Patriots, CBs & the draft

5:00 AM Mike?

geeez dude, take a break...no wonder the 12th position in this series is being listed as the 10th - LOL

GREAT STUFF Mike - thanks so much for all you do...3 thumbs up 4 you

Come on, Mike. This is clearly the 12th in the series.

If they can improve upon and "solidify" the cornerback position this season, and multiple key players avoid serious injury, this Team will contend for the SB again...

Thanks for pointing it out; it is now fixed. When you see an update at 5 a.m., it is most often pre-scheduled as part of a feature on our blog tool. I often times write it up the day before and have it publish at that time so something is new there in the morning.
--Mike

Mike,

How do you see the rookies moving forward? I know Wilhite filled in for portions of last season, but considering he was replacing Deltha O'Neil.....that isn't saying much. Wheatley (I thought) looked decent out there before he went down, but he definately looked like a rookie. Do you see these guys as long-term answers at the position, merely as role players going forward, or as non-contributors?

Any chance the Pats could draft both Darius and Jarius?

I say short-term need is moderate. Long-term need is high. I don't see any long-term solutions in that bunch. i long for the day when Hobbs (if he is still on the team) is returning kicks and coming in for the nickle and dime situations.

I'd love the day when I never have to see Hobbs on the field again. He has a huge mouth for a guy that sucks. Least favorite Pat in resent memory.

Hobbs catches a lot of flak, and some is deserved but some isn't. I remember over the past couple years, coaches coming out and explicitly stating that, even though he may have been the closest guy on a lot of plays, he wasn't responsible for the coverage. Now, I don't know if they were just trying to boost his self-esteem or what, but it seems out of character for coaches to come out and say ANYTHING like that, so why would we assume it isn't true?

I don't think Hobbs is a legit #1, and I don't think you'll find many people who disagree...but the guy was the best corner we had last year, and I think he's still a decent #2 option or a good nickel corner (covering smaller, quicker, but slower WRs in the slot would work for him).

The guy was asked to play way above what he should have been. He's not a great player. He's not a #1 corner, but he was asked to be one. Saying you hate Hobbs for not being great is like saying you hate Jarvis Green for not being Richard Seymour when Seymour was out. He's not as good a player. He's doing the best he can.

I for one am sick of the Smurfs we've had lately at corner. I know the argument: the lack of a pass rush on 3rd down unfairly manifests itself as a deficiency of the CB position. But not all completions happen because a QB doesn't have anyone in his face. Sometimes, the coverage just sucks. IMHO, this is closer to the truth than the lack of a pass rush.

If I had to do it, my first pick in the draft would be a CB, followed by OLB (there's more OLBs to be had in the draft, and will be available in later rounds, than CBs).

Good point Rob. The patriots have let #1 corners Ty Law and Asante Samuel go, which tells me they dont think there is value is spending a ton of money on them.

Hobbs was asked to be a number 1 when he clearly isnt, but did a very serviceable job. I think we would have different opinion of him if they kept asante or had a vaunted pass rush last year.

I would have to agree that Hobbs would do at least a decent job in slot coverage, if not better. He'd probably be better than many teams' nickel back. But he's been asked to play CB, and he can't handle it. We need an upgrade.

> he ... did a very serviceable job

"serviceable" doesn't win you Super Bowls. "serviceable" gives up TDs in the playoffs, against the better teams in the league. There aren't many posiitons on the team where you are in danger of giving up a TD on every play, but CB is one of them.

Hobbs is a solid corner. He can't cover elite receivers, but few guys can. We all forget that Hobbs is only 25 and should continue to improve. He didn't have much help last year and still played well.

"coaches coming out and explicitly stating that, even though he may have been the closest guy on a lot of plays, he wasn't responsible for the coverage" I have said exactly that several times too. He is actually average as a #2 corner, but last year the problems at the other corner (ONeil constantly losing the receiver) forced the safeties to give Hobbs way less help over the top (if you took the time to notice), making for a few rough games even though he was healthy.

Don't take my word for it, Belichick has been starting him for years.

Also I believe he is regarded as a good hard working guy. Mark my words, after next year he will be playing for twice the salary or more.

I also want to add that a lot of people don't understand something about playing corner. If you have very little help over the top, you must compromise by playing deeper off the receiver in order to prevent them from getting by you. When you see Hobbs give up a 5 yd pass because he apparently gave a huge cushion, consider how bad the coverage has been on the other side, leading the safeties to favor that side, and forcing Hobbs to play more of a "prevent" coverage.

You must consider the whole backfield when you judge how good one cover guy is doing.

we havent had a sold secondary group in years. hobbs too often gets singled out probably because he is the strongest presence and everyone else s*cks even worse. it's time to revamp and retool our cbs and the young kids need to step up. i doubt there is a qb in the league that fears anyone in our secondary. add to the fact that our passrush has basically taken the last couple seasons off, it's a perfect storm. we need legit shutdown corner and we need our front line to start earning their money.

Draft all secondary players. Half of them will be cut or on IR like always...

Pats win SB. Guaranteed! I will give everyone here $1,000.00 each if I am wrong.

Hey Mike And others,
Greg Toler from St. Pauls Division 2 is hotter than hot. Tolar 6-0 197 and ran a 4.37 at pro day now has the Pats and every other team interested in him. This question is to everybody don't you dislike how every team wants to be like the Pats. If BB or any Patriots personal show up to a pro-day suddenly these prospects go from being undrafted to 2-3 round picks. The Patriots have showed great interest in exciting Linebacker Jason williams from W.illinois-6-1 240 and runs a 4.42, great range, hands, blitzing ability. He was a seventh round projection and now teams like the giants, falcons, and Jets are willing to use their round 2 pick to grab him so we can not. ISo hi to all of you. I read what you all write everyday but just started writing myself today.

Two years ago I hated Hobbs too. Now, I'm surprised how much he's improved. He plays through injuries. And he took charge last year on a bad secondary. He's not a #1 CB, but he'd still be a good #2 CB behind Bodden (a FA steal). Or he could rotate with Springs, Wheatley or a rookie like, say, Vonte Davis (yes, baggage and all), and concentrate on returning kicks where he excells. What the secondary really need is a safety, like Delmas, Chung, or maybe Johnson from Alabama. Or what about Wilhite? Sanders is okay, but I don't like him as a starter.