PATRIOTS NEWS Terrell Williams is Vrabel's Defensive Coordinator

[signbabybrady]

It's different than the Vrabel/HC and McDaniels/OC hire in that there isn't an overall positive track record in the role to fall back on. This is more of a speculative hire. That being said, it's someone that Vrabel worked with before and targeted for the role. He's got the qualifications for it. If we didn't hire him, seems like he'd be promoted in DET to replace Glenn so it's not some buddy-buddy hire or anything like that.

If there's one risk that sticks out, he's never called plays on defense before. Vrabel only did that for one year himself as a DC (on a last-ranked defense too) and didn't do that as a head coach. So that's got to be the biggest cause for concern there. But again, Vrabel worked with him and trusts he's ready for that responsibility so it's not out of left field.

I look at like on offense we needed a strong candidate with the ability to work on his own because our HC is defensive minded. Since Vrabel's's the guy on defense it was more important to hire someone he knows and has worked with to carry out his vision.

My one concern would be he's a DL guy and obviously Vrabel is too. I might have preferred a guy with more experience with DBs.

But I love his quote about violence. Give me Alvin Mack vibes.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

Bruschi returned from a stroke, so Barmore could return from blood clots. But he should only do what’s best for his health, and if he’s being advised to hang them up he should do so. This may well force the Patriots to draft Mason Graham come April.

Bruschi's case is totally different. He had a congenital heart defect which caused the issue, patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small hole in the heart (I had a childhood friend with this). Once that was addressed, his risk returned to baseline and resuming football posed no additional risk.

 

[jdlboot14]

Sticking on subject topic.
I wonder if DB's coaches will be retained - B.B. jr. or Pelligrino?
Also will all the glory days ex-players stick? HT at LB coach? TB80? Slater as chaplain?

 

[Huckleberry1]

I tend to think Barmore's career is over, though we'll have to wait and see. If so, Mason Graham is the guy to fill his role.

I think they have no choice but to proceed as though Barmore won’t be available. I would expect them to address DT in free agency, but none would be as good as Barmore is. And it would put Graham high on the list of prospects at 4.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Bruschi's case is totally different. He had a congenital heart defect which caused the issue, patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small hole in the heart (I had a childhood friend with this). Once that was addressed, his risk returned to baseline and resuming football posed no additional risk.

Bruschi had a second stroke after his career ended.

 

[signbabybrady]

I think they have no choice but to proceed as though Barmore won’t be available. I would expect them to address DT in free agency, but none would be as good as Barmore is. And it would put Graham high on the list of prospects at 4.

We don't know what inside info they have but yeah pretty much this.

My hope is that they tested the waters and stopped for reasons other than more clots and that there may not be any new concerns but I think unfortunately it's probably more the other way.

 

[manxman2601]

Another one more focused on coverage.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I think they have no choice but to proceed as though Barmore won’t be available. I would expect them to address DT in free agency, but none would be as good as Barmore is. And it would put Graham high on the list of prospects at 4.

I already thought the case for Graham was pretty good, but think it's even more likely now.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

Bruschi had a second stroke after his career ended.

They never identified the cause of the second stroke, but did say it was transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is not a full stroke, but a mini-stroke. It's may be related to the surgery he had to address the hole in his heart, but that was never clarified, so it may have been an independent event. We don't know.

 

[Brandon_Cox]

Bruschi returned from a stroke, so Barmore could return from blood clots.

Talk about a non sequitur

 

[Huckleberry1]

They never identified the cause of the second stroke, but did say it was transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is not a full stroke, but a mini-stroke. It's may be related to the surgery he had to address the hole in his heart, but that was never clarified, so it may have been an independent event. We don't know.

But either way it showed that there was still some risk involved with him returning to football. Regardless I believe Barmore should do what’s best for his health, and the Patriots have to operate as though they no longer have him.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Finally, we hire a guy outside of the organization.

Vrabel is going to run HIS defense, so he brought in a guy who knows it. Makes perfect sense.

 

[Urgent]

Cool.
Plenty of experience - 25 years coaching. All at Defensive Line until now.
Half in college, half in the NFL. Raiders under Dennis Allen, Miami under Philbin and Gase, Tennessee under Vrabel, and one year at Detroit.
Some concern that he has 25 years of DL coaching and never dabbled in any other position. Vrabel is a defensive coach, played LB - should bring that complementary experience.
Hopefully the Patriots retain Pellegrino, who has been excellent across a couple regimes.

 

[Joey007]

I think you do approach this as if you need to add to the DT position group either way.

If you add Graham in the draft, sign a higher end DT in FA, you’ll still gladly take pairing them with Barmore if he does come back.

 

[Pape]

I have no idea who he is. Looks like I got some edumacation coming my way on who our new DC is.



and @jmt57 Thank you.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

Sticking on subject topic.
I wonder if DB's coaches will be retained - B.B. jr. or Pelligrino?
Also will all the glory days ex-players stick? HT at LB coach? TB80? Slater as chaplain?

Slater's role seems like a fluff job that I can't imagine any benefit to removing. Seems more like a Kraft decision to just keep paying Slater out of love and respect than it does an actual coaching decision to be made by Vrabel.

TB80 has had his role bounced around and reduced over the years. This past year he was a "skills development" coach rather than an actual position coach. Another guy that Kraft has major love for. If he wants to stick around, I'm sure they'll find some small spot. That seems like a charity job at this point.

I can't imagine either of those guys are negatives in anyway to have around in those pretty small and token roles. Again, seems more like Kraft doing some charity work offering post-playing careers to a couple of players he really liked.

HT is a tougher one because LB coach is a real spot and they need an actual coach there. If Vrabel doesn't think HT fits the bill, then he needs to be replaced. Last year they split the LB coach role between HT (inside) and Drew Wilkins (outside). Maybe Vrabel actually think HT is a good coach worth keeping in that role or even a full-unit LB coach. Maybe he wants a LB coach over HT but is ok keeping him as the ILB specific additive coach. Maybe he doesn't want to dilute the LB coaching and just wants his own guy and Hightower has to take a scrap position or move on. It seemed like HT was moved into coaching via a strong relationship with Mayo and he might not wish to continue anyway.

 

[Love The Drake]

Any word on Pees coming as senior defensive consultant?
Someone had reported that from our media the other day.

 

[The Gr8est]

I mean come on they only lost these guys and were pulling off guys on practice squads all over the NFL and playing them the same week. Should they have really dropped off on that side of the ball?

• DE Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg)
• DT Alim McNeill (knee, torn ACL)
• DT Kyle Peko (pectoral)
• DE Marcus Davenport (triceps)
• DE John Cominsky (knee, torn MCL)
• DT Mekhi Wingo (knee)
• DE Nate Lynn (shoulder)
• LB Alex Anzalone (broken forearm)
• LB Derrick Barnes (knee, torn PCL and MCL)
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (knee, torn ACL)
• CB Khalil Dorsey (ankle)
• CB Carlton Davis (fractured jaw)
• CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (hamstring)

Let’s not hire the Lions’ strength and training guy.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Any word on Pees coming as senior defensive consultant?
Someone had reported that from our media the other day.

I think that was just speculation, from all the people connected to Vrabel over the years.

 

[mgteich]

It’ll be Vrabel’s scheme at the end of the day.

Some folks think that the schemes used are developed are done to best fit the talent of the players (perhaps after the initial free agency) rather than trying to fit players into a particular system.