Fencer

They had unusual communication talents. Rodney and Bruschi now have media careers. Willie was the son of a preacher who ran his own small music company. Vrabel is a smart, funny guy who I think will be a terrific coach.

If guys w/ more ordinary communication skills are all that's left, and they're psyching themselves and each other up to be more vocal, that need not be bad.

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satz

I think koppen should have been more vocal too. the guy had a bummed ankle and play last year injured.

players who are like that need to step up. everyone talks about thomas TE trade but lossing hoss was a big loss. When koppen went down and neal followed koppen played with a bummed ankle as they did not have a quality backup. They signed johnson last year but he was cut.

i think they should draft a good back G/C prospect .

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Patjew

I like Dan, but I don't think he has a very dynamic personality.

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Sicilian

There are a lot of different types of leadership. The three that jump to mind for me are:

1) Leadership by example - Going out, doing your job, carrying yourself the right way, thus quietly showing the others how it should be done.

2) Vocal leadership - That's the in your face, sometimes disciplinarian, outspoken leader, who is usually a source of motivation.

3) Strategic Leadership - I would classify someone who calls the defensive adjustments as this. They don't have to be the motivator, but they need to also be a leader by example for this to really work out.

Obviously there can be combinations of these, but these are the big ones in my opinion. I think Koppen can be a combo of 1 and 3 (I'm not sure how protection schemes are translated, if it's all Brady yelling them or if he tells Koppen and then it filters through the line). I believe you can't "learn" to be #2. You either become that as you get older or you don't.

I remember Paul Pierce had this issue with the Celtics early on. When the C's were terrible, he spent oen offseason reading books on leadership, trying to shape himself into a team leader. Didn't work and didn't help. It wasn't until natural leaders were brought in that it sort of came out in him and the whole team.

MoLewisrocks

The dynamic personality on the OL, who looks to be poised to land in the media, is in his final season here in all liklihood. Unfortunately he's always struck me as the one who set the tone here as far as not broaching criticism and reading a little too much into his media spun clippings...

The rest are a rather bland group by comparison. Neal had his hands full learning a game he never played, Kaczur is just a good old boy and he's had his issues to deal with since his rookie season, Mankins used to show some nasty on the field but he's always been portrayed as the laid back cowboy off the field. Being so angry about his contract he can't see straight is about the most emotion we've seen from him since he got flagged for punching that DL in the nuts...

I was a little surprised they re-signed Neal, not just because of his durability concerns but because as Bill once said once they start talking about retirement it's usually an indication they've already begun the process of checking out on some level.

As a group, above and beyond their physical shortcomings, which they were largely able to scheme around for several seasons, these guys made a lot of uncharacteristic mental mistakes last season. That's lack of focus and it kills scheme. Light has started out foggy the last couple of seasons and almost seemed to need a kick in the ass reminder that once the bell rings the games count. On a lot of levels they haven't been the same caliber line since 42. It's like that game exposed them and random pro bowl nods aside, they've never been a confident or efficient unit since.

Whether it's ego or lack of self confidence, in all the years Brady has defended them I've never once heard one of them step up to the plate and say well, that's Tom - he's always got our back but the truth is we sucked out there today and we have to do better as a unit. Even if they didn't truly believe it (though unfortunately there were plenty of times they absolutely should have).

I know continuity matters, but so does talent and genuine confidence. I'm hopeful that the big German is just the first step in retooling this line over the next 2 seasons. I'd like to see them draft both a C/G and another tackle this season, and again in 2011. Brady isn't getting any younger, and neither is Dante...

I think for 2010 the new leader on the OL may be our new 6th lineman, Crumpler...

Snake Eyes

Something to keep in mind is that leadership exists within a certain group dynamic, if you already have a TFB and Wes Welker as leaders on the offense it might very well disrupt things if Koppen were to get more vocal and in your face, with that kind of situation the best thing to do might be to just support TFB and Wes, and just bust his behind being the best player possible.

However, if Wes is gone and Brady isn't quite TFB, like during the playoff game against the Ravens when Brady was basically sulking and Faulk was the undisputed leader of the offense, rallying everyone on the sidelines and kicking butt on the field, then the dynamic is different and it might be completely appropriate for Koppen to get a bit more vocal.

All that being said, I would love for the team to hire Troy Brown and Bruschi as position coaches, I think they'd be great at helping the new guys improve their game but they would also provide outstanding leadership that comes from coaches.

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Spiral

If you were to ask who should be the leaders on the Pats OL, two names come to mind. First is Light, since he's the LT, has been there the longest and is the most outgoing. Second would be Mankins, who's the perennial pro-bowler, and probably the toughest. For Koppen to say that he needs to be more of a leader, is he taking a swipe at those two?

Fencer

Light has his moments, but he seems to mainly show leadership in pranks, hazing, etc.

I wouldn't be surprised if Koppen were the smartest of the bunch, or else second only to Light among the vets, because:

1. He's the center, and hence has scheme calling responsibilities
2. He succeeds despite physical limitations

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JoeSixPat

Agreed. I always got the feeling that there were a few hard working veterans who might be prone to ordering a "Code Red" during training camp for any guy not pulling his weight.