Musket Reloaded - Part 5: Patriots Defensive Line Improved Despite Losing Wilfork

Siliga will be counted on to hold the nose in the Patriots run defense

What do Sealver Siliga and Alan Branch have in common?

Not a hell of a lot, other than they both were briefly members of the Seattle Seahawks, both are extraordinarily large human beings and both took immense pleasure in knocking off those aforementioned Seahawks in last February's Super Bowl - oh yes, and also, they represent the veteran interior of the New England Patriots' defensive line.

How each ended up on the Patriots' roster is a lesson on why one teams' trash is another teams' treasure - in fact, nearly the entire interior of the Patriots' defensive line is littered with folks that were shunned by other teams before finding a home in Foxborough...

...Rob Ninkovich, Chris Jones and Antonio Johnson also fitting the profile, though their individual journey to the Bay State are not as compelling as those of Siliga and Branch.

Branch played in eight regular season games...

Branch was originally drafted in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, spending four seasons as a solid, yet anonymous rotational defensive tackle, then two more in Seattle as a rotational free agent pick up before heading off to Buffalo where he became recognized as a top 10 run-stuffing 3-4 defensive end.

Siliga's path to the world champions was less celebrated, having not been drafted but ending up for a brief stay with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent before spending two years on the Denver Broncos' practice squad, then traded to Seattle for offensive lineman John Moffit.  The University of Utah product then bounced back and forth between the Seahawks' practice squad and football limbo early in the 2013 season before his agent, who is close to many in the Patriots' organization, sought a workout for his client.

Siliga was signed to the Patriots' practice squad soon after, but when the Broncos lost defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson to a dislocated hip during the Patriots' epic come-from-behind victory over Denver, word got to head ball coach Bill Belichick that the Broncos wanted Siliga back, and were set to sign him off of New England's practice squad to their own active roster.

Belichick, having lost nose tackle Vince Wilfork and rush tackle Tommy Kelly to season-ending injury earlier in the season and getting zero impact from trade pick up Issac Sopoaga and undersized nose Joe Vellano, trumped the broncos by promoting Siliga to the Patriots' active roster - and the space eater solidified the interior of the Patriots' rush defense.

While Siliga made an impact in just seven

Much has changed since then, as New England has replenished their depth chart through the draft, selecting explosive rush tackle Dominique Easley last season and nose tackle Malcom Brown this past April, fully intending for the two youngsters to eventually take over the majority of snaps.

And why not?  The undersized Easley has elite explosion off the line and could become one of the premier interior pass rushers in the league if his knees hold up, and Brown is a two-gap space eater with a powerful lower body who has shown the ability to collapse a pocket up the middle and occupy multiple blockers.

What the Patriots want from their tackles is the ability to re-establish the line of scrimmage two yards deep in the opponent's backfield and filter the running game to the edges where, in theory, the defensive ends and outside linebackers can string out the play to the sidelines or redirect the back off-tackle, where the box safeties and big linebackers are waiting for them...

...and that worked like a charm, but only after Siliga and Branch found their way onto the field in the middle of last season.

Branch joined the Patriots on the field against Denver in week nine, while Siliga saw his first action of the season at Indianapolis after coming off the IR with a designation to return, and the results are startling.

In the first half of the season before the two behemoths saw the field, the Patriots' run defense was surrendering an abysmal 4.53 yards per carry to opposing running backs, including an alarming 5.32 right up the gut - which is merely a side effect of a combination of Wilfork trying to hold the nose by himself with no pure rotational nose tackle to spell him, and with Easley a shell of his enormous potential as he recovered from offseason ACL surgery.

Moore, Ninkovich and Jones

But once Siliga and Branch were available to be rotated into the lineup, the average yards per carry given up by the Patriots on the ground dropped by nearly a full yard per carry to 3.63, most of that division coming up the middle, where New England held opposing runners to a stupid good 2.8 yards per carry, the best in the league during that time frame.

So with the Patriots releasing Wilfork from his contract in March, is it any wonder that they turned around and spent their first round draft capital on Brown, or that they quickly re-signed Branch to a two-year, $6 million contract?

The combination of Siliga and Brown at the nose and Branch, Easley and Chris Jones at the three-tech have the potential to be just as effective in 2015 as the positions were in their championship season - perhaps even better, and they are going to have to be, gauging from the unit's performance in the playoffs, where they were merely average against two of the league elite ground games in Baltimore and Seattle...

