So... What do we do with Steven Jackson?

We invite him to camp and cut him when it's over.

This team needs a Running Back. Can't skate through the season with Blount, Bolden and a scat back again.

Forte would be perfect for this team.

We can use a rookie at running back next year. What we need to establish a running game is (a) more talent on the offensive line and (b) an offensive lineman or two with a mean streak. In terms of (b), I'm talking about the Mankins type who makes the other team scared because he imposes his will.

Froob said:

It's funny that people think anybody but a first ballot hall of fame was going to get anything behind that cardboard cut out line.

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tecmo bowl bo jackson wouldnt do anything with that line

What would it take to get Jeremy hill?
Or trade a mid round pick for Lacy, and have BB motivate the crap out of him.

supafly said:

We need to draft a RB, and also consider signing a lower/middle tiered kind of player to a reasonable deal.

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Well it's a good thing we have a first round pick

trevrox said:

Well it's a good thing we have a first round pick

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That aspect sucks, but we still have 3 picks in the first 3 rounds, so that helps to offset things a bit.

cupofjoe1962 said:

If you are on the 1 yardline I would much rather give the ball to Jackson than Blount.

Considering Lewis is coming back, I would rather have Jackson in a part time role than Blount.

Any running back would struggle behind the OL we took into the playoffs.

I never gave Dante Scarneccia the credit he deserved. We really miss him.

I don't know if we can blame our current OL coach Dave DeGuleilmo but we sure can't give him any credit this season.

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Wow. Can't give DeGuglielmo credit? Lose both your starting OTs and still have the O-line perform decently enough to win games.. With your starting Center playing RT? Or having your 5th different LT and 4th different RT?

Not sure what you expect when your that far down your depth chart..

LT:
Solder, Cannon, Vollmer, Fleming, Waddle
RT:
Vollmer, Cannon, Fleming, Stork

Think about that.. That's who played LT and RT this season for the Pats.. Show me another team that does that and makes the play-offs.

ChrisR2223 said:

What would it take to get Jeremy hill?
Or trade a mid round pick for Lacy, and have BB motivate the crap out of him.

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Lacy isn't doing anything behind that line vs that defense.

supafly said:

We need to draft a RB, and also consider signing a lower/middle tiered kind of player to a reasonable deal.

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The priority of a RB will depend on what the Patriots do for extension to Collins, Hightower and Jones as well as whether the Pats pick up Mayo's option. If the Pats don't pick up Mayo's option, then I see LBer being a top priority for them. I don't believe that Freeny is an adequate replacement for Mayo and I don't see anyone on the Pats roster who might be.

A reserve swing tackle may also be a higher priority than RB if the Pats part ways with Cannon as some here want.

With the Pats already having Lewis, White, Bolden, and Gaffney under contract, it will be interesting to see what they do..

MainePatsFan26 said:

We can use a rookie at running back next year. What we need to establish a running game is (a) more talent on the offensive line and (b) an offensive lineman or two with a mean streak. In terms of (b), I'm talking about the Mankins type who makes the other team scared because he imposes his will.

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Mason, Stork and Jackson are all known to have mean streaks. Jackson and Mason were rookies this year and probably hit the wall. Not to mention that Jackson hurt his knee. A healthy O-line with more experience under their belt plays a lot better than what we saw.

I will say this, Josh Kline's shoulder injury really hurt this team. Not sure what happened to his psyche, but he went from being one of the better O-linemen on the team (behind Vollmer and Solder) to being pretty bad.

DaBruinz said:

Wow. Can't give DeGuglielmo credit? Lose both your starting OTs and still have the O-line perform decently enough to win games.. With your starting Center playing RT? Or having your 5th different LT and 4th different RT?

Not sure what you expect when your that far down your depth chart..

LT:
Solder, Cannon, Vollmer, Fleming, Waddle
RT:
Vollmer, Cannon, Fleming, Stork

Think about that.. That's who played LT and RT this season for the Pats.. Show me another team that does that and makes the play-offs.

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I understand your point. That said, cannon was a god damn turnstile tonight. We need an upgrade at swing tackle.

That said, I think every team in the league wants a better STARTING tackle.

Jackson? I'd love to see him back if he beats out the competition in camp. I'd wager a few weeks and an offseason would lead to trust in him behind a hopefully healthy ol, but also in pass pro.

What I really hope for? Somebody give McDaniels a HC job. Please. Play fake on 4th and one? 2ND and 4 a few weeks back and 5 wide X2. Not getting white involved on shorter hits rather than wheel plays, which Brady historically doesn't hit. Hey Josh, 3rd or 4th scat back that Tom can't throw a wheel pass too.. maybe it isn't the god damn back...just saying...

