Easley

patchick said:

Umm...yes? (I get the impression you're trying to disagree with me, but I'm not sure on what point.)

Edit: and after reading this, instead of responding to me you went back and edited an extra paragraph of explanation into your original post?

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I don't understand the timing issue you are referring to.

My primary issue was suggest that even given events, it would still have been a better decision at the time to keep Kelly or add another DL.

My position is the Belichick decided not to keep Kelly or to sign a replacement. He chose to go into the season with very weak depth at both DE and DL. Siliga, Easley and others were injured at the time. Clearly, it would be some time until either of these players was ready for serious play. Belichick chose to rely on Vellano instead of Kelly or someone else.

So, I think that Belichick took the risk, and won big time. He was able to do with Easley playing a minor role for half the season. He was able to pick up Walker and Branch.

BobDigital said:

I agree with most the people here that Easley had the best game of his young career last night. Still not what I would term a dominate performance but good to very good considering how he did against the run.

Luckily he still has 6 games left to improve. Hopefully he can take another step or 2 forward in that time. Would be a welcome site to see come playoff time.

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It seems like we still are unable to get to QB, in terms of sacks. Luck seems like he had plenty of time to throw. Only issue for him was that the Patriots covered all the receivers..

zipster9 said:

It seems like we still are unable to get to QB, in terms of sacks. Luck seems like he had plenty of time to throw. Only issue for him was that the Patriots covered all the receivers..

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I'd like to see more, but don't underestimate how much Bill values pocket containment for mobile QBs.

zipster9 said:

It seems like we still are unable to get to QB, in terms of sacks. Luck seems like he had plenty of time to throw. Only issue for him was that the Patriots covered all the receivers..

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Sacking Luck wasn't a priority. Maintain lane discipline, keep him in the pocket, push said pocket and make him throw to the disguises of that all-world secondary the Pats have got. Watch the replays - note how the Pats' DEs did not go flying wide, but staying straight-push. They weren't about to give Luck easy scrambles between his guard and tackle.

With some QBs (Mannings), you've got to try to get to them, to get them off their spots. With a guy like Andrew Luck, you've got to make him see what isn't really there.

you can't let him beat you with his legs. Think about that when we play Green Bay, and even more if we wind up in the SB against a Kapernick or a Wilson.

mayoclinic said:

I'm sorry, but you guys don't even realize you ridiculous you sound. A rookie being on the "bust list" after 9 games? "About time" for a guy coming off an ACL injury to show explosiveness? Please. This makes the guys in Dumb and Dumber look like geniuses in comparison.

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A lot of fans seem to write a rookie off if he isn't a starter after week 2. Some people were advocating cutting White for Blount and i remember some people calling Collins a bust at the start of last season.

Walker is out, Blount is in.

Marqui said:

I think Moore is still at least a year away from really contributing.

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That is more than likely true.

But the important thing to take from his play so far, is that he looks to be a genuine NFL caliber DE, someday.

AzPatsFan said:

That is more than likely true.

But the important thing to take from his play so far, is that he looks to be a genuine NFL caliber DE, someday.

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I think he'll be a solid rotational DE at some point.

mayoclinic said:

I think he'll be a solid rotational DE at some point.

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Considering the Patriots already feel he is worth being active and putting on the field, that isn't much of a stretch.

I'm impressed with Moore at this point, though it is in the I didn't expect him to be seeing this much playing time yet impressive, not the he's a future starter kind.

Oswlek said:

I'm impressed with Moore at this point, though it is in the I didn't expect him to be seeing this much playing time yet impressive, not the he's a future starter kind.

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"Future starter" isn't out of the question, but a stretch at this point. But a "solid rotational player" who can play a fair number of snaps without a significant dropoff, or start on occasion if needed, is a very, very valuable commodity (especially if at low cost).

mayoclinic said:

This is spot on. And we know that "doing the important stuff right" and being versatile are much, much more important to BB than making some highlight plays and piling up stats. Easley is having a solid rookie season, recovering from injury and playing through some. I suspect BB is quite happy with what he's done so far.

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Agree completely, and i would love to see them add another piece like him to their DL in the first round or two of the 2015 draft.

mayoclinic said:

"Future starter" isn't out of the question, but a stretch at this point. But a "solid rotational player" who can play a fair number of snaps without a significant dropoff, or start on occasion if needed, is a very, very valuable commodity (especially if at low cost).

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Ultimately I think you want what the Seahawks had last season, with a really strong rotation all the way through their DL.

Ivan said:

Ultimately I think you want what the Seahawks had last season, with a really strong rotation all the way through their DL.

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Exactly. I'm really happy with the addition of Akeem Ayers (another guy proving me wrong), and hope we can extend him. If that happens, and at least one of Moore and/or Buchanan develops, we'll have really said depth and versatility. I still want another DE for 2015, as a long term successor to Nink and with Jones' hip a potential issue.

