The Patriots DE Position.. What to do.

[slash83]

Hit up Tully Banta Cain and his awesome spin move

 

[JMC00]

Did you watch sheard play last year?

Just look who posted it. No surprise that he is trying to say that the worst DE on the team last year is somehow the difference.

The funniest part of his post is

with Zero viable options to replace him at the time.

Guess he doesn't realize that Flowers replaced him mid-way through the season last year. It's Flowers that was the one that came up big in the SB, not Sheard and that's because Flowers had become the LDE

Had he said Chris Long I probably wouldn't have said anything because while Long wasn't a sack master he did a very good job at creating pressure. But he made his bed with "Sheard was a big loss" and now he has to lay in it.

 

[Ring 6]

Just look who posted it. No surprise that he is trying to say that the worst DE on the team last year is somehow the difference.

The funniest part of his post is

Guess he doesn't realize that Flowers replaced him mid-way through the season last year. It's Flowers that was the one that came up big in the SB, not Sheard and that's because Flowers had become the LDE

Had he said Chris Long I probably wouldn't have said anything because while Long wasn't a sack master he did a very good job at creating pressure. But he made his bed with "Sheard was big loss" and now he has to lay in it.

Agree.
I also think we have become spoiled by the BB roster building process. It is rare that there is a hole, or an 'unproven' player APPEARING TO BE RELIED ON. I say it that way because unproven and relied on from our desk and from BBs are very different things.
But there really is no such thing as a team with no questions.

Also 'letting someone go with no replacement on hand' during FA and before the draft is something that happens all the time. FA trades and the draft is the means of replacement. Also, BB has often brought players in a year early to ramp up to replacing players who will be leaving. Sheard, in fact, was one of them.


Essentially what we have done is this:

Ninkovichs replacement was already here in McClellin and/or Van Noy, and Rivers was added to that mix.

Flowers by the end of the season made either of Long or Sheard expendable. They basically shared a role that one player would normally fill.
To replace Sheard/Long we have Ealy, Wise and Guy (who is a bigger replacement for Long and actually better suited to the role Long played, primarily in the 5 tech) as well as potentially Rivers, but I see him as more of a pass rush specialist this year.

Unless you are totally in the dark about understanding that BB adjusts the roles to the players he has, there is really no issue here, other than the temporary one of players being banged up.

 

[patsfan13]

Comments on Pats bubble guys, lots of DL speculation.

 

[varjao]

Mario Willians is 32, assuming he's kept himself in football shape, 5Mi for 1 year deal perhaps? We have the money and the need.

 

[Ring 6]

Mario Willians is 32, assuming he's kept himself in football shape, 5Mi for 1 year deal perhaps? We have the money and the need.

He sucks. Subtraction by addition.
We are fine at de and olb.

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

He sucks. Subtraction by addition.
We are fine at de and olb.

I'd like it for no other reason than to see Belichick / Patricia take a guy who was paid a lot to do a little for 2 other AFCE teams and get a serviceable season out of him.

 

[scott99]

Good news is that Rivers should be OK.



He'll probably be out a few weeks though. I mentioned Aaron Lynch in another thread but apparently he's hurt also.

Then he'd be a perfect fit

 

[Ring 6]

I'd like it for no other reason than to see Belichick / Patricia take a guy who was paid a lot to do a little for 2 other AFCE teams and get a serviceable season out of him.

Just don't think he is that kind of guy. He is a malingerer and in short money would be a headache IMO

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

Just don't think he is that kind of guy. He is a malingerer and in short money would be a headache IMO

Mine was a sarcastic remark.

 

[mgteich]

I generally agree, although I do believe that you underestimate the problem at DE.

1) I agree that we have Ninkovich's replacement in McClellan, Van Noy and Rivers.

2) I agree that we have Sheard's replacement in Flowers. Actually, as you say, this replacement happened in 2016.

So far, so good.

QUESTION
Was Long important to the 2016 team?

The above is fine. Someone needs to replace Long's contributions. You list Ealy, Guy and Wise. Personally, I find this problematical. Maybe it will happen, maybe not. Clearly, we are talking passing downs. Guy will be fine at DE on running downs.

BOTTOM LINE
Your analysis focused the issue. IT is not replacing Ninkovich and Sheard's contributions. It is replacing Long's contributions. And that is only to try to have a front seven approximately equal to that in 2016.

Agree.
I also think we have become spoiled by the BB roster building process. It is rare that there is a hole, or an 'unproven' player APPEARING TO BE RELIED ON. I say it that way because unproven and relied on from our desk and from BBs are very different things.
But there really is no such thing as a team with no questions.

Also 'letting someone go with no replacement on hand' during FA and before the draft is something that happens all the time. FA trades and the draft is the means of replacement. Also, BB has often brought players in a year early to ramp up to replacing players who will be leaving. Sheard, in fact, was one of them.


