NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports Patriots DTVince Wilfork has requested his release. Height: 6' 2" Weight: 325 lb. who's more important corner or DT?
Which player is more important to the defense? Corner or DT? Pats have decided Revis is more important than Wilfork.
Well not really, they have cap room to keep both. The question is whether a 33 year old 350 pounder, who appeared to be entering his decline, and is coming off a torn Achilles is worth $8M, especially since this is the last year of his deal.
With Revis clamping down on the opposing teams top receiver, and defending 50% of the field, NE can stack 8 in the box to defend the Run.
If wilfork was younger and healthier this would be a big hit for NE, but at his current state I see them overcoming it. Like most scenarios, keeping both would be the best but this isn't a huge loss at this point and time. I coupe be wrong and wilfork comes off the injury and looks spry and young with a new team
Or you can spread 4 wideouts throw away from Revis, or run draws. Jets have tried this before. Peyton ripped us a new ass-hole
This is the leader and captain of the defense. They had Talib shutting down half the field last year and STILL ranked 30th in overall run defense. No doubt they'll probably go DT with their first round pick, but I gotta say the Revis signing has to hurt their morale. What about McCourty who is been good wanting an extension? Wilfork wanted out of this mess
He doesn't cover 50% of the field. He covers one guy like white on rice, but not 50% of the field. Do you think putting 8 in the box against Denver is going to work?
I like the Revis move for NE but I wouldn't go that far. I still don't trust the rest of the secondary. Although it seems McCourty really picked up the safety position quickly and is excelling there after regressing big time at CB. Revis means the defense can count on corner to shut down a receiver without much or any help. It opens up the rest of the defense. Also, Revis follows the top WR if they need to, which I think is more valuable than stopping whoever lines up on your side of the help. The issue NE will run into is if teams can successfully hit targets on the other defenders. If they do, Revis becomes a lot less valuable. Wilfork leaving will be interesting though if he does leave. First what he will get and where he will go in FA. I don't know if Denver would need him or afford him, but that seems to be a team loading up on defenders. Also, we'll see how the Pats plug and play on the DL now, it's definitely something they got experience with last year though so they have a sort of plan I bet. Also of course the draft coming up can help big time.
is wilfork really willing to give up his big y endorsement? im sure hell miss all the free super subs
I think your thinking of it the wrong way... One of their secrets to the Pats success the past few years is a ridiculously high turnover margin.....year after year. They take lots of risks on defense and get int's and while hardly give the ints back to their opponents. ------------------------------------- Just imagine the creative schemes they are gonna come up with now that they have a revis island to further champion this philosophy. Losing Wilfork isn't even going to make any difference to your team when you are gonna have a +20 to +25 turnover margin for the season.
I think we agree. I just wouldn't go as far to say Revis locks up half the field. He locks up 1 WR and still then I don't think the Pats would use that to load 8 in the box because I don't think the remaining secondary is good enough for that. As you said, I think they would be more creative. Losing Wilfork can become a big hole but NE played with that hole last year and I don't think they impact will be that big. Granted it is still a hole and if teams can run on NE, it opens up a boatload of problems with ball control and limiting NE possession. One of the key ways to stop a high powered offense that isn't out scoring them is ball control through your offense. This gets done through the run game and short passing game. So I think we are the same path though, Revis definitely helps, Wilfork isn't in his prime so his loss isn't as huge as it once was, and yeah they protect the ball. One key about those turnovers is they make teams one dimensional when they get the lead. We see the flip side of that when teams beat NE (think BAL and DEN as their last two playoff losses). Both teams didn't score a lot (under 30 I believe), but they controlled the clock, controlled the ball, and forced NE to become one dimensional. They were efficient because of that NE D. There are ways to be efficient against a D when Revis is still on a field, but he filled a HUGE hole for NE. If they can't stop the run or the middle of the field through the air, you negate Revis. I'm sure Bill will scheme the defense so this doesn't happen though.
I think it was a neutral move that neither helped nor hurt the Pats. If it causes any issues in the locker room then it was a terrible move that might sink the dynasty. The Pats have had better control of the personnel dynamics than 90% of the NFL. They've done this by rigidly enforcing a star system in which Tom Brady was at the top and nobody challenged that perch. There have always been a few subsidiary stars around Brady on the roster but those guys weren't the story and when they hit the moment of replacement they went right out the door with no reverb. If the Pats were going to cut Wilfork anyway if he refused a pay cut then we're not looking at the first big implication of the Revis signing. If on the other hand the Revis signing had any effect on what is likely to transpire, well in that case I think the Pats probably should have found a way to bring Talib back instead.
Vince refused to redo his contract BEFORE they signed Revis. He wasn't willing to redo to resign Talib either. I doubt this will cause any serious lockerroom issue. Chandler Jones has been extatic on twitter. The Pats wanted him to take a cut this year to a little under $5mil. He wants the full $7.65 he has left on the contract. This is just business. He thinks someone will give him that on the open market, I doubt it. He plays a unique role that not every team fills. BJ Raji can't get a bite on the open market. If the Pats can't change his mind, they'll cut him and be back to $17mil in cap space. After he checks out the market, he may even come back. At 6-2 375 lbs (anyone who believes he weighs 325 would fluk a drug test) and coming off a torn achilles, he really should redo with the Pats and grab every guaranteed penny he can.
That's because BJ Raji is a lazy fuck and he hasn't improved since their SB season, hell he's regressed. I think their respective scenarios are much different. Wilfork will get paid by someone (prob the Raiders).
One thing the Pats have always done and usually done to perfection is getting rid of guys one year too early as opposed to one year too late. That's probably the case here. _
