Defense 2021 and 2022; Business As Usual

[mgteich]

I posted about a complete 2-year rebuild of the Offense.

On the Defense, so far, it has been business as usual.

1) Last year, we acquired Godchaux, Anderson, Judon, McMillan, Mills, Barmore, Perkins and McGrone.

2) We also signed a couple of vets as one-year fill ins until more the youth develop. (VanNoy and Collins)

3) So far this year, we've had a couple of minor acquisitions in Wilson and Mitchell.

4) Clearly, we will add a corner or two. We are also likely to draft a front six player or two in our first four picks. I expect more signings in free agency, as always, and perhaps a trade.

 

[Hyped]

I don't think it is "business as usual".

I think we are making a concentrated effort to get faster on the front 7 and to play zone on the back end. While also gambling that our pass rush will come alive:

- Judon seemed to be hurt last year towards the end.
- Uche disappeared, but had a great camp last summer.
- Perkins is stepping up this year, IMO.
- Jennings is coming off an injury.
- McGrone was red shirted last year.
- Raekwon McMillian looked good before getting hurt last year.
- We moved on from Wino for an ILB who is better in coverage in Mack Wilson.

And we have a ton of safeties that can drop down to the front 7 as a linebacker in:

- Philips
- Dugger
- Bledsoe (red shirted last year, but had a glowing post-draft review from The Athletic's Jeff Howe)

I think we are going to play it a bit differently this year...evidenced further by Jerod Mayo's statement that "we needed to get faster on defense".

I think it is going to be a "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" kind of defense in 2022.

 

[Steve102]

I don't think it is "business as usual".

I think we are making a concentrated effort to get faster on the front 7 and to play zone on the back end. While also gambling that our pass rush will come alive:

- Judon seemed to be hurt last year towards the end.
- Uche disappeared, but had a great camp last summer.
- Perkins is stepping up this year, IMO.
- Jennings is coming off an injury.
- McGrone was red shirted last year.
- Raekwon McMillian looked good before getting hurt last year.
- We moved on from Wino for an ILB who is better in coverage in Mack Wilson.

And we have a ton of safeties that can drop down to the front 7 as a linebacker in:

- Philips
- Dugger
- Bledsoe (red shirted last year, but had a glowing post-draft review from The Athletic's Jeff Howe)

I think we are going to play it a bit differently this year...evidenced further by Jerod Mayo's statement that "we needed to get faster on defense".

I think it is going to be a "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" kind of defense in 2022.

Gonna have to get a whole chit ton faster after today, eh?

 

[Hyped]

Gonna have to get a whole chit ton faster after today, eh?

Yep, for sure...

But if we have good zone D and an improved pass rush....we can get by. Lock down corners who can go step by step with a top flight WR just don't grow on trees....we have only had a handful over the years....

 

[Steve102]

Yep, for sure...

But if we have good zone D and an improved pass rush....we can get by. Lock down corners who can go step by step with a top flight WR just don't grow on trees....we have only had a handful over the years....

I look at this off-season so far and think that they are f%&$ed. They are so far from f%&$ed that they can't buy a bus ticket to f%&$ed.

 

[Hyped]

I look at this off-season so far and think that they are f%&$ed. They are so far from f%&$ed that they can't buy a bus ticket to f%&$ed.

Yeah, if I am being honest...it looks like a "step-back-to-take-two-steps-forward" kind of off-season.

I have watched enough football to know that Belichick is still gunning for a Superbowl regardless and so many things can happen in a season....(I mean the 2001 Patriots man...I saw that with my own eyes...for real!)

But yeah...we need to hit some home runs in the draft and pray that some of our 2nd/3rd/4th year home grown guys surprise us....

 

[mgteich]

I don't think it is "business as usual".

I think we are making a concentrated effort to get faster on the front 7 and to play zone on the back end. While also gambling that our pass rush will come alive:

- Judon seemed to be hurt last year towards the end.
- Uche disappeared, but had a great camp last summer.
- Perkins is stepping up this year, IMO.
- Jennings is coming off an injury.
- McGrone was red shirted last year.
- Raekwon McMillian looked good before getting hurt last year.
- We moved on from Wino for an ILB who is better in coverage in Mack Wilson.

And we have a ton of safeties that can drop down to the front 7 as a linebacker in:

- Philips
- Dugger
- Bledsoe (red shirted last year, but had a glowing post-draft review from The Athletic's Jeff Howe)

I think we are going to play it a bit differently this year...evidenced further by Jerod Mayo's statement that "we needed to get faster on defense".

I think it is going to be a "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" kind of defense in 2022.

I agree with everything, other than your conclusion that we are making a concentrated effort at anything on defense. We have been trying to develop a new set of linebackers for four years.

We basically kept our front, except for adding Godchaux. Guy is back. Wise was given a huge contract. Even Cowart is back. Barmore was added also.

Perhaps it is semantics, but I don't see the concentrated effort, well not a successful effort. not yet.

I do expect another couple of defensive front six players in the early picks, yet again.

 

[Hyped]

I agree with everything, other than your conclusion that we are making a concentrated effort at anything on defense. We have been trying to develop a new set of linebackers for four years.

We basically kept our front, except for adding Godchaux. Guy is back. Wise was given a huge contract. Even Cowart is back. Barmore was added also.

