Patriots Defensive Line Issues

[BobDigital]

So I think almost everyone here agrees this is an area we can not leave untouched until the draft and should address at least part of it in FA.

Jared Allen - DE & Jason Hatcher - DT are the obvious big name/big impact guys.

However who else are some guys you are interested in.

For value pick ups I am leaning torwards...

Shaun Phillips - DE - the fact he played with Denver is a bonus.

Kevin Williams - DT - clearly 1 yr rental since he will be 34 but probably has 1 yr left of decent production and could be part of a good 3 man rotation.

They would probably cost 2-3M each.

Who do you think we should pick up?

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I'm a believer in Kelly, Siliga, Jones (in a more limited role) and Armstead (I doubt they'd have kept him around if he wasn't expected to recover). That would leave one guy to bring in to compete with Vellano and we'd be ready to go at DT. I'd like a highish draft pick for some upsude here.

DE is a little more needs unless Buchanan takes a big steup up or the ever present Bequette does something. We really need to "close to starter" quality guys here for rotation and depth in case of injury.

I don't really have names in mind but in addition to the names you jmentioned that are mostly old we need you youth also. I expect a DL in the first two rounds and another one in the mid rounds.

 

[VrabelJr]

If we lose Wilfork I would love to have Kevin Williams as a one year stop gap. I also really like Jason Hatcher, but him signing with Seattle almost seems imminent - who wouldn't want to be a member of that DL?

 

[BobDigital]

I'm a believer in Kelly, Siliga, Jones (in a more limited role) and Armstead (I doubt they'd have kept him around if he wasn't expected to recover). That would leave one guy to bring in to compete with Vellano and we'd be ready to go at DT. I'd like a highish draft pick for some upsude here.

DE is a little more needs unless Buchanan takes a big steup up or the ever present Bequette does something. We really need to "close to starter" quality guys here for rotation and depth in case of injury.

I don't really have names in mind but in addition to the names you jmentioned that are mostly old we need you youth also. I expect a DL in the first two rounds and another one in the mid rounds.

I have heard a few people say this but I disagree. I don't love the idea of Kelly/Jones/Siliga/+rookie to depend on for the DL.

Here is why

#1 We don't know how effective Kelly will be. He can probably bounce back better than Wilfork but this could be an issue moving forward and he may either take a step back or be more injury prone in the future.

#2 It is entirely possible Jones & Siliga regress. I would not expect this but it is possible.

#3 Rookies bust all the time. Even ones picked as high as 29.

Now I am not saying I am against the idea of a rookie being our other starting DT but I would like some insurance and to bring in at the least a proven vet who can spot start and be used in a rotation of players.

Personally I think that is the way to go for DT. However if we sign Hatcher I won't cry about it : P

 

[DocHoliday]

Honestly not to worried about our run defense. We need interior rushers.

Run stopping can be schemed for somewhat and our performance at the end of last year wasn't awful, interior rushing is something this team hasn't been able to do forever.

 

[strngplyr]

Give me Phillips to rotate and Henry Melton, pending a physical, as the penetrating DT to play alongside Kelly. Add Woodyard as a coverage backer.

Run defense may not rank top 10, but the pass rush should be improved and I can't imagine the pass defense not being better than it was with the addition of Revis and Woodyard, even with Gregory's SS spot still undetermined.

 

[karte4u]

@BobDigial, I agree. We cannot rely on rookies to fill the need at DT.
With the contract details of Revis comin out, Patriots still have 11.5M in cap space. If they release Vince Wilfork it would be 19M.
- So they need a proven Defensive Lineman.
Options: Kevin Williams (a 1 year deal), BJ Raji (1 year prove it deal), Pat Sims (short term deal), Terrence Cody(short term deal / 1 year deal), Henry Melton(long term deal)
Then draft a defensive lineman for future
- Veteran pass rusher (to share the snaps with Chandler Jones and Ninkovick)
Options: Jason Hatcher, Jared Allen, Shaun Philips,Julius Peppers

 

[jmt57]

I've mentioned it on other threads - how about DT Henry Melton?

Since he's coming off an injury that should lower his price, but it was early enough (ACL in September) that he should be ready to go when the season kicks off. Coupled with an arrest in December, his market price might be reasonable.

Melton was a Pro Bowler two years ago and was good enough to be given the franchise tag. He had 13 sacks in 2011-12, only missed three games before last year's injury, and is only 27.

 

[ashley]

At this point I think they need the following:

One is a pass rushing defensive end...J Allen or J Peppers would be my choice

The other is a big run stuffing defensive tackle. I would lean toward the draft to get one. There is plenty of talent available...Nix, Hageman, Tuitt, Jernnigan, Easley, Jones to name a few.

 

[ripatsfan91]

Assume we have 18 million to work with (Obvious cuts such as Wilfork, restructure Connolly, extend Gost and McCourty) here is what I propose:

Sign Edelman 4/24/10 (first year cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Blount 2/7.5/3 (cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Browner 2/5/2.5 (cap hit of just under 2)
Sign Woodyard 1/1.5/750k
Sign Henry Melton 1/4million/2

 

[VrabelJr]

Assume we have 18 million to work with (Obvious cuts such as Wilfork, restructure Connolly, extend Gost and McCourty) here is what I propose:

Sign Edelman 4/24/10 (first year cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Blount 2/7.5/3 (cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Browner 2/5/2.5 (cap hit of just under 2)
Sign Woodyard 1/1.5/750k
Sign Henry Melton 1/4million/2

Please don't do that. I hate it when you do that. Why do you always do that?!!

