His speed was shot, and I think his health was a big factor. I say draft a developmental guy who's a solid pass protector, and see if Dillon can come back healthy and produce while sharing the load. I like Mike Bell out of Arizona, but who knows if the Pats will even take a back? Then again, they might surprise us all and draft one with their first round pick.
I think it was a combination. Corey supposedly was only gonna come back when he was healthy, and if this is how he plays when he is healthy, then it's time to hang em up. Pass (when healthy) and Faulk sure didn't seem to have problems getting through the holes the line was creating. I think the line will be more improved with the returns of Light & Koppen (and the improvement of Mankins & Kaczur), and we will have a new back in the backfield. Corey may make the team, but unless he regains the burst of last year, and the cut-back-ability, he will see less time as a featured back. I think a Reuben Droughns type of find would be great. Maybe a William Green type (from Cleveland) for a 5th rounder, or someone like Dominick Davis of Houston if they pick Reggie Bush (someone mentioned this last week).
I would love Lendale White, but he pushed himself into the top 10 with his performance against Texas in the Championship game. We most likely won't go RB in the first round, unless we get LB's & DB's in free agency. Laurence Maroney would look nice in a Pats uni. I was very torn in 2004, over the Corey Dillon trade, or drafting Stephen Jackson with our first #1 pick. We might have sacrificed a future star for one great year of Corey Dillon. But oh what a great year it was, and resulted in a Lombardi, so it was a good move. Should be interesting. I'm rooting for Corey, but I'm not very hopeful.
They say he timed faster at training camp compared to last year. But he does look slower. Injuries and possible age? I have another theory though. Looking at tapes of last year he looks bigger this year to me.
Corey will be 32 next year. Injured or not, I sadly think that he, like all warriors, will fade away. We need to get a solid FA rb or draft one for next year
Don't count Corey out. he was still getting over a high-ankle sprain. His straight-line speed was almost back but couldn't cut without slowing down. A little longer off season and a light training camp and he will still be servicable for one more year at 15-20 carries/game.
Corey will get healthy in the offseason and be fine for next year. A good backup RB is a must, because the likes of Kevin Faulk, Patrick Pass, and Heath Evans just can't get it done as an RB. Faulk is great as the 3rd down back, but really let us down tonight. If Faulk is cut I would love to replace him with Maurice Drew in the later rounds.
The Dillon situation is going to be a big area of focus in the off-season. He's on the wrong side of 30 and when that happens to backs, they begin to break down more and more often. How many times have we seen this over the years in the NFL?
The options:
1-Sign a FA
2-Draft a replacement
3-Hope they can get one more good season out of him. He'll never be like he was in '04 but maybe he can be somwhere in between that and the shadow of himself he was in 05.
Personally, I prefer options 1 AND 2. Corey will always be a great Patriot. He will always be special to a lot of fans, including myself. But love doesn't pay the bills, hard as that is to take.
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