Great draft for LB and Secondary, but what are we doing at DT?

[Bostonian1962]

I wouldn't be surprised to see them re-sign G. Warren and with Pryor coming back, I think the team will be just fine. Plus, alot of DTs will be available between now and final rosters. One final thing: The team added undrafted free agent Marcus Forston, so there's even another body competing. Again, I think they should be fine.

 

[Water Boy]

I think Kendal Reyes would have been a very nice compliment to the D-Line had they gotten him with pick No. 48. I think he would have provided a nice interior pass rush ability.

 

[IcyPatriot]

A decent veteran or 2 will be become available before camp and during camp ... not a problem.

 

[Off The Grid]

Great idea for a Thread, and a few really insightfull comments.

And I agree that we're actually in pretty good shape.

But I would absolutely LOVE to haul in a guy that Brother Mayo'nd I've been discussing: Aubrayo Franklin.

20 months ago, he was Franchised.

After 2 consecutive years of virtually no Camp ~ he signed the Franchise at the last minute ~ his stock has COLLAPSED. Evidently, the overwhelming perception around the league is that his relatively stale play of the last two years is a sign of decline, rather than what it actually is: an exceptional talent that simply didn't play up to his usual level because of missing the last two off seasons.

MISTAKE.

SIGN...THE...BEAST!!

 

[Leemo]

I think Kendal Reyes would have been a very nice compliment to the D-Line had they gotten him with pick No. 48. I think he would have provided a nice interior pass rush ability.

Agreed. Tavon would have been available when we took the rugby player and we could have gotten the rugby player UDFA.

But its all in the past now. Are there any free agent DT's/3-4DE's available?

 

[rabidfireweasel]

I think Kendal Reyes would have been a very nice compliment to the D-Line had they gotten him with pick No. 48. I think he would have provided a nice interior pass rush ability.

I think Bill feels good about the D line he has. He said point blank, "We have a lot of big guys". The big slow strong guys are not as effective against 3wide sets when the db's can't muscle the wr's.

He has decided to reconfigure the D with different bodies in different places. You may well see a 2-5-4 or a 2-4-5 against passing teams. who knows? I think you can throw the traditional alignments and prototypes out the window.

I think he goes, as OTG says "Mad Bill" in terms of scheming.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I don't think they're done yet, most likely will pick up a D-line thats cut during training camp.

It's still April, lots of time to tweek the roster. No real glaring needs, more like wants. Lots of teams up against it cap wise just added talent via the draft and there are still FA's to be had so lots of rosters churning will be happening as early as this week. If Bill needs something he will mine the market and even trade away a 2013 draft pick if he feels the need to. And when teams have to cut from 90 in August...

 

[upstater1]

I think Love and Deadrick will be solid back up guys for this team, but they sure left me cold at some big moments. Deadrick especially had a rough super Bowl, and getting replaced by old man Ellis was eye opening. Ellis was an improvement.

We need DTs for certain. At least one more that would start on 75% of the DLs in the league.

 

[patchick]

It seems to me that that the DL is in excellent shape to play everything BUT the classic Pats 2-gap 3-4. Deaderick is the only legitimate 5-tech on the roster (which is why I, like many others, liked Kendall Reyes in the draft). But if you cross the Seymour-Wilfork-Warren-type front off your mental list, you find yourself with a lot of versatile talent.

As others have said, we're typically going to see only 2 of the widebodies on the field at a time. Jones, Scott and Bequette are all Andre Carter's size or bigger and legit DEs.

 

[Joey007]

A little off topic, but does anyone think Love could/will be Wilforks replacement?? Maybe 3-4 years down the road??

 

[VJCPatriot]

Pats are looking to bring more pressure out of their backers this year. I think BB realized that it is so rare to find that Seymour freak of nature DL, and he is looking for more flexibility on his D, and the new crop of linebackers give him that ability to create pressure from other areas than just up front.

Here's the cream of the remaining free agent crop:
Best Available 2012 NFL Free Agents | NFL Trade Rumors

The Pats have the money to pursue one or two of them, but the question is how much of an upgrade would they provide over what we already have and is the pricetag worth it?

 

[DaBruinz]

Igor Olshansky is still out there as far as I can find and he was a decent 5-Tech with San Diego.

Grey Beard, Kelly Gregg could also help out in the 3-4.

There is also the potential for some June 1st cut-downs, though none of the pundits have an actual list out of who they think might be cut at the time.

 

[DaBruinz]

Pats are looking to bring more pressure out of their backers this year. I think BB realized that it is so rare to find that Seymour freak of nature DL, and he is looking for more flexibility on his D, and the new crop of linebackers give him that ability to create pressure from other areas than just up front.

Here's the cream of the remaining free agent crop:
Best Available 2012 NFL Free Agents | NFL Trade Rumors

The Pats have the money to pursue one or two of them, but the question is how much of an upgrade would they provide over what we already have and is the pricetag worth it?

