Our Defense is NOT Loaded; our BACKUPS are weak.

[mgteich]

Our starters are good enough to be top 10

FRONT SIX/SEVEN
Williams, Barmore, (Durden), Spillane, Ellis, Jones, Ponder/(Landry)

SECONDARY
Gonzalez, Davis, Jones. Byard, Woodson
================
BACKUPS - Some think that we have good depth, NOT. We do have a lot of players competing. It seems that we will have a playoff team with several backups on Defense who might not make the NFL elsewhere (as is true for many teams).

We need a couple of more players in 2026. The focus in 2027 is obvious.

FRONT SIX/SEVEN - Farmer, Gregory, Taylor, Jacas, Muma, Britt, Swinson, Luketa, Obiazor, Hutchins, Blay, Jacobs
SECONDARY - Woods, Vildor, Prunty, Dial, Minor

 

[festy1986]

We be ight. It's probably more about next year anyway. Statistically the losing Superbowl team has a rough go at it the following year.

Virtually impossible to come back and win it.

 

[n1997y]

We be ight. It's probably more about next year anyway. Statistically the losing Superbowl team has a rough go at it the following year.

Virtually impossible to come back and win it.

Cancel training camp. The seasons over already, before it begins.

 

[festy1986]

Cancel training camp. The seasons over already, before it begins.

If the Superbowl is the only reason you're watching then that's on you.

Some of us enjoy the building part of the program.

 

[BTTA]

Our starters are good enough to be top 10

FRONT SIX/SEVEN
Williams, Barmore, (Durden), Spillane, Ellis, Jones, Ponder/(Landry)

SECONDARY
Gonzalez, Davis, Jones. Byard, Woodson
================
BACKUPS - Some think that we have good depth, NOT. We do have a lot of players competing. It seems that we will have a playoff team with several backups on Defense who might not make the NFL elsewhere (as is true for many teams).

We need a couple of more players in 2026. The focus in 2027 is obvious.

FRONT SIX/SEVEN - Farmer, Gregory, Taylor, Jacas, Muma, Britt, Swinson, Luketa, Obiazor, Hutchins, Blay, Jacobs
SECONDARY - Woods, Vildor, Prunty, Dial, Minor

Agree, there are some holes to fill on the D. Thinking about filling from the bottom up is useful. I've been thinking of it more as about needing a difference maker at LB, someone who offenses have to scheme around, a game wrecker, that pushes some others down the depth chart and gives the rest of the front seven a little more operating room. It feel more like they are one player away. But you might be right to think about it as needing 3-4 good players to fill in underneath the starters.

 

[Raccoonsuit]

I think our whole lb core sucks. I'm not a fan of Spillane and there is no one behind him. Gonna be the pats downfall this year

 

[Family]

There are few teams that are balanced enough to have depth at all positions.

But LB and CB depth are the weakness of this team.

 

[RxJock1120]

We be ight. It's probably more about next year anyway. Statistically the losing Superbowl team has a rough go at it the following year.

Virtually impossible to come back and win it.

Chiefs seem to have done just fine after losing AFC title game and then losing the SB.

 

[stinkypete]

This defense gives me a 2014 feel. Our best 11 make up a pretty strong D - they should be among the top 10 in the league. Beyond that, it could get rough.

In 2014, we lucked out, and most of the starting 11 stayed healthy throughout.

 

[rkarp1]

I would not say the "backups" suck.
I question if some of them could step into the majority of snaps played, but that is true for most teams back ups.
I believe the defensive back ups on the DL and the defensive backfield can play 10-30% of the defensive snaps in certain situations.

I like Farmer and Gregory. I liked what se saw last year with Taylor in limited action. I have been a Pharms supporter for a few years now. I also like what udfa Shaw might be in time.
I also like Pettus and Dial. Prunty and Kindle being able to play some will be huge. not sure of either full time if some injures in front of them.
My concerns are with the LB group depth

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I think our whole lb core sucks. I'm not a fan of Spillane and there is no one behind him. Gonna be the pats downfall this year

I don't know about "sucks" but it doesn't shine.

Main thing is, it's the LB corps, not core. It's like the Marine Corps but in football (not like a warp core from Star Trek or an apple core, but in football.)

 

[Brotherblues]

There are few teams that are balanced enough to have depth at all positions.

But LB and CB depth are the weakness of this team.

And edge.

 

[Triumph]

Chiefs seem to have done just fine after losing AFC title game and then losing the SB.

KC missed the 2025 post season and went 6 - 11 post SB loss to Philly.

 

[Triumph]

Our starters are good enough to be top 10

FRONT SIX/SEVEN
Williams, Barmore, (Durden), Spillane, Ellis, Jones, Ponder/(Landry)

Barmore is inconsistent at best.

SECONDARY
Gonzalez, Davis, Jones. Byard, Woodson

Gonzo, Davis and Jones is a solid CB group as there is.

================
BACKUPS - Some think that we have good depth, NOT. We do have a lot of players competing. It seems that we will have a playoff team with several backups on Defense who might not make the NFL elsewhere (as is true for many teams).

We need a couple of more players in 2026. The focus in 2027 is obvious.

The reason why I hope that a deal with Gonzo can be reached that gives the Pats a 3 year window to win Lombardi # 7.

FRONT SIX/SEVEN - Farmer, Gregory, Taylor, Jacas, Muma, Britt, Swinson, Luketa, Obiazor, Hutchins, Blay, Jacobs
SECONDARY - Woods, Vildor, Prunty, Dial, Minor

The rubber meets the road in 2026.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

As units, the DL's and Edges are in good shape both starters and depth. The LB's and DB's have good starters but the depth isn't proven.

 

[Wozzy]

How can you tell the backups are weak? We’re in June, this isn’t football.

Ask me after camp when we begin to see how rookies and second year players shake out.

I swear the default position for some here is “I don’t know that late round draft pick, free agent or UDFA prospect… so he must be bad.”

Most of you called last year a “rebuilding year” and predicted a 500 record or slightly better. Pretend for a second the Patriots staff know more than you.

At a cursory look and assuming health they’re already deeper than last year.

 

[Raccoonsuit]

I don't know about "sucks" but it doesn't shine.

Main thing is, it's the LB corps, not core. It's like the Marine Corps but in football (not like a warp core from Star Trek or an apple core, but in football.)

Core.

 

[Raccoonsuit]

How can you tell the backups are weak? We’re in June, this isn’t football.

Ask me after camp when we begin to see how rookies and second year players shake out.

I swear the default position for some here is “I don’t know that late round draft pick, free agent or UDFA prospect… so he must be bad.”

Most of you called last year a “rebuilding year” and predicted a 500 record or slightly better. Pretend for a second the Patriots staff know more than you.

At a cursory look and assuming health they’re already deeper than last year.

Man... you say this all the time. "How can you tell xyz when training camp hasn't started?"

This is a fan board for speculation. Just constantly saying that the pats staff knows more than us is boring and super played out at this point. Just fyi

 

[TheRainMaker]

Most teams don’t even have decent starters, so we can’t expect to have depth. The overall quality of the NFL has been south since 2020.

 

[ScottishPatriots]

Everybodys backups are weak.

Every team is about 2 or 3 of the wrong injuries away from their season going south and that's not even including the QB scenario that goes without saying.

There isn't enough elite players for everyone in the league so it's obvious the drop off from a teams top players to backup is huge.

No one is going to survive cluster injuries at one position or losing 2 or 3 of their best players, you can maybe survive and scrape thru the regular season but your Super Bowl chances are basically dead, it's amazing how fast a dominant team can turn average in this league with a handful of injuries.