While all the experts seemingly declare cornerback the Patriots’ biggest need, I’ve held firm in my opinion that OLB should be first, and maybe second on the team’s needs. Just like a quality CB, experts had a short memory and forgot NE drafted two corners in last year’s draft, Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite.
If all goes well, these two will be the corners of the future. But for now, the team would like to take it slow with the young talents. Let them play nickel or dime until they are ready for the spotlight.
But until they are seasoned enough to rip the starting role from the incumbents, the secondary needs help.
My idea of help wasn’t Shawn Springs. The 12-year veteran, recently released by the Washington Redskins, signed with the Pats last week. With all due respect, I know the sport is best played by players younger than the 34-year old Springs.
But upon further reflection, Springs might be the solution the team needs.
He’s not the lockdown corner he used to be, but he won’t have to be. New England plays a lot of zone and have plays designed to create opportunities for the individual to make plays. With the exception being safety Brandon Merriweather, few in the secondary made plays. CB Ellis Hobbs made a few plays, but gave up more plays than he made. Maybe with Springs on the team, he can take the primary corner role and allow Hobbs to return to the right side of the field.
With Springs on board, the two pups have a vet, who has earned respect throughout his career, to learn from. Wheatley and Wilhite don’t have Springs’ physical stature and will probably never play bump and run like Springs, but he can help fill-in some nuances and share technique tips with the pair.
And since I mentioned Springs’ size, his 6-0 204-pound body will come in handy when facing the larger receivers in the league. Buffalo drafted 6-5 James Hardy last year. He likely will get the chance for a larger role. And over the weekend the Bills added 6-3 Terrell Owens. 5-9 Wheatley and Hobbs don’t stand the chance Springs would.
Like many veteran signings, there is a possible drawback, and this would be Springs’ health. He hasn’t played 16 games since 2000 and Springs played less than 10 games in two of the last three seasons.
That’s just a risk the Patriots will take. The alternatives were either don’t address the problem or do what they did last year by signing lesser players like Jason Webster, Lewis Sanders, Deltha O’Neal and Fernando Bryant last year. Once put in that perspective, the Springs signing looks much better.
