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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.That is definitely not "not appealing". In other words it's very appealing. We only have one huge problem in my mind and that is the pass defense in the middle of the field. Our ILB aren't good coverage guys and neither are the safeties, not the ones that played in the playoffs anyway.I have had questions about his run support, but I've also been thinking about a few things. A Centerfielder type might not seem the most appealing but there could be some advantages to having that type of ballhawk/centerfielder in the secondary:
One of NE's problems last year was coverage from the LB position. Now having that type of coverage/ballhawk/centerfielder Safety would limit the middle coverage load in the ILB's.
That is definitely not "not appealing". In other words it's very appealing. We only have one huge problem in my mind and that is the pass defense in the middle of the field. Our ILB aren't good coverage guys and neither are the safeties, not the ones that played in the playoffs anyway.
Look, I know Dallas Clark is a good receiving TE. But give me a break, as a #3 WR he's not that good and we made him look like freaking Jerry Rice. I don't care if we do it from the LB spot or the Safety spot, or both, but we have to get better coverage in the short to medium middle of the field. Nelson, Merriweather, whoever.
BTW, I expect to see Adalius Thomas as the WILB quite a lot next year as he's our best coverage LB. Bruschi has slowed to to the point that he couldn't be the old Bruschi even if he went back to his old WILB spot.
The best case would be to play Thomas at OLB so we'd have three like in 2004/5 with Colvin, Vrabel, McGinnest. That's IF we get some more ILB coverage ability. As the roster currently sits, Thomas is my starting WILB. I'd love them to bring in a kick ass coverage ILB even if he's a little small for a typical Patriots' LB.Thomas will play both ILB and OLB, but I don't think they'll keep him at ILB a lot more than OLB. The idiots on "FSNSports tonight" suggested that NE will play AD at ILB full time, so they can move Vrabel back outside full time, I don't buy that. He's more valueble moving around, and is a better OLB/pass rusher off the edge than Vrabel. If anything Vrabel might go back to being more of a rotational LB at both OLB, and ILB, or a fulltime starter at ILB. I also expect them to bring in at least a somewhat high level backer, or two from the draft, so this whole thing will look a little different a month from now.
I'm starting to think they might actually go after Beason or Willis if either is on the board. If NE drafts one of those two it will be to play WILB, and rotate with whomever is starting. NE is showing a lot of interest in high level LB's this year, so I think they're going LB somewhere in the first three rounds.