mgteich

If we get a top OLB on the first round, and another in the 3rd or 4th, we'll be fine.

But what is Plan B? As we all know, Plan B moves Vrabel outside and shifts the weakness inside.

How good or bad is?

OLB: Colvin, Vrabel, Banta-Cain
ILB: Bruschi, Claridge, Beisel
LB: Alexander
ST: Davis, Izzo

Q1: How would we be at OLB? I'd say great! Banta-Cain is an adequate backup OLB.

Q2: Can Beisel start after a year in the system?
I don't know, but he should be an OK backup.

Q3: Could Claridge beat out at Beisel and be a reasonable starter? This is intriguing. Much of the comments by the team indicate that answer could be that Claridge is ready to play, and that he could be as valuable this year as almost any rookie.

Q4: Could Alexander be a reasonable backup?
Perhaps. For now he is a placeholder to compete with whoever is drafted.

ROSE-COLORED GLASSED FIRMLY IN PLACE
Perhaps the team has more faith in Claridge, Beisel and Alexander than we do. Perhaps we have two players out of three who can be effective sharing reps at ILB.

BOTTOM LINE
If you believe in Plan B, then you are free to draft whatever linebacker or linebackers you want (or even a DL or two), with no pressure to sign someone who must contribute on Year One. This seems consistent with bb's philosophy.

Personally, I'd like to see a linebacker, a tweener/elephant and a backup NT on Day One (and a TE). The front seven would be set for years.

Remix 6

im in love with D'Qwell Jackson..hes undersized ILB ..6"1 240 but hes got game! he may even move to outside. hope we get ihm in round 2 if hes avaible

mgteich

Maybe I'm listening to rook too much , but I expect that Jackson will be long gone by our second pick. He could be a trade down for us in the first or even our first pick (as says one of the mocks).

BelichickFan

Plan B doesn't do that IMO. Plan B means we draft a TJ type later, say Schlagel.

Run Downs :
OLB : Vrabel, Colvin
ILB : Bruschi, Schlegal

Pass Downs :
OLB : Banta Cain, Colvin
ILB : Bruschi, Vrabel

That was Schlegal can do his thing, stop the run and TBC can do his thing, rush from the outside.

Remix 6

Jackson has a chance..hes an early to mid second but we can trade down a little or hope he falls

Mosi Moose

if we go with an ILB in Rd 2, i'm thinking it'll be Abdul Hodge. He's a Kirk Ferentz guy and one that i think could fit next to Bru. this would be predicated on the idea of us going CB in Rd 1 and BB's intent on moving Vrabel back outside, which I don't know if he is.

patsfaninpa

I think you got the guy right if we don't go olb in round 1. We can
probably get that anderson kid from bama in round 3 too.
I don't like the wr's at the top of the board. I can see this scenario
playing out if BB takes a rb early.

PonyExpress

The fact that a prospect is from Iowa is historically meaningless to the BB regime; since BB arrived the Pats have not drafted a single Iowa player.

CrazyDave

I prefer plan A. I'm not all that confident in any of our current backups (TBC, Biesel etc. Claridge? Who knows. Alexander looked o.k. in preseason.

Mosi Moose

True, but has there been any available that BB thought was good value at that point in the draft? I'm just saying that if the thinking is ILB in RD 2, I wouldn't be surprised if Hodge is looked at first, before the other ILBs that might be available. Again, I'm not even sure that BB wouldn't draft an OLB and move him to ILB, like was (sort of) suggested in his PC yesterday.