michael buchanan

Good read from Oliver Thomas on a player who has become more and more focal as the offseason has gone on. I thought the Pats would go after a high-end defensive end free agent to round out their rotation, and there’s still a very good chance they sign Will Smith (for better or worse), but it would appear Buchanan will have every chance to prove he can make a Year 2 jump as a pass rusher.

Can he be a rotational defensive end on every down? Well this article certainly leads us to believe it could be a long shot. But perhaps coming off the edge situationally, Buchanan could provide some spark.

Good stuff from OT, love when he writes about something I was thinking about writing about and then I don’t have to write about it.

Of the 27 snaps Buchanan has played thus far in the 2013 campaign, 22 have been pass plays and just five have been run plays, according to Pro Football Focus. His performance is based on a limited sample size. Nevertheless, entrusting a greenhorn to create a change of pace over 2012 third-round choice Jake Bequette could be a telling decision.

Q: We’ve seen some contributions from Michael Buchanan, just in terms of that sub-rushing role. What has he been able to do just from when he first arrived as a seventh-round draft choice to the present day to put himself in position to be part of that mix for you?

MP: I think it’s like everybody that comes in day one in the spring. No matter how they arrive here, it’s obviously just trying to go out and prove that they can earn a position on the roster and contribute somehow to the defense, and certainly Michael’s done a good job since he’s been here of improving and trying to the learn the game and trying to get better. Certainly with everybody that is on the roster, we prepare each week to play and to get ready to go out and do our job that weekend. He’s been able to handle that in his capacity and, like I said, do a real good job to improve from his fundamental techniques to everything that we’re asking him to do as a defensive end and just try to get better. So, [he’s] certainly someone that came in and showed us different things throughout the spring and training camp that we thought, ‘He’d be able to help us win.’