Going by the players on the roster, is our defense ready for the 2012 season??

[Joey007]

I said no, but only due to one thing that's missing. Re-signing Carter. Yes, I do know he just turned 33 and is coming off of a season-ending quad injury, but right now our other pass-rushers are-
Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Jake Bequette, Markell Carter, Jermaine Cunningham (don't know if he should count), Trevor Scott, and Jonathan Fanene. What you have there is two rookies who could produce pressure, but even JPP had to wait a year before he became dominant, so there's no sure thing there, you have a bust who's fighting to even make the roster, a project guy who looks to have potential but there definately no sure thing in that, two role players who are solid pass rushers, but won't produce many numbers, and last you have Ninkovich, similar to the role players although he shows more potential than they do.

So to make a long story short, as long as he can get healthy and can be signed for the right price, Carter needs to be back to fill out the front 7.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

They have no choice but to be ready..

 

[Joey007]

They have no choice but to be ready..

That wasn't what I was getting at, but I can't argue with it.

 

[ausbacker]

It's May. The season starts in September. Playoffs start in January. They have plenty of time to get ready.

 

[Sciz]

The talent is all there.

 

[Joey007]

The talent is all there.

Again for me add a healthy Carter and I agree with this statement. Thanks for understanding my question.

 

[ausbacker]

Again for me add a healthy Carter and I agree with this statement. Thanks for understanding my question.

You purposely loaded your list composition and player statements to demonstrate the need to re-sign Carter. The reality is we don't know what we have with the rookies, the off-season acquisitions need to time to gel in the structure and we have a small understanding of the formations and personnel Belichick and Patricia will be utilising on defense.

As I mentioned, it's too early to make this call (which you've basically said anyway). On face value, the personnel on D looks improved.

 

[Ring 6]

Again for me add a healthy Carter and I agree with this statement. Thanks for understanding my question.

How do you propose to go back in time and make him healthy?

 

[Ron Sellers]

Again for me add a healthy Carter and I agree with this statement. Thanks for understanding my question.

But Carter isn't healthy right now. The Patriots don't know if he will or will not be able to play football at a high level in 21012, or even if he will or will not be able to contribute at any level in 2012.

So now the question would become 'should the Patriots sign Andre Carter now, knowing that he is not healthy'? I can think of both pros and cons to that question.


Perhaps a better question would be 'what should the Patriots do if Andre Carter cannot return in 2012'?

 

[patchick]

How do you propose to go back in time and make him healthy?

If you do come up with that time machine, please be sure to un-injure Dowling's hip. That one has me worried.

 

[Ring 6]

If you do come up with that time machine, please be sure to un-injure Dowling's hip. That one has me worried.

It's only the first off-season workout and there are conflicting reports. The fact that he is out there tends to indicate he is fully healed. Fully recovered shouldn't be far behind.
Not time for Mr Peabody and his boy Sherman yet.

 

[patchick]

It's only the first off-season workout and there are conflicting reports. The fact that he is out there tends to indicate he is fully healed. Fully recovered shouldn't be far behind.
Not time for Mr Peabody and his boy Sherman yet.

I know, but hips are nasty beasts. IMO Dowling regaining his athleticism is a key to this year's defense.

FWIW, I also have a hunch that Fanene will prove to be a really big signing.

 

[mayoclinic]

IMO Dowling regaining his athleticism is a key to this year's defense.

It would certainly help for Dowling to resume his early 2011 form, though there seems to be enough depth at DB to not rely too much on any one guy.

FWIW, I also have a hunch that Fanene will prove to be a really big signing.

I'm with you on this one. I'm very excited to see what Fanene can do for us.

 

[The Gr8est]

If you do come up with that time machine, please be sure to un-injure Dowling's hip. That one has me worried.

Well if he CAN go back in time, just have Wes catch the damn ball, or short of that, keep Gronk from getting injured. Pats win the SB either way.

 

[Ring 6]

I know, but hips are nasty beasts. IMO Dowling regaining his athleticism is a key to this year's defense.

FWIW, I also have a hunch that Fanene will prove to be a really big signing.

I like Fanene a lot too, even as only a sub package inside rusher. Whatever he contributes in the base will be a bonus, and I'm not writing off that he could start in the base too.

 

[VrabelJr]

While our defense has been infused with talent it takes time for talent to develop. I see our defense making progress next year but I imagine we will still be 20th-27th ranked. The most immediate impact will come from signing guys like Steve Gregory and Jonathan Fanene, not the rookies.

 

[Spergon Wynn]

I think they're going to be better this year but still in the bottom 10. Probably somewhere around 25.

 

[Ring 6]

I think they're going to be better this year but still in the bottom 10. Probably somewhere around 25.

I could care less where they are in yards. But they were 15th in what matters most, points allowed, and I expect that to become top 10 or better.

And there is absolutely no reason that last year needs to have any bearing on this year.

 

[RayClay]

I'd like another big DL and they have a lot of talent that is unproven and hasn't played together. I'd be happy to see them hit their stride midseason, not that we can't win games while they learn. Chung will have hardly played with most of the secondary. Vince is Vince and Mayo, spikes Ninch are in sync I'm sure, but that's a lot of unknowns otherwise and the defense learning to play together is so underrated.

 

[Marqui]

I could care less where they are in yards. But they were 15th in what matters most, points allowed, and I expect that to become top 10 or better.

And there is absolutely no reason that last year needs to have any bearing on this year.

You could care less if the defense can't get off the field and allow opponents to dominate time of possession?