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Ian's Daily Blog - Western Massachuestts television station WWLP added a good report to YouTube a couple of days ago. Ryan Walsh spotlights Springfield native and New England Patriots Defensive Lineman Ron Brace. You can watch the video below:
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Saw Brace in person today at camp. Both he and Wilfie walked over after the PM session to sign autographs. He's taller than Wilfork and is one big dude. He and SeaBass may force the Pats to upgrade the thrust capacity of their away game jet planes.
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Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH
The 6-foot-3, 330-pounder has impressed early on as Vince Wilfork's understudy, an observation backed up by the fact that coach Bill Belichick has tried him at end to find him playing time.
With Richard Seymour (hamstring) and Ty Warren (groin) out with injuries, there is room for experimentation at defensive end. According to Belichick, Brace has the skills to adapt to the position.
“When you look at Ron, he’s got that frame,” Belichick said. “He’s got good height and a good long frame to play end. Ron has that combination of size and power and length. When you’re playing against those offensive tackles - guys that are 6-6, with 35-inch arms - it’s hard for a 6-1 player to play against that length. You generally have taller players playing out there.”
Brace was considered a run-stuffer extraordinaire in predraft analyses, but someone with raw pass-rushing skills. When the Patriots drafted him, most folks thought it was to provide stout backup for Wilfork at nose tackle.
But Brace has seen his duties expand in recent days as the Patriots have lined up the 6-foot-3, 330-pounder outside as well as inside.
Yesterday, Brace found himself at left defensive end with Mike Wright, Wilfork and Jarvis Green filling out a four-man front during some red-zone work. On the next play, Brace slid inside to the nose as the Patriots shifted to their base 3-4 defense.
“Everybody has to play a role, and some people have multiple roles, so you just have to be ready,” he said.
As one might suspect, Brace initially was shocked when informed he’d be getting reps at end. It was, after all, a position he’d never played before.
“It’s really been a big adjustment, and it really goes back to studying the playbook, even more because instead of learning nose, I have to learn the end position, too,” Brace said. “So every day, I just try to work hard. I know I’m not going to be perfect at it. I just come out and try to work on it.”
Brace is built like a younger (slimmer, still geting fater )Ted Washington. A specimen.
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Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH
Personally I'm more than just a little bit skeptical to his being able to contribute at DE, but I guess I'll have to take a wait-and-see approach.
Think of Ty Warren when he started out:
- as a rookie Ty started 4 games with 33 TT, 1 sack, and 2 PD.
- he progresses each year reaching 84 TT, 7.5 sacks, 4 PD, and a Safety in his fourth season.
Who knows where Brace will be athletically after three full offseason conditioning programs? The thing to be excited about is Warren and Wilfork are considered top run stuffers. Warren plays on the "strongside" (think back to BB's discussion of Vollmer's physical attributes this week, reflecting on how RTs tend to be massive roadgraders) with Wilfork on the nose, now you've got a third "run stuffer" ready to step in for either Wilfork or Warren and command a double-team in the run game.
I thought Wright actually struggled more at DE last season filling in for Warren than he did subbing for Vince. Wright's strongest performances came on passing downs collapsing the pocket, LeKevin Smith looked better at LDE than Wright did last year, but LeKevin has never shown any strength at NT the way Wright does. Adding Brace just makes the entire D-line stronger and more flexible and I can easily see a Brace, Wilfork, Seymour 3-man front making it tough to run should Warren need a breather.
All this assuming Brace continues to develop his two-gap technique.
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I think Brace working steadily at DE is one of the most interesting developments of camp. I'm surprised that we haven't discussed it more, given how much talk there was here about his position back in April.
Here's one thread where most of us (me included) felt certain he was a pure NT:
VIDEO: Good Report On DL Ron Brace
Re: VIDEO: Good Report On DL Ron Brace
)Ted Washington. A specimen.
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