Pats sign Victor Hobson

[PatsDeb]

Limited in coverage and can get exploited in man-to-man? He's got Pats ILB written all over him!

This is what I thought! He's Tedy Bruschil without good hands! (not too many INTs). I wonder if this means they don't think Junior is going take his annual tour, or they do plan to sign Junior, use Bruschi and him in one spot & Hobson on the other.

 

[Mooch]

This signing reminds me a lot of when the Pats signed Roman Pfifer. He too was a Jets castoff miscast as an OLB but thrived once put into the Belichick 3-4. Pfifer was also known as a durable, tough hitting LB.

I think this is a great signing.

 

[State]

Clearly I'm in the minority on this, but I just don't see what all the enthusiasm is about concerning the signing of Hobson. Hell, I don't even think he has a guaranteed roster spot and he'll have to fight it out with Woods and Alexander who both happen to play special teams well. And I think this is exactly why the Pats signed him to a one year deal and Hobson himself had to settle for a one year deal. I say settle because it's obviously not the optimal contract a guy in the prime of his career should sign unless of course no one else was interested.

In his games against the Pats from the past two seasons, he's done little to nothing and his tallying of six sacks in '06 are really overstated as are his tackle totals. From what I've seen, the guy doesn't have a great motor, is slow to disengage from blocks, gets blown off his lanes even by the likes of Spach let alone the likes of Light, Kaczur, Kyle Brady and Watson, doesn't have the greatest instincts and play-recognition ability nor does he get after the QB like a Vrabel, Colvin, AD or Willie. His overall game, it seems to me, is closer to Tully's than the guys listed above.

I completely agree, Wotan Soup. VH: Big and slow. Where's the speed we so desperately are in need of? We're no closer to an additional playmaker in the LB corps. Hobson, whose slow 40 times hurt him in the draft and in making plays in the NFL, is merely a stopgap solution to an aging LBer corps that was in desperate need of a Patrick Willis last year. He's the guy whose 40 times were so unbelievably fast that he rocketed up the draft, being taken by SF at #11. What were his times? Four seconds and 37/100 and 4.38, run back to back.

Hobson barely can get below a 4.8. He does play hard, though. And he'd have held on to the SB fumble that another Yellowbelly (UM player) inexplicably coughed up. Pierre Woods, I'm talking about you.

This makes me think the Pats will go LB in the draft, either the Ohio State (Gholston) product or USC's Keith Rivers, who both look to make an immediate impact on the defense.

Hobson, a good character guy, can help by tutoring a more explosive player to eventually come in and white wash the feeble opposition. Go Pats!

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

No, you're right. It doesn't mean they will, but the probability is a little higher for CB than it is for LB just because the defensive backfield is still a little more suspect than the LB corps. And am I the only one with reservations when it comes to Hobbs being our number 1? This guy has gotten burned by every good WR in the league (specifically Plaxico Burress in the Super Bowl).

I don't think any of these signings are an indication of what specific position the Patriots will draft first.

They do this every year.... try to fill their holes prior to the draft so that they are able to take the best players available to them when it is their turn to draft.

All these signings show is that they are still operating under that plan.

I think it is just as likely that the patriots will draft a offensive linesman or TE as it is for them to draft a CB or a LB. It's all about the value. I wouldn't put any offensive/defensive position out of play for that first round pick. Of course, I still think they trade down for a lower pick in the 1st and an extra pick next year.

 

[patriotspride]

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

Hobson was not let go, he was a free agent.


I am also puzzled why Hobson lasted so long on the FA market, the Jets showed very little interest in resigning him, and why he only signed a 1 year deal with the pats

I like Hobson, solid tackler, good guy, durable, only 28, not very fast.

ok rephrase . if hobson was that good the jets would have tried to resign him.

 

[Rob0729]

I completely agree, Wotan Soup. VH: Big and slow. Where's the speed we so desperately are in need of? We're no closer to an additional playmaker in the LB corps. Hobson, whose slow 40 times hurt him in the draft and in making plays in the NFL, is merely a stopgap solution to an aging LBer corps that was in desperate need of a Patrick Willis last year. He's the guy whose 40 times were so unbelievably fast that he rocketed up the draft, being taken by SF at #11. What were his times? Four seconds and 37/100 and 4.38, run back to back.

Hobson barely can get below a 4.8. He does play hard, though. And he'd have held on to the SB fumble that another Yellowbelly (UM player) inexplicably coughed up. Pierre Woods, I'm talking about you.

This makes me think the Pats will go LB in the draft, either the Ohio State (Gholston) product or USC's Keith Rivers, who both look to make an immediate impact on the defense.

Hobson, a good character guy, can help by tutoring a more explosive player to eventually come in and white wash the feeble opposition. Go Pats!

Belichick has never put a high value on speed in his LB corp. I don't get why people want all this speed. Fact is that Bruschi, Seau (at least when we acquired him), Phifer, Vrabel, McGinest, Cox, and Ted Johnson all had/have average to below average speed at their positions. Belichick uses a read and react style of defense and speed isn't nearly as big of a requirement as instincts and smarts. The only LB he has has ever added to our LB corp with well above average speed was Adalius Thomas. Even Colvin didn't have that great of speed for an OLB.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Not suprisingly, he's all of the sudden too slow, too small, and too dumb to play in our defense at the ILB position.

Be fair... there were equal number of jet fans admitting that the Jets misused him by playing him in a position he was not suited for and now they are cursing the Patriots for having signed him. They feel that he will do well here as an ILB.

