What is our biggest need?

[zippo59]

IMO it is ILB.

 

[Seymour93]

With Samuel - ILB
Without Samuel - CB

I'm hoping a deal, short term or long term, gets done, so I'm voting ILB.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I went with Safety.

Having an agressive, talented Safety is what's allowed us to do well with less than top tier CBs. I feel like if we continue to have a Rodney in his prime type player we can go far.

No doubt the Pats D begins and ends with LB, but I think we're looking for depth and next years starters - we absolutely need quality at Safety NOW.

 

[Brady to Brown]

Today its ILB. S is a close 2nd.

 

[Seymour93]

I went with Safety.

Having an agressive, talented Safety is what's allowed us to do well with less than top tier CBs. I feel like if we continue to have a Rodney in his prime type player we can go far.

I think that's what Sanders is becoming. Besides him we also have Harrison, Wilson, and Hawkins. While we need some new blood at this position, as things currently stand we can survive. Meanwhile at CB, if Samuel goes, we're left with Hobbs and who? Gay - injury prone and may sign elsewhere. Scott - old and gets burned quite a bit. Tory James - God, I hope we don't have to rely on Tory James.

 

[reflexblue]

I'd say inside linbacker is need 1a,and saftey 1b. like baseball we need strenth up the middle

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think that's what Sanders is becoming. Besides him we also have Harrison, Wilson, and Hawkins. While we need some new blood at this position, as things currently stand we can survive. Meanwhile at CB, if Samuel goes, we're left with Hobbs and who? Gay - injury prone and may sign elsewhere. Scott - old and gets burned quite a bit. Tory James - God, I hope we don't have to rely on Tory James.

God I hope you're right - but while I'm not down on Sanders, he's no Rodney IMO. I think he's an average S maybe leaning towards above averae - but having a top tier S makes the entire secondary run like clockwork.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I chose ILB but I think S and corner are a strong need just as well. I strongly feel that the Pats can address ILB in round 2 if they decide to trade back into it. I feel that in round 1, the Pats need to concentrate on drafting some playmakers in the secondary. I don't think there is going to be "the guy" at LB in round 1 by the time the Pats pick. If the Pats are going to take the "best available player" then I just don't see them taking Beason or Pozluzny over guys like Nelson, Revis, Griffin, Houston, Staley or even Merriweather. In conclusion, whether or not Samuel re-signs with the team, the Pats should take a corner in round one if the value is there and take a safety which the value should be there. In round two, the Pats can try to package up some picks to get back into this round and possibly snag ILB David Harris.

 

[Kontradiction]

You should have put "all". Our defense showed their age against the Colts last year (still proud of my boys though, they came one first down away from going to another SB against a more talented team). Safety- Rodney has been injured that last two years and is getting old. I'd like to see him and Reggie Nelson back there next year though. LB- AD was a huge upgrade, but Tedy has also aged and let's not forget, he had a stroke a couple of years ago too. Bring in the best rookie available and let Bruschi and Vrabel tutor them in the Patriot ways. CB- This does not need to be upgraded in Asante stays, but I have a gut feeling we'll trade him on draft day.

 

[DW Toys]

With Samuel - ILB
Without Samuel - CB

I'm hoping a deal, short term or long term, gets done, so I'm voting ILB.

Agreed 100%
DW Toys

 

[DW Toys]

I think that's what Sanders is becoming. Besides him we also have Harrison, Wilson, and Hawkins. While we need some new blood at this position, as things currently stand we can survive. Meanwhile at CB, if Samuel goes, we're left with Hobbs and who? Gay - injury prone and may sign elsewhere. Scott - old and gets burned quite a bit. Tory James - God, I hope we don't have to rely on Tory James.

Cousin,
I have to hope we agree to disagree.
I say if Samuel goes , we need a CB and ILB, but Safety is a major need like 1a, 1b, and 1c. There are a few decent S in this draft even in the middle rounds. We could use two. One to replace Harrison eventually and another to start day one. Wilson can't hack safety anymore and might be a better nickel. Hawkins served us well but it's time and then there is James Sanders. Is this the same James Sanders that I watch? We definitely need an upgrade. Let me say this about Mr. Sanders, this guy might not be the most talented, but he's slow and short too. I can live with Bob Sanders short, which is mean, a tackling machine and fully ripped with legs like coil springs, but this is not our guy. What am I missing that I am not seeing? Can the members of the James Sanders fan club tell me how this 5"10" safety is "coming along"? I am no expert, nor pretend to be but IMO he is a very decent backup. IMO can't see him starting for any NFL team right now unless they are desperate.

