Neal to IR

[D-Money]

The d-line is a must more pressing issue.It should be DE,OL,OLB.You dont know what u will get from Ty Warren next year.He is coming off a hip injury.

 

[ATippett56]

If you spend a high draft pick on an OLB, you're looking at him to start at some point next year. That gives you your two starters and your backups.

You can select a second outside linebacker in the third round of the 2011 draft unless you're lucky to find the next Shaun Phillips in the fourth round. If Cunningham goes down with injury next season, the Patriots will be in the same situation next season as this season.

 

[ATippett56]

The d-line is a must more pressing issue.It should be DE,OL,OLB.You dont know what u will get from Ty Warren next year.He is coming off a hip injury.

The Patriots have plenty of youth in the defensive line next season aside from Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright:

Ron Brace
Brandon Deaderick
Kyle Love
Myron Pryor
Darryl Richard
Kade Weston

 

[Deus Irae]

You can select a second outside linebacker in the third round of the 2011 draft unless you're lucky to find the next Shaun Phillips in the fourth round. If Cunningham goes down with injury next season, the Patriots will be in the same situation next season as this season.

Why are you wasting high picks on insurance players when there are positions of need? Using your logic, they should be drafting a QB in round one. If Brady goes down, they're screwed. For that matter, remember ILB last year with Mayo injured? Better draft a backup for Mayo in round one or two.

 

[Deus Irae]

The Patriots have plenty of youth in the defensive line next season aside from Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright:

Ron Brace
Brandon Deaderick
Kyle Love
Myron Pryor
Darryl Richard
Kade Weston

:ugh:

Ninkovich, TBC and Woods don't work, but Deaderick, Love, Richard, Pryor and Weston are ok?

Come on, now...

 

[andrewgarrr]

Fantastic player. Doesn't need the stipulation that he was undrafted. He was awesome for us.

 

[ATippett56]

Why are you wasting high picks on insurance players when there are positions of need? Using your logic, they should be drafting a QB in round one. If Brady goes down, they're screwed. For that matter, remember ILB last year with Mayo injured? Better draft a backup for Mayo in round one or two.

The Patriots already have four young inside linebackers: Mayo, Spikes, Guyton, Fletcher. Where's the youth at outside linebacker aside from Cunningham?

 

[ATippett56]

:ugh:

Ninkovich, TBC and Woods don't work, but Deaderick, Love, Richard, Pryor and Weston are ok?

Come on, now...

Deaderick has played more in his rookie season than Ron Brace did last year. Meanwhile, the Patriots in the last three years have selected four cornerbacks in the first four rounds:

Wheatley - 2008, 2nd Round
Wilhite - 2008, 4th Round
Butler - 2009, 2nd Round
McCourty - 2010, 1st Round

Where is the commitment to draft outside linebackers for the New England Patriots 3-4 scheme aside from Cunningham? Furthermore, Ninkovich one quarterback sack this season, Banta-Cain three quarterback sacks this season, Pierre Woods one quarterback sack this season. Finally, utilizing Arrington to rush the passer is a complete joke.

 

[DaBruinz]

I think, especially with this news, we'll find a pretty high percentage of people looking at the 6 picks in the first three rounds and thinking:

DE
OLB
G
RB
WR

in some order, with some variation regarding that 6th selection.

I don't see WR as being a need in the 1st 3 rounds. I would actually add OT to that mix since Light is a UFA and Kaczur is also an injury waiting to happen, as someone else pointed out to me.

The Pats don't have a 7th rounder right now. They potentially owe Falcons for Ojinnaka. There is a question as to what is owed for Page. The Pats also traded away their 6th pick as part of the Maroney trade. And they still owe the Seahawks a 4th rounder (probably the one from the Broncos) for the Branch deal.

Also, with the fact that Green was released by the Broncos prior to the start of the season, it's unlikely that the Patriots will get a compensatory draft pick since they signed Crumpler, while only losing Ben Watson.

However, if Green still figures into the compensatory equation, the Pats would be looking at a pick for Watson. And at 4 million, it's probably a 4th or 5th rounder.

 

[Modest]

It's called depth. Jermaine Cunningham and three substandard starters man the outside linebacker position. Belichick signed Colvin in free agency prior to the start of the 2003 NFL season while Vrabel and McGinest were already on the New England Patriots roster.

I miss Roosevelt Colvin.

 

[DaBruinz]

I speculate that defensive line will not be a priority next season. With regard to the first six picks in the first three rounds, the following positions should be prioritized:

OLB
OLB
OG
OT
RB
CB

Sorry, but I don't see a CB being drafted in the 1st 3 rounds, if at all. Not with the youth they have there and with Bodden returning.

 

[Kontradiction]

I don't see WR as being a need in the 1st 3 rounds. I would actually add OT to that mix since Light is a UFA and Kaczur is also an injury waiting to happen, as someone else pointed out to me.

The Pats don't have a 7th rounder right now. They potentially owe Falcons for Ojinnaka. There is a question as to what is owed for Page. The Pats also traded away their 6th pick as part of the Maroney trade. And they still owe the Seahawks a 4th rounder (probably the one from the Broncos) for the Branch deal.

