Today we decided to check in with one of our fellow Patriots' bloggers  for a Q&A session.  Jamie Pacheco of Musket Fire, was kind enough to answer our questions about the Pats, below.  After you're done reading, be sure to take a trip over his site to look at the solid Patriots coverage they've got going on.

1. What do you think is the Patriots' biggest need going forward in this offseason? Why?

Pass rush, pass rush, and some more pass rush. The position to target here would be an outside linebacker or a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker. Opposing quarterbacks have had way too much time to survey the field and make throws. The guys in coverage can only cover for so long, and the lack of a pass rush is, in my opinion, stifling the development of the young secondary. As much as they improved over the course of the season, they would look even better had they had a reliable pass rush behind them.

It's safe to say that no one could have imagined that the combination of BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead would account for 1,555 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in 2010.

The two undrafted free agents carved out their own niches on an offense that saw Tom Brady post his best regular season of his career.

Green-Ellis, while unspectacular, consistently ran hard, averaging 4.4 yards per carry on 229 attempts.

On the other hand, Woodhead emerged as an all-around threat once Kevin Faulk went down with a torn ACL. The former Division II Heisman trophy winner was a big playmaker and seems to be a good replacement if Faulk retires or does not return in 2011.

However, ever since the departure of Corey Dillon, the Patriots still have a need for a dynamic every-down back. This team could really benefit from a runner who other teams need to account for.

With no first-round locks in this year's draft outside of Mark Ingram, there are many mid-round options the Patriots could take a look at.

Here are the five top running backs that should be on the Pats' draft board:

DeAngelo Williams (CAR)

Until his season-ending injury last year, Williams was considered by many to be a top five talent at the position. He averaged more than 5 yards per carry from 2007 through 2009 and scored 20 times in 2008. The Panthers have a pair of capable running backs on their roster and have many more glaring needs to fill than RB, so Williams is likely to be available. He will still command a sizeable contract that could scare New England off, but if the Patriots decide to make a splash in free agency, Williams could be an attractive option.

Pierre Thomas (NO)

Thomas was an important piece of the Super Bowl puzzle for the Saints in 2009, and at just 26 years old, he should be a tremendous value for any team that signs him this offseason. He's averaged 4.7 yards per carry over the course of his career, and he is a tough runner for his size. He is also an effective receiver out of the backfield and could help keep opposing defenses guessing. He could be the homerun threat that New England's backfield has been missing in recent seasons.

Ronnie Brown (MIA)

The Dolphins may look to get younger at RB next year, so it's very possible that Brown will test the free agent market this offseason. At age 29 with just 1128 career carries, Brown should still have some gas in the tank. He struggled mightily with the Dolphins last year, but some of that might have been due to gameplanning by opposing defenses (Chad Henne wasn't scaring anyone besides Dolphins fans). Still, his down year and injury history means he probably won't command a huge investment on the open market.

Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG)

Bradshaw is probably the least likely of the free agent running backs to hit the open market, but the possibility exists since the Giants announced they would not use the franchise tag. He is a strong runner and effective pass-catcher out of the backfield. He has low mileage and held up well last season despite seeing more than 300 touches. He should command a sizeable contract, which could present a challenge for the Pats. It's unlikely that New England would win the bidding for one of the biggest prizes of the offseason.

Derrick Ward (HOU)

Ward did not live up to his pricey contract with the Bucs, but he did well in a reserve role behind the league's leading rusher in Houston last year. Ward is good out of the backfield and an effective option in the red zone. He shouldn't command a big contract this offseason, so he would make sense as an option to provide better depth. Although his age (30) is a red flag for some teams, he is a low-mileage back with plenty of experience. He could end up being the steal of the free agency period this year.

Each week leading up to the draft, the Foxboro Blog crew will spend a week breaking down a position on the Patriots' roster.  We'll start with a quick overview and then move onto a discussion involving potential draftees at that spot as well as free-agents that the Patriots may pursue.  Up this week are the running backs...

2010 Recap:  The Patriots started the 2010 season with five backs in the fold and by the time January rolled around, only one of them would be making significant contributions.  Veteran Fred Taylor appeared to be the leading candidate for the top back position during the pre-season, but was sidelined early in the year with a toe injury.  Kevin Faulk's season was lost early on due to a torn ACL.  Former 1st round pick, Laurence Maroney found himself back in Belichick's dog house and eventually on a flight to Denver after being traded for a 4th round pick.  Sammy Morris made the bulk of his contributions on special teams as he was called to carry the football all of 20 times in 2010.  And then there was BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who spent training camp and the preseason on the roster bubble fighting desperately for his spot.  In the end, he was the lone survivor of the original running back corps and, in their absence, managed to put together the best season by any back since Clock Killin' Corey Dillon. 

