Rob0729

No way do I want the Patriots using a first round pick on a LT. Other than QB, I don't think there has been a position with more first round and even top 10 pick busts than the tackle position. Can you even name five above average to great LTs taken in the first round from the draft after Jones and Pace were taken until today. I don't know if you can and that was a decade ago now.

I think the only ones are Chris Samuels and Joe Thomas. That's in a decade of first round picks.

DropKick Flutie

Don't you think it's about time to? How many years do Seau, Tedy, Harrison, and Vrabel have left? If you rebuild ahead of time, you set up for the future.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

The sorrow of losing 4 Superbowls in a row > The sorrow of going 18-1
Proud Buffalo Bills fan for 32 years.

mgteich

Don't panic unless there is a retirement. It might be too late by then. We tried that strategy in 2005. Bruschi had a stroke. We did nothing. Phifer and Ted Johnson retired. We then solved the rpoblem by signed Beisel and Chad Brown to play ILB.

blackglass3

Yes, please. Maybe start running a 4-3 with Seymour, Green, Wilfork, Warren; then start AD, Vrabel, Briggs (this is assuming Colvin is gone) with Bruschi (and maybe Seau) rotating in.

blackglass3

Man, those games until Bruschi came back were rough to watch. Beisel just getting throw all over the field and not shedding one block ever. And don't forget Duane Starks.

MrBigglesWorth

where's the speed and pass rushers?

usually the d end in a 4-3 is a speed rusher

__________________
"There are two categories of superbowl participants that nobody remembers:

The team that lost the game and the team that only won one." Dwight White- Steelers

Deus Irae

Since the Pace draft (1997), there have been 28 tackles taken in the first round.

1998:
- William "Tra" Thomas (Multiple time pro bowler)
- Victor Riley (played from 1998-2005)
- Mo Collins (played until 2003)

1999:
- John Tait (Still playing after 9 seasons)
- Matt Stinchcomb (Played from 1999-2006)
- L.J. Shelton (Still playing)
- Aaron Gibson (played from 1999-2004)

2000:
- Chris Samuels (5 time Pro Bowl selection)
- Stockar McDougle (played from 2000-2006
- Chris McIntosh (played only through 2002)

2001:
- Kenyatta Walker (played 2001-2006 for Tampa)
- Jeff Backus (Still playing for the Lions, with a 6 year $40 million contract)

2002:
- Mike Williams (played for Buffalo and Jacksonville)
- Bryant McKinnie (Still playing for Minnesota)
- Levi Jones (Still playing for Bengals, w/6 year $40 million contract)
- Mark Colombo (Has played for Chicago and Dallas, allowed only 1 sack in 2006)

2003:
- Jordan Gross (Still playing for Carolina)
- George Foster (has played for Denver and the Lions)
- Kwame Harris (Still playing for the 49ers)

2004:
- Robert Gallery (failed as a tackle, better as a guard)
- Shawn Andrews (Multiple pro bowls, All Pro)
- Vernon Carey (has played his whole career in Miami)

2005:
- Jammal Brown (Pro Bowl and All Pro selection)
- Alex Barron (Has started 43 of 44 games played in his career)

2006:
- D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Still with the Jets, too soon to tell, but disappointing)

2007:
- Joe Thomas (Pro Bowler already)
- Levi Brown (Too soon to tell for certain, started 11 of 13 games as a rookie)
- Joe Staley (Started every game as a rookie)

If you think only Chris Samuels and Joe Thomas fall into the 'above average to great' category from that list, I don't know what to tell you other than you're wrong.

__________________
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
- Marcus Aurelius

Deus Irae

Colvin
Thomas
Seau
Bruschi
Vrabel


That's the "starting 5" rotation, and there was no major problem with it this season, in terms of play, although the middle seemed a bit slow at times. If they all come back next season, there's no reason for panic. If Seau or Bruschi call it a career, ILB becomes an immediate need. Arguing that the team wasn't prepared for a player to have a stroke followed by 2 retirements (one premature due to concussions, and on the day that training camp opened) is a bit silly, in my opinion. There's not a team in the NFL I can think of that's really ready to lose 3 linebackers of that ability under those circumstances without having a major problem.

__________________
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
- Marcus Aurelius

ATippett56

The problem is Bruschi and Seau should hang 'em up. It's time for some fresh blood at inside linebacker and the NFL draft is the place to start.

Jonathan Goff, ILB from Vanderbilt
Spencer Larsen, ILB from Arizona

__________________
The End of the Chad Ochostinko Era!

Deus Irae

What would lead you to believe that the draft is the place to start looking for linebackers, when his linebackers have almost exclusively been seasoned veterans since his taking over the coaching/grocery work for the Patriots? Anything is possible, but I wouldn't go betting the farm on it, especially since I don't see a whole lot of ILB talent just waiting to be plucked this season and jump right into the rotation of the best team in the NFL.

As a P.S., Bruschi and Seau did just fine for the Patriots in the playoffs.

__________________
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
- Marcus Aurelius