Going Into the Draft - Plan B

[mgteich]

If we get a top OLB on the first round, and another in the 3rd or 4th, we'll be fine.

But what is Plan B? As we all know, Plan B moves Vrabel outside and shifts the weakness inside.

How good or bad is?

OLB: Colvin, Vrabel, Banta-Cain
ILB: Bruschi, Claridge, Beisel
LB: Alexander
ST: Davis, Izzo

Q1: How would we be at OLB? I'd say great! Banta-Cain is an adequate backup OLB.

Q2: Can Beisel start after a year in the system?
I don't know, but he should be an OK backup.

Q3: Could Claridge beat out at Beisel and be a reasonable starter? This is intriguing. Much of the comments by the team indicate that answer could be that Claridge is ready to play, and that he could be as valuable this year as almost any rookie.

Q4: Could Alexander be a reasonable backup?
Perhaps. For now he is a placeholder to compete with whoever is drafted.

ROSE-COLORED GLASSED FIRMLY IN PLACE
Perhaps the team has more faith in Claridge, Beisel and Alexander than we do. Perhaps we have two players out of three who can be effective sharing reps at ILB.

BOTTOM LINE
If you believe in Plan B, then you are free to draft whatever linebacker or linebackers you want (or even a DL or two), with no pressure to sign someone who must contribute on Year One. This seems consistent with bb's philosophy.

Personally, I'd like to see a linebacker, a tweener/elephant and a backup NT on Day One (and a TE). The front seven would be set for years.

 

[Remix 6]

im in love with D'Qwell Jackson..hes undersized ILB ..6"1 240 but hes got game! he may even move to outside. hope we get ihm in round 2 if hes avaible

 

[mgteich]

Maybe I'm listening to rook too much , but I expect that Jackson will be long gone by our second pick. He could be a trade down for us in the first or even our first pick (as says one of the mocks).

im in love with D'Qwell Jackson..hes undersized ILB ..6"1 240 but hes got game! he may even move to outside. hope we get ihm in round 2 if hes avaible

 

[BelichickFan]

But what is Plan B? As we all know, Plan B moves Vrabel outside and shifts the weakness inside.

Plan B doesn't do that IMO. Plan B means we draft a TJ type later, say Schlagel.

Run Downs :
OLB : Vrabel, Colvin
ILB : Bruschi, Schlegal

Pass Downs :
OLB : Banta Cain, Colvin
ILB : Bruschi, Vrabel

That was Schlegal can do his thing, stop the run and TBC can do his thing, rush from the outside.

 

[Remix 6]

Jackson has a chance..hes an early to mid second but we can trade down a little or hope he falls

 

[Mosi Moose]

if we go with an ILB in Rd 2, i'm thinking it'll be Abdul Hodge. He's a Kirk Ferentz guy and one that i think could fit next to Bru. this would be predicated on the idea of us going CB in Rd 1 and BB's intent on moving Vrabel back outside, which I don't know if he is.

 

[patsfaninpa]

if we go with an ILB in Rd 2, i'm thinking it'll be Abdul Hodge. He's a Kirk Ferentz guy and one that i think could fit next to Bru. this would be predicated on the idea of us going CB in Rd 1 and BB's intent on moving Vrabel back outside, which I don't know if he is.

I think you got the guy right if we don't go olb in round 1. We can
probably get that anderson kid from bama in round 3 too.
I don't like the wr's at the top of the board. I can see this scenario
playing out if BB takes a rb early.

 

[PonyExpress]

if we go with an ILB in Rd 2, i'm thinking it'll be Abdul Hodge. He's a Kirk Ferentz guy and one that i think could fit next to Bru. this would be predicated on the idea of us going CB in Rd 1 and BB's intent on moving Vrabel back outside, which I don't know if he is.

The fact that a prospect is from Iowa is historically meaningless to the BB regime; since BB arrived the Pats have not drafted a single Iowa player.

 

[CrazyDave]

I prefer plan A. I'm not all that confident in any of our current backups (TBC, Biesel etc. Claridge? Who knows. Alexander looked o.k. in preseason.

 

[Mosi Moose]

The fact that a prospect is from Iowa is historically meaningless to the BB regime; since BB arrived the Pats have not drafted a single Iowa player.

