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With talib showing that he is a tad bit injury prone, what do you think belichick will do

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I think the injuries should ensure the Pats can get him at a reasonable price. Even if it’s at the high end of reasonable I think it’s worth it. For two years we’ve seen how different the secondary is without Talib. He’s a solid player by himself, but it’s the trickle-down effect of having him be able to man-up any wide receiver that is most important.

Once he left the game against the Broncos the Pats were dead in the water. They went to zone coverage and were shredded as they usually are.

Corners like Talib are either high-round picks or expensive free agents. They’re hard to find and neither method matches up with the Pats’ spending or draft position. The Pats need to keep him instead of starting all over trying to find an #1 cover corner.

Think they let Wendell go, move Connolly to center and cannon to right guard next to a returning vollmer

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I think you bring back Connolly on a new backup-money contract and make him the swing guy. I’d even take Wendell back on a team-friendly option-filled deal as well. But I think at least one of them has to be upgraded. This is a passing league and they are limited in pass protection. 

Wendell is solid enough I’d like to keep him around, and Connolly is a good swing guy for inside, but if both are starting again in 2014 I won’t feel great about it.

Do you think Brady can get back to throwing the deep ball with accuracy next year or do you think he is what he is at this point? He has not often played well in Denver, so there is something to be said for the environment there making it a bit harder, but I feel like it’s been declining since 2009. It was a common complaint from 2001-2003, he seemed to be great at it from 2004-2007 and he seems to still have great arm strength.

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I don’t think deep accuracy has ever been Brady’s strongest point. Certainly with Randy Moss he had some nice bombs, but that’s a little easier when Moss could outrun everyone and Brady had total trust in that.

They need Gronk or someone else to stretch the seam before the need a burner on the outside. Dobson/Boyce/Thompkins now get a real offseason to develop with Brady a bit more. The Pats NEED at least one of them to make the year two jump, and even still, they’ll need to focus on WRs in the draft too.

Nothing is off the table this year as I see it at WR and TE.

Play to Brady’s strengths. Find smart guys who can get open quick like Edelman has developed into. (I find the Edelman free agency story so much more interesting than Welker’s was last year.)

Also think the offensive line can be upgraded in the middle to help give Brady a little more time, I was disappointed in the interior protection this year and that kind of thing will take any offense out of their groove.

Who do you think the pats can get in FA to create a pass rush

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Well,  I think they need to focus on upgrading the third defensive end spot as competition for Michael Buchanan. A fill-in guy who can serve as the designated pass rusher.

Chandler and Nink aren’t going anywhere. Someone in the model of Mark Anderson in 2011 would be a good start. Who knows, maybe Buchanan takes a big step forward. Not really expecting Jake Bequette to do anything but he’ll get another look this summer.

The interior is vital as well (get ready for another offseason of me banging this drum), but it really depends a lot on health. If Kelly/Wilfork/Armstead all return, they will join Siliga and Chris Jones to form a pretty promising and versatile tackle squad. 

But who knows how healthy they’ll all be. Expecting same old Wilfork and Kelly might be a stretch.

I think the problem against QBs like Peyton who get the ball out quick is all about having disruption in the heart of the line and that’s what they must get more of. Chris Jones and Armstead could be very interesting to watch for this role. 

Thanks again for the outstanding coverage all season, Mike; you + Reiss are my 1-2 stops for updates. Dual question re: secondary — a) %-wise, how would you estimate the potential of Talib’s return and, b) do you see them exploring the strong safety route again in FA, given limited resources?

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Thanks. I would say given the other needs I’m okay with the safety position between McCourty, Gregory, and Harmon. I think Collins is a viable replacement as the “Money” dime linebacker, a spot that we might’ve seen Adrian Wilson in this year if he was still the Adrian Wilson of old.

As for Talib, I think his injury issues knock him into the Patriots range in terms of how much money he might command. His injuries are certainly concerning, but when he’s healthy there are few cornerbacks that are better, and we saw the effect in the last two AFCCGs when he went out. 

The trickle-down effect was catastrophic. So if they can afford him, I think they should bring him back and hope that another year in their offseason program, assuming he shows the same kind of dedication as last year when he won an award, can help get his hips especially into shape.

Those kind of corners are near-impossible to find. When you have one, even if he’s damaged goods, I think you need to try to keep him.

I’d put him at 60% to return right now, but there’s much to play out.