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I told you so's work better when you're comparing apples to apples. Anderson is succeeding as a 4-3 defensive end, that is not a guarantee that he would be successful as a 3-4 OLB. You list one accomplishment, sack totals, but how is he against the run? Does he play well in space? Does he play any Special Teams? For the record, he was on my draft board and I was growling about all the defensive ends being passed over by the Patriots too. I'm very pleased with Pierre Wood as a UDFA, and find it interesting that 9 of the 10 players drafted by New England found roster or Practice Squad spots, and two UDFAs hung around too. Another indication that Belichick and Pioli were ahead of me when they handed out the football smarts.
captain stone said:Could you mean a talent who leads all rookies in sacks, and who is second overall in sacks behind the best DLman in football - Julius Peppers - and who is a 5th-round pick of the Bears, and whose name is Mark Anderson? He was a DE at Alabama, but his #s at the Combine suggested to me that he could make an eventual transition to 3-4 OLB. I may be flamed by some for saying this, but the Patriots should have drafted him with one of their 4th-round picks (I would have taken BC's Will Blackmon with the other pick, but that's not the point here).
The Pats have given their defense only 2 quality reinforcements via the draft in 3 years (Wilfork and Hobbs). Replenishing the back 8 must be Priority #1, and #2, this offseason.