Are you happy with our LB situation this year?

[carolinatony]

I wanted a rookie or 2 to train this year so I am not as happy as I could be.

So my question to you is....
Are YOU happy with our LB situation this year?

 

[BelichickFan]

I'd like to sign Seau. That would give us 5 LB I think we can count on to give us a good performance (when healthy).

I'm not too concerned about young guys, we can sign a vet next offseason if Bruschi retires and none of the young guys do anything.

Meanwhile Woods intrigues me and I'd like to see some of Rogers, Lua, Warren in preseason before not considering them as, to use your words, "a rookie or 2 to train".

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

Yes.

Bruschi
Colvin
Bravel

I like to see our defensive line be just as good though when Seymour is not in there. We seem to have a huge drop off with out him.

 

[mgcolby]

I wanted a rookie or 2 to train this year so I am not as happy as I could be.

So my question to you is....
Are YOU happy with our LB situation this year?

Is anyone ever as happy as they could be?

Just curious, but are you ever happy?

You start a thread a few days before FA started complaining about all the FA's the Pats weren't going to sign and now you start one about LB.

Look we don't know what the master plan is, but whether we are comfortable with the LB situation or not is irrelivent. I guarantee BB has a plan A and a plan B for LB - Seau is still there, a trade is always possible and we don't know where the young guys are at in their development.

Relax and let the best FO in the business put the finishing touches on the team, remember we haven't had our rookie mini-camp yet.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Yes.

Bruschi
Colvin
Bravel

I like to see our defensive line be just as good though when Seymour is not in there. We seem to have a huge drop off with out him.

Who is Bravel?...A mystery Free Agent?...Probably will take VRABEL'S place eh?

 

[Pats726]

yes....It's obvioous that they will pick up an ILB sometime before training camp..Seau or Godfrey or another vet I am sure will be added.
As far as rookies and youger players go, on the inside there is Alexander and Mays as well as draftee Lau and UDFA Warren. I know that many may think that Alexander is just a ST player, but he has had 3 years on the PSqd/IR/active roster so the team has put in a lot of time with him. I really doubt they would have done that if they didn't see something in his play. Some think Mays is also a possibility as well. Both Lau and Warren are also possibles for ILB. Warren might be slow, but wasn't that what said for years about TJ, the LB they are trying to find a replacement for?? On the outside, besides Alexander, who might be able to play there, there's sophmore Woods, draftee Rogers and UDFA Bissinger. Woods played strong on ST and could be a big time rusher from the outside. Rogers is more of a project as he played DE in college, although he did play some stand up in that position. Bissinger might be an interesting project as well as he's played QB and has not had the coaching in that position. Sure, a blue chip linebacker might make things look a lot better, but among these 7, there might be seom players that can step it up in the next coming years.

 

[WhiZa]

Will Seau sign if he is not a starter? Between AD, Bruschi, and Vrabel. Seau seems be the odd man out.

 

[RayClay]

If we sign Seau, I'm OK.

As for next year, next year and the year after................?

 

[RayClay]

Will Seau sign if he is not a starter? Between AD, Bruschi, and Vrabel. Seau seems be the odd man out.

Two of those are OLB. I think Seau plays a lot.

 

[ironwasp]

I wonder if we aren't going to see more than we might have expected of AD playing inside.

Count me in the like-to-see-Seau-signed camp.

 

[WhiZa]

Two of those are OLB. I think Seau plays a lot.

That's probably what they'll tell him. If he does play then it looks like Vrabel's the odd man out.

 

[RayClay]

That's probably what they'll tell him. If he does play then it looks like Vrabel's the odd man out.

They used to rotate 6 linebackers. They'll have 5 with Seau and he won't play every down If you think they have too many LBs, just recall how beat they looked against the Colts.

Plenty of snaps to go around for their 30 something LB crew.

 

[Pats726]

I also think they will change up a lot..use thomas in various roles depending on what team they are plating and where he will match up the best. I also think they will rotate a bit more than last year with another run stuffer like Seau, so I really do NOT see it like anyone will be the "odd man out" so to speak. Also, if the offense is the juggernaut that everyone hopes for, there might be less D with the standard set, if teams are coming from behind more...and thus, Seau could be playing less if there is more nickel and dime situations. But again, there are many situations, but I would love to have Seau on teh field for the team.

 

[RayClay]

I also think they will change up a lot..use thomas in various roles depending on what team they are plating and where he will match up the best. I also think they will rotate a bit more than last year with another run stuffer like Seau, so I really do NOT see it like anyone will be the "odd man out" so to speak. Also, if the offense is the juggernaut that everyone hopes for, there might be less D with the standard set, if teams are coming from behind more...and thus, Seau could be playing less if there is more nickel and dime situations. But again, there are many situations, but I would love to have Seau on teh field for the team.

