Patriots sign ILB Paris Lenon [merged]

[drakesta101]

LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Paris Lenon

Originally posted by the Herald.

Lenon led the Detroit Lions with 121 tackles last year.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

I don't understand Rotoworld's analysis. If signed, they say he would compete as the third MLB behind Bruschi and Mayo. Lenon had 121 tackles last year, so the guy can play. At this point, Bruschi is the third option with Lenon and Guyton battling to start next to Mayo. I just can't see Bruschi starting this year because his play has really regressed.

 

[eom]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

I wouldn't get too excited about lenon --- he's a 4-3 mlb moving to the 3-4, and I think he managed to pull down 84 solos last year while facing probably the most opportunity in the nfl.
that's decent, but not great.
SOMEBODY has to get those tackles.

look at it this way --- I'd have to say vilma's a bit better than lenon, and vilma didn't exactly flourish when moved to a 3-4 role, so I could understand how a guy entrenched in the system, like bruschi, might start the season a little higher up on the depth chart.

ps

detroit let him walk because they picked a guy (foote) up off the street who had been cut loose by another team.
Foote is expected to make considerably less than the $2.885 million salary he would have made for the Steelers.

that's not a tremendous endorsement

 

[fnordcircle]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Monty Biesel Mk2.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Here is Scout Inc's take on him:

Lenon is a six year player coming off his best season as the second leading tackler for the Detroit defense. He has good height and has grown into his body nicely. He is a solid athlete, but not an explosive player. He runs well and shows good range in pursuit. He has burst to close and agility to slip blockers or change directions to get to the pile. He uses his hands well, while pursuing with proper angles to work through trash to stay in the fray. He is a solid wrap tackler, but needs to keep his pads over his feet better. He has improved his reactions and appears to be more instinctive over this past season. He has a good feel for route progressions and leveraging the ball as well as having enough athleticism to be an effective man coverage defender. He has worked himself into a starting position and should continue to improve given his intelligence, work ethic and durability.

Paris Lenon Stats, News, Photos - Detroit Lions - ESPN

They give him a grade of 64 which makes him an average starter.

 

[jmt57]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Big fish in the small pond vs. small fish in the big pond?

Is being the leading tackler on an NFL team - granted, a winless team and the NFL's worst defense - only the equivalent to being a #4 option at what is considered one of another (the Pats) team's weakest positions?

 

[jays52]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

He runs well and shows good range in pursuit. He has burst to close and agility to slip blockers or change directions to get to the pile. He uses his hands well, while pursuing with proper angles to work through trash to stay in the fray.

That says a lot about his fit in the 34. Good angles, good pursuit, closing burst, and hands speaks volumes to his ability to play in the scheme.The good hands are the most critical of the listed attributes. Keep the blocker off, slip the block, identify the rushing lane, fill and finish. Sounds a lot like a Will, with possible Mike fit as well.

 

[spann31]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

I guess Tinoisamoa must of wanted to much money then

 

[Rob0729]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

I guess Tinoisamoa must of wanted to much money then

Or the Pats just felt Lenon was a better fit.

 

[spann31]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

2 articles on Lenon
Lions' Paris Lenon in middle of linebacker battle - Detroit Lions: News, Blogs, Photos, Audio, Schedule & Stats - MLive.com

Scouting Report: Paris Lenon - Detroit Lions: News, Blogs, Photos, Audio, Schedule & Stats - MLive.com

If you also read some of the fan comments on the bottom it seems that many of them thought he would be much better as a 4-3 outside linebacker.
He does not seem very strong or powerful and I do no think is a good fit for the Patriots. Also Detroit has been horrible at Run Defense even when Shaun Rodgers was there. He does make tackles and is athletic and by the scouting report he is athletic covering the back out of the backfield so he seems like a good back up but not really a good starter

 

[spann31]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

some of the fans are really hard on him let me post a few

Posted by kti on 08/01/08 at 7:41AM

Lenon seems like a good kid, I remember when he was here in GC they did a profile on him on one of the shows and he also has a real nice story of making it against the odds.

Having said that, I have no idea why anyone, who's seen him play, thinks he's a legit starting LB in the NFL, much less an above average one. He's a wonderful guy to have on the team, and many teams would be glad to have him...as a solid backup. When he is the second best LB on your roster, you're in trouble. That is nothing against the guy.

probullers and wrfetish are correct in their assessment, his tackle numbers mean nothing. A MLB has to be a playmaker and Lenon is not. to compare him, even halfheartedly, to EJ Henderson or Urlacher is absurd, can anyone think of a big hit/play Lenon has made? Much less 2-3 a game like guys like Willis & Urlacher?

