One scout says...the Pats are slowest in the NFL!
 

This is from Daniel Jeremiah former Browns and Ravens scout. aka Move the Sticks

I found this quite interesting.. should be an interesting convo..

Via Twitter
"Here's a topic for the twitter tribe: What NFL team would you say is the fastest and what team is the slowest??"

RT @Fresh_Logic: r u talking about how they play or just overall speed at various skill positions?>> both...

For the fastest NFL team, some that come to mind are PHI, N.O., IND, OAK... Some of the slowest: SEA, NE, KC, CLE

Interesting topic b/c I have talked to a couple different NFL execs that think N.E. is one of the slowest teams out there

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

Cant say i disagree. Outside of Moss who has slowed some... Who else is there?

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

It's the premium for the 3-cone over the 40 yard dash. Other teams undervalue agility and quickness.

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

Tate, Butler, Guyton are 3 examples of our quick players.

AD is pretty quick if he wants it enough (example: SD INT TD in 07)

I'd say most of our Secondary is quick.

Wes is quick, but not fast. Edelman is fast.

Our Linemen are fast for their size with them needing to be there for the Screen Game. I'd guess that Mankins can't be far off one of the fastest Guards in the League.

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

Agreed. This is no shocker at all.

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

If Minnesota gets LT, then they would have to be the quickest; they already have Percy Harvin, the quickest WR I have seen in years.

The Patriots are the slowest now when you consider that Moss has three ice pack (both knees and back)....and the rest of the fast WRs are injured or about to be (Edelman).

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

Especially at the RB and WR positions. The 3 cone is so much more important because it shows the ability of these players in terms of change of direction which is vastly undervalued as opposed to flat speed. How often in the NFL is a player going to be running a straight line?

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

I'm willing to bet that this 'scouts' perception is strongly colored by how the front 7 operates.

Look at the 'fast teams' - 4-3 defenses - naturally this includes two pass rushing DE's and probably a pass rushing DT.

The LBers are going to be smaller, but more agile - they aren't going to be asked to shed blocks but they are going to read and react to plays and 'gang tackle' - think Colts.

Look at Gary Brackett - that guy seem to spend more time running away from the LOS swatting at passes than moving forward and making hits.

Philly blitzes alot - that will help a team look 'fast'.

Its interesting that New England get thrown in with 'slow' teams that also happen to be horrible.

I mean really, are we supposed to think that Seattle, Cleveland and KC make for a genuine comparison?

How fast are the Steelers?

Outside of Polamalu - not very.

How fast are the Ravens?

Outside of Ed Reed and Suggs...not very.

The perception of 3-4 defenses is going to be governed by the fact that they have 3 guys up front whose primary objective is to occupy blockers and eat space.

Re: One scout says...the Pats are slowest in the NFL!
 

I can't remember any Patriots teams in the last decades that were really built on speed. Some teams were faster then others, but they were never about speed, defense in particular.

Re: One Scout says.. the Pats are Slowest in the NFL!
 

I don't the comment from Jeremiah was limited to straight line speed but overall speed taking in consideration of the skill players as well.

I do think they have been addressing this issue on the Def. side of things the last couple of years and I expect that to cont.