How big of a need is DL?

[signbabybrady]

Answer the poll and dont let my opinion sway you.

I think Wilfork is our best defender and I think with Ty Warren and hopefully Gerrard Warren returning that you have 3 very good starters and you have Wright, Pryor, Brace and others to round out the depth. I think this is a position of strength. Sure would I love to find the next Seymour but you can say that about every position.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Calling Gerard Warren a "very good" starter is a stretch, IMO. I wouldn't even call him a good starter- just a solid rotational player. Depending on the health of Wright and the progress of Deaderick and Brace, DE is somewhere between a huge need and merely a significant one.

 

[mgteich]

Whether the DL is a strength or not, There is a need to draft a defensive lineman in this draft. Stud defensive linemen are hard to find. The first round is the best place to find them. We have 3 top 35 picks this year.

Even through your rose-colored glasses, you are counting on both Gerard and Ty Warren. For how long? Certainly, we need to develop a defensive lineman in case both are not top contributers in 2012. It takes time for a DL to develop.

The reality is that we need five DL's in any given year, plus developmental players. I am fine hoping that Brace or Deaderick are top contributers in 2012. But we need another.

 

[Rob0729]

With Ty Warren returning along with Wright, Brace, and Pryor (and possibly Gerrard Warren); it isn't as big as some think. But if the Pats have an opportunity to go after a potential stud DE, they should. But they don't need to reach if no one decent is available.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It's a need, I hope we spend a high pick. That said, for the reasons you posted I think we would still be *good enough* on the line to go all the way if T. Warren is still effective against the run and Wright can make it back. Also we would need our offense/ST to not give our opponent the ball in our territory 4 times and a couple more times around midfield. But I want this area to be a strength eventually.

 

[Dufflebagz]

I put it as a moderate need but very close to being high. T. Warren is returning and that is a plus, but what about the other end?

I wouldn't mind waiting till the 2nd round to draft a DL.

 

[fxkane]

In a 3-4 defense, you don't just need good linemen, you need super linemen. Right now we have one super and one very good-this is why we have to draft at least one superior player at this position. But my bet is we draft at least two in the first four rounds.

 

[Deus Irae]

DE and OLB are the two biggest needs the team has, if Neal returns and Mankins is re-signed. If Mankins is re-signed, but Neal doesn't come back, OG would go to need #1, but you'd still look to take that guard after the DE and OLB because of the better opportunities to get a great one later in the draft.

Assuming no major defections (i.e. Mankins), free agent signings or draft pick changes, I'd like to see something like the following:

Round 1, pick 1: DE/OLB
Round 1, pick 2: DE/OLB
Round 2, pick 1: OG
Round 2, pick 2: RB/WR
Round 3, pick 1: WR/RB
Round 3, pick 2: BPA from DE/OLB/OG/C

 

[RayClay]

In a 3-4 defense, you don't just need good linemen, you need super linemen. Right now we have one super and one very good-this is why we have to draft at least one superior player at this position. But my bet is we draft at least two in the first four rounds.

Bingo, saved me a post. If we get a seymour facsimile or close monster , I think we get by with Brace, Ty and others we can plug in, including Gerard and the current low draft pick bunch.

 

[DaBruinz]

I see RDE as a big need. After thinking about it, there is no guarantee that Wright will be back. The Pats will, in all likelihood, bring back Gerard Warren, but I don't see him as being the kind of guy who will draw a double-team. I liked Brace's improvement during the year, but, he's still got a ways to go to be considered in the very good range.

Pryor is one of the Sub-Package D-linemen for 3rd downs. Deaderick could be the other, but he could also be on his way out with his antics during the season.

Kyle Love proved to be a capable sub for Wilfork at NT, but not on a full-time basis. Not yet at least.

Kade Weston is an unknown, but is thought to be someone who will challenge Love to back-up Wilfork at the NT position.

So, with Wright, G. Warren and Deaderick as questions, I see the RDE spot as wide open.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

In a 3-4 defense, you don't just need good linemen, you need super linemen. Right now we have one super and one very good-this is why we have to draft at least one superior player at this position. But my bet is we draft at least two in the first four rounds.

We have a winner.

While we complain about the secondary and OLB pass rushers, both positions would be vastly improved (results-wise) with some elite 3-4 linemen. Belichick cannot exercise his masterful gameplans when the Pats need to send in five to get any pressure on the quarterback; it just can't be done.

 

[BradyFTW!]

The Pats need someone of Ty Warren's caliber, at least. Guys like that are pretty tough to get after round 1. I fully expect one of the first rounders (probably the first one) to be spent on a RDE.

 

[BelichickFan]

We don't even know how or if Ty will be back. Season ending hip surgery for a 30 year old DL doesn't sound like an automatic return. Gerard would be a really good backup/rotation guy. Some of us seem to have falling standards

 

[Seneschal2]

Very high.

Jordan/Watt/Heyward/Ballard may all get considerations as options to upgrade the DE position from the top down and bottom up.

 

[Sciz]

Unless Ngata is brought in (no chance), I still think the starters at DE next fall are going to be two of TWarren, Brace, and (less likely) GWarren. If Deaderick gets his act together, he's got a chance as well. I know it was a horrible game by the DL last week, but that was without 4 of the top 7 players on the DL. Do that to any team in the NFL and that would happen.

