Per ESPN: Redskins release DE Jason Taylor

[JSn]

Taylor - known quantity at OLB, 2 solid years left (but even one gives us time to groom the guy we draft), no picks to obtain, smaller cost than Peppers or Suggs.

Peppers - conversion project, though probably a successful one. Will cost picks and more cap space, potential for extended production as he is younger.

To me there are inside and outside reasons to get Taylor.

Inside: Solid performer, known quantity, instant team respect, knows our foes already. The change of position might also set his fire again.

Outside: Star power and essentially a delayed defection from the enemy. These are business reasons. A team that fields stars sells more tickets. Ask the Cowboys. A team that fields stars that actually contribute to the game? Frikkin' priceless.

Either way, the ideal situation is to ultimately add a guy who will be "raised" in the Patriots way for a long haul and that's through the draft. If we can keep our picks for better odds of success, we should.

Having Taylor in also drives down Peppers' and the ****ies bargaining power.

Here's hoping a visit is announced forth-with. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES, BTW...

Per a league source, Taylor hasn’t signed with the Dolphins. In fact, he’s been contacted already by roughly a dozen teams, but none of them are the Dolphins.

 

[lapatsfan]

Taylor wants a SB ring, he's friends with Brady, Belichick speaks very highly of him.... he will sign in NE for less money.

 

[ICSB]

I hope we're all intelligent enough to see that it's way better to sign a free agent in Taylor than get Peppers and have to give up picks.

It doesn't appear that way though on this board

Oh I agree with this. I never got the obsession with Peppers to be honest even though he is a great talent. I know he is great but he will be quite expensive. And Panthers fans claim their gm wants two first rounders. The Panthers do not have a first rounder this year and would love to get one. Peppers may actually have to stay with Carolina this year if they dont get a big enough offer. There probably already has been offers to Carolina but they are not enough.

JMO

 

[jays52]

Taylor - known quantity at OLB, 2 solid years left (but even one gives us time to groom the guy we draft), no picks to obtain, smaller cost than Peppers or Suggs.

Peppers - conversion project, though probably a successful one. Will cost picks and more cap space, potential for extended production as he is younger.

To me there are inside and outside reasons to get Taylor.

Inside: Solid performer, known quantity, instant team respect, knows our foes already. The change of position might also set his fire again.

Outside: Star power and essentially a delayed defection from the enemy. These are business reasons. A team that fields stars sells more tickets. Ask the Cowboys. A team that fields stars that actually contribute to the game? Frikkin' priceless.

Either way, the ideal situation is to ultimately add a guy who will be "raised" in the Patriots way for a long haul and that's through the draft. If we can keep our picks for better odds of success, we should.

Having Taylor in also drives down Peppers' and the ****ies bargaining power.

Here's hoping a visit is announced forth-with.

Hang on a sec bro, while that was one hell of a breakdown and there is certainly value in the acquisition of Taylor, don't you think that...well...you're trippin, holmes? Peppers and Taylor are two very different, mutually exclusive potential acquisitions. Year one, there is no question who will be the better player. However, if we truely want to stick with the mantra of getting younger and more athletic on defense, wouldn't Peppers (finances assumed reasonable) make more sense in the long term than Taylor? After Vrabes was dumped, it became clear to me that 4 mil of cap hit wasn't worth the league's most intelligent and arguably premier 34 run stuffing OLB. I understand Taylor's pass rushing presents more value monetarialy than Vrabel's run stuffing, but if we are truely willing to deal with the pains of transition, why would be bring in a one year stop gap over a four year dominant solution?

 

[JSn]

I understand Taylor's pass rushing presents more value monetarialy than Vrabel's run stuffing, but if we are truely willing to deal with the pains of transition, why would be bring in a one year stop gap over a four year dominant solution?

