2010, in three sentences: About what was expected. You had a Pro Bowl year from Mayo, some guys like Ninkovich, Fletcher and Guyton who exceeded expectations, while rookies Cunningham and Spikes got quality snaps in their first year in the system. It was a bit of a disappointment for Banta-Cain, who was New England’s best pass rusher in 2009 but slipped to just five sacks in 2010.
Among linebackers with at least 80 tackle opportunities in 2010, Mayo’s 2.10 miss percentage — that is, where he had a ballcarrier lined up and he whiffed on the tackle attempt — was second best in the league.
The skinny: Provided Mayo stays at a Pro Bowl level — and provided that Spikes continues to mature and steer clear of some troubling off-field issues that marred his rookie year — the Patriots appear to be set on the inside, as Guyton is a good complementary player and Fletcher certainly showed that he could contribute occasionally as a rookie. The outside linebacker spots could certainly use an upgrade, as Banta-Cain and Ninkovich are good players, but a far cry from the McGinest/Vrabel types who dominated the position in the early days of the Belichick era. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Patriots could certainly use a pass-rushing threat off the edge. If there is someone who could fit that mold (6-foot-4, 250 pound, pass-rushing defensive end who can make the transition to OLB in the pros), look for the Patriots to target him in the draft.
