maverick4

Doesn't it make sense to start shifting money to star players on defense who play the most snaps for you? I understand the scarcity of big talented D-linemen, but with our offense, how much do we really need to stop the run as opposed to pass rush or play pass D?

Take a look at these defensive snaps, per Reiss:
New England Patriots Blog - Guyton plays all 70 snaps - ESPN Boston

Reiss also had another post where he showed this year we play mostly 4-3, when we aren't in various passing sub-packages. Our D-linemen constantly rotated and played less than half the total snaps. This is maybe also a reason why he traded Seymour away, we didn't need his elite services anymore compared to the value we got back.


Given how much we use our safeties, cornerbacks, and certain LB's during the entire game, doesn't it make sense that we should start shifting our dollars, moving forward, towards stars in those positions?

Marqui

Theres nothing worse than not being able to stop the run.

farn

Haha ! I can over to this thread ASAP because I thought it said : Does it make sense for BB to shift MARONEY to LB... it was going to be the most epic thread of all-time ! I won't lie, I was a bit dissappointed when I got here.

...on the topic, I guess I'd say the cheap (relatively speaking, not real-life speaking), young players are getting the job done ! Keeping them - down the road - might cost money... but who knows what the CBA will bring ?

patchick

I'd say Leigh Bodden seems to be setting himself up to become a one-man shifting of money to the secondary.

livinginthe past

Weird.

I saw the exact same thing.

HEY BRO! WHAT UP?

I thought the same thing about Maroney.

Maverick4, you make a good point about the shifting of the money. I've thought for quite some time that the Pats needed to shift the money away from the D-line lineman and more towards the LB's and secondary. It's great to have stud D-lineman but teams like the Broncos and the 49ers are proving you don't have to have 1st round draft picks on your line to be effective. If the Pats continue to run a 4-3, then I would see them use their money more towards DE's and CB's. If they want to switch back to a 3-4, I can see it being used more towards the LB's and CB's.

jmt57

In the last two years the Pats have drafted one linebacker in the first and two in the third. They also already have a good amount of money invested at linebacker in Adalius Thomas. In addition they gave up a third round pick in order to add Derrick Burgess.

At safety the Pats have drafted one player in the first round and another in the second round in the last three years, plus they added Brandon McGowan this year. And at corner the Pats have used two second round picks and a fourth in the last three years, as well as adding Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs.

Meanwhile Ron Brace was only the second defensive lineman taken in the first five rounds of any draft since 2004. I would say the shift in emphasis has already taken place. As for Guyton taking more snaps than the linemen, I would say that's more out of necessity than anything else due to the situations with Mayo, McKenzie and Crable.

maverick4

I'd agree with this. It appears that early on as he built the team, BB looked for high picks on big D-line players, and as the team has evolved, he has focused on rebuilding the LB and secondary corps.

capetide

Geez, I made the same mistake. (And Maroney does spend alot of time filling holes instead of getting through them ).

sieglo

Maroney would make a fantastic linebacker. First of all, when Maroney is in the game the running back never makes it through a hole and never gains more than three yards. He is also great in space. Only problem is that he's made of glass.