2011 Offseason Outlook - Linebacker

[jmt57]

With the Pats season over and free agency (hopefully) and the draft still a ways away, I figured this would be a good time to look back - and look forward - with some discussion at each position on the team.

Inside Linebacker
Jerod Mayo
Brandon Spikes
Gary Guyton
Dane Fletcher

Outside Linebacker
Jermaine Cunningham
Tully Banta-Cain
Rob Ninkovich
Marques Murrell

Special Teams LB
Tracy White (free agent)

 

[jmt57]

It Is What It Is -- Patriots by position: Linebackers | Christopher Price

2010, in three sentences: About what was expected. You had a Pro Bowl year from Mayo, some guys like Ninkovich, Fletcher and Guyton who exceeded expectations, while rookies Cunningham and Spikes got quality snaps in their first year in the system. It was a bit of a disappointment for Banta-Cain, who was New England’s best pass rusher in 2009 but slipped to just five sacks in 2010.

Among linebackers with at least 80 tackle opportunities in 2010, Mayo’s 2.10 miss percentage — that is, where he had a ballcarrier lined up and he whiffed on the tackle attempt — was second best in the league.

The skinny: Provided Mayo stays at a Pro Bowl level — and provided that Spikes continues to mature and steer clear of some troubling off-field issues that marred his rookie year — the Patriots appear to be set on the inside, as Guyton is a good complementary player and Fletcher certainly showed that he could contribute occasionally as a rookie. The outside linebacker spots could certainly use an upgrade, as Banta-Cain and Ninkovich are good players, but a far cry from the McGinest/Vrabel types who dominated the position in the early days of the Belichick era. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Patriots could certainly use a pass-rushing threat off the edge. If there is someone who could fit that mold (6-foot-4, 250 pound, pass-rushing defensive end who can make the transition to OLB in the pros), look for the Patriots to target him in the draft.

 

[jeffbiologist]

Use the money most have set for Mankins and go get Woodley!! He is a established OLB, more than anyone in the draft can possibly upgrade a position he can. Write the check if you can...

 

[Keegs]

With the Pats season over and free agency (hopefully) and the draft still a ways away, I figured this would be a good time to look back - and look forward - with some discussion at each position on the team.

Inside Linebacker
Jerod Mayo
Brandon Spikes
Gary Guyton
Dane Fletcher

Outside Linebacker
Jermaine Cunningham
Tully Banta-Cain
Rob Ninkovich
Marques Murrell

Special Teams LB
Tracy White

I feel like everyone in bold played their butts off this year considering the expectations for each of them.

I would like to see Tully go.

 

[TheComeback]

I think we're fine at inside linebacker if Spikes can make a jump this offseason. He has playmaker potential written all over him. Guyton and Fletcher are excellent backups, especially in coverage. It still wouldn't hurt to look at getting another big, physical linebacker to sub for Spikes if he gets injured. I don't see Mayo, Guyton, or Fletcher as very effective in that role.

At OLB, it looks to me like Ninkovich and Cunnigham will be the starters next year. I see us drafting someone for the 3rd/4th spot, or maybe even signing a veteran (making Ninko a backup) with Banta-Cain purely a rotational player at best, and possibly not even making the team.

 

[Deus Irae]

The team needs to find at least one starting caliber OLB this offseason. If BB & Co. aren't sold on Cunningham, that'll mean the team needs two starters.

 

[Potstickas]

3-4 OLB that can set the edge has always been such a crap shoot since they always have to be conversion projects from a 4-3 system.

I'm hoping that with the 3-4 more popular, that more college programs play the 3-4 so there are more players molded to play that position naturally.

On the negative side, there will be more competition for those types of players. It used to be that BB can take his pick on those conversion project players that nobody can use well.

 

[Coach42]

The team needs to find at least one starting caliber OLB this offseason. If BB & Co. aren't sold on Cunningham, that'll mean the team needs two starters.

I think that calf injury towards the end of the year really put a damper on what could have been a real solid year out of Cunningham. Its kind of amazing to think that preseason with this same bunch you would have thought MAJOR weakness. Instead we got some decent play yet the position still needs upgrading.

 

[Sciz]

It's a rough draft. The Pats need an OLB, but there just aren't any standout prospects. Quinn has a few red flags. Aldon Smith has an agent that Bill hasn't worked with in five years. Ayers is soft and can't rush the passer. Von Miller is as close to Chung's size as he is to Cunningham's. Houston's length is iffy. Who's left, Kerrigan? That's about it.

