AzPatsFan
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
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I was scanning the new Sporting News Profootball annual.
The Sporting News writers do not even list Manny Lawson on the first or second teams of the 49ers and assume that he is gone. Is this reflecting conversations with the 49er Coaches or management? Of all the OLB available, I would think that he would be of most interest to the Pats and Belichick because he is a complete OLB. Manny can stand against the run and drop well against the pass. His biggest weakness is pass rushing, but he does have spectacular speed and is the tall rangy type that Belichick covets. he has been good for 5-6 sacks a year though. OTOH, he is lighter than the ideal. But weight is meant more to help stop the run, and he does that at 240-245. You can always add a little weight.
The Sporting News writers do not show Connor Barwin as an OLB for the Houston Texans and relegate him to a potential pass rushing DE used on third downs only. There is some pretty stiff competition there at DE too, from Mario Williams and first round pick JJ Watt.
I still think one of these fellows is in Belichick's sights, if any are. Both have served apprenticeships on somebody else's dime, and BB might want to harvest them like he did with Phifer and to a better extent with Mike Vrabel.
The Sporting News writers do not even list Manny Lawson on the first or second teams of the 49ers and assume that he is gone. Is this reflecting conversations with the 49er Coaches or management? Of all the OLB available, I would think that he would be of most interest to the Pats and Belichick because he is a complete OLB. Manny can stand against the run and drop well against the pass. His biggest weakness is pass rushing, but he does have spectacular speed and is the tall rangy type that Belichick covets. he has been good for 5-6 sacks a year though. OTOH, he is lighter than the ideal. But weight is meant more to help stop the run, and he does that at 240-245. You can always add a little weight.
The Sporting News writers do not show Connor Barwin as an OLB for the Houston Texans and relegate him to a potential pass rushing DE used on third downs only. There is some pretty stiff competition there at DE too, from Mario Williams and first round pick JJ Watt.
I still think one of these fellows is in Belichick's sights, if any are. Both have served apprenticeships on somebody else's dime, and BB might want to harvest them like he did with Phifer and to a better extent with Mike Vrabel.