Langi Should Be Feeling Good

[mgteich]

Wise was injured.

Roberts didn't look good and was injured.

Ealy didn't look good and was healthy.

Langi looked OK, getting lots of reps as a DE/OLB.

 

[patfanken]

Here's what I thought about Langi. I thought he has great speed and explosion and lots of want to. On the other hand I saw a kid who didn't know what the F*ck he was doing. I'm comfortable in saying he's a great prospect but has been thrown around in college being asked to play a lot of positions.

In his junior year he was a 2nd day prospect as an ILB. While in his senior year he dropped down to an UDFA as an outside guy. Clearly BB thinks that while he didn't play that well there in college, its the OUTSIDE is where he'd like him to excell, at least for now.

If he contines to be one of those guys who improves with good coaching, then I suspect his raw abilites will allow him to make this team as a special teams guy, and we will have the pleasure of watching him develop into a key part of the Pats defense over the next few years.

That being said, I have no belief he can more than just an injury replacement guy for the regular D this year as a rookie. If he does have a role then that means Ealy was a complete bust and likely off the team. Like all HC's and GM's, BB makes mistakes, he just doesn't suffer them as long as most do.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

The lack of pass rush (OLB/DE) will likely get addressed via trade. With so many teams tanking the season, a trade partner should not be too hard to find.

 

[mgteich]

fair enough

Do you input for us on the play of Roberts, Rivers and Freeny compared to Langi and Ealy?

Here's what I thought about Langi. I thought he has great speed and explosion and lots of want to. On the other hand I saw a kid who didn't know what the F*ck he was doing. I'm comfortable in saying he's a great prospect but has been thrown around in college being asked to play a lot of positions.

In his junior year he was a 2nd day prospect as an ILB. While in his senior year he dropped down to an UDFA as an outside guy. Clearly BB thinks that while he didn't play that well there in college, its the OUTSIDE is where he'd like him to excell, at least for now.

If he contines to be one of those guys who improves with good coaching, then I suspect his raw abilites will allow him to make this team as a special teams guy, and we will have the pleasure of watching him develop into a key part of the Pats defense over the next few years.

That being said, I have no belief he can more than just an injury replacement guy for the regular D this year as a rookie. If he does have a role then that means Ealy was a complete bust and likely off the team. Like all HC's and GM's, BB makes mistakes, he just doesn't suffer them as long as most do.

 

[patchick]

I'm comfortable in saying he's a great prospect but has been thrown around in college being asked to play a lot of positions.

Two words that keep me cautious in my optimism about Langi at LB: Matthew Slater. When Slater was drafted, the standard line was that his college team had fooolishly moved him all around, so he'd never had a chance to master a position other than ST. Eventually it became clear that his college team had tried him at so many positions because he wasn't mastering any.

I really, really hope Langi's a different story, we'll see.

 

[Alternator]

If Langi turns into Slater version 2.0, I'd be thrilled - six Pro Bowls, four All Pro? For a guy who went undrafted?

Yeah, it'd obviously be best if he could contribute as a defender, but an ace at special teams has its own value.

 

[patchick]

If Langi turns into Slater version 2.0, I'd be thrilled - six Pro Bowls, four All Pro? For a guy who went undrafted?

Yeah, it'd obviously be best if he could contribute as a defender, but an ace at special teams has its own value.

Oh, absolutely -- I didn't mean to denigrate Slater. Just pointing out that when players don't settle into positions in college, sometimes there's a reason for it beyond inept coaching.

 

[patfanken]

fair enough

Do you input for us on the play of Roberts, Rivers and Freeny compared to Langi and Ealy?

I assume you asked if I would add some imput on the play of Roberts, Rivers and Freeny as well as Ealy and Langi. Correct?

Well MG, I have to say I wasn't much interested in this particular game to begin with to the point I missed half the first quarter and watched the rest switching to the news when commercials came on, and getting caught up on some things within my apartment.

So maybe I shouldn't even commented on any of the game, but I DID like the way Langi ran in this game. I liked the way he ran during the TC sessions I went to. As for Ealy (bad typing day, eh? ), my issue with him isn't that he was playing so badly he became noticable, but that I didn't notice him at all. I don't think he was brough in here to be "unremarkable".