...particularly on the edges where, when they couldn't find success up the middle, those teams found plenty of room, going for five yards a pop to the left, and a pornographic 6.5 yards per carry to the right.

That explains Belichick's moves in free agency, where he plucked defensive end Jabaal Sheard away from Cleveland and spent a significant portion of his draft capital on edge players Geneo Grissom out of Oklahoma and Trey Flowers from Arkansas to back up incumbent starters in Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich.

So pleased was Belichick with his offseason acquisitions that he felt he was able to slice some of the fat from his veteran roster, cutting Michael Buchanan outright and swapping positions for enigmatic rush end Jake Bequette, who will don number 85 and try to make the team as a tight end - the only other holdover from last season being 6th rounder Zach Moore, a small school prospect who absolutely dominated at Division II Concordia College.

Sheard is relentless in pursuit

Jones will start on the weak side, but could be pushed for early down duties by either Moore or rookie Flowers, particularly Flowers, as power is the name of his game and could be the containment end that the Patriots have been seeking seemingly forever. Traditionally undersized for an end, Flowers makes up for his 6' 2", 265 pound frame with long arms, an innate ability to stack and shed and hold his ground at the point of attack...

...while Moore is nearly a clone of Jones in stature, which makes his development from his rookie season a key point to watch with Jones in his contract year and likely to command eight digits on the open market, which the Patriots would be hard-pressed to be able to afford.

Flowers could also rotate in on the strong side, where Sheard may displace Ninkovich as the early-down as, like Flowers, his game is all about power and leverage.  Like-sized as linebacker Donta' Hightower, Sheard also possesses the same containment ability as Hightower showed in college and gives right tackles and tight ends a fight on every snap.

But what makes Sheard special is that he seems to have a sixth sense, knowing when to disengage from his blocker to sniff out screens and running plays to the outside, and not much gets past him as he is strong enough to shed and release, blowing up those types of plays before they ever really get started - and with his ability to bull rush tackles by getting under their pads consistently, Ninkovich could easily move to more of an outside linebacker role, preserving his 30-plus year old legs.

The Sheard - Ninkovich debate is a problem that a lot of teams wish they had, as Ninkovich is a proven all-around defender who leads the Patriots in sacks for the past three seasons and made a momentum-changing sack of Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson in the Super Bowl that propelled the Patriots' fourth quarter comeback.  He is always around the ball and is as scrappy as they come, but is not an elite edge defender, while Sheard has the makings of a Pro Bowl selection on the strong side.

Regardless of how the strong side shapes up, the Patriots have improved their defensive line with their offseason acquisitions despite losing Wilfork - because it's all about rotation with Belichick's defenses.

With their elite set of starting linebackers backing them up, the Patriots can continue last season's trend of switching back and forth between three and four man lines, with Siliga and brown rotating in the middle mixed with their kennel of hybrids that can play either the three or the five technique with equal success - going heavy with all tackles if need be, or fast and violent on the pass rush with a combination of quick twitch interior defenders like Easley teaming with the likes of Jones, Sheard and Ninkovich to put the oppositions pass protectors back on their heels...

...and when one considers the talent the Patriots possess at linebacker and the seemingly endless supply of box safety types that add another layer to both the pass rush and run defense, the Patriots' front seven could be one of the best in the league.

And that all starts up front.

This is the fifth installment in a multi-part series focused around the philosophies of the offense and defense as it pertains to the building process.  Part six will focus on the linebacking corps, and how the Patriots have shifted philosophies to make up one of the most imposing front sevens in the league...

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Patriots' Injury Report - Is "Jimmy Clipboard" Ready For Spot Duty?

With the rumor mill working overtime in the 72 hours before the New England Patriots kick off their 2014 season against the Dolphins in Miami Gardens, news that Tom Brady was missing from practice on Thursday but present on the injury report nearly broke the internet.

But with sources suggesting that Brady will be fine after tweaking a calf muscle and is slated to start Sunday's 1:00pm kickoff, many fans are breathing a little easier - though those inhalations are guarded and not quite as deep as they could be, and things will remain that way until they actually see Brady ambulatory and firing bullets to his plethora of receivers.

Garoppolo is ions away from Brady as far as system efficiency

The episode brings up an interesting question, however: Is Jimmy Garoppolo ready to lead this offense?

