Globe 10.0: Is the Patriots defense better?

every year the d is different...the scheme and concepts are the same but the players change...you lose players and bring new ones in. players get older and arent as effective they were when they were younger. As you can see this year we are transistioning. I think it started in earnest last year with the drafting of young line backers/corners which tend to tbe the core of Bills schemes. Im excited...I think the younger linebacker really have a chance to make a big difference. We have some young corners but also some good veterans..to of which know the scheme. I hope we bring in a few young dlineman that can make an impact and an knock your head off safety...then yes I think we will improve but the d has to gell so we will see. but I am excited cause we will be nasty on O again...

i know there is time & space to fill, but it is waaaay too early to make an assessment. i'd feel more comfortable if at least 3 of the first 4 draft choices were on the defensive side, including (hopefully) another middle linebacker to pair with Mayo.

let us not forget TULLY BANTA CAIN comin' back to the motherland.
This defense is gonna hurt people.

At this point, the Pats have added two starting-quality CBs to compete for play time with Hobbs, Wilhite and Wheatley. I don't like Ellis as a #1 corner, but covering the slot guy? Yeah, he's pretty decent there, assuming he beats out last year's rookies. That's some pretty good depth for your top-5. Depth at Safety is a concern, but our starters are at least solid.

The D-line's only question marks have to do with whom to resign. Vince seems obvious, you sign him. Seymour still has good football in him, but his cap number may surpass his value this year. Still, the 2009 D-line looks strong. I'd expect they draft a depth guy at DT and DE this year.

There is still a hole in their LB core. Mayo and Thomas are sure things, the other two starting spots are up for grabs. Bruschi will still play running downs and require a sub for passing downs, maybe splitting time with Guyton. Banta-Cain will get a shot to earn the OLB spot opposite Thomas, but I see him as more of a depth guy. I'd expect the Pats to pick an OLB and ILB with two of their 4 picks in the first two rounds.

Let's see who they get in the draft, then re-grade, but I really like the moves thus far.

the secondary seems decent now, but I would like to see an addition at safety. In the end though it won't matter who is defending the pass if we don't bolster our pass rush.

If you are speculating on how the Pat' defense will be in 6 months why don't you speculate what the stock market will be in 6 months . Who the hell knows . What a waste of time. They might get lucky in the draft and get the second coming of LT sans the drug abuse

Shaughnessy, cut down on the cocktails before a TV appearance. Your redder than a overripe tomato.

Chris And Dan, Since the Patriots defense doesn't rely on one player and though Vrabel was an intricate member of the defenses of the past Patriots teams BB will move on to others who play the same position and he will allow them to play to their strenghts.When ranking CB both Bodden and Springs are plus CB's,meaning they will improve this teams secondary.Also it protects the team in case the player or players that they want to draft aren't availible.Bodden was once described by a fairly accomplished TE (Winslow JR.),as being "The Show Stopper"That means he covers the best WR's and shuts him down.

My biggest concern the past couple of years has been the cornerback positions, especially with Ellis Hobbs as one of the starting corners. He is, without a doubt, one of the weakest links, at the corner, that this team has. The two kids drafted last year still have not proven anything, and they too are , IMO, too small for the way the passing game is changing in the NFL... The two new additions, again IMO, can only be a positive, even if they only perform at 60-75% of their original capability, they should be a significant upgrade. Hobbs has been a very weak link for a starting corner in the NFl of the 21st century.

The cornerbacks may be better but we may have the worst pass rush in the NFL. Losing Vrabel and Bruschi another year older will not help the front 7. They better draft a stud OLB to get the pass rush back to where it used to be with "Big Willie". Or Peppers....

Is it me, or does Gasper seem a bit *too* happy/excited in this video

Any thing that includes deltha O'Neil not playing?.....huge upgrade.

Why is nobody talking about Tully Banta-Cain at outside linebacker?

That guy has all kinds of 3-4 rushing OLB power. I loved him when he was here - a young linebacker developing nicely.

The would be better because the offense will be better... they will be less time on the field

They're not even done. How can anyone even make a statement about their defense?

Seriously, if the Pats don't find new talent that can get after the Quarterback they will struggle with pass defense again in 09. What's it been now...2 years without a decent pass rush. Won't cut it it a pass happy league these days.

The 23rd pick for Peppers.....if Carolina will do it then get it done.

100% better..
We got rid of a struggling, over-the-hill player in Vrabel, while keeping leadership with Bruschi. They improved their seconrdary by leaps and bounds. To top it all off, less Ellis Hobbs in 3rd down situations. Tremendous improvement.

Are all beat writers taking holiday time? Force me to go to the other paper if you guys don't start doing your jobs and report something!

Bellichick is a great coach and the moves he's making will help the Patriots defense down the line. The offense is already entact. They have unfinished business to take care of. As for all those rookie corners getting playing time this year, they needed that because Brady would have made believers out of them and will do it again this year. I don't see any gurantees being said against the Patriots this coming season.

It's a new day and pats fans are all wind up. What's gonna happen next? Relax, take a tylenol. It had to happen sooner or later. We enjoyed all those years with these guy's. They know it ,we know it. Time to rebuild. Get young, and still have vet's there to help mold the new Pat's. It takes time. We went on for how many years where we enjoyed it at the top. Wanna stay there!!! Ya gatta look foward. Suck it up Pat Fans!! It will all work out in the end!!! SPANKY IN GERMANY SAY'S SO!!!! US MILITARY!!! WE FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!

I am pleased with the two veteran corneback additions the Pats have made but I am very concerned about the linebacking corps. Vrable may have been on the downside of his career but he still was the second of third best linebacker on the team. They need help at middle linebacker deperately and unless they are able to pick up two solid players in the draft, the defense will not be up to the level needed to get them back to the Super Bowl.

I reject the premise that weakness at CB is the main reason for the Pats' defensive failures. Lack of a consistent pass rush is problem one, two, and three. Unless and until the Pats find a way to mount pressure on opposing QBs, their defensive woes will continue.

I expect that the Pats will address this problem through the upcoming draft.

Any look on defense that excludes Ellis (The Hobbitt) Hobbs at CB is a significant improvement over last year. Limit him to PR/KR duties. Every negative highlight of last season saw Hobbitt being burnt for TD's including Super Bowl vs. Giants.

Hey Dan, and bob,

haven't you guys heard of sun screen? You look like a couple of lobsters lately. C'mon you guys are supposed to be the cagey vets out there.