2017-18 LB Group evolution

[supafly]

Yep, he's really thumpthing, alright.

Boooo!

 

[supafly]

I don’t, go younger and more athletic.

I don’t have an issue with keeping Harrison on the cheap as a depth option and possible situational pass rusher, as long as there’s an understanding about what his role is going to be and both sides are good with that.

No doubt that they need to get some younger and more athletic talent, though. I think that goes for the front seven in general.

 

[supafly]

To me he’s done, it would be like carrying Steven Jackson into the next season just for a veteran presence. I would rather have a UDFA prospect take that roster spot.

I think your Steven Jackson comparison would be more appropriate had they decided to keep David Harris.

In a perfect world, we get some fresh, quicker, younger talent in the front seven, and still have a spot for a competitive beast like Harrison. I thought there were some nice plays where he was just about the only guy getting any pressure at times.

 

[Ivan]

I think your Steven Jackson comparison would be more appropriate had they decided to keep David Harris.

In a perfect world, we get some fresh, quicker, younger talent in the front seven, and still have a spot for a competitive beast like Harrison. I thought there were some nice plays where he was just about the only guy getting any pressure at times.

Sup, I just disagree with those who want to keep Harrison, I think he’s toast and a waste of a roster spot that should be used for a younger, faster, more athletic edge player.

 

[maineman209]

Sup, I just disagree with those who want to keep Harrison, I think he’s toast and a waste of a roster spot that should be used for a younger, faster, more athletic edge player.

And yet, Harrison was the best OLB on the 2017 roster at setting the edge, and Patricia even had him dropping back into coverage.

As far as "younger" goes, how much younger do you want to get?

Valentine, 23 - until Feb. 24th
A. Butler, 23 - until Apr. 12th
Roberts, 23 - until April 22nd
Rivers, 23 - until May 9th - IR
Wise, 23 - until July 26th
Lee, 23 - until August 6th
Keionta Davis, 23 - until March 1st (NFI)

Brown, 24 - as of Feb. 2nd
Caleb Kidder, 24 as of Feb. 4th (NFI)
T. Flowers, 24 - until August 16th

Langi, 25 - until Sept. 24th - NFI

Older, but not "ancient" ...

M. Flowers, 26 - as of Feb. 16th - UFA
Van Noy, 26 - until March 26th
Hightower, 27 - until March 12th - IR
Guy, 28 - until March 17th

The current average age of the Pats front-7 players who are under contract - not including McClellin and Branch who are both almost certainly gone - is 24.2 years.

 

[Ivan]

And yet, Harrison was the best OLB on the 2017 roster at setting the edge, and Patricia even had him dropping back into coverage.

As far as "younger" goes, how much younger do you want to get?

Valentine, 23 - until Feb. 24th
A. Butler, 23 - until Apr. 12th
Roberts, 23 - until April 22nd
Rivers, 23 - until May 9th - IR
Wise, 23 - until July 26th
Lee, 23 - until August 6th
Keionta Davis, 23 - until March 1st (NFI)

Brown, 24 - as of Feb. 2nd
Caleb Kidder, 24 as of Feb. 4th (NFI)
T. Flowers, 24 - until August 16th

Langi, 25 - until Sept. 24th - NFI

Older, but not "ancient" ...

M. Flowers, 26 - as of Feb. 16th - UFA
Van Noy, 26 - until March 26th
Hightower, 27 - until March 12th - IR
Guy, 28 - until March 17th

The current average age of the Pats front-7 players who are under contract - not including McClellin and Branch who are both almost certainly gone - is 24.2 years.

Harrison sat for almost the entire season, and he dropped into coverage because they had no other choice. Other than MLB this LB unit needs serious help, and imo Harrison is simply not the answer. You guys are welcome to believe he is but I don’t, and I’m not going to change my mind simply because people here disagree. I want more young talent in the edge and I want Harrison gone. He is not a player that mentors younger player’s, and he is definitely a problem when he’s not getting snaps, I don’t want that problem around this team.

 

[maineman209]

Harrison sat for almost the entire season, and he dropped into coverage because they had no other choice. Other than MLB this LB unit needs serious help, and imo Harrison is simply not the answer. You guys are welcome to believe he is but I don’t, and I’m not going to change my mind simply because people here disagree. I want more young talent in the edge and I want Harrison gone. He is not a player that mentors younger player’s, and he is definitely a problem when he’s not getting snaps, I don’t want that problem around this team.

Harrison sat for almost the entire season - with the Steelers.