Perhaps it is semantics, but I don't see the concentrated effort, well not a successful effort. not yet.

I do expect another couple of defensive front six players in the early picks, yet again.

Developing LB'ers for the past 4 years? Not seeing it...

2019 - Final Brady season...we had a solid secondary and were trying to upgrade the offensive weapons for TB12. And Hightower was still Hightower...and the D as a whole was coming off a good performance in the Superbowl. They even kept us in the final playoff game against the Titans until old friend Logan Ryan picked off TB12.

2020 - Disastrous season...and Hightower opted out...Roberts/KVN bolts to the Fish. Not much we could have done then...but the defense as a whole was pretty damn solid...it was just that our offense kept giving the other team time of possession and more drives.

2021 - We got Hightower back...lighter and healthier...but he wasn't the HT of old...maybe that changes this year...dunno...but not up to HT standards for sure. We didn't really upgrade in FA...we relied on the draft with Uche/Jennings/Wino/Perkins/Bentley...and now Judon last year in FA. We brought back KVN and Collins after they were released by their teams.

2022 - Now, we have drafted McGrone a year earlier...hoping Perkins gets more snaps....and Uche doesn't get dinged....Judon as well. Swapped out Wino for Wilson....brought back Bentley anyway. I think Bentley is meant to be our Hightower replacement...the downhill thumper.

I am not seeing much development, but more of a re-tooling via the draft and bringing back old friends in free agency/waivers. I am seeing us invest more in safeties....we keep paying McCourty, played Jason back there too, brought on Mills who can play safety too in a pinch, drated JoeJuan who is a big CB, drafted Dugger, signed Philips in FA. With us playing so much in sub packages...almost no need for linebackers. Better to invest in those OLB/DE guys who can set the edge, IMO.

 

[mgteich]

Developing LB'ers for the past 4 years? Not seeing it...

.n set the edge, IMO.

What I said was that "We have been trying to develop a new set of linebackers for four years."

I submit that drafting SEVEN LEINBACKERS in for years rates as at least "TRYING".

2021 Perkins, McGrone

2020 Uche, Jennings

2019 Winovich

2018 Sam, Bentley

I strongly agree that we haven't succeeded.

 

[Hyped]

What I said was that "We have been trying to develop a new set of linebackers for four years."

I submit that drafting SEVEN LEINBACKERS in for years rates as at least "TRYING".

2021 Perkins, McGrone

2020 Uche, Jennings

2019 Winovich

2018 Sam, Bentley

I strongly agree that we haven't succeeded.

The jury is still out on the 2020/2021 classes.

And we still have Bentley He was worth his draft slot as well as his current deal. Additionally, we traded Wino for another LB.

Jury is out...IMO.

 

[Nunchucks]

The lbs are faster than last year. Not so sure if they are better.

 

[Scotty]

Would it be fair to assume that most of the guys , as well as not playing last year , have not played with each other so it may take a few games / season to mesh as a unit ? Most of them appear to be good players but are untested but only time will tell. Looking forward to see how they do.

 

[Triumph]

I look at this off-season so far and think that they are f%&$ed. They are so far from f%&$ed that they can't buy a bus ticket to f%&$ed.

One if not the best player on the NE defense is gone.

JC Jackson was the top CB in free agency for a reason.

 

[Steve102]

One if not the best player on the NE defense is gone.

JC Jackson was the top CB in free agency for a reason.

I maintained throughout the season that Bill has always had CB1. Ty Law, Asante, Aquib Talib, Malcom, Revis, Gilmore. His track record on having good to excellent CBs is very good. I am not a goose stepper to everything that Bill does, but when it comes to #1 corners, the guy has a very good track record. I am willing to hold my nose and trust the process a little bit when it comes to JCJ. I would rather he was here than not, but I do think the head coach knows what he's doing on CBs.

 

[Triumph]

I maintained throughout the season that Bill has always had CB1. Ty Law, Asante, Aquib Talib, Malcom, Revis, Gilmore. His track record on having good to excellent CBs is very good. I am not a goose stepper to everything that Bill does, but when it comes to #1 corners, the guy has a very good track record. I am willing to hold my nose and trust the process a little bit when it comes to JCJ. I would rather he was here than not, but I do think the head coach knows what he's doing on CBs.

I pray that you're right.

CB1 allows a BB defense to be flexible and unpredictable.

 

[Steve102]

I pray that you're right.

CB1 allows a BB defense to be flexible and unpredictable.

I am 100% confident that when they take the field in early September, whoever is out there will indeed be a CB1 type. Now, whether that guy is another one like the names I mentioned or more like an Ellis Hobbs type can and most certainly will be debated. There's been years when the guy out there isn't a HoF candidate, but more often than not, they've manned the position with a guy who's in the upper echelon in the NFL.

I'll also grant you that on March 24th, that guy doesn't appear to be on the roster. We will see what happens.

 

[jdlboot14]

I'm honestly amazed BB got anything in a trade for Wino. He's such a limited 1 trick pony.

It's time BB morphs his D into the best version of the personnel HE drafted. Perkins, Uche, Bentley, even Jennings - these guys aren't scrubs, so it's on him to find a way to maximize these guys. Wilson and McMillan should be good adds this year too.