Bostonian1962

Alot of us are pretty pumped to have such young, talented LBs added to the LB Corp this year. Or, at least POTENTIALLY added to the corp.

Has anybody done the math, as to how many the team can keep? If you have, please share.

It's just the start of camp, so without knowing the "math" on that (translation, without getting of my lazy butt and looking it up), allow me to give my two cents, and you all can chime in:

Mayo and Crable are obvious locks, with Mayo getting more immediate playing time than Crable. That make sense for several reasons. One, Mayo is the first round pick. Two, there is an opening inside. And tres, there are two solid and not old vets ahead of Crable on the outside. I think we will love Mayo in time. I don't yet have that feeling about Crable, but am hopeful.

I don't think Ruud makes the team, or should say if he does it will be on the practice squad. I never liked that draft pick.

Finally, with Redd sitting out some practices, it's hard to get a bead on him, but I like the early reports on Guyton. I've been very aware of Redd since his high school days, and he is definitely a freak of talent, so if there is a spot for one more LB, it will come from one of these two players, and not Ruud, IMO.

That just one man's opinion. Anybody want to add on to that?

KontradictioN

Ruud has a pretty good pedigree that's at least worth keeping on the practice squad so I think he sticks with this team for at least a season. Redd, I don't have any feelings about other than he may make the special teams squad. Crable I like but he'll most likely see playing time in limited pass rushing situations this year. Still, he's learning behind the likes of Vrabel and AD and has all the physical tools to make it. I see Crable starting on the outside in 2009 or 2010 most likely replacing Vrabel in the starting line-up. Mayo, I think, will make a pretty immediate impact on the inside subbing out with either Bruschi or Seau (should he choose to return). As the year goes on, I can only see Mayo getting better.

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Jimke

I hope the Patriots use 2008 as a year to stock their team with

young linebackers for the future. Hobson is a stop gap solution.

Bruschi is 35 years old and not an every down linebacker. Mike Vrabel

will be 33 in a few weeks. Alexander and Izzo are strictly ST players.

Forum members talk about carrying more running backs and wide receivers

on the roster than normal. Rather than do this, doesn't it make more sense

to keep a player like Redd or Guyton if they look promising and can play

special teams?

Tunescribe

I'm waiting for a verdict on the mysterious Pierre Woods. He has the physical tools, but maybe not the brains/heart?

tombonneau

I think getting to the core of your post -- i.e. what are the mathematics on keeping one or more of these young LBs -- I'd guess there is one roster spot for Guyton/Redd/Ruud. Given that, it's pretty much a non-debate that at this point that Guyton is far & away the leader of the pack.

Metaphors

You gotta figure Mayo and Crable make the gameday active 45 in the rotation with AD, Bruschi, Hobson, Vrabel. Woods is probably in the rotation as well but he is a gameday active lock on special teams.

Ruud seems to be a special teams guy (good straight line speed, intensity, hits like a ton of bricks), so he is competing with Izzo and Alexander. I don't see him as a LB project but the Pats obviously could see differently. Looks to me like only one of these three stick.

Redd seems like a project at OLB with his rare size and skills. Ideally he goes on the PS unless the Pats don't want to risk losing him.

Guyton has all the things you would look for in a Pats LB except consistent college production. I'm in ACC country so I got to see him play and when he shows up, he shows up big. Unfortunately, he didn't show up enough.

So as of today I would say that Mayo and Crable are on the active 45, Guyton gets an inactive roster spot and both Ruud/Redd get shipped to the PS.

WhoaDirty

If Crable is likely to only see spot duty on Def, will he likely play ST as well?

Bostonian1962

I actually like Pierre Woods, and if he and/or Hobson really have good camps, it could really make for some tough decisions. Especially, if the likes of Redd/Guyton have strong camps as well. This could get very interesting.

It could shape up as a "good problem to have" situation. Am I the only one that thinks this could be our deepest LB corp in years?

cstjohn17

I hope you are the only one who thinks this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Ne...atriots_season

In 2004 the team had these Linebackers:
* 48 Tully Banta-Cain OLB
* 54 Tedy Bruschi ILB
* 59 Rosevelt Colvin OLB
* 51 Don Davis ILB
* 53 Larry Izzo ILB
* 52 Ted Johnson ILB
* 55 Willie McGinest OLB
* 95 Roman Phifer ILB
* 50 Mike Vrabel OLB

If Seau comes back the team has excellent depth at ILB but still has big questions at OLB. If Vrabel or Thomas miss any time it will really set the defense back.

satz

How can you claim this when he has hung around for 3 yrs and also if he was going to go don`t think they would have put a high pick on his rfa contract.
He came in as UFA so if the patriots and not is commanding a high pick to be singed to a contract.

he is playing full time on the outside with vrabel out so he is will get more snaps.being a patriot fan i am sure you know that it takes a lot to learn the system. when you are udfa it means you need more time to develop so i am sure he will step up.

in matt light shooting party AD calls him the most atheletic of all LB so i believe he will be their this year. end of the year he might stay or go the banta way.

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