Rob Ninkovich announces his retirement

[maineman209]

Well, as pointed out above, #50 were 2 great Patriots acquired from another team ...that narrows the field of players being the next Vrabel/Nink clones. McClellin could be one..... or Van Noy? Could Guy move to LB ? On the bright side, if there is one, I see this as getting younger at LB with Roberts having a better shot at sticking......Any ink on how one of my binkies looks...Harvey Langi....I guess he could be a decent PS candidate , but I see ink that he would be poached when released.....Possible red shirt injury coming

Nink (6020/260) was a college DE who played bigger than is size and faster than his tested athleticism might seem to indicate.

McClellin (6030/250) was a DE in college. Played his first two seasons with the Bears at DE before moving to SLB in 2014, and then playing quite a bit at ILB in 2015. Van Noy (6030/245), AFAIK, was a college LB who also rushed the passer. More of a non-rushing LB role in Detroit, I think.

Out of those two, it seems like McClellin has the better background for taking snaps in Nink's role.

But then there's also HT (6030/265) and Rivers (6041/248).

At 305 pounds, I'd have a hard time imagining Guy moving to LB.

 

[borg]

I know it doesn't really matter but just a thought did Ninkovich ultimately become a better player than Vrabel? Felt Nink had a lot more big plays but maybe Vrabel was better on a maybe more consistent basis?

No

 

[borg]

From Vrabel (Pats 2001-08) to Ninkovich (Pats 2009-16) to ?????
And Brady is still going strong

 

[Mike the Brit]

Agree! That's how I spend my days working!

I've had colleagues like that.

Grey Goose is my fav vodka. Kept in the freezer consumed straight or with a splash or cranberry juice or lemonade.

Not a great vodka expert, but if you ever get a chance, I strongly recommend this (a friend of a friend who came to stay brought a bottle of the black raspberry vodka -- delicious):

Harvest spirits Distillery​

 

[long distance]

 

[long distance]

one for the road..

 

[RobertWeathers]

I've had colleagues like that.



Not a great vodka expert, but if you ever get a chance, I strongly recommend this (a friend of a friend who came to stay brought a bottle of the black raspberry vodka -- delicious):

Harvest spirits Distillery​

Im not a big vodka guru either but that sounds good. My go to sissy drink is raspberry Stoli on the rocks.

 

[maineman209]

Say what?

Nink was drafted in the 5th round (2006) out of Purdue where he had a very good two years as a DE, rotating behind Ray Edwards.

He was a DE during his first stint with the Saints, then converted to OLB in Miami when they switched to the 3-4, and was a DE during his second stint with the Saints where he started doing some long-snapping in an attempt to stick on the roster.

 

[Patriot Missile]

He will be missed, great attitude and work ethic.

Was glad to see the Pats rewards him with that bonus a few years back, they didn't have to but they did cuz they recognized him as one of the good guys that went after it everyday. It was a good reflection on the organization as was he the entire time he was here. Just one of those guys that screamed "team" every season.

He will be missed but I always like to see players go out on their own terms. Hopefully he is in a good place with his health and just doesn't need it anymore. Good luck Champ.

 

[long distance]

Nink (6020/260) was a college DE who played bigger than is size and faster than his tested athleticism might seem to indicate.

McClellin (6030/250) was a DE in college. Played his first two seasons with the Bears at DE before moving to SLB in 2014, and then playing quite a bit at ILB in 2015. Van Noy (6030/245), AFAIK, was a college LB who also rushed the passer. More of a non-rushing LB role in Detroit, I think.

Out of those two, it seems like McClellin has the better background for taking snaps in Nink's role.

But then there's also HT (6030/265) and Rivers (6041/248).

At 305 pounds, I'd have a hard time imagining Guy moving to LB.

Good post.

Its gonna be a new D though . and its only early in the making . nobody really replaces anybody, esp. at this point at 90

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Not to call you out but Bru's retirement seemed more predictable than Ninks. He was 36 at the time and missed a few games the year before. Maybe you saw him as the next Seau?

i don't think i really expected it to be honest. bruschi was iron man to me. i just thought he would play into his late 30s.

 

[zydecochris]

I've had colleagues like that.



