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Patriots Defense Off-season Preview.
NT – Vince Wilfork, Michael Wright, LeKevan Smith, Santonio Thomas– The Pats drafted LeKevan Smith last year and he saw a few snaps. Nothing exciting. Santonio Thomas spent the entire year on the Practice Squad. Wilfork and Wright were the main-stays at NT, though I think that Wright is better suited to DE and getting more snaps.
I don’t see the Pats drafting a DT unless they feel he is better than LeKevan Smith, Santonio Holmes and Marquis Hill.
Possible draftees include: Paul Soliai, Walter Thomas
Free Agents:None
DE – Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Jarvis Green, Marquise Hill - I have to admit that Marquis Hill needs to be considered a bust. I held out hope that the kid would get it together, but it just hasn’t happened. Ty Warren, in my estimation, has passed Seymour as the best Pats D-lineman. Yes, I understand that Seymour was injured with elbow and knee issues, but Warren still played amazingly. The coaches credited him with 117 tackles last season, though the NFL only credited him with 87. Wait a minute, 87? HOLY damn. Most NFL Linemen only get 40-50 and he surpassed that by 60-100%. Maybe it was because teams were doubling up Seymour, but it didn’t look like it. Warren, Seymour and Wilfork are amongst the best D-linemen in the league.
I don’t see the Pats drafting anyone unless they believe that person is better than Marquise Hill AND Mike Wright. Though the Pats could draft a DE in hopes of grooming him behind Ty Warren in the off-chance that Warren decides to find greener pastures.
Possible Draftees: Adam Carriker, Joe Anoai
Free Agents:None
OLB – Rosie Colvin, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Pierre Woods,– The TBC experiment didn’t pan out. He was only ok against the run and didn’t produce enough presence off the edge to be a full-time starter.
Mike Vrabel and Rose Colvin were good when they played together, however, that didn’t happen once Seau went down and Vrabel had to move back inside. Woods showed promise on special teams and could become a starter one day.
The Pats added Thomas and he and Vrabel will spend plenty of time moving back and forth between ILB and OLB.
Depth here is a concern as it is with ILB.
Free agent options include Carlos Polk.
Draft Options include Stewart Bradley, Anthony Spencer, Victor Abiamiri, Rufus Alexander, Tim Shaw, Earl Everett, LaMarr Woodley
Free Agents: Tully Banta-Cain (UFA- SanFran)
ILB - Tedy Bruschi, Adalius Thomas, Eric Alexander, Corey Mays – Another off-season and another time for us to say that the Pats are WOEFULLY thin here. What makes matters worse is that Eric Alexander (imho) proved that he’s not up to the task of going against the better TEs in the league. There were rumors of Tedy retiring, but he made the decision to return.
The Pats made a HUGE splash in free agency with the addition of Adalius Thomas. This guy is a freak of nature. He can play DE in the 4-3, OLB in the 4-3, OLB in the 3-4, ILB in the 3-4, MLB in the 4-3, DT in the 4-3, Safety and CORNER. This signing bodes extremely well for the Patriots. I expect to see him and Vrabel switching up where they line-up regularly.
Bringing Seau back is a definite option as the defense was great against the run with him in there. Edgerin Hartwell could also be an option.
Draft options could include Patrick Willis, Paul Posluzsny, Jon Beason, Brandon Siler, David Harris, Zak DeOssie. Personally, I see Harris and Siler are 2 down run stuffers and not 3 down LBs. DeOssie and Bradley Stewart I see as options in the Mike Vrabel mixed with Ted Johnson mold. Willis, Beason, and Posluzsny all kind of fit the Tedy Bruschi ILB mold.
Free Agents: Larry Izzo (UFA – re-signed), Don Davis (UFA- retired), Junior Seau (UFA), Barry Gardner (UFA), Corey Mays (ERFA), Eric Alexander (ERFA)
CB - Asante Samuel * Randall Gay, Ellis Hobbs, Antwain Spann, Gemara Williams, Chad Scott, Eddie Jackson, Tory James - What the Pats do hinges on whether they put the franchise tag on Asante Samuel. With the weakness of the draft and the relative weakness of the free agency class at CB, Asante is worth 6yrs/$44 million in my eyes. Even with his lousy tackling. There just isn’t a lot of help out there.
