The way I see LB duties falling out...

[PATRIOTS-80]

3-4 base
Colvin.....Bruschi......Vrabel......TBC

The 3-4 ILB runstuffer role: Seau
The (4 DL) nickel/dime MLB role: Gardner

Developmental OLB rookies: Mincey, Woods

ST: Izzo, Eric Alexander, Don Davis



The injured guys are Monty Beisel, Chad Brown (who knows how bad they are hurt).


INTERESTING IDEA:
Interesting enough on nickel plays, Gardner can play MLB, Colvin and TBC can be DE, and Vrabel can play LOLB. I guess you could call that a 2-4 nickel since Colvin and TBC are really LB.

 

[chowder]

3-4 base
Colvin.....Bruschi......Vrabel......TBC

The 3-4 ILB runstuffer role: Seau
The (4 DL) nickel/dime MLB role: Gardner

Developmental OLB rookies: Mincey, Woods

ST: Izzo, Eric Alexander, Don Davis



The injured guys are Monty Beisel, Chad Brown (who knows how bad they are hurt).


INTERESTING IDEA:
Interesting enough on nickel plays, Gardner can play MLB, Colvin and TBC can be DE, and Vrabel can play LOLB. I guess you could call that a 2-4 nickel since Colvin and TBC are really LB.

I like that 3-4 base with Colvin and TBC as edge rushers and Vrabel and Bruschi holding up the middle. I've also always been a fan of Seau and even if he's slowed down, he should be a pretty good run stuffer on running plays.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

3-4 base
Colvin.....Bruschi......Vrabel......TBC

The 3-4 ILB runstuffer role: Seau
The (4 DL) nickel/dime MLB role: Gardner

Developmental OLB rookies: Mincey, Woods

ST: Izzo, Eric Alexander, Don Davis



The injured guys are Monty Beisel, Chad Brown (who knows how bad they are hurt).


INTERESTING IDEA:
Interesting enough on nickel plays, Gardner can play MLB, Colvin and TBC can be DE, and Vrabel can play LOLB. I guess you could call that a 2-4 nickel since Colvin and TBC are really LB.

That's a full quota of LBs, BB has a challenge for his cut downs. Frankly, I'm not that enamored of the Seau signing given how well Woods and TBC have looked, not to mention Gardner.

 

[AzPatsFan]

3-4 base
Colvin.....Bruschi......Vrabel......TBC

The 3-4 ILB runstuffer role: Seau
The (4 DL) nickel/dime MLB role: Gardner

Developmental OLB rookies: Mincey, Woods

ST: Izzo, Eric Alexander, Don Davis



The injured guys are Monty Beisel, Chad Brown (who knows how bad they are hurt).



INTERESTING IDEA:
Interesting enough on nickel plays, Gardner can play MLB, Colvin and TBC can be DE, and Vrabel can play LOLB. I guess you could call that a 2-4 nickel since Colvin and TBC are really LB.

I question the common assumption that Izzo and Davis have automatic roster spots this year. On ST the Pats have several players who can be excellent ST players AND ALSO play regular position at least in a reserve capacity. I would say that Tebuckey, Mills, TBC, Gardener, (and yes) Beisel, Andrews, Wright, Sanders, Guss Scott et al, are accomplished ST players,

Plus Izzo is 33 and Davis is a few months older than that.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Wonder what the deal was with Claridge. They were pretty high on him before he got hurt, then he's quietly cut and never heard from again.