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Since we can't resign all of our stars, and considering that he hasn't always shown gr8 judgment in his personal life, it has occurred to me that, no matter how good of a player he is, Spikes may not be the type of player the Pats want to make a large longterm financial investment in, and he may be a trade candidate. Hightower can play his role in the middle and the Pats can hopefully get an OLB with more flexible skills.
I would think Spikes would bring good value in a trade.
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Maybe BB's long term plan is for Hightower to eventually become a DE.....the dude is big already and as he matures, I suspect he will add more weight. What has surprised me most about the rebuild of our LB corp is 1) the premium assets spent (#1, #2, #1) and 2) their coverage deficiencies. All that capital spent yet their is a sizable hole in their game. I'm on record as being confused by the Hightower pick at the time. If not the Willie McGinest role eventually, then I don't get having a LB of his size out there.
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"In the end, Belichick juiced Moss like an orange, and once all the good pulp was squeezed, he tossed Moss aside. "
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McCourty is average in coverage. He is getting there in terms of timing and anticipating. I have seen improvements in him in terms of proper technique and better recognition of when the corner is beat and the job becomes his.
Gregory is NOT anywhere near above-average or average. He is not an NFL caliber safety. He is only there because he manages to avoid making bad mistakes and that is all you will get out of him. He will not be returning this fall.
He was disappointing, but maybe we shouldn't be. These past few years, teams tend to keep their safeties, that is a position that is in high demand, so finding a very good one in Free Agency is almost impossible.
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Maybe BB's long term plan is for Hightower to eventually become a DE.....the dude is big already and as he matures, I suspect he will add more weight. What has surprised me most about the rebuild of our LB corp is 1) the premium assets spent (#1, #2, #1) and 2) their coverage deficiencies. All that capital spent yet their is a sizable hole in their game. I'm on record as being confused by the Hightower pick at the time. If not the Willie McGinest role eventually, then I don't get having a LB of his size out there.
Honestly, I think it's just that finding a LB that can do everything well is extremely rare. I mean, our entire offensive philosophy is to take advantage of LB coverage mismatches, because if you're big enough to play linebacker you're probably not quick enough to keep up with the more athletic TEs/RBs, and if you're small enough to keep up, you're probably a safety.
Not that this means anything but while I love Spikes' playmaking he is absolutely stupid on twitter.
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The Patriots have been overachievers the past two years. It doesn't have the talent to compensate for injuries, and it wins so much because it puts in 99% effort in the regular season and plays with terrific schemes to mask its deficiencies.
But in the playoffs a good team at 99% will not beat emotional, talented teams that play at 100%. It's what happened against the Giants in 2011 and the Ravens in 2012.
draft nico johnson of alabama in round 2 or 3........245lbs with sub 4.6 speed......spikes ain't long for his spot anyway.......
I'd say fletcher, but it would be a miracle fo him to make it to october without going on IR
__________________ “ I think good coaches will coach with the personnel they have, and if you only have one (good) linebacker, you’re not going to play a 3–4. ”
—Hank Bullough, who installed one of the first 3–4 defenses with the New England Patriots.
Honestly, I think it's just that finding a LB that can do everything well is extremely rare. I mean, our entire offensive philosophy is to take advantage of LB coverage mismatches, because if you're big enough to play linebacker you're probably not quick enough to keep up with the more athletic TEs/RBs, and if you're small enough to keep up, you're probably a safety.
No doubt...and if a team finds an athletic enough LB, the likelihood is that the team sends that player after the QB.
The troubling thing watching this LB corp in action is how a RB or TE can release with zero LB coverage. Its a complex issue and hopefully experience solves some of the lapses, if that's what they are.
Which brings up an interesting scenario. The Pats deploy a 2 TE/2 RB package......say Ridley and Vereen. Play action Ridley up the middle, send Vereen into the flat, with AHern and Gronk working some high low magic. You would think LBs eyes would be spinning with a number of mismatches being created. I watch SF dazzle defenses with their bags full of formations, yet NE treats 3rd down as a 90% shot gun/0% play action same old same old.
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I love Dane Fletcher I really hope he can come back and be that Nickle linebacker. Another year of Hightower Spikes Mayo together I think our linebackers are going to be our strength.
Gregory is NOT anywhere near above-average or average. He is not an NFL caliber safety. He is only there because he manages to avoid making bad mistakes and that is all you will get out of him. He will not be returning this fall.
I don't agree with this. Gregory clearly isn't who you want out there as a starter, but he's about on par with most of the 3rd or 4th safeties I can think of off the top of my head.
I'm kind of shocked this many people are so flip about getting rid of Spikes. Particularly after another playoff game where the Patriots were manhandled physically, the logical conclusion is to ship out your most physically violent front seven player.
Then again, lots of people don't seem to mind Welker getting run out of here on a rail, so I guess there's something to say about judgments being made around these parts.
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Re: The Problem I See with the Pats Linebackers
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