There are plenty of options in the draft. They include Leon Hall, Aaron Ross, Chris Houston, Marcus McCauley, Josh Wilson, Darrelle Revis, Johnathan Wade, Eric Wright, David Irons, and Tarell Brown. Then you have guys like Usama Young, Damieon Hughes, A.J. Davis, Michael Coe, Fred Bennett and Kenny Scott. And that is just those projected to go early.
Free Agents: Asante Samuel (UFA- Franchised), Randall Gay (RFA-2nd round tender), Gemara Williams (ERFA), Antwain Spann (ERFA), Ray Mickens (UFA)
Safety - Rodney Harrison, Eugene Wilson, James Sanders, Artrell Hawkins, Mel Mitchell, Willie Andrews, Rashad Baker-
My guess is that with the Pats bidding adieu to Tebucky and Ventrone, they will be active both in the draft and free agency at this position.
Rodney went down due to a low blow by Bobby Wade. Sanders stepped in and was above average. Artrell Hawkins did well last year, but, by the end of the season this year, he was getting burned badly. Willie Andrews was amazing on special teams and really helped the kick-off and punt coverage units excel.
Eugene Wilson may get moved to CB if he doesn’t show the same killer attitude he did during his rookie and sophomore years. Ever since he broke his arm during SB 39, he’s been gunshy and not nearly the player he was.
Safety is another place that looks to be very deep in this draft. Potential safeties include Reggie Nelson, Brandon Merriweather, Michael Griffin, Eric Weddle, John Wendling, Sabby Piscatelli, Josh Gattis, Tanard Jackson, Aaron Rouse, Eric Frampton, Michael Johnson and Marvin White.
Free Agents: Rashad Baker (RFA-re-signed)
NT – Vince Wilfork, Michael Wright, LeKevan Smith, Santonio Thomas– The Pats drafted LeKevan Smith last year and he saw a few snaps. Nothing exciting. Santonio Thomas spent the entire year on the Practice Squad. Wilfork and Wright were the main-stays at NT, though I think that Wright is better suited to DE and getting more snaps.
I don’t see the Pats drafting a DT unless they feel he is better than LeKevan Smith, Santonio Holmes and Marquis Hill.
Possible draftees include: Paul Soliai, Walter Thomas
Free Agents:None
DE – Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Jarvis Green, Marquise Hill - I have to admit that Marquis Hill needs to be considered a bust. I held out hope that the kid would get it together, but it just hasn’t happened. Ty Warren, in my estimation, has passed Seymour as the best Pats D-lineman. Yes, I understand that Seymour was injured with elbow and knee issues, but Warren still played amazingly. The coaches credited him with 117 tackles last season, though the NFL only credited him with 87. Wait a minute, 87? HOLY damn. Most NFL Linemen only get 40-50 and he surpassed that by 60-100%. Maybe it was because teams were doubling up Seymour, but it didn’t look like it. Warren, Seymour and Wilfork are amongst the best D-linemen in the league.
I don’t see the Pats drafting anyone unless they believe that person is better than Marquise Hill AND Mike Wright. Though the Pats could draft a DE in hopes of grooming him behind Ty Warren in the off-chance that Warren decides to find greener pastures.
Possible Draftees: Adam Carriker, Joe Anoai
Free Agents:None
OLB – Rosie Colvin, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Pierre Woods,– The TBC experiment didn’t pan out. He was only ok against the run and didn’t produce enough presence off the edge to be a full-time starter.
Mike Vrabel and Rose Colvin were good when they played together, however, that didn’t happen once Seau went down and Vrabel had to move back inside. Woods showed promise on special teams and could become a starter one day.
The Pats added Thomas and he and Vrabel will spend plenty of time moving back and forth between ILB and OLB.
