If I'm making the decisions, this is what I want to do. I will refrain from comparing to this year or any other, becuase as BB always says, its a new year and you start over. With that said, first, these are the issues I saw in our defense, so they would be ones I focus on being good at:
1) 2 minute D. To me this occured because we were weak in coverage at nickel/safety and LB.
2) Depth. Yes, we have depth, but we tend to use players in such versatile roles that some are heavily relied upon to fill different roles in different spots, and play more snaps than ideal (this is primarily the front 7)
In a perfect world, this is where I wold like to see us:
DL
I have absolutely no issue with Seymour-Wilfork-Warren with Green as #1 backup, and using 2 of these 4 inside on 3rd down and in 2 minute.
Behind those 4, I think whatever we bring back out of Smith, Wright, Thomas, Moore, etc will fit the bill. If there is a guy in the later rounds or cheaper FA who can get in this mix, grab him, but we are pretty well set.
OLB-
Colvin returns. I'd really prefer to keep both Vrabel and Thomas outside and use a 3man rotation, including 3rd down as DE. All 3 can easily play on 3rd down as well.
Our best case scenario is using these 3 and having each of them get 75-80% of the snaps, some a bit more, some a bit less depending on the game.
I am fine with Woods as the 4th behind them, and whoever emerges as a s/ter in camp as the 5th.
If we must use one inside, its not a huge deal, but the biggest effect, IMO, would be if you must have all 3 on the field in the base, it diminshes your sub packages on 3rd down.
ILB
I'm fine with Bruschi, I thought he played well this year. I''m fine if Seau wants to return to the role he started this year as: the 5th LB who plays sparingly. I don't see a guy who is developing here, but what we truly need is the ILB in the mold of Gary Reasons, Steve DeOssie, Ted Johnson, Roman Phifer that have always been part of the BB top defenses. A role player who is playing roughly 50% of the downs. This could come in FA, the draft (not at all unreasonable that an ILB can be drafted to fit this role, even on day 2) or maybe off of IR in Oscar Lua.
I'd like to add one contributor either inside or outside, because I'd like to be 5 deep. Thats a bonus, but if we come back with Vrabel-Bruschi-Thomas-Colvin, we are strong at the LB position, the issue becomes that we need to add another player who can take some of the roles away from these guys.
One option that would be interesting would be to add a pass rushing specialist DE (a guy in the KGB, greg Spires, Robert Mathis mold, who would only playing in nickel/dime). Our coverage is better with Vrabel and Thomas not playing DE in those situaitons, but at LB, AND better with more rotation at the nickel/dime DE spot.
CB
I think its important to keep Samuel. I am thrilled with Samuel and Hobbs as starters.
After those 2, we need to rebuild the corner position. I am not comfortable bringing back anyone we have for the nickel role. By far the best option on the roster would be Richardson, and thats only because he is an unknown quantity and the known quantity is unaccpetable.
I would absolutely draft a corner #1, and plug him in as the nickel.
If Samuel returns, that #1 pick eventually takes Hobbs spot down the road. If Samuel does not, we need a serviceable starting caliber CB in FA.
Richardson, a later draft pick, cheap FA, or some UDFAs can all compete for the 4th corner spot.
S
I love Rodney. But I see 2 choices with him. Let him go, or limit him to not being involved in any packages outside the base D, or as a LB in the nickel. Meriwhether should be a 'starter' at least in the sub packages, and possibly full time. Speed and coverage ability at safety is critical in the NFL right now, esp on 3rd down and in 2 minute D. Eugene Wilson in 03 and 04 gave us that, and it was crtical. Meriwhether is that kind of player but more gifted.
Sanders as a starting safety is fine by me.
I would like to see us draft a bigger corner in the mid-late rounds that we can convert to safety. We need to revamp our skillset preferences at safety, IMO.
I think the starters and reserves are pretty clear.
I would like to see us set up the following for nickel/dime/2 minute D.
DE- Colvin, Thomas, Vrabel but preferably one more so that Thomas and vrable can be in the LB spots, and they all can get some rest during a game. I want to only need 2 of the 3 on 3rd down.
CB- Samuel/Replacement, Hobbs, #1 pick
S- Meriwhether, Sanders, with Wilson or a rookie with corner skills as backups.
LB- We need 2 in the nickel, 1 in the dime, exclusive of those playing DE.
Bruschi can play this role, but again we shouldnt NEED him to. My plan says Thomas or Vrabel are true Lbs in these sets. Rodney Harrision, if back, should be considered a LB only in these sets, and no longer a safety. Using those 4 to fill 2 spots is a good plan IMO.
Priorities are:
1) Samuel or replacement
2) top notch rookie corner to play the nickel
3) Role player at ILB capable of playing half the snaps
4) This gives us 15 players that are key to the plan:
Seymour, Wilfork, Warren, Green
Vrabel, Thomas, Colvin, Bruschi, Addition
Samuel, Hobbs, draft pick, Meriwhether, Sanders, Harrison
out of approximately 25 we can carry on defense.
The other 10 spots are ones we should add later round picks, cheaper FAs, etc to the guys now on the roster who could fill them.
IF we get better covering the entire field on passing downs, we will have an elite defense. A few strong moves can achieve that.