Not a great vodka expert, but if you ever get a chance, I strongly recommend this (a friend of a friend who came to stay brought a bottle of the black raspberry vodka -- delicious):

Harvest spirits Distillery​

My wife is a wonderful cook with refined taste buds, and unfortunately (for my pocketbook) is also a bit of a vodka snob.

The go-to drink I make her is chilled (sometimes in the freezer, sometimes refrigerator) Kettle One on the rocks, with a lemon peal twist, sipped very slowly of course. We were introduced to this by friends during a trip to Hawaii about 10 years ago, and she has never gone back.

 

[Ring 6]

Well, as pointed out above, #50 were 2 great Patriots acquired from another team ...that narrows the field of players being the next Vrabel/Nink clones. McClellin could be one..... or Van Noy? Could Guy move to LB ? On the bright side, if there is one, I see this as getting younger at LB with Roberts having a better shot at sticking......Any ink on how one of my binkies looks...Harvey Langi....I guess he could be a decent PS candidate , but I see ink that he would be poached when released.....Possible red shirt injury coming

Ninkovich is 95% DE and 5% LB in our scheme.
Could van noy or mcclellin take that role? Mcclellin is the prototypical size but van noy is smaller than anyone used like that yet.

Guy is a small DT/Huge DE. He is 300lbs, he cannot play LB.

 

[Ring 6]

I know it doesn't really matter but just a thought did Ninkovich ultimately become a better player than Vrabel? Felt Nink had a lot more big plays but maybe Vrabel was better on a maybe more consistent basis?

No. not even close.

 

[AtomicDawg]

 

[patriot1136]

Wouldn't McClellin essentially take over Ninkovich's role? Nink played DE/LB as does McClellin for the most part. Hopefully one of Ealy, Wise, Rivers, Grissom(?) steps up as well.

 

[Off The Grid]

From Vrabel (Pats 2001-08) to Ninkovich (Pats 2009-16) to ?????
And Brady is still going strong

Yeah, that sounds about right...Another 8 Years and we'll really need to start thinking about drafting Brady's Replacement.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I know it doesn't really matter but just a thought did Ninkovich ultimately become a better player than Vrabel? Felt Nink had a lot more big plays but maybe Vrabel was better on a maybe more consistent basis?

No, Vrabel was ultimately better for sure, even if the margin is small. Vrabel was consistent, put up better individual seasons and overall number (I am fairly certain without looking at the number), and he played offensively (which I think should be factored in). But they were essentially the same in most ways nonetheless - extremely cerebral, extremely durable, extremely versatile, etc. Again, the margin may be small, but I'd take Vrabel over Ninko if I absolutely had to make a choice.

 

[Froob]

No, Vrabel was ultimately better for sure, even if the margin is small. Vrabel was consistent, put up better individual seasons and overall number (I am fairly certain without looking at the number), and he played offensively (which I think should be factored in). But they were essentially the same in most ways nonetheless - extremely cerebral, extremely durable, extremely versatile, etc. Again, the margin may be small, but I'd take Vrabel over Ninko if I absolutely had to make a choice.

Probably, can't overlook the number of clutch plays Nink made though. Hope we have another 50 step in right away like after Vrabes was traded.

 

[maineman209]

I know it doesn't really matter but just a thought did Ninkovich ultimately become a better player than Vrabel? Felt Nink had a lot more big plays but maybe Vrabel was better on a maybe more consistent basis?

A bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison, maybe.

Vrabel came over from the Steelers where he'd spent four years as a situational pass-rush specialist in their 3-4. He played the bulk of his career with the Pats when they were running primarily a 3-4 as an OLB who rushed off the edge.

Nink was a DE in the Saints' 4-3 initially, then tried to switch to OLB with the Fins when they converted to the 3-4. He was back at DE in his second stint with the Saints that ended in 2009.

Although Nink was signed by the Pats in 2009, he wasn't "promoted" to a full-time defensive player until 2010, when he became a sort of hybrid OLB/DE as the Pats were beginning the transition to more of a mixed 3-4/4-3 scheme that season. Since then, his role has gradually become more DE than OLB.

Despite the differences in roles and schemes that they played in, Vrabel and Nink ended their respective 8-year Pats' careers with eerily similar stats.