Lewis Sanders

[BionicPatriot]

He and the emergence of rookie Johnathon Wilhite have really led to the at least small yet still improvement on the defense. Lets face it, they're too banged up to be a good unit week in and out. but we do have some good pieces. IMO, I think we should keep Sanders around for a season or 2. Hes valuable depth at 2 positions, CB and S. I think it'd be wise to re-sign him. He did a better job than Sanders today IMO.

 

[stinkypete]

Sanders sounds to me like the consumate Belichick depth back. I see him back in a Chad Scott role.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He and the emergence of rookie Johnathon Wilhite have really led to the at least small yet still improvement on the defense. Lets face it, they're too banged up to be a good unit week in and out. but we do have some good pieces. IMO, I think we should keep Sanders around for a season or 2. Hes valuable depth at 2 positions, CB and S. I think it'd be wise to re-sign him. He did a better job than Sanders today IMO.

James will be playing ahead of him once healthy, but Lew 'done good.'

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Good to know he can step in and do a fine job. We're paper thin at safety.

 

[BradyManny]

L. Sanders has looked good in a bunch of roles this season. Early on, he looked good as the nickel CB, got banged up, and he looked pretty good yesterday at safety. I'll take him back next year for sure.

 

[satz]

He is too light to play SS like the other sanders who is listed at 225 lb at the combine is difintely a big bigger now.

He will be good against arizona type but when you need some weight against run you need James back.James sanders is close to the 4-3 / OLB weight and gives you some run support.merriweather
is a FS and i hate him in the box as he is just not big if a FB or RB comes through.

 

[BradyManny]

He is too light to play SS like the other sanders who is listed at 225 lb at the combine is difintely a big bigger now.

He will be good against arizona type but when you need some weight against run you need James back.James sanders is close to the 4-3 / OLB weight and gives you some run support.merriweather
is a FS and i hate him in the box as he is just not big if a FB or RB comes through.

As Box pointed out in another thread, even before Sanders went down, Meriweather was being used as the SS and was the guy coming up in run support. So, despite Sanders size, Meriweather was more likely to be the one coming up.

Personally I think Meriweather has done well in that role. He had one bad game against the Jets were he failed to bring Keller down in an important situation, but that's basically it. He's a sure tackler and he gets to the ball carrier quite quickly.

So even when Sanders is back, Meriweather will continue to come up into the box.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

too bad we can't always play oakland

 

[ALP]

As Box pointed out in another thread, even before Sanders went down, Meriweather was being used as the SS and was the guy coming up in run support. So, despite Sanders size, Meriweather was more likely to be the one coming up.

Personally I think Meriweather has done well in that role. He had one bad game against the Jets were he failed to bring Keller down in an important situation, but that's basically it. He's a sure tackler and he gets to the ball carrier quite quickly.

So even when Sanders is back, Meriweather will continue to come up into the box.

i agree, meriweather has been the SS since rodney went down really

and yes, he has been doing exceptional in the role the whole season, but its not his true position...i like him as a ball hawk in the back better

 

[satz]

As Box pointed out in another thread, even before Sanders went down, Meriweather was being used as the SS and was the guy coming up in run support. So, despite Sanders size, Meriweather was more likely to be the one coming up.

Personally I think Meriweather has done well in that role. He had one bad game against the Jets were he failed to bring Keller down in an important situation, but that's basically it. He's a sure tackler and he gets to the ball carrier quite quickly.

So even when Sanders is back, Meriweather will continue to come up into the box.

Yes he does come up a bit but you got to see you do not see ed reed in the box too much even if he makes plays as he is too light and increase your injury chances.
given a choice a 225 lb sanders in the box is going to be better than a 195 LB merriweather. I am not saying he cannot play but last year he got dinged up in the box.His strength is speed and range so he should be outside making plays not taking on heavy 220LB or 250 TE in run blocking.

 

[AzPatsFan]

First let me say that I like James Sanders. Secondly let me say that he is an average to above average Safety,and can play on any team in the league.

That is not good enough in the Patriots system, where thety have big, some might say oversized, (hence slower), LBs. As a consequence, to prevent repeated pass completions over the middle, the Patriots require SUPERIOR Safety play. They have been blessed to have that throughout the Belichick regime, until Rodney got too old and slow, about two years ago. Merriweather is becoming one of those Safeties but I don't think James can elevate his game enough.

I think the Patriots will try to be strong through the middle and so I suspect the two highest draft picks will be used on a Safety or ILB, or the other way around.

What do you think?

 

[BradyManny]

Yes he does come up a bit but you got to see you do not see ed reed in the box too much even if he makes plays as he is too light and increase your injury chances.
given a choice a 225 lb sanders in the box is going to be better than a 195 LB merriweather. I am not saying he cannot play but last year he got dinged up in the box.His strength is speed and range so he should be outside making plays not taking on heavy 220LB or 250 TE in run blocking.

Aside from the Jets game when he struggled against Keller, I think Meriweather has been a good tackler. He's a lot like Bob Sanders in that he is compact and accelerates into tacklers. He plays bigger than his size, IMO.

