DeMarcus Ware or Andre Johnson?

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

Most here would agree that this draft isn't just about adding talent, it's about finding what the Pats seem to lack right now: playmakers.

This is the debate. Let's say this draft will produce the next Ware AND Johnson. Both had productive rookie seasons and both have become elite players. The Pats can pick up one of them. Who do you want drafted?

I say the next Ware. At first the choice seemed obvious but the more I thought about it, the tougher the decision became. Living in Texas, I see a lot of both Ware and Johnson and I see what they bring to their teams.

With that type of WR, we'd have another outside threat that would also open things up for Edelman and Welker once he's back. With that type of OLB, we could bring consistency to our pass rush which will get us off the field and help create turnovers.

At the end of the day, I take Ware. We've got some good, young players on this defense. The next Ware could really bring it all together.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Or you could put in this way, which one would you rather have, the next Willie McGinest, or the next Dieon Branch? The Pats have been able to replace Branch (albeit a season late), but they have yet to be able to replace Willie. This team needs a dominant pass rusher. One the offenswe must account for on every play.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Ware and its not even close

Defensive Studs are tougher to find than WRs especially when you have a HOFer at QB ,remember Brady's biggest threat at WR in 06 and 1 win away from a likely SB title was Reche Caldwell

We have been absolutely HORRIBLE in replacing McGinest since he left

 

[Water Boy]

Given the current state of the team, with Welker hurt, I'd take Andre Johnson.

 

[Marqui]

Ware all day.

 

[patriotscpfc]

Ware.

Different one.

Chris Johnson or Patrick Willis?

 

[spacecrime]

Most here would agree that this draft isn't just about adding talent, it's about finding what the Pats seem to lack right now: playmakers.

I don't think most would agree at all.

This isn't the NBA or fantasy football.

What the Pats need to do is field a winning team, and for that they need players who fit their system and are coachable to play the way the Pats FO wants them to play.

There are a lot of teams with a lot of playmakers who generate terrific ESPN highlights but go nowhere. The troukble with getting a playmaker and expecting them to make plays is that they will make plays at the expense of a game.

Like that McCree idiot who intercepted a ball on fourth down and tried to advance it. Cost the Chargers the game.

DO YOUR JOB. That's the Pats motto. Not make big plays.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Ware.

Different one.

Chris Johnson or Patrick Willis?

Yours wouldn't work,Many in here would say Maroney is a better back than Chris and we wouldn't need him since this team is a RBBC

 

[ALP]

haha, Ware is good

but andre johnson is in the top 3 wr's of the league...hes fast, tough, has hands, gets open, is quick and smart

i would take Andre no worries

w/ andre next year, we would be a similar offense to 07, with ware at defense, it still would not be close to 03-04 form

i believe the only true weakness in the offense right now is WR, and if we fill that weakness, well have a top 3 offense in the NFL, which would make the defense less necessary, ala 2007

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'll always go with defense. Ware is my vote.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Ware.

Different one.

Chris Johnson or Patrick Willis?

We are going to have a Patrick Willis this year. (Mayo injury free entering his 3rd year)

I want a power back not an outside runner for our offense. If I had to choose any rb in the fl, I'd choose maurice Jones Drew.

 

[Marqui]

haha, Ware is good

but andre johnson is in the top 3 wr's of the league...hes fast, tough, has hands, gets open, is quick and smart

i would take Andre no worries

w/ andre next year, we would be a similar offense to 07, with ware at defense, it still would not be close to 03-04 form

i believe the only true weakness in the offense right now is WR, and if we fill that weakness, well have a top 3 offense in the NFL, which would make the defense less necessary, ala 2007

How many Superbowls have the Pats won with an explosive offense and no defense?

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

How many Superbowls have the Pats won with an explosive offense and no defense?

I guess they never saw the Chargers and Dolphins of the 80s

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

With all due respect, anybody that takes Andre Johnson needs to get their head checked and re-watch the Pats super bowl runs from '01, '03 and '04. However, you might be able to argue '04 as an offensive team as their offense was pretty damn good.

The only way I'd take an offensive player over a defensive player is if we were picking between a QB.

