15-16 positions; 14 front runners

[mgteich]

Providing inside rush at times does not make Pryor a nose tackle. Pryor will likely need to beat our either G. Warren or Lewis for a roster spot, or convince Belichick that we need seven defensive linemen.

Brace was playing DE during camp, Pryor provided a good inside rush at times last year.

 

[Ring 6]

Providing inside rush at times does not make Pryor a nose tackle. Pryor will likely need to beat our either G. Warren or Lewis for a roster spot, or convince Belichick that we need seven defensive linemen.

Maybe I should go back and watch the tape. I viewed Pryor as a guy who was fortunate to make the team (thanks to the Seymour trade) and was an adequate reserve who didnt show me a ton of upside.
My feeling is that he will remain a fringe guy fighting to make the squad each year until ultimately he doesn't. Kind of the Bam Childress of the DL. Perhaps I underrate him.

 

[mgteich]

In the end, we have seven linemen and six roster spots. Injuries may dictate who goes. Lewis or Warren might flop. Pryor might surprise. I would think that having Lewis AND G. Warren would be a major plus for the season. Having G Warren as our #4 DE and Brace as our #2 NT isn't bad at all. Only the top four are in the game very often (more than 30% of the time).

Maybe I should go back and watch the tape. I viewed Pryor as a guy who was fortunate to make the team (thanks to the Seymour trade) and was an adequate reserve who didnt show me a ton of upside.
My feeling is that he will remain a fringe guy fighting to make the squad each year until ultimately he doesn't. Kind of the Bam Childress of the DL. Perhaps I underrate him.

 

[Ring 6]

In the end, we have seven linemen and six roster spots. Injuries may dictate who goes. Lewis or Warren might flop. Pryor might surprise. I would think that having Lewis AND G. Warren would be a major plus for the season. Having G Warren as our #4 DE and Brace as our #2 NT isn't bad at all. Only the top four are in the game very often (more than 30% of the time).

I'm not worried at all about the DL.
For all the hype about us having 3 #1 picks on the DL, BBs history is more with JAG DL than stud DL.
Its probably more perception than reality. There is no glory in the 2gap, and the best 2gap DL in the NFL will never get mentioned among the best players unless he ALSO rushes the passer on 3rd down.
If we had Seymour, Wilfork and Warren but drafted them all in the 2nd to 4th round, there never would have been the perception that this was a great DL.
To us a good DLman controls his 2 gaps. Everything else is gravy. To general opinion controlling 2 gaps is nothing special.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm not worried at all about the DL.
For all the hype about us having 3 #1 picks on the DL, BBs history is more with JAG DL than stud DL.

Ted Washington was a first round pick. Warren, Wilfork, Seymour, McGinest and Dorsey are/were first rounders. Erik Howard was a second round pick, as was Leonard Marshall. John Washington and Keith Traylor were 3rd round picks. Other than Hamilton, you've got to go back to the days of Jim Burt & Co. to find anything but high round picks working the 3-4 D-line as starters for BB.