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We didn't get much of a pass rush this season.
I have hopes for Guyton as well on the inside.
New England needs an ILB starter this year, not an OLB. Vrabel and Thomas are the starters on the outside.
we do have a bunch of draft picks, and historically you can obtain pretty good ILB's in the first and second rounds
This is the exact role I was thinking!
He is very fast for his size. Extremely athletic.
I don't think he would do well as a 3-4 end. Holding the point of attack would be a waist of his types of talents, and I'm not even sure he could do it.
In fact, I just assumed he would be looking to make the transition when I read he wanted to play in a 3/4.
I realize there is a risk, but what the hey, it's the offseason.
Love the idea.
Peppers could play OLB. We could move Vrabel or AD inside (preferrebly Vrabel) since both can play that position. We'd have Peppers and AD at OLB and Mayo and Vrabel at ILB in our base 3-4 defense.
For anyone saying Peppers is too big for OLB, keep in mind that AD is 6-2 270 lbs. Peppers is 6-7, 283 lbs and can move. He's got quick feet and I think can play in pass coverage if he needs to (extremely wide wingspan). He was ahtletic enough to play basketball for North Carolina hoops so I don't question his athleticism.
This sounds almost too perfect for both sides so it probably won't happen. Then again, I never thought Randy Moss would become a Patriot so who knows.
1.) Vrabel is nowhere near as good a player when he goes inside
2.) Vrabel has made it clear that he doesn't particularly like playing inside
1. Vrabel WAS a better OLB but he seems to have slowed down and no longer posses the quickness to get around the edge to apply constant pressure. Vrabel's got the strength to play inside and his decreasing speed won't hinder him as it does outside.
2. Vrabel is a good soldier and if Bill asks him to play inside, he'd do it. You could put Thomas back inside, and keep Vrabel outside, but IMO, if this were to happen, Vrabel inside with Mayo and Thomas outside with Peppers is the best way to maximize production.
Vrabel didn't look much, if any, slower in coverage last season than he did the season before. Where he looked as if he had 'declined' was in the physicality department, which is precisely what a bum shoulder would do, and is also precisely what's called for in an ILB.
Both Vrabel and Thomas have been much better players on the outside during their careers. Why on earth would you think it a good idea to move one inside, where he's a lesser player, to bring in a project player making $10+ million a year?
New England needs an ILB starter this year, not an OLB. Vrabel and Thomas are the starters on the outside.
Then why bother overspending on Peppers?
Who would you let go to make room for him -- Seymour?