Essentially what we have done is this:

Ninkovichs replacement was already here in McClellin and/or Van Noy, and Rivers was added to that mix.

Flowers by the end of the season made either of Long or Sheard expendable. They basically shared a role that one player would normally fill.
To replace Sheard/Long we have Ealy, Wise and Guy (who is a bigger replacement for Long and actually better suited to the role Long played, primarily in the 5 tech) as well as potentially Rivers, but I see him as more of a pass rush specialist this year.

Unless you are totally in the dark about understanding that BB adjusts the roles to the players he has, there is really no issue here, other than the temporary one of players being banged up.

 

[Nunchucks]

I generally agree, although I do believe that you underestimate the problem at DE.

1) I agree that we have Ninkovich's replacement in McClellan, Van Noy and Rivers.

2) I agree that we have Sheard's replacement in Flowers. Actually, as you say, this replacement happened in 2016.

So far, so good.

QUESTION
Was Long important to the 2016 team?

The above is fine. Someone needs to replace Long's contributions. You list Ealy, Guy and Wise. Personally, I find this problematical. Maybe it will happen, maybe not. Clearly, we are talking passing downs. Guy will be fine at DE on running downs.

BOTTOM LINE
Your analysis focused the issue. IT is not replacing Ninkovich and Sheard's contributions. It is replacing Long's contributions. And that is only to try to have a front seven approximately equal to that in 2016.

The front 7 will be a work in progress. Much like last year, where they were mixing and matching all over the place, we will see a rotation of guys at a number of positions based on down, distance, and matchups. Will it be ideal? Absolutely not. At least not at first. Perhaps guys will emerge to play Nink and Long's roles. Hope that it can be Rivers and Wise.

Let us not forget that Hightower could see some time at DE as well.

 

[Ring 6]

I generally agree, although I do believe that you underestimate the problem at DE.

1) I agree that we have Ninkovich's replacement in McClellan, Van Noy and Rivers.

2) I agree that we have Sheard's replacement in Flowers. Actually, as you say, this replacement happened in 2016.

So far, so good.

QUESTION
Was Long important to the 2016 team?

The above is fine. Someone needs to replace Long's contributions. You list Ealy, Guy and Wise. Personally, I find this problematical. Maybe it will happen, maybe not. Clearly, we are talking passing downs. Guy will be fine at DE on running downs.

BOTTOM LINE
Your analysis focused the issue. IT is not replacing Ninkovich and Sheard's contributions. It is replacing Long's contributions. And that is only to try to have a front seven approximately equal to that in 2016.

Not sure about just equal.
Inside valentine and brown have a chance to improve.
We added Harris to the front 7.
Mcclellin and van noy have a year or part of in the system.
Hightower hopefully will be healthier and also could expand his role in pass rushing.
Plus if it's only as good as last years #1 D was in the front 7 and we upgraded at corner I'm goid with that.

 

[jimnance]

Don't think it's a stretch to think this year's interior pass rush will be improved. Hightower's the best we got at it,flowers has had some success doing it, it's supposed to be one of Guy's forte's and you gotta believe Malcolm Brown will be better.
Edge rushing is obviously what most of us are concerned with. I'm not worried but the injuries gave me pause. None supposedly serious but those rookies are missing valuable time.
Hopefully, a lockdown secondary will help cover it up til they gain experience.
The Pats being up by big scores will help too. Now if Flowers goes down.......

 

[mgteich]

Yes, the from seven is a work in progress, as it will be all year.

It is a huge stretch to expect or even hope that Wise and Rivers will emerge to replace Ninkovich and Long.

Harris as MLB and Hightower in new roles is indeed the key.

The front 7 will be a work in progress. Much like last year, where they were mixing and matching all over the place, we will see a rotation of guys at a number of positions based on down, distance, and matchups. Will it be ideal? Absolutely not. At least not at first. Perhaps guys will emerge to play Nink and Long's roles. Hope that it can be Rivers and Wise.

Let us not forget that Hightower could see some time at DE as well.

 

[mgteich]

Not sure about just equal.
Inside valentine and brown have a chance to improve.
We added Harris to the front 7.
Mcclellin and van noy have a year or part of in the system.
Hightower hopefully will be healthier and also could expand his role in pass rushing.
Plus if it's only as good as last years #1 D was in the front 7 and we upgraded at corner I'm goid with that.

I suspect that the key is a healthy Hightower being moved into different roles.

 

[captain stone]

Did you watch sheard play last year?

Don't know why my original response didn't show; maybe because I wrote it on my iPhone last night.
But what it stated was: I did, and he was a damn sight better than anybody not named Trey Flowers.

 

[supafly]

Bring back Michael Floyd

He'd clearly be the WR1. He's pretty much a local hero after that one block, last year.

 

[Biffins]

Kyle Arrington is a free agent. Maybe it's time to put him back on DE to pass rush like we did in 2010............

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Two Words:


Conor Barwin