Let's Play a Game (help shore up our patchwork defense)

[The Hurricane]

Please list any and all defensive players that were available in the 2009 draft that would have been an immediate upgrade over one of our defensive starters had we drafted them.

Our Starting Squad:

DE: Ty Warren
NT: Vince Wilfork
DE: Richard Seymour
OLB: Pierre Woods
ILB: Jerod Mayo
ILB: Tedy Bruschi
OLB: Adalius Thomas
CB: Shawn Springs
CB: Leigh Bodden
FS: Brandon Meriweather
SS: James Sanders

 

[eom]

if that's patchwork, what's every other team in the league working with?

 

[Gwedd]

Please list any and all defensive players from this years draft that would have been an immediate upgrade over one of our defensive starters.

Our Starting Squad:

DE: Ty Warren
NT: Vince Wilfork
DE: Richard Seymour
OLB: Pierre Woods
ILB: Jerod Mayo
ILB: Tedy Bruschi
OLB: Adalius Thomas
CB: Shawn Springs
CB: Leigh Bodden
FS: Brandon Meriweather
SS: James Sanders

Ummm... no one springs to my mind. I think we're pretty good so far, and the folks we drafted will add some solid support.

 

[PushnPencils]

Please list any and all defensive players from this years draft that would have been an immediate upgrade over one of our defensive starters.

Our Starting Squad:

DE: Ty Warren
NT: Vince Wilfork
DE: Richard Seymour
OLB: Pierre Woods
ILB: Jerod Mayo
ILB: Tedy Bruschi
OLB: Adalius Thomas
CB: Shawn Springs
CB: Leigh Bodden
FS: Brandon Meriweather
SS: James Sanders

I'll bite.....McKenzie over Bruschi...I love Tedy from the experience and nostalgia perspective but Tedy ain't got the speed he used to have.

Speed or the lack of it....kills

 

[mayoclinic]

Immediately - none. But by midyear I think that Chung will be an upgrade over Sanders at S and Butler will be the starting CB next to Leigh Bodden.

 

[The Hurricane]

no no no. Just to clarify I'm talking about the entire pool of draftable players, not just our draft class. "Patchwork" was sarcasm. This thread is mainly to prove a point.

 

[PushnPencils]

no no no. Just to clarify I'm talking about the entire pool of draftable players, not just our draft class. "Patchwork" was sarcasm. This thread is mainly to prove a point.

Woods and Bru need an upgrade at this point. On paper it seems fine....but it is a deficiency IMHO.

 

[The Hurricane]

Woods and Bru need an upgrade at this point. On paper it seems fine....but it is a deficiency IMHO.

Any players from the 2009 draft come to mind that would fix the deficiency?

 

[PushnPencils]

Any players from the 2009 draft come to mind that would fix the deficiency?

As I said. McKenzie with regards to the upgrade of speed he brings over Tedy.

 

[jmt57]

All right, I'll throw out some names for the sake of discussion:


ILB over Bruschi: Aaron Curry, Rey Maualuga, Tyrone McKenzie

OLB over Woods: Brian Orakpo, Everette Brown, Clay Matthews, Aaron Maybin, Connor Barwin, Larry English, Michael Johnson, Clint Sintim, Paul Kruger

SS over James Sanders: Patrick Chung, Chip Vaughn

CB - perhaps Malcolm Jenkins, Darius Butler, Vontae Davis or Alphonso Smith

 

[smg93]

It's probably also a good idea to look at this not just from a starters perspective but also to their backups. If this draft lacked quality players in the 1st round, but provided lots in the 2nd through 4th rounds, then maybe this draft was more about adding depth through quality back ups rather then about adding starters