News: Patriots Sign Victor Hobson
This out of the Boston Globe today:
The Patriots have signed free-agent linebacker Victor Hobson to a one-year deal today, a league source confirmed. The signing was first reported by the NFL Network’s Adam Schefter.
The 6-foot, 252-pound Hobson enters his sixth NFL season. He played the first five years of his career with the Jets.
I think we all knew Hobson wasn’t going to stick around with the Jets, as he was an unrestricted free agent who the Jets were able to easily replace. He’s got a great line in front of him in New England, and could play either outside or inside linebacker. This is good signing for the Pats because lets face it: they have an old group of linebackers. Yes, Victor is entering his sixth season, but on the Patriots defense, that’s young.
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with rosie colvin out, this allows the pats to decide who they want to place where … hobson or Adalius Thomas on the outside.
Hobson sucked on the JETS for the most part.
Who wants to bet he becomes dominant on the Pats? Haha.
I am happy to see that the Globe continues with its accuarate and unbiased reporting. I wasn’t aware Hobson played all 5 years of his career with the JETS. Seemed like only 3 mediocre years after 2 with the Raiders. But the Globe is never wrong so I must be mistaken.
I think you have him mixed up with Barton, Ed.
Bent,
Thanks. I did confuse them.
Strange signing by the Pats. Hobson is a sure tackler, but he’s only 6-0 and he’s a little slow. I always wondered why he wasn’t given a chance to be an ILB. Then, again, he probably would not have ever beaten out Barton, who, IMO, is a notch better all-around.
the pats are desperate for depth, so he can slide in there and allow them flexibility with other players. that it took hobson this long to land with a team was testament to his abilities …
Lets not look into this too deeply. The Pats are another team that will sign ever scrub out there possible, just like the Jets in the previous two years. For instance look at their recent db signings, no one to get excited about. This doesn’t mean much other than that they need help at LB badly. But you never know, if you sign 100 scrubs chances are one of them will workout well for your team.
I didn’t hate Hobson, I was hoping we could bring him back as cheap depth. He was a little slow though and his height hurt him in coverage against TEs. Now he’ll tell NE the secret to the crazy alignments and blitzing schemes we used against them effectively in our last 2 reg season games in Foxboro. It just bugs me, couldn’t he have signed elsewhere. He also should be given props for helping Harris along, they were close as fellow Mich alums.
If you want to get sick, Hobson was drafted in the second round right before Anquan Boldin and 3 picks before Osi Umenyiora.
sack dance–that does get me sick
and i like our ‘other’ second round LB from michigan better anyways..
Is there a Jets fan who’s not already sick? That should be the discussion: What was Day One for you being sickened as a Jets fan.
Johnny Styne — When they didn’t pony up the dough to John Riggins.
When they traded Rob moore for ronald moore and some picks. Or when they took Brady over sapp. Fake Spike… I’ll stop now.
They took Hugh Douglas with one of those picks. Warren Sapp and Hugh Douglas would’ve been a great first round.
Wish Hobson nothing but the best, even if it is with the Pats
Kyle Brady instead of Warren Sapp at the 9th pick. Terrible… F. Obviously missing on Marino was tough.
Isn’t James Farrior still making plays for the Steelers? As someone already said, the fake spike was brutal for years. I still hate AJ Duhe. Bubby Brister shovel pass taken back for TD by Sam Mills. Garrison Hearst stiff arming someone like nobody’s business in overtime opening day at the 49ers.
I’m sure everyone has seen this – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZxNeFLuY98
5 to 6 years old… no Dan the Man… Kenny O’Brien? (who still had a decent career, stumbled into two pro-bowls)… just about every draft after that…. I had to hear about Riggins later on (that hurt too)…
With regards to Hobson sucking, try to remember that the year before last (06) when we had some semblance of a defense, he had 100 tackles and 6 sacks. Didn’t we just sign someone to a whole lot of money for producing six sacks to play the same position? We over-played the 3-4 last year, which could be why the level of play went down for him. I don’t think he will immediately convert into a pro-bowler in hi next season, but he will do enough to make us cringe and earn an extension with the Pats, and then as good ole Jet’s charma takes its turn, I’m thinking pro-bowl (defensive player of the year is reserved for Jonathan Vilma) or he will pick off the pass intended for the tight-end and run it back for a game winning touchdown against us in the AFC Championship game.
But then again, may be he won’t perform to well and end up on a Canadian football team like the Argonauts
In the end though, I concur with Matt and wish him and all who have worn the green and white for us the best
Seeing how long he was available and the fact that it’s a one year deal with no numbers announced, leads me to believe they got him cheap. Which makes it a good signing for them. He’s an able, if not spectacular, player who provides LB depth and can spill a bit of the Jets playbook as a bonus. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have let him go. We upgraded the position and that’s what matters for us.
I don’t know what’s sadder regarding the clip from past Jet drafts that K-Man put up..1.the fact that the Jets drafted who they did 2. the fact that the commissioner (Rozelle, Tagliabue) gets a wry smile on his face every year right before he announces the Jet’s pick or 3. the fact that 90% of Jet fans from the clip see to be wearing coke bottles for glasses.
