Any thoughts on Crable?

[signbabybrady]

I guess in my mind it's all about known quantities versus an unknown quantity.

IMO TBC is a 2nd stringer and Woods is a 3rd stringer based upon what I've seen of them. I agree...they are nice complimentary players. But based upon the fact that we've had a sub-par pass rush....no they are not the answer.

BB brought TBC back because he was a body that knew the system. He brought some measure of competition to an already weak group of OLB's. In my mind....here's the deal.

a) They know Crable is the guy...and he either had a minor set-back or they want him to continue his leg strengthening.

b) They are maneuvering to get Burgess or some other late camp cut.

c) Peppers is still...somehow" on the radar screen

d) What you see is what you get and they hope the new secondary will help the pass rush.

I hate the D option!

I think you are way off on your assesments. Woods was second string last year and the first string when AD went down. Tully had 6 or seven sacks his last year with us and I think he was brought back in the hoped he can do that again not just to compete but to contribute.
Not sure how you can sit there and call Woods a 3rd stringer when BBs statements (publicly praising him more than once) and actions the past 3 years point to him thinking Woods is a player. He started in the last SB even if some question whether it should have been done it was, then he became the starter last year sure due to injury but still, and now this year despite panice by many he seems to be on top of the depth chart at OLB behind only Thomas.

And the idea that you think Crable is the savior but then say he may be pupped to continue to strengthen his legs is laughable.

IMO there is no way Peppers is still in play.....maybe next year

I would say maybe Burgess is still a possibilty but I think with Crable on the PUP and Redd gone that might be as much about depth as it would be getting someone better than Woods or TBC.


Woods may not be a Pro Bowler but he is a pretty good player.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't know what his undisclosed injury is but he should be fine by now. It doesn't take long for Tom to be up and running.I don't see how he can sign up for 4 years and miss 2 straight years.

Would you pay a player for standing on the sideline for 2 years??? NO???

I'm concerned about Crable.

If you dont know what his injury is, how can you be suggesting he will miss the season? If you don't know what it is how can you say he should be fine by now?
What if he pulled a leg muscle working out in the off-season and he is getting treatment for it and not practicing until it heals so he doesnt reinjure it? Does that change your opinion? You seem to be implying he isn't really injured he just wants to sit out.

To answer your question, if I drafted a player and he sustained season ending injuries his first 2 seasons, but I believed he could play, he would be on the roster the 3rd season.
I can assure you that he isn't trying to get injured or faking one to get paid to standon the sidelines. Players get injured.

 

[PushnPencils]

If our deficiency was the pass rush....and your looking to fix that problem "adequately"....

You're saying that Woods and TBC are the answer?

They may be our only solution right now...but far from being the answer.

Crable may not be the answer either but "potentially" the skills he brings to the field are valuable without having to go outside the team to find someone.

 

[signbabybrady]

If our deficiency was the pass rush....and your looking to fix that problem "adequately"....

You're saying that Woods and TBC are the answer?

They may be our only solution right now...but far from being the answer.

Crable may not be the answer either but "potentially" the skills he brings to the field are valuable without having to go outside the team to find someone.

I hope Crable is back in a few days and starts coming on like a mad man. And seeing as I haven't got much of a chance to see him I am still holding onto hope that he can be a real good pass rusher. But just because I hope he can and just because I do agree that OLB is a weaker area on this team doesn't mean that TBC and Woods are awful.

I think that our pass rush will hopefully get a boost from a couple of areas that were on this team already.

1. Hopefully Thomas can stay healthy because when he is he's our best pass rusher.
2. I fully expect that Mayo will be able to add some pass rush to the inside the way Bru did in the early part of the decade.
3. Ty Warren not playing on two groin injuries. (I know he is on the PUP but until he goes to non active I am counting on him)

---and one area that was improved from last year could help too---

4. Hopefully an improved secondary gives all of the above and everyone else more time to get at the QB.

 

[RayClay]

Yeah, doesn't he know that even though he has never played a down in the NFL there are posters on Patsfans.com that are relying on him?

It is a sad situation, I'll warrant.

Not one created by posters at Patsfans though.

 

[Deus Irae]

It is a sad situation, I'll warrant.

And one created exclusively in the minds of posters at Patsfans.

Fixed your post.

 

[RayClay]

Fixed your post.

Our lack of potential OLBs due to not drafting or acquiring them is due to messageboard posters?

Could you explain that?

Are you saying one of the other linebackers we drafted in the last eight years might have beat him out?

 

[Deus Irae]

Our lack of potential OLBs due to not drafting or acquiring them is due to messageboard posters?

Could you explain that?

there are posters on Patsfans.com that are relying on him?

Pretty clear, really. Anyone relying on a 3rd round pick that's yet to play his first down for the team, when they haven't been able to see his progress in practices, is certainly not thinking like Bill Belichick.

 

[RayClay]

Pretty clear, really. Anyone relying on a 3rd round pick that's yet to play his first down for the team, when they haven't been able to see his progress in practices, is certainly not thinking like Bill Belichick.

Well, when I complained about not acquiring or drafting linebackers I was told that all these undrafted free agent linebackers were actually as good or better.

Is the new party line "all but one is as good or better"?

You know it's beyond absurd to tag me as one who said, "great we have one unproven draft pick at OLB, we're all set", so go sell that stuff somewhere else.

