Chris Price on Oscar Lua - Compares favorably with Bruschi.

[PatriotsDaily.com]

Regardless of what Pete Prisco might think, we do have some young linebackers with promise in camp. I'm high on Pierre Woods, and Eric Alexander was actually pretty good overall in the AFC Title Game.

Today, Christopher Price has a look at Oscar Lua, who is fighting for a roster spot, but who at least two Patriots veterans believe compares favorably to Tedy Bruschi.

Price also has 5 things to watch in Thursday's preseason finale, and a stat and quote of the week.

 

[RayClay]

Regardless of what Pete Prisco might think, we do have some young linebackers with promise in camp. I'm high on Pierre Woods, and Eric Alexander was actually pretty good overall in the AFC Title Game.

Today, Christopher Price has a look at Oscar Lua, who is fighting for a roster spot, but who at least two Patriots veterans believe compares favorably to Tedy Bruschi.

Price also has 5 things to watch in Thursday's preseason finale, and a stat and quote of the week.

Well, there's a job there. He didn't look like a world beater to me, but if he's got any chance to even be in the rotation at ILB, we should keep him over Testaverde.

The transition from college DE to ILB is painfully slow, so I would think a natural ILB with the size would have an advantage in some ways.

 

[cstjohn17]

Our young LBs are full of promise and not much else. I don't think any one them project as starters in the near-term especially because of the depth in front of them.

RANT Begins ---> Comparing Lua to Bruschi is not very fair him and is an extremely high compliment. Bruschi was a round 3 pick and when he left the NCAA he was the all time sack leader, although he was not a perfect fit at the NFL level he was clearly a far better college player than Lua. And as we all know Bruschi has played 11 years, went to the ProBowl and played in 4 Superbowls, winning 3. Lets hope Lua is 1/2 as successful.

Not to mention Bruschi is one of the most beloved players in franchise history. <---------- RANT Ends


I hope Lua and Rogers make the team, see my comments from another post.
-----------------------
It would be great if Lua and Rogers made it. We would actually have 4 LBs 25 and under on the roster.
Young kids - Woods (25), Alexander (25), Lua (23), Rogers (if my math is right he turns 24 on Friday)
Time will tell if any of them turn into starters but should really help with the depth.

Future LB forecast
- they add a day 1 LB in both 08 and 09

2007
OLB - Vrabel, Colvin, Woods, Rogers (plus Thomas)
ILB - Thomas, Bruschi, Seau, Alexander, Lua, Izzo

2008
OLB - Vrabel, Colvin, Woods, Rogers (plus Thomas)
ILB - Thomas, Bruschi (one more year), Day 1 Draft Pick, Alexander, Lua

2009
OLB - Vrabel, Thomas, Woods, Rogers
ILB - 2008 Day 1 Draft Pick, Alexander, Lua, 2009, Day 1 Draft Pick,

 

[Slagathor]

Bruschi didn't exactly set the team on fire his first couple of years.

I think that had a lot to do with the team trying to find a fit for him.

One thing that he did have though was fire and intensity. You could see that from day one.

I haven't seen that from Lua yet.

 

[RayClay]

Our young LBs are full of promise and not much else. I don't think any one them project as starters in the near-term especially because of the depth in front of them.

RANT Begins ---> Comparing Lua to Bruschi is not very fair him and is an extremely high compliment. Bruschi was a round 3 pick and when he left the NCAA he was the all time sack leader, although he was not a perfect fit at the NFL level he was clearly a far better college player than Lua. And as we all know Bruschi has played 11 years, went to the ProBowl and played in 4 Superbowls, winning 3. Lets hope Lua is 1/2 as successful.

Not to mention Bruschi is one of the most beloved players in franchise history. <---------- RANT Ends

My thoughts exactly.

If they have some future backups/Jag starters from the young group, I will be ecstatic, considering how they've neglected to seed the position with young talent.

I still think at least one draftee or under 30 FA is in the offing as a starter, probably at ILB.

You need FAs, or low picks to make it somewhere to keep the budget tight, but depending on them totally to take over at a position is wishful thinking.

