Ninkovich and Crable

[captain stone]

He's a coverage LB at best ala Kevin Burnett when he was with Dallas.
Exactly...just not as talented.

I also couldn't believe they chose Wheatley over Terrell Thomas. That pick still bothers me.
As it does me. At that pick, I wanted RB Jamaal Charles, Thomas or OLB Cliff Avril. Frail lil' Terry was an end-of-3rd-round talent, at best.

When the Pats roster was at it's strongest (2003-2004) their only position that need to be addressed was LB and CB because they were getting long in the tooth. They were in a unique situation in today's NFL were they hardly had any weaknesses and should've been easy to address. However, they waited until their core players left or didn't have anything left in the tank to start rebuilding that position.
It's as if Bill thought they would play forever. Strange lack of foresight.

So here they are today with one of the worst (if not the worst) LB's in the NFL. The only team that I can think of that can challenge the Pats for worst LB's in the NFL are the Denver Broncos.

No argument here. At least in the persons of Spikes & a healthy McKenzie (I hope), there is hope at ILB; there is no hope at all at OLB, however - again.

 

[captain stone]

There's almost never any worthwhile OLBs on the trade block or sitting around in free agency. You pretty much have to draft and develop them.

Bingo. It's the year-after-year neglect of the OLB position on draft weekend that's so damn frustrating. Bill's best pick there was TBC - in the 7th round, 7 years ago, fer chrissake.

 

[Sicilian]

Guyton doesn't have the size to be an OLB in a 3-4.

4-3 maybe but hes still suspect when people are going at him in the running game.

Probably true in the base D, but for third down and passing situations, he could be a decent option opposite TBC. What we need is starting OLB for 1st and 2nd down, which for now will have to be pieced together from Woods, Crable, Ninko, and Cunningham. Not the best of crops there, hopefully there's a surprise waiting in one of them.

 

[mgteich]

In the past we have picked up Vrabel, Colvin, and Thomas as free agents. Thomas was injured almost as soon as he arrived. You can choose to believe that OLB's are never available in trade or free agency.

With regard to the draft, Cunningham and Dunlop were picked in consecutive picks. I think that most here knew the "name" Dunlop better, but Belichick judged that Cunningham was the better pick. I'm sure that there are those who would have draft Hughes instead and relied on the awesome Wilhite as a key component of our secondary.

And just BTW, we presume that McKenzie will be an ILB. We'll see whay roles he can take as he develops.

If you have been frustrated by the last two drafts, you are probably a dedicated red sox fan and enjoy being frustrated.

The reality is that all teams have weak positions on their team. Ours is OLB.

Bingo. It's the year-after-year neglect of the OLB position on draft weekend that's so damn frustrating. Bill's best pick there was TBC - in the 7th round, 7 years ago, fer chrissake.

 

[cstjohn17]

In the past we have picked up Vrabel, Colvin, and Thomas as free agents. Thomas was injured almost as soon as he arrived. You can choose to believe that OLB's are never available in trade or free agency.

With regard to the draft, Cunningham and Dunlop were picked in consecutive picks. I think that most here knew the "name" Dunlop better, but Belichick judged that Cunningham was the better pick. I'm sure that there are those who would have draft Hughes instead and relied on the awesome Wilhite as a key component of our secondary.

And just BTW, we presume that McKenzie will be an ILB. We'll see whay roles he can take as he develops.

If you have been frustrated by the last two drafts, you are probably a dedicated red sox fan and enjoy being frustrated.

The reality is that all teams have weak positions on their team. Ours is OLB.

I think the Patiots will trade for Merriman, I keep coming back to this...

 

[Sicilian]

I think the Patiots will trade for Merriman, I keep coming back to this...

He would seem to be the opposite of every other move they've made so far this offseason. It's been all high character, good locker room guys over just talent alone. Merriman doesn't fit that mold.

 

[satz]

He would seem to be the opposite of every other move they've made so far this offseason. It's been all high character, good locker room guys over just talent alone. Merriman doesn't fit that mold.

unless merriman gets a pass to juice it up he is going to give you a avg player.

 

[cstjohn17]

He would seem to be the opposite of every other move they've made so far this offseason. It's been all high character, good locker room guys over just talent alone. Merriman doesn't fit that mold.

Yep, doesn't make any sense and will never happen but I keep thinking it will...

Character and good locker room guys are nice, it is even better if they have talent.

 

[captain stone]

In the past we have picked up Vrabel, Colvin, and Thomas as free agents. Thomas was injured almost as soon as he arrived.
I ass-ume that you mean Rosie.

You can choose to believe that OLB's are never available in trade or free agency.
I didn't say that they weren't; but I do believe that they should be drafted & developed, at least one OLB per year.

