everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I think we can all agree that poor defensive play cost us our 6th Super Bowl. We simply can't expect to win if we allow 41 points and Nick Foles to look like Joe Montana. For reference, here are our defensive free agents: Malcolm Butler - There's simply no way he's coming back after coming off mediocre season and playing a grand total of zero snaps on defense. Belichick should have traded him to NOLA when he had the chance. Johnson Bademosi - He had a poor Super Bowl performance, but he showed some promise during the regular season. A cheap two-year deal and playing in nickel might suffice. Nate Ebner - Plays primarily on special teams and does a good job there. James Harrison - Merely a rental after Pittsburgh cut him. Played very well and earned his money, but we need youth. Ricky Jean-Francois - Emergency signing due to poor defensive line depth. Geneo Grissom - Was on and off the team throughout the year and hasn't worth the 3rd pick we invested him. Marquis Flowers - Traded for him due to injuries to Hightower and Van Noy. I guess we can bring him back for depth purposes. I'm not sure on the cap totals, but according to Sportsrac we have about $19 million in cap space: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/ Defensive line This is where most of the complaints are and deservedly so: Malcolm Brown and Alan Branch has regressed big time. The good news is that we'll be getting Derek Rivers back, giving us an edge rotation of him, Trey Flowers and Deatrich Wise Jr. The DT free agent market has a lot of juice to it: Dontari Poe, Clinton McDonald, Star Lotulelei, Sheldon Richardson, etc. Linebacker This is the area we need to stock up on talent; it's completely garbage after Hightower and Van Noy. Secondary We're set at safety, but we'll need to find a way to replace Butler; rather not see Rowe start across Gilmore and stay in the nickel. The only attractive FA CB is Trumaine Johnson, but he's going to be too expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Third Rider Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 They need to add speed to that front seven. Butler is as good as gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatriotsWin! Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Not liking these rumors of McDaniel's having a change of heart and deciding to stay in NE. Does this mean BB is seriously considering retirement? Was there any truth to this Kraft/Brady/BB rift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 5 minutes ago, PatriotsWin! said: Not liking these rumors of McDaniel's having a change of heart and deciding to stay in NE. Does this mean BB is seriously considering retirement? Was there any truth to this Kraft/Brady/BB rift? I've had a feeling McDaniels was going to be Belichick's successor the moment he was rehired. At the end of the day Bill is 65 and has accomplished everything a head coach could possibly dream of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission27 Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Bill isnt done. Brady is still the best. Game of his life tonight. Too bad the team let him down. We need to invest in the defense and get some guys back and will be set. A few more runs left imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatriotsWin! Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 The frick is going on. Now Gronk is considering retirement too? This is going to be a crappy offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 1 minute ago, PatriotsWin! said: The frick is going on. Now Gronk is considering retirement too? This is going to be a crappy offseason. Meh, he's just upset they lost. He'll get over it soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpulse Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Not a fan of this thread. Trying to stay away from quote mega thread unquote. Anyway you can rename this @everlong? Maybe something like "What are our offseason priorities" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 21 minutes ago, Deadpulse said: Not a fan of this thread. Trying to stay away from quote mega thread unquote. Anyway you can rename this @everlong? Maybe something like "What are our offseason priorities" Fixed. Honestly, we all know the main problem on the team is defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpulse Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 11 minutes ago, everlong said: Fixed. Honestly, we all know the main problem on the team is defense. ' Getting Hightower back will obviously be a boon. Really the help needs to come in the front 4 though. Flowers is a robin not a Batman. The interior is a revolving door although Brown has improved to adequate starter. There is zero depth there. If the Patriots are to spend money on a FA, I'd want it at the front 4. Maybe a guy like Bennie Logan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 6 minutes ago, Deadpulse said: ' Getting Hightower back will obviously be a boon. Really the help needs to come in the front 4 though. Flowers is a robin not a Batman. The interior is a revolving door although Brown has improved to adequate starter. There is zero depth there. If the Patriots are to spend money on a FA, I'd want it at the front 4. Maybe a guy like Bennie Logan? Other top options are: Dontari Poe: Proven run stuffer and has flashed as a pass rusher. Clinton McDonald: Has been one of the few bright spots on the Bucs. Star Lotulelei: The guy I personally want; coming off a down year means he could come cheap. Sheldon RIchardson is available, but he'll probably get a big contract to stay with Seattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 Honestly though, my biggest wish is that Belichick just changes his approach on defense. His defenses got shredded in every Super Bowl besides 36 (which they allowed the Rams to come back), 39 and 42 (until the last drive). In fact, here are the aggregated stats of opposing quarterbacks against us in the Super Bowl: 180/289, 2500 (8.7 YPA!), 17, 8, 98.1 passer rating and he's gone against mostly mediocre quarterbacks (McNabb, Eli, Foles, Delhomme). Over a full season, that's 5,000 yards, 34 TD, 16 INT. This is a huge reason why all of these Super Bowls have come down to the wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadpulse Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Not sure aggregated super bowl stats prove much of anything. You are putting the best competition against the defenses through the years and saying see, they arent good. That's like taking a five star chef, telling him he has five minutes to make a meal with minimal ingredients, and telling him he isnt good at cooking because what he came up with wasnt five stars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 14 minutes ago, Deadpulse said: Not sure aggregated super bowl stats prove much of anything. You are putting the best competition against the defenses through the years and saying see, they arent good. That's like taking a five star chef, telling him he has five minutes to make a meal with minimal ingredients, and telling him he isnt good at cooking because what he came up with wasnt five stars. The best competition featuring studs like Jake Delhomme and Nick Foles. Brady is the only reason Belichick has five rings. Belichick's passive approach on defense nearly cost us in our wins and cost us in the losses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlong Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 And the way he handled the Butler situation could potentially scare away free agents. No reason to play for us if Belichick is going to backstab you despite you were a key reason why he has a Lombardi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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