This week's edition of "Free Agent Friday" is a little different than those in the past. That is because while past editions have looked at either free agents Boston may be interested in signing or players on our teams that are impending free agents, this week we are taking a look at a free agent that has already been signed: Victor Hobson of the Patriots. Hobson's signing went largely ignored at the time as it occurred right as the Sox season was beginning, the Pats were preparing for the draft, and the B's & C's were gearing up for potential playoff runs. But this is not a signing that should go ignored any longer. In his 5 pro seasons (all with the Jets) Hobson has played in 76 games (starting 58) recording 343 tackles, 11 sacks, 3 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries. Coach Belichick called the former 2nd-round pick, "a good young player with considerable playing experience". Always nice when a 28-year old with 76 games under his belt, capable of playing inside, outside and special teams, and comes from your most hated rival becomes available. Victor Hobson does not just represent an upgrade at LB for the Pats, he also represents a blow to the Jets. And even though the Jets seem to pose no imminent threat, that is just as satisfying to me. VERDICT: Currently marked as a starting ILB on the depth chart, he and 1st-Round pick Jerod Mayo will be replacing Junior Seau (already gone) and Tedy Bruschi (likely in his final year) over the next year. The Pats somehow continue to add youth and athleticism which will keep them competitive well past the time of their current veterans retirement. Great sign.
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It seems as though many Jets fans were not sorry to see Hobson go and they considered the former 2nd round pick to be a bust.
However, Hobson was plugged into the OLB position in NY even though he is more suited to play inside.
Given the opportunity to play inside with the Pats I think he'll prove to be a good signing.
Should Hobson, Mayo, et el work out as planned it will give the Pats far more flexibility at LB than they have had in years.
It will also allow the team to use Adilius Thomas to his full abilities and show why they were so high on signing him last year.
I think he's a good signing. I'm not surprised the Jets let him go. They also let Jonathan Vilma get away. They obviously have great decsion makers in the organization. I think Hobson will play some at OLB but will play mostly inside. And also with the experience he has in the league already i think our vet LBs will make a great impact on him. I expect Hobson to have the best season of his career if he stays healthy the entire year.
And now he'll get to see the correct way a Belichick defense should be run.
If he is half the linebacker his father was a third baseman then this is a great signing.
I agree that Adilius Thomas will have a better year.
I am much more skeptical than most people about Mayo coming in and contributing on defense right away. I think the system is too complicated for a rookie to make a huge impact. Maybe in year 2 with 54 probably retired we will see what Mayo can really do.
Speaking of LBs. I think the Pats missed the Rosie Colvin in the playoffs more than most people believe. I think he is going to be missed this season too but nobody seems to mention him. He came up with a lot of big plays in big games for the Pats.
Good points about the difficulties of playing MLB in pro football, Walpole Joe.
Anyone who remembers Ted Johnson and Vincent Brown knows it tooks these guys a number of years to master the position. Early on in their careers both of these guys were considered busts because it took both of the a couple of seasons to understand the position and they weren't in defenses as complex as those run by Belichick.
However, one thing Mayo and Crable have going for them is that they won't be expected to come in and quarterback the defense as Brown and Johnson were. Much of this responsibilty will still go to Teddy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison.
No doubt Colvin was missed at the end of last season, but I don't think it was unwise to not resign him.
With the number of injuries he's endured the over his career and his age it would be a big gamble to resign him.
Obviously other teams had similar feelings or else he wouldn't have stayed on the free agent market for as long as he did.
Anonymous I actually thought the Undertaker and Ted Johnson were both good pretty much from the start...I never considered either of them busts, just really injury-prone.
I think Mayo will be a perfect understudy under Bruschi for a year before he retires.
I think Hobson will be very valuable in that having him allows Thomas to stay outside where he is best. I think this combo will more than make up for the loss of Colvin. If we re-signed him Thomas would have stayed inside. So I 100% agree with WJ about the loss of Colvin going underappreciated last year, but I also agree with anon that it was wise to let him go.
I am just going to write this so I don't get "called out" for not writing anything...
I basically agree entirely with what DK said directly above.
I totally agree with WJ on the Colvin underappreciated front. (& not just last year). But also think his time here was done.
Mayo was not intended, or needed to be great this year. It is for the future, and it was a good move to draft SOME linebacker to learn under these smart old guys while they are here... as opposed to just correcting the problem after.
I would say it isn't too much of a stretch to compare it to what Gary Payton did for Delonte. Though mentioning Payton & Bruschi's names in similarity makes me feel a little strange...
