So..you'd rather have Eric Alexander as a backup LB than Chad Brown.
O.K.....
178 career NFL games to 4 career NFL games (or 0 if you see Ryan Claridge in there instead of Alexander for Brown).
People need to lay off the guy. He was a speed-rushing OLB, and a damn good one at that, in his days with Seattle. The Pats expected him to be what Colvin was last year - the 3rd OLB. He was signed after Bruschi's stroke, but before Ted Johnson's retirement. Until Bruschi came back, Brown was the #1 MLB, a position he never held in his career. When Bruschi returned and Vrabel was moved inside, Brown was put back into the role the Patriots wanted him in. Thus, he started to perform fairly well near the end of the season and into the playoffs - at OLB.
The same can be said about Beisel. Surely, the Pats didn't see him starting at MLB for the first time in his career to start the season, in his first year with a new team. That's suicide for 99% of players. Expecting him to be a legitimate starter after a conversion while still learning a new defense is absolutely crazy. Now the Pats have him back in the desired role - learning behind Vrabel and Bruschi at MLB.