Defensive Line Question

[hornetfb85]

How does everyone see the defensive line playing out.

Assuming the following make the roster:

DT:
Alan Branch
Malcolm Brown
Dominique Easley

DE:
Jabaal Sheard
Rob Ninkovich
Chris Long
Geneo Grissom
Trey Flowers

Some of my questions/observations include:
1) I think the staff was pleased with Rufus Johnson and would like to keep him on the roster.
2) Can RJ put on a few pounds and play a DT Role as well as DE?
3) Can Geneo Grissom put on a few pounds and play a backup DE/DT role?
3) I think drafting another DT is likely in the 2nd or 3rd round.

So after thinking it through here is what I've got:

DT:
Alan Branch
Malcolm Brown
Dominique Easley
Draft Pick

DE:
Jabaal Sheard
Rob Ninkovich
Chris Long
Trey Flowers

DE/DT:
Geneo Grissom
Rufus Johnson

 

[RobertWeathers]

Last year in Branch, Hicks, Brown and Seal they had 4 fatty DTs. Kitchen is still under contract and at 330lbs gives them that beef in the middle. Like you I also think they will pick up a DT in the draft. You left out Frank Kearse. Intentional? With that said neither Kearse or Kitchen are locks.

Keep in mind they may move Sheard inside on passing downs. They did that frequently last year.

 

[hornetfb85]

Quite honestly I was just trying to find a way to get R. Johnson on the the roster. Kearse or Kitchen or Chris Jones may take that 5th DT spot and push him off of the roster. Sheldon Day in the 3rd would be a good pickup to backup Easley. More of a penetrating DT I believe.

 

[VectorPrime]

Easley better stay healthy.

 

[Jimke]

This is supposed to be a very deep year for defensive linemen. With all their draft picks, I
hope the Pats combine a #2 and a #3 and draft either Chris Jones or Austin Johnson. They
have had contact with both of them.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Quite honestly I was just trying to find a way to get R. Johnson on the the roster. Kearse or Kitchen or Chris Jones may take that 5th DT spot and push him off of the roster. Sheldon Day in the 3rd would be a good pickup to backup Easley. More of a penetrating DT I believe.

Rufus is more of a DE I think as opposed to an FT inside rusher.

With that said I really like what Rufus did last year but he might have a tough time making the team this year.

 

[Marqui]

With that said I really like what Rufus did last year but he might have a tough time making the team this year.

What did Rufus do last year?

 

[RobertWeathers]

What did Rufus do last year?

Played real well in PS and made the team.

 

[Nonentity]

I'd like us to pick up another veteran DT for cheap salary in Free Agency. That way we don't have to pick a DT early, and we can go for value instead. I have too many Ron Brace flashbacks...

 

[50-yard-line]

Is Chris Jones back on the roster?

And isn't he a DT?

 

[hornetfb85]

Is Chris Jones back on the roster?

And isn't he a DT?

Yep I believe he is, and he very well could take that last 4th or 5th DT spot. Could also be a cut too to save a little over a million. If he can get back to his rookie year ability he could be a very solid 4th or 5th DT.

 

[BobDigital]

I am okay with the DL as is generally. Yes we need another DT but with the draft or FA getting another big is not hard. There are a lot of servicable JAG run stopping DTs out there.

 

[BobDigital]

Also here is an overall quick look at the roster and who i like to make the team

QB 2 Brady Garo
WR 4 Edelman Hogan Martin Amendola?(if he renegotiates which it sounds like he will)
TE 2 Gronk Bennet
OL 8 Solder Vollmer Waddle Jackson Stork Mason Andrews Cooper (Cannon i think is cut and this spot it open)
RB/FB 4 Lewis White Bolden Develin

Offensive spots - 20

DT4 Brown Branch Easley Jones (maybe a lock... depending on how much we invest in this spot)
DE 5 Sheard Nink Long Flowers Grissom
LB 3 Collins Hightower McCellin
CB 3 Butler Ryan Coleman
S 4 McCourty Harmon Chung Richards

Defensive spots - 19

STs 4 - Gost Cardona Allen Slater

So a lot of spots still open but there are players that i prefer us to keep like Rufus J. -DE or Roberts - CB that showed some promise at times last year.

So the Pats have spots open but some people have a few strong foothold on a few of those open spots.

 

[RayClay]

Hicks was a versatile big/penetrating DT. With he and Jones gone, these are not "depth" losses. Sheard rushed from inside while Jones did from outside, but he'll have a lot more responsibility now.

Lots of candidates for DE/penetrating DT, but it has to be considered a weakness until Long/last years picks and pickups take the bit. Easley's always injured, so far, so they might need both a big DT and penetrating DT unless they get lucky in FA/draft.

Of course they got lucky with Hicks. I'm just saying, it's dangerous to assume they'll get a dynamic big man, easley will be healthy and long/and DE crew will replace Jones and a Sheard/easley/Hicks penetrator.

It's not a depth problem is what I'm saying, I guess. siliga was depth. You can only play so many guys at once.