He dropped into coverage as an OLB with the Pats because he was better at the position than anyone else on the roster.

I'm absolutely not saying that the LB group doesn't need help. It seems to me that should be obvious by now. And, I also don't believe that Harrison is THE "answer". It seems to me that I've also consistently made that perfectly clear. In fact, I believe that there is no "THE" answer. There never has been and there never will be.

Again, you're responding as if you are convinced that I "want" Harrison on the 2018 53-man final roster. I don't. No, really - I don't. What I want is for the Pats to have someone on the 90-man roster who out-competes him for that spot on the 53. At this point, they don't appear to have that guy.

And keeping Harrison off the 90-man off-season roster for the sake of including yet another raw 22-year-old UDFA isn't really going to help their chances of having that guy.

Meanwhile, having Harrison on the 90-man provides cheap insurance in case the Pats don't have that guy by final cutdowns. At least then they'll have a backup who knows wtf he's doing playing OLB, even if he is older and slower. It might beat the crap out of trying to have a guy like Richards do it.

"He is not a player that mentors younger player’s, and he is definitely a problem when he’s not getting snaps."

I hope you'll pardon me if I don't base my assessment of Harrison (or any player) on media hearsay "evidence", but the fact is that everybody who's healthy gets snaps in OTAs and Camp for comparative evaluation (that's kind of the point), so there won't be anything for Harrison to complain about - until and unless the Pats LB situation is still such crap at final cutdowns that Harrison is their best option for the 53-man. At that point, we'd have way more to worry about than any potential Harrison hissy-fit.

 

[Ivan]

Harrison sat for almost the entire season - with the Steelers.

He dropped into coverage as an OLB with the Pats because he was better at the position than anyone else on the roster.

I'm absolutely not saying that the LB group doesn't need help. It seems to me that should be obvious by now. And, I also don't believe that Harrison is THE "answer". It seems to me that I've also consistently made that perfectly clear. In fact, I believe that there is no "THE" answer. There never has been and there never will be.

Again, you're responding as if you are convinced that I "want" Harrison on the 2018 53-man final roster. I don't. No, really - I don't. What I want is for the Pats to have someone on the 90-man roster who out-competes him for that spot on the 53. At this point, they don't appear to have that guy.

And keeping Harrison off the 90-man off-season roster for the sake of including yet another raw 22-year-old UDFA isn't really going to help their chances of having that guy.

Meanwhile, having Harrison on the 90-man provides cheap insurance in case the Pats don't have that guy by final cutdowns. At least then they'll have a backup who knows wtf he's doing playing OLB, even if he is older and slower. It might beat the crap out of trying to have a guy like Richards do it.

"He is not a player that mentors younger player’s, and he is definitely a problem when he’s not getting snaps."

I hope you'll pardon me if I don't base my assessment of Harrison (or any player) on media hearsay "evidence", but the fact is that everybody who's healthy gets snaps in OTAs and Camp for comparative evaluation (that's kind of the point), so there won't be anything for Harrison to complain about - until and unless the Pats LB situation is still such crap at final cutdowns that Harrison is their best option for the 53-man. At that point, we'd have way more to worry about than any potential Harrison hissy-fit.

Once again, I just disagree. I don’t have any interest in keeping Harrison, I want them to use the spot on a young player.

 

[IllegalContact]

The LB unit is currently a disaster

as for Harrison.......at best a situational DE in a 4-3

 

[Kontradiction]

Once again, I just disagree. I don’t have any interest in keeping Harrison, I want them to use the spot on a young player.

I think you at least bring him in to camp and see what you've got before cutting him loose. If he's outplayed by a younger DE, cut him loose and let him catch on with another team prior to the season. If not? Keep him. That way you're limiting your risk.

 

[mgteich]

Presuming that we have 6 LB's on the 53 (and 8 DL's), we have 4 open positions (to play with Hightower and Van Noy). Harrison isn't THE answer. However, he is part of the answer. It is NOT a matter of not not having any young LB's on the 53. Even with Harrison on the 53, there would be room for THREE young linebackers. And, we aren't even talking about Harrison being on the 53, just being signed and competing for the 53. And, yes, I believe that this might cost us a bit in bonus for the needed insurance.

 

[supafly]

Sup, I just disagree with those who want to keep Harrison, I think he’s toast and a waste of a roster spot that should be used for a younger, faster, more athletic edge player.

Fair enough, man. Either way it plays out, I think we’ll be in a better position. My hope is for youth, too. Our only disagreement would be whether or not Harrison is an improvement on an UDFA, that’s all.