borg

So the Patriots are going to sign Taylor because he and Brady share man love? BB will sign Taylor because football is not the most important thing in his life? The Patriots will fork over millions, likely what Vrabel was being paid, for a NEW player who doesn't know the system and doesn't want to take part in offseason training? Taylor is the answer despite an incredibly disappointing 2008 in which his stats were cut in half? 13 games, 21 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 ff.
Here's a quote from Hogs Haven that may inject both optimism for Pats fans and skepticism for GMs courting this guy.

"The honeymoon with the new Washington dancing star, however, was pretty short lived. First, there was the freak injury. Second was the inability for Jason to adjust to Blache’s defensive style of defending the run first. Third was #55’s struggle to play on the other end of the defensive line from his natural side. The final straw provoking the pink slip was JT’s refusal to work out with the rest of the team in the off-season workouts."

The glass half full crowd will argue that injury and misuse, on a team he had no desire to play for, were too blame for his poor statistical season. BB will put a healthy Taylor in a position to succeed on a team that has a singular purpose.
The half empty crowd will respond that age has caught up with him, he is a one trick pony, and lacks the fire to compete on the highest level.
I'm betting that BB believes in Taylor as he did in Randy Moss, but Taylor has to show commitment to the team in the offseason. The Pats have signed several seasoned vets that will be getting their work in, and Taylor should be no different. The biggest red flag I see is that he struggled in a new environment after leaving his comfort zone in Miami.

tanked_as_usual

incentive-laden deal always helps motivate

xmarkd400x

At this point, Taylor is what he is. I'd imagine the fans do also. You're getting an aging OLB/DE who is pretty damn good at rushing the passer.

Brady-To-Branch

Maybe the Pats have their sights set on a pass rusher in the upcoming draft? If that's true, then if the team were to sign Jason, it would occur after the draft.

There are other issues as well. Does Jason still have the passion for the game? Parcells was none to pleased that he appeared in Dancing With the Stars. How is Jason coping with his divorce? He wouldn't want to leave Miami in the offseason. In addition to his age, is the motivation still there?

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Sicilian

If he's signed for the same amount of money we would be paying Vrabel, it doesn't make any sense to me honestly:

Vrabel = Knows the system, leader within the system, 3 down LB, unquestioned committment to football.

Taylor = Doesn't know the system, doesn't know the team, likely a third down LB given injury and adjustment to system, may not have his heart totally in it.

Both similar in age, I just don't see them trading Vrabel to replace him with Taylor.

Deus Irae

1.) I try not to hold injuries against a guy, as long as the situations aren't ridiculous and the recovery is complete, or nearly so.

2.) Jason Taylor is small for a defensive end. Struggles in a defense defending the run first when he's injured and can't take advantage of his positive skills is something that should be expected.

3.) When you sign a guy like Taylor who excels doing certain things and has done them in similar fashion throughout his career, and you take him away from his comfort zone, expecting a seamless transition is idiotic.

4.) The league really needs to rein in this "off-season workouts" crap. The whole point of the word voluntary has been subverted. I really hope that the next CBA takes a stand on this.

New England went some of the same things with Colvin, but the team found a way to utilize him for years after his injury. That's why teams like the Patriots keep legitimately competing for Lombardis, and teams like the Redskins don't.

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JSn

I agree, it would have to be affordable, but I think you'd be seeing downs #1 and #2 generally being manned by Woods/Crabs/Redd or a MAYBE a draftee anyway. So if you're looking for a pure pass-rusher, even at similar cost to Vrabes, I think Taylor is likely going to be more effective than Mike would have been, in that role. And keep in mind, we don't know that Peppers could even project at three downs in his first year, so that would be the plan in almost any scenario, I would think.

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Spiral

If I'm mistaken about this, please feel free to correct me, but IIRC, when Taylor was playing against the Patriots, he would routinely switch sides in order to make it harder for the Patriots to block him.

crowell33

Don't need Taylor. This is next years starting OLB:

Vince Redd, OLB -- Liberty

Redd, who began his college career at Virginia before transferring to Liberty, turned in a workout for the ages. He measured 6-6, weighed in at 263 and then turned in forty times that ranged in the mid-4.5 area, with some stopwatches reading 4.48. He also posted a 39-inch vertical jump and 9-foot-10 broad jump.

( Quote from SportIllustrated.com )

spacecrime

I like Redd, also