I found it helpful this time last year to post a baseline lineup. That is, how the battles to make the regular-season roster might shake out if everything goes according to form during training camp. It’s not a prediction or a preference, but rather a reference point by which to base the myriad developments and discussions bound to ensue before Opening Day. Prior to the Pittsburgh game, I’ll also reprise last year’s post which corrected the baseline lineup to show what actually transpired.
To illustrate the potential value in this exercise, last year we were able to identify several players who developed faster than expected in camp: Kamerion Wimbley, Justin Hamilton, Jereme Perry, Derek Anderson, Kendrick Mosley. Most of them ended up contributing significantly during the season as well.
It’s also worth noting that only the linebacker positions proved themselves completely foreseeable. Indeed, five players on last year’s eventual 53-man roster weren’t even with the team at the start of training camp. I’m hoping that here in the third camp of the Savage era, the personnel situation starts to settle down. So I’ll be less equivocal, but as you’ll see below, there are some very difficult and close calls to be made:
QB
Starter: Charlie Frye
Backups: Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson
Cut: Ken Dorsey
RB/FB
Starters: Jamal Lewis, Lawrence Vickers
Backups: Jerome Harrison, Jason Wright
Practice squad: Chris Barclay
Cut: Jerome Jackson, Charles Ali, J.R. Niklos
TE
Starter: Kellen Winslow
Backups: Steve Heiden, Darnell Dinkens, Ryan Krause
Cut: Buck Ortega
OL
Starters: Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, Seth McKinney, Ryan Tucker
Backups: Kevin Shaffer, Kelly Butler, Lennie Friedman, Isaac Sowells
PUP: LeCharles Bentley
Practice squad: Cliff Louis, Rob Smith, Fred Matua
Cut: Nat Dorsey, Andrew Hoffman, Pete Lougheed
WR
Starters: Braylon Edwards, Joe Jurevicius
Backups: Travis Wilson, Josh Cribbs, Tim Carter
Practice squad: Syndric Steptoe
Cut: Kendrick Mosley, Mike Mason, Maurice Mann, Efrem Hill, Steve Sanders
DL
Starters: Orpheus Roye, Ted Washington, Robaire Smith
Backups: Shaun Smith, Simon Fraser, Ethan Kelley, Orien Harris
Practice squad: Melila Purcell, Babatunde Oshinowo
Cut: J’vonne Parker, Chase Pittman, Alvin Smith
OLB
Starters: Kamerion Wimbley, Willie McGinest
Backups: Antwan Peek, Matt Stewart, Jason Short
Cut: David McMillan, Kris Griffin
ILB
Starters: Andra Davis, D’Qwell Jackson
Backups: Leon Williams, Mason Unck
Cut: Chaun Thompson, Clifton Smith, Kevin Sears
CB
Starters: Leigh Bodden, Eric Wright
Backups: Daven Holly, DeMario Minter, Kenny Wright
PUP: Gary Baxter
Practice squad: Brandon McDonald
Cut: Jereme Perry, Therrian Fontenot
S
Starters: Sean Jones, Brodney Pool
Backups: Justin Hamilton, Mike Adams
Cut: Justin Sandy, Jeremy LeSueur
Specialists
K Phil Dawson
P Dave Zastudil
LS Ryan Pontbriand
Cut: Jesse Ainsworth, Kyle Basler.
