2nd level players very interesting

[farn]

This TC is going to get very, very interesting. IMO, one of the most interesting aspects is the number of players who have done good things in the league, but may have had injuries or other setbacks. Most of the talk involves the frontline stars or the rookies' potential.

Who are going to be the guys to step up and contribute this year ?

McGowan and TBC, for example are getting no publicity whatsoever. Can they make a difference for NE this year ?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

There have been several articles about TBC's return to NE and his effort to win a job at OLB since Training Camp started. McGowan had one Maine paper talk about him coming back to NE, but he has been mentioned in the fan training camp reports and in a couple blogs.
-- TBC appears to be in the running for #3 OLB - at least until Crable gets off PUP and shows what he can do.
-- McGowan has taken some reps with the ones, but he seems to be running mostly with the twos alongside Chung, which suggests he's making progress towards #3 or 4 S.

 

[Urgent]

TBC right now benefits from the lack of depth at OLB. That he is #3 is less about his abilities and more about the lack of a Taylor/Burgess, draft pick, or Crable and Redd.

McGowan, however, faces an interesting situation.
Sanders and Meriweather are returning starters.
Chung is the top draft pick. Tough to see McGowan as #3.
Tank Williams has extra versatility as a coverage ILB, in a role similar to Don Davis.
Ray Ventrone is leading the special teams units right now, and has some (very limited) offensive flexibility.

McGowan sort of looks like the fourth best safety, but both Williams and Ventrone offer something else. Very interesting competition there.

 

[patfanken]

TBC right now benefits from the lack of depth at OLB. That he is #3 is less about his abilities and more about the lack of a Taylor/Burgess, draft pick, or Crable and Redd.

McGowan, however, faces an interesting situation.
Sanders and Meriweather are returning starters.
Chung is the top draft pick. Tough to see McGowan as #3.
Tank Williams has extra versatility as a coverage ILB, in a role similar to Don Davis.
Ray Ventrone is leading the special teams units right now, and has some (very limited) offensive flexibility.

McGowan sort of looks like the fourth best safety, but both Williams and Ventrone offer something else. Very interesting competition there.

Ventrone is being used EXCLUSIVELY as a WR right now and has NOTHING to add to the safety situation. And for that matter, Williams has been used ALMOST exclusively with the LBs in group and team drills. Which leads me to believe that BB is happy with Merriweather/Sanders, Chung/McGowan Plus Slater and Love, and will probably keep 4 of those, and probably the first 4.

BTW- Why all the talk about a lack of depth at the OLB position. How many guys do you think they are going to keep anyway. 4 MAYBE 5. So right now you have Woods and Thomas, Crabel and TCB, and then JAGs like this new kid they signed and Alexander, who has seen a lot of work on the outside this preseason. So they ALL have be all pros to have "depth".

The fact of the matter is EVEN IF we had drafted an OLB project like my favorite binky, Corwin Barwin. IT is very doubtful that they'd be ANY factor this year, and the Depth wouldn't be just as bad according to you.

 

[RayClay]

Ventrone is being used EXCLUSIVELY as a WR right now and has NOTHING to add to the safety situation. And for that matter, Williams has been used ALMOST exclusively with the LBs in group and team drills. Which leads me to believe that BB is happy with Merriweather/Sanders, Chung/McGowan Plus Slater and Love, and will probably keep 4 of those, and probably the first 4.

BTW- Why all the talk about a lack of depth at the OLB position. How many guys do you think they are going to keep anyway. 4 MAYBE 5. So right now you have Woods and Thomas, Crabel and TCB, and then JAGs like this new kid they signed and Alexander, who has seen a lot of work on the outside this preseason. So they ALL have be all pros to have "depth".

The fact of the matter is EVEN IF we had drafted an OLB project like my favorite binky, Corwin Barwin. IT is very doubtful that they'd be ANY factor this year, and the Depth wouldn't be just as bad according to you.

I don't consider a quantity of unknowns to be depth. At this point they need to pay for a veteran, unless they get lucky and one drops in their lap, in my opinion.

 

[patfanken]

I don't consider a quantity of unknowns to be depth. At this point they need to pay for a veteran, unless they get lucky and one drops in their lap, in my opinion.

Well Ray you are entitled to your opinion, and they may very well get some Vet to come into camp. But I'm not sure that even if they do, that the OLB situation will be better, nor will you. Tell me, are you really going to breath a sigh of relief if they DO manage to grab Burgess. WTF would HE make you feel better about the position???? IIRC he's a 32 year old guy who is at least a couple of years from when he was concidered a decent pass rusher....in a COMPLETELY different defense.

Also in the age of the salary cap, the fact is that you will ALWAYS have positions where "unknowns" are going to have step in and perform at unexpect levels. See: Tom Brady, Matt Light, Dan Koppen, Eugene Wilson, Steve Neal, David Givens, Deon Branch, Randell Gay, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Right now its quite amazing that the ONLY position we seem to have this level of anxiety with is OLB. I'd speculate that there are 30 other teams in the league who would like to be in that situation with only ONE. And I would opine that like ALL those mentioned before them, recent history tells us that that someone will step up and excell. Wouldn't you think???

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Well Ray...Wouldn't you think???

