Hit Stick to learn OLB? - Page 2 - New England Patriots Forums

letekro · 12-02-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by National Sports Advisors

So Meriweather starts by default???????? What does that prove? How about a 1st rd pick actually beating out some good players? This isn't the salvation army. You don't get things for free in the NFL.

Safety is not a position that you gamble with. In many cases, the Safety is the last line of defense. If he makes a rookie mistake, it doesn't cost the team 5 yards, it can cost them 80. Do you remember the Javon Walker play against James Sanders? We have veteran safeties, why put the rookie in there until BB is completely comfortable that Meriweather won't make the critical rookie mistake?

So, I think your hysteria is once again misplaced. It may take another offseason for BB to be comfortable with Meriweather as the last line of defense, but that doesn't mean that Meriweather isn't a fine player with loads of talent.

desi-patsfan · 12-02-2007, 12:06 PM

so just because one website claims things about Merriweather, it HAS to be true?

***danny88*** · 12-02-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desi-patsfan

so just because one website claims things about Merriweather, it HAS to be true?

No. The fact Meri does not play when we are up by 30 points , and has yet to do ANYTHING and it is week 12 gives this article some credability.

VJCPatriot · 12-02-2007, 12:27 PM

OLB? Not in the Patriots system. And definitely not at 5-10 200 lbs. Meriweather needs to contribute to special teams and hopefully try to crack the lineup as a nickelback. Right now I don't see enough confidence in him for him to see the field as a safety.

FrontSeven · 12-02-2007, 02:00 PM

[QUOTE=PatsFanInVa;657204] Can he play OLB, or just plain too small for that kind of duty?QUOTE]

Do you mean could he have played it in 1945? Maybe.

National Sports Advisors · 12-02-2007, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by letekro

Safety is not a position that you gamble with. In many cases, the Safety is the last line of defense. If he makes a rookie mistake, it doesn't cost the team 5 yards, it can cost them 80. Do you remember the Javon Walker play against James Sanders? We have veteran safeties, why put the rookie in there until BB is completely comfortable that Meriweather won't make the critical rookie mistake?

So, I think your hysteria is once again misplaced. It may take another offseason for BB to be comfortable with Meriweather as the last line of defense, but that doesn't mean that Meriweather isn't a fine player with loads of talent.

I'm not asking the guy to start. Hell, I'm not even asking the guy to be the #1 backup safety on the depth chart behind Sanders, Harrison, and Wilson. What I am asking the guy to do is be able to get on the field ahead of the Rashad Baker's and Eddie Jackson's of the world in game #11 of the season when we need somebody to play a series or two to fill in for an injured Hobbs. Belichick loves versatile players. He loves defesive linemen that can play end or tackle(ie Seymour, Green), linebackers that can play inside and outside(Vrabel, Thomas), and defensive backs that can play corner and safety(ie Wilson, Gay). That's why we drafted Meriweather and were working him out as a cornerback in the preseason. We drafted this guy thinking that he was a safety but that he could also play cornerback in some situations if we needed him. That's the same thing we did with Wilson when we drafted him. If Meriweather was the player we EXPECTED him to be, than there is no doubt in my mind he would have been playing corner last week when Hobbs was out for a couple series. The fact that he did not get out on the field at all does NOT make him a BUST(yet), but it does underscore the point that he has been dissapointing thus far and that it is a RED FLAG for concern.