Vet ILBs - who is out there, will be cut, or avail for trade?

[tombonneau]

How soon we forget. Of course, Seau was only here for part of the season. I guess we started with Alexander as the #4 as we have for years.

Indeed how soon we forget in our attempts to be glib.

Besides, whoever is #4 is really the de facto #3, as, sadly, Bruschi at this stage of his career is "when" not "if" when it comes to an injury.

 

[RayClay]

Just wake me up when this exciting competition begins.

 

[mayoclinic]

1) I'm not sure I understand the panic. Did anyone expect lots of reps and contributions from our 3C developmental LB draftee? and, yes, we do have the opportunity to sign another ILB if we wish.

2) Did Bruschi and Guyton get cut? They will take the same reps they were taking before and similar to what they took last year. We have three ILB's. Barring injuries, a 4th would get almost no reps.

3) Yes, Thomas could move inside if Taylor were signed. The question is whether this would help the team or not. My preference would be to keep Thomas and Taylor outside unless there were an injury to one of the inside backs. But if you think Bruschi and Guyton are useless as starters, Taylor and Woods could start outside.

4) Why are we talking about a logjam at OLB? I thought we all agreed that Taylor would be a major upgrade. Camp competition would determine who would go. I would expected that we would just keep what we have with the expectation that Redd, Banta-Cain and Woods made much of their contributions on special teams.

I don't think there is any panic. However, I personally don't think we can count on a whole lot from either Bruschi or Alexander, so we are definitely a bit thin at the ILB spot with McKenzie's injury. I'm not sure how much he would have contributed right away, but he was certainly an athletic young body.

I agree with you that I prefer keeping AD at OLB, at least for this year. I think there is enough uncertainty at the OLB position that having one established anchor there (to go with Mayo as the established anchor at ILB) is a better option than loading up at ILB and having OLB being completely up in the air.

I personally like the idea of taking a look at Napoleon Harris, if he can be brought in for reasonable money. He may turn out to be another Chad Brown/Monty Beisel, but I don't think so. He has nice size at 6'3" 253# and is only 30. Harris and Taylor would be nice short-term additions to the LB corps.

 

[mgteich]

I've always liked Nap Harris. I seem to recall us moving up to draft him and bringing the wrong card to the NFL folks and we ended up with Daniel Graham.

I would like 3 year contracts on both Taylor and Harris. There's plenty of room on the 2010 roster for them not to be one-year solutions. Bruschi, Woods and Banta-Cain are all likely to be gone.

I don't think there is any panic. However, I personally don't think we can count on a whole lot from either Bruschi or Alexander, so we are definitely a bit thin at the ILB spot with McKenzie's injury. I'm not sure how much he would have contributed right away, but he was certainly an athletic young body.

I agree with you that I prefer keeping AD at OLB, at least for this year. I think there is enough uncertainty at the OLB position that having one established anchor there (to go with Mayo as the established anchor at ILB) is a better option than loading up at ILB and having OLB being completely up in the air.

I personally like the idea of taking a look at Napoleon Harris, if he can be brought in for reasonable money. He may turn out to be another Chad Brown/Monty Beisel, but I don't think so. He has nice size at 6'3" 253# and is only 30. Harris and Taylor would be nice short-term additions to the LB corps.

 

[mayoclinic]

I've always liked Nap Harris. I seem to recall us moving up to draft him and bringing the wrong card to the NFL folks and we ended up with Daniel Graham.

I would like 3 year contracts on both Taylor and Harris. There's plenty of room on the 2010 roster for them not to be one-year solutions. Bruschi, Woods and Banta-Cain are all likely to be gone.

Is that what happened? When we traded up in 2002 I was sure it was for Harris (not being as familiar with BB's TE fetish at that time), and was disappointed. Harris hasn't had a stellar career but has had some solid years, and could be a good pickup for us. Of course, in retrospect the card that we were actually bringing up was Ed Reed's.

