I'm sorry but if you are prioritizing Long Snapper of all positions as a top 5 need, you are off your rocker. Paxton is not going to cost a fortune to resign and he is a NICHE player on special teams. I'd place punter ahead of long snapper as a need, and punter ain't in my top 5, no way no how. Who is out there waiting to snatch Paxton away from us? the Colts? Being a little paranoid here?
VJC - You clearly don't understand the importance of the long snapper for you to have such an attitude. In fact, I'd say that you'd be bordline ignorant.
Some things to remember, Paxton was a free agent this past off-season. The Patriots had plenty of cap available to sign him to a long term deal, yet he only signed a 1 year deal. So either he refused a long term deal or the Pats didn't offer him one. In ANY case, that makes long snapper, which is the signle most important special teams position that is not a kicker or punter, a top need. You can feel otherwise, but IMHO, it just means you aren't bothering to look at all the facts.
By the way, just because you've got bodies at a position, OLB, if those bodies are filled by jags, by no means are you set at that position. AD has played nicely when healthy but has hardly been the impact guy we envisioned replacing McGinest and taking this defense to the next level. Rosie was similarly disappointing. Woods and Crable have proven nothing. And PUH-LEEZ don't cite practice squad guys as the answer either.
Do me a favor and go do some studying on 3-4 2GAP OLBs who have been successful. Or can't you be bothered? Also, your talent evaluation leaves a lot to be desired... Or did you suddently gain the ability to see the future so you know that Woods, Redd, Crabel, Robertson, and Craig are just only going to amount to JAGS in their careers. You're being a complete idiot in saying such.
Sorry, but Woods proved that he can play the 3-4 OLB position for the Patriots at a level that can allow this team to continue to succeed. The coaches saw that.
To call Colvin a disappointment because he suffered a career threatening injury during his second game as a Patriots is just sheer idiocy. Did you ever stop to think that maybe YOUR excpectations
BTW, I'll cite anything and everything I can to show that you are being close-minded to the point of being a buffoon.
The Pats inside linebacker combo currently has the highest upside of any other position on our defense and both guys are YOUNG and healthy. That is the position needing the LEAST upgrading. A 3rd developmental ILB can be found in round 5 or 6 of the draft or a jag FA ILB signed to rotate. I wouldn't place ILB in my top 5 either or even near it, in fact it would be near the bottom of needs, though admittedly ahead of LONG SNAPPER!!
That is you. Its clear that you have your own opinions, some of which aren't based on how the Patriots have handled things in the past. BTW, if you are going to say that Woods hasn't proven anything, then you have to say the same about Guyton, based on what you've presented as supporting evidence.. oh .. wait... you've not presented anything... Hmm....
Let's try this again. Pass rusher is a NEED on this team. Someone who can pressure the QB so that the Chad Pennington's of the world don't look like the second coming of Dan Marino because he has ALL DAY to throw. I don't care if you have Champ Bailey back there, if the QB gets that much time to throw the defense will get burned.
You have YOUR unfounded opinion. MG and I have ours. BTW, please show MG and myself where we said that OLB wasn't a need.....
Now there are 3 feasible ways to get a passrusher - draft, free agency, trade. Trade is the least likely scenario in the NFL because of salary cap implications. So it's gonna be the draft or free agency. BB and his staff will do their homework and find an answer because pass rushing IS a need. The same people who assert that it is NOT a need are the same people who said we would be just fine at WR after Branch and Givens left town and our WR corps was full of JAGS in 2006. Guess what, BB disagreed and not only got us Moss and Welker, but even spent a high 2nd round selection on Chad Jackson. Jackson was a bust but CLEARLY the front office went guns blazing to address the NEED. And it worked. See record setting 2007 season for details.
There is nothing like over-stating things in a poor attempt to support your case. No one said that a younger OLB who could meet the Patriots needs of someone who can rush the Passer, set the edge against the run and drop into coverage wasn't a need. That is your BS reaction to where MG and I have OLB on our list of needs.
I have news for you. If you are going to use an example, the least you could do is have your facts about the example correct. You have your whole time line screwed up and you are clearly forgetting a HUGE piece of the puzzle. Deion Branch. See, you are one of the people who forgets that Deion Branch LIED to the Patriots prior to the 2006 draft and said that he wouldn't hold out and that he'd play through his contract. It wasn't until AFTER the Patriots had drafted Chad Jackson in 2006 that Branch came out and said that he would be holding out. Jackson was hurt during the mini camps and, as such, missed a majority of training camp. The Pats were left with JAGS because of the Branch situation. And it was because of how good Welker played during the 2006 season against the Patriots that Belichick went out and got him. And Moss was a low risk, high reward offer that was too good to pass up.
So, I'm sorry, but you are wrong on three counts. You are wrong in your assertion that MG and I don't see OLB as a need. We do. We just don't see it as high of a need as you do. You are wrong with example. You're whole thought process was incorrect. And it shows you really aren't bothering to think through your rebuttles. The third count where you are wrong is in your definition of the type of OLB tht the Patriots need. They don't need a straight pass rusher. They need someone who can rush the passer, set the edge, and drop into coverage. They aren't going to find that in a draft pick.
