Defense - Our NEEDS are few

mgteich · Feb 7, 2011

We have a very young defense. We will get much better as they mature. We NEED a DE. We could use an upgrade at OLB.

We shall see if Belichick brings back G. Warren and Page.

DEFENSE
DE - 4 Deaderick, Love, Ty Warren, Brace
DT - 3 Wright, Pryor, Wilfork
OLB– 4 Cunningham, Banta-Cain, Ninkovich, Moore
LB - 4 Mayo, Guyton, Spikes, Fletcher
CB - 5 Bodden, McCourty, Wilhite, Butler, Arrington
S - 5 Meriweather, Sanders, Chung, Brown, Barrett

JackBauer · Feb 7, 2011

Isn't Cullen Jenkins a FA?

If so, they should go hard for him.

PATRIOTSFANINPA · Feb 7, 2011

mgteich said:
We have a very young defense. We will get much better as they mature. We NEED a DE. We could use an upgrade at OLB.

We shall see if Belichick brings back G. Warren and Page.

DEFENSE
DE - 4 Deaderick, Love, Ty Warren, Brace
DT - 3 Wright, Pryor, Wilfork
OLB– 4 Cunningham, Banta-Cain, Ninkovich, Moore
LB - 4 Mayo, Guyton, Spikes, Fletcher
CB - 5 Bodden, McCourty, Wilhite, Butler, Arrington
S - 5 Meriweather, Sanders, Chung, Brown, Barrett

I would be surprised if the teams does not look for a young corner next season in the late rounds,I think Wilhite is gone

Take away Mayo and linebacker is weak all over,especially for pass rush specialists

DE/DT will need some upgrading...you can't rely on Warren after a year off and who knows whow he will play when he returns,need more depth there.

I am not so sure Belichick feels his defense has FEW areas to add depth to.

JFK · Feb 7, 2011

PATRIOTSFANINPA said:
I would be surprised if the teams does not look for a young corner next season in the late rounds,I think Wilhite is gone

Take away Mayo and linebacker is weak all over,especially for pass rush specialists

DE/DT will need some upgrading...you can't rely on Warren after a year off and who knows whow he will play when he returns,need more depth there.

I am not so sure Belichick feels his defense has FEW areas to add depth to.

When mayo went down, Guyton was fine. u can't back up starters with starters.

ATippett56 · Feb 7, 2011

mgteich said:
We have a very young defense. We will get much better as they mature. We NEED a DE. We could use an upgrade at OLB.

We shall see if Belichick brings back G. Warren and Page.

DEFENSE
DE - 4 Deaderick, Love, Ty Warren, Brace
DT - 3 Wright, Pryor, Wilfork
OLB– 4 Cunningham, Banta-Cain, Ninkovich, Moore
LB - 4 Mayo, Guyton, Spikes, Fletcher
CB - 5 Bodden, McCourty, Wilhite, Butler, Arrington
S - 5 Meriweather, Sanders, Chung, Brown, Barrett

Defense

DE - Ty Warren, Ron Brace, Myron Pryor, Brandon Deaderick,
NT- Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright, Kyle Love
ILB - Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, Fletcher
OLB - Cunningham, Ninkovich, ????, ????
CB - Bodden, McCourty, Wilhite, Butler, Arrington
S - Meriweather, Sanders, Chung, Brown, ????

Unrestricted Free Agency

OLB - LaMarr Woodley or Kamerion Wimbley

Draft

DE - 1st Round
OLB - Late 2nd Round/Early 3rd Round
FS - Early 3rd Round/Late 3rd Round (Backup FS to Meriweather)

IcyPatriot · Feb 7, 2011

Belichick will draft a CB in the 1st 2 rounds this year. Someone good enough to move Bodden to nickel works for me. We're in the big nickel very often anyways.

JackBauer · Feb 7, 2011

IcyPatriot said:
Belichick will draft a CB in the 1st 2 rounds this year. Someone good enough to move Bodden to nickel works for me. We're in the big nickel very often anyways.

That would be a terrible idea. You're going to pay 5mm+ for your nickel corner? CB is down there with TE and QB as the lowest priorities on the team.

Deus Irae · Feb 7, 2011

IcyPatriot said:
Belichick will draft a CB in the 1st 2 rounds this year. Someone good enough to move Bodden to nickel works for me. We're in the big nickel very often anyways.

Let's hope that Belichick does not make such a move.

condon84 · Feb 7, 2011

We need another starter at OLB. Banta-Cain or Ninkovich should not be starting IMO. Cunningham was a rookie but showed small glimpses to be optimistic. More bodies along the DL is also a priority. Warren will be coming off major surgery, Wright's health is up in the air, and Gerrard Warren was a nice surprise but can he perform like that again next year? Our DBs are a good group victimized by a lack of pass rush. I don't see why they would need a major upgrade after BOdden comes back.

More importantly for our defense though is creativity with our blitz scheme.

javajunky · Feb 7, 2011

A great defense usually has at least two top-line rushers and a few quality complementary players. We do not have a single top-line rusher.

Let's look at our 4 man rush in our sub package. The defensive package that we were in the majority of the time last season.

Players used last season:
OLB Jermaine Cunningham - showed potential then regressed
OLB Tully Banta-Cain - had his career season already, may be done
DL Eric Moore - had a nice four game stretch then disappeared
DL Rob Ninkovich - never consistent
DL Gerard Warren - playing on fumes
DL Mike Wright - serious season ending concussion
DL Myron Pryor - reoccurring back injury

This is a group of J.A.G.s and nothing more. We are looking for more than just a missing player, we need to rebuild the unit from the ground up. We need quality free agent signings, multiple draft picks, and luck.

PS: I also take a linebacker that can cover somebody's ass.