Marcus Thomas is the only one on that list who would actually fit (size wise) for that RDE postion, and he's more of a LDE.

 

[ayjackson]

Love and Deaderick were a lot better last year than the year before. It's quite likely that BB saw nothing in the second round that he felt could provide an upgrade over the pair.

 

[Rob0729]

I thought our d-line performed pretty well once Deadrick came back and got going. I disagree with the premise that he isn't a starter. He started down the stretch and in the playoffs and played pretty well. He didn't put up a lot of stats, but he was solid.

This d-line is virtually the same from last year plus the return of Pryor who is solid and Fanane who is a good pass rush specialist. Chandler Jones will be a d-lineman in a four man front and the Pats use a lot of sub packages with a four man front.

I don't think d-line is as big of a concern as this thread suggests.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's Big Vince and the ILBs for another year.

 

[Ivan]

A decent veteran or 2 will be become available before camp and during camp ... not a problem.

I agree, there's always a second wave of veteran releases over the summer once teams have filled needs in the draft and free agency and the Patriots do well filling in from them. Warren will return and they will bring in a couple of vets for competition.

 

[Ring 6]

These are our current defensive linemen (this includes NT, DT, and 3-4 DE):

Vince Wilfork - Stud starter
Kyle Love - Ideally a depth guy with not too high of a ceiling
Brandon Deaderick - Not a starter on most teams but intriguing ceiling
Jonathan Fanene - Previously a depth guy at various DT and LDE positions in 4-3. Can he play the 5-tech as a DE?
Ron Brace -
Myron Pryor - Was the starter next to Vince as the penetrating DT/DE
Marcus Harrison - Wild card, camp fodder?
Alex Silvestro - Practice squad stashaway

Now lets group them based on positions they can play (I have removed Wilfork from these because he can play every position on our front as well Alex Silvestro due to high PS likelihood):

Nose Guard/Tackle
Ron Brace
Kyle Love

3-technique DT
Myron Pryor
Kyle Love
Marcus Harrison

5-technique DE
Jonathan Fanene
Brandon Deaderick

3-technique DE
Ron Brace
Kyle Love

I love that we beefed up at DE/OLB with the additions of Jones and Bequette but those guys are going to have to make the plays on their own judging by our DL. But whether we are in the 3-4 or 4-3 there is at least 1-2 positions that will be started by JAGish players. I guess we are banking on Pryor staying healthy, Fanene becoming a starter, and Deaderick and Love continuing to develop. All this pass rush help in the draft could be for naught if we don't have the guys to free them up to make the plays.

edit: I would also like to share an article on our defensive scheme. Last season we used a 4-3 under where Wilfork is always 2-gapping. To the left of him is a 2-gapping DE and the SLB. To the right of him is a 1-gapping DT and 1-gapping DE. Here's the article (yes, it's before our Super Bowl loss, I know ) Bill Belichick, Vince Wilfork, and the New England Patriots defense - Grantland

This is certainly the biggest area of concern on this team.
I think you are severly overating Pryor. He was never a starter. He has played as an inside rusher in the sub, but has been a major disappointment IMO.
He has been on the team 3 years and has 1 total sack (actually 2 halfs) has played in only 11 of the last 36 games, and 3 games since the middle of 2010.
Right now, if we had a game tomorrow, I think this is how we would line up.

34
LDE Deaderick
NT Wilfork
RDE Fanene
-Brace should be at DE based on ability and play on the field, but something is holding him back
-Love at NT with VW at DE is a possibility/sub move
-I value Fanene heavily in sub so would like to limit his play in base to less than full time

43
LDE Deaderick/Fanene
DT Wilfork
DT Love

-Brace backs up the DTs.

SUB
2 of these guys play inside
Fanene is one
The second choice from this group doesn't thrill me

Also, I think the D we played last year won't be the D we play this year, because as BB has said it was installed for simplicity, because it wasn't very good, and because we moved much more to 34 at the end of the season.

 

[Ring 6]

I thought our d-line performed pretty well once Deadrick came back and got going. I disagree with the premise that he isn't a starter. He started down the stretch and in the playoffs and played pretty well. He didn't put up a lot of stats, but he was solid.

This d-line is virtually the same from last year plus the return of Pryor who is solid and Fanane who is a good pass rush specialist. Chandler Jones will be a d-lineman in a four man front and the Pats use a lot of sub packages with a four man front.

I don't think d-line is as big of a concern as this thread suggests.

If Deaderick is the second best DL and you can't really name the 3rd best, its not a good DL. (I am not counting the guy who is DE in the 43 or OLB in the 34.

 

[VrabelJr]

The issue I have with Deaderick and Fanene starting is that they are the same type of player. We'll basically have both of our DE's 1-gapping which leaves more chances for our ILBs to make mistakes as they will be responsible for multiple holes.