Apparently, they intend to use him inside. I still can’t figure out why the Jets never did that. On the face of it, Barton on the outside and Hobson inside would have appeared to make more sense. They must have at least tried him in this role and decided he would contribute more off the edge.
Given how easily he was repelled most times when he blitzed from the weakside, I’m going to guess it’s because he kept getting snagged up with blockers.
I have to say that my “sickest” moment as a Jet fan was when Vinny went down week 1 of the 99 season. Obviously this is on a different level than other reasons to be sick, there are a ton of those. However, after the 98 season, a half away from going to the superbowl there was so much hype around “V-V-V-Vinny and the Jets.” THen he went down and we had to rely on Rick Mirer! (on a side not, when Tupa threw that TD pass to keyshawn in that game, that was pretty sweet.) Two missed field goals leading to a losss to the eventual superbowl champs wasn’t too pleasant either.
My worst moment was sitting in the end zone where the fake spike happened. I was a kid, it was the first game we had lower tier seats, and we were beating the Dolphins. After the play, I was in shock. I hate Dan Marino and his diet. My dolphins fan friend still teases me about it and wastes a play every game of Madden From there I pretty much knew what I was in for from the look on my dad’s face. A life of hardship. I wish I was old enough to have seen Superbowl 3, because god knows when I’ll see one.
Hobson better fail as an ILB too. If he becomes a star in a similar defense because our coach (Who I like btw) was short sited I’m gonna be an unhappy camper.
I wish Hobson the best. Two years ago he had a really good hear. Unfortunately, he got called for roughing the passer in NE when he planted his helmet right in Brady’s chest on a delayed blitz. If you see the replay, Brady clearly still has the ball in his hand as Hobson lit him up. Hobson did struggle last year and the D was pretty terrible. Dont be surprised if he has a terrific season in Belicheat’s scheme.
Biggest Disappointments:
1. Losing to Denver in 1998: I was 20 years old and living in London for a study abroad program. My father was 60 and has tickets since we were the Titans. We won two SB tickets in the lottery and I was ready to book my flight the next day.
2. Sitting 15 rows off the field 35 yard line watching 2 game winning field goals go wide left in Pitt.
3. Watching Vinny go down week 1 1999.
Sickest moment as a Jets fan: Dennis Byrd’s injury. I don’t ever want to see something like that happen to any football player again. And, the 1st play after that I believe that Steve DeBerg of the Chiefs threw a bomb for a TD.
I remember Byrd’s injury too. I was lucky enough to get to see the next time he walked onto the field. Ever since then I have watched carefully until every player on the field stands up after a play.
This is typical Belicheck really.
I called this one months ago. I expect they’ll play Hobson on the inside and that he’ll do reasonably well for them.
Sadly, seanmac is probably right. But it would not be the same as if he played that role with the Jets, because he’ll have Wilfork, Seymour and Warren ahead of him eating up blockers, as opposed to our line, which may be getting better, but is nowhere close to that.
A lot of Jets fans are going to be on the FO’s case every time he makes a play, even if our ILBs play well and if overall his performance ceiling is probably “reasonably well”, even on a defense where he will be able to play in space more because they have other, more dangerous, weapons.
I think its pretty clear we didn’t want him, and I don’t think very many Jets fans care about Mr. Hobson..its actually kind of weird that he hasn’t had to live with the “bust” tag yet. The biggest effect of this for the Jets,is that it may constrain their options in the draft because it may make LB slightly more of a need pick since Hobson is no longer available to fill a position.
** warning ** Pats fan here.
Hobson will play ILB for the Pats. Seau will not be resigned, and the Pats will probably sign a somewhat higher level FA towards training camp time who is cut to make room for cap space eating draft picks.
Thomas will stay outside – unless they draft a OLB early, which I doubt. I see a OT/DL taken with the first pick – or traded down and then a CB taken first.
BTW, the most recent DB signing of the Pats is an actual player the two earlier guys are summer camp fodder.
Pats will also take a TE and RB high this year, and a P and S later….
Hobson will not be an every down player for the Pats because he will be a significant liability in the pass defense. If he’s there against the Jets, here’s the introduction: Mr. Franks, 6-6, meet Mr. Hobson, 6-0. He’ll have his zone flooded so many times, especially in the red zone, that he’ll look like an undersized center posting up Shaq. Ideally, he’d be the weak side OLB in a 3-4. He’s a sure tackler and a good hitter, but I’d be surprised if he plays “reasonably well” as an every down ILB.
I don’t recall Tedy Bruschi getting destroyed over and over again in the red zone. Must have been that extra one inch.
Interesting point, seanmac, because Bruschi and Hobson have very similar skill sets (NB, sarcasm). And, they would play the same position…oops, no they would not. Bruschi plays RILB, but Hobson was ostensibly signed to play the left side (LILB), or strong side, where he would face the TE a lot more, a task that he was so bad at that the Jets had to move him to ROLB. But, I defer to the almighty FO deity because how could I possibly know more.
That was my first thought too, to be fair. Bruschi is the MIKE and Hobson would have to be the TED. It would be like comparing Seau to Vilma. Well, sort of…
But he should still do reasonably well because he’ll get to play in space more since NE’s defensive line is good.
Still, covering TEs is not all about height. Remember how awful Chatham (6-4) looked against Dallas?