BenJarvus' 1,000+ yards were complimented by Jets cast-off, Danny Woodhead, who was picked up by Belichick during Week 3.  In stark contrast to Green-Ellis' ground and pound approach, Woodhead earned his playing time by sneaky, quick, and impossible to tackle.  Often the smallest man on the field, Danny had no problem taking and dishing out big hits to move the ball down the field.  Together, the unlikely duo formed an attack that gashed through opposing defenses.  They brought much needed balance to a pass-heavy Patriots offense, and their rushing success opened up numerous play-action opportunities for Tom Brady. 

This week, we will look at three new mock drafts and see who New England will be picking based on their suggestions. This series of articles will culminate in April when we go over Mel Kiper Jr.’s and Todd McShay’s Mock Drafts.

Pro Football Talk – They said New England would take J.J Watt, the DE out of Wisconsin with the 17th pick, so we will look at their 28th pick.

WR Jonathan Baldwin – Pittsburgh

Their Take: A deep threat receiver isn’t as big a need for New England as some have made it out to be, but Baldwin could add an entirely new element to Bill O’Brien’s offense. Mike Mayock has projected Baldwin to run a sub-4.4 at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, and the third-year junior averaged 18.26 yards per catch at Pitt.

My Take: One of the main weapons that the Patriots missed in their AFC Divisional Playoff loss to the NY Jets was their lack of a deep threat wide receiver. If New England doesn’t fit this need through free agency, Baldwin would be the ideal rookie fit. He gets yards after the catch which is always a plus in Bill O’Brien’s offense and can stretch the defense for Wes Welker and Brandon Tate to get their screen passes and turn them into big gains.

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How much importance do you place on the recent switches with the position coaches and the official appointment of Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator?

Jason:  The promotion of O'Brien seems to be just a formality since he's been serving as the de facto offensive coordinator for the past two years. The bigger news to me was the move of Matt Patricia from linebackers coach to safeties coach. I thought Patricia did an admirable job getting any sort of production out of a linebacking corps that included three first-year starters in Spikes, Ninkovich and Cunningham last season. By all accounts, Patricia seems to be a solid coach, so it makes me wonder if the Patriots will feature a more aggressive style of defense next year that will require a higher level of play out of Chung, Sanders and Meriweather.

New England has two picks in each of the first three rounds of the 2011 draft. Stephen offered his thoughts on the first round of the draft last week, projecting the Patriots will land a defensive lineman and an offensive lineman to add some power in the trenches. This week, we'll be looking at how the second round might shake out. As always, feel free to offer your thoughts (or wish me a happy 31st birthday and make fun of my waning youth) in the comments.

33. New England Patriots – Brooks Reed, OLB, Arizona

I’m going out on a limb on this pick, but Reed is one of the better OLB prospects that you may have never heard of. With good game smarts and a relentless motor, he fits the mold of a New England player to a T. Originally projected as a late 2^nd round pick, don’t be surprised to see him flying up draft boards after the Combine. The Pats would probably rather trade down a half-dozen picks and take the same player.

34. Buffalo Bills – Christian Ballard, DE/DT, Iowa

The Bills tried to transition to a 3-4 defense last year with a roster full of undersized defensive linemen, and the results were disastrous. Ballard would provide a physical presence on the line next to Pro Bowl DT Kyle Williams.

35. Cincinnati Bengals – Mikel LeShoure, RB, Illinois

LeShoure has the potential to be an every-down back that would take some of the heat off of Carson Palmer and make up for the possible loss of Cedric Benson. Could end up being a steal in the 2^nd round.

36. Denver Broncos – Quinton Carter, FS, Oklahoma

My friend Chuck the Broncos Fan said that if Denver doesn’t use all of the team’s picks on defense, he’s going to take a hostage. From what I saw of that defense, I’m inclined to agree.

37. Cleveland Browns – Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami

The Browns need a playmaker to help 2^nd year QB Colt McCoy, and Hankerson showed a knack for making big plays during the Senior Bowl. He may have leap-frogged Pitt’s WR Baldwin at this point.

Do the Patriots need to add a big-time playmaker at wide receiver and/or running back or is this offense good enough to win a title with?