"Jimmy-G".  "Superman".  "G-Cool", or simply "Jimmy Clipboard", the news on Thursday shocked many fans into denial, leaving the ones who still had control of their facilities to ponder the notion that this team is one Tom Brady injury away from - well - we just don't know.

Certainly, they can't be better than they are with Brady under center, but there are some that feel that any quarterback with half a brain and a decent arm could run Bill Belichick's version of the Erhardt-Perkins offense - which is probably true, but to what level?

Some argue that Tom Brady couldn't be a system quarterback, given that he has been the one constant amongst a constantly evolving roster - but in essence, that is the greatest argument for him being a system quarterback.

But that doesn't necessarily mean that he's just a pawn in Bill Belichick's scheme, it simply means that he runs Belichick's scheme with all due efficiency - and with it being true that Belichick targets only certain players that fit his scheme - those being of the cerebral, versatile variety - Brady was selected as a developmental project with that system in mind.

So, the question looms: is Brady a system quarterback?

No, he is an opportunist who combined his skill set and dedication to his craft with a system that also required top shelf football IQ, and played like he had the balls of an elephant, prompting Belichick to meticulously stock the positions around Brady with compatibly skilled players that are equally dedicated and at least reasonably intelligent.

It has been a process full of hit-and-miss experimentation, the lone constant being Brady - and seeing as it really hasn't mattered whether Belichick hit or missed with his personnel decisions when it came to the success of the offense, it is reasonable to postulate that while Brady is to some extent the product of the system, it is also fair to state that he runs the offensive system better than any other quarterback in the NFL.

That said, the rookie Garoppolo probably could lead the offense to success, but he is years away from approaching Brady's efficiency and intimate fellowship with the system which, of course, is why the offense flourishes regardless of the supporting cast - and also why Belichick spent second-round draft capital on the Eastern Illinois product now, so he could learn from the master.

So for now, let's continue to refer to him as "Jimmy Clipboard" while reveling in Brady's golden years, secure in the knowledge that the greatest quarterback to ever lace up a pair of cleats is still at the top of his game.

**************************

Besides Brady's presence, the Patriots injury report reads like yesterday's news:

New England Patriots
Player	Position	Injury	Participation	Designation
Buchanan, Michael	DE/OLB	Ankle	Limited	Out
Jones, Chris	DT	Ankle	Limited	Out
Brady, Tom	QB	Calf	Limited	Questionable
Gronkowski, Rob	TE	Knee	Limited	Questionable
Siliga, Sealver	NT	Wrist	Limited	Questionable
Miami Dolphins
Player	Position	Injury	Participation	Designation
Fede, Terrence	DE	Knee	Out	Out
Pouncey, Mike	C	Hip	Out	Out
Tripp, Jordan	LB	Chest	Out	Out
Wheeler, Philip	LB	Thumb	Out	Out
Turner, Billy	G	Foot	Limited	Doubtful
Aikens, Walt	S	Hand	Limited	Probable
McCain, Chris	LB	Hip	Limited	Probable
Misi, Koa	LB	Shoulder	Limited	Probable
Taylor, Jamar	CB	Hip	Limited	Probable

The presence of Siliga as questionable adds an element of intrigue to the list as he was absent for most of the preseason with a soft cast on his hand and wrist, so for him to be potentially available is huge in that there is not another big body to spell Wilfork in the steamy Miami heat with the exception of Joe Vellano, who at 6' 2" and 300 pounds simply isn't big enough - though with the problems that the Dolphins have along the interior of their offensive line, he may be able to hold up as a two-gapper.

The Jones injury could cause some problems, particularly if rookie Dominique Easley isn't effective initially.  It could be possible that the team activates Kelcy Quarles from the practice squad, though if they do they will have to subject him to waivers to retain him on the squad when Jones is ready to compete.

The Dolphins' linebacking corps is in shambles, though Koa being listed as probable is an excellent sign for them as he is the heart and soul of the second level, though one injury to any of the remaining linebackers could spell doom for Miami's run defense.

It certainly places a lot of pressure on the defensive line for the Dolphins, who are all speedy sack artists and who rely on the 'backers to plug the gaps vacated by the penetrating tackles.  This could be a major advantage for New England as they break in an amended offensive line and attempt to get a stagnant running game off the schneid.

Brady, Belichick all business as Patriots endure lengthy practice

What has Tom Brady all steamed?

