Duane Starks, Monty Biesal and Chad Brown

[Brownfan80]

I agree to an extent, the only one who was supposed to be a starter was Mankins, Kazcur and Hobbs were thrown in because of need. I say under the circumstances they did an adequate to good job. A full offseason with the team should improve them.

Yeah, they did adequate jobs, it just takes more than adequate to win a Superbowl.

With Rodney hopefully coming back, the secondary will once again have it's leadership. With Tedy back all season long so should the LB corps. And as long as Sey's alright I believe our DL can be productive. I just hope that our true leaders don't again take hits on the injury front, because that's when the Rookies become exposed.

I am slightly worried about our offense however. Our #2 and #3 WRs are now gone, with only Branch remaining. And the only two TEs we have are injury prone. All of our RBs have struggled with injuries. We need some quality depth at WR, a third quality TE and an additional RB that can be a 'starter's sub'. There are things that the club can do to get where they need to go, but I think that for every rookie we draft there must be an experienced vet to help ground him. Hopefully that can happen in 2006.

I wonder, actually, if we'll go back to the 4-3 with Willie gone.. Green Seymour Wilfork Warren with Vrabel Bruschi and Colvin as our LBs?

I'm not sure we have the LBs to play 3-4 anymore. When we had McGinest, Ted Johnson and Roman Phifer with Vrabel and Bruschi sure.. But at this point I'm not sure about our LB situation.

 

[PatsRI]

Great point about the 4-3, Brown. I think they'd prefer to stay a 3-4 but the 4-3 is a good fix although they'd still be thin at LB. Anyone have any hope for Claridge being a player? There were a few good things said before he went down. I guess we'll know by/at mini-camp if they think he has a chance to be in the mix.

 

[PATSNUTme]

This post trully is classless. When a person will use a picture of a toddler giving someone the finger, well lets just say I'm trully dissapointed in some of the "Senior Members". Where's the shame.

You're right, I aplogize. Do you like this one better?

 

[DaBruinz]

I was actually referring to the upcoming draft, you know the one where the Pats don't have the number 3 over all pick?

Don't make excuses, I am completly correct in saying that last years offseason was below horrible and that since this year nothing has been done I find it relevent to say that the Pats could be in trouble.

There not going to get a richard seymor in this draft, and after this year they might not even have a seymor.

Last year's off-season was horrible? You call the draft the Pats had horrible? You call it horrible that the Pats got 3 starters with their 1st 3 picks?

No, its not relevent because you can't be bothered to look at the entire picture.

Had the Patriots not had 6 of their DBs land on the IR by week 9, last year's team would have been significantly different. That is what you and others like you have totally ignored. You want to look at it in a vacuum and ignore the bigger picture. It shows you aren't really fans, but people who are really irrelevent and just whine for the sake of whining.

 

[DaBruinz]

Im sorry but I'm fairwetherd?

Nice to see you know what your talking about, because some of us don't take the time to learn the FA and cap rules and all that backward and up doesn't mean they any less of a fan then the dumbasses who do.

I've been a fan of the Pats my whole life, never lived out side of Maine and I don't appreciate being called a fair wethered fan because I showed the Pats can make bad FA decisions, if last year wasn't bad then what is sir tell me?

I'm not talking about what the Pats haven't done this year but what they can still do that matters? There are a few solid players left on the table but nothing I think really would make a huge differance.

1) The people who take the time to learn about free agency, the salary cap, and the BIGGER scheme of things aren't dumbasses. They are the REAL FANS.

2) FAN is short for FANATIC. YOU sir, aren't a fanatic. You're a wannabe. You claim to be a Pats fan, but you refuse to look at the bigger picture. And looking at the bigger picture would help you gain perspective and actually educate you.

Yes, the Patriots can make bad Free Agent decisions. However, they are limited as to what they can do by the salary cap. Again, that is the BIGGER picture that you have chose to ignore.

So, if you want to be considered a FAN, at least get off your arse and learn about the bigger picture before flapping your trap and showing yourself to be short-sighted and ignorant.

