I agree with you about Taylor, at this stage of his career I think it would be very difficult for him to be as effective for the Pats as he has been for the Jets (so far).
Moreover, I think that many of the "name" players so many people are throwing out there that the Pats "coulda, shoulda" picked up this offseason would not be as effective in the Pats system as they are in their current systems. Like it or not it is evidently a complex system, especially I think in positions closer to the center of the line of scrimmage (meaning its probably easier for the Pats to integrate cornerbacks than a defensive tackle, and easier to integrate a wide receiver than a guard). On this basis I'm not pining away for the Taylors, Vanden Boshs, Kampfmans, or even the Peppers' of the world. I share the frustration of those watching Peppers disrupt a game so much for the Bears when the Pats don't have anyone even close to that type of player on defense, but at the end of the day I guess I'm OK with those particular decisions.
By the same logic, however, it follows that the Pats ought to pay a premium price to retain a veteran that has been proven effective in their system. The question is how much of a premium price. I struggle more to be OK with those types of decisions they've made than I do with not bringing in "name" player A or B.
