Should we draft for the 3-4? And, switch back.

[patsfaninpa]

I know the nickel is really your base. Or, what I call get off of the field defense. But, we are building a heckuva linebacking corps. It's really a hybrid off the 4-3. With Chandler Jones playing RDE as you would in a 4-3. Vince on the nose. Need a 5-tech to play LDE. LB's left to right would be; Ninko - Hightower - Spikes - Mayo. Jamie Collins playing in the nickel and back-up. There's always an injury or two. Fletcher and Beauharnais providing additional depth. Main reason I'm saying this is that I'd hate to lose Spikes. He's not a 3 down lb. But, he provides our defense with a hammer we don't have. None of our safeties play all that ferocious. But, he brings it. Collins can play passing downs against good running teams. Maybe, cover the te. Use Arrington when teams go 3 wr and more of a spread look.

 

[reflexblue]

I know the nickel is really your base. Or, what I call get off of the field defense. But, we are building a heckuva linebacking corps. It's really a hybrid off the 4-3. With Chandler Jones playing RDE as you would in a 4-3. Vince on the nose. Need a 5-tech to play LDE. LB's left to right would be; Ninko - Hightower - Spikes - Mayo. Jamie Collins playing in the nickel and back-up. There's always an injury or two. Fletcher and Beauharnais providing additional depth. Main reason I'm saying this is that I'd hate to lose Spikes. He's not a 3 down lb. But, he provides our defense with a hammer we don't have. None of our safeties play all that ferocious. But, he brings it. Collins can play passing downs against good running teams. Maybe, cover the te. Use Arrington when teams go 3 wr and more of a spread look.

From what ive read the way Hightower eats the pats could just put him at LDE and save a draft pick

 

[manxman2601]

And this is a good draft to target 3-4 types. Nix, Tuitt, Hageman, McCullers, Carrethers, Shamar Stephen, and maybe Daquan Jones all fit a Pats 3-4 very nicely.

And I agree on trying to keep Spikes. his instincts in the run game are exceptional. Have people noticed how often he blows up the right hole in the run game? I'm pro Hightower, but right now, if it was an either/or dilemma, I'd take Spikes first comfortably.

 

[patsfaninpa]

And this is a good draft to target 3-4 types. Nix, Tuitt, Hageman, McCullers, Carrethers, Shamar Stephen, and maybe Daquan Jones all fit a Pats 3-4 very nicely.

And I agree on trying to keep Spikes. his instincts in the run game are exceptional. Have people noticed how often he blows up the right hole in the run game? I'm pro Hightower, but right now, if it was an either/or dilemma, I'd take Spikes first comfortably.

I want to keep Spikes and Hightower. Not and either/or scenario at all. I could see a nickel package of;

Ninko - DT(Chris Jones maybe?) - Chandler Jones - Hightower up front.

Mayo - Collins

Talib - Arrington - McCourty - Gregory/Harmon - Dennard

 

[manxman2601]

I want to keep Spikes and Hightower. Not and either/or scenario at all. I could see a nickel package of;

Ninko - DT(Chris Jones maybe?) - Chandler Jones - Hightower up front.

Mayo - Collins

Talib - Arrington - McCourty - Gregory/Harmon - Dennard

I'm happy too keep both two but we're amassing a lot of LBers.

But on Chandler Jones as a DT. Are there any numbers anywhere that tells us how Jones fares at DT compared to DE? My eyes he tell me he's much more productive coming off the edge and if so, I wouldn't take him away from there.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I'm happy too keep both two but we're amassing a lot of LBers.

But on Chandler Jones as a DT. Are there any numbers anywhere that tells us how Jones fares at DT compared to DE? My eyes he tell me he's much more productive coming off the edge and if so, I wouldn't take him away from there.

Yeah, should probably only use him at DT there for a specific situation/matchup.

