Larry Ridley: Zach Thomas visiting Pats on Sunday [UPDATE: Reiss: It's Monday]

[VOODOOZF]

The Patriots are getting too old on defense.

 

[TripleOption]

Taylor is 33 and 255 pounds (15 pounds lighter than Adalius Thomas and 50 pounds lighter than any defensive lineman on the roster). He would not play on the defensive line with the Patriots (you have speed rushers like Taylor in the 4-3 scheme, not the 3-4 scheme) and would have to be converted to a linebacker in the 3-4. That is a fairly risky proposition at his age.

Utterly untrue. He is a smart veteran player that would pick up the OLB position in camp and be an effective rusher. Think Willie McGinest, but faster. Willie bounced from 4-3 OLB to 4-3 DE to 3-4 OLB and learned OLB late in his career very effectively.

I just don't see this pickup happening, but I would be ecstatic.

 

[MassPats38]

Utterly untrue. He is a smart veteran player that would pick up the OLB position in camp and be an effective rusher. Think Willie McGinest, but faster. Willie bounced from 4-3 OLB to 4-3 DE to 3-4 OLB and learned OLB late in his career very effectively.

I just don't see this pickup happening, but I would be ecstatic.

Utterly untrue? I did not say Taylor was not a smart veteran player, but Willie's "late in life" conversion to linebacker was the year after college, just like Bruschi (they both played d-line in college). If you recall the Dan Klecko experience, that conversion does not always take (and no, I am not comparing Klecko's abilities to Taylor, just an illustration that d-line and linebacker positions are not that similar that you can simply stand in another place on the field and do the job). Taylor is how many years removed from his rookie year at 33?

And yes, he plays in a 2-point stance in Miami occasionally, but I suspect he will not take a several million dollar cut to participate in a linebacker experiment with the Pats. I too would love to see him give that a try if he dumps his former defensive player of the year salary requirements.

 

[TripleOption]

Utterly untrue? I did not say Taylor was not a smart veteran player, but Willie's "late in life" conversion to linebacker was the year after college, just like Bruschi (they both played d-line in college). If you recall the Dan Klecko experience, that conversion does not always take (and no, I am not comparing Klecko's abilities to Taylor, just an illustration that d-line and linebacker positions are not that similar that you can simply stand in another place on the field and do the job). Taylor is how many years removed from his rookie year at 33?

And yes, he plays in a 2-point stance in Miami occasionally, but I suspect he will not take a several million dollar cut to participate in a linebacker experiment with the Pats. I too would love to see him give that a try if he dumps his former defensive player of the year salary requirements.

The similarities between rush end in a 4-3 and 3-4 OLB allow for a much easier conversion. McGinest and Bruschi were converted from 4-3 DE to 4-3 OLB. Very different.

It would not be an experiment; he has the skills necessary to make the move.

 

[signbabybrady]

Utterly untrue? I did not say Taylor was not a smart veteran player, but Willie's "late in life" conversion to linebacker was the year after college, just like Bruschi (they both played d-line in college). If you recall the Dan Klecko experience, that conversion does not always take (and no, I am not comparing Klecko's abilities to Taylor, just an illustration that d-line and linebacker positions are not that similar that you can simply stand in another place on the field and do the job). Taylor is how many years removed from his rookie year at 33?

And yes, he plays in a 2-point stance in Miami occasionally, but I suspect he will not take a several million dollar cut to participate in a linebacker experiment with the Pats. I too would love to see him give that a try if he dumps his former defensive player of the year salary requirements.

I would think there is one key difference here. Willie was to be the starting outside linebacker.

I would picture Taylor more as a tweener....put his hand on the ground and straight up pass rushing on obvious passing downs and playing the OLB role on first. I would think Colvin and Vrabel would remain the regulars on the outside. You would use taylor in specific situations as a linebacker and specific situations as a delinemen thus limiting his need to develope into a true linebacker.