Thanks, sorry if I misinterpreted your rankings.
I'm with you on the pass rush, but I'm also feeling a little learned helplessness. We've been saying the same thing since at least 2006, yet BB has never in all his years with the Pats spend a 1st or 2nd round pick on a pass rusher. I have zero idea what he's looking for, since we have no history to go on. I'm sure I'll catch the draft bug come January, but for now I just feel like giving it a big :confused2:
I hear what you're saying, Patchick. But I'm a little more optimistic than you.
I think BB learns from his mistakes. He got a bit burned with the success of plugging players into the secondary in 2004-2006 and I think he thought that he could succeed with Jags in the secondary as long as his front 7 was first class. That theory got burned badly, especially last year when we couldn't cover anyone and had to play a soft zone. So he made the secondary his #1 priority in the offseason, added Bodden/Springs/McGowan in FA and Butler/Chung in the draft, and now we have the best secondary we've had since 2003 with a bunch of athletic young playmakers flying around giving us tremendous defensive flexibility.
I think BB also got burned a bit with the 3-4 OLBs and the pass rush. I think it's fairly obvious that our defense is becoming very could, but that the lack of a pass rush is the major factor holding it back from becoming dominant. I think he'll make the pass rush the major priority in the offseason.
I don't see this happening through FA, for several reasons. First, we have a lot of FAs of our own, and I think the money will all be spent keeping as many as possible. Second, if it is an uncapped year then we will be limited as a playoff team on signing outside FAs. Third, pass rushers cost a premium, and the money can be better spent elsewhere. Fourth, the only interest pass rushers likely to be available are Peppers (who will cost a fortune) and Merriman (who has major questions post-steroids and injury). With a ton of talented rushers likely to be coming out in the draft, I see that as a cheaper and more likely option.
I've given up predicting what BB is looking for after Connor Barwin last year. But with so many talented guys of totally different types coming out, I can't imagine that there would be a better chance to find whatever it is that he wants. I have no clue as to whether he'd rather have Sergio Kindle or Jerry Hughes, or Ricky Sapp or Von Miller, or Greg Hardy or Derrick Morgan or Everson Griffen, or whomever. But there will be a lot of guys out there, and many will be available or within reach.