Meet Our Free Safety

[TheRainMaker]

Not sure where you got this, but it says two sentences down that BB preferred the Okie front which is a variation of the 3-4. When you see film, it's very clear they've been running a 3-4 since 2021. The Pats website says it on the depth chart and I've posted numerous articles when this discussion came up last year. Of course they run other alignments, but this is their base.

 

[Real fan 02]

Not sure where you got this, but it says two sentences down that BB preferred the Okie front which is a variation of the 3-4. When you see film, it's very clear they've been running a 3-4 since 2021. The Pats website says it on the depth chart and I've posted numerous articles when this discussion came up last year. Of course they run other alignments, but this is their base.

Yes that's Is correct, it must of gotten cut off.. it was off a Google patriots news.. about the scheme. Yes, the base is the 3-4 but they don't stay in it.. they are a chameleon defense.. Manning said he could never get an accurate read on what we were doing to him each snap. I love the formations they use now with 3 safeties.. it allows the best athletes to be on the field..

 

[jimnance]

cutting Milloy was wrong then, and cutting Peppers would be even more wrong now
=======

Cutting Milloy was NOT wrong.
He was a declining player and Rodney was 5x better.
Christ, we won the goddamned Super Bowl that year!
In his prime Milliy was very good. He was past his prime and overrated by too many fans who didn't really know.
I remember arguing this back when I t happened- I was one of the very few who was 100% behind it from the getgo.
The split safeties idea was stupid and would've been a detriment to the defense.
Dumping Milloy was 100% the right move.

 

[Real fan 02]

Cutting Milloy was NOT wrong.
He was a declining player and Rodney was 5x better.
Christ, we won the goddamned Super Bowl that year!
In his prime Milliy was very good. He was past his prime and overrated by too many fans who didn't really know.
I remember arguing this back when I t happened- I was one of the very few who was 100% behind it from the getgo.
The split safeties idea was stupid and would've been a detriment to the defense.
Dumping Milloy was 100% the right move.

Milloy was still plenty good and he and hot rod were the same age.. hotrod faced same exact issues with Chargers before we signed him.. Milloy just didn't want to accept a pay cut. However your right Hot rod was the preferred choice

 

[TheRainMaker]

Cutting Milloy was NOT wrong.
He was a declining player and Rodney was 5x better.
Christ, we won the goddamned Super Bowl that year!
In his prime Milliy was very good. He was past his prime and overrated by too many fans who didn't really know.
I remember arguing this back when I t happened- I was one of the very few who was 100% behind it from the getgo.
The split safeties idea was stupid and would've been a detriment to the defense.
Dumping Milloy was 100% the right move.

Milloy was still plenty good and he and hot rod were the same age.. hotrod faced same exact issues with Chargers before we signed him.. Milloy just didn't want to accept a pay cut. However your right Hot rod was the preferred choice

Agree @Real fan 02. Chargers let Harrison go because he was thought to be on the decline - they messed up. Milloy was still good, but Bill decided at the last minute the two SS's weren't going to work and gave the pay cut ultimatum to Milloy a week before the season began to stay. They were a true 3-4 team at the time, so there wasn't room for the 3 S's they started running many years later. Bill chose Harrison over Milloy.

 

[mgteich]

There are defensive snaps to be had with both Adrian Phillips and Mack Wilson gone. We should see more defensive snaps from Mapu. He already played a lot of special teams reps last year, that’s how you earn defensive snaps and probably why they let these other guys walk.

Phillips played almost all his snaps on special teams.
==========
I agree that Mapu will/should be competing with Takitaki for Mack Wilson reps. He also will get reps as our #4 safety.

What we his stats last year, how many defensive snaps at Lb and how many at safety?

 

[Wozzy]

Phillips played almost all his snaps on special teams.
==========
I agree that Mapu will/should be competing with Takitaki for Mack Wilson reps. He also will get reps as our #4 safety.

What we his stats last year, how many defensive snaps at Lb and how many at safety?

Phillips played the 7th most defensive snaps on the team in 2022, he was slowly phased back last season as his play fell off with age and Pepper's ascended.