 

[RayClay]

Sanders sounds to me like the consumate Belichick depth back. I see him back in a Chad Scott role.

We get a lot of mileage out of journeymen "big"cbs since we prefer smaller ones for starters, apparently.

Chad Scott was a former #1, but a lot of teams get infatuated with big cbs and it seems few can make it as top starters.

Just another way BB gets that extra value while still having big CBs available to cover certain matchups and back up safety.

 

[RayClay]

First let me say that I like James Sanders. Secondly let me say that he is an average to above average Safety,and can play on any team in the league.

That is not good enough in the Patriots system, where thety have big, some might say oversized, (hence slower), LBs. As a consequence, to prevent repeated pass completions over the middle, the Patriots require SUPERIOR Safety play. They have been blessed to have that throughout the Belichick regime, until Rodney got too old and slow, about two years ago. Merriweather is becoming one of those Safeties but I don't think James can elevate his game enough.

I think the Patriots will try to be strong through the middle and so I suspect the two highest draft picks will be used on a Safety or ILB, or the other way around.

What do you think?

You have a point. I think Sanders stays as a good rotation guy, but I wouldn't be surprised with some sort of safety, cover or a hybrid type. Maybe a vet though, since we've got youth at the position.

 

[BionicPatriot]

First let me say that I like James Sanders. Secondly let me say that he is an average to above average Safety,and can play on any team in the league.

That is not good enough in the Patriots system, where thety have big, some might say oversized, (hence slower), LBs. As a consequence, to prevent repeated pass completions over the middle, the Patriots require SUPERIOR Safety play. They have been blessed to have that throughout the Belichick regime, until Rodney got too old and slow, about two years ago. Merriweather is becoming one of those Safeties but I don't think James can elevate his game enough.

I think the Patriots will try to be strong through the middle and so I suspect the two highest draft picks will be used on a Safety or ILB, or the other way around.

What do you think?

change ilb to olb and you hit the nail in the coffin.

 

[Spiral]

With the 31st pick in the 2008 draft, the New England Patriots select Kenny Phillips, safety, University of Miami

Thanks for that, Roger

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He is too light to play SS like the other sanders who is listed at 225 lb at the combine is difintely a big bigger now.

He will be good against arizona type but when you need some weight against run you need James back.James sanders is close to the 4-3 / OLB weight and gives you some run support.merriweather
is a FS and i hate him in the box as he is just not big if a FB or RB comes through.

James Sanders did not attend the Combine. He weighed in at 214 for his Pro-Day, was listed at 207 as a rookie on the Pats 2005 roster, and is currently listed at 210. He's played both base Safety positions as well as Nickel and Dime Safety roles. He plays FS for the Pats generally staying deep while Harrison and Meriweather play up closer to the LOS.

Meriweather has been able to do his Rodney Jr. imitation this year where he's playing in the midst of the action allowing him to use his instincts to make plays. With one sack and four interceptions he's been put on the path that may eventually allow him to join Rodney in the 30-30 club. He's the ballhawk whom BB was testing as a replacement for Asante Samuel - instead of CB it looks like he's found a niche in the SS/Rover role were his playmaker instincts are allowed to have free reign.

James Sanders is the "old man" who inherited the Field General role for the secondary when Rodney went down. He's shown an ability to hold a patchwork secondary together, something his predecessor Geno Wilson was unable to do in 2006. I'll be surprised if James isn't re-signed.

Lewis Sanders is reprising the Artrell Hawkins/Chad Scott role - veteran CB capable of playing anywhere on the field to stabilize a shaky situation. I believe he's played well enough this season to earn another one year deal in the offseason.

If James and Lew Sanders are re-signed, BB may not feel he needs to make any major moves for the secondary - the younger guys are growing up before our eyes with a chance to earn 11-5 and a post-season trip.

 

[RayClay]

change ilb to olb and you hit the nail in the coffin.

Absolutely. With possible multiple picks in rounds 2-4 (lotta coms anyway) it could be the year for the monster pass rushing OLB.

Don't know if such a creature will be there, but the need is obvious IMO and would impact the team most.

 

[BradyFTW!]

We'll be getting AT, Woods, and Crable back next season, but with Vrabel on his way out I definitely agree that OLB is a need (although ILB is too. I like Guyton situationally, but dunno if he's a starter, and either way we need another one). Safety's also a need, but, assuming that we re-sign both Sanders this offseason, I think I'd prioritize upgrading the right side of the OL first.

 

[sebman2112]

Yes he does come up a bit but you got to see you do not see ed reed in the box too much even if he makes plays as he is too light and increase your injury chances.
given a choice a 225 lb sanders in the box is going to be better than a 195 LB merriweather. I am not saying he cannot play but last year he got dinged up in the box.His strength is speed and range so he should be outside making plays not taking on heavy 220LB or 250 TE in run blocking.

Brandon came into camp as a rookie at around 200lbs, and has noticeably added a few lbs this season, so I believe he currently weighs around 210lbs.
Don't get me wrong though, I like Meriweather better as a ball hawking FS type, but I think some people are overstating his size limitations.