Shawn's Gone

You would think with the lack of leadership in the Patriots locker room expressed from all angles that the more veteran presences the better. No so in the secondary. Surprisingly, CB Shawn Springs was released on Tuesday.

Springs was signed for three years last year, but the Pats decided to clear the path for the young corners to compete for playing time.

Springs had an intermittent season, as he started the first four games, was demoted, was a healthy scratch for four games, before returning to the starting lineup for the final four games of the season.

It was during the last four games that Springs played his best, as he broke up two passes and came away with his lone interception against Jacksonville. But the flip side was Springs turned into toast by Brandon Marshall in the week four loss to Denver. That’s the performance few will forget, knowing that New England must deal with Marshall twice a year after being traded to Miami.

With 13-year veteran Springs gone, the average age of the secondary on opening day will be 24, eleven years younger than Springs. Leadership will have to come from eight-year veteran CB Leigh Bodden and safetys James Sanders (six years) and Brandon Merriweather (four years). No one is even 30 years old.

It’s a trend also reflected at linebacker, as the average age will be 25 on opening day after the release of 10-year veteran, 32-year old Adalius Thomas (this average also includes Jermaine Cunningham, Marques Murrell, Rob Ninkovich, and Derrick Burgess, though they are listed as defensive ends).

Only along the defensive line is there an abundance of veterans with mainstays Vince Wilfork (28 years old), Mike Wright (28) and Ty Warren (29) welcoming Damione Lewis (32) and Gerard Warren (32). There are plenty of youthful hopefuls, but they aren’t guaranteed snaps, with Myron Pryor a likely exception after an encouraging rookie year.

The defense finished a mediocre 12^th in passing yards allowed per game last year, but more telling is the 25 touchdowns allowed, tied for 22nd in the league. The secondary didn’t get consistent help from a pass rush that finished with just 31 sacks. If New England is depending on rookies Cunningham, Dane Fletcher and a healthy Shawn Crable to improve the pass rush, it could be another year on an island for an inexperienced secondary.