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How many snaps can a player play before his level of fatigue or wear-and-tear reduces him to a level below that of his next backup?

There has to be a line.

For New England's defensive ends Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich, that line was more than blurry. It was just about non-existent. Clearly New England's two best and most versatile defensive linemen in 2013, they rarely came off the field....

If Jones or Ninkovich were removed from the field, New England's next two true defensive ends on the depth chart were rookie seventh-rounder Michael Buchanan and Jake Bequette.

This offseason, the Patriots addressed that particular spot with the addition of veteran defensive end Will Smith. They also drafted first-rounder Dominique Easley -- who could have the versatility to play all over the line -- and Zach Moore in the sixth round.

But it's Smith who has the track record that suggests he could be a dependable fill-in for Jones and Ninkovich if and when the need arises.

The 32-year-old is going into his 11th season coming off of a season-ending ACL injury that essentially ended his career with the Saints, who drafted him out of Ohio State in 2004. He was cut in February and signed with the Patriots for the veteran minimum last month.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Now that summer has arrived, the countdown to kickoff for the upcoming NFL season has officially begun. The Patriots will report to training camp a month from today and will kick off the 2014 preseason at Washington against the Redskins on Thursday, Aug. 7, just 45 days from now. This year marks the 55th annual training camp for the Patriots, including their 12th consecutive camp at Gillette Stadium. Veterans will report to camp on Wednesday, July 23. The following day, the Patriots are scheduled for their first training camp practice on Thursday, July 24 at 9:15 a.m. on the fields located behind Gillette Stadium. The Patriots’ 2014 Training Camp is presented by Optum. The daily practice sessions are free and open to the public. The Patriots will practice once daily and have confirmed that they will be conducting practices beginning at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 24 through Sunday, July 27. As dates and times for training camp are confirmed, they will be updated on the Patriots website, http://www.patriots.com/trainingcamp.

"He's been here," coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday at Gillette Stadium. "He would be ineligible to (appear on PUP list) because he's been cleared to play."

Geoffrey P wrote:God I hope they're not rushing him back to play against the freaking Vikings, Raiders, etc.. I don't care if he takes half of the season off, I just want him to be healthy for the post season.

Following practice on Sunday, we heard from Julian Edelman, James Develin and Stevan Ridley on getting back into football shape and gearing up for 2014.

The intense competition among the running backs will continue for the next six weeks in preparation for the regular-season opener in Miami, and Ridley has been a prime example of the euphoric highs and soul-searching lows that ball carriers will experience.

If he fulfills his obligations, he’ll earn the reps that turned him into the league’s seventh-leading rusher in 2012. If not, he knows he may be reacquainted with the feeling of a cold metal bench in wintertime.

One way or another, Ridley knows he controls his fate as he preps for the final season of his rookie deal. To date, there have been no contract discussions between the two sides, but Ridley knows his most important bargaining chip lies between the white lines.

The New England Patriots released their first unofficial depth chart over the weekend, and quite frankly, it’s a bunch of bunk.

In typical Patriots fashion, the team listed all of their rookies last on the depth chart, despite mounting evidence from practice that certain first-year pros could have big roles on the 2014 team.

Because the Patriots’ depth chart can’t be trusted, NESN.com has filled out a more accurate version based on what we’ve seen at training camp practices. Check out where each player ranks as the Patriots are preparing to play their first preseason game on Thursday against the Washington Redskins.

Celtics_Champs wrote:Browner and Revis look great apparently.

Such a nice thing to read.