ProShop 2009 Tom Brady Pro Bowl Jersey Other Products Fred Taylor Equipment Replica Jersey Jarvis Green #97 Replica Home Jersey Meriweather Equipment Replica Jersey 2009 AFC East Division Champs Tee

I was curious about Gary Guyton. He seemed to have a pretty decent rookie year given the opportunities he had. What role do you see him playing this year? And do you see him possibly as a starter in the near future?
Patrick M.

Whether he starts or not is somewhat irrelevant – he’ll be an important part of the defense either way. His speed and athleticism are necessary ingredients in the Patriots sub packages and he’ll likely be asked to serve in that capacity once again. He has the ability to cover backs out of the backfield and his speed allows him to get from sideline to sideline in the underneath zones, an area where the team has suffered over the past couple of seasons. A year of experience under his belt should give him a lift and allow him to further his role this season. I see him as a possible starter inside next to Jerod Mayo, but more likely he’ll see his playing time in passing situations.
Paul Perillo

Aloha, with the loss of Lonie Paxton, the long-snapper position is a bit of a question mark. While the Pats have picked up two highly touted players at the position, I was just wondering which do you think has the upper hand in the near and distant future? Is Nathan Hodel the guy for the upcoming season, while Hawaii’s Jake Ingram readies himself for NFL action, or do you see Ingram as being good enough to get the starting nod sometime in the upcoming season? How do you see the situation playing out?
Clinton Kaneoka

It’s way to early to be making a call on something like that. We’ve had one opportunity to watch these guys snap and that came during last week’s organized team activities (OTAs) that was open to the media. Both guys looked to have great velocity on their snaps but Ingram was off target on one or two that I saw. That was just one of many snapshots we’ll get to see as the summer gets underway and camp begins. Check back in the middle of August and we may have a better idea of how things look.
Paul Perillo

Is it a possibility that Belichick looks at Maroney once he’s healthy and trades him for picks next year? He is very injury prone but a good running back that some teams wouldn’t mind picking up. I personally think that BenJarvus Green-Ellis should be given another chance because he came in last year and ran the ball pretty effectively once he got some experience under his belt. What do you think?
Clarens Jarbath

I wouldn’t be completely opposed to dealing Maroney for draft picks but I don’t think he garner too much right now. The old buy low theory would be in effect for teams around the league while the Patriots would get stuck dealing a first-round pick for less than his value due to injuries and his lack of production. I also wouldn’t be comfortable with Green-Ellis as a long-term fix. He did a nice job as an injury fill in that none of us was expecting much out of but it’s a much different thing to be relied upon as the guy week in and week out. I’m not saying Green-Ellis is without talent but I haven’t seen enough of him to be comfortable enough to have him replace Maroney in the rotation. As I said earlier, I feel Maroney has the talent to get the job done and this could be his last chance to prove it.
Paul Perillo

Is there a reason we haven’t signed Derrick Brooks. He hasn’t drawn much interest so why not sign him to a deal for one year with an add-on clause if he does well. I hardly see how bringing in Brooks would be a bad idea. He seems like a Patriots type of guy. What do you think?
Kelsey Lindholm

Derrick Brooks is one of my all-time favorite players dating back to his days at Florida State. I loved watching him make plays all over the field against the run and the pass. But I’m not sure even at his best (Defensive Player of the Year, 2002) that he’s a great fit for Belichick’s 3-4 system. I’m sure Belichick would find a way to utilize his great speed and athleticism, but at 6-0, 235 he wouldn’t be an option at outside linebacker and he’d be on the small side for the inside as well. I’m not overly familiar with Brooks’ current situation but it certainly doesn’t seem like he’s clamoring for a shot to sign somewhere any way, but I don’t see the Patriots being a good fit for his wonderful skills. And not that it matters, but writers in Tampa Bay claim they’ve never covered a classier individual.
Paul Perillo

I for one am really hoping the Pats can get a deal done and pick up Michael Vick as soon as he’s available. I think Pats fans would really enjoy him being a dedicated wedge-buster on this team. Seriously though, is Alex Smith a candidate for a permanent position on the Pats or is he a one-year pickup? It seems like other than the somewhat disappointing Benjamin Watson, we’ve been cycling through tight ends the last few years. The addition of Kellen Winslow in Tampa made him expendable, but was that due to lack of skill or contract numbers that didn’t work for them? Thanks for keeping football hungry fans engaged in the offseason.
Matt Falbe

I see what you did there with Vick … not bad. As for Smith, his trade had nothing to do with finances and everything to do with Winslow’s arrival. He’ll have an opportunity to earn a roster spot with the Patriots but by no means will he be guaranteed one. With Watson, Chris Baker and David Thomas here, plus youngsters like Tyson DeVree and Brad Listorti, there should be some competition at tight end this summer. Smith looked a little slower than some of the other tight ends on the practice field last week, but at this stage of the offseason that may not mean much depending on his advancement in his training at this point. Smith showed some flashes of ability with Tampa Bay playing without a semblance of a quarterback for most of his time there. It will be interesting to see him work with Tom Brady in the Patriots offense to see if his production increases. Either way, the tight end position figures to be one of the more hotly contested spots of camp.
Paul Perillo

Love getting your input every week. My question is who do you see more likely to join the Patriots this year: Greg Ellis or Derrick Burgess? If you don’t see either of them coming, anyone else make sense?
Kyle Smith

I think Ellis would make more sense and be the more the likely candidate to come. According to reports, the Cowboys have actively shopped him and even called the Patriots looking for a potential match. It’s more likely that Dallas would just release him and therefore the Patriots would have a better chance of acquiring him than Burgess, who Oakland doesn’t seem desperate to get rid of despite reports of a potential deal to New England. I’d rather have Ellis because of his experience as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 system in Dallas. Even though Wade Phillips’ scheme isn’t the same as Belichick’s, Ellis did play for Bill Parcells and performed a lot of the same roles potentially required of him in New England. He’s a veteran at age 33 who has always been successful getting after the quarterback. He even had eight sacks in a limited role last year. I’d take either guy as a situational pass rusher but I feel Ellis is the better all around player and would need less time to get acclimated to the Patriots system.
Paul Perillo

I have an odd request but I’m really hoping you can help me out. Back in mid-to-late 1990s there was a picture posted in several issues of PFW in which Willie McGinest with outstretched arms is bearing down on Dan Marino while Dan holds the ball down by his sides and with his eyes closed, cringing in anticipation of the impending pain. I’ve scoured the web but have not seen this picture in years and it’s one of the funniest shots I’ve ever seen. Any chance you can dig through the archives and post it for me? Thanks and keep up the good work.
Joel Lindgren

Odd requests are our specialty, Joel … and remember, there’s no such thing as an odd request; just odd people who make them. With that said ... here you go ... enjoy!
Paul Perillo

Was Steve Caiazzo ever a player for the New England Patriots?
Joe Onic

I checked the team’s media guide and no one of that never ever dressed for a regular-season game for the Patriots.
Paul Perillo

Read Part I | Ask A Question