 

[DaBruinz]

The igoronance of some of you Pat fans is crazy

I'm talking about last years FA pick ups, I did not say the pats don't get good players in FA I'm making a anolgy (sp) from last years FA to this years

And I'm talking about this years rookie class, not ones from the SB winning teams

I simply want to know what the Pats have for them to go get that will make the differance this year, and people going to jump down my throat and call me a Pats fan because they win? Awesome, I guess that makes me a Steeler fan now doesn't it?

You aren't talking about Last year's free agent pick-ups. You're talking about a select few players that the Patriots acquired.

Duane Starks wasn't a free agent pick-up. The Pats traded a 3rd rounder and swapped 5th rounders to acquire Starks. Unfortunately, it looks like Starks shoulder wasn't 100% when he came here and he did the best he could to help the Patriots. In fact, some of the people who are rather intelligent on here, pointed out that Starks actually played pretty well, but that the safeties were the issue.

Monty Beisel was brought in as a project. He wasn't brought in to be the starting ILB immediately. That has been said time and again. I'm sorry that your knowledge won't let you comprehend that.

Chad Brown had only played ILB back when he was with the Steelers, and even then, not alot. He was supposed to be a stop-gap measure and was actually supposed to split time between ILB and OLB with Vrabel moving inside. Unfortuantely, Vrabel missed a good portion of camp and the Pats didn't feel comfortable putting him out there at ILB until week 8 against the Broncos.

Like I said, you need to stop looking at things in a vacuum or with blinders on and look at the bigger picture.

 

[DaBruinz]

Actually that is debateable. Brady took a BEATING last year. He got hit over and over even when those hits didn't lead to sacks. Brady got injured due to those hits, which certainly had an effect on his accuracy as was evident late in the season. I'm not saying it would have been that much different had Light and Koppen not gotten injured, but it sure didn't help any having those rooks in there.

Ellis Hobbs' fumble in Denver didn't help our title run either.

Or the numerous failed attempts at shoring up the SS position with young inexperienced players.

For all the stories of how much the rookies HELPED in our previous runs, they didn't help last season. Why's that? Because the VETS AROUND THEM WERE INJURED. We need experienced vets to help prop up those young green rookies. If we're depending on Rookies to come in and fix everything then we're in for a LONGGGGGGGGGGG season (last season was horrible, but if we're replacing Givens, Brown, McGinest, Vinatieri etc with more rookies then expect more of the same).

1) The Hobbs fumble was caused because he was Speared.
2) One of those great VETs you are talking about also had a FUMBLE against Denver.
3) Brady was "hit alot" last year because the friggin refs weren't calling the late hits. The Fact of the matter is that many of the hits came from the RIGHT SIDE and over the middle.
4) You are being ignorant if you think the rookies didn't help last season. Totally and 100% ignorant. Without the rookies that played (Mankins, Kaczur, Hobbs, and to a lesser extent Sanders) the Pats wouldn't have been 11-7 to finish the season.

 

[DaBruinz]

I just look at who is availible that is all

Obviously, you don't look very hard.

 

[shirtsleeve]

The igoronance of some of you Pat fans is crazy

I'm talking about last years FA pick ups, I did not say the pats don't get good players in FA I'm making a anolgy (sp) from last years FA to this years

And I'm talking about this years rookie class, not ones from the SB winning teams

I simply want to know what the Pats have for them to go get that will make the differance this year, and people going to jump down my throat and call me a Pats fan because they win? Awesome, I guess that makes me a Steeler fan now doesn't it?

Festy
I will agree that last year's FA pickups were not the best ever by this organization. Two are now gone. The third is still a question mark. But that was a fluke compared to most years. In plain words, that is what the more senior members are trying to show you.
This year portends to be the best draft since '03 for the Pats. The team is loaded with picks, and this class is stacked with talent at certain key positions. Check out the draft forum and read about it, it'll make you smile. There are a couple of guys over there who REALLY know their stuff (hats off to Box and rook).
As for FA's, this team will never chase the big name, big dollar FA signings. They select FA's with the right mindset who wish to come here, contribute on and off the field, and to fill specific needs. This team has more depth than most if not every other team in the league for this reason.
So, relax, read, learn and post. What you will find this year is that the team is rebuilding and getting younger in phases. This year the focus is on the back 8 of the D. The last couple the focus was on the OL and TE.
edit. forgot to mention DL two to three years ago.