Mayo Mayo Mayo
 

Jerod Mayo - LB - Patriots

ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi said on WEEI Boston Monday that he believes Jerod Mayo can become the best linebacker in football within two years.
After a disappointing 2009 season marred by injuries, Mayo led the NFL in tackles as a third-year player. The 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year made 175 stops, two sacks, and one forced fumble. Pat Willis and Jon Beason are the only linebackers with as much value in IDP leagues. As for becoming the NFL's best at his position, the 25-year-old Mayo will struggle to bypass Willis.
Source: Chris Price on Twitter
Jun 27, 1:42 PM


so at what point do we approach him for long term deal? Can we play the TAG game w/ him like we did w/ Mankins or does the new CBA screw us from doing so?

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Love Tedy, but no. If we're talking strictly inside he's not bypassing Willis, if its' linebackers as a whole there are a good dozen or so that are significantly better.

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Name them all and by positional role.

It pisses me off the lack of respect Jerod Mayo gets from the Patriots fan base.

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Did you watch this kid play the last three years?? I think he is top 3 all around LB's in football. The kid has great instincts, plays physical, and runs all over the field making plays. To boot he is a great leader and I think the most sure tackler in the whole NFL.

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Really???

You aren't going by Dhani (sp?) Jones' top 10 are you???

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Other than Brady, name one player the Pats did a new deal wth with 2 years left on their deal. Can't think of any? Because there isn''t any. Unless the CBA rules change dramatically to make it far more advantageous to do so, I don't expect Mayo to buck that trend.

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Patriots players sometimes get a restructure with 1 year remaining on their rookie deals (see Seymour, Warren, Koppen and maybe Light), 2 years remaining, never happened. Given Seymour wasn't treated that respect, it's hard to imaging that Mayo will offered a new deal until 2012 at the earliest.

As far as naming 10 all around, clearly better LBs than Mayo...

Demarcus Ware
James Harrison
Patrick Willis
Clay Matthews
Brian Urlacher (if healthy)
Ray Lewis (a career achievement vote, they're probably on par)
Jon Beason (maybe)

That's 4 definites and 3 maybes. The best of the rest: Bart Scott, Lawrence Timmons, Shaun Phillips, Chad Greenway, Demeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Daryl Smith, Gary Brackett, Desmond Bishop...all clearly a notch behind if you ask me.

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Comparing Ware to Mayo is like comparing Revis to Reed, why? Does anyone seriously thin Ware would make a good ILB in this defense? Just like no one would play Reed at cornerback.

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Suggs should be on there, for as much of an idiot as he is, he is pretty damn good.

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First, Willis and Mayo are arguably the two best ILBs in the game right now, with some people probably still putting Lewis above one or both of them.

Second, Tedy was talking about the future, as "within 2 years" would seem to make clear. Two years could certainly see him pass Willis. I'm not saying he will, because both players should be in their primes at that point, but it's certainly possible. Meanwhile, players like Lewis are fading.

As for linebackers as a whole, I would be an interesting list to discuss. ESPN has him ranked at #6 overall:

Power Rankings: Top 10 NFL linebackers - NFC West Blog - ESPN