? If not, that’s more repetitions to show you deserve to play.

 

And while it’s a competition, don’t be afraid to pick the brains of the veteran free agents. Fernando Bryant, Jason Webster, and Lewis Sanders can teach Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite a lot about technique and a few secrets on how to play corner in this league.

 

Anyone, if you want to improve your chances of sticking with this team, here’s a tip: be very versatile. Head coach Bill Belichick loves a athlete who can play more than one position. Don’t think he drafted Matt Slater just for his receiving skills. Already Slater played safety, returned kickoffs and punts during minicamp. Belichick might not be done with him.

 

So if you’re asked to play out of position, don’t hesitate. DT Richard Seymour played fullback in goalline situations in the past, and Vrabel caught eight TDs as a tight end for the Pats. Whether it’s switching from offense to defense or special teams, go do it if asked. I fully expect athletic quarterback Kevin O’Connell to take time from becoming the third string passer to play with the coverage unit.

 

The rest is up to you. The basics are universal: work hard, study hard, go all out, and all that good stuff. On a championship-caliber team, roster spots are few and far between. That’s why out of nine draft picks in 2007, only one, safety Brandon Merriweather, made the active roster.

 

Now someone do me a favor and make sure Mayo reads this after he signs his contract and reports to training camp.

 

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