What do the Patriots NEED out of free agency?

[The 12th Man]

Sorry, that's 3 seasons if you count last year, but you get the idea.

Defensive Stats
Year Team G Total Tkl Ast Sacks Int Yds Avg Lg TD Pass Def
1990 San Diego Chargers 16 0 0.0 0 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1991 San Diego Chargers 16 121 95.0 26 7 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
1992 San Diego Chargers 15 98 81.0 17 4.5 2 51 25.5 29 0 8
1993 San Diego Chargers 16 129 110.0 19 0 2 58 29.0 42 0 9
1994 San Diego Chargers 16 154 123.0 31 5.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 3
1995 San Diego Chargers 16 128 111.0 17 2 2 5 2.5 3 0 6
1996 San Diego Chargers 15 139 111.0 28 7 2 18 9.0 10 0 5
1997 San Diego Chargers 15 97 84.0 13 7 2 33 16.5 26 0 4
1998 San Diego Chargers 16 114 91.0 23 3.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 7
1999 San Diego Chargers 14 98 74.0 24 3.5 1 16 16.0 16 0 8
2000 San Diego Chargers 16 122 102.0 20 3.5 2 2 1.0 2 0 8
2001 San Diego Chargers 16 94 83.0 11 1 1 2 2.0 2 0 5
2002 San Diego Chargers 13 83 59.0 24 1.5 1 25 25.0 25 0 6
2003 Miami Dolphins 15 96 66.0 30 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 3
2004 Miami Dolphins 8 57 31.0 26 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2005 Miami Dolphins 7 36 18.0 18 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2006 New England Patriots 11 69 39.0 30 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
TOTAL 241 1635 1278.0 357 53.0 15 210 14.0 42 0 77

 

[cstjohn17]

First of all, you can't just assume he always gets hurt when the guy has only had two seasons in his entire 17 year career in which he missed more than 3 games. The last two were the worst with the Dolphins, but he is still a difference maker on defense. Anytime you have a player who is a difference maker, you make room for him and give him playing time. Simple as that. You don't know who will get hurt and who won't. If you think we don't need Seau, you probably also think we don't need Rodney, Eugene, and other guys with recent unfortunate season ending injuries repeated times. Seau is still a good contributor, just like Rodney, and though both are up there in age, you can't just say we should get someone else. I think you bring in young talent and let them groom slowly this year and when ready, they will take those spots.

Look at the trend, it is not good. Look at the history of the NFL, not a lot of 37 year old MLB. If Seau comes back in a platoon role, 1st & 2nd downs, that is fine but to pencil him in as a starter is not wise. The Pats pulled him out of retirement and it looks like the got the last good set of plays out of him.

By all accounts this is Bruschi's last year, time to bring in at least one starter in his twenties so there is some continuity going forward.

 

[The 12th Man]

Look at the trend, it is not good. Look at the history of the NFL, not a lot of 37 year old MLB. If Seau comes back in a platoon role, 1st & 2nd downs, that is fine but to pencil him in as a starter is not wise. The Pats pulled him out of retirement and it looks like the got the last good set of plays out of him.

By all accounts this is Bruschi's last year, time to bring in at least one starter in his twenties so there is some continuity going forward.

If you read a few posts back, that is what I already said. Seau would only play in run situations (1st and 2nd downs) and we draft one or two LBs in the first 2 rounds to develop throughout the year, but not play every single down right away as that no LB in the draft that we can get at #24 or later can come in right away and be very effective.

 

[BradyManny]

As long as that free agent (or trade) were a deep field threat, I'd agree with you.

Another 10 yard per catch WR or TE isn't going to do what we need. We'll still have secondaries lining up 15 yards "deep" against us putting all kinds of pressure on the TE, RB & QB.

Yeah, I agree.

Still, if the latest news on CJ's health is true, that does change things. You have to imagine that with ample time and PT, Brady and CJ start connecting on those deep balls and there's your deep threat right there.

 

[salty]

First of all, you can't just assume he always gets hurt when the guy has only had two seasons in his entire 17 year career in which he missed more than 3 games. The last two were the worst with the Dolphins, but he is still a difference maker on defense. Anytime you have a player who is a difference maker, you make room for him and give him playing time. Simple as that. You don't know who will get hurt and who won't. If you think we don't need Seau, you probably also think we don't need Rodney, Eugene, and other guys with recent unfortunate season ending injuries repeated times. Seau is still a good contributor, just like Rodney, and though both are up there in age, you can't just say we should get someone else. I think you bring in young talent and let them groom slowly this year and when ready, they will take those spots.

To say he has only been hurt by injuries 3 out of 17 years in his career is a little disingenous, since those three years happen to be each of his last three seasons! So what if the guy was a reliable workhorse for most of his career? At this point his body has clearly WORN DOWN. There is just no changing that reality.

I can't even believe I have to argue with someone about this, honestly.

 

[The 12th Man]

To say he has only been hurt by injuries 3 out of 17 years in his career is a little disingenous, since those three years happen to be each of his last three seasons! So what if the guy was a reliable workhorse for most of his career? At this point his body has clearly WORN DOWN. There is just no changing that reality.

I can't even believe I have to argue with someone about this, honestly.

Listen Salty, I'm not arguing that Seau isn't old. He is. What I'm saying is that when healthy, he makes a clear difference in our run stopping. I don't want him to play the entire game. You would be lying if you said having Seau last year didn't improve our run defense. On that note, when someone can improve our team in any way, wouldn't you want him back? I'm not saying he's a long term solution or anything like that. Just one more year, playing a few downs for a small salary to help the team win games. That's all. Pats can even sign another vet as well as draft a guy or two. The fact, no rookie LB (especially at the end of round 1) will be able to come in and start right away and be effective. It will take time for him to develop. There are a few other OK ILBs in FA, and we could definitely sign someone else besides Seau too. I just feel that he already learned the defense and is obviously smart and disciplined. Even if he gets hurt halfway into the season, we'll still have other options to go to then. Plus, the rook would have a slightly better understanding of the system by then. Anyway, if you're so against old, injury prone players, why do you not want us to cut Rodney? He has been hurt so many times in the last few years. Rodney only played 13 games in the last two years while Junior played in 18. Anyway Salty, my point is that when a guy still has a strong passion for the game and can make a difference on a team, no matter how old he is, he should be in there, even if it's for half of a game. Both Rodney and Seau can both still contribute (at least for one more year) and make a difference.