I also like Hobson's signing, and again it is good to take one of theirs, though it may not be as significant a piece as they have snatched from us in the past.
AFC East is ours again. We got that locked.
(like I even need to say it)
The wide receiver situation is another interesting one, with a lot of gaps left over from last year. I think though, that they will be filled with little dropoff. Apart from Stallworth, it seems we have a lot of "role players" if you will, at the position, that can step in and work quite effectively in our system. Stallworth was one too, as I think to many's surprise we went to Welker in spades, in a way many would've thought we would gone to Stallworth... but I separate him because of his tremendous speed.
I am glad to see Romeo [Crennel] reaping some of our benefits, as he did SO much for us in the past.
(Look for the Browns to have a good year. Last year wasn't a fluke, and they will be solid).
To me, Stallworth was a big time disappointment last year and actually am excited to see if Kelly Washington will be used at WR. He is enormous.
As for LB...any LB is welcome to me at this point, we need fresh legs.
Yeah, I have high hopes for Washington as well.
we can talk all we want about linebackers but the real issue w/ the pats is going to be secondary. Unless Merriwheather steps up big time and proves he can be a legitimate starter, we've got some real holes. Count me in the group who things ellis hobbs is significantly overrated and rodney harrison has lost a big step if not two. Pats still cruise to AFC East title, get to AFC title game, but I worry about good offenses being able to throw the ball at will on us....hopefully thomas is really able to t off this year and give us a big pass rush from our LB's, otherwise we could have some issues on D.
Am i seeing people say they have high hopes for Kelly Washington? As a #3 option which is what he has been his entire career he has 72 rec, 893 rec yds and 9 tds. He was a drafted 65th overall in the 2003 NFL draft. I think the thing i like best about him is that during his 4 yrs in minor league baseball he was roommates w/ Josh Beckett.
Also after was drafter in the 3rd rd there are about 10 WR after him that have produced better.
As for the Pats D, our secondary was gonna suffer when we lost Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law and we've been ok without them. I think our D-line has the best depth. I would agree that the secondary would be weakest part of the D.
I think the Patriots secondary will actually be okay this season. While they no longer have the luxury of having shut down corner like Ty Law or Asante Samuel they should still be more than adequate.
Even though there are a bunch of question marks entering this season Belicheck has a uncanny knack for finding guys such as Randall Gay that he has been able to plug in at DB and still make the secondary work. Plus, having Dom Capers coaching the DBs this year gives me some level of confidence.
Harrison seems to have lost a step or two, but I no longer think the team sees him as an every down player anymore. My hunch is that Tank Williams will rotate in for him every few plays.
James Sanders may be the most underrated player on that defense. He really came on during the second half of last year and should continue to anchor the other safety spot.
Ellis Hobbs will be one of the starting corners and I actually expect him to have a good year. He played hurt most of last season and ended up having two offseason surgeries. I also feel that he was unfairly blamed for some blown coverages that were more often the fault of the safety or nickle back. Hobbs just needs to stay healthy to show what he can do and taking him off special teams would be a start to insure that happens.
The team is pretty high on Mike Richardson, who they drafted in the 7th round last year from ND. He looked good in the preseason last year, but was put on the DL before the season began. He could be this year's surprise, but, if not the team has some options in this year's second round pick, Terrence Wheatley, and fouth round pick Jonathan Wilhite.
Brandon Merriweather just seems lost out there. I was excited when the Patriots drafted him out of Miami last year, but now I'm not sure he "gets it". Perhaps a year under his belt will help.
One area of the defense that really concerns me is the defensive line. The lack of depth really showed at times last year and the team didn't address this at all in the offseason.
The starters are another year older and even less likely to stay healthy for a full season.
It's been three years since Richard Seymour made it through a full season in any kind of health and there is no sign that'll change this year. Even when he came back from injury last year he was no where near as effective as he had been in the past.
Vincent Wilfolk may the most over-rated player on the team. He's well liked because he's fat and jovial, but that doesn't make him good. He is frequntly taken of the play by just one offensive lineman, even though the job of the NT is to tie up as many of the OL as possible. My other gripe is that he easily wears down during the game and needs to be replaced during crucial moments. Mike Wright is an okay backup player on the DL, but I don't want to see him at filling in at the nose ever again.
Ty Warren had a great season in 2006, but disappeared last year. I can only think its because he was getting most of the double teams that are usually reserved to Seymour.
Jarvis Green is still a very good sub on the DL, but was asked to more than he can handle because there were so few options.
