Tuck
Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job
- Joined
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.As always it’ll come down to injuries but no matter what they need a nose in the mold of Washington, Traylor or Wilfork.
Belichick will continue to look for upgrades and camp bodies. That is taken for granted. It does seem that we NEED a veteran DT to be added to the mix.
DT
Do we all agree that we need to add a veteran? Shelton could be that player, or Belichick could find a potential upgrade.
DE
Bennett, Winovich, Simon, Wise, Davis/Rivers/Harris/Kumalu
Are we done?
I think Belichick is fine with Shelton and will re-sign him after May 9.
Belichick will continue to look for upgrades and camp bodies. That is taken for granted. It does seem that we NEED a veteran DT to be added to the mix.
DT
Do we all agree that we need to add a veteran? Shelton could be that player, or Belichick could find a potential upgrade.
DE
Bennett, Winovich, Simon, Wise, Davis/Rivers/Harris/Kumalu
Are we done?
We have no need to wait. I suppose Shelton can wait to see if he can get a better offer after May 7th.
I assume that May 9 date was thrown out there to suggest some other team might be dumb enough to give him a comp pick qualifying deal.
Minor point that could become relevant later in the year: I'm pretty sure Kamalu is more of a DT here (he might line up on the end of the line but you sure won't see him standing in a 3-4 look). He might even be the best candidate to replace Shelton's 53 man roster spot currently (the role would obviously be vastly different).
He is a DE on run downs and a DT on passing downs. NOT a guy who should be playing DT in a nickel base on early downs, and yes barely 300 which will probably be 285 by the season is small for that role.6-3 and 300 lbs is not "very" under sized. Wise when he plays a 3 tech is. but by no means is Cowart.
He is a DE on run downs and a DT on passing downs. NOT a guy who should be playing DT in a nickel base on early downs, and yes barely 300 which will probably be 285 by the season is small for that role.
I think they have the potential to be as good if not better than last year, but there's a LOT that can go right or wrong between now and then:
- Bennett could replace Flowers, but that's not a guarantee.
- He wasn't consistent, but we haven't replaced Clayborn. Rivers or Wise could step up, or Winovich could contribute right away, but again, no guarantees.
- We are still short one Shelton from last year, though I admit his production shouldn't be hard to replace.
- Gilmore had a career season last year. He could repeat, or he could regress to the mean. I still expect him to be a top corner in the league, but he was arguably THE best last year, and it's hard to simply count on that year in and year out.
- Bentley could be a nice addition to the LBs, but until we see how he recovers from his injury, he's an unknown.
- There are several veterans on the defense that we should be able to count on, but are at the stages of their career where drop offs are not shocking: Hightower, Chung, both McCourtys, and perhaps Bennett. Again, I'm not saying they WILL drop off, just that it's a possibility.
All of this makes me sound negative, but I'm not trying to be. Just saying it's a bit early to be thinking only of all the things that could make the defense better, without acknowledging that every year at least one thing doesn't go as planned. I think they're set up well though, we'll see.
I'm wondering why so little love for Obi. His combination of size, speed, quickness, and smarts is kind of unrivaled. He experience in Oakland was rife with injuries, position uncertainty, and coaching instability.Williams will be an upgrade over Melifonwu who was on the 53 last year.
He needs a good offseason but he could have certainly and push others more established players out. He does have a lot of potential, needs to realize it.I'm wondering why so little love for Obi. His combination of size, speed, quickness, and smarts is kind of unrivaled. He experience in Oakland was rife with injuries, position uncertainty, and coaching instability.
His short and inconsequential time he had with us last season gives him a leg up in his development. He might have been the major reason the Pats didn't draft a S this year.
Now it MIGHT not happen for him in NE, but at THIS particular point there isn't a good reason why we shouldn't be just as excited about what Melifonwu can bring to the team as we are by any of the other new comers who are about to join us.
Butler can’t be an early down DT either.I don't want to plan on having a 4th rd rookie starting either and I don't think he will. I think Butler will have that role.
Flowers has been compared to Bennett since he was drafted.Long left because this was a defense that didn't match his skill set, and I see Bennett's skill set to be more like Long's than Flowers
You’d feel better with Solomon Thomas? He’s been garbage since day 1 with the 9ers. I’ve read he’s decent in run support but watching him rush the passer is a joke. He was behind on the depth chart for most of the year but they force him on the field since he was a 3rd overall pick.I'd feel better about the inside rush if a guy like Solomon Thomas could be gotten in a trade, or better yet, Gerald McCoy.