Patriots sign DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard

mpx42

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
2,684
Seattle, WA
https://twitter.com/RavensInsider/status/575788736362979328
 
Based on that breakdown looks something like a $4 million cap hit year one, if I'm not mistaken. Then goes up to $7 million in the second year.
 

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2007
43,592
Here
LOVE IT. They finally have a legitimate candidate to help spell Jones and Nink (outside of maybe Ayers a bit last season).
 

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2007
43,592
Here
Whoops, I'm racist. Yeah, I meant Nink.
 
Also, for those wondering about his production drop-off last year, he played through a foot injury.
 

MainerInExile

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Nov 21, 2003
4,825
Bay Area
So I assume that this just means a 3-man DE rotation, which lots of folks here have desired for years.  I wonder if BB will rotate by series or do it by down (Nink plays running downs, Sheard passing ones).
 
DT next.
 

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2007
43,592
Here
Looks like cap hits of 4 and 7 million. Maybe a bit high year 2, so it may end up 1 year, 6 with 2 deferred. Depends on performance.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
SoSH Member
Sep 9, 2008
42,297
AZ
mpx42 said:
Based on that breakdown looks something like a $4 million cap hit year one, if I'm not mistaken. Then goes up to $7 million in the second year.
 
Sounds right.  $1 million to the cap to cut him next year.
 

theapportioner

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 9, 2006
5,069
What's his scouting report? Sounds like his major asset is his pass rushing ability. Positional versatility is great too. How is he with stopping the run? If he's playing OLB, what about pass coverage?
 

j44thor

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
10,961
DaughtersofDougMirabelli said:
He's flashed great pass rushing skills, but lately has been better against the run. Has shown the ability to do both well. 
 
He was PFF's #2 OLB against the run but apparently is much better as a pass rusher with his hand in the dirt.
Don't know how he is against the run as a DE though.  
 

ElcaballitoMVP

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 19, 2008
3,932
I really like this signing, and at a reasonable cap hit too (esp in year 1). 
 
No idea what they're doing with the secondary, but adding a guy who can pressure the QB should help. 
 

theapportioner

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 9, 2006
5,069
That's great. With Jones, Nink, and hopefully Easley, we could have a very potent pass rushing defensive line.
 

Corsi

isn't shy about blowing his wad early
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 3, 2010
12,955
Boston, MA
https://twitter.com/DougKyedNESN/status/575802681115156480
 

Eck'sSneakyCheese

Member
SoSH Member
May 11, 2011
10,392
NH
Love the signing. More pass rush is always a good thing. Cleveland is really going to miss this guy. Quality pick up by BB and Co.
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
Presumably Lombardi had a hand in this one. Nice move.
 
I guess the big question is: can you get Jones, Sheard, and Ninkovich all on the field on third down?
 

MainerInExile

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Nov 21, 2003
4,825
Bay Area
Super Nomario said:
Presumably Lombardi had a hand in this one. Nice move.
 
I guess the big question is: can you get Jones, Sheard, and Ninkovich all on the field on third down?
 
Jones has kicked inside a lot on 3rd down.
 

Van Everyman

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2009
26,993
Newton
If so, he will probably get paid.  Man, what a windfall this offseason seems to have been for people the Pats picked up off the trash heap last year.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,949
I think we're already starting to see signs of the Patriots defensive strategy going into next season, at least in how they hope to handle opponents passing game.
 
At it's most basic level, pass defense is predicated on two things.  Secondary play, and/or pass rushing.  In today's NFL, it's very difficult to put together a defense with amazing players in both areas.  Last year, when the Pats got Revis and Browner, they put their chips into the secondary basket. Go back and read the game threads, and you'll see a whole lot of whining from folks about a lack of a pass rush, pretty much every week.  Well, one of the reasons they lacked a pass rush was because they were only rushing 3-4 defensive lineman in most instances, and a lot of those guys weren't great pass rushers (particularly after Chandler got hurt), and instead, they relied on a secondary that could blanket opposing receivers for significant lengths of time.
 
