Pats re-sign Izzo

[pats1]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

March 06, 2007
Izzo re-signs

The Patriots re-signed linebacker and special teams captain Larry Izzo today, the team announced on its website.

Izzo, who enters his 12th season in 2007, has played in 156 career regular-season games. He earned Pro Bowl berths in 2000, 2002 and 2004, as a special teams player.

Izzo is coming off a season in which he tied for the team lead with 15 special teams tackles.

Posted By: mreiss | Time: 03:57:10 PM

 

[chunkypony]

excellent. just need to resign Seau, and look at some other existing contracts (warren, Wilfork, SAMUEL obviously) and I think our defense is set approaching the draft.

 

[PromisedLand]

I guess no one else was beating his door down. Why wait until free agency actually begins to re-sign a free agent unless he wanted to test the market?

 

[Pats726]

I guess its a one year deal or?? Makes sense..he's a top ST guy...and with davis retiring..some vets are needed. Not bad at all.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

:woohoo:

.....

 

[biffman]

Good signing. The guy is a leader and he still makes plays on STs (although he certainly isn’t as good as he used to be). He personifies the kind of blue collar attitude that BB seems to love. Don’t forget, this is the fist FA BB signed when he came to Patriots.

 

[Amnorix]

Terrific, but I must admit I'd be far happier if we could figure out hwo to get him out of goal line defense. Unless I'm mistaken, he often fails to set the edge, and otherwise screws up when he actuall has to play linebacker, or something similar to linebacker.

I believe that was a big part of the Willie McGinest scrum with him a while back.

 

[JustWinBrady]

Nice special team player but Izzo brings nothing to the LB corps as a backup. Strictly a SP player. I thought he would be on the bubble this year, guess not.

 

[JustWinBrady]

Terrific, but I must admit I'd be far happier if we could figure out hwo to get him out of goal line defense. Unless I'm mistaken, he often fails to set the edge, and otherwise screws up when he actuall has to play linebacker, or something similar to linebacker.

I believe that was a big part of the Willie McGinest scrum with him a while back.

Same exact thing happend against the chargers in the playoff game, he failed to set the edge and LT ran right around him.

 

[Jimke]

Patriots Insider had him leaving. Glad he re-signed since he is still a

good special teams player.

 

[cstjohn17]

Same exact thing happend against the chargers in the playoff game, he failed to set the edge and LT ran right around him.

He is a good special teamer but if he sees any action as a LB it means one of two things:
a) we have had multiple (3-4 injuries) to our LBs
b) the FO has done an inadequate job building the LB core

Our front end looks real good - Colvin, Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas
and our backend looks ok - Izzo, Mays, Woods, Alexander

add one more P/T ILB and a draft pick and this is a very solid group

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Terrific, but I must admit I'd be far happier if we could figure out hwo to get him out of goal line defense. Unless I'm mistaken, he often fails to set the edge, and otherwise screws up when he actuall has to play linebacker, or something similar to linebacker.

I believe that was a big part of the Willie McGinest scrum with him a while back.

In a 4-3 the DE has primary edge responsibility within the basic scheme, I'd think it would be the same with a goal line formation. I seem to remember Izzo defending an end zone pass in the Denver 2005 regular season, I'd suspect he's there as more of a big safety then a run stuffing LB.

As for the LdT example noted later, I'm shocked to learn LdT was able to outrun a LB to the corner!

 

[Remix 6]

excellent. just need to resign Seau, and look at some other existing contracts (warren, Wilfork, SAMUEL obviously) and I think our defense is set approaching the draft.

what would Seau do for us? Besides be good depth? He cant play 3rd down and i doubt he actually starts over anyone in our group. I would bring him back but its not a must

 

[homerpatsfan]

definately a team guy. st could be the differance in the big games and hes a specialist.good sign

 

[chunkypony]

what would Seau do for us? Besides be good depth? He cant play 3rd down and i doubt he actually starts over anyone in our group. I would bring him back but its not a must

Seau would provide a solid run stuffer role, who could give good support on 1st and 2nd down (The Ted Johnson Role). On third down, the setup could look like this:

OLB: Colvin, Thomas
ILB: Vrabel, Bruschi

Or you could switch Thomas and Vrabel. Seau was great against the run last year, and if I recall correctly, after the injury, our run defense declined significantly.

I wasn't saying that he was going to start (this thread is about Izzo, who i was excited was signed because he provides a bit of depth at the position i am most concerned about). I think if we sign Seau (or another ILB, be it the Mitchell guy from KC, or Barry Gardner) I think the defense will be set.

 

[Remix 6]

Seau would provide a solid run stuffer role, who could give good support on 1st and 2nd down (The Ted Johnson Role). On third down, the setup could look like this:

OLB: Colvin, Thomas
ILB: Vrabel, Bruschi

Or you could switch Thomas and Vrabel. Seau was great against the run last year, and if I recall correctly, after the injury, our run defense declined significantly.

I wasn't saying that he was going to start (this thread is about Izzo, who i was excited was signed because he provides a bit of depth at the position i am most concerned about). I think if we sign Seau (or another ILB, be it the Mitchell guy from KC, or Barry Gardner) I think the defense will be set.

i admire what Seau did for us but why are we paying these guys to play 1 down or passing downs?(Rosie, Vrabel,Thomas)

i doubt we get Seau to come in and play 2 downs over our 4 good LBs and 2 who are getting paid some of the biggest #s on the team.(Rosie and AD)

Vrabel certainly does not deserve to be on the bench first 2 downs because run plays but Bruschi might but Bruschi doesnt really help us out on 3rd down in coverage..

 

[chunkypony]

i admire what Seau did for us but why are we paying these guys to play 1 down or passing downs?(Rosie, Vrabel,Thomas)

i doubt we get Seau to come in and play 2 downs over our 4 good LBs and 2 who are getting paid some of the biggest #s on the team.(Rosie and AD)

Vrabel certainly does not deserve to be on the bench first 2 downs because run plays but Bruschi might but Bruschi doesnt really help us out on 3rd down in coverage..

Ok, point taken. So what do you think needs to be done as far as LB depth? Do you think we are set? Or are you looking for another guy?

 

[Fumblerooski]

He is a good ST player and good locker room guy. But, please get some other LBs who can actually play the position in the field.

 

[pats1]

He is a good ST player and good locker room guy. But, please get some other LBs who can actually play the position in the field.

Most excellent special teams players are not starting-quality at their "regular" positions.

(However, only some players who are starting-quality at their "regular" positions are excellent special teams players).

 

[Fumblerooski]

I guess no one else was beating his door down. Why wait until free agency actually begins to re-sign a free agent unless he wanted to test the market?

Just thinking out loud here but he could now qualify for the vet exclusion rule. This means they can pay him say $800K but he only counts $435K against the cap. Need to see Miguel's cap page when he is added to see his cap hit.