Deathmatch: Julian Edelman v. Alex Mack

[tmajr3]

Mankins hasn't struggled. Mankins has been plugging the missed assignments of Ryan Wendell as well as anybody could expect.

Ya that's what I was asking. It seemed like the only time Mankins guy got through was because Wendell was flat on his back or blocking air.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Alex Mack. Brady has never had an elite center. He would really help the offense out IMO vs. good DTs.

He's not leaving Cleveland though. They have plenty of cap space and a solid foundation on offense (besides QB/RB, which will soon become Manziel/Tate), with Gordon/Cameron and Thomas/Mack. Why let an elite center walk when you have the $ to pay him?

 

[Kontradiction]

Mack all day and twice on Sundays. I'll easily take one of the more dominant centers in the NFL over a solid WR3 whose production went up in part because only one other starter had experience in the passing game and was on the shelf for most of the season. Brady is getting up there and has never been the most fleet of foot to begin with. He needs a solid pocket to step up into and Mack would certainly help provide that.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Alex Mack. The lack of a solid interior has been a good part of the reason why the slot receiver has been so valuable in the Pats offense, it's a release valve to allow Brady to get the ball out before the weak interior crumbles. Signing Mack would go a LONG way towards plugging that leak.

Taking Edels over Mack would be akin to not stitching up a would because doing so would take away resources to continue purchasing band-aids for the wound.

That said, I absolutely love me some Edelperson. I'd love to trade Amendola and his contract to free the money for Eds, though I don't know if that's possible.

 

[mayoclinic]

Alex Mack. The lack of a solid interior has been a good part of the reason why the slot receiver has been so valuable in the Pats offense, it's a release valve to allow Brady to get the ball out before the weak interior crumbles. Signing Mack would go a LONG way towards plugging that leak.

Exactly. (10 char)

 

[JackBauer]

Mack, and it's not even close.

 

[SVN]

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Eric (MA)

I am not expecting the Pats to make a splash from the FA pool... I just don't see it. What I want to see is added depth from FAs and draft young players in positions of need like TE and S and DE.
Mike (11:13 AM)

Eric, the salary cap situation is a bit tight, in part because of $7.5 million on the books for Aaron Hernandez. If they truly get aggressive with a player from another team, which is always possible if they want to manuever some things around, the target I'd have is Browns center Alex Mack. Not saying I'm any football expert here, but when reviewing the AFC Championship Game, was alarmed at how the breakdowns at the heart of the line of scrimmage almost made the entire rushing offense collapse. I know it's dangerous to read too much into one performance, but if I can upgrade with a Pro Bowl caliber center like Mack, I'm at least considering it. I also like that I have a coach on staff (Brian Daboll) who can give me great insight into him from his time with the Browns.

Not sure if the pats have ever signed a high profile lineman before.Maybe Iam missing someone. Usually they are homegrown.

 

[Sicilian]

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Not sure if the pats have ever signed a high profile lineman before.Maybe Iam missing someone. Usually they are homegrown.

Brian Waters is the biggest name I can think of, and even that was towards the end of his career for short money.

 

[mayoclinic]

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Not sure if the pats have ever signed a high profile lineman before.Maybe Iam missing someone. Usually they are homegrown.

True. But we had Scar to coach kids up, and he hand picked most of them. Daboll was working with the OL this past year - perhaps in preparation for Scar moving on, given reports that BB "anticipated" this move - and Daboll has experience with Mack, which would help in terms of projecting him as a fit.

It would be an unchartered move. But we're in a new position, too.

 

[Brady6]

Alex Mack should win this poll by a unanimous result. Mack is a superstar center, which is hard to acquire. His team wouldn't be letting him walk, he'd be leaving to get the f out of Cleveland. This is the easiest poll in Patsfans history. I highly doubt this will occur, but I'd learn how to effectively breakdance for the sole purpose of breakdancing in the street if it did.

I am not choosing Edelman because I think he better, I am choosing him because we know what he can do in our system, and I anticipate him to cost a lot less, in addition the Browns allowed 49 sacks in 2013 I think his legend is a bit over grown. Don’t get me wrong he is an excellent player but he is likely to command $8-10 mil which for a 28 year old player who has never played in our system doesn’t sound like a great idea in my opinion.

