Nate Solder should expect his option to be picked up as well; it’s a no-brainer for the team because the option is guaranteed for injury only and would only become fully guaranteed at the start of the 2015 league year. So basically it just buys the team an additional year with the player without a real financial commitment at this time.
Today is PatsPropaganda’s 4th birthday!!
2013 was my favorite Patriots season on the field since I started this whole blogging thing. Four seasons and almost 12,000 posts, where has the time gone?
Off the field there were some ups and down. Yes, the NFL did shut down my t-shirt shop because obviously a Tumblr blog selling $15 tees is a threat to their billion dollar business, but that was the only big bummer for the Prop this season.
There was a shout out from Colin Cowherd on the radio:
And I made it onto Sportscenter:
But as always the best part is the support from all the readers. I appreciate all the questions and comments and I love doing this site for so many people who are just as passionate about the team as I am. You guys are why I do this!
So, onward to our fifth year, this blog needs a Super Bowl win!!
https://www.patspropaganda.com/today-is-patspropagandas-4th-birthday-2013-was/
Do you prefer a big body DT who gives a you an adequate pass rush but takes up blockers or a smaller DT who gives a pass rush that gives quarterbacks problems all day
Given the style of defense the Pats play there is room for both. With Wilfork they really had one nose tackle and defensive tackle. One guy who might two-gap and one guy who might one-gap.
I think the goal at this point is to be able to have two guys who can do both fairly effectively on the inside. So in essence, the Pats defense is really a 3-4 on one side and a 4-3 on the other side.
Check this article here for a total breakdown of it.
Could also call it a 2-5 since Nink and Chandler are essentially able to play OLB on any given down as well.
But I will say this: given today’s NFL give me a penetrator over a nose tackle. I really think that’s why they were able to survive sans Wilfork last season.
Chris Jones was their best interior rusher in a while for a good chunk of the season though he tapered off. I’m excited to see what him and Armond Armstead.
And if we land Dominique Easley I’d do my happy dance. Sealver Siliga and a hopefully-healthy Wilfork will be plenty of space eaters for one team.
Let the weekend begin!
Not a particularly in-depth question, but with the schedule being released soon, who would you like to see the Pats open up against?
I’m always a fan of the fewer divisional games in September the better. We see it every year, they’re never at their best in those first few games and they usually drop one of the first three.
As always, the road to the playoffs go through the division, so give me an NFC team for the opener.
mike — at this point, are we relying on internal development and a potential low-cost vet at DE behind nink + chandler? it’s worked in the past w/ carter/anderson in 2011, but (despite the different position and cheaper rate) i can’t help but get a shaun ellis vibe from will smith and some of the other remaining options on the table.
Yeah I agree on the Shaun Ellis vibe, and that’s at best.
I think it definitely puts a bigger focus on Michael Buchanan’s development, at least at this point. They could draft a defensive end near the top of the draft and he’d immediately be at least equal to Buchanan on the depth chart as the designated pass rusher.
They definitely could use a 3-4 style defensive end, i.e. a 6’5”, 310ish big body to round out the DL rotation, but I don’t think that is vital.
Who knows, maybe things suddenly click for Jake Bequette though I’m certainly not counting on it and am probably the only person who would even mention that as a possibility. But stranger things have happened and he did show some pop in the last year’s preseason finale.
As has been my mantra this offseason, if they’re not helping the pass defense, they’re not helping, so give me at least a couple more speed, pass rush guys and I think they’ll be okay.
And if it ends up being Will Smith and Michael Buchanan just hold your breath that Nink and Chandler don’t get hurt.
What ways can Belichick and Patricia be creative and aggressive without having to blitz a lot if that is possible
The creativity can really come from the defensive ends and linebackers. Chandler and Nink are comfortable dropping in coverage and can essentially play like linebackers at times, so using them outside of their normal edge setting/edge rushing responsibilities is where they can play around a bit.
I think Jamie Collins is a great piece because he has great size and athleticism to be a factor in a number of ways. Is he in coverage? Is he blitzing? It will be tough for quarterbacks to discern that pre-snap. And Mayo/Hightower are no slouches when it comes to blitzing as well.
So it comes down to, on passing downs, mixing up which of that group is coming or covering. Really “blitzing” could be defined as when someone from the secondary is sent and I think Arrington and Ryan are both really good at that. They’ll come flying in a couple times each game, with Nink/Chandler dropping to cover the short zone for them.
But without blitzing (in the sending more than four sense of it) you can do some creative stuff with sending linebackers and dropping defensive ends, especially given how versatile the Pats’ players at those positions are.