Mapu played the 7th most special teams snaps last year as a rookie and about 18% of defensive snaps. His usage should only increase if he spent this offseason improving, the second year leap is usually the most important one.

He's reported to have put on weight, so they plan to use him on the line of scrimmage more which is smart, he is a missile around there and has a nose for the ball. With Mack Wilson and Adrian Phillips gone there will be more snaps available.

Jaylinn Hawkins and Brendan Schooler are almost exclusively special teams players, Mapu has more upside as a defender, but it wouldn't shock me if Schooler developed into a good defender also... he has premier athleticism.

 

[captain stone]

good point. the team will want it's best players on the field and for the D, that means Peppers and Dugger.

Peppers and...who?

 

[Real fan 02]

Agree @Real fan 02. Chargers let Harrison go because he was thought to be on the decline - they messed up. Milloy was still good, but Bill decided at the last minute the two SS's weren't going to work and gave the pay cut ultimatum to Milloy a week before the season began to stay. They were a true 3-4 team at the time, so there wasn't room for the 3 S's they started running many years later. Bill chose Harrison over Milloy.

Yes! Spot on. Rodney said he turned down more money from the bronco becuase he wanted to play for Bill and play with brady. He said NE was buil some special, and he wanted to be park of it. One of the best FA signings bill could have ever made. The charges never got anyone at SS close to the level of intensity Rodney brung to the secondary. Milloy then admitted years later he should have stayed. However those Parcells guy's were alpha dogs, law, Milloy, Willie the didn't take the home team discounts.. I remember Willie saying he had been to 4 superbowls and won 3.. that now he wanted to get paid.

 

[captain stone]

Cutting Milloy was NOT wrong.
He was a declining player and Rodney was 5x better.
Christ, we won the goddamned Super Bowl that year!
In his prime Milliy was very good. He was past his prime and overrated by too many fans who didn't really know.
I remember arguing this back when I t happened- I was one of the very few who was 100% behind it from the getgo.
The split safeties idea was stupid and would've been a detriment to the defense.
Dumping Milloy was 100% the right move.

It might've been less about Lawyer's decline than it was about his ceiling, which Bill found lacking in comparison to Rodney's... Strong Safety was a very important position in Bill's defense during those years, and earlier too, and he needed play-makers there, which neither Lawyer nor Tebucky Jones proved to be the previous season.

Milloy was still plenty good and he and hot rod were the same age.. hotrod faced same exact issues with Chargers before we signed him.. Milloy just didn't want to accept a pay cut. However your right Hot rod was the preferred choice

And Rodney's nearly a full year older than Lawyer too.

Agree @Real fan 02. Chargers let Harrison go because he was thought to be on the decline - they messed up. Milloy was still good, but Bill decided at the last minute the two SS's weren't going to work and gave the pay cut ultimatum to Milloy a week before the season began to stay. They were a true 3-4 team at the time, so there wasn't room for the 3 S's they started running many years later. Bill chose Harrison over Milloy.

I've always wondered if Bill had envisioned Rodney as Lawyer's replacement as soon as he signed him...

 

[Real fan 02]

It might've been less about Lawyer's decline than it was about his ceiling, which Bill found lacking in comparison to Rodney's... Strong Safety was a very important position in Bill's defense during those years, and earlier too, and he needed play-makers there, which neither Lawyer nor Tebucky Jones proved to be the previous season.




And Rodney's nearly a full year older than Lawyer too.




I've always wondered if Bill had envisioned Rodney as Lawyer's replacement as soon as he signed him...

Bill being the GM he always had to have a forward thinking mentality.. I believe what really helped him keep the GM role as well as coach is he saved the Krafts millions over the years.. any boss is going to love an employee that saves them money.. those defensive units were all bill and crennel. I also believe adams was the whisperer in bills ears too when it came to drafting and signing guys...

 

[TheRainMaker]

Yes! Spot on. Rodney said he turned down more money from the bronco becuase he wanted to play for Bill and play with brady.