Also, with the fact that Green was released by the Broncos prior to the start of the season, it's unlikely that the Patriots will get a compensatory draft pick since they signed Crumpler, while only losing Ben Watson.

However, if Green still figures into the compensatory equation, the Pats would be looking at a pick for Watson. And at 4 million, it's probably a 4th or 5th rounder.

We're not so sure if Light going elsewhere in free agency is a foregone conclusion. He could come back here for the right price. If he doesn't, Vollmer slides over to LT while Kaczur (who should be healthy by then) takes his place at RT. If anything, I would select a developmental tackle in the later rounds. Guard, and possibly center, needs to be drafted a bit higher.

 

[DaBruinz]

The Patriots have plenty of youth in the defensive line next season aside from Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Mike Wright:

Ron Brace
Brandon Deaderick
Kyle Love
Myron Pryor
Darryl Richard
Kade Weston

None of whom are in the same class of player as a Richard Seymour.
Mike Wright and Myron Pryor do their best work on 3rd downs. Kyle Love and Kade Weston are guys being groomed as a reserve NT. Ron Brace has done his best work at LDE, so he'll be backing up Ty Warren, unless he shifts back to NT.. and then Love and Weston will be even less likely to contribute.

The Pats do not have a top notch RDE. And that is truly something they need.

 

[ATippett56]

None of whom are in the same class of player as a Richard Seymour.
Mike Wright and Myron Pryor do their best work on 3rd downs. Kyle Love and Kade Weston are guys being groomed as a reserve NT. Ron Brace has done his best work at LDE, so he'll be backing up Ty Warren, unless he shifts back to NT.. and then Love and Weston will be even less likely to contribute.

The Pats do not have a top notch RDE. And that is truly something they need.

Exchange a CB from my list of the top six draft priorities to DT (five technique defensive lineman).

 

[xlcjw72]

i was watching inside the nfl last night and phil sims actually had a good idea. that teams should be allowed to carry more players on the active squad. the injures every year are redic. and now there going to make a 18 game season which will mean more injures. plus it could help teams find more sleeper guys like woodhead, warner,welker, rod smith, james harrison, jef saturday, one of my fav nate newton, all those are undrafted! i honestly dont see what bad letting teams have like 10 more players or so or do something like the mlb do, extend the roster near the end of the season.

 

[DaBruinz]

We're not so sure if Light going elsewhere in free agency is a foregone conclusion. He could come back here for the right price. If he doesn't, Vollmer slides over to LT while Kaczur (who should be healthy by then) takes his place at RT. If anything, I would select a developmental tackle in the later rounds. Guard, and possibly center, needs to be drafted a bit higher.

Kaczur has a history of back problems and that is what put him out this time around. The Pats were using him at LG until his back started acting up. As for him going back to RT, I just don't see it happening. He's a step down from Vollmer. Good as a temporary fill-in, but not someone to rely on full-time. Neither are Ojinnaka or LeVoir. And Yes, I am disappointed in how LeVoir has regressed over the last two years.

As for Vollmer, I am not going to assume that the Pats have him penciled in as their next LT. For all we know, they have their eye on someone in the draft who they feel would be a better fit. That being said, I could see them taking an OT late in the 1st or early in the 2nd and letting it be an open battle for the OT positions.

As for Light, while it's not a foregone conclusion that he's not coming back, the reality is that he'll be 33 in June. I don't see him playing but for another year. And BB has a history of parting ways earlier rather than later with players.

Personally, I think that BB would rather have a higher round OT pushing Vollmer/Light/Kaczur for playing time than having to rely on Kaczur as a full time RT and Ojinnaka/LeVoir off the bench. But that's just me.

 

[ATippett56]

:ugh:

Ninkovich and Woods don't work

Ninkovich and Woods came from the 2006 NFL Draft class. Ninkovich only has two career sacks and Woods only has two career sacks. Neither are the long term solutions at outside linebacker for the New England Patriots 3-4 defensive scheme. Meanwhile, Tully Banta-Cain will turn 31 years of age next season and he is a liability against the run.

 

[DaBruinz]

i was watching inside the nfl last night and phil sims actually had a good idea. that teams should be allowed to carry more players on the active squad. the injures every year are redic. and now there going to make a 18 game season which will mean more injures. plus it could help teams find more sleeper guys like woodhead, warner,welker, rod smith, james harrison, jef saturday, one of my fav nate newton, all those are undrafted! i honestly dont see what bad letting teams have like 10 more players or so or do something like the mlb do, extend the roster near the end of the season.

This has been talked about by the NFLPA as a potential for going to the 18 game season. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they added a round or 2 back on the draft.

 

[xlcjw72]

This has been talked about by the NFLPA as a potential for going to the 18 game season. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they added a round or 2 back on the draft.

another thing would be cool is have an 8 game dl

 

[jah]

None of whom are in the same class of player as a Richard Seymour.
Mike Wright and Myron Pryor do their best work on 3rd downs. Kyle Love and Kade Weston are guys being groomed as a reserve NT. Ron Brace has done his best work at LDE, so he'll be backing up Ty Warren, unless he shifts back to NT.. and then Love and Weston will be even less likely to contribute.

The Pats do not have a top notch RDE. And that is truly something they need.

I thought Weston was supposed to be a DE.