Why do people still think Pats will draft a Day 1 LB?

[tombonneau]

I don't get it. Year after year, people say LB is a position NE needs to get younger in. Year after year, mock drafts have NE drafting a LB in R1 or R2 (or both!). Year after year, fans salivate over drafting LB [insert name here] in the first round.

Year after year, NE doesn't draft any LBs. (Save for late round scrubs.)

It simply is not the team's philosophy when it comes to LBs. You know what BB would rather do than draft a LB early? Sign a 44-year-old out of retirement to play ILB.

BB's concept of the LB is to rotate in vets every couple of years. Sprinkle in the occassional 3-4th year guy in FA (Vrable, Colvin, [cringe] Beisel) and that's that.

So please, no one panic or freak out when we draft some LB in the 6th round from Tulip Petal St. and sign a couple of ho-hum vet LBs in FA. It is what it is and likely won't change.

 

[Keegs]

weren't we pretty much guaranteed to draft Bobby Carpenter if he was available last year?

I remember all that talk about Vrabel working out with him.

Or was that all b.s. too?

 

[R_T26]

In Patriot Reign it even states the Pats would of been willing to trade up for Vilma, so yes they would draft an LB in the first round. it just has to be the right guy. Last offseason people said the Pats would'nt draft an RB in the 1 st round, and yet they did.

 

[pheenix11]

I'm hoping for another day 1 TE. Screw WR's, who needs them. We can run the first 4 TE set.

 

[pats1]

This is undoubtedly the year.

Not only are the LBs getting older, but there simply aren't as many there. McGinest, Phifer, Johnson, etc. need physical replacements.

 

[signbabybrady]

I agree BB definitely likes veterans at the position. and I am one that doesnt think the LB situation is as bad as people make it out to be. We have Three talented smart veterans all we need to do is round out the position for rotational and depth purposes. with that said these guys arent getting younger and I think people want an LB in the draft because youth represents future and our three guys represent the present.

 

[broadwayjoe]

In Patriot Reign it even states the Pats would of been willing to trade up for Vilma, so yes they would draft an LB in the first round. it just has to be the right guy. Last offseason people said the Pats would'nt draft an RB in the 1 st round, and yet they did.

Thats exactly right the Pats tried the veteran and lower round picks on running backs before also and last year they finally used a first round pick on LoMo so its getting close to time to use a first rounder on a Linebacker especially since we have two #1 picks and I feel a good linebacker will be there this time just like Manny Lawson was last year but Maroney was to good to pass up at that point in the draft.

 

[BelichickFan]

This is undoubtedly the year.

I thought last year was undoubtedly the year when there was actually a strong year for LB. We passed on Manny Lawson, for instance.

Could we take a day one LB ? Yes. But I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[cstjohn17]

Good question.

Call it hopelessness, call it crazy or a pipe dream but I have been on the CB and LB bandwagon for the past 4 years... to very little ad veil, sigh...

This must be the year! maybe not, how about a TE and a Guard?

The article from Kevin Rousseau "Friends don't let friends watch the draft" is an all time classic, sums up my thoughts perfectly.

Our lack of speed and depth was exposed against Indy, so I know this is wacky but I do expect a Day 1 and a Day 2 LB to be drafted with the rotation looking something like this:
ROLB - Colvin, Woods
RILB - Veteran FA, Mays
LILB - Bruschi, Alexander, Draft Pick
LOLB - Vrabel, Draft Pick

Plus maybe one more spot for a special teamer like Izzo... but we shall see.

I don't get it. Year after year, people say LB is a position NE needs to get younger in. Year after year, mock drafts have NE drafting a LB in R1 or R2 (or both!). Year after year, fans salivate over drafting LB [insert name here] in the first round.

Year after year, NE doesn't draft any LBs. (Save for late round scrubs.)

It simply is not the team's philosophy when it comes to LBs. You know what BB would rather do than draft a LB early? Sign a 44-year-old out of retirement to play ILB.

BB's concept of the LB is to rotate in vets every couple of years. Sprinkle in the occassional 3-4th year guy in FA (Vrable, Colvin, [cringe] Beisel) and that's that.

So please, no one panic or freak out when we draft some LB in the 6th round from Tulip Petal St. and sign a couple of ho-hum vet LBs in FA. It is what it is and likely won't change.

 

[tombonneau]

Does anyone have a link to FA LBs?

 

[pats1]

Does anyone have a link to FA LBs?

www.patscap.com/2007fas.xls

Go up to the top and sort by LBs.

 

[PatsSteve1]

I don't really care how the Patriots upgrade the LB position, whether thru FA or the draft or both. The Patriots have some positions it's not likely they'll tray to upgrade, but I'd like to see them upgrade every position. That's how you get better. Upgrade as many positions as possible.

