Tuesday, February 19, 2013
New idea for Pats at No. 29
By Tim Kavanagh
Prior to the 2012 season, the New England Patriots set out to improve their defense, and there were some positive signs: rookies Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower played significant roles for the club as they marched to another AFC East title.
However, the secondary wound up being the club's downfall. And it's where Rob Rang of CBS Sports foresees the team making an investment with their first-round pick this April:
"While the trade for cornerback Aqib Talib certainly improved the Patriots' pass defense, their inability to defend over the middle was again exposed in the AFC Championship game and Talib isn't locked up long-term. Physical and athletic, Florida's Matt Elam could prove to be the enforcer in the deep patrol the Patriots hoped they'd be getting in Patrick Chung, who is scheduled for free agency and considered unlikely to return."
Here's ESPN AFC East blogger James Walker on that idea:
James Walker
Elam to the Pats?"The University of Florida pipeline is strong in New England, and safety is a big need. Elam is an athletic enforcer who can make plays in the middle of the field."