One guy even said "They will move him to ILB and he will be the next James Farrior".

I think that thread was pretty indicative of how fans are. Half will talk down the loss to make themselves feel better and half will admit that it sucks to lose the player, particularly to the Patriots.

It was the combination of playing him out of position, the other personel on their team, and their overal $hittyness that contributed to them no longer wanting him. Even Vilma played poorly last year according to their fans.

I think we have a gem here... maybe the next Mike Vrabel-type player, but at ILB instead.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

ok rephrase . if hobson was that good the jets would have tried to resign him.

I suggest you go read the entire 4 pages of that Jet thread linked to in this one.

You will better understand how he ended up a FA. You will also better understand why the interest in him probably did not match his salary expectations... hence why he ended up here on a 1 year contract.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

I know we're all reading that with his height and short arms and blocky build and more quickness than speed, he's better suited to ILB. Makes sense. OTOH, if you want the most success on day one of a one year contract, you might start him at OLB and put AD back inside, which he already knows how to play. Then draft a real top-of-the-line speed rusher who can back up Hobson and be the starter next year and you've got your progression.

That makes more sense to me than this fan movement to ILB.

According to the Jets fans, he has played ILB in the past and looked much better there. However, they drafted Harris and the need at OLB was greater, so they moved him outside.

Most of their fans acknowledge that was a really dumb move as he was playing out of position and was not well suited to play OLB. Unfortunately for them, he would probably be a backup ILB on their team... although most of them admit he is no slouch.

He will be moved to ILB and we will play well.

 

[Rob0729]

ok rephrase . if hobson was that good the jets would have tried to resign him.

Because he didn't fit in well playing outside and they didn't have a spot for him inside.

Don't forget that the Jets destroyed their o-line last year because they refused to give Pete Kendall a million dollars. They are paying Damian Woody $5 million a year to play RT and he is an overweight underachiever who has only played 5 games at RT in his career. Mangini is also decided to employ the 3-4 eventhough his personnel wasn't suited for it. So I think the Jets have made their fair share of bad personnel decisions.

 

[fgssand]

Because he didn't fit in well playing outside and they didn't have a spot for him inside.

Don't forget that the Jets destroyed their o-line last year because they refused to give Pete Kendall a million dollars. They are paying Damian Woody $5 million a year to play RT and he is an overweight underachiever who has only played 5 games at RT in his career. Mangini is also decided to employ the 3-4 eventhough his personnel wasn't suited for it. So I think the Jets have made their fair share of bad personnel decisions.

Seems to me we picked up a vey smart, experienced 3-4 player to shore up and add the kind of deopth to the ILB position that is much needed. With TB & hopefully Junior coming back - you gotta give these guys a blow so they do not wear down.

Terrific pick up IMHO...they guy is as sure handed a tackler is you'll ever want to see. Pats know him well, they really scouted him and liked him a lot when he came out of college.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I really like this signing. The Pats add an experienced 3-4 linebacker who can step into an ILB role immediately. And knowing them, they did it for a very affordable 1 year deal. What's not to like?

So the Pats have now shored up CB and ILB. This gives them a lot of flexibility in the draft to pick the best player for them, not just to draft for need. This is value based team building, something the Pats have been very good at in the past. Sure we won't know how well these moves will work out until training camp... but it's a decent start in a year where the Patriots are not nearly as flush in cap money as 2007.

 

[Pats726]

Even with this signing...and hopefully Junior's return, I still think they will make a play for Seward,,, It may NOT be the same off er they would have made if they hadn't signed Hobson.

 

[bradmahn]

I like Hobson's versatility, especially when in comparison to the other LBs on the club. My dream would be that he becomes a starter and they draft a highly touted pass rusher. Imagine, you could have four linebackers consisting of the Rookie OLB, Adalius Thomas, Victor Hobbson, and Mike Vrabel on the field at once. With the pass rushing abilities of all four of those players the blitz could come from anywhere and we already know Adalius is excellent in coverage, Vrabel is good, Hobbson is adequate, and the rook should be at least capable. Belichick, Capers and Pees could apply the kind of pressure... that has not been seen before. :rocker:

 

[patsgo]

Even with this signing...and hopefully Junior's return, I still think they will make a play for Seward,,, It may NOT be the same off er they would have made if they hadn't signed Hobson.

give it up on the seward thing this signing dooms any chance of special teamer seward being signed

 

[bradmahn]

give it up on the seward thing this signing dooms any chance of special teamer seward being signed

Let's keep your Seward vitriol in the appropriate thread, okay?


And this one isn't it.

 

[patsgo]

Let's keep your Seward vitriol in the appropriate thread, okay?


And this one isn't it.

why bring seward into this thread??? hasnt it been discussed enough, this thread is about hobson not seward so go look in the mirror

 

[NEPatriot]

I noticed that we don't have a lot of outside LB guys. We only have 2 inside LBs who can play outside position. Is it a good time to have some outside LB.?

 

[patchick]

I noticed that we don't have a lot of outside LB guys. We only have 2 inside LBs who can play outside position. Is it a good time to have some outside LB.?

I think we just don't have a lot of LBs, period. Put Thomas and Vrabel outside, Bruschi and Hobson inside...then pray that everybody stays healthy all year long or you're looking at Woods and Alexander. The Hobson signing is just one step along the way toward rebuilding the LB corps, with more players coming along one way or another.

 

[ALP]

its actually quite wrong to think the pats wont make a move for seward because they signed HOBSON, for ONE YEAR

quite ludicrous indeed