I'm just trying to stay optimistic at the holy worship site of everything's fine at linebacker we've been running here for four or five years.

 

[PushnPencils]

Pretty clear, really. Anyone relying on a 3rd round pick that's yet to play his first down for the team, when they haven't been able to see his progress in practices, is certainly not thinking like Bill Belichick.

The problem is Belichick HAS seen his progress.

Maybe some of us are just more atuned to Bill's thought process.

 

[Deus Irae]

Well, when I complained about not acquiring or drafting linebackers I was told that all these undrafted free agent linebackers were actually as good or better.

Is the new party line "all but one is as good or better"?

You know it's beyond absurd to tag me as one who said, "great we have one unproven draft pick at OLB, we're all set", so go sell that stuff somewhere else.

I'm just trying to stay optimistic at the holy worship site of everything's fine at linebacker we've been running here for four or five years.

I'm not going to feed into your over-the-top Chicken Little persona that you've decided to put forth this offseason regarding the linebackers. Patsfans posters may be relying on Crable. The Patriots aren't.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

There's no point of worrying about the LB's. If the Pats want to be thin at LB, let them be thin at LB.

 

[Ring 6]

Well, when I complained about not acquiring or drafting linebackers I was told that all these undrafted free agent linebackers were actually as good or better.

Is the new party line "all but one is as good or better"?

You know it's beyond absurd to tag me as one who said, "great we have one unproven draft pick at OLB, we're all set", so go sell that stuff somewhere else.

I'm just trying to stay optimistic at the holy worship site of everything's fine at linebacker we've been running here for four or five years.

We wont be fielding 11 all-pros on defense. Crable may yet EARN some playing time. We will go on with or without him.
If he is there, he has a chance to play, if he is not, then we use other players.

I just dont understand why it is so important to guess right on how BB is addressing a position.

 

[PushnPencils]

We wont be fielding 11 all-pros on defense. Crable may yet EARN some playing time. We will go on with or without him.
If he is there, he has a chance to play, if he is not, then we use other players.

I just dont understand why it is so important to guess right on how BB is addressing a position.

In a way...I think the answer to that is BB's defenses have been predicated on strong LB play.

Folks aren't used to seeing a Belichick team with an overall average group of LB's.

 

[State]

Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe Crable has merely tweaked a hamstring. He has McGinest legs after all.

Woods might not be doing so well after a few more knockdowns by our superb group of TEs, for example, getting dramatically pancaked by stud TE Chris Baker. http://www.patsfans.com/new-england...4871-8-2-am-notes-reiss-hart.html#post1444769

G-d, I would have loved to have seen that.

We could have Woods on PUP and Crable starting in Sept./Oct. Who knows? Relax, guys.

 

[signbabybrady]

We could have Woods on PUP and Crable starting in Sept./Oct. Who knows? Relax, guys.

I know for a fact that can't happen as you can't be placed on PUP if you have participated in training camp.

 

[RayClay]

I'm not going to feed into your over-the-top Chicken Little persona that you've decided to put forth this offseason regarding the linebackers. Patsfans posters may be relying on Crable. The Patriots aren't.

Who are they relying on Deus? C'mon, it's so easy to just put other people down. Do you think they've adequately turned over the position? Please explain and give names.

You have no problem giving names to posters.

 

[RayClay]

We wont be fielding 11 all-pros on defense. Crable may yet EARN some playing time. We will go on with or without him.
If he is there, he has a chance to play, if he is not, then we use other players.

I just dont understand why it is so important to guess right on how BB is addressing a position.

We won't be fielding 11 all pros on defense?

Does that really answer the question of adequately replacing Bill Parcell's linebackers?

 

[Ring 6]

In a way...I think the answer to that is BB's defenses have been predicated on strong LB play.

Folks aren't used to seeing a Belichick team with an overall average group of LB's.

The key phrase is LB PLAY.
Guessing how the LBs that BB has chosen to field this year will play is different than assessing the play of our LBs.
The system can also create the opportunity to play well.

Let me give you an example:

Willie McGinest was, at the beginning of the BB era, the OLb that was given the most opportunity to rush the passer. He was considered our best pass rusher. Later this role went to R Colvin. He was considered our best pass rusher. For the last few years, it went to Mike Vrabel, who THEN became considered our best pass rusher.
Each of these players cosnsistenly brought pressure, hurries, and at varying levels of success, sacks.
Last year, our pass rush was, by most accounts the weakest of the BB era.
We trade away the player who was given the pass rush opportunity but didnt do so well with it last year.
It would seem that this torch has been passed to Adalius Thomas, who has a very good record as a pass rusher although his pass rushing numbers weren't great while he was playing here and not rushing the passer.
On the other side we have a guy who by all accounts is stout against the run, disciplined, has worked his way through the system and up the depth chart, but his pass rushing skills are still unknown.
What exactly is the problem again?

 

[signbabybrady]

Who are they relying on Deus? C'mon, it's so easy to just put other people down. Do you think they've adequately turned over the position? Please explain and give names.

You have no problem giving names to posters.

I think the answer is Woods. they have praised him and developed him for a few years now and he is would seem to be the man now. To not totally rely on that and to add a specialist they brought back TBC. I am fine with AD, Woods, and TBC its whats next that concerns me. Crable could fill that and a trade or FA could push Woods or TBC further down the depth chart strenghting the position but it is not as dire as many would like to think.