Posted by bigboi49009 on 08/01/08 at 9:02AM

Lenon sucks against the run. Period. I like the guy as a person and love his story, but come on people. Get really. There were so many times Lenon had a chance to make a play and didn't. He'd wait a second too long and tackle the guy as he was running by him or just miss entirely. He never made TFL or tackles in the hole. All of his reads were always too slow. He's certainly not horrible, but he's down there with Boss Bailey, Chris Claiborne, and the other mediocre LB's we've had. Servicable, but you'll never win with them.

Posted by SUPERCLICK on 08/01/08 at 12:23PM

You guys are cracking me up!!!! Paris is not a NFL starting Middle Linebacker! He is an OLB or a backup MLB.

Posted by popeww on 08/01/08 at 2:38PM

probullers- yes, it is despicable that lenon could not tackle AP and LT, the 2 best backs in the game right now.... amazing logic...

mustafa- paris is horrible at deep coverage. horrible. dude never turns his hips, always running like a bishop in chess. but good observations about specific plays from last year though, nice to see an observant fan... i wish i could afford DVR, i'd watch the games 500 times during the offseason... my favorite play to watch develop is a HB sweep...

anyway.... lenon is a top 15 MLB... he's not spectacular, he's about 10 or 15 league-wide...

Posted by popeww on 08/01/08 at 3:50PM

Lenon is plenty to blame for the run game, I agree but so does the disapperance of Cory Redding, the player who just so happens to play in front of Lenon. Also the disapperance of Rogers hurt Lenon's ability. When your DT's don't do their job the chances of your MLB being successful go right out the window. HELLO! It's a part of football. Once again I agree that Lenon should not be the starting MLB.

 

[mgteich]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

I prefer Rotoworld's analysis to yours. If Bruschi had regressed as much as you say, the team would have used one of their first four picks on an ILB. There were indeed some available.

I don't understand Rotoworld's analysis. If signed, they say he would compete as the third MLB behind Bruschi and Mayo. Lenon had 121 tackles last year, so the guy can play. At this point, Bruschi is the third option with Lenon and Guyton battling to start next to Mayo. I just can't see Bruschi starting this year because his play has really regressed.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

I prefer Rotoworld's analysis to yours. If Bruschi had regressed as much as you say, the team would have used one of their first four picks on an ILB. There were indeed some available.

Or maybe BB thinks Guyton can take on the role. It's just a matter of time until Guyton takes over and it could be as soon as week 1.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Lenon appears to be a mediocre starter. But that makes him fine as the fourth ILB. He won't star, but he won't be a galring hole either, if called on.

Bill fills another depth position.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Monty Biesel Mk2.

This was the first thing that went through my head.

 

[Schmo]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Soooo..... is he better than Alexander??

 

[Fencer]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Sounds like he's a passing-downs backup, and can play STs.

There are a lot of passing downs in the NFL these days.

It also sounds as if MGTeich should take his ILB roster slot count to a semi-solid 4.

I don't see how either Guyton or Bruschi is reliable enough at this point for the team to voluntarily do without the other one.

 

[patsfan-1982]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

I don't understand Rotoworld's analysis. If signed, they say he would compete as the third MLB behind Bruschi and Mayo. Lenon had 121 tackles last year, so the guy can play. At this point, Bruschi is the third option with Lenon and Guyton battling to start next to Mayo. I just can't see Bruschi starting this year because his play has really regressed.

121 tackles on a 0-16 team that was last vs the run is not that good that just mean's he had lot's of plays. to get 121 tackles

if he was a great MLB he would have had 250 tackles on a team that bad then i would say he's a lock to start at ILB for the pats

right now he's in back of teddy b and guyton

 

[DarrylS]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

Is it hard to assess the value & stats of a player from an 0-16 team?? From what has been written difficult to tell if he is Monty Beisel II or a guy who will flourish surrounded by really good players on a really good team. If nothing else he has ST value..

 

[stinkypete]

Re: LB Paris Lenon Close to Agreement w/ Patriots

blog.mlive.com/lionsinsider/2007/06/scouting_report_paris_lenon.html

It's an old story, but I liked the comments about Lenon's consistency. He's a guy who does not make big mistakes. Really that is all I want to see out of a rotation ILB (in this rotation, barring injury,a guy like Lenon is not going to see more than 10-15% of the total snaps.