mayoclinic

The Pats have 3 very good linebackers in Mayo, Hightower and Spikes, and should get Fletcher back, which will make them better. Hightower should improve. Armstead may also allow them to use Rob Ninkovich at both DE and OLB. So they will be fairly strong in the LB department. They could use one guy with a bit more speed and coverage ability, but otherwise they are very good in that area.

If the Pats re-sign Talib they will have 3 very good starting DBs in Talib, Dennard and McCourty. Dennard should improve. Dowling will be back and will hopefully provide depth. Wilson should improve. If we can re-sign Arringotn, he's good in the slot. Assuming we re-sign the key guys we're one good, physical safety and possible one big outside CB (depending on whether or not Dowling develops and can stay healthy as a #3 CB) from having a very solid secondary.

If Armstead develops, the Pats will have 3 impact linemen in Wilfork, Jones and Armstead. Ninkovich is a situational playmaker. Francis, Cunningham, Love, Deaderick and Pryor/Forston are quality depth and role players. Bequette is a question mark. We would still be one quality DT away from a dominant DL.

But the defense is slowly moving towards having tremendous depth and impact players at all 3 levels.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

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mayoclinic

Personally, I'm not negative about Ninkovich at all, and I think he'll continue to get a lot of snaps and make a lot of plays. And in 3rd down and sub situations I think that the line you propose makes a lot of sense.

But I also think that Armstead is an edge player in a base defense, not a tackle, and that he provides much more than Ninkovich in terms of his ability to set the edge, clog the passing lanes, and generate outside pressure at the same time. That line would look like:

Armstead - Wilfork - X - Jones

Right now X is Kyle Love, who is very solid, but not an impact playmaker. Upgrade Love to an impact playmaker, and the DL suddenly becomes really nasty.

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"OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid

"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi

ausbacker

I'm a fan of Ninkovich but there's a need for an end who can stuff the run. I see him as more of a situational pass rusher than a 3 down player. That's not to say Ninkovich hasn't become a good player, because he has.

robertweathers

For comparison's sake, Cameron Wake got a 4yr deal, $1m bonus and potential to $4.9m. His last year before the extension was to make $615k. Keep in mind he also went undrafted but also tore it up in the CFL over 2 years.

My point is that he established his value over a 2 year period while Armstead has only played one in the CFL. Plus hes an edge pass rusher- which are a premium.

Maybe he deserved a little more but after missing a year of college, going undrafted, having health concerns, sitting out a year, playing a year in AAA he didn't do that badly.

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ctpatsfan77

If I understand it correctly, the CBA basically says that undrafted rookie free agents must be signed to three-year deals, and that really the only leverage teams have at this point is the ability to offer small signing bonuses, and/or guarantee salaries.

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Sciz

Unless he plays to the point where a team would give up a first round pick for him, the Pats have him for a 4th year as well, thanks to restricted free agency.

(If he lasts that long, of course)

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Off The Grid

"AAA"!! Nicely put!!

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Love HURTS!!

robertweathers

Yea I look at the SEC as AA. If you are really good, you make the jump and pass AAA altogether. If you get hurt or need a little more seasoning, you go to AAA.

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“I'm not really concerned about the other 31 teams,” - Bill Belichick

"If a player has talent and doesn't succeed, that means that they either don't want to be successful or I have failed as a coach." - Bill Belichick

1%er

The Patriots run a 3-4 under/over.

Jack LB - Ninkovich
LDE - Armstead
NT - Wilfork
RDE - Jones

It might look like 4-3 front but its not. The principles are a 2 gap 3-4.

1%er

People negative about Nink don't understand his actual position. Nink was not are LE he was are Jack LB. And he had a great year doing so.