So, just so we can be clear: you would like to see a change to a 1-Gap as well?
That's a good question. I guess I wouldn't go quite so far as that right away, though perhaps it may come down to that in the long run. I'd like to see our defense get more aggressive and attacking. I'm not sure that mandates a change to a 1-Gap technique. I think that the concepts behind BB's old gap control read-and-react defense are being severely tested by the modern passing game, and that QBs such as Manning, Rivers and Brees are difficult to stop without getting effective pressure and throwing them out of their game. Whether a 2-gap system can be modified to allow for that kind of attacking philosophy or whether it mandates a change to a 1-gap system is not something that I'm enough of a schematic wiz to answer.
I agree with most of your comments.
GENERAL COMMENTS
1) I guess you mean that we should hire an OC. We do not have one on the team.
2) I don't see the need for a new DC. Pees can coach to whatever scheme that belichick wants. It is not the DC that makes the general determination when the HC is as involved as Belichick.
I have no confidence in Pees being an adequate DC, and I think that BB is spread too thin as it is. BB was essentially the HC, OC and DC this year, and it didn't work. Can he bring in an OC and be the HC and DC? I don't know. I'd be more comfortable with someone experienced who can bring some fresh ideas and who isn't just a puppet with BB pulling the strings.
3/4/5) I agree, but when should we expect guys like Wilfork, Warren, Mayo and Meriweather to take on some leadership. I believe James Sanders is onle only regognized leaders at the moment. I'm not sure bringing in a top veteran from another team trnslates to him being a leader here. It could happen. I has happened in the past with some but no others.
Obviously there's no guarantee that an outside veteran will provide leadership, but I think it's likely if you bring in the right kind of player. Look at what Rodney provided from the moment he arrived. Look at what Darren Sharper has provided for New Orleans. There's no doubt in my mind that Shawne Merriman would bring much needed intensity to our defense, or that Karlos Dansby would be a stabilizing presence. Absolutely Wilfork, Warren, Mayo, Meriweather and perhaps others (Chung, over time) need to step up and become leaders, but their personalities and styles are different. We lack the kind of fiery leadership which Harrison provided, or Bruschi's intense competitiveness. Our most outspoken veteran this year was the team cancer, and there was no one to keep him in check. That's not acceptable.
OFFENSE
1) We need a starting RG and developmental OL for the future. Are you suggesting more than this?
Our immediate needs are a starting RG and developmental OL for the future, plus re-signing or tendering Mankins. Our long term needs may include a second guard, and eventually replacing Koppen.
2) I'm surprise that RB is so high on your priorities, although I do support trading up for Spiller.
I think the average shelf life of a RB in the NFL is around 3-4 years, and we have 3 guys over 33 on the roster. That's advanced geriatric stage by NFL standards. We need some fresh legs. Faulk is a gamer, but I'd love to see what a creative OC (an oxymoron this past year) could do with a Reggie Bush or a CJ Spiller. A blocking fullback could also make a huge difference in our running game, along with an improved OL.
3) We have Moss and Edelman. This is a very high priorty in the offseason.
I assume that by the time FA starts the team will have some prognosis on Welker and Tate. If they are indeed likely to be on PUP or even IR next year, then WR is a huge hole. This is an area that I would rather see us address in FA than in the draft, but not necessarily with big name signings. Brady did just fine with Deion Branch, David Givens and Troy Brown. Trading high draft picks for Brandon Marshall doesn't make sense to me. We could have made a run at Devery Henderson last year, but didn't. We need to go after some FA signings with more success than we have in the past. I'm not sure how to accomplish that, but it needs to happen. Perhaps bringing Deion Branch back would be an option, if he is cut by Seattle for contract reasons. He knows the system and has rapport with TB, for all his past issues. Someone like Mark Clayton might be a nice pickup (though I believe he will be an RFA). There will be some other players cut for financial reasons. We don't need more rookie WRs.
DEFENSE
1-4) Agreed
5) What do you have in mind in addition to ILB? Don't we have enough run-defense up front with Wilfork, Warren, Wright, Pryor and Brace? Two are young draftees who should get better. Pryor looked good when he played. I'm fine with drafted an additional DE, very high, but you seem to favor the DE/OLB types for that position.
I'm not sure what we need, but giving up 200+ rushing yards to Baltimore on basic power running formations isn't acceptable. Obviously, a true SILB would improve our run defense tremendously. A 5-technique prospect like Jared Odrick, Arthur Davis, Corey Wooten or Vince Oghobasse might help. I partly had the option of drafting Mount Cody in mind when I listed this - as we've discussed, a wall of Cody and Wilfork would do wonders to stop the run. Perhaps if we made a run at Reggie Bush in FA along with an ILB like Dansby and a WR then we could draft Cody and Dunlap along with an OG. That would be an awful lot to achieve in FA, particularly with our own re-signings. I don't know the answer, but our run defense this year was the weakest it has been since early 2003, when we brought in Ted Washington.
