Linebackers stronger in 2010

[mgteich]

In the end, Mayo is healthier, the two JAGS brought in last year know the defense better, and there will be three new additions. We might have wanted more, but it seems a reasonable effort to be adding Cunningham, McKenzie and Spikes to replace Seau, Thomas and Alexander.

THE FOUR INSIDE LINEBACKERS should be significantly better
----------------------------------------------------------------
MAYO should be stronger. He was injured for the early part of 2009.
GUYTON should be at least as good as 2009.
We have replaced Seau and Alexander with SPIKES and MCKENZIE

THE FIVE OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS should be about the same or improve a little
-----------------------------------------------------
BANTA-CAIN and WOODS should be about the same.
NINKOVICH and BURGESS know the defense better and should be a bit better.
CUNNINGHAM replaces THOMAS on the roster & should be as good as Thomas was in 2009.

OTHER POSSIBILITIES
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CRABLE could surprise, make the team and contribute.
WILLIAMS could surprise, make the team, and contribute.
MURRELL or ALEXANDER could make team as STers, not affecting team effectiveness at LB.

 

[Deus Irae]

Thinking that rookies will automatically be as good as the players they replace is a recipe for disaster. For all the griping people have done about AdT, for example, he was still the starter for most of the season. Expecting a rookie conversion project to step right in and be an improvement is, as the line goes, a triumph of hope over experience.

 

[TriplecHamp]

anybody excited to see what McKenzie will be bringing?

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

anybody excited to see what McKenzie will be bringing?

Yup! I just plain like that kid's attitude.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

anybody excited to see what McKenzie will be bringing?

I think he'll make a big impact for us.

I'm also going to drive the Burgess bandwagon. I really hated the trade last season, felt we gave up way too much for him, looked awful for the first 2/3 of the season, but he really seemed to "get it" at the end of last season.

Last season, he spent most of his time with a hand on the ground in 4-man fronts, but I read BB has him doing a lot of the LB drills so far. I was hoping they'd re-sign him, and I think he'll be this season's under-rated move by the front office that looks brilliant later on.

Of course, I'll probably regret posting this 6 months from now...

 

[WelshPat]

I think he'll make a big impact for us.

I'm also going to drive the Burgess bandwagon. I really hated the trade last season, felt we gave up way too much for him, looked awful for the first 2/3 of the season, but he really seemed to "get it" at the end of last season.

Last season, he spent most of his time with a hand on the ground in 4-man fronts, but I read BB has him doing a lot of the LB drills so far. I was hoping they'd re-sign him, and I think he'll be this season's under-rated move by the front office that looks brilliant later on.

Of course, I'll probably regret posting this 6 months from now...

I agree, i think you will regret posting this!

When the entire league passes you up for the vet min... that says a lot to me.

 

[Gunnails]

Yup! I just plain like that kid's attitude.

===========================================

Not saying I don't like your sig. Because i do, great pic.

But Grahm, Coles, Pennington, Mangini, and Elmo are no longer with the Jets and therefor can no longer be considered the Jets brain trust.

If you want I could hunt around for a new brain trust pic for you.

 

[TheComeback]

Thinking that rookies will automatically be as good as the players they replace is a recipe for disaster. For all the griping people have done about AdT, for example, he was still the starter for most of the season. Expecting a rookie conversion project to step right in and be an improvement is, as the line goes, a triumph of hope over experience.

You should go back and watch AD play, especially towards the end of the 2009 season. It's not asking much for a rookie to match that lack of production.

 

[Deus Irae]

You should go back and watch AD play, especially towards the end of the 2009 season. It's not asking much for a rookie to match that lack of production.

That must be why the team veterans, who already knew the system, couldn't take the job from him. :bricks:

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I agree, i think you will regret posting this!

When the entire league passes you up for the vet min... that says a lot to me.

That's true. But I love these types of signings even more than the massive contracts given out to FAs like Haynesworth or Peppers because they're low-risk, high-reward. If he sucks, no big loss.

The entire league passing on a guy doesn't sound good, but the league is filled with guys who everyone passed on, sometimes multiple times. The draft is one thing, but even in free agency, when guys should be pretty established commodities, mistakes happen. Darren Sharper didn't get much attention last season, but he turned out to be a pretty significant signing. Another veteran who got ignored last off-season was Keith Brookings, who became the glue in Dallas' D.

Even on our roster, Bodden, McGowan and TBC were 3 guys who were significant contributors that got very little interest from anyone last off-season.

But yeah, I probably will regret that post

 

[ALP]

Thinking that rookies will automatically be as good as the players they replace is a recipe for disaster. For all the griping people have done about AdT, for example, he was still the starter for most of the season. Expecting a rookie conversion project to step right in and be an improvement is, as the line goes, a triumph of hope over experience.

or it says something about the minimal production of those vets which they replaced...

