Which Linebackers Would You Cut?

[mgteich]

Mayo
Spikes
Guyton
McKenzie
Williams

Banta-Cain
Cunningham
Burgess
Woods
Ninkovich
Murrell
Alexander
Fletcher

 

[stinkypete]

Looks like I was the first to pick Burgess.

I just have seen no reason to believe that he gives the team any edge, and that they're just as well off giving Murrell, Ninkovich and Cunningham reps to see if one can win the job.

 

[JSn]

So for all the "he's not a starting linebacker" yackle, to now, no-one is throwing an axe at Guyton.

 

[mgteich]

No one thinks Guyton isn't in the top 9 or 10.

So for all the "he's not a starting linebacker" yackle, to now, no-one is throwing an axe at Guyton.

 

[jah]

My order of priority for linebackers:

Mayo
Spikes
Banta-Cain
Guyton
Cunningham
McKenzie
Murrell
Burgess
Ninkovich
Woods
Fletcher
Alexander
Williams

 

[jmt57]

You figure as a starting point there are two starters and a top backup at both ILB and OLB. That would be Mayo, Spikes and Guyton inside, and TBC, Cunningham and Burgess outside.

After that you have a fourth and possibly fifth player at each of those two positions, though he may be mostly or even exclusively a special teamer.

At ILB I would add McKenzie to the roster, with Williams, Alexander and Fletcher possibly competing with other S/T players for a final roster spot.

At OLB the decision is more difficult because it doesn't come down to strictly position play or special teams play. Between Ninkovich, Woods and Murrell two make the roster, the other is out with a slight possibility of competing with others for an at-large S/T roster spot. Right now my hunch is that Murrell and Ninkovich are in over Woods.


My guess is that the end result would be that Williams, Woods, Alexander and Fletcher end up being cut. Then look for Woods and Alexander being picked up by someone such as the Jets, Browns, Chiefs, Broncos or Dolphins.

 

[mgteich]

So, your conclusion is that teams that knows Woods and Alexander almost as well as we do will value them more than we do. Why would that be the case?

You figure as a starting point there are two starters and a top backup at both ILB and OLB. That would be Mayo, Spikes and Guyton inside, and TBC, Cunningham and Burgess outside.

After that you have a fourth and possibly fifth player at each of those two positions, though he may be mostly or even exclusively a special teamer.

At ILB I would add McKenzie to the roster, with Williams, Alexander and Fletcher possibly competing with other S/T players for a final roster spot.

At OLB the decision is more difficult because it doesn't come down to strictly position play or special teams play. Between Ninkovich, Woods and Murrell two make the roster, the other is out with a slight possibility of competing with others for an at-large S/T roster spot. Right now my hunch is that Murrell and Ninkovich are in over Woods.


My guess is that the end result would be that Williams, Woods, Alexander and Fletcher end up being cut. Then look for Woods and Alexander being picked up by someone such as the Jets, Browns, Chiefs, Broncos or Dolphins.

 

[Deus Irae]

So, your conclusion is that teams that knows Woods and Alexander almost as well as we do will value them more than we do. Why would that be the case?

Well, for example, K.C.'s talent level sucks at most positions/groupings. Linebacker is no exception. I don't know about Alexander, but I'd expect Woods to get an offer from one of the ex-Pats.

Of course, I'm not currently expecting Woods to be cut...

 

[captain stone]

My order of priority for linebackers:

Mayo
Spikes
Banta-Cain
Guyton
Cunningham
McKenzie
Murrell
Burgess
Ninkovich
Woods
Fletcher
Alexander
Williams

Place Williams ahead of Woods, and this would be my order, too. However, I voted Williams to be cut, because I don't know if Bill will (or should) keep a 10th LB.

 

[JackBauer]

Place Williams ahead of Woods, and this would be my order, too. However, I voted Williams to be cut, because I don't know if Bill will (or should) keep a 10th LB.

No one in their right mind would currently have Williams over Woods. Sorry.

 

[Richard Camembert]

Mayo
Spikes
Guyton
McKenzie
Williams

Banta-Cain
Cunningham
Burgess
Woods
Ninkovich
Murrell
Alexander
Fletcher

OK, I'll play. There are 13 LB on the list. I think we keep 9 including Burgess, same as we did last year. I need to cut 4 of these guys.

Fletcher is going to the PS for further seasoning, and Williams is cut. Leaves 2.

Sadly, I think Murrell has to go (shadow squad?). Leaves 1.

The last one is a toughie.

Banta-Cain, Mayo, Spikes, Cunningham, Burgess, McKenzie, and Guyton are locks as position players.

Woods, Alexander, and Ninkovich are locks as ST (combining for over a third of the team's ST tackles last year).

Oh snap, that's 10.

I have 2 solutions. First, though it's extreme, would be to IR Cunningham. He hasn't shown he's ready, he hasn't played in a while due to injury, and IRing him saves a slot while allowing him to develop into a challenging position.

Alternately, the best STer out of Spikes, Cunningham, and McKenzie replaces the positionless Alexander on the ST unit, and Alexander is cut. I don't like the idea of losing another productive player, but they need to develop another OLB and Alexander isn't going to be it. Ninkovich and Cunningham fight it out for that OLB slot.

Incidentally, Burgess is going nowhere. People don't realize he played the most snaps as a pass rusher of any Patriot, tied for the team with 23 QB pressures, and was second with 6 sacks, do they.