 

[mayoclinic]

I would like 3 year contracts on both Taylor and Harris. There's plenty of room on the 2010 roster for them not to be one-year solutions. Bruschi, Woods and Banta-Cain are all likely to be gone.

To continue the thought, if we somehow signed both Taylor and Harris to 2-3 year contracts then we would have a lineup that looks something like this:

OLB - Adalius Thomas (6'2" 270#) and Jason Taylor (6'5" 250#) starting, with 6'5" Shawn Crable, 6'5" Pierre Woods, and 6'5" Vince Redd in reserve. I personally would keep Redd over TBC as the 5th OLB. There would be no pressure to rush the kids along in this scenario.

ILB - Jerod Mayo at WILB with Napoleon Harris at SILB and Guyton backing up both positions, along with Bruschi for veteran leadership and depth. McKenzie would probably replace Bruschi in 2010. Alexander is the odd man out. Appleby goes to the PS. Again, there would be no pressure to rush the kids along in this scenario.

That would be a fairly solid LB corps. I'd be pretty happy with it compared to what we have now.

 

[furley]

Are these linebackers still unsigned and can any of them play in the 3-4 defense? I think they're all 4-3 middle linebackers.

Nate Webster
Morlon Greenwood
Paris Lenon
Napoleon Harris
Marcus Washington

 

[crowell33]

To continue the thought, if we somehow signed both Taylor and Harris to 2-3 year contracts then we would have a lineup that looks something like this:

OLB - Adalius Thomas (6'2" 270#) and Jason Taylor (6'5" 250#) starting, with 6'5" Shawn Crable, 6'5" Pierre Woods, and 6'5" Vince Redd in reserve. I personally would keep Redd over TBC as the 5th OLB. There would be no pressure to rush the kids along in this scenario.

ILB - Jerod Mayo at WILB with Napoleon Harris at SILB and Guyton backing up both positions, along with Bruschi for veteran leadership and depth. McKenzie would probably replace Bruschi in 2010. Alexander is the odd man out. Appleby goes to the PS. Again, there would be no pressure to rush the kids along in this scenario.

That would be a fairly solid LB corps. I'd be pretty happy with it compared to what we have now.

Sounds good to me. If McKenzie can come back from a year of no football ( training camp and season missed ), as our second, third round pick
(our 6th draft pick overall ), rebuild his knee, learn our complex system and replace Bruschi out of the gate in 2010, that would be a dream come true.

 

[DW Toys]

here is a list of the remaining free agents. Not to sure how up to date this list is, but whats remaining does not look to promising. Hopefully a few good vets will become available when teams start trimming their rosters.

Scout.com: 2009 NFL Free Agency MLB Rankings

Is their anyone on the Pats roster currently that can play ILB. TBC maybe. He's got the size. Especially if we sign Taylor. That will make a log jam at OLB.

Woods is 250. Heavier than out present ILB squad. I think OLB is between Crable and Redd so Woods at ILB is not a bad idea. UDFA Applebee? Worrell Williams of Cal. is 250lbs. He received honorable mention All-Pac-10 notice but did not get a FA try out. He was rated as a mid-round draft pick. He is short at about 6' tall or less but then so is London Fletcher. 23 reps and 4.75 speed.

Wouldn't that be something if the misfortune of one creates the opportunity for the other (Applebee). He also has the most 3-4 experience.

As far as Vets. Bobby Carpenter from the 'Boys could be available. Excellent ST guy and back up for Teddy, Mayo and Guyton. Can cover fairly well and has speed. The Boys also have Ellis they could move. Dansby from the Cards can play inside but would cost us big time in CAP.

DW Toys

 

[The_Riddler]

I knew passing on Rey Maualuga at the top of round 2 would come back to bite us in the arse. Still can't believe we let him slip through our fingertips. He's out to prove the NFL wrong for letting him drop to Round Two, I just wish we were the beneficiaries of that anger, instead the Bengals are.