 

[ALP]

How many Superbowls have the Pats won with an explosive offense and no defense?

trick question alert....

in how many superbowls that the pats played in did the O-line disappear?

we have gone to 5 superbowls, we have won 3, and nearly won another 1 if not for a defensive meltdown at the end

but that is not the focus here, the focus is that offense dominates defense in the NFL TODAY, our superbowl champoinships were in a league with VERY different rules

andre johnson is the pick still

 

[tanked_as_usual]

I don't think most would agree at all.

This isn't the NBA or fantasy football.

What the Pats need to do is field a winning team, and for that they need players who fit their system and are coachable to play the way the Pats FO wants them to play.

There are a lot of teams with a lot of playmakers who generate terrific ESPN highlights but go nowhere. The troukble with getting a playmaker and expecting them to make plays is that they will make plays at the expense of a game.

Like that McCree idiot who intercepted a ball on fourth down and tried to advance it. Cost the Chargers the game.

DO YOUR JOB. That's the Pats motto. Not make big plays.

the defense doesn't have any playmakers which is why this team would go nowhere with the defense the way it is.....

the pats were successfule because they had playmakers.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

1 - ware
2 - willis

you can find guys to serve on offense pretty easily.....it is obvious the pats have had a problem locating good LB's......ware and willis would go a long way to solving this

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

This is an interesting topic. At first glance most would probably say Ware due to the lack of a pass rush last year, but I think I would go with Andre Johnson.

A guy with his package of size, speed, toughness, and playmaking ability just
doesn't come around that often. He is a top 3 WR in the NFL in his prime, and would make the loss of Moss next season easier to deal with. A WR of Johnson's caliber who can stretch the field and is fearless going over the middle is extremely rare. Brady would absolutely love this guy, and the fans would too.

Ware is definitely one of the best OLB in the game today, but IMO our pass rush struggles aren't all due to personnel. Sure the personnel could be better, but I think a lot of the struggles have to do with the system as well.

Belichick's defense has always been about controlling the LOS, disguising coverage, and confusing QB's. The Pats have often rushed 4 guys and dropped 7 into coverage over the years. You can do this and still have a great pass rush if the players in those roles are Pro-Bowl caliber players (Seymour, Vrabel, McGinest, etc.).

I just don't think our defense is made for one of those 15 sack guys like Merriman, Ware, or Harrison. I don't think Ware would come in and produce like he has in Dallas, just like Adalius hasn't done so. IMO, it's more about our seemingly more conservative "bend but don't break defense" than the personnel we have. Would a guy like Ware or Woodley help? Absolutely. But would a move to a more aggressive one-gap defense (like Pittsburgh or NYJ) be even more beneficial? IMO, yes.

Just look at the Jets for example. What great pass rushers do they have? Pace is a nice player, but he's certainly nothing to write home about. Bryan Thomas? Vernon "The Ghost" Gholston? These guys aren't even close to premiere pass rusher, yet the Jets still had one of the best and most disruptive pass rushing attack last year. Rex Ryan's aggressive defense makes these guys look better than they are.

It also seems easier to find LB's for these types of defenses in the draft. You look at GB and Matthews coming in and having an instant impact in a one-gap defense. Would he have been able to come into a two-gap defense like ours, picked up the technique and had the same impact for us? IMO, doubtful. I think that's why we've had so much trouble finding replacements for Willie and Vrabel.

I don't expect BB to abandon the 2-gap 3-4 that he runs because he's won with it, but I personally prefer the 1-gap 3-4 and a more aggressive defense. I just think it's better suited for the modern day NFL where you've got QB's throwing for 4000 yards per season. I thought the addition of the "5 and Dime" was very encouraging last season and I loved it because it was chaotic, confusing, aggressive, disruptive, and very effective. I'd like to see more of that type of dynamic and aggressive defense in 2010.

Wow I really got off topic there hahaha.

 

[RayClay]

I guess they never saw the Chargers and Dolphins of the 80s

Chargers won a super bowl?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I'll always go with defense. Ware is my vote.

Agreed, not just defense, but pass rush specifically where it's desperately needed.

We need a 3rd WR, we don't need Andre Johnson. Not saying I'd complain if we'd get one but Ware quite easily.