#1 Need OLD/DE PASS RUSHERS!

[NinjaZX6R]

Has anyone seen Cam Thomas from Virginia this season? He is a 6-3, 270 senior who had 6,5 sacks/14,5 TFL as a junior.

Yes I have. Sadly, Virginia sucks and they don't even on TV. Heck, I can't even download one of their games so I can watch him.

 

[reflexblue]

Looking at past history don't bother scouting DE or OLB's, keep an eye out for DB's especially frail DB's Of course they're harder to scout cause there not on the field much.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Looking at past history don't bother scouting DE or OLB's, keep an eye out for DB's especially frail DB's Of course they're harder to scout cause there not on the field much.

I disagree. Scout that UVA LB/DE.

 

[captain stone]

I love the Pittsburgh drafting philosophy when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. They take an athletic player and red shirt him for a year and then unleash him on an unsuspecting NFL.

The coaches appear to spend an entire year working the red shirts hard behind the scenes, while peer pressure in the locker room motivates the kids to compete hard.

This is exactly what BB does not do and it drives me nuts that we stopped. Pittsburgh sees a player in decline and drafts a developmental prospect to replace that player HIGH, ie: Timmons, Woodley, Hood and now Heyward. Interestingly all are front 7 guys...

With that in mind, I'll be keeping watch on former Fresno State (& FOB Pat Hill) DE/OLB Chris Carter, who was avail. with the pick Bill used on...UDFA talent, blocking-only TE & already ex-Pat Lee Smith.

 

[Sciz]

With that in mind, I'll be keeping watch on former Fresno State (& FOB Pat Hill) DE/OLB Chris Carter, who was avail. with the pick Bill used on...UDFA talent, blocking-only TE & already ex-Pat Lee Smith.

You realize Carter has been a healthy scratch in 3/4 games and still probably won't get any significant playing time despite injuries to both Harrison and Worilds, right?

 

[NinjaZX6R]

You realize Carter has been a healthy scratch in 3/4 games and still probably won't get any significant playing time despite injuries to both Harrison and Worilds, right?

Add to the fact that he is barely 6'1

 

[fester]

I love the Pittsburgh drafting philosophy when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. They take an athletic player and red shirt him for a year and then unleash him on an unsuspecting NFL.

The coaches appear to spend an entire year working the red shirts hard behind the scenes, while peer pressure in the locker room motivates the kids to compete hard...

On the OLB front, the Steelers are batting 1 for 3 for high draft picks becoming productive players (Woodley) as Worilds is injured (again) and Alonzo Jackson was easily the biggest WTF of the late Cowher era.

They threw a massive pile of mud against the wall and Harrison stuck (UDFA/cut multiple times/ST demon for early career) and that seems to be an approach that the Patriots have taken on the Front-7 as well.

 

[NePatriots]

Has anyone seen Cam Thomas from Virginia this season? He is a 6-3, 270 senior who had 6,5 sacks/14,5 TFL as a junior.

Cam Johnson I presume?

 

[Off The Grid]

Has anyone seen Cam Thomas from Virginia this season? He is a 6-3, 270 senior who had 6,5 sacks/14,5 TFL as a junior.

Cam Johnson, I presume?

You presume correctly.

Let's clean it up, Brother DefSoul.

 

[ROHAN KLEMM]

NEED PASS RUSHERS - YA THINK?

From a spoiled Patriots fan. The Pats D is not a coaching problem, It’s a drafting problem.

I thought this past draft was going to be enormous for the Pats. There is no way to figure out who the Pats will draft. It seems they are channeling their inner Al Davis. (Heyward-Bey over Raji), it’s not that bad yet. Every year I wish for a defensive (physical) draft from the Pats and get disappointed. This year the Pats addressed Tackle, DB and RB and tried to get lucky by carpet bombing DL in second/third tier free agency. To quote Tom Hanks in Big “I don’t get it”.

