Patriots "All-Dynasty" Team Far From Perfect

The Patriots released their "All-Dyansty" Team last week, as the team's Hall of Fame celebrates the unprecedented run of success over the first two decades of the 21st Century.

The 42-man roster is a celebration of a 20-year campaign of dominance.  From 2000-2019, the Patriots had 19 winning seasons, won 17 AFC East Championships, appeared in 13 AFC Championship Games, won 9 AFC Championships, and captured a record 6 Super Bowl Championships.

Here is the team:

Head Coach: Bill Belichick

Quarterback: Tom Brady

Running Back: Kevin Faulk, Corey Dillon, James White

Fullback: James Develin

Wide Receiver: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Troy Brown

Tight End: Rob Gronkowski, Daniel Graham

Tackle: Matt Light, Sebastian Vollmer, Nate Solder

Guard: Logan Mankins, Joe Andruzzi, Joe Thuney

Center: Dan Koppen

Defensive Line: Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork

Outside Linebacker: Willie McGinest, Mike Vrabel, Rob Ninkovich

Middle Linebacker: Tedy Bruschi, Roman Phifer, Dont'a Hightower

Cornerback: Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Stephon Gillmore

Safety: Rodney Harrison, Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty

Kicker: Adam Vinatieri

Punter: Ryan Allen

Kickoff Returner: Bethel Johnson, Ellis Hobbs

Punt Returner: Julian Edelman

Special Teams: Matthew Slater, Larry Izzo

Long Snapper: Lonie Paxton, Joe Cardona

I am immediately increasing the size of the roster to 53.  I am not counting Edelman twice, nor am I convinced he'd be my pick to return punts with Troy Brown on the roster.

I am not carrying two kick returners.  Bethel Johnson and Ellis Hobbs also do not make my roster.  Brown and Edelman can return the kicks.

I hate to do it to them, but I'm also not keeping two long snappers.  I just flipped a coin and Paxton makes the final cut.  I'd love to put Stephen Gostkowski out there as an extra kicker but that is not good roster management.  Instead, Nate Ebner is added as a third Special Teams specialist.

I'm also adding Antowain Smith as an additional running back, but that spot could have gone to LeGarrette Blount.

Two additional cornerbacks and fourth safety both are necessary.  Darrelle Revis, Malcolm Butler, and Lawyer Milloy make my team.

Deion Branch (MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX) and Danny Amendola (another kick/punt returner as well) are added at wide receiver.  Shaq Mason is added at Guard, David Andrews at Center, and Christian Fauria at Tight End. 

Jerod Mayo is added at Middle Linebacker, Kyle Van Noy at Outside Linebacker, and both Bobby Hamilton and Ted Washington are added along the Defensive Line.

An additional quarterback wouldn't hurt either.  Drew Bledsoe, who played a pivotal role in the 2001 AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh when Brady got hurt (and also did not divide the locker room in '01 when Belichick went with Brady after Drew came back from his life threatening injury) is added to the roster.

I also want to have some coaches to help Belichick.  Josh McDaniels beats out Charlie Weis for offensive coordinator and Romeo Crennel beats out Matt Patricia for defensive coordinator.

So, here's the 53-man roster for Belichick, McDaniels, and Crennel:

Quarterback (2): Tom Brady, Drew Bledsoe

Running Back (4): Kevin Faulk, Corey Dillon, James White, Antowain Smith

Fullback (1): James Develin

Wide Receiver (6): Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Troy Brown, Deion Branch, Danny Amendola 

Tight End (3): Rob Gronkowski, Daniel Graham, Christian Fauria

Tackle (3): Matt Light, Sebastian Vollmer, Nate Solder

Guard (4): Logan Mankins, Joe Andruzzi, Joe Thuney, Shaq Mason

Center (2): Dan Koppen, David Andrews

Defensive Line (5): Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Bobby Hamilton, Ted Washington

Outside Linebacker (4): Willie McGinest, Mike Vrabel, Rob Ninkovich, Kyle Van Noy

Middle Linebacker (4): Tedy Bruschi, Roman Phifer, Dont'a Hightower, Jerod Mayo

Cornerback (5): Ty Law, Asante Samuel, Stephon Gillmore, Darrelle Revis, Malcolm Butler

Safety (4): Rodney Harrison, Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, Lawyer Milloy

Kicker (1): Adam Vinatieri

Punter (1): Ryan Allen

Long Snapper (1): Lonie Paxton

Special Teams (3): Matthew Slater, Larry Izzo, Nate Ebner

Even expanding the roster, there are some tough omissions.  But looking back on the Dynasty forged by Kraft, Belichick, and Brady provides the opportunity to reflect on their emphasis on unselfish players who won too many big games to keep track of and a commitment to excellence that has never been seen before (or will be seen again) in the National Football League.  The six Lombardi Trophies and Championship Banners proudly displayed in Foxboro are by and large a product of the men listed above.