if wilfork goes, do they try to replace him with a similar rookie DT? if said rookie is taken, and who else would value a run stuffing dt in this pass happy league, does it change what they try to do on defense? essentially, the defense has been wilfork centric, do you see it continue to be so?

Wrote about this last week in depth, check it out here.

Maybe you pick up a big fat nose tackle later in the draft, but I don’t see the value it taking someone like Louis Nix III in the first round just because he has similar dimension to Wilfork.

Wilfork was a one-of-a-kind player, not just a nose tackle. 

My whole philosophy on defense now is that it has to be geared to stopping the pass. If a player can’t cover or rush the passer, his impact will be limited.

So far it seems like the Pats have stuck to this philosophy this offseason -> Revis/Browner, letting Spikes go. I just think we really need that third defense end and it’s becoming less and less likely they find a real impact guy in free agency. This does worry me a bit, but there’s a lot of time left.

Assume they add a mid-range vet defensive end (which I’m sure they will), then I think defensive end becomes more and more of a draft need and serious round one consideration, over defensive tackle for sure.

And I’m still hopeful that Wilfork sees the market out there for him isn’t all that intriguing and he comes back to the Pats. That would be ideal.