With regard to the draft, Cunningham and Dunlop were picked in consecutive picks. I think that most here knew the "name" Dunlop better, but Belichick judged that Cunningham was the better pick.
I saw Dunlap as strictly a 4-3 DE, and so apparently did the Bengles.

I'm sure that there are those who would have draft Hughes instead and relied on the awesome Wilhite as a key component of our secondary.
I wouldn't have drafted Hughes at 27 either; I thought it was a bit early for him. At 44, ahead of Kindle? Probably.
And I was on board with picking a CB; I just would've taken Kyle Wilson instead.

And just BTW, we presume that McKenzie will be an ILB. We'll see what roles he can take as he develops.
As an edge-setting and/or pass-rushing OLB? Perhaps, though I don't see it as of now.

If you have been frustrated by the last two drafts, you are probably a dedicated red sox fan and enjoy being frustrated.
Nah, just a dedicated - and frusrated - Pats fan. I've had reason to be frustrated the past half-decade, wouldn't you say?

The reality is that all teams have weak positions on their team. Ours is OLB.

As Bill himself might say: I don't care about the other 31 teams.

 

[crowell33]

SMY said on a Boston Globe chat today, that if the season started today, she believes that Ninkovich would be the starting OLB.

 

[RayClay]

SMY said on a Boston Globe chat today, that if the season started today, she believes that Ninkovich would be the starting OLB.

Well, that's not going to happen, so...

 

[jczxohn1]

Probably true in the base D, but for third down and passing situations, he could be a decent option opposite TBC. What we need is starting OLB for 1st and 2nd down, which for now will have to be pieced together from Woods, Crable, Ninko, and Cunningham. Not the best of crops there, hopefully there's a surprise waiting in one of them.

The surprise waiting to back up Guyton on running plays may well be McCourty.

 

[Sicilian]

The surprise waiting to back up Guyton on running plays may well be McCourty.

Clever, but you may have missed my point. I was saying, Guyton could be used outside on PASSING downs, so what we'd need is someone who can play OLB on 1st and 2nd down. Right now, that's probably Ninko or Woods, which I don't think anyone is thrilled about. If that's what ends up shaking out though, we have to hope someone has a breakout year or that's going to be a weakness all year.

The good news is we have the numbers game in our favor for options (Ninko, Woods, Crable, Cunningham, and to some extent Guyton and McKenzie if they can shift). The bad news is, all of those options are a long shot to be good starters. It's like buying 6 scratch tickets hoping to win $1000 to pay rent. Possible, but you shouldn't count on it.

 

[RayClay]

OK to add Burgess now.

 

[captain stone]

Time to re-set my depth chart in the OLB thread.

If Bill hadn't foolishly traded for Burgess last year, I would've considered this signing a decent/good consolation prize after losing the Dancing Star Jason Traitor sweepstakes. As it is, I see it as merely an attempt to recoup the investment...but at least it's an attempt.

I hope that Traitor suffers a season-ending injury on the first play in the 1st Quarter of the first game of the season.

 

[lillestroom]

Time to re-set my depth chart in the OLB thread.

If Bill hadn't foolishly traded for Burgess last year, I would've considered this signing a decent/good consolation prize after losing the Dancing Star Jason Traitor sweepstakes. As it is, I see it as merely an attempt to recoup the investment...but at least it's an attempt.

I hope that Traitor suffers a season-ending injury on the first play in the 1st Quarter of the first game of the season.

Never wished injury on another player. Why should you?

Taylor isnt a top notch NFL player anymore. And neither is Burgess.

Very suprised they didnt go after Greg Ellis.

 

[bucky]

sounds good.

Hope he does better than the last LB draftee I fell in love with (Oscar Lua)

Can I start gloating now?

 

[BlueThunder]

I'm willing to bet a significant amount of money that the number of threads started by mgteich with the word "Crable" in the title will be higher than the number of regular season snaps Shawn Crable takes for the Patriots in his career. Any takers?

heh

I'll make that TC snaps and still win

 

[Kontradiction]

I'd be absolutely shocked if Crable even makes it through training camp. He'll either get cut, or he'll literally get cut (by a piece of paper) and get IR'ed.

And would you say that he's the rule or the exception? The chances of making it in the NFL after spending your first coupe of years on IR are pretty slim. A few have succeeded, many more have not. With Crable, I'm hoping for the best (that he starts and contributes) but expecting the worst (he either goes on IR again or gets cut).

One day you guys will learn to listen to me.

 

[Deus Irae]

One day you guys will learn to listen to me.

Hey, if we're going to give ourselves shout outs:

The kid doesn't have the pins to hold up against the running game, in all likelihood. He's got basketball calves.