Factoring for health, I think OL is a much bigger need than DL right now, and OLB is ahead of both. In fact, I wouldn't be overly surprised to see the pats pick 2 OL in the first two rounds and no DL.

Especially in this draft, there are huge question marks behind every DL. Fairley was a 1-year wonder. Dareus lacks length. Watt has Tom Condon as his agent and has never 2-gapped. Heyward has motor problems and may not be able to work out before the draft. Jordan is undersized. Ballard lacks ball awareness. Wilkerson (who I love) has level-of-competition concerns.

Summary: Don't be surprised if it is nearly ignored like OLB has been the last few years.

 

[jczxohn1]

Unless Ngata is brought in (no chance), I still think the starters at DE next fall are going to be two of TWarren, Brace, and (less likely) GWarren. If Deaderick gets his act together, he's got a chance as well. I know it was a horrible game by the DL last week, but that was without 4 of the top 7 players on the DL. Do that to any team in the NFL and that would happen.

Factoring for health, I think OL is a much bigger need than DL right now, and OLB is ahead of both. In fact, I wouldn't be overly surprised to see the pats pick 2 OL in the first two rounds and no DL.

Especially in this draft, there are huge question marks behind every DL. Fairley was a 1-year wonder. Dareus lacks length. Watt has Tom Condon as his agent and has never 2-gapped. Heyward has motor problems and may not be able to work out before the draft. Jordan is undersized. Ballard lacks ball awareness. Wilkerson (who I love) has level-of-competition concerns.

Summary: Don't be surprised if it is nearly ignored like OLB has been the last few years.

Excellent post--O-line and OLB are more pressing needs than D-line. A couple of mid-level recruits to push Deadrick, Love and Brace are all that's necessary, IMO.

 

[Peachhead]

Frankly I'm pretty surprised that 11 people voted either moderate or low. I think the need is at critical status.

Yes, Ty Warren will be back and I suspect (and hope) he'll be fine. And we have Wilfork who is, of course, a stud.

I'm not sure Wright will be back. Concussion symptoms lasting that long are a very troubling sign. Besides, he's just a (very good) sub-package guy.

Deaderick has shown good things. But the suspension late in the regular season could go one of two ways. Either he gets it or he doesn't. But even at best I see him as just quality depth.

I like what little I've seen with Love. But I really haven't seen enough.

Gerard Warren may or may not be back. Plus he's really long in the tooth. If we get even one more good year out of him I'll consider us lucky.

Brace is depth. If he hasn't shown big-time potential yet, I doubt he will in the future. Not a bust IMO. But a disappointment for a 2nd rounder.

I want a stud like Seymour again. Someone the opponent has to gameplan around, and constantly draws doubleteam. It just makes everyone else's job easier.

 

[Ron Sellers]

In a 3-4 defense, you don't just need good linemen, you need super linemen. Right now we have one super and one very good-this is why we have to draft at least one superior player at this position. But my bet is we draft at least two in the first four rounds.

Excellent point. In a 3-4 the most important position is NT, then DE; though OLB and a CB or S get to clean up and grab the glory.

I think Wilfork is our best defender and I think with Ty Warren and hopefully Gerard Warren returning that you have 3 very good starters and you have Wright, Pryor, Brace and others to round out the depth. I think this is a position of strength. Sure would I love to find the next Seymour but you can say that about every position.

I do think that it is possible that the two Warrens could be adequate for 2011. However, they are both short term solutions at this point. This is a very critical position for this style defense, and it is not very often that the Pats have multiple first round picks. Other than packaging picks to trade up, I would think the Pats priorities would be OLB, DE and OL with the first three picks.

Obviously that could change based on who is available at each position, but if all else is equal I would think those three positions are what the Pats would be targeting with their first three picks.

 

[mgteich]

We could be fine for 2011, but takes a year to develop a defensive lineman. We are very likely to need one in 2012.

2011
Warren, Wilfork, Warren
Brace, Love, Deaderick, Pryor/rookie

Frankly I'm pretty surprised that 11 people voted either moderate or low. I think the need is at critical status.

Yes, Ty Warren will be back and I suspect (and hope) he'll be fine. And we have Wilfork who is, of course, a stud.

I'm not sure Wright will be back. Concussion symptoms lasting that long are a very troubling sign. Besides, he's just a (very good) sub-package guy.

Deaderick has shown good things. But the suspension late in the regular season could go one of two ways. Either he gets it or he doesn't. But even at best I see him as just quality depth.

I like what little I've seen with Love. But I really haven't seen enough.

Gerard Warren may or may not be back. Plus he's really long in the tooth. If we get even one more good year out of him I'll consider us lucky.

Brace is depth. If he hasn't shown big-time potential yet, I doubt he will in the future. Not a bust IMO. But a disappointment for a 2nd rounder.

I want a stud like Seymour again. Someone the opponent has to gameplan around, and constantly draws doubleteam. It just makes everyone else's job easier.

 

[signbabybrady]

So I would say the verdict is in. I am the only one who chose low and the vast majority chose high.

I see some very valid reasons in here and will fully admit my opinion was a little short sighted as we need to groom some guys for the future. On the flip side I see plenty of responses that say we need to find the next Seymour and by that logic any position could be considered of high need (We need the next Corey Dillon, Randy Moss, Willie McGinist.....)

I still think OLB and OG should be top priorities but OG can be taken care of in the second round at 33 or lower so I would be happy with OLB and DE in the first round.