Although I can live with the Solder pick, I would have preferred defense. Is it too late to switch drafts with New Orleans, although I do think that if we took Cameron Jordan, Saints would still have taken Ingram ahead of Pats second #1. Is Shane Vereen injured, in the doghouse, not ready, walking on the PCH or all of the above? At least try to make him Kevin Faulk even though we have Woodhead for that role. Nice to see Ridley, keep him busy, running backs have a short career. Pats should run the ball against the Buffalo’s of the NFL and save the ALL passing games for Steelers / Ravens run stuffers. Without Hernandez, Brady does not seem to have an alternative reciever besides Welker and Gronk. Give him some help or hand off occasionally. Is Ocho at the end of the line. My concern is he does not seem to get consistent separation, drops happen, (see Carl Crawford). Crawford was the one guy I wanted the Sox to sign. I still believe. It looks like were waiting to see what Taylor Price can do. Pats must like him.

The D so far is softer than last year and for some reason McCourty has also gone south.
With the amount of picks in recent draft, the Pats should have much better depth and a more physical team. Is this the beginning of the end for Cunningham and Brace? I would love a do-over on this years draft. Maybe a Dontay Moch (injured in WKRP) or Brooks Reed. For a one armed man, Adrian Claiborne sure looked good for Tampa the other night, a little Freeney spin. Please Pats – draft OLB / DL / S / WR next year. After the last draft we should not have such a long list of needs. Meriweather, Butler, Samuels, Hobbs, Wilhite, Wheatley, Sanders when does the revolving door stop.

I still think Buffalo comes back to the pack very soon.

I also think Antonio (Warren) Cromartie would make a great wide receiver or offensive player. Fumbles would have to be addressed.

The Pats are a well coached, top tier team with a great qb but mediocore talent elsewhere. I would definitely take the Bengals defensive personnel over the Pats.

In spite of all this, I think the Pats go 11-5 and can win the Super Bowl. It will be very interesting to see how they fare against physical NFC East teams this year. I believe the balance of power has swung back to the NFC this year.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I wouldn't call it a mistake. But, once Kerrigan dropped to 16. We were sitting at 17. Could we have actually traded up and gotten both? 1b(28) and 33 had a value of 1240 points. 16th pick was 1000 points. Their 3RD rounder from Miami had a value of 195 to even out the trade. Washington was in a trade back mode, accumulate picks. Moved down from 10 to 16. Don't know if they do it again. But, we end up with Kerrigan and Solder.

I'm using Kerrigan as an example. There are others we could in theory have traded up for. We can identify an impact player and trade up once in a while. That's my only complaint about the last 3 years. Sit back and accumulate picks. We have done a great job of helping the offense out. But, our defense is playing like we draft. Sit back and watch players go by you. We're not going to get an impact pass rusher where we pick in the first this year. If we want one, we're going to have to move up....gasp

Right now Courtney Upshaw looks like he might be that olb who can get after the qb. He's only 6'2". So, he's probably not a fit. But, I've seen him play quite a bit. And, he will play and play well in the NFL. Want to check his 40 time out and his drills at the combine. He seems a little thick legged. Want to make sure he's not the product of a great system. He's a 3-4 olb. Melvin Ingram from So. Carolina has burst onto the scene. He looks like he's about 20lbs or so heavier than Upshaw. Plays de in a 4-3. May be more of a situational pass rusher in the NFL. Hurt his foot last week. So. Carolina will be on tv a lot. Should have some chances to check him out.

 

[Sciz]

Even if we assume that's possible, it's getting Kerrigan at the expense of Dowling, Vereen, and NO's 1st this coming draft. That's the kind of value that's hard to argue against.

 

[Defsoul]

Cam Johnson I presume?

Yes, I meant Cam Johnson. Not sure how I came up with Cam Thomas...

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Yes, I meant Cam Johnson. Not sure how I came up with Cam Thomas...

Drunk?? lol

 

[patchick]

once Kerrigan dropped to 16. We were sitting at 17. Could we have actually traded up and gotten both? 1b(28) and 33 had a value of 1240 points. 16th pick was 1000 points. Their 3RD rounder from Miami had a value of 195 to even out the trade. Washington was in a trade back mode, accumulate picks. Moved down from 10 to 16. Don't know if they do it again. But, we end up with Kerrigan and Solder.

I'm using Kerrigan as an example. There are others we could in theory have traded up for. We can identify an impact player and trade up once in a while.

After the draft, Belichick said a few cryptic words indicating that there WERE players he was interested in trading up for, but the teams in question weren't willing to trade down. Note that no trades took place in the 6 spots leading up to the Patriots' pick, a range that included J.J. Watt, Nick Fairley and Robert Quinn as well as Kerrigan.