We don't need him to be a sack leader, just a guy who can replace Sheard's rushes and sacks (5-6). Now often when a player has a huge learing curve his game takes two steps backward before going a step ahead. I'm hoping THAT's the case with Ealy. Clearly he is in a completely different coaching enviroment and asked to a LOT of new things I know the coaches will be patient (for a while), I'm only worried that Ealy won't.

Rivers didn't stand out to me much. I saw a couple examples of good penetration on pass rushes, but nothing that stood out. He too is having to learn a lot of new techniques here. I'll look closer in the Houston game and have a more detailed observation then. I'm hoping to see at least a few flashes as preseason goes on, but its unlike we'll see anything consistent

Freeny is what I see Langi's downside as being. A realy good ST'er who can be an adequate back up LB when injuries happen. One of Freeny's best qualities is that he runs well too, just nothing special as starting NFL LB. Given the choice between the two I'd rather go with Langi. I think we've seen Freeeney's upside already

Roberts - I'm a big fan. Yes he blew the coverage on the Freeman dump off, but he also had the recovery speed to make that tackle in the open field. It was a perfect yin and yang play. I obviously have some concern for all the long runs the Jags had in the game, but I have no clue as to where the issues were, so I have no judgements on Roberts game at all But I'm sure Matt does, so I'll leave that to him.

 

[jah]

The lack of pass rush (OLB/DE) will likely get addressed via trade. With so many teams tanking the season, a trade partner should not be too hard to find.

You called?

 

[borg]

Wise may miss one week with concussion

 

[BTTA]

...If he does have a role then that means Ealy was a complete bust and likely off the team. Like all HC's and GM's, BB makes mistakes, he just doesn't suffer them as long as most do.

If the Pats have an annual strategy of bringing a handful of players to camp who might be undervalued and/or under-performing with current teams, with minor investments, and with the goal of getting one or two to elevate their game as Patriots and win regular roles, are those that didn't win regular roles "mistakes?"

Just as every pick in the draft is an uncertainty, I don't think there is any way to project how a player will respond to the "Patriot way" until they git in an try it out.

 

[long distance]

just two clips . but both had very solid first outing doing different things

 

[WaterfallJumper]

just two clips . but both had very solid first outing doing different things

Great post! I really like seeing that they've highlighted the players. I was trying to watch so many things during the game that I missed a few individual effort. Rivers looks surprisingly polished already. I'm excited to see how he performs this year.

 

[mgteich]

We used the equivalent of a late 4th rounder for Ealy. Belichick took at a shot at a player who could have the potential of being a starter or backup this year. IMHO, this is reasonable value. Of course, there is no reason to keep a veteran if this doesn't work out, as opposed to a 4th round draft choice who would usually be given a year or two, partly because of the cost and contract length. We will always have a few inexpensive young prospects at the end of the roster.

If the Pats have an annual strategy of bringing a handful of players to camp who might be undervalued and/or under-performing with current teams, with minor investments, and with the goal of getting one or two to elevate their game as Patriots and win regular roles, are those that didn't win regular roles "mistakes?"

Just as every pick in the draft is an uncertainty, I don't think there is any way to project how a player will respond to the "Patriot way" until they git in an try it out.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

It is possible that the Ninko retirement caught this team a little by surprise this season as they are currently thin on the edge/pass rush. Somebody (like a Jabaal Sheard/Chris Long) will hopefully become available after preseason cuts.

 

[Marqui]

It is possible that the Ninko retirement caught this team a little by surprise this season as they are currently thin on the edge/pass rush. Somebody (like a Jabaal Sheard/Chris Long) will hopefully become available after preseason cuts.

I would love Chris Long back.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

If Langi turns into Slater version 2.0, I'd be thrilled - six Pro Bowls, four All Pro? For a guy who went undrafted?

Yeah, it'd obviously be best if he could contribute as a defender, but an ace at special teams has its own value.

While Slater is undoubtedly a Special Teams ace, he has, and was also drafted because he had at the college level displayed, elite leadership qualities. I think Ebner more fits the mold of Slater's successor than Langi.