ESPN

Final entry in a 12-part series of positional reviews of the 2009 Patriots season:

Specialists: Stephen Gostkowski (kicker), Chris Hanson (punter/holder), Jake Ingram (long snapper)

Stat check: In the regular season, Gostkowski was 26 of 31 on field-goal attempts, 47 of 47 on point-after attempts, and tied for sixth in the NFL with 21 touchbacks. In 56 punts, Hanson had a 39.7 average and 34.1 net, which ranked 32^nd in the NFL but also came in Northeast conditions.

First instinct: While Hanson is a directional punter who is known more for hang time than an ultra-powerful leg -- which is Bill Belichick's preference -- it wouldn’t be surprising if a change is made at the position after three seasons.

Storyline not to be overlooked: Ingram stepping into the large cleats of Lonie Paxton. For nine years, the Patriots had few worries at long snapper because of the steady presence of Paxton. When Paxton departed in free agency, the Patriots identified Ingram as the best prospect in the draft and selected him in the sixth round (198^th overall). Ingram, who made the jump from the University of Hawaii to often-frigid Foxborough, didn’t have a botched snap all season in 134 attempts (extra points, field goals, punts).

Future: Hanson is scheduled for free agency. In a season without a salary cap, which appears likely, Gostkowski would be a restricted free agent and the Patriots project to tender him at the highest level to retain him. Ingram is signed through 2012.

Final thought: It seems like only yesterday that the Patriots were rolling the dice by not assigning the franchise tag to Adam Vinatieri in 2006, then drafting Gostkowski. Four years later, Gostkowski has proven to be a capable replacement.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Center/guards
Defensive line
Hybrid DE/OLB
Inside linebackers
Cornerbacks
Safeties

Eleventh in a series of positional reviews of the 2009 Patriots season:

Safety: Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders, Brandon McGowan, Pat Chung and Bret Lockett.

Stat check: Meriweather played more snaps than any defender (95.5 percent) and tied for the team high with five interceptions. McGowan started 11 games alongside Meriweather, before Sanders regained the starting spot late in the season.

First instinct: Meriweather was too up-and-down for a Pro Bowl player. His third-and-1 stop against the Jaguars was one of the best defensive plays of the season. On the flip side, his breakdown in fundamentals contributed to Ray Rice’s backbreaking 83-yard touchdown run on the first play of the playoff game against the Ravens. Those plays seemed to reflect his season -– sometimes terrific, sometimes a liability.

Storyline not to be overlooked: Shuffle between McGowan and Sanders. At the midpoint of the season, McGowan was one of the team’s surprise performers, helping to limit opposing tight ends and adding a physical edge after wrestling the starting job away from Sanders. But McGowan couldn’t sustain the momentum and Sanders was reinserted into the lineup late in the season.

Future: No free agents in the group. Sanders' salary spikes to $2.3 million and based on him being in and out of the lineup in 2009, one wonders if he'll be back in 2010 when factoring in salary considerations.

Final thought: Chung, the team’s top draft choice (34^th overall), played in 20 percent of the defensive snaps (mostly between Games 6 and 11). With the top four players under contract next season, this doesn’t look like a primary position of need but one in which the Patriots will focus on getting more out of the personnel on the roster.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Center/guards
Defensive line
Hybrid DE/OLB
Inside linebackers
Cornerbacks

Tenth in a series of positional reviews of the 2009 Patriots season:

Cornerback: Shawn Springs, Leigh Bodden, Jonathan Wilhite, Darius Butler, Terrence Wheatley, Kyle Arrington

Stat check: Bodden led the team with 17 passes defended and tied for the team high with five interceptions. Springs started and finished the year as the left corner, appearing in 12 games with eight starts.

First instinct: Butler, a 2009 second-round draft choice (41^st overall), shows promise to develop into a quality starter. He played in 14 games with five starts and his athleticism was impressive. On the flip side, improving his physicality in run support will help him become more of an all-around corner.

