Springs to sign with Pats

[bakes781]

Hobbs isn't a #1, but he is OUR #1 at the moment. I still think that #1 is coming in the way of the draft. Darius Butler, Alphonso Smith or Sean Smith will likely be that guy.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I like the signing, and hope that he'll be used pretty specifically to cover the big receivers that our other CBs can't. The TOs, plaxicos, etc. of the world. He's definitely starter-caliber, though; I'd just like for him not to be overused- we'll need him for the playoffs.

 

[jefmblrd]

I like this signing-he's a solid player who can help our secondary.

 

[Easywolf32]

Springs and Hobbs, and Wheatley hopefully, we are looking better already at CB.

 

[Easywolf32]

I like the signing, and hope that he'll be used pretty specifically to cover the big receivers that our other CBs can't. The TOs, plaxicos, etc. of the world. He's definitely starter-caliber, though; I'd just like for him not to be overused- we'll need him for the playoffs.

Well said, this was a big problem in some games last year.

 

[PatsAttack]

Springs absolutely shut down TO last year. He isnt young, but he is an instant upgrade for another year of wonder at the CB position.

With the injury to wheatley last year it is still hard to project what he will do with us. Springs is not often found in bad position which is more than i can say about any of our other corners. I am excited about this pick up.

Watch out for Wilhite, he showed me some glimpses of another possible playmaker at the corner position taken in the fourth round.

The secondary is getting stronger, the draft will make or break this team in 2010.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I just hope he isn't another one of those Fernando Bryant type signings where he gets cut in training camp and then the Pats are screwed. If Wheatley and Whilite have strong training camps and the Pats draft a CB high, they should be fine at that position.

 

[Run DMC]

Another geriatric. Pats are turning into the Red Sox of old.

 

[DaBruinz]

I may be alone here, but I think O'Neal played much better than most posters here seem to think. First of all, he did make some picks last season. The Charger game, which everyone points to, Rivers had the ball right on the money, and Charger receivers make some great catches. O'Neal actually had some pretty good coverage on a couple of those plays. And to me, neither Wilhite nor Wheatley showed much.

One game does not a season make. Over the course of the season, O'Neal was constantly picked on and burned quite a bit. And while you may think that Wheatley and Wilhite didn't show much, the coaching staff clearly thought otherwise as both put O'Neal on the bench at different points of the season.

 

[DaBruinz]

Another geriatric. Pats are turning into the Red Sox of old.

Really? Lets see. Gone are Colvin, Seau, Vrabel, Harrison, and Stokes. Yet, in your opinion, this is just another "geriatric" signing. Of course, lets forget that Springs still showed PLENTY of skill last year. Despite the Skins having their best pass rusher injured most of the year.

 

[DaBruinz]

In that case our secondary looks like:

Springs #1 CB
Hobbs #2 CB
Wilhite/Wheatley Nickel CB
Meriweather SS
Sanders FS

So the Pats have their starters in place and will be drafting developmental cb/s?

Personally, I'd change it to the following:

LCB - Springs
RCB - Hobbs
Nickel/Dime backs - Wilhite/Wheatley
Left Safety - Meriweather
Right Safety - Sanders

To me, this sums up how the Patriots split the field up amongst the secondary.

 

[Urgent]

Well, here's some size to complement Hobbs, Wheatley, and Wilhite.
Springs is clearly an upgrade to Lewis, Sanders, and ONeal from last year.

With 13 years in the NFL, he clearly has some wear. He's got to be at the end of his career; the question is whether Washington released him one year too early, as Belichick would say.

He has played a full 16 game schedule only once in the last eight seasons, so that's a pretty established trend.

I'd hoped that the Pats would commit $4-5mm or so to a good second-tier corner, like Greer, Bodden, McFadden. However, a secondary of Hobbs-Springs-Wheatley/Wilhite is clearly an upgrade over Hobbs-ONeal-rookies.

Like Bryant, no guarantee he makes the team, given age and injuries, but he certainly projects to be a starter right now.

 

[ausbacker]

Really? Lets see. Gone are Colvin, Seau, Vrabel, Harrison, and Stokes. Yet, in your opinion, this is just another "geriatric" signing. Of course, lets forget that Springs still showed PLENTY of skill last year. Despite the Skins having their best pass rusher injured most of the year.

Agreed. You can't be all about the youth movement. Who in the hell is going to teach the young players about the game, giving rule to the fact that the coaching staff can't do it all.

Good move. Veteran presence in the backfield which is an immediate upgrade on what we have.

The pieces are starting to fall in place.

 

[JMarr]

3rd safety? Bring back Lewis Sanders? He was pretty solid late last year. Spann?

In spite of the financial vote of confidence in J.Sanders, are you completely comfortable with he and Merriweather as our safeties? I'm greedy and think we need both a big hitter in the secondary and more quality depth at the position than Lew Sanders and another JAG.

The odds of Sanders and Merriweather both staying healthy all year are fairly low. Like I said, it's probably just wishful thinking on my part.

 

[ropese]

I wonder whats keeping the Pats from making the signing of Springs official.