People were break dancing in the streets for – Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs and others over the years but some players fit well and some don’t.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Shocked to see some of the answers in here.


Edelman and its not even close, Offensive line while extremely important is probably the most plug and play of any position group. Its more about the unit than any single one player. Mack is an excellent center and Id like to see him as a Pat but I would also cringe at the idea of going into next season without Edleman who was the only reliable offensive player on this team outside of Tom Brady last year. He has built great chemistry with Brady and he essentially filled welkers shoes. Do we really want to let him walk and hope to god that Amendola not only develops that chemistry with Brady but also finds a way to stay on the field for 16+ games? I have more than enough faith that we would be able to draft a center/guard prospect in the 3rd/4th rounds who can come in and protect Brady better than Wendell. Cannot say the same for the WR position on this team in this system.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Edelman. The Patriots cannot afford to go backwards at the receiving positions this offseason. They need to re-sign Edelman and draft high quality prospects at TE and WR in May. They can draft a Center on day two and move Cannon to RG and Cobbolly back to Center for a year while they groom him.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Offensive line while extremely important is probably the most plug and play of any position group. Its more about the unit than any single one player. .

A chain is only as strong as the weakest link, this has been an Achilles heel of ours in the playoffs for several years.

 

[mgteich]

In what way does Alex Mack not fit well?

I agree that the signing of Mack will not happen because of the cost.

People were break dancing in the streets for – Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs and others over the years but some players fit well and some don’t.

 

[SalemPats]

I'm kind of befuddled by the anti-Edelman sentiment. The guy had a monster season, was our only consistent weapon, plays special teams and knows the system. The guy had a breakout season.

 

[JackBauer]

There's no discernible anti-Edelman sentiment. It's just that the pro-Mack sentiment > pro-Edelman sentiment.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm kind of befuddled by the anti-Edelman sentiment. The guy had a monster season, was our only consistent weapon, plays special teams and knows the system. The guy had a breakout season.

Because, as I told you in another thread, Edelman is simply a solid WR3 that was thrust into a WR1 role for a variety of reasons. Mack is one of the best (if not the best) in the league at his position. If I had to choose between a solid WR3 and one of/if not the best centers in the league, I choose the center every time. Especially when we have a pocket passer quarterback that's lethal when given a clean pocket to step up into.

 

[50-yard-line]

Edelman. The Patriots cannot afford to go backwards at the receiving positions this offseason. They need to re-sign Edelman and draft high quality prospects at TE and WR in May. They can draft a Center on day two and move Cannon to RG and Cobbolly back to Center for a year while they groom him.

Dobson, Thompkins, Boyce, Moe, Harrison...I would NOT draft a WR unless some beast was available who could clearly be a steal. No way, No how.

WRs don't usually have a big impact in their first year or 2 - and especially not in a system like Brady runs.

TE, I agree. Grab one, even a second one in the lower rounds.

As for Edelman, I really want him to stay, but the overlap with Amendola might be a problem, given what he'll cost and what's already on the table.

 

[SVN]

brady cant find edelman if he is on his back in critical games in critical situations vs solid NT and defensive fronts.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I am not choosing Edelman because I think he better, I am choosing him because we know what he can do in our system, and I anticipate him to cost a lot less, in addition the Browns allowed 49 sacks in 2013 I think his legend is a bit over grown. Don’t get me wrong he is an excellent player but he is likely to command $8-10 mil which for a 28 year old player who has never played in our system doesn’t sound like a great idea in my opinion.

People were break dancing in the streets for – Adalius Thomas, Shawn Springs and others over the years but some players fit well and some don’t.

A player as good as Mack is system proof. He has played for four different offensive coordinators and three head coaches in his five seasons, and has done so at a high level.

Adalius Thomas was an excellent player for the Pats in 2007, filling multiple different roles, including inside linebacker which he had never played. He had a tremendous Super Bowl. Thomas didn't work out because of his attitude, not because of any system problems. Shawn Springs was a 34 year old CB who had a knee injury and never played in the NFL again after his one season in New Engand.

The concern with Mack should be his salary cap hit and whether it would prevent in a meaningful way any other major signings from occurring, which would include Edelman. Mack would absolutely flourish here, because he would do so on any team in the NFL.