 

[Deus Irae]

or it says something about the minimal production of those vets which they replaced...

Again, though, even that "minimal production" was enough to keep other seasoned veterans on the bench.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Unless Cunningham has a breakout season as a rookie, the Pats will have the weakest 3-4 OLB's in the NFL. However, their ISLB's could be pretty good if Mayo becomes the roamer like Bruschi and Spikes or Mckenzie do the dirty work like Ted Johnson.

 

[BionicPatriot]

I never knew McKenzie was such a great player that we're so improved. For goodness sake this man hasn't proven he can play a full 16 game season. Sadly, the Pats defense is all potential, a lot of "what ifs" this year. Yes the pieces are in place for success. But who gets hurt? Who proves to be a bust? We have no idea were Spikes, crable, Cunningham, and McKenzie even stand right now.

 

[Kontradiction]

Unless Cunningham has a breakout season as a rookie, the Pats will have the weakest 3-4 OLB's in the NFL. However, their ISLB's could be pretty good if Mayo becomes the roamer like Bruschi and Spikes or Mckenzie do the dirty work like Ted Johnson.

Don't discount the Pats making moves after teams start making cuts. There could be a couple valuable vaterans out there to help in the pass rush.

 

[Kontradiction]

I never knew McKenzie was such a great player that we're so improved. For goodness sake this man hasn't proven he can play a full 16 game season. Sadly, the Pats defense is all potential, a lot of "what ifs" this year. Yes the pieces are in place for success. But who gets hurt? Who proves to be a bust? We have no idea were Spikes, crable, Cunningham, and McKenzie even stand right now.

Exactly. We can't say with any level of certainty that the LB's are better this year until we see these guys on the field. I have high hopes, but it's a different animal from the college level to the pro level. Let's see how they translate.

 

[Criptonite]

I agree, i think you will regret posting this!

When the entire league passes you up for the vet min... that says a lot to me.

I really feel there was more to this that we don't know about. Many teams, especially 4-3 teams, should have been interested in Burgess. He's clearly a talented player (whether he works in our system is a different argument). While he was a free agent for all that time, there wasn't word of even a single visit. Then despite his late season improvements and our clear need to resign him after the draft, we still waited and waited before getting him back. I know a lot of people don't think he's that good because he didn't live up to the trade value, but it's hard to imagine nobody had any interest in a DE/OLB of his quality. Although I have no tangible evidence to back this up, in my opinion he and the team had an agreement before free agency even started. He was possibly healing from an injury or some routine minor surgery in the offseason. Once he was ready to go, we signed him. That's just my opinion, but I think it makes the most sense considering how that all developed.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I never knew McKenzie was such a great player that we're so improved. For goodness sake this man hasn't proven he can play a full 16 game season. Sadly, the Pats defense is all potential, a lot of "what ifs" this year. Yes the pieces are in place for success. But who gets hurt? Who proves to be a bust? We have no idea were Spikes, Crable, Cunningham, and McKenzie even stand right now.

Don't forget Mayo, he has a lot to prove. In fact, many people have mentioned the jury is out on him. He needs to make more of an impact.

Don't discount the Pats making moves after teams start making cuts. There could be a couple valuable veterans out there to help in the pass rush.

I highly doubt there will be anybody significant available.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

===========================================

Not saying I don't like your sig. Because i do, great pic.

But Grahm, Coles, Pennington, Mangini, and Elmo are no longer with the Jets and therefor can no longer be considered the Jets brain trust.

If you want I could hunt around for a new brain trust pic for you.

You mean like Ryan and Sanchise eating a massive meatball sandwich from opposite ends or something? No thanks...I think my sig captures a certain child-like innocence that it takes to be an aspiring Jets fan year after year.

 

[captain stone]

1) Unless Cunningham has a breakout season as a rookie, the Pats will have the weakest 3-4 OLB's in the NFL.

2) However, their ISLB's could be pretty good if Mayo becomes the roamer like Bruschi and Spikes or Mckenzie do the dirty work like Ted Johnson.

1) I totally agree.
When TBC is your best 3-4 OLB, you are in season-killing trouble.
Saying that the declining Burgess greatly improved towards the end of the season is like saying that 1/2 is a great improvement over 0.
Cunningham is a complete unknown.
Is it possible to make Chicken Salad out of Chicken Legs? Maybe, but don't hold your breath.
Pierre Woods simply does not belong on our 53; what a useless waste of space.

2) I agree here too.
If Spikes & Mayo can come close to becoming our next TJ & Bruschi, then we should be in good shape there.
McK if healthy could be a good multi-situational sub.
Guyton could then become what his talent suggests: a STer.