I came in to defend McClellan's role based on defensive snaps (I recall seeing much of him on the field in 2016). Instead, I found that McClellan player in fewer defensive snaps that Jamie Collins did. That is astounding, given that Collins was only on the team for 5 games.
So, instead I will agree. The Patirots rarely use 3 LB sets. Hightower is the primary 3 down linebacker. Van Noy, Roberts and Feeney all presumably have a role on the team, and Ninkovich will split time between EDGE and LB. With Langi and Ellis signed, McClellan's role seems tenuous, especially considering that his cap space could be used to extend Butler, Garoppolo, Flowers, Cooks, or any number of other more important players.
OTOH, McClellin also contributed a lot on special teams -
way more than just attempting to block FGs. At 15.6 ST snaps per game active, McClellin was a regular on three of the four primary ST units. Freeny contributed less than 10 ST snaps per game active. Van Noy had about 8/GA. Roberts contributed a total of only 19 ST snaps all season.
In terms of snaps on defense, HT (obviously) had the highest count per game active at 55, although a not inconsiderable portion of those snaps involved HT dropping down to the LoS on the edge.
Van Noy was next at 35; McClellin had 27 LB snaps/GA.
Freeny was getting around 20 snaps/GA, and Roberts essentially took over those snaps after Freeny went to IR.
Cutting or trading McClellin after June 1st saves a net of $2.3M in cap space. Cutting trading Freeny saves a net of $1.3M.
My guess (at this very early stage) is that Freeny is the most vulnerable to competition from the likes of Langi and Ellis (or Trevor Bates). As unpopular as it will be to even say this, unless Roberts (a two-down run-stopper) significantly improves his coverage skills and/or becomes a regular special teams contributor on a couple of units (+/- 10 snaps per game), he
may also be challenged for his roster spot. BTW, Ellis has been scouted as (at this point) a two-down run-stopper - essentially a less athletic version of Roberts - "at this point" because one or the other(or both, or neither) may have shown more by the end of OTAs and Camp.
Based on last season, the considerations from my perspective are ...
... If the Pats want to continue to be able to use HT on the LoS on the edge, then both LBs in a 2-LB set probably need to have pretty decent all-around game (both run-defense and coverage).
... The Pats have often relied on plugging Chung into an LB role in those 2-LB sets to provide better pass coverage. Chung also had the highest total snap count on the team in 2016 (1206 between defense and ST ... about 100 more than any other player). If the Pats want to reduce their situational reliance on Chung (and reduce his total snap count a bit).
... Grissom had the highest usage on ST in 2016 (23 snaps/GA), but contributed a total of only 11 snaps on defense. Mingo (now gone), was the 3rd-highest contributor on ST with 20 snaps/GA (and was 4th in ST tackles). So, if one or more of Langi, Ellis, Bates can replace those ST snaps as well as upgrade Freeny and/or Roberts, both of them and Grissom could be vulnerable.
