In honor of the first day of April I am making my first post in over a month and a half. While my break from Pats-related writing was mostly due to the overwhelming nature of my real job, I continued to keep a close eye on all things Pats.
But now that Draft month has arrived I will be easing back into things, starting today. So first, a quick hit catchup on my thoughts of the off-season so far...
The Vrabel/Cassel Trade: It seems pretty clear that the Pats had to open up some cap space in a hurry to make the number of free agent signings they wanted to. Vrabel probably still has a couple years of solid play left in him, but clearly he had lost something, and on the Patriots you can't lose anything.
Throughout 2008 the nagging question was who was more at fault for all third down conversions that were given up: pass rush or coverage. I think the trading of Vrabel and the signings of Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs answers what Bill Belichick thought. It was more due to a lack of playmakers in the secondary. This brings us to the second big off-season storyline...
Julius Peppers/Jason Taylor: I'm not sold that either Peppers or Taylor will be on the Patriots in 2009. And clearly Bill Belichick wouldn't have traded Vrabel under the assumption he would get Peppers or Taylor to replace him. Does that mean one of the young OLBs on the Pats will take over for Vrabel? At this point I think so. You've got Pierre Woods, Shawn Crable, Tully Banta-Cain and Vince Redd all set up for a depth chart battle in training camp. We have no way of knowing what Belichick really feels about any of them, but more likely than not I'd say one of them will be starting on opening Monday Night. Put me down for Pierre Woods as the favorite.
Wilfork Contract Extension: This is something that must get done. There is no position more important than the nose tackle in the 3-4 defense. And there is no position that is harder to find players for. Belichick is historically willing to extend his offensive and defensive lineman, much moreso than any other position on the roster. I expect a deal to extend Wilfork to get done some time prior to training camp. And I will celebrate when it does.
Pressure on Maroney: You've probably already seen it mentioned somewhere, this is pretty much a make or break year for Laurence Maroney. While his salary remains extremely manageable, and does not put him necessarily in danger of being cut, he's going to need to stay healthy in 2009.
Will Brady Be Back 100%? All we can look at is how readily the Pats traded Matt Cassel to know what they think of Brady's chances to return to his old form. Of course we should expect some rust, but Brady's biggest strength, reading defenses and throwing to the open receiver, should not be affect by his new ACL unless it's Randy Moss open 60 yards away. We'll have to be patient, but the thrill of seeing #12 back on the field is something I cannot wait for..
Have We Seen The Last of Rodney: Here's an interesting stat... any time Rodney Harrison has been healthy at the end of the season with New England, the Patriots have gone to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately he's only finished one season healthy since their last title in 2004. I expect Rodney back on the Pats sometime in October/November, depending on how hard and fast injuries hit the defensive backs. If the Pats can enter the playoffs with Rodney healthy and rested it would be a huge boost.
Alright, expect much more frequent updates in the coming weeks. We will again plan on live-blogging the Draft, with a much more effective computer hook up this year. Full Pats draft analysis coming soon as well.
