If you missed anything from the Patriots training camp session yesterday,* Comcast SportsNet* has you covered. Phil Perry recapped all the news from practice in his Day 13 Postcard from Camp. Perry said that both Brandon LaFell and Malcolm Butler each had a very strong practices, while Kenbrell Thompkins and Tavon Wilson seemed to struggle. Perry also joined Tom Curran and Mike Giardi in their daily 'Greetings from Foxboro' video to sum up all the highlights from the day.
One of the few bright spots from last Thursday's preseason loss to the Washington Redskins was Brian Tyms who finished the night with 5 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. The other day Tyms spoke with the media after practice and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe believes he may have a shot at making the roster. Volin highlights Tyms long journey to the NFL from his childhood in Seattle to his time with the San Francisco 49ers where he learned under Randy Moss.
"Tyms's measurables and performance thus far, combined with the Patriots' deficiencies at receiver, make him one of the more intriguing prospects in camp," writes Volin.
Another player who's had a long route to the NFL but could find himself on the Patriots 53-man roster, is Malcolm Butler. NESN's Doug Kyed says that although Butler doesn't possess impressive speed or jumping ability, he's already proven to be a playmaker in camp.
"Butler knows that most Division II athletes who didn't receive a single offer out of high school don't get a chance to line up across from Brady or alongside Darrelle Revis," says Kyed. "But his checkered past, which includes an arrest for possession of paraphernalia, only makes him work harder."
No one in the Patriots secondary knows the challenges that Butler's facing as well as Kyle Arrington. Arrington went undrafted in 2008 but fought his way on to the Patriots roster by learning to be versatile. CSN's Tom Curran says that Arrington quickly realized the value of saying, "I can do that..." and it has served him well during his time in New England.
"From special teams, to outside corner to slot corner, Arrington's speed, strength, athleticism and attitude have combined to make him one of those players that a team has to have," writes Curran.
Arrington is likely a safe bet to make the 53-man roster, but there are still a lot of question marks amongst the remaining 52 spots. Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe attempted to predict who will make the cut and who will be sent home before the start of the 2014 season.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis believes that the defense is the key to the Patriots success in 2014. Bettis appeared on ESPN's SportsCenter to talk about the Patriots upcoming season.
"When you go back to the last three years, they've either been in the Super Bowl or been one game away from the Super Bowl and you have to think that the defense was the reason why they either lost in the Super Bowl or lost in the Conference Championship," said Bettis.
How many games do you think the Patriots will win in 2014? WEEI has a poll on it's website asking this very question. Share your opinion and vote how many games you believe the team will win this season.
