Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged x5)

[BelichickFan]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

I am flabbergasted at the general negativity of this forum.

Me too. I know he's 37 and injury prone but he can still play at a decent level. His personality will add a positive dynamic on and off the field and he desperately wants a ring.

 

[patchick]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

I am flabbergasted at the general negativity of this forum.

I was a huge Junior fan for years when he was in SD.

Now we have both Rodney--who was released b/c SD thought he was washed up--and Junior, who if nothing else brings a depth of experience second to few if any in the NFL.

Junior Seau is a likely HOF candidate, and I welcome him to the New England Patriots with open arms.

I basically agree...not much downside, nothing to hate here. Welcome aboard.

I suspect that a lot of the negativity isn't really about Seau per se. It's that the move seems to validate what we all sensed but didn't want to believe: after the big three, this linebacking corps is mighty dicey. Or to put it another way...you know what aging star LB would look good on this team right now? Willie F'in McGinest.

 

[zippo59]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

My biggest reservation about the signing was if they were confident in his abilities why didn't they pick him up during the many months he was sitting there on the open market, and he could have had all of training camp to assimilate into the team? Did they really have full faith in the LB prospects which was then not affirmed? Is Bruschi's injury going to cause him to miss significant time?

Neither scenario is very good because if the Pats had faith in the prospects, who then bombed in training camp, what does that say about their judgement and ability to evaluate linebackers?
I don't like the second scenario for obvious reasons.

Both suggest a move of desperation rather over Seau's actual ability.

Maybe I'm overanalyzing this and should be happy that the Pats got a little depth that is proven.

 

[PromisedLand]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

Yikes, I just read through 17 pages of posts, now I can put my 2 cents in:

1. 25% x Seau's Prime > 2 x Beisel

(if Seau is only 25% of what he used to be he is still twice as good as Beisel)

2. As others have already stated Chad Brown is not an apt comparison because he never played ILB, or in a 4-3, before. (And ILB is probably the most mentally taxing position in BB's defense.)

3. There is no downside to this. Assuming the reported $1M contract is all salary we can cut him any time before the first game and owe nothing with no cap hit (I believe; capologists, is that true?)

 

[NE39]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

Belichick has had a lot of success having older LB filling roles in his defense. People mention Phifer and Cox, but he also successfully got production out of an aging Carl Banks in Cleveland. He also coached Clay Matthews, who played into his late 30's in in Cleveland under Belichick, before playing into his 40's in Atlanta.

Belichick in the master at getting a little bit more out of the aging, formerly great players. Ted Washington and Larry Centers come to mind as well.

I see no downside. At 6-3, 255# he has the size to fill inside and help on run downs. He has played outside most of his career, but he filled in at MLB in SD and ILB in Miami at times. He already has a big jump with the defense, which he learned last year under Saban (same basic priniciples).

Rodney Harrison called Seau the greatest player he ever played with and and inspiration to him. Harrison credits Seau for his development as a player and leader, as do countless others who played with him.

That is a good enough endorsement for me. Seau isn't the guy that will carry a team anymore, but he can come in and fill in a valuable role on run-downs while providing great leadership.

 

[pats1]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

Yikes, I just read through 17 pages of posts

17 pages!

Set it to 40 posts/page and it will only be 4.

 

[Flying Fungi]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

I basically agree...not much downside, nothing to hate here. Welcome aboard.

I suspect that a lot of the negativity isn't really about Seau per se. It's that the move seems to validate what we all sensed but didn't want to believe: after the big three, this linebacking corps is mighty dicey. Or to put it another way...you know what aging star LB would look good on this team right now? Willie F'in McGinest.

hey...I'd be groaning too if they were bringing in Steve Martin...

would we feel the same way about bringing in any of these others at the end of their careers: Montana, Dorsett, E. Smith, Ronnie Lott, and on and on and on...

Junior Seau:

http://www.juniorseau.org/

dude keeps good company

http://www.juniorseau.org/images/deacon_junior.jpg

 

[Patjew]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

"That's impossible. By definition nobody can give more than 100 percent."

Don't know which movie that's from, but if you remember it, laugh now.

PFnV

It was from the Simpson's softball episode.

