PFT: Combine rumor: Bruschi will retire

[dhamz]

Consider how we would feel if the teams signed a 4 year deal with Woods indicating that he now is good enough to step up? I don't think that this will happen, but perhaps we here are giving up too soon.

I'd feel better about Woods if he could have gotten on the field at all once Colvin went down.

With the age of our LB core you would have thought there was room for him to take over some snaps if for no other reason than to keep other guys fresh but we basically went with just the core 4 guys the entire rest of the way.

 

[signbabybrady]

The man has heart no question. He also made a courageous comeback from the stroke. I just feel that he isn't an asset any longer. Losing him hurts in the leadership realm, but not on the field per se.

I don't think you are qualified to say.....offense intended.

 

[MassPats38]

Bruschi showed he can still play against San Diego and made some athletic plays. He led the team in tackles. A bad LB does not lead the team in tackles.

Both Bruschi and Seau flash their former abilities given their ages, which is why rotating them produced some of the Pats' best defense. Neither is an every down player, but combined they make for a good ILB.

Colvin does not play ILB, he is a good OLB. Given the number of years Colvin has here and the issues the Pats had trying to replace Bruschi after his stroke, I suspect Colvin lacks that skill set or he would have played ILB when the Pats were getting pushed back up the middle. ILB in the 3-4 requires size and smarts, and as such I suspect the position is not an easy fill.

If Bruschi's health is the problem, I say retire and wish him the best. As far as upgrades, most fans remember Beisel and Brown (both historically decent LBs) and the pains of fitting other LBs into Bruschi's role. Short of him getting his doors blown off due to degrading abilities (and the passes defensed statistics thrown around are not necessarily reflective of degraded abilities) I'd love to see him play another year. I do not see any free agent or draft LB that can assume his role and produce a better defense. A year or two down the road maybe, but not next year.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

Even that is nonsense because there is nobody competnt to play along side AD absent Seau AND Bruschi - ergo Eli could just run it over us as opposed to completing fire drill circus catch passes. We shut down the run - it was the pass rush and secondary that didn't hold up their end of the deal defensively. And that secondary is now a little lighter on starters too.

Life happens... I thought that he would have retired right after his mini stroke.

He is my favorite player... but, it eventually WILL happen when he hangs it up.

 

[Pats726]

As far as upgrades, most fans remember Beisel and Brown (both historically decent LBs) and the pains of fitting other LBs into Bruschi's role. Short of him getting his doors blown off due to degrading abilities (and the passes defensed statistics thrown around are not necessarily reflective of degraded abilities) I'd love to see him play another year. I do not see any free agent or draft LB that can assume his role and produce a better defense. A year or two down the road maybe, but not next year.

Also remember that TJ retired at teh last minute, so it was BOTH the ILBs that had to be replaced.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Also remember that TJ retired at teh last minute, so it was BOTH the ILBs that had to be replaced.

Well, I think BB made a wrong decision with Beisel and that's all you can say about that. Look, sometimes he's a genius, other times he's not. It happens. I hope Bill gets it right this year, but anyone thinking this team cannot improve from the LB play is blind.

 

[pats1]

Well, I think BB made a wrong decision with Beisel and that's all you can say about that. Look, sometimes he's a genius, other times he's not. It happens. I hope Bill gets it right this year, but anyone thinking this team cannot improve from the LB play is blind.

A wrong decision in what sense? I don't think BB signed him with the expectation of starting him full-time.

 

[mgteich]

Beisel was signed a backup, a replacement for the injured Davis. Beisel was supposed to be a Ster and take a few reps at ILB. Expecting him to start next to Chad Brown (who never even played ILB before) was ridiculous. In addition to losing Phifer, Johnson and Bruschi, Vrabel was also hurting enough so that he couldn't move inside.

A wrong decision in what sense? I don't think BB signed him with the expectation of starting him full-time.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Who was Beisel supposed to back up? Phifer was gone, Bruschi had a stroke. Beisel damn sure was signed to play.

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

A few things I don't get from this thread:

- The point that even at this stage in this career, Bruschi is just a JAG. How would a real JAG do in this system as an ILB and if he's indeed merely a JAG, why has it proven so difficult to replace the guy? No one is suggesting he's the same 'play with reckless abandon, somersault over the LOS en route to sacking the QB, rip the ball out of a RB's arm on sheer will' play-making Tedy Bruschi of old, but the guys still makes plays and is still solid.

- Who would be his replacement? Absent this, and given the injury track record from years past that the LB corp has been inflicted with, how does Tedy retiring make this LB corp "better?"

- On Lua: indeed, I was impressed by the kid and loved that we picked him up prior to even having watched him in preseason. And though I liked what I saw from his play in two or three quarters during preseason, I would hardly say the kid's even earned a roster spot let alone earned the right to be suggested as Bruschi's eventual replacement.

Tedy has at least one solid left in his warrior frame. Should he walk into BB's office any time soon to announce his retirement, I seriously want BB to try as hard as he can to dissuade Tedy from retiring this season.

 

[pats63]

Let's wait until #54 says the word....I am sure nobody in the Pats going to give up anything....one day at time...don't panic....