mgteich

With no changes
DL - all signed though 2006
LB - all signed for 2006 (except Chatham); add Claridge
DB - Wilson,Hobbs,Samuel,Sanders back
Gay,Starks,and G. Scott replace Hawkins,Poteat and Stone
2006
DL - Seymour,Wilfork,Warren,Green,Wright,Hill,Klecko
LB - McGinist,Bruschi,Vrabel,Colvin,Brown,Beisel,Clarid ge,Izzo,Banta-Cain
CB - Hobbs,Samuel,Gay,Starks
S - Wilson,Sanders,G. Scott

You may not like Starks, but he is at least as good as Poteat who he replaces. So, I believe that the 2006 defense should be even better than 2006 by just bringing back the injured. I presume that Poole will be cut in February.

We would then add a couple of special teamer db's, perhaps Hawkins and Stone to complete the squad.
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POTENTIAL UPGRADES TO THE ABOVE 23
Who would you upgrade?
I'd just sign Law to replace Stone or G. Scott), a backup NT to replace Klecko. That really isn't much to ask from free agancy and the draft.

BOTTOM LINE
The defense could use a top corner and backup NT. They also could do without, and still improve. The ENTIRE offseason needs to be focused on the offense.

The defense will help out by having McGinist and perhaps Starks restructure. Poole will be gone. The special teams will have Vinitieri extend.
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I SHOULD ADD PRACTICE SQUAD PLAYERS WHO WILL BE BACK
All these have potential to make the bottom few roster spots
LB Alexander
DT Thomas
S Ventrone

PatsWickedPissah

I suggest trading Klecko to the Jets for a 5th. They need hype and distraction to keep fan and media interest in their decline.

dryheat44

I like Hawkins in the backfield more than Guss Scott. If Scott stays, I think it will be in a ST role, competing with TBC and Stone. I prefer TBC. I think he's supplanted Izzo as our top cover guy. I agree we should bring in a good FA cornerback, but I don't want to see Law back here. Ever. Not personal, I just don't see much in terms of skills. My top guy is Clements, but he'll likely be too expensive. I'll leave it to Bill to find a veteran that can excel in our system. If we can't upgrade Klecko, we're just not trying. I think Wright will be ahead of him in the DT rotation, and I'd like to think we can improve over Wright.

In Sum:
DL Warren, Wilfork, Seymour, Green, Hill, Wright
LB Bruschi, Vrabel, McGinest, Colvin, Beisel, TBC, Claridge, FA, Draftee
DB Samuel, Wilson, Gay, Starks, Hawkins, Hobbs, Sanders, G Scott, FA, FA

We may have to replace guys like Chatham, Izzo, and Davis on STs, but they may not necessarily be defensive players.

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When it's third and 10, you can have the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time. -- R.I.P. Max McGee

BelichickFan

Needs on defense :

ILB because Bruschi will be 33 next year.
S because Harrison is questionable, as are his replacements.
CB if we can get a (close to) #1 guy because we don't have one right now.

Needs on defense :

WR if Givens doesn't re-sign.
G is Neal doesn't re-sign.
RB because Dillon isn't getting any younger.
TE depending on if they can extend Graham whose contract expires after next year.

mgcolby

That would be the steal of the century. Hell we could draft a ball boy and it would be a better use of that roster spot.

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mgcolby

We need to draft a mean hard hitting safety. I would say a first day linebacker but BB likes to sign vets at LB.

Free agency needs.

1. Safety - Unless they think Sanders will be the longterm solution
2. Corner - agree we need a #1 corner opposite of Hobbs
3. ILB - Biesel may get better after a year in the system

Offense

Re-sign our players first if possible

The offense is very good, a big time wide reciever would be nice. The O-line will be very good

Kaczur, Mankins, Koppen, Neal(if resigned), Light

A RB would be nice to pick up late in the Draft but we need to focus the draft on D this year.

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mgteich

I like Hawkins also. I would like us to sign him to a 3 year contract. He is valuable in many roles, and can start at safety. Guss Scott is cheap and will be back to fill a spot at the end of the roster.

TBC is an enigma. He has never made it as an OLB. And no, I don't think he he has supplanted Izzo. TBC has been healthy and inactive lately, but not Izzo.

I don't expect to dump Chad Brown to depend on a newbie. Brwon is an acceptable backup OLB.

If Wright is OK as a backup NT (for bb to decide), then I would expect a draftee to compete with Hill for reps.

Armen Da Pats Fan

STARKS!?!?!?!

Heat, tell me that was typo!

Where's Rodney?

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dryheat44

1. If I recall correctly, it would cost about as much to cut Starks as to keep him, so as poorly as he's played, he can stay as a nickel/dime back.

2. I think it is overly optimistic to think that Rodney will be on the opening day roster.

__________________
When it's third and 10, you can have the milk drinkers and I'll take the whiskey drinkers every time. -- R.I.P. Max McGee

Arizona Patsfan

I like the discussions and I agree the 2006 team will be better. But even better than y'all are saying. How about adding 4 first day picks to your smogasboard?

Outside of a CB, or a S, or a ILB... How about ALL of them and more important an OLB/DE.

IMHO, the prime pick will be used on an OLB/DE/Elephant to groom to play in 2007/8. Think of a Ware, Merriman, type of player. Willie IS that type of player, and replacing him as we will have to do in a year or three is the TOUGHEST guy to get.

I could see BB/SP trading down to the mid teens to get such a guy. Manny Lawson or Carpenter or better yet both!

The place on the team where you can add quality is at Izzo/Davis/Chatham position. Davis is a locker room leader but he's 33. Chatham is in his prime but is a backup. Izzo is a tough ST but Stone and others are eclipsing him at age 32. He doesn't even lead the Pats in ST tackles any more.

Here are two positions to occupy with future satarters being groomed, while they sit & learn and play ST. Don't discount Mike Stone; he is on the way to being our next generation Izzo. In less than 8 games he is closing in on the number of ST tackles of team leading STers at those positions who have been there al yeas. And he can even play a littler regular Defense too, to boot.

I'd be intersted in a RB, but this year's draft crop stinks. Outside of Bush, the rest would be third rounders or below in an ordinary year.