New England Patriots Sign Defensive Tackle Jonathan Fanene To 3 Year Deal

Published: 14^th Mar 12 3:01 pm

by Chris Ransom
New England Patriots and Dallas Stars Featured Columnist

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Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE

The New England Patriots made their first free agency move of the 2012 NFL Offseason. Earlier today the New England Patriots Jonathan Fanene to a 3 year deal for the New England Patriots. The deal will be worth 12 million with 3.5 million in guaranteed money over the next three seasons.

This seems like the classic Belichick free agency move. Sign some no name journeyman with a huge chip on their shoulder. Then Belichick finds some way to motivate that player making him great the following season.

New England’s run defense has improved with Fanene. Fanene was one of the Bengals top run stuffers in 2011. Pairing Fanene next to Vince Wilfork makes New England’s run defense very difficult to stop inside up the middle.

New England will now have Wilfork and Fanene at defensive tackle in the middle. New England will also have Brandon Spikes at middle linebacker with Mayo plus Ninkovich being used on the outside as additional ammunition.

Fanene is a 6 foot 4 292 pound defensive tackle. Fanene can play in a 4-3 scheme at defensive tackle. Fanene is better suited for a 3-4 scheme as a defensive end in the 5 technique.

Fanene is a depth player. Fanene played in all 16 games registering 6.5 sacks while only making 2 starts in week 2 and week 3 where he registered 2 sacks in a week 3 13 to 8 loss against the San Francisco 49ers before playing really well down the stretch.

New England needs a defensive player who can play well down the stretch. People will question this move since Fanene is 30 years old. I really like the move for New England long term because Belichick has a track record for finding defensive lineman who battle adversity and molding those players into better players. Belichick did that with Andre Carter, Mark Anderson, Albert Haynesworth, Shaun Ellis, and Tully Banta Cain over the past few years.

Fanene could provide a good depth player behind Wilfork in case Wilfork fatigues. Wilfork is a blue chip defensive tackle. Wilfork played nose tackle in the New England Patriots 3-4 scheme before New England switched to a 4-3 scheme in 2011-2012.

Fanene was a very effective run stuffer for the Bengals in 2011. Fanene will find a way to help New England out in 2012 regardless of whether he starts or provides a depth role.