With the addition of AD, they are going to throw the kitchen sink at offenses.

Young quarterbacks are going to have an expression on their faces like a dog watching a magic trick.

 

[DW Toys]

That's probably what they'll tell him. If he does play then it looks like Vrabel's the odd man out.

Cousins,
I think they will do a lot of 2-5-4 sets. Nobody ever talks about this and they do run this frequently. Big Sey and Warren with Vrabel, Bruschi, Colvin and Thomas with another LB (Seau, or perhaps a steal like Davis from Cleveland who could be had for an OT, and we now have seven OT's). You would have Peyton with "HLH" (heavy lip hang) if he saw that and he is playing his check-off game. He can't do it. Who is coming and who is not Peyton? Another BB chess match.
Most QB's will be defecating in their Under Armour rubberized shorts to see that pass rushing log jam.It would be like a bees nest got dropped in the backfield.
I do not think you will see a rookie LB in that set.

I'd like to see a nice rotation of LB's in the 3 4 to stay fresher this year as they are not any younger and don't need the senseless wear and tear. There is where I would like to see rookie playing time.
DW Toys

 

[Rob0729]

For this year, I am happy. I didn't think there were any LBs other than Harris available to us in the first two rounds who really fit our system. No rookie would make an immediate inpact in our defense because it is too complicated. I wished they got a few more for the future though.

 

[RayClay]

Cousins,
I think they will do a lot of 2-5-4 sets. Nobody ever talks about this and they do run this frequently. Big Sey and Warren with Vrabel, Bruschi, Colvin and Thomas with another LB (Seau, or perhaps a steal like Davis from Cleveland who could be had for an OT, and we now have seven OT's). You would have Peyton with "HLH" (heavy lip hang) if he saw that and he is playing his check-off game. He can't do it. Who is coming and who is not Peyton? Another BB chess match.
Most QB's will be defecating in their Under Armour rubberized shorts to see that pass rushing log jam.It would be like a bees nest got dropped in the backfield.
I do not think you will see a rookie LB in that set.

I'd like to see a nice rotation of LB's in the 3 4 to stay fresher this year as they are not any younger and don't need the senseless wear and tear. There is where I would like to see rookie playing time.
DW Toys

Hear hear!..

 

[JoeSixPat]

Will Seau sign if he is not a starter? Between AD, Bruschi, and Vrabel. Seau seems be the odd man out.

First of all, last season showed the need for depth at LB - both in case of injury and to keep guys fresh.

Additionally, the whole point of getting AD was not to plug him into one spot - but to give BB the flexibility to move him around - ILB, OLB, MLB depending on the scheme.

So in each scenario there is plenty of playing time for Seau as well as another LB in my opinion.

To make both of those scenarios possible we need additional LB depth. The fact that we didn't grab an LB in the first round doesn't worry me. I think BB feels that its a rare rookie LB that can step into the NFL and contribute at a high level - let alone step into his defensive scheme.

I think you will see BB watch other camps closely - possibly seeking a trade if there's a good enough candidate out there that he feels will "fit" with his D in New England - and most certainly he'll take a chance on some camp cuts to bring them in here to see what they've got.

Seau, if he still wants to "graduate" with a SB ring is a no-brainer if he wants to be here - but BB will still want to see what he can do to bolster depth further.

All that being said - if we had to start the seaon with only these LBs, barring injury I have no question we have what it takes to win the SB.

 

[carolinatony]

Just curious, but are you ever happy?


Yes.I am very happy.
Would like to see us have more depth at LB, that's all.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Wait! We have a linebacker situation? I'm stunned and appalled.

- There will be four rookie linebackers in Rookie Camp;
- before Training Camp starts, rookies who took tryouts or UDFA contracts elsewhere, and were subsequently released, will get looked over;
- not to mention NFLE Free Agents;
- and veterans cut for roster space;
- Seau remains available;
- Gardner may need another year (if he doesn't retire outright), or he may be a late "in-season" hire if his rehab moves beyond quality of life concerns and allows him to resume his career;
- August cut-downs may create opportunities;
- there is always the conditional draft pick option for a borderline player on another roster;
- while I expect Asante to be here for 2007, a trade still remains an option and could include a mix of players and draft picks;
- with a number of wide receivers battling for a roster slot, there is always a chance some other club who needs a veteran WR or has a critical camp injury could offer up a player-for-player swap;
- then again, there is always the good old straight up trade with that extra 2008 third rounder for the next Duane Starks (ducks into his underground bunker chuckling evilly).

I may be a blind optometrist D) Tony, but the Pats could still have some options left.