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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.Question : is Brace ready for prime time like some are hoping ? Or will he always be a suporting cast type à la Jarvis Green - productive, but never quite cream of the crop ?
It seems as though, considering the position he plays vs where he was drafted, it would be unrealistic to think he'll blossom into a superstar. Long story short, what can a fan realistically expect from R. Brace in coming years ?
Question : is Brace ready for prime time like some are hoping ? Or will he always be a suporting cast type à la Jarvis Green - productive, but never quite cream of the crop ?
It seems as though, considering the position he plays vs where he was drafted, it would be unrealistic to think he'll blossom into a superstar. Long story short, what can a fan realistically expect from R. Brace in coming years ?
Question 1: Nope, he's a rookie and will need a little seasoning even if he winds up starting.Question : is Brace ready for prime time like some are hoping ? Or will he always be a suporting cast type à la Jarvis Green - productive, but never quite cream of the crop ?
It seems as though, considering the position he plays vs where he was drafted, it would be unrealistic to think he'll blossom into a superstar. Long story short, what can a fan realistically expect from R. Brace in coming years ?
Question 1: Nope, he's a rookie and will need a little seasoning even if he winds up starting.
2: You obviously understand that productive isn't bad, but can he grow (figuratively for his health's sake) into another Ted Washington? I'd say it's not impossible. Pat Williams in Minnesota is considered one of the beasts of the DT pool and he's not your pass rushing type either.
3. I think a realistic expectation is a solid run stuffing citizen in the middle, he will be able to force double teams and he'll be hard to shift, that should free up Mayo & Co. to find the RB's crease and close the door before he's through. Expect Big Vince to have fresh legs heading into the playoffs, Brace will help keep him from wearing down and can also allow Vince to give Sey or Ty a blow at DE too. We can also expect that games where NE wants to really shut down the middle will be interesting to watch with Vince and Ron "bracing" the middle.
#2: Matt Light, it can be done.#2 - I think BB would rather get a decent, productive, "do the things I ask you to do right" type of player - even in the second round, than hope for a homerun.
#3 - If Brace does that, I know it'd be enough for me to be pleased with his performance. BB has been quite good at the DL, with M. Hill (RIP) seemingly being a rare miss.
As Troy Brown might say...Is the bottom line just that the draft - even with all the info and gametapes and mesurables - is still just an educated crapshoot ?
Brace on board
Posted by Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff
July 17, 2009 09:23 AM
The Patriots have signed another draft pick, locking up nose tackle Ron Brace. Brace's agent, Nate Haber, announced the news via his Twitter feed, saying that Brace had agreed to a four-year deal with the club with roughly $2.82 million in guarantees.
With the uncertainty surrounding nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who is in the last year of his deal and is seeking a new contract with the Patriots, making sure that Brace was signed on time and ready to go for training camp was important.
Brace, a Boston College standout, was the Patriots' second overall selection in the 2009 draft and the second of the team's four second-round picks, taken with the 40th overall selection. The Patriots now have deals for three of their four second-round picks and four of their top five selections.
The team has not struck a deal yet with safety Patrick Chung, the team's top overall selection and the first of its four second-round picks, taken No. 34 overall.
The 6-foot, 3-inch, 330-pound Brace is a native of Springfield and attended Worcester Burncoat High School. He teamed with BC's B.J. Raji, a first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers, to give the Eagles one of the top interior defensive line tandems in the nation last season. BC led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rush defense last season.
Brace started 37 straight games at BC. Last season, he had 27 tackles, a career-high three sacks and was second on the team with 11 tackles for a loss.