 

[nekromantique]

Assume we have 18 million to work with (Obvious cuts such as Wilfork, restructure Connolly, extend Gost and McCourty) here is what I propose:

Sign Edelman 4/24/10 (first year cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Blount 2/7.5/3 (cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Browner 2/5/2.5 (cap hit of just under 2)
Sign Woodyard 1/1.5/750k
Sign Henry Melton 1/4million/2

Lol at the Edelman and Blount contracts. Talk about over-valuing a player.

 

[Sciz]

I'd take Ryan Pickett.

 

[ripatsfan91]

Please don't do that. I hate it when you do that. Why do you always do that?!!

If it bothers you don't pay attention to it. Just throwing out ideas how to make the team better.

 

[ATippett56]

So I think almost everyone here agrees this is an area we can not leave untouched until the draft and should address at least part of it in FA.

Jared Allen - DE & Jason Hatcher - DT are the obvious big name/big impact guys.

However who else are some guys you are interested in.

For value pick ups I am leaning torwards...

Shaun Phillips - DE - the fact he played with Denver is a bonus.

Kevin Williams - DT - clearly 1 yr rental since he will be 34 but probably has 1 yr left of decent production and could be part of a good 3 man rotation.

They would probably cost 2-3M each.

Who do you think we should pick up?

Remove Jason Hatcher from your list:

Redskins agree to deal with Jason Hatcher | ProFootballTalk

 

[ATippett56]

Assume we have 18 million to work with (Obvious cuts such as Wilfork, restructure Connolly, extend Gost and McCourty) here is what I propose:

Sign Edelman 4/24/10 (first year cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Blount 2/7.5/3 (cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Browner 2/5/2.5 (cap hit of just under 2)
Sign Woodyard 1/1.5/750k
Sign Henry Melton 1/4million/2

Blount's contract is a complete joke.

McFadden takes peanuts to return to the Raiders | ProFootballTalk

 

[Triumph]

At this point I think they need the following:

One is a pass rushing defensive end...J Allen or J Peppers would be my choice

The other is a big run stuffing defensive tackle. I would lean toward the draft to get one. There is plenty of talent available...Nix, Hageman, Tuitt, Jernnigan, Easley, Jones to name a few.

I agree.

I dont believe that Wilfork will back down so, its time to reload at NT with a younger less expensive player. Now is the time for Nick Saban to recommend a hidden gem NT from the SEC that everyone is overlooking.

No more Big East NTs like that lousy bum Ron Brace.

Q. I think the Patriots two biggest needs are a defensive tackle and tight end, and let's assume they address both of those at the end of the first and second round. Is there a way to maximize the talent that they get, how would you go about that if you were making those draft picks based on how you expect the board to unfold?

MAYOCK: Interesting question, I think they are sitting there at 29 and obviously depending on how you look at this thing and what type of defensive tackle they are looking for, Louis Nix III and [Timmy] Jernigan are probably gone. Then [Dominique] Easley, the kid I really like from Florida, tore an ACL, his second ACL, so he's not going to go. He's one of those picks that the Patriots tend to get in like the third or fourth round for value, a first round guy later on.
I think [Ra'Shede] Hageman from Minnesota is the big question mark there. If he's still on the board, because he's an explosive kid, he could play a couple different slots and Coach Belichick likes those versatile guys. He's had some off the field questions attached to him but he's got a ton of ability and talent. If Hageman was sitting there, I think he'd be really interesting.

NFL Draft 2014: Mike Mayock Talks Defensive Line Draft Prospects - Blogging The Boys

 

[Sicilian]

Assuming they sign a guy like Browner (fingers crossed), I think they need three more pieces on defense:

- A DE to rotate with Jones and Ninko
- A DT in the older guys aren't healthy or the younger guys don't step up
- A linebacker for depth, preferably a coverage type like Woodyard

Given we also need some help offensely (at the least I'd like to resign Edelman or an equivalent), I think it will be hard to get all three pieces filled through impact FA players. My preference would be to sign the LB (Woodyard) and DE (Peppers), then use the draft to fill DT.

 

[dex13]

If it bothers you don't pay attention to it. Just throwing out ideas how to make the team better.

but the ideas don't make the team better....

 

[BradyFTW!]

Assume we have 18 million to work with (Obvious cuts such as Wilfork, restructure Connolly, extend Gost and McCourty) here is what I propose:

Sign Edelman 4/24/10 (first year cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Blount 2/7.5/3 (cap hit of 3.5)
Sign Browner 2/5/2.5 (cap hit of just under 2)
Sign Woodyard 1/1.5/750k
Sign Henry Melton 1/4million/2

Woodyard signed with the Titans this morning. Otherwise, you overvalued the hell out of our guys (Edelman, Blount), and undervalued Melton and Browner. I do think that all four are attainable if the Pats want to go in that direction, though.