That's the thing though, if we can dramatically increase the pass rush while getting the next OLB of the upcoming 5-6 years ready we should. If we have to lose picks and cap room for Peppers, I don't think it's worth it. His personality and the way he's handling the Panthers makes me wonder if he would really last four years here.

Obviously I don't pretend to be able to evaluate the pros and cons on a scouting level (if I could, I'd have moved to Boston by now), but on a glance with an eye toward the future, I'd rather bring in the the better first year impact guy and have his successor at 23-25 yrs. old ready to rip the shtuff up. jmo

 

[patsfan55]

arguably premier 34 run stuffing OLB. I understand Taylor's pass rushing presents more value monetarialy than Vrabel's run stuffing

No offense, but what the heck have you been smoking?
Vrabel, best 34 run stuffing olb, what!?!? The man has had trouble controlling his blocker for the last few yrs. Sure, he was once a very good run stopping olb, nothing ever remotely close to old friend Willie. But, never has he ever been the best in the game, and he clearly isn't even close now. At best he's marginally above average.

 

[jays52]

No offense, but what the heck have you been smoking?
Vrabel, best 34 run stuffing olb, what!?!? The man has had trouble controlling his blocker for the last few yrs. Sure, he was once a very good run stopping olb, nothing ever remotely close to old friend Willie. But, never has he ever been the best in the game, and he clearly isn't even close now. At best he's marginally above average.

Not to be a ****, but have we been watching the same games? Honestly, I don't see how anyone with a remotely alert footbally eye could miss how effective Vrabes is at controlling the inside shoulder at the POA while keeping his hips turned inside and retaining a free outside shoulder while scraping towards his side. I really don't like to be a pindejo, but if you don't see that, frankly you know nothing about football. Uh and also...marginally above average? Dude, is that even a valid english term?

 

[jays52]

That's the thing though, if we can dramatically increase the pass rush while getting the next OLB of the upcoming 5-6 years ready we should. If we have to lose picks and cap room for Peppers, I don't think it's worth it. His personality and the way he's handling the Panthers makes me wonder if he would really last four years here.

Obviously I don't pretend to be able to evaluate the pros and cons on a scouting level (if I could, I'd have moved to Boston by now), but on a glance with an eye toward the future, I'd rather bring in the the better first year impact guy and have his successor at 23-25 yrs. old ready to rip the shtuff up. jmo

Valid points bro. Wasn't trying to challenge you nor start debate, was just checking into your throught process to further my own opinion.

 

[Grizzafted]

Taylor - known quantity at OLB, 2 solid years left (but even one gives us time to groom the guy we draft), no picks to obtain, smaller cost than Peppers or Suggs.

Peppers - conversion project, though probably a successful one. Will cost picks and more cap space, potential for extended production as he is younger.

To me there are inside and outside reasons to get Taylor.

Inside: Solid performer, known quantity, instant team respect, knows our foes already. The change of position might also set his fire again.

Outside: Star power and essentially a delayed defection from the enemy. These are business reasons. A team that fields stars sells more tickets. Ask the Cowboys. A team that fields stars that actually contribute to the game? Frikkin' priceless.

Either way, the ideal situation is to ultimately add a guy who will be "raised" in the Patriots way for a long haul and that's through the draft. If we can keep our picks for better odds of success, we should.

Having Taylor in also drives down Peppers' and the ****ies bargaining power.

Here's hoping a visit is announced forth-with. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES, BTW...

well put. and i guarantee we're on the phone with him. if he wants to come here i bet that's what happens. i just don't want to overpay for him... hm. jason taylor is a big upgrade over vrabel, what money will he want though?

 

[patsfan55]

Not to be a ****, but have we been watching the same games? Honestly, I don't see how anyone with a remotely alert footbally eye could miss how effective Vrabes is at controlling the inside shoulder at the POA while keeping his hips turned inside and retaining a free outside shoulder while scraping towards his side. I really don't like to be a pindejo, but if you don't see that, frankly you know nothing about football. Uh and also...marginally above average? Dude, is that even a valid english term?

