DaBruinz

This is just pure fallacy on your part. It shows a complete lack of understanding of the bigger picture and what it means to bring players along.

Wilfork isn't going to get Albert Haynesworth money and your kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

Brace's productivity has no bearing on Wilfork's contract status. None. The Pats switching to the 4-3 as their primary base saw to that...

People seem to forget that it takes 3 years for a player to fully develop. People like yourself need instant gratification from picks or you consider them busts, but all it does is show your lack of understanding.

ForThoseAboutToRock

Brace's career thus far is reminiscent of Marquise Hill, though I don't recall whether he was a healthy scratch or merely didn't see the field.


I'd guess that Brace's healthy scratches have to do with the need for players to fill ST's slots. Pat Chung has seen the field primarily because he was a ST'er until recently. Perhaps Brace's turn to step up will soon arrive and this topic will go to rest.

Box_O_Rocks

That's taking the negative potential of the situation a bit too firmly to heart for me. Prior to Training Camp, if one had to assess areas Brace could most greatly improve, what might those be? For my guess I'd say:
-- Conditioning
-- Quickness
-- Technique

PatfanKen noted how Brace was getting off the snap slower a couple days into Training Camp. At Training Camp speeds he was adequate, but he clearly needed better conditioning and while your at it, let's see what can be done to improve his burst (quickness + power off the snap for those who may not be following this too closely). In a "normal" year Brace might rotate with Wilfork, but let's face it, this is not a normal 3-4 season, it's more hybrid between 3-4, 4-3, Nickel, & Dime - obviously there's been a slightly greater emphasis on pass defense with a DL emphasis on collapsing the pocket rather than sprinting off the edge.

While it might be nice to get Ron on the field taking a few snaps, someone needs to be inactive each game. If he's working with Coaches Woicik and Nash on strength, conditioning, speed, quickness, and flexibility, and he's working with Coach Johnson on technique, reading blocks, and understanding how the different blocking techniques and assignments relate to the types of plays he's defending...I call that good for NE, and himself - long term.

Coming into the draft Brace was considered one dimensional, a run stuffer with limited mobility to move laterally and no penetration of the backfield to disrupt passing plays. BB prefers DL who can play a more flexible game - recall the surprise on this forum when Training Camp reports noted Brace lining up at DE in the 4-3. You have to think he might be trying to learn a bit more than NT duties.

At #40 a number of "experts" felt Brace might be overdrafted, but just as drafting a rehabbing Tate was an exercise in patience, so too might have been drafting young master Brace. Myron Pryor has been a very pleasant surprise, most of us felt he was destined for the Practice Squad if he even was retained. His success creates a different measuring stick - Marquis Hill drafted #63 overall played in one game his rookie season, I think we can give fellow second rounder Brace a little more benefit of the doubt.

Brace has been active for 3 games, he has one tackle. His more highly touted counterpart at BC has been active for 5 games, he has eight tackles. I think the dollar to tackle ratio might be equal.

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PatsWickedPissah

Reminds me a bit of Hill too. Many here defended Hill (correctly) arguing that Hill simply couldn't crack the lineup of quality starters in the 3 man DL. True, but when Hill got the rare chance because of temporary injury to play a few series I always focused on him. He did not do well, at all.

That said, Brace is seemingly targeted at Wilfie's job. Wilfork has been relatively healthy and playing well so that should not be held against Brace. And as mentioned ST play is the sina quo non for young Pats players who aren't starters. With the wedge verboten (ask SeaBass) big fat loads like Brace have no roll (sic) on STs.


What concerned me most about Brace was BB signing and then playing JAG Sands for 2 games with Brace inactive. Reasonable people should just watch as the season unfolds. If Brace is mostly MIA all season then he'll be a very interesting guy to follow in detail in next summer's training camp. Me, I'm hopefull that he's just a slow starter.

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Box_O_Rocks

Well, at 6'8" the dainty Mr. Sands was quite effective against the run inside, and an additional bit of clutter in the throwing lanes.

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Oswlek

The Meriweather and Warren comparisons aren't perfectly apt from the direction you are coming. Warren was a complete need pick. NE had Seymour, Hamilton and Washington above him. Of course he would be active, he was the primary backup at DE. I think it is fair to question whether he would be active with the group NE has now. Also, Warren's starts came after Washington got hurt and they ceased the minute Big Ted returned.

Meriweather came in during a similar time. NE had Rodney and Wilson, both of which who were health risks, and Sanders who was still growing into his role even in his 3rd year. Sanders hadn't proven much yet and Wilson had proven he would never be the same as he was in 03 and 04. With the 2009 BMs and Sanders in front of him, it is likely that Meriweather would be progressing similarly to Chung... and Brace.

NE's DL right now is ridiculously deep. Warren, Green, Wilfork, Wright, Pryor. Then factor in that NE is in a speed nickle more often than not which means TBC and Burgess are in a DE role very often as well. Just look at the snaps even NE's big guys are getting. Wilfork is in on about 50% of the snaps - and he is NE's most dynamic DL by far who could easily play more if necessary.

Brace is simply caught in a numbers game. Even before the season started it was pretty clear that one of Pryor or Brace would get minimal snaps or even be inactive. Pryor just happens to be the better player at this point. No shame in that. Judging from Brace's performance in the preseason, it is equally clear that the guy can play in this league. Frankly, he was quite a bit more athletic and disruptive than advertised. Despite the healthy scratches, I fully expect him to be at least a Jarvis Green type primary backup by next season.

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Oswlek

I don't see the Hill comparison at all. Brace showed more in his rookie preseason than Hill did in his entire career. From everything I've read about the guy he was a standup individual and he deserves to RIP, but he was a terrible football player.

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PatsWickedPissah

Given that exceptional height and weight there has to be a notable fatal aspect to the guy for him not to make any NFL roster.

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ForThoseAboutToRock

Well, then I stand corrected. I don't remember Marquise Hill during his rookie preseason. I just remember that he was a 2nd rounder who hardly ever saw the field and may or may not have been a healthy scratch at times.

Synovia

Maybe Myron Pryor is just really good for a rookie? You ever think that?