Jason Taylor signing leaves Patriots searching for OLB

[BAMAPHIN 22]

New England Player Personnel Director Nick Casario probably wishes the Dolphins and Jason Taylor had waited a day or two before getting that deal done Wednesday.

Casario was the featured speaker at an event in Boston Wednesday night, and instead of softball questions about how Tom Brady’s knee is coming along, he had to answer some tough ones about what the Patriots are going to do at the outside linebacker spot left vacant by the Mike Vrabel trade now that Taylor is no longer an option.

Adalius Thomas gives the Pats one solid OLB, and NE fans had expected Taylor would be the other. With Julius Peppers out of the equation due to limited cap space, the Patriots as of now have to choose between this quartet: Tully Banta-Cain, Pierre Woods, Shawn Crable and Vince Redd.

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thed...or-signing-leaves-patriots-searching-for-olb/

 

[ArmyFin7]

**** 'em!

 

[BAMAPHIN 22]

So the question now is, where do the Patriots go from here?

Based on résumé alone, there remains a significant question mark at outside linebacker, the spot occupied ably by Mike Vrabel for the majority of the past eight seasons. The 34-year-old Taylor might not have been the primary answer, but he could have been part of a combination with the current candidates on the roster, Pierre Woods (fourth year), Shawn Crable (second year), Vince Redd (second year), and Tully Banta-Cain (seventh year).

Such experience would have been valuable when considering that Woods, Crable, Redd, and Banta-Cain have combined for just 18 career starts, 10 of which came from Banta-Cain in San Francisco in 2007 before he was bumped out of the starting lineup. Banta-Cain had five starts in New England while Woods, who worked his way up to the No. 3 role in New England last year, has the other three.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2009/05/14/ex_dolphin_jumped_at_chance/

 

[Mac1]

I've heard they're talking to oakland about derrick burgess