ESPN: Pats reach agreement with McGowan

Bb, Pls keep 37 around for mentoring

Seems like a good pickup. He has been hampered by injuries, but performed when healthy. I love all the signings, but I don't know how all these players are going to fit into the 80-man TC roster nevertheless the salary cap.

Wow... Did we really need another safety?

We have:

Merriweather
Sanders
Chung
Ventrone
Spann
and now McGowan

How do they all get playing time?

I wish the rosters would expand from 53 to 56. (with the salary cap increasing a bit to compensate)

We will see Rodney back in uniform in week 12. Just in time to warm up for the SuperBowl run!

Hmmm....interesting move-
How deep does team have to get?!?! That's four young safeties. Not complaining though, I think the Pats know how much injury can play a role so they are making this team bullet-proof. Need more LB depth though...

Farewell Mr. Harrison. You are and will always be my favortie Pats player. I look forward to the day you get your number retired and inducted into the Pats Hall of Fame. You will be sorely missed. Your fans love you.

our secondary is getting STACKED! wicked siked about this off season. bring back the smash mouth style of the homeland defense!

Go Maine!!!

Another, what seems like a good move. I have longed for the day whenj BB would finally pay attention to the secondary. Kudos to the Pats brain trust.

Alphonso Bustamante - you forgot about Tank Williams.

IF they remain relatively healthy, we're going to see some crazy defensive alignments. Also keep in mind the use of many of these players on special teams. Spann is likely the odd man out here, since he's been on and off the team at various points over the last few seasons.

Tank Williams is especially interesting since he has the size to be that hybrid SS/LB that Belicheck loves. really looking forward to mini camps and preseason to see how all this new blood shakes out.

Strong safety and free safety are different positions - you can't just add up safeties on the payroll

As solid as the Patriots Secondary is now looking, I STILL see a lot of water rushing through that gaping hole at OLB that well allow opposing teams to "run wild" against our defense. WHY THE HELL DID BELICHICK THROW IN MIKE VRABEL AS PART OF THE MATT CASSEL TRADE AGAIN?

Hey..No OLB.. No Defense. Why don't you call Belichick and tell him. It sounds like you know more than he does. While your at it I'll take a large fry.

Rodney has been the backbone of the defense when healthy. I still hope he comes back for one more or is available mid-season for another championship run.

Vrabel went because he was getting old, his production was slipping and he cost too much money.

Mike, what do you think the possibilities are of BB moving Williams or McGowan up to the OLB position? Do any of the young, hard-hitting safeties have the size and strength to potentially move up to that much-needed position?

Nice move. McGowan can play SS but he's also versatile enough player to be moved around in the secondary, he's played CB as well. He's physical, instinctive and athletic eventough a little undersized. He is a solid special team's player. He is better player the closer to the los he plays but he's too small to play LB as some have suggested here. He's got some playmaking abilities, solid player if he can stay healthy.

Reiss notes in the McGowan, Malone analisys that the Pats were using Tank Williams as more of a LB / LoS SS and doesn't anticipate that changing, so he doesn't even include Williams in the safety discussion.

Also, the Pats don't really employ a SS / FS alignment rather than just 2 safeties. They don't do an Ed Reed type of center fielder option, so all safeties pretty much can be lumped in together, for the most part. If there is seperation, its the guys that can crossover from Safety to CB and vice versa like Springs, Meriweather and McGowan.