Lenon informed of release

he whiffed on more than a few tackles friday night

What are the chances Alexander gets released?

excellent. lets plug in one of our 20 offensive linemen into that linebacker void.

Eric Alexander stinks. I don't know why BB keeps him around.

oops...i meant thursday night. maybe someone should have told Paris!

Is there a list of players still on the roster who are not on Mike's projected list?

I think Slater's injury tilted the competition between Lenon and Alexander to Alexander. I imagine it also made it more likely that they keep Ventrone. Of course, we could pick up LB reinforcements off waivers which would probably put Ventrone back on the outside.

Thank goodness he's off the roster. Monty Beisel 2.0

I wonder who will wear #55 this season? Willie or Junior?

He also jumped on a fake in game three allowing the QB to score. I was taught not to do that in high school!

no surprise here, it's important for a lb to be able to tackle. alexander is not much better, nor is woods.

I'm growing more and more concerned with the Patriot's defense this season. There are so many question marks. Given that it has been the defense that has let down the team during the past few years, you would hope that those problems would be sorted out, but with the team signings and draftees, I just don't see it.

I wonder why they chose him over Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Before camp started I was excited about the prospect of this guy. Sure it was for the Lions, but any guy who leads a team in tackles sounds like a player. Seemed like Lenon was hurt for a lot of camp, and the had some pretty uninspired play in the preseason games. Wish him luck though.

It was an uncharacteristic "reach" by the Patriots. Almost a panic move.

It's pretty clear that we're going to need another ILB in this group if we are going to run a 3-4 at all this year (and I think they will in the red zone). We have three reserve outside linebackers on Reiss' projection in Woods, Crable, and Ninkovich.

You can throw Burgess and especially Banta-Cain in there, too.

But outside of Guyton and Mayo, we have one reserve ILB who has typically been poor when called upon, and that is Alexander. He should be kept because of his special teams prowess, but I don't see him contributing on defense.

I hope we're able to pick up another ILB from a team that runs a similar system. Maybe someone from Baltimore/Pittsburgh/NYJ.

I would much prefer to be positive than not, but I was afraid the Pats LBs would stink back in March, and now I'm stuck with that same fear. I hope Adalius Thomas can be the stud we brought him here to be, and I hope that Pierre Woods and Gary Guyton can be reliable, solid players.

If someone can provide reasons for optimism for this unit, I'm all ears.

I guess that settles it. We should've been thinking of him as a guy released by the Detroit Lions more so than as a guy that led the Lions in tackles.

His play was mixed. He definitely missed some tackles. But he also got (at least) one sack along with some "hurries." He's been there for the whole camp, he knows the system. He's good on special teams. They could definitely use him as the season wore on. But if someone else were to sign him, it wouldn't be some huge loss.

I think the Pat's are trying just trying to make space to hold onto guys with value for other teams to allow a trade ferment or wait until a player they can really use becomes available. The Saints just had an injury at TE. And more linebackers are starting to surface. Obviously, not all of the best players are going to surface until after the deadline has past.

Mike, what do you think of the possibility of the Patriots picking up an OLB/DE or MLB prospect at this point? I'm looking at either former Patriots who've been released/about to clear waivers that haven't been on the roster in the last few weeks of camp (Victor Hobson, Vince Redd) or guys on the bubble on other 3-4 teams (Brad Jones/Cyril Obiozor) or potential cap/contract/camp-performance/glut casualties on other 3-4 teams (Jarvis Moss/Derrick Johnson)? Is it really too late to integrate someone into the Patriots system? Or just to early to speculate as to who?

Clearly the LB spot has been a concern since late last season. While I think trading Vrabel was the right move at the time, if we'd known back then that Bruschi was going to retire, it might have changed the dynamic. I'd love to have him back right now to play inside.

Reasons for optimism: there's every reason to think that Adalius and Mayo will be playmaking studs that anchor the unit. Woods is at least solid and may be much better than everyone thinks. Guyton does a lot of things well, particularly in the passing game, and he seems to be developing a good rapport working next to Mayo on the inside. Ninkovich has looked very good at OLB in the preseason. Crable has the physical tools and, if he can stay healthy for a stretch, might develop into the player we all hoped for. Burgess and Banta-Cain both have the potential to develop into more well-rounded OLB's in addition to being pass rush specialists. Players develop over time and we have a number of options that might fill the current voids.

So I think there are reasons for optimism if you look hard enough, but let's not kid ourselves either. If Adalius or Mayo goes down we could be in deep trouble.

Maybe the Patriots use a lot more 4-3 instead of 3-4 this year. They may be thin at LB, but they have plenty of defensive lineman. Seymour, Green, Warren, Wilfork, Pryor, Brace, and Burgess was/is a DE. If they played 4-3 they could have Seymour, Brace, Wilfork, Warren on the line, and Thomas, Mayo, Woods. Then on passing downs Burgess comes in instead of Brace (with Burgess moving to end and Seymour moving inside), and Banta-Cain replacing Woods. That wouldn't be a bad set-up.

@8: You do realize though that Beisel played a pretty big role in stopping the Steelers running game in the last SuperBowl. If he were to become available, there's quite a few teams who'd be interested...

Alexender hasn't shown much in his career with the Pats, but he did play well on Thursday. I think he wore the radio helmet that game as well. He will stick even if it's just for ST. The fact he's been on the team for a few years also helps.

@ VerDisqo --

Redd is suspended for the first four games for violating NFL banned substance policy (Ephedra) - probably why the Pats cut him so abruptly early in camp. Hobson was never much in his last stint with the Pats (Lenon would probably have been better). My buddy the GB fan says Obiozor sucks.

Stefanovich,
Adalius Thomas can also play ILB in the 3-4. Probably more useful at OLB right now, but he could certainly take some snaps in the middle. It might make more sense too if one of the untested OLBs emerges at some point this season (eg. Crable, Ninkovich), or if Burgess learns how to play linebacker, or if Banta-Cain learns how to set the edge. Maybe not very likely, but it's still possible.

Should have kept Vrabel for one more go around.

Mayo is good. Thomas is good, but overrated. The rest of our LBs stink. This Lenon guy was another reach that people mistakenly thought "would get coached up by BB". Please.

Garbage in, Garbage out.