 

[TriplecHamp]

I knew passing on Rey Maualuga at the top of round 2 would come back to bite us in the arse. Still can't believe we let him slip through our fingertips. He's out to prove the NFL wrong for letting him drop to Round Two, I just wish we were the beneficiaries of that anger, instead the Bengals are.

Word!!! Listening to him speak I think he will make a lot of people sorry they passed on him.

 

[BradyFTW!]

It's really funny to think that the Raiders got Randy Moss for Napoleon Harris and a first (Troy Williamson). And they still ultimately managed to get screwed, since they turned him into a fourth. So basically minnesota and oakland both got screwed, over time. New England came out ahead tho, I think it's safe to say.

 

[Deus Irae]

I knew passing on Rey Maualuga at the top of round 2 would come back to bite us in the arse. Still can't believe we let him slip through our fingertips. He's out to prove the NFL wrong for letting him drop to Round Two, I just wish we were the beneficiaries of that anger, instead the Bengals are.

So a later round pick getting injured is somehow validation for your desire to draft Maualuga?

 

[The_Riddler]

So a later round pick getting injured is somehow validation for your desire to draft Maualuga?

No, I went bananas (twice) when BB passed on Maualuga not one, but TWICE, I was going bananas on draft day, I'm still pissed over it. Can you imagine Maualuga and Mayo playing next to each other, wtf was BB thinking ????

 

[Deus Irae]

No, I went bananas (twice) when BB passed on Maualuga not one, but TWICE, I was going bananas on draft day, I'm still pissed over it. Can you imagine Maualuga and Mayo playing next to each other, wtf was BB thinking ????

That the guy wasn't worth it, probably.

 

[The_Riddler]

That the guy wasn't worth it, probably.

WHAT ? Rey Maualuga was not worth of a top of R2 pick ? Are you freaking serious ? Do you have any idea what this man is going to do in this league ? And BB for some reason passed this up...........I'm still shaking my head.

 

[Thumper27]

I'm expecting big things out of Antonio Appleby. Good size and he played ILB in a 3-4 at UVA. My pre-draft literature had him ranked at #7 among ILBs so I'd at least heard of him. It also calls him a boom or bust type, though. I just think he's got the tools to mop up the middle with Mayo.

In any case, I'm not amazed by the pool of FA ILBs out there, and I get the feeling that Belichick will be obstinate about proving that Guyton's our guy.

If he thinks we can get NFL-caliber snaps out of Guyton and Appleby opposite Mayo, I don't see the need to bring in anybody at all.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

WHAT ? Rey Maualuga was not worth of a top of R2 pick ? Are you freaking serious ? Do you have any idea what this man is going to do in this league ? And BB for some reason passed this up...........I'm still shaking my head.

Lots of reasonable people wonder if he's a 3-down 'backer or not.

Lots of people here had Vernon Gholston as their binky last year.

In Bill I trust.

 

[Deus Irae]

WHAT ? Rey Maualuga was not worth of a top of R2 pick ? Are you freaking serious ? Do you have any idea what this man is going to do in this league ? And BB for some reason passed this up...........I'm still shaking my head.

Hey, I wanted Oden and he didn't take him either, but I'm not going to use another draftee's injury as an excuse to complain about it. Belichick didn't think either of our binkies were worth it when they were available.

 

[VJCPatriot]

WHAT ? Rey Maualuga was not worth of a top of R2 pick ? Are you freaking serious ? Do you have any idea what this man is going to do in this league ? And BB for some reason passed this up...........I'm still shaking my head.

If Maualuga didn't play for USC, would you be this infatuated with him? On film Mauluga got knocked down frequently and played undisciplined defense while freelancing. He also disappears too easily as soon as a blocker gets on him.

That kind of player is not a FIT for the Pats 3-4 style of defense. Going to the Bengals in a 4-3 system where he will not have to shed blockers he should do ok (as long as he doesn't get arrested). But he was not worth it for the Pats system because he doesn't fit what they want from an ILB. It's not a huge surprise to me that Maualuga and Laurinitis both dropped to round 2 of the draft AND that BB passed on both of them.