Patriots 2018 Training Camp Primer - Linebackers

[MassPats38]

I'm not saying that Roberts is "good", just that I have a harder time than others at totally condemning the guy after only a limited rookie season and then the Front-7 ****storm that he endured last year.

I don't think I was totally condemning him with the statement he seemed to take a step back. He can make plays, and I don't dislike the guy. The front 7 was a mess, but he was a part of that and wasn't exactly identifying himself as a solution to the problems.

He is listed at 6"1 and 223 pounds. Kontra opined the core linebackers other than Hightower are unimpressive, I think it's fair to call them largely role players within a scheme.

Stated otherwise, if Roberts were to hit the market tomorrow, do you envision tons of teams sprinting to the phone to sign him to a big contract (or any contract)? I don't picture that happening, certainly not as a projected starter.

He is serviceable. He works when the system is working. I wouldn't go any further than that.

 

[BobDigital]

When it comes to LB the first question is Hightower. He is the guy who makes or breaks the unit. Van Noy is fine as a #2 LB but if he needs to be #1 we're in trouble as last year showed.

I think the thing people are not taking into account when they talk about the possible backup LBs is what the presence of Shelton means.

He makes the run stopping ability of your LBs a lower priority. He is one of the few DTs in the league who can truly hold his ground to a double team and close out his location.

When you have someone who can do that it makes having a run stopping LB on the field less of a priority (unless you're in goal line). You don't need a LB to shoot a gap through the teeth of your D that's not really open.

Assuming both Shelton and Hightower on are the field and they aren't in an obvious run defense situation you need to question how valuable a guy like Roberts or Bentley really is in that situation.

Having the personnel we do right now decreases their value and adds value to Langi and Sam. I'm not saying you don't keep a backup run stopping LB. I'm saying that realistically with our team their playing time should go down and the small quicker LB's play time should go up all things being equal.

 

[Kontradiction]

Roberts' situation last year was even worse than KVN's.

In 2016, as a rookie, Roberts played his first 272 NFL defensive snaps of limited LB asignments in the mix with HT, McClellin, and Collins/KVN - and behind a very good, veteran DL.

In 2017, with the DL and LB corps decimated by injuries and FA losses, Roberts - in just his second season - was thrust into a ludicrously expanded set of assignments as the #2 starting LB. "Take a step back"? Talk about setting a guy up to fail.

I'm not saying that Roberts is "good", just that I have a harder time than others at totally condemning the guy after only a limited rookie season and then the Front-7 ****storm that he endured last year.

He consistently shot the wrong gaps last year. Bad DL or good DL, if you're consistently, and obviously, shooting the wrong gaps, you're taking a step back. Hence the Bentley selection.

 

[maineman209]

He consistently shot the wrong gaps last year. Bad DL or good DL, if you're consistently, and obviously, shooting the wrong gaps, you're taking a step back. Hence the Bentley selection.

OTOH, there were so many gaps in the DL to choose from, it was probably pretty easy to guess wrong.