Vrabel sure looks good at keeping contain when the other guys you get used to watching are Colvin and Adalius Thomas. I still have hope for Adalius though, he did show some improvement last year before getting hurt. I think moving around, and being in a new defense was obviously hard for him, and feel next year could be a very nice season for him.
And, yes marginally above average...slightly above average; same thing bro.

 

[mgteich]

Taylor will give us somewhat of a discount, but given how many teams are interested, he won't come cheap. He is still well worth acquiring.

 

[Feep50]

Taylor - known quantity at OLB, 2 solid years left (but even one gives us time to groom the guy we draft), no picks to obtain, smaller cost than Peppers or Suggs.

Peppers - conversion project, though probably a successful one. Will cost picks and more cap space, potential for extended production as he is younger.

To me there are inside and outside reasons to get Taylor.

Inside: Solid performer, known quantity, instant team respect, knows our foes already. The change of position might also set his fire again.

Outside: Star power and essentially a delayed defection from the enemy. These are business reasons. A team that fields stars sells more tickets. Ask the Cowboys. A team that fields stars that actually contribute to the game? Frikkin' priceless.

Either way, the ideal situation is to ultimately add a guy who will be "raised" in the Patriots way for a long haul and that's through the draft. If we can keep our picks for better odds of success, we should.

Having Taylor in also drives down Peppers' and the ****ies bargaining power.

Here's hoping a visit is announced forth-with. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES, BTW...

This is one of the most lucid, well-thought out posts I have seen here recently, and THAT is saying something cuz this site rocks......

 

[JSn]

This is one of the most lucid, well-thought out posts I have seen here recently, and THAT is saying something cuz this site rocks......

Dude, you joined in 07 and your first post was a compliment to me? Honoured.

It's the whole blind-squirrel thing, haha.

 

[JSn]

Added note from PFT:

As we hear it, Taylor is going to take some time before making a decision. And that makes sense — anyone who signs him in March will expect him to participate in the offseason program, and that’s precisely why he was cut by the Redskins.

So if he continues to play, he’ll likely sign a contract in June or July.

 

[maverick4]

Dude, you joined in 07 and your first post was a compliment to me? Honoured.

It's the whole blind-squirrel thing, haha.

Haha, he joined in October 2007 and made his first post in March 2009.

That's gotta make JSn feel good, it's like if you turned a lesbian straight

 

[JSn]

Haha, he joined in October 2007 and made his first post in March 2009.

That's gotta make JSn feel good, it's like if you turned a lesbian straight

Man, my goal would only be to get her half-way straight.

 

[rblee83]

I heard that Taylor was playing injured most of last year. His production was waaay down, but how much of that was due to injury?

I have been on the Peppers and/or Suggs bandwagon recently, but Taylor getting released is certainly intriguing. It reminds me of when the Chargers released Harrison after he was injured. This looks like more of a salary cap move than anything else though. JT has only a couple years left, but more than enough time to groom another young LB.

A lot of this comes down to what BB thinks of the draft class. If it is as deep as they claim, especially in the OLB / DE convert class, than signing taylor and a CB in free agency might be the best move here. We could use the remaining cash to extend Wilfork, and sign 3-4 top 48 picks. And if next year is uncapped, loading up on a boatload of picks might be the way to go.

 

[MetalBleachers]

Taylor only had 29 tackles and 3.5 sax last year. Was he playing as a 4-3 DE or did they have him standing up?

 

[Patriot Missile]

Taylor only had 29 tackles and 3.5 sax last year. Was he playing as a 4-3 DE or did they have him standing up?

They had him wrapped up in Ben Gay on the bench. Forget this guy, he's done.

 

[JSn]

They had him wrapped up in Ben Gay on the bench. Forget this guy, he's done.

To be fair he had mid-season surgery for an almost undetected life-threatening injury.