AndyJohnson

Tom Brady has been recognized as working the hardest on the team in each of his offseasons in the NFL.
What is it that Brady refused to show up for?

ScottieC

Off season conditioning.

Of course it's voluntary, but he's always been there in the past.

This week was his first full week in Foxboro for Passing Camp.

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Let them all talk - Haters Hate, that's what they do - We have three Lombardi's, how about you?

KontradictioN

I think we can give Tom the benefit of the doubt considering he's always been there on Day 1 and also considering the emotional drain of the '07 season. He can take as much time as necessary in order to come back with a clear head.

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CREDIT - Sicilian

ScottieC

I have no doubt that he'll be 100% when it comes time to play. But if something happens and he starts flat, everyone will be pointing to him missing the Off Season Str&Training Program in April and May.

He's never missed it before, if you believe all the reporters and the guys and Patriot Football Weekly, and usually wins the award (part of which is a parking space at the front of the players lot).

Again, I'm not that concerned - But I would have liked for him to have been there to show the Rookies that even though he one of the greatest to play the game, he still comes in and works harder than the rest.

Add to that his massive celebrity status now and the fact that He and Giselle are photo'd everywhere in the world BUT Foxboro - He's getting a lot of critisism. Fair or not, it's there.

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patriotsdynasty12189

He would play outside linebacker... not defensive end.

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the patsssssssss

KontradictioN

Yes, we've been over this.

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bradmahn

From Rotoworld:

We should offer the Chargers' second rounder.

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I don't like Dungy and that's because he [was] the head coach of the Colts. Period. End of question. The degree to which I like a player or coach is predicated solely on the color of the laundry they wear on Sunday. When fans admit this and stop bashing players and coaches for any other reason, the world of sports will be infinitely improved.

ScottieC

I'm telling ya, I really hope we get him or he goes to the NFC.

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cstjohn17

I am stunned, really, truly Jason Taylor would add nothing to the team? Really? He has been a one man wrecking ball in every game I have seen him play. Nothing? Really?

Personally I don't think there is any doubt that he could be an impact player at ROLB, I see him as a much better Rosie Colvin. Taylor has played a hybrid DE/OLB for the last several seasons. I am not expert but I don't think the OLBs play 2-gap in the Pats scheme, the interior lineman play 2-gap. The OLBs rush the passer, set the edge and drop into coverage. Taylor is an excellent pass rusher (the most important trait), good against the run and very good at dropping into the short flat. The Pats have also used rotations in the past (McGinest, Colvin, Vrabel), it seemed to work. You can never have enough playmakers, especially passrushers.

A bigger concern to the Pats is the cap impact and roster inflexibility. If they trade for Taylor it prevents them from locking up Mankins or Wilfork in 2008. Once the 2009 season starts these two are in their last year and it becomes harder to get a deal done.

My style is "win now", I would make the trade for Taylor even for a first round pick (likely 31 or 32). The Pats have 2 - 2nd rounders, and will have 2 - 3 rounders (one will be compensatory for Samuel).

A front seven of Taylor, Seymour, Thomas, Wilfork, Mayo, Warren, Vrabel looks pretty damn good to me. 5 pro bowlers, 1 top ten pick and Warren.

AndyJohnson

The other part of this to me is that Taylor is extremely overrated. Taylor today is not Taylor of 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006. When you are 33 years old you also arent even the guy you were when you were 32 in the NFL.
Taylor has always, imo, been a guy who sacrifices everything to rush the QB. Thats not so much a knock, as it is a statement of his abilities. His best use is as a one gap, rush the QB and worry about the run if you find it along the way, kind of guy. He has been used in that role, because he is not a good run defender.
When you translate it to our system its even more severe.
He must change positions. We simply NEVER will play a 255 lb player at DE in our system. He will have to convert to OLB. Before anyone suggests he has played OLB before, he hasn't. When Saban was their Taylor would be moved around to different alignments in order to help him rush the QB from different places on the field. That is NOTHING like BEING a 34 OLB. He may have line up in that spot at times, but all he was doing was being a standup DE who was told to onegap rush the QB. (sort of like when BB has aligned Vrabel at NT. do we really think Vrabel has 'played NT')
His numbers are declining, as are his skills. At 33 EVERYONE in the NFL except QBs or maybe WRs and an OL here and there are at a point where their skills are in decline.
Wanting Taylor brought here is the classic example of why so many teams have failed in FA.....acquiring a player because of what he was in his prime, after he is no longer in his prime.
Last year he had a career low in tackles.
I know, everyone is in love with sack stastistics (everyoine except me I guess) but lets really break that down.
The comments I read suggest that if Taylor were he he would single-handedly prevent any team from ever being able to throw on us, no one could block him, and he would spend all day sacking the QB.
Well, in HALF OF HIS GAMES LAST YEAR HE REGISTERED ZERO SACKS. In about 1/3 (5 of 16) he had One. In 3 games against the weak Jets, ravens, and Texans he had 2.
Do we need 2 sacks from Jason Taylor to beat the weak teams in the NFL? What value does he have when, a year younger, he couldn't get a sack at all in half of his games?
How do those sack numbers make up for being unable to play any position in our system properly, or being able to defend the run?
taylor also had less than 5 tackles in 10 of the 16 games too, including assists.
We need an OLB to play about 1000 plays next year (2 of them actually) we have thomas and Vrabel who we know can defend the run, cover, and rush the QB. In the best of all scenarios, replacing one with Jason Taylor will mean that we are worse against the run, worse in coverage, and there may be 2 times during the year out of those 1000 plays that he gets a sack and thomas or Vrabel wouldnt have.


Last year Taylor had:
56 tackles, (47 solo, 9 assist) 11 sacks and 4 passes defensed
Thomas had 78 (57,21) 6.5 and 8 (he also had 6 of those in the last 7 games when he played OLB instead of ILB, and added 2 more in 3 playoff games) so that is actually 8 sacks in 10 games at OLB which would equal 13 over a 16 game schedule
Vrable had 77(55,22) 12.5 and 0


Exactly what would we be improving by adding Taylor to this team?

One final thing, please avoid the 'he gets lots of pressure' argument because it has been shown over and over again that the amount of pressure a guy gets is almost exactly the same as the number of sacks he gets, in other words there really isnt such a thing as one guy who gets more pressure than another guy who gets just as many sacks.

Aging player, not nearly as productive as people want to think he is, coming out of a culture that was 1-15, with character and attitude problems who thinks he is a star, who is no better than what we already have at the position. Why do people want to acquire him again?