If Wheatley and Crable were healthy

[slash83]

If those two rooks were healthy and were able to contribute throughout the past seaon I think going into the draft we would have alot more clear picture of what the Pats main priority is in the upcoming draft.

The way I look at it is with a healthy AD, Vrable, Woods and Crable we should be good to strong at the olb position.

Even with a healthy Wheatley coming back which we could only assume CB is one of the main priorities this offseason mainly through the draft. I dont want Deltha back, Hobbs, Wheatley, and Wilhite arent enough we could use an upgrade at the number 1 or 2 cb spot.

Saftey is another position that could use an upgrade along with some nice depth. Sanders is a backup imo, Rodneys future is a big question, Meriweathers a year or 2 away from being a probowl stud.

When it comes to the draft if Maualuga is there at the 23rd pick or even within 6 or 7 spots for the Pats to move up id pull the trigger on him. Ray and Mayo would be a thing of beauty.

 

[PatsFan2]

Before we anoint anybody...i would have like to see them play *ahem* Shawn Crable. The record of Rookies who have been shut down...ie due to injury by BB is not very good the following year. I have no aspirations for Wheatley i think he's going to be one of those players who is always injured. I still see those two positions being Drafted once again...as a just in case measure.

 

[slash83]

Before we anoint anybody...i would have like to see them play *ahem* Shawn Crable. The record of Rookies who have been shut down...ie due to injury by BB is not very good the following year. I have no aspirations for Wheatley i think he's going to be one of those players who is always injured. I still see those two positions being Drafted once again...as a just in case measure.[/QUOTE]

Thats what sucks, if we really knew what we had with those players or even a decent idea we could really work magic elsewhere on the roster with the the picks we could end up with, like another ILB to pair with Mayo or a stud Left or right T.

 

[captain stone]

Lil' Terry & Chicken Legs should've had warning flags the size of Garrison flags next to their names on draft weekend. At least Crable's maladies are correctable; Wheatley, OTOH, will simply never be able to withstand the rigors of a 16-game season.

Damn Ken Whisenhunt & Omissioner Goodell: if the Cards had beaten SF just once in '07, then the Pats would've held the 3rd overall pick and prob. could've received NO's 2nd-rounder instead of its 3rd-rounder, and that might've been used on Quentin Groves. Heck, I still think that Cliff Avril would've been the better choice at #78. And by stealing our own 1st-rounder, the Omissioner took away the chance for us to select Brandon Flowers, who would've made drafting lil' Terry unnecessary.

 

[DocE]

I completely agree, I would have loved to have seen a healthy season from both Wheatley and Crable. Obviously, the coaches saw them through a fall training camp and preseason, so they do have a feel for them as players. Still, performing in the regular season is a different deal than camp/preseason. I'd much rather the Patriots knew what to expect from these guys instead of having to project forward.

I think each position could be drafted, but if they are not 100% confident in Wheatley as a starter, then the Pats need to sign or trade for a veteran CB. This team is far too talented to rely on a rookie at CB opposite Ellis Hobbs.

I think the OLB situation could be strong, but it depends on how much Vrabel has left and opinions on that vary. I though '08 was Pierre Woods year to prove he was more than "just another guy" and he didn't do that. Pierre will get another chance in '09, but at worst he's a solid backup who doesn't do anything to hurt the team when he's on the field.

 

[JoeShmoe]

I was impressed by Wheatley when he played ...

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Before we anoint anybody...i would have like to see them play *ahem* Shawn Crable. The record of Rookies who have been shut down...ie due to injury by BB is not very good the following year. I have no aspirations for Wheatley i think he's going to be one of those players who is always injured. I still see those two positions being Drafted once again...as a just in case measure.

I agree about wheatley......wasn't his injury directly related to his injury issues in college? but at least he got some PT

as for crable, I think he was too thin to be effective this year anyway.......if he can get to 250-255, I still think he has a good chance, but he's still a way's off

I still think a FA OLB is a priority

 

[satz]

Wheatlley got better and was having a good game vs INDY before his injury which leads me to believe he is atleast was on track.

crable was on IR and even though everyone in this forum thinks the patriots cheat and break rules by praticing and developing players by this so called red-shirt year i do not think so .
It will be training camp when he will get out their especially if draft another OLB/DE . a player who has played last yr in college vs crabel who has not for a roster spot will be hard on him.

redd was a good in special teams which throws a wrench in crabel in that spot during development logic.

 

[PatsFan2]

Wheatlley got better and was having a good game vs INDY before his injury which leads me to believe he is atleast was on track.

crable was on IR and even though everyone in this forum thinks the patriots cheat and break rules by praticing and developing players by this so called red-shirt year i do not think so .
It will be training camp when he will get out their especially if draft another OLB/DE . a player who has played last yr in college vs crabel who has not for a roster spot will be hard on him.

redd was a good in special teams which throws a wrench in crabel in that spot during development logic.

Wheatley only looked good in one game and unfortunately that doesn't get you in Canton. Like i said before i just don't have a good feeling about him. I just dont want to have to cringe everytime he makes a Tackle.

 

[signbabybrady]

If those two rooks were healthy and were able to contribute throughout the past seaon I think going into the draft we would have alot more clear picture of what the Pats main priority is in the upcoming draft.

