Team needs for 2007 - New England Patriots Forums

Brady to Brown · 03-08-2007, 09:59 PM

While I expect Bill and Scott think both short and long term. I am going short team in this thread. In order to have a shot at the Super bowl in 2007 the Patriots must.....

1/ Sign an inside LB, someone who can stop the run.

2/ Sign a long ball threat. Someone that the opposition must respect 25 yards downfield.

I did not include draft picks as I would not make any plan that counted on them.

***mgteich*** · 03-08-2007, 11:10 PM

"To have a shot" at the 2008 SB, the patriots need to do absolutely nothing. The team is already stronger than last year (on offense, defense and on ST's). As you might recall, we were within a first down or two of the SB last year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brady to Brown

While I expect Bill and Scott think both short and long term. I am going short team in this thread. In order to have a shot at the Super bowl in 2007 the Patriots must.....

1/ Sign an inside LB, someone who can stop the run.

2/ Sign a long ball threat. Someone that the opposition must respect 25 yards downfield.

I did not include draft picks as I would not make any plan that counted on them.

***DaBruinz*** · 03-09-2007, 12:28 AM

I have to agree with MG. The Pats don't NEED to do anything else. What they will do is evaluate their options accordingly.

I think that the Pats will add 1 vet LB who can play against the run, 2 rookie LBs to learn the position and push for special teams spots, another WR (either FA or Draft) to flesh out the receiving corps some, a couple of DBs (probably CB and FS), and a bunch of jags/UDFA to get them to 83 players (80 plus 3 NFLE exemptions). Currently they are at 66 players either signed or tendered (ERFA/RFA). That leaves 17 spots. As many as 10 could be draft picks and the other 7 will be UDFA or JAGS.

ChoWZa · 03-09-2007, 01:12 AM

They need depth. Think about where they cannot afford an injury besides QB obviously. If Maroney goes down the Pats are in trouble still. If Welker gets hurt? Trouble. If Thomas gets hurt? More trouble. Samuel gets hurt ? More trouble.

pats63 · 03-09-2007, 01:15 AM

Need is in the secondary,Asante probly wanting some of that Clements money...Wilson has 1 yr...Hawkins is a back up,not starter...Gay IR...Scott,hate to say Rodney has seen better days...I know Rodney is stud,heart and soul of the secondry...Like to see a CD or Safety @ 1st picks...Hobbs and Sander is our future forsure...

***patpatriot*** · 03-09-2007, 01:45 AM

Sorry; you are wrong MG; the poster is correct. Given the more difficult 07 schedule, the Pats must be significantly better in 07 than last year. They have taken a step towards that goal by signing AT. Some of the other signings are kind of going sideways or backwards instead of forward:

Morris for Dillon: Morris is a better pass receiver than Dillon (he's quite good if I recollect correctly) but is not the runner that Dillon is even in his decrepitude. This is a backwards move in my opinion (tho not very far from a sideways move).

Brady for Graham: no way to spin this as other than a backwards move. Given the Pat's requirements of a TE and the presence of 2 excellent pass catching TEs maybe it's also a not a very far backwards move and is close to a sideways move.

Welker for Brown: A legitimate improvement probably (I'm not dissing Brown here, he can be on my team as long as he wants to).

AT for Seau: a big time improvement.

So there it is. A SB caliber team with a tougher schedule making 2 improvements and 2 slightly backwards moves..

More work is needed if this team wants to get a 1st round bye in 07 (the key to a successful SB run in my and in Bill Parcells opinion.)

Stalllworth would be a big step in the right direction. Hartwell? If he's not too beat up would also move the team forward. We need a couple of rookies to make a big conttribution; one reason I'm high on getting T Ginn to fill the Devin Hester role. We need to have enough quality backups to fill the annual DB injury parade and either a rookie or a vet RB who can really pound the rock, especially in the RZ in case Maroney gets injured or deflates (we may already have this in Morris...unclear as yet...maybe Priest Holmes if he's willing to come along on a Ring Ride for the vet minimum).

In any event, we have lots of dough and plenty of draft picks to continue to improve. Which is good news because a football team is like a shark...it has to keep moving forwards or it will sufffocate and die.