Oswlek said:

Considering the Patriots already feel he is worth being active and putting on the field, that isn't much of a stretch.

I'm impressed with Moore at this point, though it is in the I didn't expect him to be seeing this much playing time yet impressive, not the he's a future starter kind.

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We started the season with very little depth at DE. Easley (more of a DT) was injured. Buchanan was injured. It seemed that Moore was going to get some reps. That being said, Belichick prefers Ayers or Easley. When Easley is healthy, I would not expect Moore to get a lot of reps.

Ivan said:

Ultimately I think you want what the Seahawks had last season, with a really strong rotation all the way through their DL.

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Sure, we always want to add a stud defensive lineman. I expect us to re-sign Ayers, Branch and perhaps Walker. With him in place, we would start with

Ninkovich, Jones, Easley, Ayers, Buchanan, Moore
Wilfork, Branch, Jones, Siliga, (Walker)

Would DL be a high draft priority? As I said, I'm always fine with adding a stud defensive lineman.

mayoclinic said:

Exactly. I'm really happy with the addition of Akeem Ayers (another guy proving me wrong), and hope we can extend him. If that happens, and at least one of Moore and/or Buchanan develops, we'll have really said depth and versatility. I still want another DE for 2015, as a long term successor to Nink and with Jones' hip a potential issue.

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Draft Dante Fowler and re-sign Ayers and I'll be very happy.

When watching Easley against the Colts I see some flashes of what he did in college. A couple of plays where he closes very fast to the QB for a DT. I think it's because Easley is still learning how to play the position how BB wants it to be played, instead of playing like he did in college where he just crashed into the backfield like a drunk uncle crashes thanksgiving celebration. I think he will be very disruptive when he has learned BBs system so well that he doesn't have to think about how to play, just react and play.

kennyb said:

I was pleasantly surprised. He's off the bust list for me as of now.

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Wow, that's really decent of you. I am glad you are going to give him more than the first half of his rookie season to prove his overall worth to you. I was terrified you would write him off after 6 games and he would have to call it a career.

What a shame about Clowney, huge bust. Time for him to go on home and try out his paper hat. I suppose at this point over 90% of those drafted in 2014 have busted, time to look forward to all of next years busts.

mgteich said:

Sure, we always want to add a stud defensive lineman. I expect us to re-sign Ayers, Branch and perhaps Walker. With him in place, we would start with

Ninkovich, Jones, Easley, Ayers, Buchanan, Moore
Wilfork, Branch, Jones, Siliga, (Walker)

Would DL be a high draft priority? As I said, I'm always fine with adding a stud defensive lineman.

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I suppose some of that depends upon how they classify guys like Ayers and Moore, I see them more as LB's but the Patriots probably have a different classification system than the one we traditionally use.

The Wilfork situation is going to bear watching. I think most had written him off and believed this would be his last season in NE, however he really has returned to form and imo he is coming back in 2015 and that will dictate their cap resources to some degree. good thing they didn't let him walk or this season would look different imo, he has been really important to their success.

Ivan said:

I suppose some of that depends upon how they classify guys like Ayers and Moore, I see them more as LB's but the Patriots probably have a different classification system than the one we traditionally use.

The Wilfork situation is going to bear watching. I think most had written him off and believed this would be his last season in NE, however he really has returned to form and imo he is coming back in 2015 and that will dictate their cap resources to some degree. good thing they didn't let him walk or this season would look different imo, he has been really important to their success.

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If we use the DT, DL/OLB, LB divisions, then we have a somewhat different lineup.

DT: Wilfork, Easley, Branch, Jones, Siliga

OLB/LB: Ninkovich, Jones, Ayers, Buchanan, Moore

LB: Mayo, Hightower, Collins, Casillas

It is still not clear that a front seven defensive player is a high (first 2 round) draft priority.

In the end, much will depend on how many of the rent-a-players Belichick re-signs. We have Branch, Walker, Ayers, and Casillas.

meatface said:

A lot of fans seem to write a rookie off if he isn't a starter after week 2. Some people were advocating cutting White for Blount and i remember some people calling Collins a bust at the start of last season.

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If Belichick could draft we wouldn't have to do so. Had he followed my blueprint for the 2014 draft he would have taken Sammy Watkins in the first, Aaron Donald in the second, Mike Evans in the third, Kahlil Mack in the fourth, Greg Robinson in the fifth, Trade Mallett for Watt and a sixth and take Jimmy Garrapolo, and then trade their seventh for the Jets 1st this season and they would have been rockin. Unfortunately Belichick is to stoopid to listen to me and we ended up with another suckass crappy draft.