The way I look at it is with a healthy AD, Vrable, Woods and Crable we should be good to strong at the olb position.

Even with a healthy Wheatley coming back which we could only assume CB is one of the main priorities this offseason mainly through the draft. I dont want Deltha back, Hobbs, Wheatley, and Wilhite arent enough we could use an upgrade at the number 1 or 2 cb spot.

Saftey is another position that could use an upgrade along with some nice depth. Sanders is a backup imo, Rodneys future is a big question, Meriweathers a year or 2 away from being a probowl stud.

When it comes to the draft if Maualuga is there at the 23rd pick or even within 6 or 7 spots for the Pats to move up id pull the trigger on him. Ray and Mayo would be a thing of beauty.

I believe Sanders and Woods are FAs

Thats what sucks, if we really knew what we had with those players or even a decent idea we could really work magic elsewhere on the roster with the the picks we could end up with, like another ILB to pair with Mayo or a stud Left or right T.

We might not know but I am sure BB and the staff have a good idea what these guys are capable of and whether it is a good idea to expect more from their sophmore year or if they need to go back to the drawing board.

 

[satz]

We are not taking about canton .All i am pointing out is he atleast got on the field while crabel before being IR`ed was not even active on game days.

Even though we love every pick to work out it seldome does, if we end up with 2 starts and 2 quality backup from a year you have made quiet an impact.

Mayo,Wheatley , Guyton ,thefirm , Kevin and Redd do make this a good draft.

 

[signbabybrady]

Mayo,Wheatley , Guyton ,thefirm , Kevin and Redd do make this a good draft.

You left off Whilhite and Slater who everyone hates on because of his fumble but he had a really good year on STs when the ball wasn't in his hands.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Who knows.

I'm worried about Wheatley. Injury prone in college, IR his rookie season. Ouch.

 

[signbabybrady]

Who knows.

I'm worried about Wheatley. Injury prone in college, IR his rookie season. Ouch.

I can understand the concern but his injury problem is a wrist so its not like something a CB can't get over. If it was his knees or feet or somehting like that you would worry about loss of speed and all that. Hobbs had IMO his best season as a Patriot with a cast on his wrist almost the whole season.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

I can understand the concern but his injury problem is a wrist so its not like something a CB can't get over. If it was his knees or feet or somehting like that you would worry about loss of speed and all that. Hobbs had IMO his best season as a Patriot with a cast on his wrist almost the whole season.

they are if it the same injury......over and over again

 

[signbabybrady]

they are if it the same injury......over and over again

Again I understand the concern because of the repetative nature but I find it hard to believe that wrist problems are going to derail his career before it starts when he could do his job despite the state of the wrist. Remember he has shown he will play the season with the wrist problems as he played a college season after the titanium rod broke.

 

[DaBruinz]

I agree about wheatley......wasn't his injury directly related to his injury issues in college? but at least he got some PT

as for crable, I think he was too thin to be effective this year anyway.......if he can get to 250-255, I still think he has a good chance, but he's still a way's off

I still think a FA OLB is a priority

Tanked - Wheatley broke his LEFT wrist playing for the Pats. Because he jumped in the air and came down awkward due to his momentum. In college, it was Wheatley's RIGHT wrist that was broken and then had a defective rod put in that also snapped.

As for Crable, he's got to get to around 255-260 to be really effective and most of it should be lower body (calfs/quads/hamstrings) muscle. I think that he can do that relatively easily if he stays local and works with Woicik and the team nutrionist.

 

[DaBruinz]

Who knows.

I'm worried about Wheatley. Injury prone in college, IR his rookie season. Ouch.

He wasn't injury prone in college. That is a misconception. He had ONE injury where he broke his right wrist. The follow-up time was related directly to that wrist having a defective rod put in. Titanium rods don't snap unless they are defective.

 

[Seneschal2]

Tanked - Wheatley broke his LEFT wrist playing for the Pats. Because he jumped in the air and came down awkward due to his momentum. In college, it was Wheatley's RIGHT wrist that was broken and then had a defective rod put in that also snapped.

He wasn't injury prone in college. That is a misconception. He had ONE injury where he broke his right wrist. The follow-up time was related directly to that wrist having a defective rod put in. Titanium rods don't snap unless they are defective.

Thanks for setting the record straight. I've been sensing that some here plan on labeling him a bust because of these two separate injuries. Fact is, he was completely healed from the first wrist injury when he was drafted. And he ought to heal just fine from the latest and be ready to go come TC.

I have extremely high hopes for Wheatley to compete for the starting LCB position. I'm confident he'll beat out anyone on the current roster, and his main competition will be a rookie, assuming we draft one. It would be unlike BB to open the season with just Hobbs, Wheatley, and Wilhite as the top 3; leading to another quality addition which will only strengthen the entire secondary.

 

[cstjohn17]

If those two rooks were healthy and were able to contribute throughout the past seaon I think going into the draft we would have alot more clear picture of what the Pats main priority is in the upcoming draft.

I think that is the whole issue with most of the back seven. Thomas, Merriweather & Hobbs are solid but everyone else has question marks, warts or worse....