This preseason, its only the broiling sun on a humid afternoon in Richmond, Virginia, where for the second day in a row he took a standard full games worth of reps - and then finished off his day running conditioning sprints up the side of a hill, courtesy of coach Bill Belichick's obsession with squeezing every ounce of effort from each player.

The cantankerous coach swinging his whistle like he was trying to create a vortex, spouting motivational slogans while his young charges run wind sprints, conjuring images of the crazy-tough Herman Boone from decades earlier, his T.C. Williams High School team gasping for air in the stifling humidity - as told in the Disney film Remember The Titans - less than an hour's drive from where the Patriots and the Washington Redskins are holding joint practices.

Brady huddles with his winded offense in the Virginia heat

"This is where we win - the fourth quarter!" Belichick bellowed at his laboring players, proving once more his belief that the better conditioned team will have what it takes to pull out a victory late in the game.

"You can’t get in condition to play football without playing football." Belichick told beat writers just before practice commenced, perhaps giving them an itinerary for the brutal day. "You can run around a track and do sit-ups and all of that until the cows come home, but you’ve got to get in condition to play football by playing football."

"Hopefully our team will be ready to play on opening day from a conditioning standpoint, that’s what our goal is and we’ll try to build toward that goal."

Was that a smile?

"It builds some mental toughness." a weary-looking Brady offered when asked about the conditioning. "You see where you’re at. It’s certainly not easy to come out here and be out here for three hours and every drill is competitive and every drill you want to do the right thing but that’s where the mental toughness comes into play."

Brady was complimentary of the Washington Redskins, but his words had an edge when it came to dishing out the same old road apples about his own offense - because this wasn't Tom Brady trying to be politically correct or trying to sugar-coat things like he did last year when he and his receivers were suffering through a miserable start to their relationship...

...no this was Tom Brady telling it like it is - no sugar, all business.

Logan Ryan continues to show starter-quality skill

"I think the more experience you have typically the better it goes and I think that we’ve had a lot of growing pains, you know." Brady said in reference to last season when it was his young receivers that had him boiling at times. "There’s certainly more familiarity within the skill group".

Welcome words from the now grizzled veteran who became so incensed and frustrated with his pass catchers last season that he had a very public meltdown in front of a national television audience just before halftime of their Thursday Night showdown with the hated New York Jets.

But he survived and the Patriots stayed the course with their young pass catchers, hoping to lay the foundation for a solid corps for years to come, and it appears that their dedication to the roster - feeding the rookies the ball when public opinion said to bring in some experienced receivers - is about to pay off.

"like I said the experience is very helpful and I think having the opportunity to play with Danny and KT and Aaron and Josh..." Brady trailed off, perhaps having one of those hellishly introspective flashback moments of the tough times, then he began again. "and Brandon LaFell comes in this year and he’s done a great job since he’s come in and done things. James White has done a great job. The more guys that we have on the same page, doing the right thing, that do their job really well dependably and consistently, the better we’re going to be."

Brady didn't mention Julian Edelman in that soliloquy, as they have played together for what seems like an eternity, though it was just last season that "Minitron" really broke onto the scene in topping both the one hundred catch and one thousand yard plateau as Brady's most dependable receiver, and appears to be on a different level from the other pass catchers as far as synchronicity with Brady.

But the way this training camp is going, Brady is going to have his pick of playmakers on the field at any one time - no big names, mind you, with the exception of larger-than-life tight end Rob Gronkowski, but all with the knowledge, skill and dedication to make this Patriots' offense the most versatile since the title years, and the 37-year-old gunslinger knows what he has.

"We’ve got to have an offense where you can dish the ball to really anybody" he smiled, "and that person is going to make the play."

Thompkins the pest:

Yesterday, we pondered the notion of whether Thompkins' recent dustups in practice was an anomaly or if he was really that competitive, asking, "Ok, it is really just Brandon Browner punking Kenbrell Thompkins, or does the second year undrafted free agent have something to do with initiating dust ups in practice?"

Turns out, it is Kenbrell Thompkins. 

Maybe it has something to do with the physicality that he faces every day in practice from Brandon Browner, but it appears that Thompkins is mad as hell, and isn't going to take it any more - either that or he's been hanging around with Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins too much, because the second year undrafted free agent has developed quite the repertoire of ways to get under a cornerback's skin.