Losing Revis and probably Browner, I think the Pats switch gears this season, and I think this move is the first in a series of them.  Sure, they'll get some guys to fill in that secondary, and Bill's 3-4 is always at it's best when he has one shut down corner, but absent that, the next best way to stop a passing attack is to rush the shit out of opposing quarterbacks, thus, lessening the amount of time your "weaker" secondary has to stay with the opponents receivers.  Unless something changes before the season, or we make a move in season to get a stud corner, like we did with Talib, I think we see more blitzing next year than we have in the past few years combined.  I also think Bill is looking around at this division and noticing something that is glaringly obvious.  The QB's suck, but the receivers are getting better and better.  He may very well feel that forcing these quarterbacks into faster reads in the face of a relentless pass rush is going to be more beneficial than allowing them time, but knowing that it won't matter because our secondary was better than their receivers.  If the receivers are good enough, it doesn't matter how good your secondary is, eventually, they will get open.  That hasn't been the case up until now, but BB may feel that things are changing.  So, the focus now becomes a pass rush. 
 
Maybe I'm totally off base, but I think there is so much more going on behind the scenes than just keeping guys and letting guys go and signing other guys.  There is a big picture, and if anyone looks at it closer than BB and the Pats, I'd be shocked.  No matter what, it's going to be very interesting to say the least.
 

TheoShmeo

Skrub's sympathy case
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
12,890
Boston, NY
DOTB, that makes sense directionally.  And BB does coach to his roster's strengths, as many have observed. 
 
But two things.  One, it's not like the off season is over.  The Pats have added one DE/LB who fits your thesis and either gave up or lost out on Revis and, if Reiss is to be believed, made a corresponding move by letting Browner go,  Those are steps in the direction of being more rush oriented and less coverage oriented, but we are not talking about all that many moves.  Two, I'm not convinced that Bill's thinking is necessarily so binary.  I know you are not suggesting that he's taking an all or nothing approach, but it could simply be that he wasn't going to go far enough to get Revis for a variety of reasons, some of which have nothing to do with the rush/coverage point, gave up on Browner as a result of losing Revis, always liked Sheard (and heard good things about him from Lombardi) and will attempt to fill in the secondary with the best possible guys between now and opening day.  It's always good business to have depth and quality players up and down the defense, and what we've seen could be reflective of that as much as a trend away from the back end and toward the front end.
 
Bottom line, you very well may be correct and I can see why you are saying what you're saying, but I'm not convinced that we have enough data to say that just yet.  Either way, I agree that it is going to be very interesting; it already is.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,949
I don't disagree with any of that.  That's why I said I think it's just the first in a series of moves.  I think if BB had his way, he'd always have a coverage oriented pass defense.  The Patriots have always been at their best when they've had a shutdown corner, a la Ty Law, Samuel to an extent, Revis...In BB's base 3-4, that shut down corner allows him to do so, so many things.  Putting Browner on the other side was seriously a stroke of genius.  Take away the No. 1 option with Revis, and then beat the shit out of the man on the other side at the line, giving the help a little extra time to shade over and/or double team.  I think if someone could get inside BB's head, that is probably the recipe he would cook every single season if he had the option.
 
I just don't think that option is going to present itself based on what's available out there now.  Like I said, it's always possible he fills that role through a trade or other move, even in-season, like they did with Talib, but absent that, I think BB probably grabs a couple more guys to fill out the secondary that he thinks can contribute, whether it be through free agency or the draft, but the idea of a true No. 1, shutdown guy like Revis or Law is probably off the table. Right now, who's really left that could even be considered a No. 1?  Tramon Williams?  Arenas?
 
Thus, I think we'll see a few more moves that bolster the pass rush. As much as I even hate to write it, Greg Hardy would be my target right now.  He's a beast, and would be a perfect fit.  I can't imagine what him and Chandler could do opposite each other. A guy like Orakpo, on a one year "Prove you're healthy" type of deal would be a move I could see BB making.  There is much more availability, and I think folks forget how formidable this pass rush can really be with a healthy Chandler.  I forget how many sacks he finished with last year, but I also remember he had like 7 sacks eliminated by defensive penalties (a bunch of which probably attributable to Browner).  A fully healthy Chandler, playing the way he did last year, without the penalties, could very well be a 15-20 sack season, with Nink as the next best rusher on the team.  You put another 15-20 sack guy like Hardy with him, and all of a sudden, the pass defense just got better by virtue of the fact that the quarterback just lost about a second per drop back.  It would be amazing. 
 
