Let's talk linebackers for moment...

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

I am operating under the assumption that the Pats keep 8 LBs...

After 2-3 years, I am finally getting on this Banta-Cain bandwagon some of y'all have been touting around here...

The kid looked real good Saturday night and all indications have been that he is having a breakout camp...

So, we're probably looking at:

OLB: Colvin & Vrabel
ILB: Bruschi & Seau
Depth: Brown, Beisel, Gardner, Banta-Cain

I would probably like to swap Beisel with Seau on my list, but I can't honestly say I am sold on Beisel.

Belichick keeps saying how great he looks, but I just don't see it.

Anyone agree or disagree?

If Beisel or Brown don't make the cut, I guess you're looking at Mincey as the 8th LB...

 

[14thDragon]

I am operating under the assumption that the Pats keep 8 LBs...

After 2-3 years, I am finally getting on this Banta-Cain bandwagon some of y'all have been touting around here...

The kid looked real good Saturday night and all indications have been that he is having a breakout camp...

So, we're probably looking at:

OLB: Colvin & Vrabel
ILB: Bruschi & Seau
Depth: Brown, Beisel, Gardner, Banta-Cain

I would probably like to swap Beisel with Seau on my list, but I can't honestly say I am sold on Beisel.

Belichick keeps saying how great he looks, but I just don't see it.

Anyone agree or disagree?

If Beisel or Brown don't make the cut, I guess you're looking at Mincey as the 8th LB...

Disagree, on first 8 linebackers, unless the Izzo/Davis slot/s is/are being regulated to purely ST.

Second, I think Woods or Mincey beats out Brown. (His injury has set him back for making the team.)

I think Alexander also wins a spot. Either in the Davis slot, or in the Beisel Slot.

Izzo makes the team as a nominal ILB.

Bringing my total to either 9 or 10, 10 being Beisel.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Disagree, on first 8 linebackers, unless the Izzo/Davis slot/s is/are being regulated to purely ST.

Second, I think Woods or Mincey beats out Brown. (His injury has set him back for making the team.)

I think Alexander also wins a spot. Either in the Davis slot, or in the Beisel Slot.

Izzo makes the team as a nominal ILB.

Bringing my total to either 9 or 10, 10 being Beisel.

Funny...

I think of Izzo and Davis in my Special Teams group, but yes, they would both make the team.

Special Teams:

Gostkowski, Miller, Paxton, Paxton, Davis, Izzo

 

[mgteich]

rook and I have 9 linebackers plus Izzo and Davis. We both have Mincey. And we both have Woods beating out an injured Brown. I mention rook because he posted a roster this morning and we agree on 52 of 53 players.

I am operating under the assumption that the Pats keep 8 LBs...

After 2-3 years, I am finally getting on this Banta-Cain bandwagon some of y'all have been touting around here...

The kid looked real good Saturday night and all indications have been that he is having a breakout camp...

So, we're probably looking at:

OLB: Colvin & Vrabel
ILB: Bruschi & Seau
Depth: Brown, Beisel, Gardner, Banta-Cain

I would probably like to swap Beisel with Seau on my list, but I can't honestly say I am sold on Beisel.

Belichick keeps saying how great he looks, but I just don't see it.

Anyone agree or disagree?

If Beisel or Brown don't make the cut, I guess you're looking at Mincey as the 8th LB...

 

[braveht]

I doubt Seau is starter unless Tedy is inactive. I expect Vrabel on inside, Colvin at LOLB and Cain at ROLB. Beisel or Alexander, Izzo and Jr at ILB; Woods and Mincey at OLB with Vrabel rotating to OLB for 2/3 of snaps where we go 4-3 or nickle. Davis's ST and big safety roles are diminished by Tebucky.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The day of the dedicated ST LB is drawing to a close. Gardener, Beisel, and Alexander are very good ST LBs, and they can play regular Defense too. Davsi can play coverage LB, but Izzo can't, he is a pure ST LB.

I think Larry does not make the Team. Davis might have a problem too.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I'm thinkin' Bruschi needs a couple to four weeks of regular season for the wrist, and I think that puts Vrabel and Seau on the inside (at least if there is a God.) I'll see -- with my own eyes, since it's the Skins -- whether I'm right. Interesting times!

PFnV

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

The day of the dedicated ST LB is drawing to a close. Gardener, Beisel, and Alexander are very good ST LBs, and they can play regular Defense too. Davsi can play coverage LB, but Izzo can't, he is a pure ST LB.

I think Larry does not make the Team. Davis might have a problem too.

Now that would be something...

I have always of Izzo as the ultimate "Belichick-type" player...

For Bill to cut Izzo would be a tough call, I'm sure...

Then again, BB has proven to us that emotion rarely or never factors into his decisions...

ADPF

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Every year I keep thinking that the days of ST demons hiding on the roster are diminishing, but somehow these guys keep making teams.
And even though I'd like to see Biesel traded to Oaklnad for a couple of used kicking tees, I have to admit he is decent on ST. He hasn't made the plays that Alexander has on ST, but he has some marginal degree of ability on ST.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

Actually, now it's looking more and more like Beisel has seen his last days in New England...

He just never really impressed and he had plenty of chances!

 

[Infinsible]

You guys are taking our left over, washed up players, and expect to make a run for the SB. Please............