 

[GHOSTOFSAMGASH]

Why would they not draft a first day LB?, because they havent before its apparent to us and prob even more apparent to the coaching staff that depleted and old LB corps is the reason the Patriots did not reach and win the SB. so dont be surprised if they draft at least one, even if a big name FA is signed.:rocker:

 

[spacecrime]

I don't get it. Year after year, people say LB is a position NE needs to get younger in. Year after year, mock drafts have NE drafting a LB in R1 or R2 (or both!). Year after year, fans salivate over drafting LB [insert name here] in the first round.

Year after year, NE doesn't draft any LBs. (Save for late round scrubs.)

NE has drafted LBs in the first round, the most recent being Katsenmoyer. WMG was drafted #5 overall.

It simply is not the team's philosophy when it comes to LBs.

Bull. All you know is that NE hasn't drafted a LB in the first round since Katzenmoyer.

Just because BB hasn't drafted a LB in the first round with the Pats doesn't mean he won't. What knd of thinking is that? Up unitl last year BB hadn't drafted a RB in hte first round for NE. And before Mankins he had never drafted a OT or OG in the first round. And before he drafted Graham he had never draftd a TE in the first round.

BB has had a total of six drafts with the Patriots. He hasn't had enough drafts picks to draft one of every position. So it it total horsecrap to say he has never drafted a LB, S, CB, WR or QB in the first round, and therefore he never will because it is his philosophy. Didn't mankins teach you anything?

All you know is that he hasn't drafted one YET. Just like in 2006 BB had never drafted a RB in the first round for the Pats. Or before Mankins he had never drafted an OG in the first round for the Pats,or in 2002 he had never drafted a TE in the first draft for the Pats. Until he drafted Seymour, he had never drafted a DT in the first round.

 

[Jimke]

The Pats have not paid much attention to drafting linebackers

since Bill Belichick has been head coach, but our linebackers have never

played so poorly that the team gave up 32 points in one half of a

football game. This better be the year we draft linebackers or have

a hell of a free agency and pick up a couple.

 

[tombonneau]

NE has drafted LBs in the first round, the most recent being Katsenmoyer. WMG was drafted #5 overall.

Bull. All you know is that NE hasn't drafted a LB in the first round since Katzenmoyer.

Just because BB hasn't drafted a LB in the first round with the Pats doesn't mean he won't. What knd of thinking is that? Up unitl last year BB hadn't drafted a RB in hte first round for NE. And before Mankins he had never drafted a OT or OG in the first round. And before he drafted Graham he had never draftd a TE in the first round.

BB has had a total of six drafts with the Patriots. He hasn't had enough drafts picks to draft one of every position. So it it total horsecrap to say he has never drafted a LB, S, CB, WR or QB in the first round, and therefore he never will because it is his philosophy. Didn't mankins teach you anything?

All you know is that he hasn't drafted one YET. Just like in 2006 BB had never drafted a RB in the first round for the Pats. Or before Mankins he had never drafted an OG in the first round for the Pats,or in 2002 he had never drafted a TE in the first draft for the Pats. Until he drafted Seymour, he had never drafted a DT in the first round.

First off, thought it was clear I was talking about BB/SP regime; what Grier/Carroll did was the Dark Ages and is irrelevant.

And forget 1st round -- I'm talking first day.

Its not like this is a unique situation; every year for the past 3-4 years, the Pats "need" to get younger at LB and have never invested a remotely high draft pick.

Its not like we only have 1-2 drafts to use as historical evidence. We have something like 7. Is it possible they will draft a LB in Day 1? Of course it is.

But I'd say it is unlikely.

About the only way the "well BB hadn't drafted an X before Player Y" game even almost works is the drafting of an interior lineman (Mankins) in the first. BB had gone on (or off?) record saying that the position simply did not merit that high of an investment, then went counterpoint with Mankins.

I think that BB requires a high level of intelligence/experience for his LBs and would prefer to use veteran players. His drafting and FA history support this stance.

 

[DaBruinz]

I don't get it. Year after year, people say LB is a position NE needs to get younger in. Year after year, mock drafts have NE drafting a LB in R1 or R2 (or both!). Year after year, fans salivate over drafting LB [insert name here] in the first round.

Year after year, NE doesn't draft any LBs. (Save for late round scrubs.)

It simply is not the team's philosophy when it comes to LBs. You know what BB would rather do than draft a LB early? Sign a 44-year-old out of retirement to play ILB.

BB's concept of the LB is to rotate in vets every couple of years. Sprinkle in the occassional 3-4th year guy in FA (Vrable, Colvin, [cringe] Beisel) and that's that.

So please, no one panic or freak out when we draft some LB in the 6th round from Tulip Petal St. and sign a couple of ho-hum vet LBs in FA. It is what it is and likely won't change.

Well, a few things. The first is that each year Belichick seems to debunk another myth about the Pats drafting style.

