Vinceurance...?

[Lamanai]

Suppose Vince goes down with an injury, say for 6 weeks or the whole season. How well are the Pats prepared for that? Of course no team is ready for a seamless transition after losing one of their cornerstone players. But I could see this being pretty devastating, so where do the Pats turn? Would we be comfortable with Kyle Love anchoring the NT spot? Deaderick? Call Ron Brace and see if he's in shape? Maybe the team has to go exclusively 4-3?

Would adding a backup NT be a luxury? I am thinking of a veteran that is near the end of the line, not ready for the rigors of a full season in the trenches, but able to limit Vince's snap count and provide quality injury insurance. There are probably going to be a few of those veteran NT players available, perhaps at a reasonable cost. Casey Hampton, Antonio Garay, Pouha just to name a few.


Again, luxury or real need?

 

[micronin127]

Pats are not prepared to play without Wilfork at all.

What other 'bigs' do they have?
1. Kyle Love (UDFA) - acceptable against the run, no push up the middle, a classic hold your ground player
2. Ron Brace (2nd rounder) - bust, cut, claimed by no one
3. Brandon Deaderick (6th or 7th rounder) - can survive alongside Vince, but probably not without Vince, doesn't get doubled and can't beat his blocker often
4. Justin Francis (UDFA) - high motor kid, he's average, a good find for an undrafted player
5. Marcus Forston - practice squad, end of the roster for last two years

At least at defensive end we have Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich who are developing, though behind them we had Trevor Scott who like Mark Anderson was a run around the corner sack specialist and not much of a hold the point of attack player.

Where is the physicality on this defense? Certainly not up front. It's the middle layer that is physical: Mayo, Spikes, and Hightower.

That's unbalanced. We need to get more physical and it could be players like Mike DeVito from the Jets who would be an upgrade over most of our list. Or Arthur Jones (RFA) from the Ravens and Chandler's brother would also be a huge upgrade.

We signed a CFL kid Anthony Armstead so maybe he is in the mix too.

Interior D-Line, #1 CB, WR, Right side of offensive line

Lots of needs, but Vinceurance is certainly a need. We need to go 3 or 4 deep with quality bigs so we can rotate them and handle injuries.

 

[Nehalem]

Call Ron Brace and see if he's in shape?

Given that they went 11-5 when Brady went down (and his replacement was a guy who hadn't started since HS) I think the Patriots can survive Vince going down.

 

[Lamanai]

Given that they went 11-5 when Brady went down (and his replacement was a guy who hadn't started since HS) I think the Patriots can survive Vince going down.

How'd you enjoy the playoffs that year?

 

[randomk1]

How'd you enjoy the playoffs that year?

Yeah becoming like one of the few 11 win teams to miss the playoffs. You gots a real weak sister case there bro.

The D is pretty mediocre to begin with. Teams still pass all over us with Vince in there. If Vince goes down it would be a loss but hardly the same as losing Brady or even Gronk imo.

 

[JackBauer]

The D is pretty mediocre to begin with. Teams still pass all over us with Vince in there. If Vince goes down it would be a loss but hardly the same as losing Brady or even Gronk imo.

Being a little too flip, here. If Vince goes down, then teams start running all over us, too.

Anyway, on topic, DT is definitely one of the areas of greatest need on the team. I'll be shocked if one/several aren't brought in via draft/FA.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Just watch your back Vince.......literally


Vince Wilfork Heads Outside in Hoodie to Shovel Snow During Nor’easter (Photos) | New England Patriots | NESN.com


If I were a millionaire like Vince,I think I would call snow removal professionals to do this stuff

 

[signbabybrady]

I think there is decent vincesurance. Love can absolutely man the nose...what he can't do is be a 3 down player like Vince. Love covers the nose and you use an end like Cunningham to replace him on third down.

I think there are positions that are thinner.

 

[shmessy]

Just watch your back Vince.......literally


Vince Wilfork Heads Outside in Hoodie to Shovel Snow During Nor’easter (Photos) | New England Patriots | NESN.com


If I were a millionaire like Vince,I think I would call snow removal professionals to do this stuff

I swear that Bianca is the toughest man on the Patriots. It's good to see her letting Vince out of the bunker for a few hours a day.

 

[Nehalem]

How'd you enjoy the playoffs that year?

More than I liked them the year before.

Of course Brady's 3 interceptions and strip sack might have had something to do with the loss too.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

If I were a millionaire like Vince,I think I would call snow removal professionals to do this stuff

He probably works out 5-7 days a week, so shovelling is just a way to get the exercise in a different form.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

He probably works out 5-7 days a week, so shovelling is just a way to get the exercise in a different form.

I could think of better exercises to perform than shoveling on a snowy day with nothing else to do (with your mate of course )

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Then he came in and messed around in the kitchen and did this...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BCyoVxcCcAA9x4v.jpg:large

Bianca is a lucky woman.

 

[Ring 6]

Given that they went 11-5 when Brady went down (and his replacement was a guy who hadn't started since HS) I think the Patriots can survive Vince going down.

That would assume we are as good of a team.
Last years team would have been lucky to win 9 without Welker and 5 without Brady.

 

[Ring 6]

Being a little too flip, here. If Vince goes down, then teams start running all over us, too.

Anyway, on topic, DT is definitely one of the areas of greatest need on the team. I'll be shocked if one/several aren't brought in via draft/FA.

I think its a fair statement to say we are the worst, or at least close to the worst DT pass rushing team in the NFL. We have none that are even decent.

 

[Froob]

Just watch your back Vince.......literally


Vince Wilfork Heads Outside in Hoodie to Shovel Snow During Nor’easter (Photos) | New England Patriots | NESN.com


If I were a millionaire like Vince,I think I would call snow removal professionals to do this stuff

Does Vince need a chaperon for the offseason? Why is he out there doing dangerous activities such as shoveling snow? Patriots of old would not have tolerated this.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I'm surprised there isn't an IRobot for snow removal...

Truth be told the Wilfork's live fairly simply by design. Sure they sport some embelished duds and Bianca and her entourage of Pats Ladies seem to be flying private of late, but when Vince wanted a tricked out truck a couple of years ago he said he had to save and budget for it. Their home, while comfortably expansive and situated on a large lot isn't a multi million dollar mansion. It's a for now home for them and their 3 kids who go to school here. They want to build a horse breeding farm in Florida when he's done playing. He located his dream acerage a few years ago. Vince has the racing bug. Horses are expensive.

Besides, when you grew up down south storms like this tend to retain some of that spirit of adventure.

 

[Nehalem]

That would assume we are as good of a team.
Last years team would have been lucky to win 9 without Welker and 5 without Brady.

They seemed to do fine while missing Gronk or Hernandez for most of the season.

Of course losing 4/5 of your top receiving targets is going to hurt any team.

 

[Deus Irae]

They seemed to do fine while missing Gronk or Hernandez for most of the season.

Of course losing 4/5 of your top receiving targets is going to hurt any team.

It's a small sample size, since Welker's only missed 4 games as a member of the Patriots, but the team is only 2-2 when he doesn't play. I'm not saying that they can't get it done without him, but the win/loss thing doesn't compare even when looking at Gronk.

 

[Nehalem]

It's a small sample size, since Welker's only missed 4 games as a member of the Patriots, but the team is only 2-2 when he doesn't play. I'm not saying that they can't get it done without him, but the win/loss thing doesn't compare even when looking at Gronk.

So would you say then that since they were 11-5 without Brady that Welker is more important to the Patriots than Brady?

And I was suggesting that with Hernandez, Gronk, and Edelman healthy, but with welker injured the Patriots would have won more than 9 games.