Well, at least the Redskins' cornerbacks took exception to his physical play...

Logan Ryan inching his way into the starting lineup:

Ryan took reps with the first team on Tuesday from the slot, and being so physical and sticky in coverage that he seemed to frustrate Redskins' slot receiver Santana Moss and elicited celebration from the Patriots' sideline.

Ryan taking top reps shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a chance for the second year ball magnet to hone his skills, because he should be the top candidate to start opposite Darrelle Revis when the games start to count for real, something that is becoming more and more obvious the more Brandon Browner holds on the outside...

Browner the nickle:

Browner was pulled from practice during 11 on 11 drills in favor of Malcolm Butler as the big, physical corner was consistently beaten off the line trying to cover the outside receivers, lending credence to the thought that, just like with Kyle Arrington, Browner works best on the interior as a big nickle, as he can use his length and physical nature in space to counter a conspicuous lack of speed.

The former Seahawks' corner lost his starting job on the outside last season, benched in the game against Tennessee after being beat cleanly down the sideline twice and replaced by Byron Maxwell, who kept the starting gig for the balance of the season.

This is not to say that Browner can't be effective, he just needs to be in a position to succeed, and his disruptive nature on the field would be best utilized as an intimidator in the big nickle role where he can also be a force against the run.

Siliga fractures something, sporting a black cast on left hand:

Siliga departed practice early, pulling off his glove and pointing something out on his left hand to the team trainers.  He emerged from the locker room shortly thereafter sporting a hard cast on the injured appendage - but the team offered no update on the injury.

On the other side in the trenches, it was curious to note that Dan Connolly was again taking first-team reps at center with talented second-year man Josh Kline working at right guard.  This has been a trend throughout camp and perhaps gives an indication that Ryan Wendell's days as the team's starting center may be numbered.

Wednesday itinerary:

The two teams conclude their joint practices on Wednesday morning with an 8:30 am walk through in shorts and shells, the will make the short trip to Landover, Maryland in preparation for their preseason opener against each other on Thursday night at FedEx Field.

Patriots' defensive line status up in the air while injuries mend

There was something wrong even before his Achilles tendon snapped like a taut rubber band.

Prior to the 2013 season, Vince Wilfork had missed a total of six games in nine years, amassing 323 solo tackles and disrupting three times as many plays before they even had a chance to get started - his girth not so impressive at times as what he could do despite his size, his unique athleticism on display weekly.

Such burst he had off the line for a big man, he could find the gap before the guard had a chance to slide over most times, and on the others he would just shove his double team back with sheer brute strength and re-establish the line of scrimmage three yards deep in the pocket...

If Easley is healthy, he can play anywhere along the defensive line

...his singular dominance earning him first team All Pro honors following the 2012 season after amassing four second-team All Pro team selections in the previous five seasons, truly becoming better with each passing year.

But when last season began, it was obvious and apparent that the big man wasn't displaying his normal burst, not driving his blocker back into the pocket, not able to disengage when the run came right up the middle, which happened more and more the more he played, as he was pretty much rendered stationary - and not even the presence of wing man Tommy Kelly could mask the struggles that Wilfork was going through.

Then on the first defensive series of the game in week four at Atlanta and the Patriots backed up inside their own five yard line, Wilfork took a step toward Falcons' quarterback Matt Ryan and suddenly crumpled in a massive heap on the Georgia Dome turf, and his season was over.

Kelly followed Wilfork to the shelf the following week with a knee injury - linebacker and defensive signal caller Jerod Mayo the week after that - and the results for the defense were predictable.

Was Vince dealing with a partial rupture prior to it tearing?  It really doesn't make any difference now, as for partial tears rest, ibuprofen and a professional tape job will keep the athlete competing while scar tissue forms and the tendon knits itself back together - but in that scenario the tendon continues to be compromised until complete immobilization can be achieved...

...or until surgery is indicated and performed, which quite often can return the player's full range of motion with proper rehabilitation and physical therapy - and from the reports coming out of the New England Patriots' Organized Team Activities, this has been accomplished - though the real test will come during mini camp and training camp when pads go on and the trench warfare starts in earnest.

Missing both of their starting defensive tackles and their weakside, sideline-to-sideline linebacker left the Patriots with a gaping hole in the middle of their defense in 2013 - a void that affected every level of the defense as Belichick was forced to plug and play rookie free agents Joe Vellano on the nose and Chris Jones as the three tech and bringing in Issac Sopoaga from Philadelphia to bolster the middle.