DaBruinz said:

The priority of a RB will depend on what the Patriots do for extension to Collins, Hightower and Jones as well as whether the Pats pick up Mayo's option. If the Pats don't pick up Mayo's option, then I see LBer being a top priority for them. I don't believe that Freeny is an adequate replacement for Mayo and I don't see anyone on the Pats roster who might be.

A reserve swing tackle may also be a higher priority than RB if the Pats part ways with Cannon as some here want.

With the Pats already having Lewis, White, Bolden, and Gaffney under contract, it will be interesting to see what they do..

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I agree that it will be interesting to see what they do, and you make a good point about prioritization, but either way you look at it, RB should definitely be on the list of draft candidates, as well as consideration to a lower priced guy (possibly even Blount, I suppose) who can carry the load, if needed.

I don't see White as a capable running option, and we all know that Bolden is basically a ST only player. That leaves us with Gaffney as the only other player behind a smaller framed and oft-injured Lewis, and we haven't had an IR stash pay off in quite some time.

woolster22 said:

I understand your point. That said, cannon was a god damn turnstile tonight. We need an upgrade at swing tackle.

That said, I think every team in the league wants a better STARTING tackle.

Jackson? I'd love to see him back if he beats out the competition in camp. I'd wager a few weeks and an offseason would lead to trust in him behind a hopefully healthy ol, but also in pass pro.

What I really hope for? Somebody give McDaniels a HC job. Please. Play fake on 4th and one? 2ND and 4 a few weeks back and 5 wide X2. Not getting white involved on shorter hits rather than wheel plays, which Brady historically doesn't hit. Hey Josh, 3rd or 4th scat back that Tom can't throw a wheel pass too.. maybe it isn't the god damn back...just saying...

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Cannon wasn't a turnstile any more than Vollmer was.. Let's get real. Fact is that he was facing an All-Pro in Von Miller. Most starting tackles in the league are going to look like turnstiles against him. Could we use an upgrade? Sure.. But where do you find one?

Russell Okong?

DaBruinz said:

I will say this, Josh Kline's shoulder injury really hurt this team. Not sure what happened to his psyche, but he went from being one of the better O-linemen on the team (behind Vollmer and Solder) to being pretty bad.

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No doubt about Kline's injury, and I agree that he was one of the pleasant surprises to the OL this year.

I would have to guess that a combination of his injury + the instability of the OL/talent of the opposition made him look worse over the stretch. He looked fine last week, though, at least for the most part. I'm guessing it was just a total poor effort on the OL against a very good defensive front in DEN.

Say good bye to him and say thanks

supafly said:

I agree that it will be interesting to see what they do, and you make a good point about prioritization, but either way you look at it, RB should definitely be on the list of draft candidates, as well as consideration to a lower priced guy (possibly even Blount, I suppose) who can carry the load, if needed.

I don't see White as a capable option, and we all know that Bolden is basically a ST only player. That leaves us with Gaffney as the only other player behind a smaller framed and oft-injured Lewis, and we haven't had an IR stash pay off in quite some time.

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I'll be honest. I don't see Blount or Jackson being back. Blount just didn't impress me this year.

Not having that 1st round pick really sucks and hurts this team. And this draft really isn't very deep at RB and the only "big thumpers" missed the entire 2015 College season with leg and foot injuries.. The rest of the top 10 RBs are all under 220lbs.

And you're right. Gaffney and Lewis are both question marks. But a rookie RB will also be one. The Pats could make a run at Chris Ivory if they feel they can get him on the cheap.

White is a capable 3rd down back. More so than Bolden, IMHO.

DaBruinz said:

Cannon wasn't a turnstile any more than Vollmer was.. Let's get real. Fact is that he was facing an All-Pro in Von Miller. Most starting tackles in the league are going to look like turnstiles against him. Could we use an upgrade? Sure.. But where do you find one?

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It's about brains and will. Brains to process protections and the will to deny. Cannon has neither. Vollmer is fine on the right. They need a lockdown left tackle and a lockdown left guard. Thats what they need.

ViperGTS said:

It's about brains and will. Brains to process protections and the will to deny. Cannon has neither. Vollmer is fine on the right. They need a lockdown left tackle and a lockdown left guard. Thats what they need.

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They have a LT in Solder who is signed through 2017. Shaq Mason is slated to be the starting LG for this team.

You're evaluation of Cannon leaves a lot to be desired.

DaBruinz said:

They have a LT in Solder who is signed through 2017. Shaq Mason is slated to be the starting LG for this team.

You're evaluation of Cannon leaves a lot to be desired.

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Solder isn't the answer. People waaaay over rate him. He isn't nasty enough in the vein of Matt Light or Armstrong. Mason needs to improve massively.

As far as Cannon, I'm spot on. I saw his guy go by him and then he reacted as if suprised.