Storyline not to be overlooked: Wilhite’s inconsistencies and Wheatley's inability to break through. Wilhite (2008 fourth-round pick) leapfrogged Wheatley (2008 second-round pick) on the depth chart, appearing in 14 games with eight starts. While he displayed fluid movements and was often competitive in coverage, he still struggled to make plays on the ball. Wheatley played in just five games.

Future: Bodden, the most consistent corner this season, is a free agent. Every other player has multiple years left on their contracts.

Final thought: After a rough 2008 season with Deltha O’Neal and Ellis Hobbs 1-2 on the corner depth chart, there was improvement in 2009, especially considering there wasn’t always help in the form of a consistent pass rush.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Center/guards
Defensive line
Hybrid DE/OLB
Inside linebackers

Ninth in a series of positional reviews of the 2009 Patriots season:

Inside linebacker: Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Junior Seau, Eric Alexander, Tyrone McKenzie

Stat check: Mayo led the team with 113 tackles (as credited by the coaching staff), while Guyton was second with 93. Mayo missed three games while Guyton played more snaps (84.5 percent) than every defender but Brandon Meriweather.

First instinct: Mayo, the 2008 Associated Press defensive rookie of the year, didn’t deliver the big plays he hoped for in his second season. After injuring his knee in the season opener, he returned for the team’s fifth game in a reserve role but was never dominating this season.

Storyline not to be overlooked: McKenzie tearing his ACL in rookie minicamp. A third-round draft choice, he would have been third on the depth chart and presumably helped on special teams. The void contributed to the decision to bring Seau back.

Future: Mayo and Guyton are two building blocks who will be under contract for multiple years. Seau is retiring, while Alexander – solely a special teamer at this point – is signed through 2010.

Final thought: If McKenzie can come back, the Patriots have a nice young core to build around.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Center/guards
Defensive line
Hybrid DE/OLB

Eighth in a series of positional reviews of the 2009 Patriots season:

Hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end: Tully Banta-Cain, Adalius Thomas, Derrick Burgess, Rob Ninkovich

Stat check: Banta-Cain led the team with 10 sacks, while Burgess had five. Thomas was a two-down player, coming off the field in obvious passing situations.

First instinct: Banta-Cain’s production as a pass rusher was unexpected. He had two down years in San Francisco and his return to the Patriots on a one-year deal seemed to bring out the best in him.

Storyline not to be overlooked: The offseason trade of Mike Vrabel and its impact on this group. Vrabel had slowed considerably as a pass rusher, so he wouldn’t have helped much in that area, but his toughness setting the edge on early downs would have been an upgrade over what the Patriots had at that this spot. Thomas and Banta-Cain were often too easily hooked against tackles and tight ends.

Future: Thomas, who had a cheerful “Humble Pie” approach when he signed with the Patriots in 2007, is unlikely to return. He is due to earn $4.9 million and it would be hard to imagine both sides not feeling a parting of ways is best. Banta-Cain is a free agent and projects to be a high priority to re-sign. Burgess is also a free agent, while Ninkovich is signed through 2011.

Final thought: The trade of Burgess, who was acquired for 2010 third- and fifth-round draft choices, didn’t have a big impact.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Center/guards
Defensive line

Seventh in a series of positional reviews from the Patriots’ 2009 season:

Defensive line: Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Jarvis Green, Mike Wright, Myron Pryor, Ron Brace

Stat check: Warren (13 starts), Wilfork (14) and Green (11) were the top three linemen, while Wright was the top backup (6 starts). Wilfork was fifth on the team with 65 tackles. Wright led all non-hybrid linemen with five sacks.

First instinct: Wilfork was the team’s best lineman, as evidenced by the decision to move him to end against the Dolphins and their best offensive lineman, Jake Long.

Storyline not be overlooked: How this unit was affected by trading Richard Seymour. While picking up a 2011 first-round draft choice was a coup -- especially considering Seymour was entering the final year of his contract -- losing him weakened the Patriots along the defensive front this year.