Fencer · Feb 7, 2011

javajunky said:
A great defense usually has at least two top-line rushers and a few quality complementary players. We do not have a single top-line rusher.

Let's look at our 4 man rush in our sub package. The defensive package that we were in the majority of the time last season.

Players used last season:
OLB Jermaine Cunningham - showed potential then regressed
OLB Tully Banta-Cain - had his career season already, may be done
DL Eric Moore - had a nice four game stretch then disappeared
DL Rob Ninkovich - never consistent
DL Gerard Warren - playing on fumes
DL Mike Wright - serious season ending concussion
DL Myron Pryor - reoccurring back injury

This is a group of J.A.G.s and nothing more. We are looking for more than just a missing player, we need to rebuild the unit from the ground up. We need quality free agent signings, multiple draft picks, and luck.

PS: I also take a linebacker that can cover somebody's ass.

A bit harsh, but you have a point.

As for the rest, the only proven starting or rotational DBs under contract for much longer are McCourty, Bodden, Chung, Arrington and, if you include him, Butler. So one way or the other, there's scope to bring new guys into the system.

Rob0729 · Feb 7, 2011

JackBauer said:
Isn't Cullen Jenkins a FA?

If so, they should go hard for him.

I am guessing he would be franchised. I also wonder if his brother would convince him not to come to New England if he is not. Kris is not the biggest fan of the Patriots. He is another one of those guys who think the Pats cheated away their championships.

Triumph · Feb 7, 2011

DE, OLB, S and CB in that order.

DE - Preferably a high round selection to replace Seymour. Mike Wright has had his chance.

OLB - Pass rusher and Coverage guy to replace TBC

S - Is Merriweather really the answer?

CB - Bodden and Mcourty are a nice tandem. Arrington is serviceable. Butler still hasnt turned the corner. Wilhite GTFO.

JackBauer · Feb 7, 2011

Triumph said:
DE, OLB, S and CB in that order.

DE - Preferably a high round selection to replace Seymour. Mike Wright has had his chance.

OLB - Pass rusher and Coverage guy to replace TBC

S - Is Merriweather really the answer?

CB - Bodden and Mcourty are a nice tandem. Arrington is serviceable. Butler still hasnt turned the corner. Wilhite GTFO.

So S and CB are bigger needs than OG, OC, WR, and RB?

Sometimes I wonder what people are smoking on this forum.

WhiZa · Feb 7, 2011

If we bring back Warren, Page, and Arrington then there's nothing other to do then spend AT LEAST half of the draft picks on on pass rushers

NewFeep · Feb 7, 2011

I've read several times how we got X more players in not drafting Clay Matthews a coupla year ago but I wanted him then and I wish we had him now.

Our #1 need is OLB till BB drafts a couple of studs or picks up one or two via FA......

Other than that there are no glaring holes on D...... My .02

IcyPatriot · Feb 7, 2011

mgteich said:
We have a very young defense. We will get much better as they mature. We NEED a DE. We could use an upgrade at OLB.

DEFENSE
CB - 5 Bodden, McCourty, Wilhite, Butler, Arrington

You think that is a competant group to win the Super Bowl?

That is good for regular season but not to win the Super Bowl.

Bodden was above average pre injury and has to be labeled as ??? coming back.

Butler has not proved himself even to be a nickel back.

Arrington may be a nickel back ... then again maybe not in the playoffs - we'll see.

Wilhite - good for depth and special teams.

We need one of the top 5 CB's available in this draft IMO.
If we can get that at #33 or a move up from #60 then fine but competent it is not outside of McCourty.

Triumph · Feb 8, 2011

JackBauer said:
So S and CB are bigger needs than OG, OC, WR, and RB?

Sometimes I wonder what people are smoking on this forum.

First off, this thread is devoted to the defense since you missed the heading.

Secondly, its no surprise that you came running to the aid of Merriweather, Butler and Wilhite.If memory serves me right, you were one of the leading minions for keeping Maroney and Chad Jackson.

The pair trying to be CBs both suck and Merriweather sure has been underwhelming for a 1st round draft pick.

IcyPatriot · Feb 8, 2011

JackBauer said:
So S and CB are bigger needs than OG, OC, WR, and RB?

Sometimes I wonder what people are smoking on this forum.

Yeah like a member who doesn't realize this thread is about defense.
So he goes on to post about OG, OC, WR and RB --- wrong thread JB.

greerre · Feb 8, 2011

People overlook Brandon Spikes. He was having a solid rookie year. If we get an OLB who can put some pressure on the QB then I would be comfortable in saying we have a more than solid LB corp. It also seems to me that Wilfork is capable of making the scrub DEs around him look pretty good.

That being said, If we add a good DE and OLB in FA or the Draft and Warren and Bodden come back strong we would have, for the first time since 05/06 (maybe 07) a good defense. These are big ifs, but imagine the following lineup on the field healthy and playing to potential

Warren - Wilfork - (Cameron Heyward?)
Banta - Mayo - Spikes - (Von Miller...I can dream)
McCourty - Chung - Meriweather - Bodden

Obviously the () are hypothetical (unlikely hypotheticals haha) but you get the picture. If the defensive unit stays on the field and grows together over the season, I could see it being a surprise top 10 squad

Defense - Our NEEDS are few

PatsFans.com Veteran

Hall of Fame Poster

Pro Bowl Player

Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job

Pro Bowl Player

Wall of Fame

Hall of Fame Poster

PatsFans.com Retired Jersey Club

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

Practice Squad Player

Pro Bowl Player

PatsFans.com Supporter

Hall of Fame Poster

Hall of Fame Poster

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

Wall of Fame

Hall of Fame Poster

Wall of Fame

Rookie

Similar threads