As for Solder, early results suggest they may well have gotten the single best player left on the board at #17, a guy who both filled a need at a top-value position (remember, Light was unsigned) and has mammoth upside. And at #28, consider that NOT ONE edge rusher was drafted between 28 and 33, so who did they miss out on?

IMO that leaves one solid edge-rusher complaint: passing on Jabaal Sheard. And I have to admit, even though I might have been the biggest Dowling fan on the board, Sheard would have been my pick at 33.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Even if we assume that's possible, it's getting Kerrigan at the expense of Dowling, Vereen, and NO's 1st this coming draft. That's the kind of value that's hard to argue against.

No it wouldn't. We still had our own 2nd to draft Vereen. He would have fallen a couple more spots to 60. Keep that pick. Use three from my trade and Minny like we did anyway Mallett/Ridley. Didn't have to keep trading down. It's Kerrigan for Dowling/NO 1st. I would still do it.
You're not going to get a pass rusher for NO's 1st. Going to have to trade up this year if we want to fill that hole.

 

[patsfaninpa]

After the draft, Belichick said a few cryptic words indicating that there WERE players he was interested in trading up for, but the teams in question weren't willing to trade down. Note that no trades took place in the 6 spots leading up to the Patriots' pick, a range that included J.J. Watt, Nick Fairley and Robert Quinn as well as Kerrigan.

As for Solder, early results suggest they may well have gotten the single best player left on the board at #17, a guy who both filled a need at a top-value position (remember, Light was unsigned) and has mammoth upside. And at #28, consider that NOT ONE edge rusher was drafted between 28 and 33, so who did they miss out on?

IMO that leaves one solid edge-rusher complaint: passing on Jabaal Sheard. And I have to admit, even though I might have been the biggest Dowling fan on the board, Sheard would have been my pick at 33.

We got the Steelers/Texans before the Pats game last week here in Pa. Got a chance to watch Connor Barwin. Oops. You ok? Didn't want you to swoon and fall over

Texans front abused the Steelers OL. He looked pretty good rushing the passer. He didn't set the edge very good on a couple of outside runs by Mendenhall. Along with JJ Watt. Very athletic lb corps; Ryans, Cushing, Barwin and Mario Williams. Watt solidifies their front 3. Also have Brooks Reed off the bench.

Heresy to say around here. But, Baltimore and Houston are my picks to play in the AFCCG. Their defensive fronts are light years ahead of ours. We can beat anyone in a game when TFB is on. But, he has to be. Their qb's don't have to win the game for their teams.

 

[patchick]

Texans front abused the Steelers OL. He looked pretty good rushing the passer. He didn't set the edge very good on a couple of outside runs by Mendenhall. Along with JJ Watt. Very athletic lb corps; Ryans, Cushing, Barwin and Mario Williams. Watt solidifies their front 3. Also have Brooks Reed off the bench.

The Texans have definitely specialized in drafting the defensive binkies of this board. Watt was a painful one for me.

Heresy to say around here. But, Baltimore and Houston are my picks to play in the AFCCG. Their defensive fronts are light years ahead of ours. We can beat anyone in a game when TFB is on. But, he has to be. Their qb's don't have to win the game for their teams.

I'd say that Houston may have the most pure talent in the conference.

 

[Sciz]

No it wouldn't. We still had our own 2nd to draft Vereen. He would have fallen a couple more spots to 60. Keep that pick. Use three from my trade and Minny like we did anyway Mallett/Ridley. Didn't have to keep trading down. It's Kerrigan for Dowling/NO 1st. I would still do it.
You're not going to get a pass rusher for NO's 1st. Going to have to trade up this year if we want to fill that hole.

It's Kerrigan for Dowling and NO's 1st, plus risking Vereen is around 4 picks later and Ridley/Mallett is around 5-6 picks later. Let's not act like they're guaranteed to drop.

Oh yeah, and that was the other problem. Washington didn't have Miami's 3rd yet. They got that when pick #62 was on the clock.

 

[patsfaninpa]

It's Kerrigan for Dowling and NO's 1st, plus risking Vereen is around 4 picks later and Ridley/Mallett is around 5-6 picks later. Let's not act like they're guaranteed to drop.

Oh yeah, and that was the other problem. Washington didn't have Miami's 3rd yet. They got that when pick #62 was on the clock.

If we missed out on Vereen and were stuck with Ridley would that be a bad thing?