Jason:  I may be in the minority, but I really don't think that the offense needs another playmaker to win a Super Bowl. The personnel on offense hasn't been a problem. The Patriots led the league in scoring offense this year, and they finished the regular season 9th in rushing yards per game and tied for 2nd in rushing TDs. A lot of folks feel New England needs a dynamic gamebreaker to put a halt to the current three-game playoff skid, but I think the larger problem has been the lack of balance in play calling and the absence of playmakers on defense.

In the regular season, the Pats ran the ball about 28 times per game and put it in the air about 33 times. In each of the last three playoff losses, the Pats had a 2:1 pass:rush ratio. And it's not like the running game has been terribly inefficient in those games either. If the opposing team knows that 65-70 percent of your plays will be passes, playing defense becomes a whole lot easier. And if you're not sustaining drives and taking time off the clock, you're exposing your defense to an extra possession or two that can create problems. The Super Bowl teams at the beginning of the decade had excellent balance on offense and championship-caliber defense. The Patriots need that more than they need a new running back or wide receiver.

Kamerion Wimbley (OAK)

Among the experienced 3-4 OLBs who are likely to be available, Wimbley probably makes the most sense for the Patriots. He's shown a propensity for getting to the quarterback with 35.5 sacks in his first 5 years in the league. Wimbley is young, has the versatility to play at DE and could be one of the better OLBs available. He is at his best when he is asked to rush the passer, so he could fill an important need for New England. If the price is right, he could easily be a Patriot.

LaMarr Woodley (PIT)

Woodley is just 26 and one of the league's premier pass-rushers as an OLB in the 3-4. The major question would be his availability. The Steelers will almost certainly put the franchise tag on him, but if they fall asleep at the switch or if the new CBA voids the franchise tag (very unlikely), he would make a huge impact for the Pats. It would take a mint to sign him, but his big-game experience and leadership could make him well worth the investment. He'd be even better than Adalius Thomas in his heyday.

Tamba Hali (KC)

Hali is also likely to see the franchise tag, so the most realistic chance for him to be available would be a prolonged holdout to force a trade (unlikely) or the possibility that the new CBA does away with the tag altogether (equally unlikely). Hali led the conference in sacks with 14.5 last season and terrorized opposing quarterbacks all season. He recorded 37 percent of his team's sack total, and his constant pressure was one of the driving forces for a defense that was good enough to win the division and make the playoffs. He could be the every-down linebacker New England's defense needs to take the next step in the playoffs.

Antwan Barnes (SD)

Barnes does not appear to have the physical make-up to be an every-down OLB in the 3-4 at just 6'1" and 250 pounds, but he could contribute as a pass-rusher in sub packages. He got plenty of pressure on Brady in Week 7 with two sacks on a limited number of snaps, and that performance may have opened a few eyes on the Patriots coaching staff. He probably wouldn't require much of an investment since his value as a 3-down player is somewhat limited.

Mike Vrabel (KC)

This name might be familiar to a few Pats fans since he won three Super Bowls with New England before his trade to Kansas City. At age 36 to start the 2011 season, Vrabel will be a dinosaur in NFL terms. He is definitely past his prime as an every-down linebacker, but even at his advanced age, he could be useful in sub packages on a limited number of snaps. His veteran presence could also aid in the development of the inexperienced OLBs on the current roster.

Long gone are the days of Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest and Mike Vrabel setting the tone on defense.

It goes without saying that the success of running a 3-4 defense relies most heavily on the linebacker corps. The corps must be well rounded as all four starters have multiple responsibilities in stopping the run, dropping into coverage, taking on blockers and rushing the passer. Ever since the Super Bowl loss to the Giants, there has been a serious talent drain at linebacker for the Patriots.

Recently the Patriots have been able to replenish the depth at inside linebacker starting with Jerod Mayo, who earned his first Pro Bowl selection this season after being drafted tenth overall in the 2008 draft. In the ’09 draft the Patriots selected Brandon Spikes out of Florida and the former Gator showed a knack for stopping the run. His size and instincts overshadow his lack of speed and he complements Mayo’s style well. Undrafted free agents Gary Guyton (2008) and Dane Fletcher (2010) have carved out their own roles as sub-package players who are adept at pass coverage and putting pressure on the quarterback.

While the Pats are well stocked at inside linebacker, outside linebacker is a different story. Besides 2009 second-round pick Jermaine Cunningham, there isn’t a whole lot to look forward to in the future. This is a key area the Patriots need to address in the draft if this defense is going to take the next step. That being said, here are five outside linebacker prospects who should be on the Patriots’ radar for the 2011 draft.

 

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