 

[TheSeymonsta]

You need FAs, or low picks to make it somewhere to keep the budget tight, but depending on them totally to take over at a position is wishful thinking.

100% correct....Which is why some talented LB's should be drafted before Bruschi gets his AARP Membership.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

My problem is one of language.

The phrase "X compares favorably to Y" is an idiomatic expression which says that between the subject (X) and indirect object (Y), the subject is the better of the two.

Unless Price has lost his mind, this is clearly not what he means -- he means that Lua is a similar player, in style, to Bruschi and that this reflects favorably on the rookie.

 

[Pats67]

I'm not sure the majority of posts here even understand in what context the comparison was made.

Just to be clear here, here's the passage that refers to comparisons with Bruschi:

In football intelligence, overall approach and physical appearance, more than one veteran believes Lua compares favorably to Tedy Bruschi (both are listed at 6-foot-1, and Lua is 240 pounds while Bruschi is 247).

So Chris hasn't 'lost his mind' at all. The comparison is being made by Lua's new teammates, not Chris. And to clarify further, the comparison is one of 'football intelligence, overall approach and physical appearance.' And on the intelligence angle, Chris also has comments from another interested party:

But what might ultimately put him over the top is his football IQ, according to Head Coach Bill Belichick.

“He’s smart. He understands the defense. He communicates well,” said Belichick. “He’s able to not only do his assignment, but also control the guys in front of him, the front seven, and line calls and adjustments and things like that.

“He gets better out there everyday. He pays attention. I know he’s very attentive to what the veteran players do in the classroom and on the practice field. He’s always alert and trying to pick up more information. I think he’s working hard and he’s getting better.”

Despite the protestations above, no one has yet compared Lua to Bruschi in terms of anything but approach and appearance. Not sure where anyone got the impression otherwise, unless they're commenting on something they didn't actually read. Hope that addresses the language 'problem'.

 

[patsox23]

Okay, I'll say it right now - Oscar Lua: LOCK. Here's my best-case for this being a done deal...

“He gets better out there everyday. He pays attention. I know he’s very attentive to what the veteran players do in the classroom and on the practice field. He’s always alert and trying to pick up more information. I think he’s working hard and he’s getting better.”

Beli ALWAYS talks about liking guys who always get better, how they're the toughest to cut. Combine that with the need to get younger at LB, and his play on S/T's and I think there's no way Lua doesn't make the 53.

Book it.

 

[Christopher_Price]

I'm not sure the majority of posts here even understand in what context the comparison was made.

Just to be clear here, here's the passage that refers to comparisons with Bruschi:



So Chris hasn't 'lost his mind' at all. The comparison is being made by Lua's new teammates, not Chris. And to clarify further, the comparison is one of 'football intelligence, overall approach and physical appearance.' And on the intelligence angle, Chris also has comments from another interested party:



Despite the protestations above, no one has yet compared Lua to Bruschi in terms of anything but approach and appearance. Not sure where anyone got the impression otherwise, unless they're commenting on something they didn't actually read. Hope that addresses the language 'problem'.

Pats67, thanks for the clarification. I meant in no way to compare a modern-day Tedy Bruschi with a rookie Oscar Lua--that would be the longest of stretches. However, at least two vets said that he compares favorably with Bruschi--it's clear that Belichick think a lot of him--and the physical comparison is dead on.

Someone else on this thread mentioned that Bruschi wasn't really TEDY BRUSCHI his first few years in the league, and it bears repeating. He didn't start a single game his rookie season (he had more special teams tackles than defensive tackles as a rookie), and didn't start more than half the games until his fourth year in the league. In fact, you could make an agrument that Bruschi didn't really flourish until his fifth year in the league--2000, which was Belichick's first season at the helm.

 

[captain stone]

I am in complete agreement with RayClay and the Seymonsta.

Lua is only 240? I would hope that he would be at least 245 by now.

Burschi may not have been a starter early in his career, during the Pete Carroll years, but he was a contributor on defense by the end of the 1997 season.

I wonder how Brandon Siler is doing in SD...

 

[Wretch]

has anyone compared Lua's combine numbers to Bruschi's? I'm just wondering how they stack up.