Depth here is a concern as it is with ILB.
Free agent options include Carlos Polk.
Draft Options include Stewart Bradley, Anthony Spencer, Victor Abiamiri, Rufus Alexander, Tim Shaw, Earl Everett, LaMarr Woodley
Free Agents: Tully Banta-Cain (UFA- SanFran)
ILB - Tedy Bruschi, Adalius Thomas, Eric Alexander, Corey Mays – Another off-season and another time for us to say that the Pats are WOEFULLY thin here. What makes matters worse is that Eric Alexander (imho) proved that he’s not up to the task of going against the better TEs in the league. There were rumors of Tedy retiring, but he made the decision to return.
The Pats made a HUGE splash in free agency with the addition of Adalius Thomas. This guy is a freak of nature. He can play DE in the 4-3, OLB in the 4-3, OLB in the 3-4, ILB in the 3-4, MLB in the 4-3, DT in the 4-3, Safety and CORNER. This signing bodes extremely well for the Patriots. I expect to see him and Vrabel switching up where they line-up regularly.
Bringing Seau back is a definite option as the defense was great against the run with him in there. Edgerin Hartwell could also be an option.
Draft options could include Patrick Willis, Paul Posluzsny, Jon Beason, Brandon Siler, David Harris, Zak DeOssie. Personally, I see Harris and Siler are 2 down run stuffers and not 3 down LBs. DeOssie and Bradley Stewart I see as options in the Mike Vrabel mixed with Ted Johnson mold. Willis, Beason, and Posluzsny all kind of fit the Tedy Bruschi ILB mold.
Free Agents: Larry Izzo (UFA – re-signed), Don Davis (UFA- retired), Junior Seau (UFA), Barry Gardner (UFA), Corey Mays (ERFA), Eric Alexander (ERFA)
CB - Asante Samuel * Randall Gay, Ellis Hobbs, Antwain Spann, Gemara Williams, Chad Scott, Eddie Jackson, Tory James - What the Pats do hinges on whether they put the franchise tag on Asante Samuel. With the weakness of the draft and the relative weakness of the free agency class at CB, Asante is worth 6yrs/$44 million in my eyes. Even with his lousy tackling. There just isn’t a lot of help out there.
There are plenty of options in the draft. They include Leon Hall, Aaron Ross, Chris Houston, Marcus McCauley, Josh Wilson, Darrelle Revis, Johnathan Wade, Eric Wright, David Irons, and Tarell Brown. Then you have guys like Usama Young, Damieon Hughes, A.J. Davis, Michael Coe, Fred Bennett and Kenny Scott. And that is just those projected to go early.
Free Agents: Asante Samuel (UFA- Franchised), Randall Gay (RFA-2nd round tender), Gemara Williams (ERFA), Antwain Spann (ERFA), Ray Mickens (UFA)
Safety - Rodney Harrison, Eugene Wilson, James Sanders, Artrell Hawkins, Mel Mitchell, Willie Andrews, Rashad Baker-
My guess is that with the Pats bidding adieu to Tebucky and Ventrone, they will be active both in the draft and free agency at this position.
Rodney went down due to a low blow by Bobby Wade. Sanders stepped in and was above average. Artrell Hawkins did well last year, but, by the end of the season this year, he was getting burned badly. Willie Andrews was amazing on special teams and really helped the kick-off and punt coverage units excel.
Eugene Wilson may get moved to CB if he doesn’t show the same killer attitude he did during his rookie and sophomore years. Ever since he broke his arm during SB 39, he’s been gunshy and not nearly the player he was.
Safety is another place that looks to be very deep in this draft. Potential safeties include Reggie Nelson, Brandon Merriweather, Michael Griffin, Eric Weddle, John Wendling, Sabby Piscatelli, Josh Gattis, Tanard Jackson, Aaron Rouse, Eric Frampton, Michael Johnson and Marvin White.
Free Agents: Rashad Baker (RFA-re-signed)