My last visual of James Sanders will stick in my mind forever. The Colts are on the PATS 3(?) yard line with a little over a minute to go. Peyton hands off to Adai. Good blocks are made to our D line as they guessed pass. James Sanders meets Adai almost head on on about the one, AND PULLS OFF LIKE HE WAS AFRAID TO GET A P.I. CALL!. He looked like a matador! Does Rodney Harrison or Bob Sanders (Lynch, Milloy, Shaper, Polamalu, Roy Williams, Darius, Dawkins, et.al.) try to rip his head off? Do they give Adai a free pass into the end zone or does Adai get thumped? You tell me! Hey, if you at least try to hit him and he still scored that is one thing. At least fake it James!

He was done for me right then and there. I have never seen an SS that did not want to even attempt a lick in a Championship game with a minute to play. This guy cannot play for my team. He embarrassed himself and his team. Hey, guys get blocked. Guys miss tackles, guys make bad plays and I understand that, but unless Adai had a massive contagious infected skin virus, or cooties, an tackling attempt was at least warranted in the last minute of the AFC Championship game.
Was I ingesting bad mushrooms that day, or did you all see it too?

Cousins, There is a HUGE hole in safety after Harrison. James Sanders?..........Nyet!

Lets question some lower round safety choices like Merriweather (even though I do not like him), Gattis, Weddle, Wendling, Rouse, Piscatelli, Stone, Harrison, Dahl, Payne, White or Bullitt and see if they would not to have liked that "OP" to go or not go to the Superbowl and what they would have done. I bet "O'LAY" would not be an answer.
DW Toys

 

[bakes781]

I chose ILB, but there's really only a couple of prospects that I see fitting the 3-4. David Harris & possibly Stewart Bradley. I'm ruling out any hope of getting Patrick Willis at this point. At DB there are several prospects who could fit roles at both CB/S. Brandon Meriweather, Eric Weddle & John Wendling are day one worthy. Then there's CJ Gaddis in the later rounds.

 

[JoeSixPat]

There are a few decent S in this draft even in the middle rounds.

I can't remember the article, but a local reporter correctly pointed out that the S position has evolved greatly... and that the type of role that a BB coached Safety needs to play requires skills that are even more rare.

It used to be that good safeties were just guys that weren't quite good enough to make it at CB. No more.

The skillset that BB is looking for at S will require him to expend one of his higher picks, if not trade up.

 

[DW Toys]

I can't remember the article, but a local reporter correctly pointed out that the S position has evolved greatly... and that the type of role that a BB coached Safety needs to play requires skills that are even more rare.

It used to be that good safeties were just guys that weren't quite good enough to make it at CB. No more.

The skillset that BB is looking for at S will require him to expend one of his higher picks, if not trade up.

I suppose all of this is just weak, silly gossip, when you consider the tradgedy at VA Tech today. God bless the victims and their families.

As far as your comment on the BB safety choice, I concur, The problem is today it was reported by King today (I believe) that this years draft has only 18 players considered first round quality. As I have been torched for saying in these threads previously, this draft class is mid to poor in talent in general. WR and DB are the only healthy positions. A late first rounder is last years mid second and so forth.

I think you can go as deep as round three on a CB and round four on a safety. Why? Well not everyone is targeting DB's so that drops some down, and some smaller schools are finallly being recognized as having NFL quality players. You've got Bain, Stone, Wendling, Young, Pope, Payne, Alexander, Wright, Coe, Graham and many more. These choices will contain some elite NFL players. I agree the cream is at the top, but some of these other kids would have been rated higher if they went to LSU, or USC or Mich etc. In fact you have two of the top rated safeties in Merriweather and Nelson that I do not know if some of these above mentioned kids are going to be better. Drafting is a crap shoot. Our present 2007 starting CB's could be a fourth rounder and an FA if they are both re-signed and Hobbs is the nickel. I would be curious to the round Rodney was drafted.
DW Toys