If I remember right Lua was in the 4.8ish range in the 40.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The Pats usually keep 9 LBs. I think the Locks are the Big 5 of Bruschi, Thomas,Vrabel and Colvin. Then the next Three are pretty well assured of making it. Woods, Alexander, and rookie discovery Rodgers. That leaves one or possibly Zero spots in the LB corp. The competitors for that one spot are Izzo, Lua and Mays.

I think mays is behind both so he is cut. That leaves a two man race Izzo the ST leader or the youngster Oscar Lua. They both could be cut if the Pats keep an extra ST DB. But I think in an upset, Izzo doesn't make it, and Lua gets the 9th spot.

OTOH... The easy choice is to keep Izzo and Lua goes to PS, though. Next year is then Izzo's swan song. But I don't think so.

 

[Seymour93]

and Eric Alexander was actually pretty good overall in the AFC Title Game.

No he wasn't. There's a reason why Alexander had 10 tackles that game... because Dallas Clark and Moorehead were catching everything in the middle of the field. Alexander was inexperienced granted, but to say he played pretty good is a stretch.

 

[RayClay]

Pats67, thanks for the clarification. I meant in no way to compare a modern-day Tedy Bruschi with a rookie Oscar Lua--that would be the longest of stretches. However, at least two vets said that he compares favorably with Bruschi--it's clear that Belichick think a lot of him--and the physical comparison is dead on.

Someone else on this thread mentioned that Bruschi wasn't really TEDY BRUSCHI his first few years in the league, and it bears repeating. He didn't start a single game his rookie season (he had more special teams tackles than defensive tackles as a rookie), and didn't start more than half the games until his fourth year in the league. In fact, you could make an agrument that Bruschi didn't really flourish until his fifth year in the league--2000, which was Belichick's first season at the helm.

Bruschi was a sparkplug, though. He really was an energizer. The problem, of course was the transition from DE to situational rusher to OLB to ILB.

Thank god they're going to try an actual ILB at the position. I hope he clicks, because we have zero potential ILB starters for the (very near) future.

Having said all that, he doesn't remind me of Bruschi at all. If he's getting the mental part down that's great.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I wonder how Brandon Siler is doing in SD...

He's a preseason STs' demon, but SD keeps cutting those guys after they go to the Pro-Bowl.

 

[cstjohn17]

OTOH... The easy choice is to keep Izzo and Lua goes to PS, though. Next year is then Izzo's swan song. But I don't think so.

Izzo is one of my least favaorite Patriots, mostly due to his terrible ability as a LB when he actually gets on the field as a defender but I respect his ability on special teams (albeit totally overated, he has been living on reputation for at least 3 years). Looking at this roster is is very veteran heavy, BB seems to want professionals who understand the little things. Izzo gets the 9th spot. If they keep 10 LBs then maybe Lua gets a spot otherwise he goes to the PS. If he gets picked up or ends up on another teams PS then so be it, guys like Lua are a dime dozen.

 

[captain stone]

He's a preseason STs' demon, but SD keeps cutting those guys after they go to the Pro-Bowl.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070823/news_1s23chnot2.html

Siler also had 2 tackles on defense, plus 2 ST tackles vs. Arizona.

 

[captain stone]

Izzo is one of my least favaorite Patriots, mostly due to his terrible ability as a LB when he actually gets on the field as a defender but I respect his ability on special teams (albeit totally overated, he has been living on reputation for at least 3 years). Looking at this roster is is very veteran heavy, BB seems to want professionals who understand the little things. Izzo gets the 9th spot. If they keep 10 LBs then maybe Lua gets a spot otherwise he goes to the PS. If he gets picked up or ends up on another teams PS then so be it, guys like Lua are a dime dozen.

I could not have said this any better than that.

 

[reflexblue]

After 7 yr's of Belichick drafts I think by now if he were going to draft a LB he would have done it. I think that in the 3-4 defense the LB's are the critical cog in the defense the defense is built around their ability, and he prefers LB's with experiance. Thats way he hasn't drafted one with a high rnd. pick. He doesn't want to take the chance that they won't be able to grasp the position. So he picks them up through as FA's. All this being said Tedy Johnson was 240 lbs as a rookie.