In 2004, It was the Pats wouldn't draft another TE early because they already had Graham. Also, in 2004 was the myth that BB wouldn't draft juniors because, until that point, BB had drafted all of 1 (Patrick Pass). In 2004, he drafted Wilfork, Hill, and PK Sam.

In 2005, the myth BB debunked was that the Pats wouldn't draft an O-lineman in round 1, let alone a interior lineman. Because "Guards are a dime a dozen". We all know that the Pats drafted Mankins with the intent of him replacing Andruzzi.

In 2006, The myth was that the Pats wouldn't draft a RB in the 1st round because BB had never done so since his days with Cleveland when they drafted "Touchdown" Tommie Vardell. We all know what happened. BB drafted Maroney.

So, that is why there is still talk about LBs on day 1. The OTHER reason that there is talk about LBs on day 1 is because in 2004 the Pats still had Bruschi and Ted Johnson on the interior with Vrabel as a back-up. In 2005, the Pats didn't have Bruschi or Johnson and were left with Chad Brown and Monty Beisiel. In 2006, the Pats had Bruschi and Seau, but then Seau went down and the Pats had no one to cover a TE or RB out of the backfield.

At some point, the Pats need to develop their own talent here. Now is as good of time as any. There are several blue-collar prospects and a couple of blue-chip ones who could, very well, excel in the Pats system. The Pats can easily sign a vet free agent as a stop-gap measure while the rookie comes along. But, lets face it. Bruschi has lost more than a step. Seau did well until he got hurt, but he's 38. Vrabel isn't very good in coverage and, was adequate at ILB.

 

[DaBruinz]

First off, thought it was clear I was talking about BB/SP regime; what Grier/Carroll did was the Dark Ages and is irrelevant.

And forget 1st round -- I'm talking first day.

Its not like this is a unique situation; every year for the past 3-4 years, the Pats "need" to get younger at LB and have never invested a remotely high draft pick.

Its not like we only have 1-2 drafts to use as historical evidence. We have something like 7. Is it possible they will draft a LB in Day 1? Of course it is.

But I'd say it is unlikely.

About the only way the "well BB hadn't drafted an X before Player Y" game even almost works is the drafting of an interior lineman (Mankins) in the first. BB had gone on (or off?) record saying that the position simply did not merit that high of an investment, then went counterpoint with Mankins.

I think that BB requires a high level of intelligence/experience for his LBs and would prefer to use veteran players. His drafting and FA history support this stance.

BB has been on several teams that have drafted LBs in the 1st round. Back with the Giants, they drafted Carl Banks in the 1st round. Back during his last year in Cleveland, the Browns chose Carl Powell in the 1st round. Granted, Powell ended up becoming a DT, but he was originally drafted as a OLB/DE.

 

[patsox23]

I don't get it. Year after year, people say LB is a position NE needs to get younger in. Year after year, mock drafts have NE drafting a LB in R1 or R2 (or both!). Year after year, fans salivate over drafting LB [insert name here] in the first round.

Year after year, NE doesn't draft any LBs. (Save for late round scrubs.)

It simply is not the team's philosophy when it comes to LBs. You know what BB would rather do than draft a LB early? Sign a 44-year-old out of retirement to play ILB.

BB's concept of the LB is to rotate in vets every couple of years. Sprinkle in the occassional 3-4th year guy in FA (Vrable, Colvin, [cringe] Beisel) and that's that.

So please, no one panic or freak out when we draft some LB in the 6th round from Tulip Petal St. and sign a couple of ho-hum vet LBs in FA. It is what it is and likely won't change.

The Patriots don't have a strict draft philosophy of "we will never do this or that." That's ridiculous. While it's true they perhaps see less value in drafting LB's high, there is ample evidence that they have thought about doing so before - including LAST year with Manny Lawson. Where have you been? You might want to read "Patriot Reign," as well, since a guy who was IN THE WAR ROOM told the story about them having Jonathan Vilma (and DJ Williams) high up on their board.

Try again.

 

[patchick]

"Why do people still think Pats will draft a Day 1 LB?"


Fair question. Some reasons, off the top of my head:

- Because it's the biggest hole on the team. LB is the only position missing a starter altogether, and Eric Alexander and Pierre Woods are the primary backups.

- Because the Patriots do draft to plug holes. (See Mankins, Logan et al).

- Because even if they pick up a solid FA or 2, at least 3 of their 4 starters will be over 30 entering the season.

- Because the LB talent in this draft is pretty good but not deep, so if you want anybody with the rare physical/mental makeup of a 3-4 LB you'd better act fast.

- Because we're talking about a team that "reached" for a guard in the 1st and a placekicker in the 4th, so forget about rules.

- Because one thing we do know is that BB places a premium on "rare body types" like NT, DE, TE, LT...and OLB.

- Because the Patriots have 4 day-1 picks.