I'm also very sincere when I talk about game planning for opponents.  We all know the Bills, Dolphins and Jets make moves specifically to try and stop the Patriots.  Shit, just look at what each of them have done this offseason, and you can see that.  I don't think it's a stretch to believe the Pats don't do the same, and with guys like Brandon Marshall and Sammy Watkins playing against us twice a year, but with flotsam and jetsam throwing it to them, I think it makes sense to start focusing more on the QB and less on the receivers.  If you can exploit the weakness there, the strength is eliminated on it's own.
 
But anyway, it's just a theory and just something I'll be watching.  We won't know anything for certain until September, when the snaps matter,  but for me, if I were GM of this team, and I took a look at what was available to me on the market, what I already have on the roster, and who I have to beat next season, that's absolutely an avenue I'd probably be heading down.
 
Of course, it's the Pats, so don't be surprised if they do nothing, and head into the season about 12 million under the cap, and everyone squeals and bitches about it, and then they go 12-4 and make it to the conference championship when the dust settles and everyone says "Oh yeah, they knew what they were doing all along."
 

Super Nomario

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 5, 2000
14,012
Mansfield MA
Deathofthebambino said:
I just don't think that option is going to present itself based on what's available out there now.  Like I said, it's always possible he fills that role through a trade or other move, even in-season, like they did with Talib, but absent that, I think BB probably grabs a couple more guys to fill out the secondary that he thinks can contribute, whether it be through free agency or the draft, but the idea of a true No. 1, shutdown guy like Revis or Law is probably off the table. Right now, who's really left that could even be considered a No. 1?  Tramon Williams?  Arenas?
I think you're right here.
 
Deathofthebambino said:
Thus, I think we'll see a few more moves that bolster the pass rush. As much as I even hate to write it, Greg Hardy would be my target right now.  He's a beast, and would be a perfect fit.  I can't imagine what him and Chandler could do opposite each other. A guy like Orakpo, on a one year "Prove you're healthy" type of deal would be a move I could see BB making.  There is much more availability, and I think folks forget how formidable this pass rush can really be with a healthy Chandler.  I forget how many sacks he finished with last year, but I also remember he had like 7 sacks eliminated by defensive penalties (a bunch of which probably attributable to Browner).  A fully healthy Chandler, playing the way he did last year, without the penalties, could very well be a 15-20 sack season, with Nink as the next best rusher on the team.  You put another 15-20 sack guy like Hardy with him, and all of a sudden, the pass defense just got better by virtue of the fact that the quarterback just lost about a second per drop back.  It would be amazing. 
I don't think you appreciate how rare 15-20 sack seasons are. Hardy has one, exactly 15 sacks. Jones doesn't have any - in fact, he has just 23.5 sacks in his three-year career (40 games). That's good, and I'm hoping he can be in the 10-12ish range this year. Twelve sacks would be his career high, and would have ranked tied for ninth in the NFL. As for sacks wiped out by penalty, I count one (vs the Jets Week 7), plus a TFL in the same game (Hightower, Collins, and Ayers also had sacks wiped out by penalty).
 
I can't see Kraft signing off on Hardy. I think you may be right that the focus will be (and arguably already has been) on the defensive front rather than the secondary, but there's still a fair amount of FA and the draft yet. It seems pretty clear already that the pass rush will be better and the cornerbacks worse than in 2014.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
SoSH Member
Apr 12, 2005
41,949
I promise you I understand how rare 15 sack seasons are in the NFL, which is why Hardy is the rare talent that would cause me to actually swallow some shit and accept him on the team.  Like you, I think Kraft probably wouldn't let it happen, but we've seen some guys with questionable histories come in here before, so who knows.  He and Jones are 26 and 25 years old respectively, barely into their primes, so I don't know why you don't think he and Jones won't actually get better.  Particularly Jones, who has basically been the only real sack threat on the field during his time here.  I absolutely believe that Chandler has 15+ sack ability in him.  In 2013, he was on roughly a sack/game pace for the first ten games or so.  I'm not sure where you get the stats on sacks eliminated by penalty, but I might have it confused with 2013, if it's true he only had 1 called back last year.  I know that someone here, maybe MDL, was keeping track of his sacks that were getting called back (kind of like Amendola's catches being eliminated by OPI's) and it was getting comical at one point, but it doesn't really matter.  I think he's the real deal, and if healthy, has the ability to finish in the top 5 in sacks in the NFL for years to come.  And if you put someone on the other side better at rushing the QB than Rob Ninkovich, freeing him up from double teams on every passing play, I think he could even lead the league at some point. 
 

