things that make you go hmmm....

[patfanken]

....from Borges's column in today's Globe. Its not earth shattering, but after reading it, I actually went "hmmmm".

For all the offseason talk about the importance of finding the right head coach, strength and conditioning guru Mike Boyle offers an interesting fact to ponder. Of the 40 teams involved in the last 20 Super Bowls, half used one of four strength and conditioning coaches: Mike Woicik, Rusty Jones, Johnny Parker, or Al Miller. "That has to be much more than a coincidence," said Boyle.

....and since I'm already here I might as well put down what I think would be MY perfect off season for the Pats. [disclaimer: I'm going to TRY to be realistic about this, but you now how it is. ]

1. Assante signs the tender and plays under the franchise tag
2. FA signings:
a. Wes Welker- WR/KR - He is Troy Brown tough with speed
b. Heath Evens-FB - good versitile player at a low cost
c. AThomas-LB - inside presence
d. Donnie Edwards LB - a perfect passing situation LB
3. Draft picks - Day one.
a. at 24 Patrick Willis - LB - I don't think he'll be here, but its my fantasy...
b. at 28 the Best CB available - My favorite would be McCauley from Fresno, but that's mostly because he's 6'1 Reives and Hall would also be acceptable.

Basically, in the first round I want to get a CB, LB/Tweener regardless of the order. In the second round I'd like to go WR or S which ever has more value at the pick- By the 3rd round I've lost interest because I rarely know the players and who knows until training camp, anyway.

IMHO this is a draft were we need to get quality over quantity. We have 11 picks (IIRC), and I'd hate to think we'd use them all. IMO only the first 2 are keepers, everything else would be open to use in trade to move up and any round. Best values IMO are in there early parts of the 2nd and 3rd rounds. I'd use lower picks to move up in those rounds.

BOTTOM LINE - given all the guys who wound up on IR and are coming back, like Wilson, TBuck, Gay, etc. We don't need much to tweek our lineup into a championship team. We need to get better and deeper at LB. We need to get bigger and deeper in the secondary. We need to get faster at WR. Hell, even if we did NONE of these things, we'd be a damned good team.

My list isn't long because it doesn't NEED to be.

 

[patsox23]

Ken, I like your list, 'though I think it'd be wise to go LB twice on Day one. My choice - Willis and David Harris in round 2.

I definitely don't feel Anthony Thomas is necessary (or likely), but I liked re-signing Evans. Seems like the mutual admiration society between Heath and the Pats, so I'm all for it.

Donnie Edwards would be okay, but I'd prefer London Fletcher or Takeo Spikes - and obviously we all want Adalius Thomas, but I think the Ravens do everything in their power to keep him. The rumored cut of Jamal Lewis indicates they're putting themselves in position to keep AT in Baltimore.

Wes Welker I would love to get, but don't think we will - and if we were ot get him, it would mean relinquishing a draft pick, I believe, which is fine, but just worth noting.

 

[iguide]

Good picking FMPV. I personally would put Wilson at slot coverage or CB { he played in colloge } and pick a good saftey such as Griffith(sp) from Texas instead. I think we need to plan for the end of Roddny's carrer and Hawkins is a short term solution. JMHO.

 

[DarrylS]

I thought the problems with injuries had to do with Mike Woicik, that is pretty elite company.. I think our guy has something like 5 of them.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

....from Borges's column in today's Globe. Its not earth shattering, but after reading it, I actually went "hmmmm".




a. Wes Welker- WR/KR - He is Troy Brown tough with speed


My list isn't long because it doesn't NEED to be.

Wes Welker, unfortunately is not an UFA, he is a RFA which means depending on what the Doophins tender him at, we would have to give up that as compensation if they match the offer to him.

 

[DW Toys]

Love the Donnie Edwards pick up possibility. Now lets consider Lewis from the Eagles for a safety/LB. Got a bad rap down there. Is 6'1" and 222 lbs. (same size as Edwards) Played Safety and LB and is an FA. He's only 26. He will absolutely pop you.
How about Kevin Curtis at WR , Rams FA (a bigger, faster Wes Walker with better hands than Branch and better moves than both). He's 5'11" which is better than the others mentioned. and is in his prime.
Just those two pick ups with a new couple of rookie LB and you are sudenly yopung and more depth.
DW Toys

 

[patfanken]

Wes Welker, unfortunately is not an UFA, he is a RFA which means depending on what the Doophins tender him at, we would have to give up that as compensation if they match the offer to him.

How high can they tender him, as far as compensation goes, he was an UDFA IIRC??

 

[patfanken]

Love the Donnie Edwards pick up possibility. Now lets consider Lewis from the Eagles for a safety/LB. Got a bad rap down there. Is 6'1" and 222 lbs. (same size as Edwards) Played Safety and LB and is an FA. He's only 26. He will absolutely pop you.
How about Kevin Curtis at WR , Rams FA (a bigger, faster Wes Walker with better hands than Branch and better moves than both). He's 5'11" which is better than the others mentioned. and is in his prime.
Just those two pick ups with a new couple of rookie LB and you are sudenly yopung and more depth.
DW Toys

Interesting thought on Lewis. I really like Welker because I've seen him produce in all 4 games he played against the Pats. Curtis might be better, but I can't recall ever seeinghim play.

