5. Lets take a look at the Pats pass rush both last year and into the next. I will opine that I expect it to be MUCH better, even before we enter the FA market to pick up "our guy" (more on that later)
a. Clearly adding Boddin and Dowling to last season's mix should make our coverage better. One of the problems we had last season was matching up with some of the bigger and stronger WRs that are becoming so prevalent in the league. Adding two BIG CBs to that mix is really going to help in that area.
b. I think people are really underestimating the return of Ty Warren to the mix. Rather than question his recovery from hip surgery. We are talking about him as if he had hip replacement surgery.
Why don't we think about having a fully HEALTHY Ty Warren for the first time in 3 years. You remember Ty Warren. He was the guy who most fans thought was the best Pats DLman for a lot of years that Richard Seymour was going to Hawaii. Now suddenly he's thought of as an injury risk and a slow footed run stopper. No he's not a sack guy, but he is a great push the pocket from the inside guy. And that is something that leads to sacks for others. I am REALLY looking forward to watching a HEALTHY Ty Warren impact this young defense.
c. Mike Wright - Its interesting to hear some commentators talk about the Pats rush defense and to show how bad it is, point to the fact that with 5.5 sacks Mike Wright led the Pats in sacks. Mike Wright? But what I see is the fact Wright got those 5.5 sacks in JUST 7 games. Do you want to project that out for a full season? Do you want to consider that he got most of those 5.5 sacks playing as a 3-4 DE. I mean Wright was well on his way to double digit sack season playing a position that is definitely NOT conducive to being a sack leader in this league. Have we all been sleeping on Mike Wright as a significant pass rusher for us? I think we have.
d. Jermain Cunningham - Think about it. It took Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel 3-4 years to mature and develop into significant LBs in the 3-4 system. We saw Jermain Cunningham become an INSTANT starter in his first year, DESPITE missing most of training camp....and play pretty respectable football his rookie year. Very few pass rushers blossom their rookie years. Some of the best took several seasons to hit their strides,
I thought, given he was a rookie making one of the toughest position conversions there is to make, he did a fully remarkable job last season. I don't think we have seen NEARLY what he can be as an end product. I think he will be another part of the improvement we will see next season in the pass rush
e. The System - I find it amusing that in all this "we need to get a pass rush" outcry. (of which I admit I was part of
) We hear people lamenting that we have to find the next Mike Vrabel, or the NEXT Willie McGinest . I have to wonder if people don't realize that Willie McGinest NEVER had a double digit sack season under BB and only came close ONCE. Mike Vrabel only had ONE double digit sack season(07) and came close only one other year (nine in 03) during his EIGHT year stay in NE
The point I'm making is that it ISN'T about one guy or even two. Its about the TEAM. During the best years of our defense what was most interesting was that while the Pats were always among the leaders in team sacks, they NEVER had anyone at the top of the INDIVIDUAL stats. Maybe that's the point we are ALL missing. Its not about getting individuals to rush the passer its about assembling the TEAM who can create those pressures. Clearly we haven't been able to do it the past few seasons. And maybe we won't be amongst the team leaders next year. But I do feel strongly that it WILL be better, even with JUST the players we currently have.
6. The draft is over and now its time to FINALLY start to look down the road to FA. As I look at the situation, I really am starting to think that the Pats are going to make the kind of impact in FA that they DIDN'T in the draft. Given the kind of draft they DID have, I don't think FA will be impactfull in terms of the number of FA who we bring in but in WHO.
While I mentioned that putting pressure on the QB was a TEAM effort, you cannot do it without players talented enough to make it happen. I'm looking for 2. One OLB type, like Kiwanuka or Manny Lawson. One non-traditional (for us) inside defensive penetrator who, in the pass rushing sub defenses can compliment Mike Wright to replace his skills if he can't play. Someone like Tommy Harris, or a Tommy Harris type, if Harris is actually done.
Among those players who we do add, I expect to see at least one no name former college DE who has been making the transition to OLB be added. Another shot at finding the next Mike Vrabel. Letting another team do the work of training the player during his transition, while we get the benefits of that training. (sorta like what we are going to do with Ryan Mallet- sorry I couldn't help myself)
I'm pretty sure will will have the money to do it. It looks like we won't have to worry about Matt Light's contract (though personally I hope he stays and starts at G). We are going to lose Morris, Taylor, and Faulk's contracts as well. And while we are paying Brady and Mankins a boatload of money this season, the rest of the team is set with pretty reasonable contracts for the short term.
FA is going to be important to a lot of teams. I doubt that the Pats will make as big a splash as some other teams, but in the context of what we need to go over the top, it can be very valuable.
OK I'm done. I'm going out and take a long walk and enjoy this beautiful day, Meanwhile I will expect all of you to give me my 17 pages of commentary.