Stitch01

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
18,155
Boston
I can't get there on Hardy. Maybe they can get a better read on character, but its not so much a morality thing as a he's a bad act away from a lengthy suspension thing. Don't want to give real guaranteed dollars there.

I don't think the Pats offseason plan is based on personnel moves within the division although much of what you say is true: the Pats understand there are different ways to build/have a good football team and go where the value lies. This offseason, looks more front seven than secondary.
 

Devizier

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 3, 2000
19,472
Somewhere
Stitch01 said:
I can't get there on Hardy. Maybe they can get a better read on character, but its not so much a morality thing 
 
Definitely a morality thing. He very nearly murdered a woman. Even Jerry Richardson, not exactly an upstanding character, eventually relented and released him.
 

Ed Hillel

Wants to be startin somethin
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2007
43,592
Here
Super Nomario said:
I think you're right here.
  As for sacks wiped out by penalty, I count one (vs the Jets Week 7), plus a TFL in the same game (Hightower, Collins, and Ayers also had sacks wiped out by penalty). 
Jones had at least five wiped out. He had two alone in the opener against Miami, and I know he had more. I think he had one wiped out against the Raiders as well? Maybe it was KC? I'm almost positive he had at least 1-2 more beyond that. Minnesota maybe had one as well? A bunch came in the beginning of the year.
 

( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)

T&A
SoSH Member
Feb 9, 2010
5,302
Providence, RI
I would love nothing more then to be proven wrong about him, but I am not as high on Chandler Jones as some others on this board.  The sacks are a nice stat and who doesn't love sacks?   But the guy is often invisible for long stretches of games.  Getting 11 or 15 sacks on a season is nice, being able to consistently bring pressure and disrupt the passer even without sacking him is better.  
 
Maybe it's been due to injury, he missed two games his rookie year and 6 last year, or maybe because of scheme or maybe he just needs a robin to jack up his batman but Jones does not seem like a the type of pass rusher that can consistently disrupt the passing game.  I think he is a good player, a useful player, but  a notch below the top pass rushers in the game.  I will put it like this, if you Jones played on another team would you view him as a player the Pats have to game plan for?
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,069
Hingham, MA
Ed Hillel said:
Jones had at least five wiped out. He had two alone in the opener against Miami, and I know he had more. I think he had one wiped out against the Raiders as well? Maybe it was KC? I'm almost positive he had at least 1-2 more beyond that. Minnesota maybe had one as well? A bunch came in the beginning of the year.
 
I just went through the game log and only found 1 as well, but that doesn't jive with my memory. I used the ESPN game logs but am now going to look at NFL.com.
 

Stitch01

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
18,155
Boston
Devizier said:
Definitely a morality thing. He very nearly murdered a woman. Even Jerry Richardson, not exactly an upstanding character, eventually relented and released him.
He's a scumbag, there's no doubt about it.
 

dcmissle

Deflatigator
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Aug 4, 2005
28,269
Allegations are no more than allegations, but:

"On May 13, 2014 Greg Hardy attacked me in his apartment. Hardy picked me up and threw me in the tile tub area of his bathroom. I have bruises from head to toe, including head, neck, back, shoulders, arms, legs elbow and feet. Hardy pulled me from the tub by my hair, screaming at me that he was going to kill me, break my arms and other threats that I completely believe. He drug me across the bathroom and out into the bedroom. Hardy choked me with both hands around my throat while I was lying on the floor. Hardy picked me up over his head and threw me onto a couch covered in assault rifles and/or shotguns. I landed on those weapons. Hardy bragged that all the assault rifles were loaded. Landing on those weapons bruised my neck and my back. Hardy screamed for his 'administrative assistant' (Sammy Curtis) to come into the room and hold me down. Curtis came into the room, grabbed me from behind and held me down. Hardy and Curtis then took me into the living room area. I wasn't nearly strong or fast enough to escape. I begged them to let me go & I wouldn't tell anyone what he did. They took me out into the hall, pushed me down & went back inside the apartment. I crawled to the elevator and ran into [Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department]."

Additionally in the motion, Holder alleges Hardy "has approximately 25-30 firearms. AK-47's, automatic looking weapons, shotguns, rifles and pistols. Some are permitted and some are not. Hardy has a very large gun safe at his residence in South Charlotte."

She also alleges "as part of the assault, [Hardy] threatened to shoot me if I went to the media or reported his assaults to anyone."

Plus, we're in the middle of the AH trial.