I Don't See Serious Resources Used At LB

edkk323 said:

I think I meant Melinfonwu.

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But you're not sure

AndyJohnson said:

Can you clarify? Is he signed or are they talking about a contract?

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According to Reiss this morning, they are talking deal and Simon is interested in returning. Take it for what it’s worth.

patsbrasilpatriotas said:

We can't have everything.

We do have 4 LB's that are really good.

HT and KVN are elite IMO + Bentley and Roberts (he improved a LOT) provide nice depth. I would love to add another LB because KVN will be a FA and Bentley sample is really small, but we only have one WR, one DT, and lack elite ED, so LB is only a plus.

I can't say because FA did not even begin but if the draft was today

I would love to add

2 WR
1 TE
2 DT
1 ED
1 S
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QB is a need but i don't love any of them, so i would like a late pick like the Brett Rypien

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A few weeks ago I would have said that Bob Kraft was filling the ED role ... but, well ...

Deus Irae said:

Welker is an excellent example of a player who's faster (in this case it's quicks rather than straight speed) than his time. He's also an excellent example of why you can ignore anyone who's arguments are about the numbers.

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I agree. Having said that Edelman's 3cone was much lower and I think Edelman looks quicker on the field as well.

farn said:

According to Reiss this morning, they are talking deal and Simon is interested in returning. Take it for what it’s worth.

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I think Simon would be a very good signing.

Deus Irae said:

The team continues to need a cover LB, and relying on a low round (going into season two) who was injured 3 games into the season is not generally wise. But BB has gambled on thin and theoretically inadequate LB corps fairly often in recent years.

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The former Chargers' LB Denzel Perryman is good cover LB who is a FA after blowing out his left knee in November.

Elijah said:

A healthy Bentley might be the #1 thing I'm looking forward to in 2019.

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Same, Bentley and Wynn as well

I don't understand all the talk of drafting a new LB this year.

DH, KVN, ER, BK with Bentley and Sam to come in looks pretty good to me. King does earn a fair bit though so maybe swap him for Munson??

We have greater needs this off-season.

trueblue81 said:

I don't understand all the talk of drafting a new LB this year.

DH, KVN, ER, BK with Bentley and Sam to come in looks pretty good to me. King does earn a fair bit though so maybe swap him for Munson??

We have greater needs this off-season.

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agreed. DL, WR and TE are really the priorities.

Joker said:

With all due respect, I've played this game since 2000. I have NO IDEA what the hell BB is going to do, no clue who he'll pick and probably will go batshyt when he DOES draft this April.In other words, it's more fun to project who the OTHER 31 teams are going to take.At least I'll have SOME clue.

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Yep, I gave up a while ago. But I have to admit that I like what I am seeing as far as this year’s first round goes. There is going to be considerable alert on the board at the end of the first round. And if that carries through first three rounds they will be able to really improve the youth on the roster.

trueblue81 said:

I don't understand all the talk of drafting a new LB this year.

DH, KVN, ER, BK with Bentley and Sam to come in looks pretty good to me. King does earn a fair bit though so maybe swap him for Munson??

We have greater needs this off-season.

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If the Patriots were to draft 2 DL and 3 TE/WR in the first 3 rounds, the team would still have another pick in the top 3 rounds, a 4th round pick, a 6th round pick, and 4 7th round picks to spend on other positions. So what, exactly, is the problem with people wanting a LB taken?

I would love a Jerod Mayo like run defender or just a flat out play maker like Collins was. I am very pleased with the way our defense played in the post season but I didn't magically forget the short comings of our linebackers. Yes they are capable of playing great but they have shown that when they have an off game, it is really off. Van Noy still whiffs on too many tackles for my liking and Hightower looks like he struggles to run just as much as Gronk.

Deus Irae said:

If the Patriots were to draft 2 DL and 3 TE/WR in the first 3 rounds, the team would still have another pick in the top 3 rounds, a 4th round pick, a 6th round pick, and 4 7th round picks to spend on other positions. So what, exactly, is the problem with people wanting a LB taken?

