"Depth" is a buzzword at Gillette Stadium, a core part of the team-building process employed by coach Bill Belichick and vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli.
"It's understanding what this league is and that there are things you can't control, things that happen to players, and knowing that the roster is ever-changing," said the 41-year-old Pioli. "As things evolve, you have to be prepared to fill in with players who fit the system and help win football games."
The 2006 season has challenged the Patriots in that regard. They have made 45 transactions affecting the roster and practice squad since the season began. While some of those moves were re-signings of players such as offensive lineman Gene Mruczkowski and cornerback Antwain Spann, the number of transactions easily marks the Patriots' highest total since Belichick and Pioli were hired in 2000. The previous high was 39, in that 2000 season. This year's 45 transactions have involved 28 players.
The Patriots, who have placed 13 players on season-ending injured reserve since the start of training camp, aren't the only team to have played roster roulette this season. The Texans, Bengals, Jaguars, and Packers also have been among the league's most banged-up teams. On the flip side, the Cowboys, Cardinals, Ravens, 49ers, and Jets are among the teams that have had the fewest players from their opening-day 53-man rosters miss games.
Preparing for the unpredictability of injuries is part of the game, and it all comes back to depth, which Belichick defined as "when you need to send a player on the field and he can compete against another good football player."
The game in Jacksonville provided two clear-cut examples of the depth the Patriots have built.
With nose tackle Vince Wilfork out with an ankle injury, second-year player Mike Wright stepped in, and the run defense -- minus one 74-yard run by Maurice Jones-Drew in which defenders didn't touch him down when he first fell -- held its ground. And with tight end Benjamin Watson out with a knee injury, rookie David Thomas emerged with a career-high five catches, including a diving 22-yard touchdown.