 

[ausbacker]

From what ive read the way Hightower eats the pats could just put him at LDE and save a draft pick

Hightower needs to drop a pound or ten. He looks a lumbering oaf on the field. That's not what the Patriots need from him. As for the 34, I really don't care for who the Patriots draft if they are versatile and afford the opportunity to switch between fronts.

 

[Off The Grid]

Hightower needs to drop a pound or ten. He looks a lumbering oaf on the field.

True Story. :nooo:

That was one of the more obviously foolish Picks that Coach Bill has ever made. :nooo:

I've always considered HighTower much more equipped to play End than Flanker, and asking him to play In Space in the 21st Century seems to me to be the Height of Folly. :nooo:

And Trading UP to get'm?? :nooo:

 

[patsfaninpa]

True Story. :nooo:

That was one of the more obviously foolish Picks that Coach Bill has ever made. :nooo:

I've always considered HighTower much more equipped to play End than Flanker, and asking him to play In Space in the 21st Century seems to me to be the Height of Folly. :nooo:

And Trading UP to get'm?? :nooo:

We were running a 3-4 at the time. Already had Mayo and Spikes to play inside. They looked great together down the stretch in 2011. A head-scratcher for sure. It's easy to look back in hindsight. I honestly feel we blew it in 2011 by not getting elite front 7 personnel in that draft. Could have easily moved up a couple of spots and gotten Ryan Kerrigan and then take Muhammad Wilkerson with 1b. BB made a great trade down with NO. But, Kerrigan opposite Chandler Jones would be sweet. M. Wilkerson anchoring down the middle with Big Vince. Oh well.

 

[BelichickFan]

LB's left to right would be; Ninko - Hightower - Spikes - Mayo. Jamie Collins playing in the nickel and back-up.

I don't like that painfully slow LB group.

More likely I would expect :

Ninkovich-Hightower-Mayo-Collins

If we could retain Spikes at an appropriate number for his role, all the better. I'm not feeling great about Hightower right now but he always looked to me like a faster Spikes as opposed to the role he being asked to fill now of replacing Mayo.

The beauty of the 4 above it easily moves to a 4-3 with Mayo in the middle, Hightower on the strong side and Collins on the weak side. With Ninkovich able to play DE or LB we could finally switch from 3-4 to 4-3 with the same personnel and players in positions they fit. We can't do it now because Mayo is gone and Collins isn't ready just yet to be a full time starter.

 

[Sciz]

Yeah, this isn't a 3-4/4-3 issue. You just want Spikes starting instead of Collins, regardless of how they're lined up.

As for the real 3-4/4-3 issue, the Patriots have entered each of the past three seasons as a 4-3 team and then altered that based on personnel as the season goes along. I don't see any reason to change that. There are a lot of question markets at DT, though, with Wilfork, Kelly, and Armstead all coming off injury/infection. If those three guys are back and productive, then there's probably not really a need at DT at all. Worst case scenario, they start over at DT this offseason, in which case it's hard to see them get enough big bodies up front to play a legitimate 3-4. Chandler's ability to play 3-4 DE (which they were much more willing to do with Wilfork next to him) could make that a possibility, though.

 

[DocHoliday]

We were running a 3-4 at the time. Already had Mayo and Spikes to play inside. They looked great together down the stretch in 2011. A head-scratcher for sure. It's easy to look back in hindsight. I honestly feel we blew it in 2011 by not getting elite front 7 personnel in that draft. Could have easily moved up a couple of spots and gotten Ryan Kerrigan and then take Muhammad Wilkerson with 1b. BB made a great trade down with NO. But, Kerrigan opposite Chandler Jones would be sweet. M. Wilkerson anchoring down the middle with Big Vince. Oh well.

Hope Jets fans aren't reading, but I effin LOVE Moe Wilkerson. Dude is an underrated monster.

I was very sad to see him go to the green beans.

 

[stelfans]

I see no problem with Hightower, as long as he stays in the middle.

And i have no problem letting Spikes go as long as that allows us to improve at DT.