Young backup LB's

[cstjohn17]

I would sign Hartwell, Seau and Gardner

I would also keep Alexander and Woods and hope for improvement.

Obviously they are not as worried about it as we are or ILB would have been a higher priority right out of the gate. My best guess as of right now (3/09/07 - 11:15 AM), they don't do anything until after the draft.

• Plan A - They may kick the tires on Hartwell, he has some serious injury concerns. Lots of reports that his knees are shot.
• Plan B - Maybe they draft a player (or 2) that they think can contribute.
• Plan C - After the draft they will see if there is any June 1 cuts. They then begin to talk to the muddled massses of castoff veteran LBs, players of the ilk of Gartner, Seau, Clairborne, Ruff, Huff, Sharper, Hobson, Beisel, etc. (Note: Some of these guys may be signed but you get the idea).
• Plan D - Is to make a trade, maybe on draft day for a veteran LB.
• Plan E - Do nothing, "coach up" existing backups.

 

[ClevTrev]

Obviously they are not as worried about it as we are or ILB would have been a higher priority right out of the gate. My best guess as of right now (3/09/07 - 11:15 AM), they don't do anything until after the draft.

Good point. The Pats have gotten the player they wanted to play OLB and filled some holes with other well-planned acquisitions. Either they'll get anyone else now at the value they think is appropriate, or they'll wait. The fact that they're not duplicating their active first few days of the FA period is a good sign at this point. The past few years have proven to me that the team usually has a unique strategy for each new season. They're in the process of executing that strategy now.

 

[captain stone]

Obviously they are not as worried about it as we are or ILB would have been a higher priority right out of the gate. My best guess as of right now (3/09/07 - 11:15 AM), they don't do anything until after the draft.

• Plan A - They may kick the tires on Hartwell, he has some serious injury concerns. Lots of reports that his knees are shot.
• Plan B - Maybe they draft a player (or 2) that they think can contribute.
• Plan C - After the draft they will see if there is any June 1 cuts. They then begin to talk to the muddled massses of castoff veteran LBs, players of the ilk of Gartner, Seau, Clairborne, Ruff, Huff, Sharper, Hobson, Beisel, etc. (Note: Some of these guys may be signed but you get the idea).
• Plan D - Is to make a trade, maybe on draft day for a veteran LB.
• Plan E - Do nothing, "coach up" existing backups.

Plan A - If Hartwell's knees don't pass muster, then go to the next name on your list. At the very least, sign an ILB who can not only take snaps with the regular defense, but also contribute on ST, e.g. Isaiah Kacyvenski.

Plan B - I would be highly pissed if no LB were drafted; two would be better.

Plan C - There probably will be some experienced LBs still available > June 1st, but I don't feel comfortable waiting that long.

Plan D - I have no problem with that, except that we already don't have our 2nd-rounder. I don't want to lose any more 1st-day picks. It depends upon who would be coming our way, of course.

Plan E...would be an unmitigated disaster.

 

[TheSeymonsta]

Plan E...would be an unmitigated disaster.

Most definately..See second half of Indy Game for proof.

 

[salty]

Most definately..See second half of Indy Game for proof.

Am I the only one that blames the Indy breakdown on the safeties? The blame is not theirs entirely, of course, as injuries up front certainly played a factor. However, all those deep passes over the middle probably should have been defended by Hawkins and/or Sanders. Had Rodney been in there, I guarantee that the Colts would have tried that a couple times and given up. They might've completed a few, but he would have made them pay.

 

[TheSeymonsta]

Am I the only one that blames the Indy breakdown on the safeties?

I think it is more to blame on the LB's who were responsible for the TE's.

But it is valid to also blame the safeties.

Which is why I want a LB and a Safety in the 1st round.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Kas's argument is indeed excellent -- if you draft a guy for only 4-5 years, how many years do you look forward to training him?

TBC seems like a prime example of that, BTW -- if he had been locked up for a few more years, we would probably have gotten vastly more useful LB play out of him.

There's only one thing about that argument that nags at me -- LBs often have rapid impact on OTHER teams. E.g., the DPOY is commonly an LB.

How sure are we that a high draft-pick LB couldn't contribute quickly?

I concur with Fencer - the very reason the 'learning' takes so long a curve with some dudes is because the talent wasn't there to begin (or end) with, e.g., Alexander and Banta-Cain. Some players have to be put on the field mistakes or not. They are supremely talented and, while ignorant of how to play a scheme to perfection, have the natural skills to make so many plays their technical shortcomings are overlooked. Now, one might theorize BB considers finding truly exceptional linebacker skill level late in the first round so difficult or risky that he'd rather choose a certain type of postion he feels more confident in assessing - like DE, DT, TE - and so prefers to make less risky guesses with vets he's seen play in the league a while to fill in his LB corps.

Of course, all this is predicated on what, seven drafts? Maybe all seven turns came and went without a LB worthy of a Pat's draft first round draft choice being available where BB was picking. That's eight picks (I think, lost one, gained two), not much to base a theory on about why BB doesn't pick LB's in the first round. As for later on in the draft, well, that's received some good discussion already.

 

[cstjohn17]

What about Brandon Short as a cheap veteran ILB?
6'3, 245

Play him 10-15 snaps in a rotation at ILB.

Proposed LBs
OLB - Colvin, Thomas, Vrabel, Woods
ILB - Bruschi, Vrabel/Thomas, Short, (2007 Draft Pick), Alexander, Mays, Izzo