Revisiting the 'Bubble Watch'

September, 1, 2012
9/01/12
6:00
AM ET
By Mike Rodak | ESPNBoston.com
Back in June and July, this space played host to the "Bubble Watch" series, where players on the roster were divided into three categories: locks/near-locks, on the bubble, and long shots.

More than a month later, with the Patriots having trimmed their roster to 52 players Friday evening, here is a recap of how the "Bubble Watch" shook out. Players underlined are those who made the 53-man roster:
Locks or Near-Locks (41)
QB Tom Brady QB Brian Hoyer QB Ryan Mallett
RB Stevan Ridley RB Danny Woodhead RB Shane Vereen
WR Wes Welker WR Brandon Lloyd WR Jabar Gaffney
WR Matthew Slater
TE Rob Gronkowski TE Aaron Hernandez TE Daniel Fells
T Nate Solder T Sebastian Vollmer T Marcus Cannon
G Logan Mankins G Brian Waters^ C/G Dan Connolly
C Dan Koppen G/C Ryan Wendell
DL Vince Wilfork DL Jonathan Fanene& DL Kyle Love
DL Brandon Deaderick DE Chandler Jones DE Jake Bequette
DE/LB Rob Ninkovich LB Jerod Mayo LB Brandon Spikes
LB Dont'a Hightower LB Dane Fletcher*
CB Devin McCourty CB Kyle Arrington CB Ras-I Dowling
S Patrick Chung S Steve Gregory S Tavon Wilson
K Stephen Gostkowski P Zoltan Mesko LS Danny Aiken
On the Bubble (34)
RB Joseph Addai (80%)% WR Julian Edelman (80%) CB Sterling Moore (80%)
LB Bobby Carpenter (75%) G/T Robert Gallery (75%)# DL Myron Pryor (75%)**
DE Trevor Scott (75%) FB Spencer Larsen (70%)* LB Tracy White (70%)
WR Deion Branch (65%) S Nate Ebner (65%) S James Ihedigbo (65%)
LB Jeff Tarpinian (65%) C/G Nick McDonald (55%) DL Gerard Warren (55%)
DL Ron Brace (50%) CB Marquice Cole (50%) WR Donte' Stallworth (50%)
S/CB Will Allen (45%)* S Josh Barrett (45%)* CB Alfonzo Dennard (45%)
LB Niko Koutouvides (45%) S Sergio Brown (35%) DE Jermaine Cunningham (35%)
G Donald Thomas (30%) FB Tony Fiammetta (25%)$ CB Malcolm Williams (25%)
DL Marcus Forston (20%) T Matt Kopa (20%) S Ross Ventrone (20%)*
WR Jeremy Ebert (15%) DE Justin Francis (15%) TE/DL Alex Silvestro (15%)
WR Britt Davis (10%)
Longshots (13)
RB Brandon Bolden FB Eric Kettani WR Jesse Holley
TE Jake Ballard** TE Tyler Urban T Kyle Hix*
T Markus Zusevics*** G/C Jamey Richard* G/C Jeremiah Warren
DL Marcus Harrison LB Aaron Lavarias LB Mike Rivera
K Chris Koepplin
Signed after Bubble Watch (1)
TE Visanthe Shiancoe
Key
* injured reserve
** physically unable to perform
*** non-football injury
^ did not report
$ left squad
& contract terminated (failure to disclose physical condition)
% contract terminated (failed physical)
# retired

Mike Rodak

Patriots reporter, ESPNBoston.com
Mike Rodak began covering the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com in July 2010.

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Reiss
Mike Reiss

Mike Reiss first started covering the Patriots in 1997 with the team's official newspaper, Patriots Football Weekly, before moving on to the MetroWest Daily News in his hometown of Framingham. From 2005 to 2009, he covered the Patriots for The Boston Globe, while also writing on the NFL. He started his popular Patriots blog in 2004. Send any questions or comments for Mike to his mailbag. Follow him on Twitter (@MikeReiss).

Rodak
Mike Rodak

Mike Rodak began covering the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com in July 2010. A native of Grafton, Mass., Mike attended Providence College. Follow him on Twitter (@mikerodak)

Yates
Field Yates

Field Yates begins his contributions to ESPNBoston.com in 2012 after having written for a number of football-related sites around the web. Field began his professional career after college with the Kansas City Chiefs, working in both the scouting and coaching departments of the franchise before redirecting his focus to a career in media. He also interned for four summers in the coaching and scouting departments with the Patriots. Follow him on Twitter (@FieldYates).

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