Report: Tennessee Titans LB Akeem Ayers traded to the Patriots

Double knee surgery?

Hopefully this move means they're good to go...

Deus Irae said:

It depends on how he's bounced back from the knee surgeries.

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Yep, when all is said and done, the move may not happen.

iapatsfan will be pleased, he called this move:

iapatsfan said:

I have to imagine going forward with Skinner and Chris White seeing significant time is not a viable option in the long run. What are the options for replacement? Fleming? Big Nickel with Browner? Trade (I mentioned Akeem Ayers as a possibility in another thread as he has fallen out of favor in Tenn and wouldn't cost a lot). LB off somebody's practice squad. I just can't see the Pats going forward with the LB core as it currently stands with Mayo out.

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http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...threads/lb-replacement-possibilities.1112712/

Now I'd like a real trade to address LB. Get a real starter in here.

I wonder what it would have taken to get Woodyard who the Patriots were looking at this offseason?

jays52 said:

This screams that Hightower is moving to Mike in a 43 defense. Ayers is a ridiculously explosive player off the edge and pretty good at disengaging blocks. He'd been a highly productive player for them before the scheme change.

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This!

This homer likes this trade. We need LB depth. Strong side OLB with speed (are knees OK or shot?) sounds good although I was looking for a MLB run stoppah. Much more rational move than all the cap pissing away proposals for "name" WRs who wouldn't have had summer camp to bond with the QB.

I hope we're not done & make another near starter depth trade.

He's an excellent OLB in the 4-3. I love this pickup. As others have said, Hightower is probably going to the Mike.

Joey007 said:

I remember I was in love with this guy in the 2011 draft.

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Gay marriage is legal now! Best wishes!

I kept confusing him for ROBERT Ayers. Just realized it's a totally different guy.

At least his season high in sacks is better than Robert Ayers

At the very least, it keeps Skinner off the field.

BritPat said:

Do you think he has the skill-set to play as the Sam long term? Or does he ideally move to Will when (and there's a lot of water to go under a lot of bridges at this point, of course) Mayo is healthy again next year?

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I think it's all dependent on the health of three patellar tendons. Assuming the world is perfect and both Ayers and Mayo return to form next year I would be fairly surprised to see him take the job from Hightower on the strong side. I'm still holding out hope for Collins because he is, imo, among best coverage linebackers in the NFL and absurdly good in pursuit which is the main role of the will in run responsibilities. He doesn't need to take on blockers head on in run, and if he is able to develop a compliment of moves to come unglued I still believe that he will develop into an all-pro scheme busting type talent. Should Ayers recover, I view him as being a very good rotational and situational player...and I view that as being pretty valuable, especially at linebacker.

For a 7th round pick why not? I imagine they'll have in the film room right away getting him to focus on tackling the runner as soon as he hits the 1st down marker.

PatsWickedPissah said:

Gay marriage is legal now! Best wishes!

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And Michael Sam is a free agent.

practice squad?

/dodges rocks and arrows

BobDigital said:

Now I'd like a real trade to address LB. Get a real starter in here.

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This here

More of a fit for 4-3 SLB than 3-4 OLB, ya?

Plus look at the 3 OLB above him Morgan (#16 2010 pick), Philips, and Wimbley.

jays52 said:

I think it's all dependent on the health of three patellar tendons. Assuming the world is perfect and both Ayers and Mayo return to form next year I would be fairly surprised to see him take the job from Hightower on the strong side. I'm still holding out hope for Collins because he is, imo, among best coverage linebackers in the NFL and absurdly good in pursuit which is the main role of the will in run responsibilities. He doesn't need to take on blockers head on in run, and if he is able to develop a compliment of moves to come unglued I still believe that he will develop into an all-pro scheme busting type talent. Should Ayers recover, I view him as being a very good rotational and situational player...and I view that as being pretty valuable, especially at linebacker.

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Collins needs to be replaced as a 'starter'. He needs to be a sub package only player. Right now, even with Ayers, the Patriots have 1 starting caliber linebacker, and he'll probably be moving out of position. I know that it's water over the dam at this point, but the loss of Spikes is really showing itself now.

both of his knees are shot.

.....he'll fit right in with easley!!

I think this is excellent news for our run defense. This will enable us to be both better against the run and the pass on those tweener downs. Right now we can't even stop the run with 3 fatties on the field. I think our run D will be vastly improved. You're looking at a nickel front of:

Chandler Jones - Ayers - Hightower
Wilfork - Walker/Chris Jones/Easley - Ninkovich

On obvious rushing downs we could probably move Ninkovich to the other OLB spot and put another DT in at DE. It's a nice combination of pass rushers and run stoppers. Oh the possibilities!

JMC00 said:

More of a fit for 4-3 SLB than 3-4 OLB, ya?

Plus look at the 3 OLB above him Morgan (#16 2010 pick), Philips, and Wimbley.

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I think he can also play the Will ILB in a 3-4. I'm not judging him from his time in Tennessee this year, it's clearly a case of Ayers just not being one of Whisenhunt's "guys." Whisenhunt has a reputation of being a stubborn coach and with the personnel that the Titans have they shouldn't be playing a 3-4. He's wasting the talents of guys like Ayers, Casey, Klug and Martin and it shows. The Titans' defense went from being in the top half of the league to the bottom half.

VrabelJr said:

...I'm not judging him from his time in Tennessee this year, it's clearly a case of Ayers just not being one of Whisenhunt's "guys."...

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No, it's not. He underwent patellar tendon surgery on both knees in the offseason. It's quite possible that is the issue.