Future: Wilfork’s contract situation is a top issue facing the team -– this was the last year of his contract -- and he is likely to be assigned the franchise tag. That will allow the sides more time to reach an extension, although it is sure to upset Wilfork and figures to create a contentious situation. Warren (2013), Wright (2012), Pryor (2012) and Brace (2012) are all signed for multiple years, while Green is a free agent.

Final thought: One concern is that Brace, one of the team’s second-round selections (40^th overall), had trouble getting on the field. He played approximately 50 snaps and thus didn’t have much game experience to develop.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles
Center/guards

Sixth in a series of positional reviews from the Patriots’ 2009 season:

Centers/guards: Dan Koppen (C), Logan Mankins (LG), Stephen Neal (RG), Dan Connolly (C/G), Ryan Wendell (C/G), Rich Ohrnberger (C/G)

Stat check: Koppen started all 16 games, as did Mankins. An ankle injury sidelined Neal for four games, with Connolly stepping in.

First instinct: Too many penalties. Mankins led the team with eight, while Neal was third on the club with six, and Koppen fourth on the team with five.

Storyline not be overlooked: Mankins, a two-time Pro Bowler, has started every game since he was selected in the first round of the 2005 draft. He’s one of the top guards in the NFL, and represents one of the team's best draft hits in recent years.

Future: Neal, whose contract expires, said that he is considering retirement. Mankins will be a restricted free agent in a season without a salary cap and the Patriots project to tender him at the highest level to retain him. Koppen is signed through 2011 and scheduled to earn $2.9 million, so his situation bears watching with three developing younger players in Connolly, Wendell and Ohrnberger.

Final thought: The right guard position, where Neal has been solid when healthy, figures to have a different look, likely with Connolly. The Patriots value athleticism at guard as they like to pull them, and Connolly -- who has played power fullback -- fits the bill. They are also high on Wendell and Ohrnberger, who could push Koppen at center. Koppen has been challenged by some of the bigger nose tackles in the division.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive tackles

Fifth in a series of positional reviews from the Patriots’ 2009 season:

Offensive tackles: Matt Light, Sebastian Vollmer, Nick Kaczur, Mark LeVoir

Stat check: Light started 12 games at left tackle, with Vollmer starting five during a mid-season stretch in which Light was injured. Kaczur started the first 13 games of the season at right tackle, before Vollmer replaced him for the final four when Kaczur injured his shoulder.

First instinct: Vollmer, who many felt was a reach as a late second-round draft choice (58^th overall) because scouting guides rated him as a late-rounder or free-agent type, looks like a big hit in the draft.

Storyline not be overlooked: Vollmer’s rapid ascent. One of his strong performances came against the Colts and dangerous end Dwight Freeney.

Future: Light enters the final year of his contract and is scheduled to earn $4.5 million, which management might deem too rich with Vollmer waiting in the wings. Kaczur signed an extension through 2012, while LeVoir was extended through 2011. Vollmer is signed through 2012.

Final thought: Bill Belichick made the point multiple times during the season that he views Light as a left tackle. So when considering the best combination of tackles for 2010, Light possibly flipping to the right side doesn’t seem like it is on the team’s radar. Thus, one of the top questions in this area for the Patriots is whether they view Vollmer as an upgrade at left tackle at this time, or if they want to wait one more year to make that move.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends

Fourth in a series of positional reviews from the Patriots’ 2009 season:

Tight ends: Chris Baker, Benjamin Watson

Stat check: Watson was fifth on the team with 29 receptions, while his five receiving touchdowns were second on the club. Baker, utilized more as a blocker, had 14 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

First instinct: The early optimism about Baker’s arrival – sparked by his two touchdown performance in the preseason against the Eagles – faded rather quickly.

Storyline not be overlooked: In training camp, Bill Belichick said that the competition between tight ends Baker, Watson, David Thomas and Alex Smith was the best he had seen in his 10 years as coach. Yet that competition didn’t seem to translate into big production. Trading a fifth-round draft choice for Smith was a mistake.

Future: Watson is scheduled for free agency and the feeling here is that he will likely sign elsewhere. Baker is signed through 2013, although the structure of the deal makes it likely that the contract will end after the 2010 season.