 

[part-timer]

I feel that the TBC experiment has played out. We must cut our loss with him and save the ballanceof his high priced contract.(eigth highest on the team) Then check the free agent wire, but would definately pick a DE/OLB in the second round. Not to get off the topic but I for one feel there has been a pattern of players abusing the system and am sickend by the way they get away with it. Think how many high profile players get their big paydays and quit on their teams with little to lose haveing guarenteed the better part of the money. Adalius Thomas,Albert Hainsworth,TBC,Burgess,Springs, the list goes on and on.

 

[Sciz]

I feel that the TBC experiment has played out. We must cut our loss with him and save the ballanceof his high priced contract.(eigth highest on the team) Then check the free agent wire, but would definately pick a DE/OLB in the second round. Not to get off the topic but I for one feel there has been a pattern of players abusing the system and am sickend by the way they get away with it. Think how many high profile players get their big paydays and quit on their teams with little to lose haveing guarenteed the better part of the money. Adalius Thomas,Albert Hainsworth,TBC,Burgess,Springs, the list goes on and on.

TBC didn't quit on the team, the team just didn't give him enough 3rd and long opportunities to do his thing.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Use the money most have set for Mankins and go get Woodley!! He is a established OLB, more than anyone in the draft can possibly upgrade a position he can. Write the check if you can...

sad thing is the Pats could have gotten Woodley, they could have gotten clay matthews but the pats have never legitimately addressed the position since mcginest left

 

[Keegs]

TBC didn't quit on the team, the team just didn't give him enough 3rd and long opportunities to do his thing.

Really?

i'm not saying you are wrong, but i seem to remember a lot of 3rd and longs in the 1st half of the season that were converted, and i don't remember TBC doing much at all.

 

[mgteich]

We'll add an OLB in the top 60. Many have Jeremey Beal on our lists. We are also likely to aadd a 1st round DE which should help OLB play.My bottom line that 2 studs at DE and OLB will make a huge difference over the next couple of years. For most of 2011, they may spend lots of time on the bench. Our defense take awhile to learn, especially for those who are used to college 4-3 defense.

The rookies may beat out current players, or not. Perhaps, the 55th and 56th roster position are the place for deevelopmental front seven players. (The 54th is for our needed additional wide receiver).

 

[arubin]

I love Justin Houston. What is the problem with getting him? His highlights look amazing!

 

[part-timer]

I agree, I spent a great deal of this season livid at our inability to stop any one third and long, and watched TBC quiting on the plays, yet before he got the big contract he was a formidable force. we got played.

 

[part-timer]

Maybe my bad, I didn't relize you were trying to be funny. You were makeing a joke right.

 

[patsfan-1982]

this is just My Opinion but i relly see no need to run a 3-4 if the pats are going to keep puting out the OLB's that they have for the last few years...i think they should run a 4-3 and find one pass rushing DE and they are set

Wilfork and Ty Warren/Ron Brace at DT
Jermaine Cunningham draft Cameron Jordan at DE
Jerod Mayo at MLB
Brandon Spikes and Gary Guyton at OLB

this would still keep the pats 3 best LB's on the field at all times and give them one more big body to stop the run

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Need a stud to start opposite Cunningham. I think it would make Cunningham more effective. Ninko has a solid role with us, but it shouldn't be a starting OLB role. Tully didn't have his best season, but he's shown flashes of it in the past and is still on a reasonable contract for a pass rusher.

Sometimes pass rushers just have off years. Julius Peppers recorded only 2.5 sacks in 2007, which wasn't a period of declining play since he recorded double-digit sacks the year before and after. Jared Allen didn't do much to start this season, but recorded a bunch of sacks during a short stretch. I don't think Tully has lost it. Just didn't have a good year.

And I'm not implying Tully is an elite guy like those two, just pointing out that even the elite guys have down periods.

And thanks to JMT57 for putting together these threads.

 

[A_Ghost_In_The_Machine]

I'm not a fan of TBC. The previous poster said they thought he just had an off year this year, the way I see it he just had one standout season last year (and even then I think people get blinded by the stats, he may have had double digit sacks but half of those came in one game against a hapless Bills O-Line). My personal pick for a replacement would be Ryan Kerrigan, he doesn't have the speed of a 'typical' 3-4 OLB but BB doesn't use a typical 3-4 and Kerrigan makes up for a lack of speed with size that would fit him perfectly in the mold of a Patriots OLB and allow him to set the edge against the run as well as rush the passer