Was letting Sheard and Long walk a mistake?

[Bradyking12]

What do you think? I think so, we were the top scoring D and on top Ninko retired

 

[supafly]

No, letting a role player who wanted a larger role walk away was not a mistake. Same with deciding not to overpay Sheard.

The mistake was not addressing the position once Rivers went down, Ninkovich retired, and Ealy was cut. And no, I don't consider Cassius Marsh an upgrade on any of those players, aside from maybe Ealy if his attitude was poor.

 

[Huckleberry1]

They didn't "let Long walk," he was a free agent who decided he didn't want a run stopping role and wanted to go somewhere he could be a pass rusher. As for Sheard he had been in and out of Beluchicks doghouse and it was clear he was leaving. They could have done a better job of shoring up DE but I don't believe either of those two players were a realistic option.

 

[Bruins29]

What do you think? I think so, we were the top scoring D and on top Ninko retired

How can a team let walk a player who did not want to be here?

 

[TomPatriot]

No, letting a role player who wanted a larger role walk away was not a mistake. Same with deciding not to overpay Sheard.

The mistake was not addressing the position once Rivers went down, Ninkovich retired, and Ealy was cut. And no, I don't consider Cassius Marsh an upgrade on any of those players, aside from maybe Ealy if his attitude was poor.

Can we give Marsh a chance? He's been on the Pats for a week. Ninko could barely find the edge, let alone set it, when he first got here.

 

[RobertWeathers]

They didn't really let them walk per se

Long chose to leave after he was getting crickets from NE. For whatever reason he didn't want to be here.

Sheard was grossly overpaid.

 

[supafly]

Ninko could barely find the edge, let alone set it, when he first got here.

And the defense greatly suffered for it in 2009.

No one is comparing that Ninkovich to the one from last year, who could play multiple roles, was a locker room leader, was excellent in setting the edge, and was a NYJ killer. Yes, he wasn't as quick.

You make a fair point about giving Marsh a chance, but that would be comparable to discussing how Edelman/Amendola/Welker didn't look too good at first and why we should all just accept that Austin Carr is the next big thing. The issue is the 2017 season. He's not a developmental player on the practice squad.

Maybe Marsh grows as the season wears on and he looks even better in 2018. In the meantime, they may have an issue right now. We'll have to see.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Curious how choosing to keep Jimmy Garoppolo over trading/landing Derek Barnett looks 3-5 years from now.

 

[Jimke]

No! Playing Jordan Richards instead of a linebacker was a mistake.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

I think if BB really wanted Long to return, he couldve easily talked him into staying.

 

[Bill Lee]

I think if BB really wanted Long to return, he couldve easily talked him into staying.

Long did a bunch of interviews in the spring. He said he came here to see what it was like to be a winner. He "Did His Job" but really did not like the role he was cast in, which involved staying in and blocking. In the end he got what he came here for, in spades: he got a SB ring. Once he ticked that box, he decided he could get more years playing and more enjoyment out of playing by finding a team that would use him in a traditional rushing role. I doubt Bill could have talked him into staying since he didn't like what he was doing here. Maybe throwing lots of money at him might have worked, but Bill doesn't overpay.

 

[rochrist]

What do you think? I think so, we were the top scoring D and on top Ninko retired

We didn't 'let' Long walk. He left of his own accord. Not over money. He wanted to play a different style.

 

[Oswlek]

Was letting Sheard and Long walk a mistake?

Yes, if winning in week one was the goal. Otherwise, how are any of us supposed to know? Shouldn't we give it a bit more time for things to settle?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Seems like with Long it was less letting him walk and more him deciding he wanted to move on. I think if he'd been amenable to staying he'd still be here. And that's a shame because we could definitely use him right now and I'm sure the Pats would love to have him.

With Sheard I think it's more of a mixed bag. In light of the injuries and Ninkovich retirement, yeah, I think it's clear that we'd be better off if he was still here. Even before the injuries, you could have made a case for him. But pre-Nink retirement, I can see the rationale for letting him walk. They did have to bench him last year, and it seems like there were some issues with him. If they expected Ninkovich back, I don't think it was necessarily the wrong call at the time they made it, although knowing what we know now it's reasonable to wish they had paid to keep him.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

For those who were drunk all off-season from celebrating (can't blame you), here's a good link explaining why Long was leaving, and there's nothing we could have done:

Chris Long Opens Up About Leaving Patriots, Reveals Future NFL Plans

 

[JMC00]

1 game and people are wondering if it was a mistake when Long wanted to leave and Sheard got 3/$25m whereas Belichick went another way and used the money to sign Gilmore and keep Hightower.

Not trying to hate on the guy but maybe Ninkovich shouldn't have taken all the way until training camp to retire.

They drafted Rivers who seemed to be staking a claim to a role as an OLB and then he got injured. Another OLB Langi who missed the game because of injury and McClellin got put on IR

Hightower going out was what really hurt and was probably the thing that lost the game. Best player on D went out and was replaced by a guy who had been here for 4 days. Hunt 80 yard TD probably doesn't happen if Hightower is in the game.

 

[Bill Lee]

For those who were drunk all off-season from celebrating (can't blame you), here's a good link explaining why Long was leaving, and there's nothing we could have done:

Chris Long Opens Up About Leaving Patriots, Reveals Future NFL Plans

LOL, if I had known about that link I could have not bothered with my post!

 

[SammyBlueCat]

As a few posters have already stated we did not arbitrarily "let them walk".

 

[PatsBoy12]

I don't know if it was a mistake or not, but I always thought Sheard could be brought back, even after essentially being benched a few games. He responded well after being reinserted. Long didn't provide much of anything and was likely going to leave anyway because he didn't like how he was being used. He wanted to be able to pin his ears back and just go after the QB, not being asked to drop into coverage and set the edge. Love the guy and am not mad at him at all for trying to finish his career in a system he prefers now that he has his ring.

 

[luuked]

Curious how choosing to keep Jimmy Garoppolo over trading/landing Derek Barnett looks 3-5 years from now.

And so the fabrication of myths begins.. suddenly people pull random names out of their asses in terms of a potential JG trade that was by all official accounts never a consideration.