This is one of those storylines that I can’t ignore as much as I love Ninkovich. Let’s face it, Sheard is bigger and generally more talented (on paper) than Ninkovich. But that has never stopped Ninkovich before and how can we rule him out after he hasn’t missed a snap due to injury since the 2010 playoffs?
But we must remember in the first game last season, with all the linebackers healthy, that it was Ninkovich who was coming off the field in passing situations. That quickly changed when Collins then Mayo went down, but the writing on the wall would appear to say that the Patriots will prefer the more athletic linebackers to Ninkovich if and when they’re all healthy.
Sheard brings plenty of versatility and seems tailor-made to the left defensive end spot in the Pats four man front. He can set the edge, he can drop into coverage and he’s a strong pass rusher.
How it plays out will largely depend on the health of the front seven, but if everyone gets and stays healthy, it’s not impossible to see a world where Ninkovich’s role is reduced a bit this season. And really, after playing more snaps than anyone else the last two seasons, that might be something that actually helps Ninkovich extend his career in the long run.
