May version of 5 concerns RE: 2011 season

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I am going to do a monthly post of 5 concerns that each of us has going into the 2011 season and can express during each month that goes forward through September
....hopefully some of these concerns will change as June,July Ect: come forth,so it will be interesting to see any changes down the line if one or more of your concerns gets addressed during any period of the summer months.

It could be Patriots related or league wide

Here's mine for May.....

1) Will there be a CBA in place before the season has been forced into interruption? Probably everyone's biggest concern right now,would love to see this one eliminated in the june post and some concerns cannot be addressed until a CBA is in place.

2) Will we obtain and sign a legitimate pass rushing OLB in FA?

3) Has Ty Warren fully recovered from his injury?

4) What will be with the Logan Mankins situation?,right now those talks seem to be as far apart as the CBA issue.

5) Will we be looking at a non-diva and David Givens type FA WR to spread out the field?

 

[patfanken]

1) Will there be a CBA in place before the season has been forced into interruption? Probably everyone's biggest concern right now,would love to see this one eliminated in the june post and some concerns cannot be addressed until a CBA is in place.

A month ago I would have said, "of course there will be a new CBA before July". Now I'm not sure. It seems that this as gotten "personal". That it is no longer about getting a mutually acceptable agreement between 2 parties, but is now all about "winning" the war. Regardless of who or what is mowed down in the process.

2) Will we obtain and sign a legitimate pass rushing OLB in FA?

The good news is YES we will almost definitely pick up one or more OLBs when FA finally comes to pass. The bad news is, while we can clearly improve the position with a number of names being mentioned, there is no one out there that can come in an become the so called pass rush demon that a lot Pats fans seem to have in their heads that we need.

Bottom line: FA will improve the position, but not satisfy the delusion that one guy is going to suddenly solve all perceived problems

3) Has Ty Warren fully recovered from his injury?

I don't see why not. Its not like this was some kind of hip replacement surgery. It was done to improve his mobility. Why its ASSUMED by so many that the surgery is something that needs to be overcome, is ridiculous. This will be a BETTER Ty Warren than the one we've seen for the last 3 seasons. It will one who is pain free and more mobile. And once he shakes of the rust of not playing last season, it will make a significant improvement in the DL play.

4) What will be with the Logan Mankins situation?,right now those talks seem to be as far apart as the CBA issue.

I don't see this as a "situation". He's going to be our LG for 2011. Whether he stays long term is more of a 2012 issue. No need to add angst to our lives when we can avoid it for another season, and that's what the franchise tag was designed to do.

5) Will we be looking at a non-diva and David Givens type FA WR to spread out the field?

I wouldn't be surprised to see us bring in more than one FA WRs. Now whether they make the team is purely up to BB. Given the new focus on the TEs and running game, I don't see us carrying more than 5 WRs on the 53 this season. Which exactly how many we have right now. I think people over do this "stretch the defense" need. I think this is more media hype than reality. The Pats won 3 superbowls WITHOUT a single "stretch the defense" WR on the roster.

BTW- what made you use Givens as an exemplar of a "stretch the defense" WR. He was NEVER one of those.

BTW-2 if/when the Pats do bring in some FA WRs, I'm thinking it will be DBranch who will be on the hot seat.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

4. Mankins franchised assumes the new/transitional CBA provides for such. A reasonable assumption but not a given.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

4. Mankins franchised assumes the new/transitional CBA provides for such. A reasonable assumption but not a given.

I was just going to say that.

There is absolutely NO discussion in here of the small but distinct possibility that the players demand the elimination of the Franchise Tag

Many players,in fact the majority of them might think a 'fixed' salary at the tag is fine but I think most want to be left free if they are not getting paid as much as they think they are worth and don't like the handcuffed feel to the tag and would rather a long term deal or go elsewhere with nothing to stop them.

The Tag might play an important role in satisfying players needs as part of this CBA dispute

In this case,we could see Mankins out as a free man and then we all would realize that some fans overlooked this important issue.