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We aren't going to use all our picks for new players. I don't think we should use one them for a position that is pretty strong.

trueblue81 said:

We aren't going to use all our picks for new players. I don't think we should use one them for a position that is pretty strong.

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This team drafted 11 in 2015, and 12 in both 2009 and 2010. So, while it's true that BB likes to wheel and deal, he's also shown the willingness to draft the hell out of things. And, while many of us (myself included) would love to see him trading some picks forward in order to stock up on high picks in next year's draft, the idea that they shouldn't burn 1-2 picks of 12 on a LB if a promising one is available makes no sense.

1) We keep talking about 12 picks. I have absolutely zero issues with anyone that Belichick takes a flyer on in the 6th, the 7th, or as an UDFA. If he chooses 3 linebackers, I wouldn't be upset.

2) I expect that Van Noy will be extended before the draft. If not, then I could see us using one of the top 7 picks on a LB.

Deus Irae said:

If the Patriots were to draft 2 DL and 3 TE/WR in the first 3 rounds, the team would still have another pick in the top 3 rounds, a 4th round pick, a 6th round pick, and 4 7th round picks to spend on other positions. So what, exactly, is the problem with people wanting a LB taken?

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mgteich said:

1) We keep talking about 12 picks. I have absolutely zero issues with anyone that Belichick takes a flyer on in the 6th, the 7th, or as an UDFA. If he chooses 3 linebackers, I wouldn't be upset.

2) I expect that Van Noy will be extended before the draft. If not, then I could see us using one of the top 7 picks on a LB.

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I'm not all over LB in this draft. If my memory is working this afternoon, there are two quality DL prospects who'll likely fall due to injury and/or character (Simmons, Lawrence). I'd have no problem with the Patriots grabbing both of them, a TE and a WR with the first 4 picks, give or take.

One-If-By-Sea said:

I agree. Having said that Edelman's 3cone was much lower and I think Edelman looks quicker on the field as well.

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I am struck by a comment Tom Curran made when people were getting all excited about Barrios as a future Edelman replacement. He said, even though Edelman didn't come into the Pats with an exact position, when you saw him move one the field his quickness, and explosiveness jumped out at you. Barrios, not so much. Not that he was looking bad, but he was doing nothing that jumped out at you and made you look twice.

Now this is just Curran's observations, but it tempers my expectations of Barrios.

As to all the times we are getting at the combine, I'm not surprised by some of the great times we are seeing. This kids are training for MONTHS to excel at these drills. And while I would want ALL my players to have sub- 7 second 3 cone times, it doesn't necessarily translate to a player's potential success. Flowers might be the best example of this. None of his times jumped off the page and was the reason he was available at pick 104. BTW- it took Flowers 4 long years to become an overnight success story.

trueblue81 said:

We aren't going to use all our picks for new players. I don't think we should use one them for a position that is pretty strong.

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HT will be another year older, has a salary that keeps going up has some wear on those tires.

KVN isn’t locked up long term.

Best case scenario is Bentley picks up right where he left off.

Roberts is what he is. 2D run stopper who can come up big just as easily as he can have a terrible miss. Not a strength, but a very solid back-up, full-in type of guy.

King is a ST’r, nothing more.

We have no idea what we have in Sam.

We have plenty of guys who can line up in the middle and give you pretty solid results. On the edge, we are one injury away to HT or VN from being in a very tough spot.

Re-signing Simon, or exploring some other edge/tweener type of option should be a priority. That along with 1 pick spent on an edge type player and I’ll be happy. Or get both in FA, IDC.

The Patriots won the Super Bowl last year and have 12 picks in this year's draft...I'm getting real scared that things are gonna get REAL BAD!....cluck...cluck...cluck...cluck...BA-BAWK!....cluck...cluck....