 

[RayClay]

Also here is an overall quick look at the roster and who i like to make the team

QB 2 Brady Garo
WR 4 Edelman Hogan Martin Amendola?(if he renegotiates which it sounds like he will)
TE 2 Gronk Bennet
OL 8 Solder Vollmer Waddle Jackson Stork Mason Andrews Cooper (Cannon i think is cut and this spot it open)
RB/FB 4 Lewis White Bolden Develin

Offensive spots - 20

DT4 Brown Branch Easley Jones (maybe a lock... depending on how much we invest in this spot)
DE 5 Sheard Nink Long Flowers Grissom
LB 3 Collins Hightower McCellin
CB 3 Butler Ryan Coleman
S 4 McCourty Harmon Chung Richards

Defensive spots - 19

STs 4 - Gost Cardona Allen Slater

So a lot of spots still open but there are players that i prefer us to keep like Rufus J. -DE or Roberts - CB that showed some promise at times last year.

So the Pats have spots open but some people have a few strong foothold on a few of those open spots.

Donald Brown isn't great, but I wouldn't buy a house if i was White. There will be a lot of other RB competition too IMO. Oops, you have 4 without Blount? I don't think so. Develin isn't an RB and Lewis isn't going to get a heavy load, he's too valuable and small.

Jones is a better fit with easley hurt and Hicks gone, but I just don't think he's that good. I predict a Jones replacement who's better.

A pickup could make his own role at DT or RB if he can stand out in any way IMO.Depth is nice, but there's room to shine.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Hicks was a versatile big/penetrating DT. With he and Jones gone, these are not "depth" losses. Sheard rushed from inside while Jones did from outside, but he'll have a lot more responsibility now.

I'm not convinced of that. He'll play the same number of snaps as he did last year as they don't want to burn him out with most of them outside and a little inside.

Lots of candidates for DE/penetrating DT, but it has to be considered a weakness until Long/last years picks and pickups take the bit. Easley's always injured, so far, so they might need both a big DT and penetrating DT unless they get lucky in FA/draft.

They are hoping they find lightening in a bottle twice with Kearse but I think we can agree that Hicks is a superior player. I'm pretty sure they'll pick up a DT in the draft and/or trade for someone in Sept/Oct. They always do. They'll be ok.

Of course they got lucky with Hicks. I'm just saying, it's dangerous to assume they'll get a dynamic big man, easley will be healthy and long/and DE crew will replace Jones and a Sheard/easley/Hicks penetrator.

It's not a depth problem is what I'm saying, I guess. siliga was depth. You can only play so many guys at once.

After Easy went out Hicks's snap count went from 25% to about 50%. He had a big role at the end of the year and no question the team wanted him back. However he is not irreplaceable.

 

[RayClay]

I'm not convinced of that. He'll play the same number of snaps as he did last year as they don't want to burn him out with most of them outside and a little inside.

Chandler Jones left a big hole. assuming sheard will replace him at DE and play DT on passing downs seems a lot to expect.



They are hoping they find lightening in a bottle twice with Kearse but I think we can agree that Hicks is a superior player. I'm pretty sure they'll pick up a DT in the draft and/or trade for someone in Sept/Oct. They always do. They'll be ok.

I expect them to try to pick up a more dynamic player than Kearse.



After Easy went out Hicks's snap count went from 25% to about 50%. He had a big role at the end of the year and no question the team wanted him back. However he is not irreplaceable.

He's not irreplaceable. Unfortunately, they'll need to get real lucky to replace him at a price they can afford. As a sub, he had 11 teams after him they say. I expect them to throw a lot at both positions, because the going rate to replace guys with that size/skill combination of Jones or Hicks is a lot. Hicks got buried in a scheme change.

Of course, the Pats don't "replace" players, they keep looking and find mismatched players who they can find a role for.

What I'm saying is, if they find that one dynamic guy for DT or DE [including current players] they'll have great depth. If they don't, they'' just have good players, some of which will be inactive, or used sparingly, because you can only play 11 at once.

 

[patsfaninpa]

This is supposed to be a very deep year for defensive linemen. With all their draft picks, I
hope the Pats combine a #2 and a #3 and draft either Chris Jones or Austin Johnson. They
have had contact with both of them.

Been seeing a lot of mocks with Johnson slipping to our area. I think we go OT and DT in
Round 2. Maybe, even move up a little for ot.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He's not irreplaceable. Unfortunately, they'll need to get real lucky to replace him at a price they can afford. As a sub, he had 11 teams after him they say. I expect them to throw a lot at both positions, because the going rate to replace guys with that size/skill combination of Jones or Hicks is a lot. Hicks got buried in a scheme change.

Of course, the Pats don't "replace" players, they keep looking and find mismatched players who they can find a role for.

What I'm saying is, if they find that one dynamic guy for DT or DE [including current players] they'll have great depth. If they don't, they'' just have good players, some of which will be inactive, or used sparingly, because you can only play 11 at once.

I really have no idea what NO is thinking down there. Their personnel decisions for the last 4-5 years suck.

I think we can agree that Hicks was excellent here. I forget the poster who is an avid NO fan but he said that Hicks played like this when he was on the inside in NO then idiot Rob Ryan moved him to the outside.

 

[hornetfb85]

Just to clarify a bit on the Johnson and Grissom At DT idea, it would only be in obvious passing downs. Brown, Branch, Easley, and Jones/Draft Pick rotation on early run downs.