Brace getting significant reps at DE

[PatsWickedPissah]

I have heard some people say he looks to be in better shape but I will have to wait until TC to form my own opinion.

If only we had access to the locker room showers so we could take long, lingering looks at their youthfull lithe bodies, wet with...but I digress.

 

[captain stone]

There's "athletic" and then there's "athletic." Brace was the slowest defensive player in the entire draft last year. Plus the DE position puts a premium on length, and Brace is pretty average on that measure -- 6'3.0" with 33 3/4" arms. (Compare to the two "throwaway" 7th-round rookies: Deaderick 6'3.7" 34 3/8", Weston 6'4.6" 34 1/2")

As for why fans are so down on him after just one year, here are three reasons:

- Myron Pryor was busy making "he's just a rookie" look weak;
- That street FA they played ahead of Brace for a couple of games before cutting him eliminated the "lace of opportunity" excuse;
- History really isn't behind the notion that Patriots defenders routinely spend their rookie years inactive, then go on to good careers.

Here's a 4th reason, though no fault of his own:
Bill ignored the obvious choice of Connor Barwin to take this fat tub of goo instead.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Here's a 4th reason, though no fault of his own:
Bill ignored the obvious choice of Connor Barwin to take this fat tub of goo instead.

How many Extra Points would you need to put that one to our Leader?

 

[captain stone]

The problem with the Patriots defensive line is that after Warren and Wilfork all of the players are basically the same, good backups but lousy starters.

Bingo.

Bill really needed to find a more athletic DE in the last 2 drafts.
I would've been very tempted to roll the dice with either Everson Griffen or Corey Wootton at the end of the 3rd round, Austen Lane or Greg Hardy in the 5th, or CJ Wilson in the 6th.
I also wonder if SeaBass Vollmer would've still been avail. at #73 last year, and Jarron Gilbert a better value pick at #58...

A much, much more athletic DE must be a very high priority in next year's draft.

 

[captain stone]

How many Extra Points would you need to put that one to our Leader?

I don't know, but I better use them on something, soon.

 

[signbabybrady]

How many Extra Points would you need to put that one to our Leader?

50,000 points but you only get to ask you dont get an answer........That was the one trickey thing about asking him a question you had to come up with something that he could actually delve into. I tried to ask vague stategy related question as not to get ignored but to get some good football talk out of him.

 

[Ring 6]

Brace is so slow a tackle will be able to slide off him and pick up the OLB. Brace was the slowest defensive lineman in the 2009 draft.

Thats 40 time, what you are describing has nothing to do wioth running a 40 yard dash.

 

[Kontradiction]

Thats 40 time, what you are describing has nothing to do wioth running a 40 yard dash.

Please don't spoil his nonsensical rant.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Bingo.

Bill really needed to find a more athletic DE in the last 2 drafts.
I would've been very tempted to roll the dice with either Everson Griffen or Corey Wootton at the end of the 3rd round, Austen Lane or Greg Hardy in the 5th, or CJ Wilson in the 6th.
I also wonder if SeaBass Vollmer would've still been avail. at #73 last year, and Jarron Gilbert a better value pick at #58...

A much, much more athletic DE must be a very high priority in next year's draft.

From the very limited sample of plays that I saw from Brace last year, the one thing that stood out was the poor technique (he played way too high) and the utter lack of understanding of how leverage works.

I think these are areas that can be fixed.

If you watch the very first game that Wilfork played NT for us against Indy a few years back. You would see a guy a lot like Brace was last year. Wilfork played high, got pushed around and did very little that day. I think Indy ran for over 150 yards on us.
The difference between Brace and Wilfork is that Wilfork got a ton more snaps to figure it out.

I think we should give Brace until preseason game #3 to see if he is getting it and making improvements or if he really is a tub of goo.

 

[signbabybrady]

From the very limited sample of plays that I saw from Brace last year, the one thing that stood out was the poor technique (he played way too high) and the utter lack of understanding of how leverage works.

I think these are areas that can be fixed.

If you watch the very first game that Wilfork played NT for us against Indy a few years back. You would see a guy a lot like Brace was last year. Wilfork played high, got pushed around and did very little that day. I think Indy ran for over 150 yards on us.
The difference between Brace and Wilfork is that Wilfork got a ton more snaps to figure it out.

I think we should give Brace until preseason game #3 to see if he is getting it and making improvements or if he really is a tub of goo.

I fully agree we need to wait on our assesment of Brace but I also think that leverage is something that would come easier to Wilfork than Brace as Wilfork is shorter by a couple of inches.

 

[OldNEPatsFan]

Please don't spoil his nonsensical rant.

Every team that plays a 3-4 uses 6' 2" 335lb fat men at DE right BRO.

 

[ausbacker]

Every team that plays a 3-4 uses 6' 2" 335lb fat men at DE right BRO.

Can you see Brace playing at left guard.......

 

[Synovia]

Every team that plays a 3-4 uses 6' 2" 335lb fat men at DE right BRO.

The ravens have a 6'3 345lb DE starting, and hes pretty good.

 

[IllegalContact]

The ravens have a 6'3 345lb DE starting, and hes pretty good.

you comparing brace to ngata? I just threw up a little