manxman2601

They've been taking a look at more specialist third down type rushers like Ronnell Lewis, Darius Fleming and possibly Kyle Wilber. I wouldn't be surprised if they go this route and draft someone like Dont'A Hightower who would likely be more a run stopping OLB, at least initially, with the versatility to cover inside. Throw in that they've been looking at late round CB's and I can see something like:

1A Mark Barron or a DE (Still/Reyes)

Fixes either of the two biggest positions of need on the defense.

1B Dont'a Hightower (hopefully with a trade back into the higher second)

Excellent ILB backup and a quality run stopping OLB with the ability to rush the passer.

2A Ronnell Lewis

Special teams ace and someone to rush the passer on passing downs

2B WR, trade or best value

3 WR, trade or best value


4 Omar Bolden

Top 50 CB fallen because of season long injury. Has met with the Pats. Ron Brooks is a possibility here too.


I realise that deducing too much from Pats visits doesn't get us too far, but using that limited intelligence, that's not a bad way for the draft to go. the problem with someone like Branch is that if he busts (and he's no guarantee to succeed), there's not much else one can get out of him. At least Hightower/Lewis offer more than pass rush or bust.

captain stone

I completely, unequivocally, whole-heartedly agree.

Bill should've signed Anderson & Carter (if they were willing - and why wouldn't they have been, what other options did they have?) to 2-year contracts. Now we're in the same spot we were after 2010, except worse: there's no Mark Anderson to sign, and Andre Carter's one year older & one year unhealthier, and unsigned.

So our present sux, and our future is Jermaine Cunntingham & Markell Carter, and I have more hope for Markell than for Jermaine. So unless somebody is released, we are left to consider the likes of Manny Lawson, Matt Roth, Derrick Harvey, Darryl Blackstock, Bobby Carpenter, Brady Poppinga, Jarvis Moss, Jacob Ford, Quentin Groves & Antwan Applewhite.

If Bill could double-up on the RB position last year, then there is no excuse whatsoever for not doubling-up
on the more valuable, more important & more rare position of Pass-Rusher this year.

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The Scrizz

Why is it shocking that a 2nd year player who spent his whole rookie year learning one D, then had no off-season, then came to camp and was given a completely different system to learn, struggled?

The die was cast on last year's D when Belichick basically went to a 4-3 because he didn't think he had time to get everyone on the same page for the 3-4.

The 2nd year defenders were in worse shape than the rookies, they had to unlearn what they thought they would be asked to do. Interesting that our 2nd year defenders struggled so much.

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I was like, ‘Dang! Um, Mr. Brady, can we line up?’ He didn’t care. He was like, ‘You’re not going to line up.’ When we turned around one time I checked back around and my hand was going to the grass and they were like, ‘Hut!’ And I said, ‘Noooooooooooo!’

MrNathanDrake

Aldon Smith, a rookie, came in the same circumstances and succeeded.

Cunninghams college teammate Carlos Dunlap is also in his 2nd year and is doing a LOT better.

Pass rushers tend to develop quickly. Either they have it, or they don't. Cunningham looks like another Shawn Crable more and more.


The bad thing is, we TWO long term OLB's, but we haven't even successfully drafted ONE in a very long time.

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Bring on the 2012 Season

NinjaZX6R

Dunlap can't play 34 OLB. He is a 43LDE. Vast difference.

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patsfaninpa

I like the way the mock is going. Still and Barron in the first. McClellin at 48. Maybe, we can get Ronnell Lewis at 62. Or, a guy like Cam Johnson. A little bigger and more solid citizen. Give me Ron Brooks - CB in the 3rd. That would be a pretty good defensive draft. I'd like to improve the return game. A guy like Joe Adams in the 4th and I'm a happy camper.

SeymourTrophies

Cunningham showed an ability to be another Ninkovich, a jack of all trades. He set the edge and got into the backfield here and there. He wasn't quite Crable who showed the ability to rush the passer in the preseason and then fell off of the face of the earth. He did show some flashes that you never get out of JAGs.

You're right about the pass rushers though. You can tell right away, and Cunningham didn't show the signs of being an animal who will fight until the end. He would either beat the guy off of the bat or be stuffed, and that was that.

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UK_Pat37

Where in my post did I say it was 'shocking'? I didn't.

All I said was the Patriots expected him to pick up the position (a position he played a lot in college IMO) and he failed to. I agreed with the decision to keep him aboard...he was a second rounder so it would have been stupid to give up on him...but I think he has to get it pretty sharpish this year or he's looking at not being a Patriot much longer! This is his make or break season.

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patsderoer

Devon Still SUCKS. 50% motor, he takes many plays off. He was pushed back and out of plays 9 times 1on1 vs average at best OLs from Illinois. No. 71 Devon Still DT Penn State vs Illinois 2011 - YouTube

Wisconsin OLine destroyed him. (from 2:27 in this vid Still is #71 for Penn State Kevin Zeitler highlights Nebraska and Penn State.wmv - YouTube)
Wisconsin OLine blew him off the ball non-stop.

Patriots defence does not need disappearing DLs.

Ochmed Jones

In my opinion Cunningham lacks explosion at the snap. And because he is Spikes like slow getting off the ball, he is not going to command a double team or cause O lineman to false start.

Whether BB wants to admit it or not, he needs to draft a backup OLB that can play ST and as a situational pass rusher while he develops and learns the position.

However the player BB needs MUST possess two important ingredients that make great pass rushers.

1.) Suddenness. Ability to get accross the tackles face at the snap of the ball. Suddenness causes O linemen to false start or line up improperly.

2.) Motor. We are looking for a player with a nonstop motor. Never takes a play off and never lets up from snap to the last echo of the whistle.

Now players like this will have short comings with run defense and pass coverage, but as situational pass rushers, who cares????????????

Last draft had two guys that fit this mold perfectly. One was Von miller, who BB had no chance to draft. But the other was Sheard who was sitting there at #33 and instead BB took banana boy Dowling.

So what do we have this draft as it relates to the two criteria described above. Well, to be honest, not much.

Irwin excels at #1, incredible explosion, but comes up short on #2.

Branch is above average at #1, but weak on #2.

Curry, who ran a 4.6 in his pro day, is not great on #1, but awesome at #2.

Merciless does not fit either category, he just benefitted from Illinios ultra aggressive scheme.

Bequette is a limited athlete, and while not exceling at #1, he is very good at #2. I would be very tempted to take aflyer on hi in the 4th round, even though he has a 6th round grade, because he played through an injury last season.