But the try-hard Vellano just didn't have the bulk to take on double teams and Sopoaga was a classic bust from the moment he put on the Patriots' uniform, and it wasn't until career practice squad nose tackle Sealver Siliga was plucked from the ranks of the unemployed and inserted in the middle that the proverbial tide was stemmed.

In fact, the 6' 2", 325 pound Siliga stabilized the interior defense to the point that the rest of the defense gained enough autonomy to become a reasonable facsimile of what the unit was supposed to be.  He took on the double teams which enabled Jones to penetrate opposite and gave the Patriots linebackers a little bit better defined idea of which gaps to shoot.

It wasn't perfect, but they made it work all the way to the AFC Title Game, where they bent plenty, but only broke twice, surrendering just 26 points to the Denver Broncos' record-setting juggernaut offense but still losing the game because the Patriots were unable to overcome issues on the offense side of the ball.

In both instances, the Broncos controlled the line of scrimmage - on defense because the offensive line just couldn't stop the Denver pass rushers once their run defense had rendered the Patriots one-dimensional, and on offense because once Denver wide receiver Wes Welker took out New England's top cover corner, the ends were forced to chip the Broncos' receivers before initiating their pass rush.

The answer to this would have been to have quality depth everywhere, which they didn't have then, but appear to have now - particularly on the interior, where the Patriots' offseason roster features no less than nine tackles vying for what will probably be five spots, while the defensive end depth chart sports six players with just four spots open.

A healthy Wilfork and ends Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich are the only true locks on the chart, with Siliga and Kelly probables to retain their roster spots, leaving ten players fighting for just four slots on the final 53 man roster - with the spots, more than any other level on the defense, dependent on health in determining who makes it and who doesn't.

First round draft pick Dominique Easley is coming off a torn ACL, as is Kelly and former Saints' defensive end Will Smith, who also may figure in the linebacker competition - while the much rumored, Howard Hughes-like presence of tackle Armond Armstead is still shrouded in mystery after missing all of last season with a flesh-eating infection.

Second year end Michael Buchanan spent his rookie year playing underweight thanks to a broken jaw in his senior season at Illinois, and is expected to be able to show exactly what made him such a pass rushing force in college now that he's a had a fully healthy offseason to get his body right.

Ends Jake Bequette and Zach Moore  are buried deeply on the depth chart while the same is true for tackles Marcus Forston and L. T. Tuipulotu, with seventh round selection Moore the only one with a fighting chance to be with the team past August, but probably as a practice squader.

Easley, a certain top 10 pick had he not torn his knee up, can play anywhere along the line, even on the nose at just 290 pounds as many scouts profess that he plays with violence and leverage that add another 20-30 pounds of force behind his drive - and the same is supposed to be true with Armstead, but neither have been regular participants in OTAs.

If healthy for camp, both would be locked in for spots along the line thanks to their versatility, but the caveat remains for the time being, and renders the defensive line depth chart as seen below, with the probables to make the final roster in bold:

LDE:  Rob Ninkovich  Will Smith  Jake Bequette  
DT:    Tommy Kelly  Chris Jones   Dominique Easley  Armond Armstead  Marcus Forston
NT:    Vince Wilfork  Sealver Siliga   Joe Vellano   L. T. Tuipulotu
RDE:  Chandler Jones   Michael Buchanan   Zach Moore 

Of course, the aforementioned health status for Wilfork, Easley and Armstead will dictate this list on final cutdowns, as will the health and depth amongst the linebacking corps, where Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins could figure into the mix as nickle rushers on the strong (left) side.

This is part 7 of 9 wrapping up the Patriots' offseason.  Part 8 will focus on what could possibly be one of the best linebacker corps in the NFL.

Part 1 of 9: New England Patriots' philosophies morphing back to a simpler time
Part 2 of 9: New England Patriots' offensive philosophy - Heavy on substance, not sexy style
Part 3 of 9: Patriots surround Brady with talent, just not how most envisioned
Part 4 of 9: Patriots' incumbent backs no roster locks as rookies ready to compete
Part 5 of 9: Belichick takes a mulligan with Patriots' pass catchers
Part 6 of 9: Belichick in the spirit (of 76) in regard to offensive line

Follow Michael on twitter: @MichaelHammpub