Ninth in a series of positional "look-aheads" for the Patriots:
Outside linebacker: Rob Ninkovich, Jermaine Cunningham, Tully Banta-Cain, Eric Moore, Marques Murrell
Stat check: Banta-Cain played the highest total of snaps (66.7 percent), followed by Cunningham (50.9 percent) and Ninkovich (47.0 percent). Playing-time-wise, Moore came on strong late in the year, averaging 45 snaps in the final four regular-season games.
First instinct: The Patriots need to generate more pass rush from this spot.
Storyline not to be overlooked: Cunningham’s development. The 2010 second-round draft choice tailed off at the end of the season, which might have been tied to a calf injury. The offseason between a player’s rookie and second season is often the time for the biggest jump in improvement, and that could be threatened in the event of a lockout.
Future: Cunningham is signed through 2013, followed by Banta-Cain (2012), Ninkovich (2011), Moore (2011) and Murrell (2011).
Final thought: This is one of the most challenging positions to project in the draft, which makes selecting a player in the first round more of a risk. But with three of the draft’s first 33 picks, and six of the first 92, the Patriots figure to invest highly in the position.
Your thoughts: How do you think the Patriots should approach the situation at outside linebacker? Share your thoughts in the comments section of this blog.