 

[pats1]

You guys are taking our left over, washed up players, and expect to make a run for the SB. Please............

You surely must be referring to the Dolphins, right?

Dan Wilkinson anyone? Keith Traylor? Jeff Zgonina?

 

[RayClay]

You guys are taking our left over, washed up players, and expect to make a run for the SB. Please............

Kansas City? C'mon, give us a clue.

From the horns on your avatar, I'd say Oakland, but Al Davis has never looked that healthy.

To be a good troll, you must be easily identifiable.

 

[RayClay]

Oh and Roman Phifer, Bryan Cox and Mike Compton say hi.

 

[shakadave]

The Banta-wagon

I too am on the Banta-wagon.

2 years are not often enough time for a player to learn to play LB for the Pats well enough to start. (cf. Beisel, Brown, Mallard, etc.) And during that time, they have to learn from practices and preseason games, without a lot of game reps in the regular season, so it's a slow process. But then one day the sun comes out and they're ready to step into the starting lineup. So it was with Bruschi. So it will be with Banta-Cain.

And if Banta-Cain shines, then it's time to ban all talk about drafting college LBs (unless it's Top 20 of Round 1, like a Vilma) because that's not who we want. We want DE tweeners to be 3-year projects. And ban all talk about the lack of a Patriots plan for future depth at linebacker. Banta-Cain was the future in '04, '05 --- even during the Draft Day whining of '06. We just didn't know it. Mincey (and others --- Woods? Alexander?) are that future now.

As a corollary to this point, the Pats need to find a way to keep Mincey/Woods/Alexander on the team for a couple years. Special teams contributions become huge.

P.S. Why didn't we hear more about Mincey this summer? Was he hurt? I forget. I have him pegged to be the Banta-Cain of 2008 or 2009.

 

[CTPatsFan]

Re: The Banta-wagon

I too am on the Banta-wagon.

Banta-CAIN IS ABLE!

Groan. Sorry about that.

 

[cstjohn17]

Re: The Banta-wagon

And if Banta-Cain shines, then it's time to ban all talk about drafting college LBs (unless it's Top 20 of Round 1, like a Vilma) because that's not who we want. We want DE tweeners to be 3-year projects. And ban all talk about the lack of a Patriots plan for future depth at linebacker. Banta-Cain was the future in '04, '05 --- even during the Draft Day whining of '06. We just didn't know it. Mincey (and others --- Woods? Alexander?) are that future now.

Ban all talk about the Pats drafting college linebackers? ban all talk about the lack of a Patriots plan for future depth at linebacker?

The Kool-aid tastes great but I respectively disagree with those statements. The Pats LB development program has been questionable for the past 3-4 years. The average age of our top 5 starters (Bunta-Cain, Colvin, Bruschi, Vrabel, Seau) is 31 and Tully (the only one under 30) is a free agent after this year. I agree that it takes time to develop the LBs but as BB has said the ideal situation is that young players get introduced to the NFL through the kicking game and grow into starters. By not drafting any LBs they have missed out on harvesting the next wave of LBs (and keeping them under team control at manageable salaries). Relying on a crew of 6th, 7th and street FAs doesn't seem like the best long-term strategy. There have been plenty of good college LBs \ DEs in the past 3 years and plenty more quality FAs that we passed on. I hope this is the year we kick the 3rd string senior citizens (Izzo, Davis, Brown) to the curb and bring in the next wave Woods, Mincey, Alexander and Tully.

 

[shakadave]

Re: The Banta-wagon

Ban all talk about the Pats drafting college linebackers? ban all talk about the lack of a Patriots plan for future depth at linebacker?

The Kool-aid tastes great but I respectively disagree with those statements. The Pats LB development program has been questionable for the past 3-4 years. The average age of our top 5 starters (Bunta-Cain, Colvin, Bruschi, Vrabel, Seau) is 31

I think we will always have a high average LB age! It's a function of the fact that it takes a lot of experience before you can start for the Pats at LB. For years we've had "old" starting LBs, and for years we've had one of the best sets of LBs in the NFL!

and Tully (the only one under 30) is a free agent after this year. I agree that it takes time to develop the LBs but as BB has said the ideal situation is that young players get introduced to the NFL through the kicking game and grow into starters.

Yes, that's my point, too.

By not drafting any LBs they have missed out on harvesting the next wave of LBs (and keeping them under team control at manageable salaries). Relying on a crew of 6th, 7th and street FAs doesn't seem like the best long-term strategy. There have been plenty of good college LBs \ DEs in the past 3 years and plenty more quality FAs that we passed on.

Glad to see you're now attaching the \DEs to your LBs! A big part of my point was that we don't draft LBs, but DEs to turn into LBs.

I hope this is the year we kick the 3rd string senior citizens (Izzo, Davis, Brown) to the curb and bring in the next wave Woods, Mincey, Alexander and Tully.

(my replies in BOLD above)

 

[RoughingthePasser]

Well have some good packages. Especially with our strating core.
Like I said....I think (if healthy) we will pound our way to the SB to meet Carolina. Theyre tough. We are too. Well get some more LB help and we'll,l get in the grove. We cant forget what our D line can do for us.

Heads Up......We'll get it together.
No worries