Patriots sign DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard

ausbacker · Mar 11, 2015

Ivan said:
People really need to realize that the Patriots are just getting started and there will be many moves between now and opening day. Revis is a huge loss but but his only ring is with the Patriots so ultimately he is the loser in that move. Belichick and Brady have won 3 Super Bowls without Revis. He's never won one without them, and he is not likely to win one with the jets.

Revis is a generational talent. I would have loved for him to stay as he, along with Browner, helped transform the Secondary. However, at the current and future guarantees Revis demanded and received from the Fredos, I would rather invest in a sum of all parts mentality and strengthen the team rather than one player and hamstring the team.

I said it before and I'll say it again. I'm really looking forward to seeing the brains trust react. The signing of Sheard is a darn good start.

strngplyr · Mar 11, 2015

condon84 said:
Good news. Looking forward to see how he'll do in this defense.

So it's safe to assume on passing downs it will be Jones and Sheard on the outside, and Easley as one of the inside rushers. If we can get Knighton or Fairley, that's a good group on passing downs.

I still also want them to give Collins more opportunities rushing the QB. He has such an advantage athletically.

Hightower too, most of us forget he was probably even more effective than Collins at rushing the passer last season, but he lost that role once Mayo was hurt.

sb1 · Mar 11, 2015

Maybe we just got ourselves Vrabel 2.0.

Good pickup, let's go!

PATS68 · Mar 11, 2015

Sheard signed I see him as more or less the starter. Would be a very nice combo off bookends with him and Jones. What happens to Niko and could he be moving positions? This is the guy I wanted in the 2nd round and not Dowling who has been broke since highschool.

PATS68 · Mar 11, 2015

dannydyn said:
Sheard has already introduced himself to TFB....

Wendell got destroyed on that play!

Steve102 · Mar 11, 2015

Guys, am I missing something? Two sacks on five games started this season, 16 games played?

BelichickFan · Mar 11, 2015

Steve:Section 102 said:
Guys, am I missing something? Two sacks on five games started this season, 16 games played?

15.5 sacks his first 2 years, wasn't a fit in new defense. He's not Freeney, though, more of an all around Ninkovich type than pure pass rusher.

Ring 6 · Mar 12, 2015

Dillon46 said:
You're right absolutely but was hoping Sheard would be used as (finally) a back up/half-starter to spell Ninko and Jones so they aren't so damned gassed in the 4th. Maybe try to use Ninko as the 2 down DE and have Sheard as 3rd and 4th. But his versatility is what his true value is.

Then Ayers could rotate in the now core of Hightower/Collins/Mayo.....I count on injuries and Ayers paid BIG TIME when we needed it. The guy was just disruptive and athletic on the level Collins is....IDK the days of Monty Beisel scare me into thinking you can never have too many quality LBs on your team.

We just need the depth there now that we are so thin on the back-end.....irony and our roster go hand in hand don't they

Why would he sign with a team that has 3 3 down lbs and only play 2 on 75% of the snaps? There is just no playing time.

Ayers helped out but he is not even comparable to Collins in athleticism.
With sheard signed the 4th lb if one is ever needed becomes nink.

VectorPrime · Mar 12, 2015

Wouldn't we be playing him at DE? How does that affect the linebacking corp? If we got 4-3 then I can see a line of Jones-Siliga-Pot Roast(I hope)-Sheard with Nink and Branch being rotational guys. Then for the LBs keep Mayo, Hightower, and Collins out there with Ayers as a rotational guy.

supafly · Mar 12, 2015

AndyJohnson said:
Why would he sign with a team that has 3 3 down lbs and only play 2 on 75% of the snaps? There is just no playing time.

Ayers helped out but he is not even comparable to Collins in athleticism.
With sheard signed the 4th lb if one is ever needed becomes nink.

I thought losing Ayers was about as automatic as losing Vereen, to be honest.

supafly · Mar 12, 2015

VectorPrime said:
Then for the LBs keep Mayo, Hightower, and Collins out there with Ayers as a rotational guy.

We already have THREE linebackers who play every down, and spend 70-75% of the time in subpackages which only uses TWO--so we already have a good "backup" option.

That's not even bringing into account the fact that Rob Ninkovich would act as the 4th LB, due to emergency/versatility/injury.

Where in the world would Ayers play? Why would he not want to go somewhere where he received more playing time? More importantly, how would we actually receive value out of retaining him? He played very, very sparingly in the postseason once Chandler Jones returned.

strngplyr · Mar 12, 2015

supafly said:
I thought losing Ayers was about as automatic as losing Vereen, to be honest.

It was/is. We made their value too high in the role they played.

Jangles · Mar 12, 2015

I don't watch as much football as I thought I did because I had to google this guy

neat?

shmessy · Mar 12, 2015

Steve:Section 102 said:
Guys, am I missing something? Two sacks on five games started this season, 16 games played?

He played on a broken foot last half of the season.

OhExaulted1 · Mar 12, 2015

shmessy said:
He played on a broken foot last half of the season.

Surprised he came here. Rex is apparently a foot issue guru,

Dillon46 · Mar 12, 2015

AndyJohnson said:
Why would he sign with a team that has 3 3 down lbs and only play 2 on 75% of the snaps? There is just no playing time.

Ayers helped out but he is not even comparable to Collins in athleticism.
With sheard signed the 4th lb if one is ever needed becomes nink.

I know they are 3 down LBS. Maybe Collins wasn't the best comparison but he is explosive out of the backfield and did what his role was phenomenal I thought. It would be tough to give him starters minutes but Sheard, I think will be seeing most of his snaps at DE.....nothing wrong with rotating quality rushers

My main point is wear&tear on those 3 and our annual injury to an integral player....maybe Ayers is a luxury or too pricey now but BB got the most out of him and wouldn't mind seeing him back....

But I agree with your statement

Gumby · Mar 12, 2015

shmessy said:
He played on a broken foot last half of the season.

Hopefully he didnt get treated by the Pats ex-orthopedist or he'll get his picture hung up in the IR hall of fame with Dobson. LOL.

I'm excited by this pickup. Especially so early in FA, that is very un-BB like; so you know he must like him.

Bostonian1962 · Mar 12, 2015

BelichickFan said:
Oliver Thomas retweeted
Aaron Wilson ‏@RavensInsider 2m2 minutes ago
Jabaal Sheard Patriots two-year deal, $11 million, $4 million bonus, salaries $1 million, $4 million; roster bonuses $1 million, $1 million

As has been talked about on the other thread, this is a really nice signing.

This is an excellent signing. I would expect free agency for the Patriots will go, like most seasons. Eight seconds into it, and many are screaming that we've done horribly in free agency, and then in the end everybody will feel pretty good about it.

notex · Mar 12, 2015

Bostonian1962 said:
This is an excellent signing. I would expect free agency for the Patriots will go, like most seasons. Eight seconds into it, and many are screaming that we've done horribly in free agency, and then in the end everybody will feel pretty good about it.

But Revis signed with the jets.!!!

slash83 · Mar 12, 2015

Excellent first signing, I expect more front 7 impact players to be added.

Patriots sign DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard

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