Final thought: Watson played 66 percent of the offensive snaps, more than any non-quarterback skill-position player other than Randy Moss. Baker was also a constant, playing in 61 percent of the snaps. For the playing time they had, it was puzzling why they weren’t targeted more in the passing game. Look for changes in this area and a recommitment to integrating the tight end into the offense.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers

Third in a series of positional reviews from the Patriots’ 2009 season:

Wide receivers: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Sam Aiken, Brandon Tate, Joey Galloway, Isaiah Stanback, Matthew Slater

Stat check: Welker led the NFL with 123 receptions, which was remarkable considering he missed almost three full games. Moss was tied for 12^th in the NFL with 83 receptions, and had 13 touchdown receptions. Edelman finished tied for third on the team with 37 catches.

First instinct: It was a season-long struggle to establish a third option after Moss and Welker.

Storyline not be overlooked: Signing Joey Galloway to replace Jabar Gaffney. The Patriots were in the mix to keep Gaffney, but the Broncos – under former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels – upped the bidding to a level the team didn’t want to go ($2.5 million per season). Stretching the limits, in retrospect, would have been the correct decision.

Future: Moss enters the final year of his contract, while Welker (2011), Aiken (2011), Tate (2012) and Edelman (2012) have multiple years remaining on their deals.

Final thought: This picture is clouded by the uncertainty of Welker’s recovery from a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, as well as Tate’s recovery. Tate’s specific knee injury is not known (it is assumed to be a ligament tear). Given the unknowns, this figures to be an area the Patriots target in the offseason.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks
Running backs

Second in a series of positional reviews from the Patriots’ 2009 season:

Running backs: Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Stat check: Faulk played more than any running back, with a 38-percent playtime clip. That reflects how the Patriots were in passing sets more than traditional run sets. Maroney, at 30 percent playtime, led the team with 757 yards on 194 carries (3.9 avg.) and nine touchdowns. Morris (319 yards), Taylor (269) and Green-Ellis (114) also chipped in, with Morris and Green-Ellis playing fullback at times.

First instinct: Although the Patriots finished the season ranked 12^th in rushing yards per game (120.1), the running game seemed like a mixed bag on a week to week basis. At times, it felt like it could have been utilized more.

Storyline not be overlooked: Taylor’s early-season injury. That changed the complexion of the group, and when Morris missed four games with a knee injury, it thrust Maroney into the top spot.

Future: Faulk is a free agent, while Maroney, Morris and Taylor enter the last year of their contracts.

Final thought: The big question is whether the Patriots believe Maroney can be a player – both from a production and mental toughness standpoint -- to build the group around. That will be a key part of the thorough process that Bill Belichick referenced the team will go through. If the answer is no, look for the Patriots to target fresh legs in the draft.

POSITIONAL QUICK HITS
Quarterbacks

First in a series of positional reviews from the Patriots’ 2009 season:

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer

Stat check: Brady started all 16 regular-season games and finished 371 of 565 for 4,398 yards, with 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His 65.8 completion percentage was the second highest of his career.

First instinct: Brady seemed to make more mistakes in the decision-making process, in critical situations, than he has in the past. The game-swinging first-quarter interception in New Orleans, the fourth-quarter interception to Randy Moss in Miami, and the late interception in the finale in Houston come to mind. That continued in the playoffs against the Ravens.

Storyline not be overlooked: Brady playing hurt, most notably with his ribs and right ring finger. At one point, he mentioned that he developed some bad habits with his mechanics, perhaps as a result of overcompensating for his injuries.

Future: Brady is signed through 2010 and it would be surprising if he enters next year without an extension. The Patriots also look like they have a keeper in Hoyer, who showed enough in preseason and 60 regular-season snaps to be a leading contender to be the second-stringer again next year.

Final thought: Brady turns 33 in August. He has said he would like to play until he’s 40, and he’s still a top quarterback. One of the Patriots’ offseason priorities should be building around him to better protect him, while giving him more weapons to be successful.