He was actually going to sign with the Raiders, but didn't because "they were cheap". Most teams thought he was cooked. He also had a Bernard Pollard type reputation at that time.

Rodney Harrison explains how he nearly joined Raiders instea | WEEI 93.7

Rodney Harrison explains how he nearly joined Raiders instead of Patriots… | WEEI 93.7

www.audacy.com

 

[TheRainMaker]

I've always wondered if Bill had envisioned Rodney as Lawyer's replacement as soon as he signed him...

Eh, I think if that were the case, Milloy would've been approached for a pay cut before or after June 1st (whichever was more favorable to the cap if cut). From what I remember, the media was saying the Pats were planning on Milloy-Harrison team up, but it looked better on paper than on the field. I think Bill realized they would've been really limited in coverage and that's why he asked at the 11th hour for Milloy to take the pay cut.

 

[Real fan 02]

He was actually going to sign with the Raiders, but didn't because "they were cheap". Most teams thought he was cooked. He also had a Bernard Pollard type reputation at that time.

Rodney Harrison explains how he nearly joined Raiders instea | WEEI 93.7

Rodney Harrison explains how he nearly joined Raiders instead of Patriots… | WEEI 93.7

www.audacy.com

 

[Thunderhead]

"Free" as in "contract so cheap he's basically free"? Bob Kraft approved.

 

[n1997y]

Jaylinn Hawkins and Brendan Schooler are almost exclusively special teams players, Mapu has more upside as a defender, but it wouldn't shock me if Schooler developed into a good defender also... he has premier athleticism.

Agreed. Schooler has had the chance to pay some dues playing STs the past couple of years. I was wondering if he might get a chance to play some D, especially now with a new regime running the show. This thread started with the suggestion Hawkins might be acquired to fill a need at safety, but could it instead be Schooler? Something to watch for in camp.

 

[mgteich]

Agreed. Schooler has had the chance to pay some dues playing STs the past couple of years. I was wondering if he might get a chance to play some D, especially now with a new regime running the show. This thread started with the suggestion Hawkins might be acquired to fill a need at safety, but could it instead be Schooler? Something to watch for in camp.

yup, sorta like trying out OG's at DT.

Schooler like Slater before him (and so many more over the seasons,) is a key starter at their position.

 

[rkarp1]

yup, sorta like trying out OG's at DT.

Schooler like Slater before him (and so many more over the seasons,) is a key starter at their position.

I like Schooler and most likely Bolden and Dial on ST. The way the S group looks Mapu will need to make his mark on ST to make this roster.
my early roster take in the defensive backfield;
CB-Gonzo/Jones/Jones/Austen/Bolden/Dial
S-Dugger/Peppers/Hawkins/Schooler
fighting for the last 2 spots-Wade, Wilson, Mapu, Bledsoe

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Eh, I think if that were the case, Milloy would've been approached for a pay cut before or after June 1st (whichever was more favorable to the cap if cut). From what I remember, the media was saying the Pats were planning on Milloy-Harrison team up, but it looked better on paper than on the field. I think Bill realized they would've been really limited in coverage and that's why he asked at the 11th hour for Milloy to take the pay cut.

My recollection is that there was noise about Milloy's contract leading up to and throughout training camp. The 11th hour event was that Milloy refused a pay cut one last time, forcing BB to cut him as part of assembling the final roster. No one, including Milloy and the other players, saw the move coming leading to the 31-0 loss to the Bills to start the season. I love the symmetry of winning 31-0 against the Bills on the last game of the season.

 

[Wozzy]

My recollection is that there was noise about Milloy's contract leading up to and throughout training camp. The 11th hour event was that Milloy refused a pay cut one last time, forcing BB to cut him as part of assembling the final roster. No one, including Milloy and the other players, saw the move coming leading to the 31-0 loss to the Bills to start the season. I love the symmetry of winning 31-0 against the Bills on the last game of the season.

His issue was about money, I heard this from him directly at a cafe bar on Miami Beach. He was hanging out there with Ty Law that offseason and I bought the three of us some tequila shots.