I can only think they are hoping to pick up a veteran once teams start making cuts.
At any rate, without an effective defense line to put pressure on the QB and tie up the OL for the linebackers it doesn't matter who the Patriots have in the secondary. Any QB will all day to throw will pick apart any defense.
Not sold on either Kelly Washington or Chad Jackson at the #3 WR spot. With Donte Stallworth gone my money is on Jabbar Gaffney as the guy to claim that spot. He's been in the system a number of years now and has performed when called upon in big situations. He also seems to have some rapport with Brady.
Duffman - excellent work out of you. Looking forward to Pats talk all year.
Here's to a healthy Sammy Morris.
I agree with almost everything Duffman stated. I think Gaffney could easily get the nod on the 3rd or non-slot receiver a lot this year, but GMac to get all caught up on Washington's stats is like you've never watched the Patriots before. It is all about ensemble. Especially at the wide receiver position.
The secondary is the weakest (certainly on paper) but with the moves they made (getting Bryant, Tank Williams etc.) and their endless ability to make do, and get the best out of guys that are just supposed to be average, I am not that worried.
It helps that we have such shit competition in our Division and will have the entire season to have these guys hone their skills, before the games of real importance.
Agreed that the lack of depth at the line is a real issue. At such an injury prone position, on top of the frequency we go with 4 (or more) linebackers, we have to be solid up front.
This will be a task throughout the season. Also, though I stated that obviously the most important games come at the end, there are some serious "statement games" throughout the season (Indianapolis is obviously first thought of but there a few big ones) where it is important not to let the other team take a mental edge, that they will have when we meet in the playoffs. With only meeting twice all year with out of conference teams, including playoff, and the one-and-done playoff scenario, these regular season games have a good deal of weight when all is said and done. I look forward to taking care of San Diego in the first few games of the season.
I usually hate being written off in the first portion of the season (on lack of "real wins" based on quality division opponents), but with last year's supremely high expectations, it won't bother me. Also, that mentality seems to have washed away in the last couple of seasons as the media has FINALLY started giving the Pats some real respect.
Everything else, I agree entirely with what was just stated by Duffman... this is rare for such a large post. Look forward to hearing further insights.
WR passing option
#1 Moss
#2 Welker (in the slot)
#3 Jackson
#4 Gaffney
#5 Washinton
Washinton played with Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh(spelled that on my own). What that means is he was open alot and still has poor career #s. Thats the only reason i dont have high hopes for him. Honestly with Brady at the helm and Moss and Welker on field i could probably have a decent season.
I know Chad Jackson has missed alot of time with injuries but i dont think health will be an issue this year.
I'm going to have to be posting Pats talk frequently....I love how opininionated everyone is!
Let me be clear, I think Gaffney, Washington, and Jackson will all be in the same tier this year. Obviously, we first look Moss, and Welker comes up big on possession downs, and when people aren't looking at us to use him. (there will be less of the latter this season)
All those other guys we mix it up between. I think Gaffney may get a hair or two more looks based on his late season play. Also, if Chad gets hot at the beginning of the season, he could get a lot of looks and a chance to step up. But overall, it is a group thing. We are not the team to stick to our one guy who is putting in work, we throw the ball all around. I would also like to see a little more of our earlier style decade of throwing to the backs this year. Make the defense choose whether to cover us short or long, and then nail em with the other. (Moss deep, screen pass or Maroney short)
Chad Jackson is smaller, skinnier verion of Tony Simmons (remember him from a few years back?). I pretty much expect his carrer to follow the same path and it won't be long before we're trading him away for some fat lineman.
Mark my words, Gaffney is your guy. He was the go to receiver down the stretch two years ago, but got lost in the shuffle last year with all of the new comers.
Baring that my predicition is that the NFL grants Troy Brown a special exemption to use a Lark and he is named comeback player of the year.
I'm with Duffman in that Gaffney is the clear #3 out of camp. Brady loves him. ESPN just did something on athletes favorite athletes and Brady picked Jabar Gafney. No joke.
That said I have more hope for Chad Jackson. He is way more talented than Simmons, who was nothing more than a speedster who wasn't even productive in college, which Jackson was. He came in with an attitude, then got hurt as he seemed to be getting his act together. I'm not ready to call him the next Randy Moss, but I'm not ready to write him off either.
Washington = Special Teams Star.
Also, speaking of Colvin, ESPN the Mag called the Texans signing him the "Best under-the-radar move of the off-season".
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