PatsPropaganda

Yeah, I wouldn’t rule it out. Signing Sheard gave them a viable third defensive end so you have to consider his presence means something when it comes to Ninkovich and Chandler, even if it’s just reducing their ridiculous snap totals. But I wouldn’t count on any of the rookies to immediately step in and make Chandler expendable.

The sexy thing Patriot fans would undoubtedly want would be a cornerback in return, but projecting a trade is so hard to do. Though I’m sure there would be plenty of teams interested in Chandler.

As for 2016 I think it feeds back into linebackers being more valuable than defensive linemen and ends in Belichick’s system. Going back to the 3-4 when the defensive line was just there to eat space so the linebackers could make the plays. That 3-4 defense isn’t really relevant to their game-to-game scheme now, but I think the philosophy largely remains. So yeah, Hightower and Collins are priorities in my eyes over Chandler.

Adding 3 or 4 defensive ends this offseason was necessary given the lack of depth and it’s not crazy to read the tea leaves and think Ninkovich could start slowing down and Chandler could depart. The draft is about a year or two down the line more than it is about this year.

I don’t think it’s crazy to think trading Chandler for a good corner would make the defense better, but if I had to bet, it would be on Chandler playing this last year out.

No two positions have been less loved by Belichick than CB and RB over the years. At corner you had offensive guys like Troy Brown and Julian Edelman filling in, or undrafted guys like Randall Gay and Malcolm Butler playing major roles in Super Bowl victories. I know it was a lot more exciting when we had two of the best in the business back there last year, but that was far from the norm.

At running back you had Danny Woodhead come in from the Jets practice squad and immediately become a big piece, or castoffs like Sammy Morris become significant players in very good offenses. Ridley and Vereen were basically drafted, given a year to acclimate then played major roles for three seasons before being let walk. 

I’m really not concerned at all about the running backs. More curious to see who seizes the opportunity because there are two big roles open heading into camp.

At corner, there’s a ton of talent around them, including up front and on the back end with McCourty. There will be some bad moments for sure and I’m curious how they match up with bigger receivers like Decker and Marshall with the Jets, but we know they’ll be a well-prepared group that won’t be easily rattled.

Everyone gets nervous after seeing the defense get torched for a ton of yards and big plays in recent years, but the talent level up front is so much better now than it was then. Really if the front seven stays healthy this year I could see the pass defense begin statistically better than last year, even without the big names at corner.

When it comes to the NFL and stuff like this I’ve gotten to the point where I just assume it will be handled as incompetently as possible and that’s what they’re doing once again. And I’m sure once the appeal decision is handed down, it will once again be a tone-deaf decision that leaves even the Patriots haters scratching their head.

Does anyone think Goodell didn’t know exactly what he was going to do within 24 hours after Brady’s marathon appeal session? Are we really to expect he’s sitting around pondering what he’ll do? He has absolute power here so why let it hang in the breeze?

Well it certainly keeps the NFL in the center of attention. He just mentions a decision is coming “soon” and the entire sports media was on high alert for the last week. I’m sure Goodell takes some enjoyment out of that.

Is he calculating? Or is he just so up his own ass he’s really that aloof?

Either way the whole thing has been handled horribly from the moment the balls were tested at halftime. The NFL has made it worse on the Patriots at every turn, but let’s face it, fans who hate the Patriots certainly drive a lot of traffic and eyeballs.

Whatever is really going on at NFL headquarters I just want this all to be behind us, but not at the price of Brady accepting a penalty if he never told or expected his game balls to specifically be below the legal level of 12.5.

If it goes to court so be it, but all the other NFL fans who are enjoying this treatment of the Patriots better be wary if/when their team breaks the rules. The only thing the NFL has proven over the last six months is that they can and will make every situation worse on themselves, the team and the fans.