MrNathanDrake

Goodbye Sergio Brown (Cut)

Tavon Wilson is the new special teams gunner. He also plays Safety, and CB. Cant see Sergio keeping a roster spot when our 2nd rounder does basically the same things, plus more.



Goodbye Jermaine Cunningham (Cut)

We drafted THREE guys who can jump him on the depth chart. His time here is up. BB basically ate the Cunningham pick and accepted it as a bust. Unless he comes into camp and absolutely tears up the competition, he is a goner. Realistically if he hasn't shown anything yet, I doubt he shows up and all of a sudden transforms into a beast.


Goodbye Branch/Ocho/Gonzalez/Stallworth/Edelman (Cut)

One of those guys won't be on our roster when the season starts. Not sure who it will be. The camp competition should be great. I just can't see us carrying so many WR's.



I'd like to re-introduce you to the bench, Mr. Ninkovich (Passed on Depth Chart)

Belichick didn't trade up for Dont'a Hightower to have him riding the pine. He will fit perfectly in Ninkos spot. OLB in both the 34 and 43, with a little bit of DE. The question isn't IF it will happen, the question is "How long does it take for it to happen?". Sometime before Week 8 is my guess. Maybe even Week 1.

__________________

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


Bring on the 2012 Season

rsd

Basically agree, but I think people still way underrate Ninkovich. He'll get a significant amount of playing time this year still.

JackBauer

Ninkovich won't be riding the bench.

Sicilian

I think the term starter on this defense is kind of blurred right now. Outside of Mayo, McCourty, and Chung (who should all play around 90% of the snaps), and Wilfork who may play less but is clearly of starter quality, I see a lot of mixing and matching. Ninkovich may only play 50-60% of the snaps now with all the new bodies, but I wouldn't say he's being reintroduced to the bench. He brings too many aspects to the defense (solidly) to not work into the mix, especially with three rookies in that front 7 for him to set an example for.

I think Trevor Scott, Jermaine Cunningham, and the three rookies are all competing for some of the same roles. One of those is OLB opposite Ninkovich on early downs.

patsinthesnow

Ninkovich is a very good LB. He won't be on the bench. Hightower will either play across from him in a 3-4 or in situations early on.

AndyJohnson

I think we should let these guys attend a practice before we give them a prominent role.
Seems to me these type of 'X is here, Y is gone' kneejerk reactions are wrong more than right historically.

AndyJohnson

Ninkovich is part of that competition, not immune from it,

Sicilian

Fair enough, but given he has the most experience and is a known (and solid) quantity, he definitely has the inside track on day 1.

AndyJohnson

I don't know, I think Hightower best spot is Ninkos.
I do not like Ninko in the rush most of the time, play DE in the sub package role, especially with all of the additions we have made who specialize in that.
Nink is solid, Hightower can be special.

Sicilian

I have high hopes for Hightower as well. But your wordage is exactly my point: Nink IS solid, Hightower CAN BE special. I think at least at the beginning of the year it's up to Hightower to force BB's hand if he's going to play over Ninko. Otherwise it is Ninko's job to lose.

I still think it's a moot point overall though, as I fully expect anyone with talent and value to find a role and get decent playing time in the LB/DE rotation. They'll mix and match based on situation.