Ochmed Jones

I disagree. Plenty exist in every draft.

The problem is BB won't draft them and BB's staff does a terrible job coaching up the ones that he does draft.

And while I understand that rookies make mistakes and that has a lot to do with BB's reluctance to play them, I can not see why BB is not drafting them and spending a year or two to develop them.

If we had a player or two in the pipeline while Willie and Vrabel were wearing down, maybe we would not be in the situation of having the worst OLB"s in the league.

And I find it backside backwards that BB has literally poured an entire draft of picks into rebuilding the secondary over the past several drafts and all is what OLB got was Crable and Cunningham.

Armchair Quarterback

I mean none exist in BB's eyes and I agree with what you're saying. I can't believe someone who coached Lawrence Taylor would be so indifferent about acquiring OLB's. Ninkovich and TBC have had their occasional rare moments but they should be 4th and 5th on the depth chart for OLBs not in the top 3.

VJCPatriot

Well I think that in the 3-4 defensive front, the FRONT 3 down linemen are the real keys to the defense in BB's eyes. He has consistently invested 1st round picks in 3-4 defensive linemen. He has gone for linebackers in free agency instead. As long as your front 3 are hard to handle, the linebackers in the 3-4 can be merely mediocre to above average and still be good enough.

Let's look at history:
Seymour 1st round (2001)
Warren 1st round (2003)
Wilfork 1st round (2004)

It's not really a coincidence that the Pats won several championships with those pieces on their DL. Bruschi (rd 3 96), Vrabel (FA), McGinest (rd 1 94) were either signed as free agents or were leftover from the previous regime. And notice that McGinest DID fit BB's very strict OLB criteria, standing at 6'5 and weighing 270 lbs.

This messageboard's posters may have a love affair with the sexy OLBs, but clearly BB does not unless those OLBs are also freaks of nature that fit his criteria. In the meantime I'll bet on BB going back to his reliable self, picking a stud DE in the draft and just watch the entire defense improve as a result.

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Armchair Quarterback

An argument could just as easily be made that they haven't won lately because of their mediocre linebackers. They had championships teams with Bruschi, McGinest, Phifer, Johnson, Vrabel, Cox and Colvin at linebacker and with Bobby Hamilton and Anthony Pleasant, Keith Traylor and Ted Washington as lineman.

Vrabel, McGinest, Bruschi, Phifer and Johnson were on all three SB winning teams. Seymour is the only lineman who was on all three.

Seneschal2

All do have warts, making it very difficult to choose one who fits best. As much as I'd like to see the best pure pass rusher chosen, me thinks BB will still select someone who's solid vs the run first, because "pass rush techniques can be taught" -- as BB once said.

While we're all waiting for BB to address the DE/OLB position, he may end up doubling up on the DE position, as a way of improving both the run and pass defense. I'd agree with that effort this draft, as long as DE/OLB isn't neglected.

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"What we want to try to do is maximize each spot on the roster; we want to be stronger at No. 1 than the opponent, stronger at No. 25 than they are, and stronger at No. 53 than they are, we're always looking to upgrade the talent level on the team, and play together to be functional."
- Bill Belichick -