Save your energy on this one Ken, when it comes to LB, Ray isn't a glass half empty guy, he's a call the manager someone's been stealing my water guy.

 

[Joker]

water thieves...what's next?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

water thieves...what's next?

Ice Pirates.

 

[Joker]

saw it...saucked

I rather steal signals

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

saw it...saucked

I rather steal signals

You're probably still grasping your groin in sympathetic pain from the slave scene.

 

[Joker]

Not only have I not grasped my groin in some time...sadly, neither has a member of the opposite sex...saucks to get older

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Not only have I not grasped my groin in some time...sadly, neither has a member of the opposite sex...saucks to get older

Yup. :enranged:

 

[Fencer]

BTW- Why all the talk about a lack of depth at the OLB position. How many guys do you think they are going to keep anyway. 4 MAYBE 5. So right now you have Woods and Thomas, Crabel and TCB, and then JAGs like this new kid they signed and Alexander, who has seen a lot of work on the outside this preseason. So they ALL have be all pros to have "depth".

The fact of the matter is EVEN IF we had drafted an OLB project like my favorite binky, Corwin Barwin. IT is very doubtful that they'd be ANY factor this year, and the Depth wouldn't be just as bad according to you.

1. Whoever starts across from Thomas is likely to not be very good. Lesser players get rotated in for on more downs than better players. Pass rushers are particularly likely to be rotated.

2. Three of the presumed top four -- Thomas, Woods, and Crable -- have had recent injury issues. In one case -- Crable -- they seem ongoing.

3. Perhaps some people are dissatisfied with our ILBs after Mayo, and wish Thomas could take some reps inside.

4. People were spoiled by some of the studly OLB trios we had earlier in the BB era.

 

[RayClay]

Tell me, are you really going to breath a sigh of relief if they DO manage to grab Burgess. WTF would HE make you feel better about the position???? IIRC he's a 32 year old guy who is at least a couple of years from when he was concidered a decent pass rusher....in a COMPLETELY different defense.

Agreed, but that's the situation we find ourselves in now. Certainly, had we started a more aggressive restocking 3-4 years ago, we'd have more than Mayo to show for replacement, by draft or acquisition.

Right now its quite amazing that the ONLY position we seem to have this level of anxiety with is OLB. I'd speculate that there are 30 other teams in the league who would like to be in that situation with only ONE. And I would opine that like ALL those mentioned before them, recent history tells us that that someone will step up and excell. Wouldn't you think???

Certainly we're stacked at other positions, an embarrassment of riches by comparison. You can't afford to spend at every position, it's true. I believe in the weakest link on the chain theory. If we knew 5-6 years ago that we were going to try to fill half the starting LB positions frugally, we should have been running a lot more UDFA's and younger vet cuts through the system looking for gems, IMO.

But that's past. We have one great young LB and one quality vet and hope for some UDFA's with a little time in the system, plus an athletic 3rd whose a mystery due to injuries right now.

That's how we start now and that's if we're healthy. I'm a defense first guy, and our own championship history shows SB wins with virtual scrubs on offense and losses with superstars.

Not knocking other parts of the team, but a weakness on defense is worrisome to me. I'd welcome any positive additions in starters or depth.

 

[RayClay]

Save your energy on this one Ken, when it comes to LB, Ray isn't a glass half empty guy, he's a call the manager someone's been stealing my water guy.

Seriously, I'm not a crank on this issue (just in general) but it hasn't been addressed since the originals (except Bru) and their replacements have left. AD and Mayo are fine and not inexpensive, I might add.

I'd love all the free agents etc. to work out, I just don't think wishful thinking constitutes a plan.

 

[farn]

McGowan would be an interesting fit... as he has been a good player in the past.

But beyond McGowan and TBC, veterans such as Aiken and Tank Williams would - I suspect - be able to make more than one team in this league. But can they stick with all the competition ?

Can't wait to see what heppens in the preseason games. I fear that some of the roster questions will unfortunately be dictated by injuries...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Not only have I not grasped my groin in some time...sadly, neither has a member of the opposite sex...saucks to get older

Well big fella, I'd be will.....Oh, you said opposite. Never mind.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Agreed, but that's the situation we find ourselves in now. Certainly, had we started a more aggressive restocking 3-4 years ago, we'd have more than Mayo to show for replacement, by draft or acquisition./quote]



Ray,

Belichick was at inexcusably at fault. He had nothing better to do with his draft picks than stock LBs. Perhaps you've forgotten rebuilding the secondary? Five high picks the last three years; or adding depth to the lines? And prepping for the coming transition on the O line, where raw players can get your QB killed. [sarc off]

BTB, he HAS drafted three LBs high in Mayo, Crable and McKenzie, to go with AD in his prime; and found a few long shots too. Last I looked they needed only four starters there. It too bad that two of the three high picks are currently injured, once again his fault...

 

[Deus Irae]

Seriously, I'm not a crank on this issue (just in general) but it hasn't been addressed since the originals (except Bru) and their replacements have left. AD and Mayo are fine and not inexpensive, I might add.

I'd love all the free agents etc. to work out, I just don't think wishful thinking constitutes a plan.

Rosie Colvin would be laughing at you if his hip wasn't bothering him. You're now repeating your incorrect assertion from the 'Steelers' thread.