What I haven't seen mentioned much yet is the idea that they primarily use Seau on the outside where he played most of his career (right?) and move Vrabel back inside to play next to Tedy again. Not ideal for Vrabel, but he did play very well there last year and the D was very solid with those guys playing next to each other. Just a thought, probably not the case.

Anyway, my $.02: what can this possibly hurt? There's only upside to this signing as far as I can see. At the very worst it will turn out neutral. It's not like this $1M signing should prevent any other signings.

 

[Patjew]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

17 pages!

Set it to 40 posts/page and it will only be 4.

Sorry, but how do you do that?

 

[PatsFan37]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

This is a great move. For everyone saying we don't want to sign a has-been, please to remember that all our ILBs not named Bruschi would love to someday be has-beens.

The move also says nothing about Beisel's chances. If he wants to be the future ILB, that's still up to him. It does say something, however, about BB's perception of Beisel's performance.

As for Willie Mac, sure we miss him, but Seau signed for a wee bit less.

 

[zippo59]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

It was from the Simpson's softball episode.

What I haven't seen mentioned much yet is the idea that they primarily use Seau on the outside where he played most of his career (right?) and move Vrabel back inside to play next to Tedy again. Not ideal for Vrabel, but he did play very well there last year and the D was very solid with those guys playing next to each other. Just a thought, probably not the case.

Anyway, my $.02: what can this possibly hurt? There's only upside to this signing as far as I can see. At the very worst it will turn out neutral. It's not like this $1M signing should prevent any other signings.

OLB need to have speed to cover space and recievers. Seau's speed has declined due to age, so at this point he might be better suited to play ILB where speed would be less of a factor and it is more about physicality and getting off blocks. Physicality is something he has never had a problem with, and getting off blocks is largely technique, meaning it is somewhat taught and diminishes less with age than speed, which as is often said, you can't teach. Additionally most feel Vrabel is at his best on the outside, so he should be kept there if at all possible.

 

[zippo59]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

Sorry, but how do you do that?

go to user control panel, click on options, then scroll down to thread display options. there is a section concerning posts per page, with a drop down to select what you want.

 

[Patriotic]

What's up with the names our veteran LBs the past few years?

Between Willie, Cox, Johnson and Junior it sounds like a description of the four guys from the Full Monty!!

 

[smg93]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

One thing that is obvious is his love for the game. 37 years old, made oodles of money, could be in (hometown) San Diego in some cushy local gig making more money, but this guy wants to play ball or coach. Never held out, did wonders outside of the game in the local community, and played every down with intensity and passion for the game.

Some have said he isn't a "BB" kind of guy or a "Patriot kind of guy", personally I think those very reasons above make him one.

I agree with this post. Thanks for making it!

 

[Patjew]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

go to user control panel, click on options, then scroll down to thread display options. there is a section concerning posts per page, with a drop down to select what you want.

Got it, thanks!

 

[smg93]

What's up with the names our veteran LBs the past few years?

Between Willie, Cox, Johnson and Junior it sounds like a description of the four guys from the Full Monty!!

Wahahahaha. Good one.

 

[Patjew]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

OLB need to have speed to cover space and recievers. Seau's speed has declined due to age, so at this point he might be better suited to play ILB where speed would be less of a factor and it is more about physicality and getting off blocks. Physicality is something he has never had a problem with, and getting off blocks is largely technique, meaning it is somewhat taught and diminishes less with age than speed, which as is often said, you can't teach. Additionally most feel Vrabel is at his best on the outside, so he should be kept there if at all possible.

Makes sense. Just throwing it out there as a possibility.

 

[Seymour93]

I'll echo the general sentiment of this thread. I don't see a problem with Seau playing 20 max. plays, as long as we have someone besides Beisel playing the rest of the game (Shanle hopefully). There is little to lose here; we are that desperate for LB reinforcements, which proves AJ and the "Everything is fine" crowd wrong.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

What's the story on his injury? I think I was away when it happened so I'm clueless. Where is it and how long is his expected recovery? I realize that the best answers to these questions you can give me will be somewhat dicey cuz its Belichick but I know nothing.

Its like Bruschi's injury is all that people are saying.

 

[primetime]

Re: Can Someone Tell Me If This Is Real? (Junior Seau to sign with Patriots?) (merged

The Patriots drafted Chris Singleton ahead of Junior Seau. Perhaps the front office can get a hold of him, he clearly is the better player.