True, but has there been any available that BB thought was good value at that point in the draft? I'm just saying that if the thinking is ILB in RD 2, I wouldn't be surprised if Hodge is looked at first, before the other ILBs that might be available. Again, I'm not even sure that BB wouldn't draft an OLB and move him to ILB, like was (sort of) suggested in his PC yesterday.

 

[mgteich]

I think we agree.

PLAN A
Keep Vrabel inside and draft OLB's, at least one who needs to contribute this year (in a big way)

PLAN B
Move Vrabel outside, and bring in the best ILB we can find. The cost of this in draft choices is much less Plan A.

FOR ME
Improve the front seven by bring in a tweener and a backup NT.

Plan B doesn't do that IMO. Plan B means we draft a TJ type later, say Schlagel.

Run Downs :
OLB : Vrabel, Colvin
ILB : Bruschi, Schlegal

Pass Downs :
OLB : Banta Cain, Colvin
ILB : Bruschi, Vrabel

That was Schlegal can do his thing, stop the run and TBC can do his thing, rush from the outside.

 

[BelichickFan]

I think we agree.

PLAN A
Keep Vrabel inside and draft OLB's, at least one who needs to contribute this year (in a big way)

PLAN B
Move Vrabel outside, and bring in the best ILB we can find. The cost of this in draft choices is much less Plan A.

Right, I was just trying to point out that Plan B does not consist, IMO, of Vrabel outside and a new guy inside but moving Vrabel between ILB and OLB and putting someone else at the other spot - by doing that we can use two limited specialists who wouldn't cost too much.

 

[jczxohn1]

im in love with D'Qwell Jackson..hes undersized ILB ..6"1 240 but hes got game! he may even move to outside. hope we get ihm in round 2 if hes avaible

Thought his weight was 230. Too short for OLB, too light for ILB. He was great in college, but seems more like a 4-3 backer. Heard he "runs around" blockers. OK in college, not too good in the pros in the 3-4. Sounds like Lofa Tatupu, who I hoped we would get and convert to SS.

 

[jczxohn1]

I think we agree.

PLAN A
Keep Vrabel inside and draft OLB's, at least one who needs to contribute this year (in a big way)

PLAN B
Move Vrabel outside, and bring in the best ILB we can find. The cost of this in draft choices is much less Plan A.

FOR ME
Improve the front seven by bring in a tweener and a backup NT.

One player who might fit at either position and is said to be a "Patriots-type" player by Tomase in the Herald today is Kam Wimbley. A tweener with the beef to play inside. Would keep a first day slot open for the O. Said to be late-first/early second so he could be available by trading down.

 

[zippo59]

For what it's worth BB said during his draft conference that if they drafted a true LB (Carpenter, Greenway etc.) he would probably be moved inside, and they would draft a smaller DE (Lawson, Wimbley, Kiwi etc.) to play OLB so he can be bigger, and can rush from the two or three point position.

 

[BelichickFan]

One player who might fit at either position and is said to be a "Patriots-type" player by Tomase in the Herald today is Kam Wimbley.

Wimbley is expected to be the 2nd LB taken now, after Hawk. It may not happen but that's the way it's looking.

 

[nickw308810]

For what it's worth BB said during his draft conference that if they drafted a true LB (Carpenter, Greenway etc.) he would probably be moved inside, and they would draft a smaller DE (Lawson, Wimbley, Kiwi etc.) to play OLB so he can be bigger, and can rush from the two or three point position.

Carpenter is the perfect guy to play inside in our defense IMO. He is a natural run stuffer with the ability to rush the QB as well.

 

[drpatriot]

He was great in college, but seems more like a 4-3 backer.

Jackson played in the 3-4 at Maryland and did just fine. Though admittedly there is a difference between the NCAA and the NFL, it REALLY bothers me when people say Jackson doesn't seem like a 3-4 ILB because that's exactly what he was when he was successful in college.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I now believe that there are three ILBs in the drsft that could become starters for the Patriots. Unfortuantely they all play the same run-stuffer ILB position.

They are:

Ollie Hoyte
Kai Parham and
Anthony Schlegel

Every one is smart and capable of learning to be a play caller play diagnostician as well as a starter.

 

[jczxohn1]

Jackson played in the 3-4 at Maryland and did just fine. Though admittedly there is a difference between the NCAA and the NFL, it REALLY bothers me when people say Jackson doesn't seem like a 3-4 ILB because that's exactly what he was when he was successful in college.

If it REALLY bothers you, maybe you shouldn't take the quote out of context.