 

[ayjackson]

other things that make you go hmmmmm.....

Terry Glenn is due a $5m roster bonus this offseason.

 

[zippo59]

other things that make you go hmmmmm.....

Terry Glenn is due a $5m roster bonus this offseason.

If you're insinuating Glenn might come back here I think he burned too many bridges w/ Belichick for that to ever happen.

But I heard Keyshawn can void his contract and become a FA this year...

 

[AzPatsFan]

Belichick has always addressed a problem with two or more possible solutions. Sometimes three. Usually a rookie and a ex-vet starter, and occasionally another vet and/or a trade.

Unlike many I think TBC is here and will stay, as a budding star. TBC had the flu, before the AFCCG, and probably was one of the fifteen guys that were sick. That makes a OLB contingent of Colvin, TBC, Woods and Vrabel swinging from inside and then a ST like Alexander too. So the real problem is ILB.

My candidates at ILB are Takeo Spikes and Napoleon Harris to go along with Tedy and Vrabes.

Secondary choices would be Fletcher or Edwards. And a rookie pick or two.

Both Takeo and Nap have both size, speed and experience. One of the overlooked stats of the year was the #1 position of the Vikings against the Rush. Certainly their great DL helped, but it needed a MLB to excel as well to do that. The Pats DL is at least the equal of the Vikes DL. Harris would be a great addition, especially since he only costs some money as he has a voidable contract, and run-ins with Coach Childress. So he is a FA if he wants to be.

Takeo is a SOLB, has experience covering TEs, but would move inside for the Pats. As Belichick says OLBs become ILBs and DEs become OLBs in the Pat scheme.

As far as coverage is concerned I think a big Safety would do a lot better than a ILB. Harrison or Tebuckey have the size and better speed than a LB.. At playoff time both were injured and unavailable.

The scouting reports that I have seen on McCauley the CB is that he won't/doesn't force the run. He got into Pat Hill's doghouse too.

I always remember the Belichick quote, "...Don't give me a defensive player who can't tackle. What would I do with him ?..."

Unlike others, I think the Pats past investment in the secondary the last several years is starting to bear lots of fruit. I could see a secondary with four possible pro bowl players in it already. Harrison, Geno, Asante, and Hobbs could or have been mentioned as Pro bowl players already. Sanders is no slouch, nor is Tebucky. Chad Scott is aging and Randy Gay is often injured, but that is really pretty good depth and eight deep before you get to a Mickens and th cast of thousand hopefuls.

The Pats will draft a WR and a RB as there are very few openings on thsi team. Davis anand Izzo will go. I'm sure that Davis' absence was felt during the Playoffs, since he was the piece that was missing that Alexander tried to fill.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

....from Borges's column in today's Globe. Its not earth shattering, but after reading it, I actually went "hmmmm".



....and since I'm already here I might as well put down what I think would be MY perfect off season for the Pats. [disclaimer: I'm going to TRY to be realistic about this, but you now how it is. ]

1. Assante signs the tender and plays under the franchise tag
2. FA signings:
a. Wes Welker- WR/KR - He is Troy Brown tough with speed
b. Heath Evens-FB - good versitile player at a low cost
c. AThomas-LB - inside presence
d. Donnie Edwards LB - a perfect passing situation LB
3. Draft picks - Day one.
a. at 24 Patrick Willis - LB - I don't think he'll be here, but its my fantasy...
b. at 28 the Best CB available - My favorite would be McCauley from Fresno, but that's mostly because he's 6'1 Reives and Hall would also be acceptable.

Basically, in the first round I want to get a CB, LB/Tweener regardless of the order. In the second round I'd like to go WR or S which ever has more value at the pick- By the 3rd round I've lost interest because I rarely know the players and who knows until training camp, anyway.

IMHO this is a draft were we need to get quality over quantity. We have 11 picks (IIRC), and I'd hate to think we'd use them all. IMO only the first 2 are keepers, everything else would be open to use in trade to move up and any round. Best values IMO are in there early parts of the 2nd and 3rd rounds. I'd use lower picks to move up in those rounds.

BOTTOM LINE - given all the guys who wound up on IR and are coming back, like Wilson, TBuck, Gay, etc. We don't need much to tweek our lineup into a championship team. We need to get better and deeper at LB. We need to get bigger and deeper in the secondary. We need to get faster at WR. Hell, even if we did NONE of these things, we'd be a damned good team.

My list isn't long because it doesn't NEED to be.

does anyone know what Superbowl teams these 4 strength and conditioning coaches account for?

Mike W- has the Pats and Cowboys Dynasty(6)
Johhny Parker- the two Giants Superbowls(2) and 1997 PAts (3)

List includes superbowl losers too

Al Miller- Atlanta? (1)
Rusty Jones- Buffalo's 4 superbowl appearances and this past year in Chicago(5)

Missing 5 teams here