The Pros and Cons of Signing Osi Umenyiora

I get into a bad mood every time I hear this guy's name. However, if you can not beat them, join them. Or pay them enough to join you. The Patriots obviously have struggled on defense to get pressure on the quarterback and keep good coverage on the opposing wide receivers, thus they make quarterbacks like Mark Sanchez look like superstars. Chandler Jones provided a small spark, but more so at the beginning of the year. Rob Ninkovich was also a playmaker, but these are too few and too far in between. That means one thing, we need a pass rusher, and a good, consistent one. Hence, I believe the Patriots should look into signing Osi Umenyiora. Let's take a look at the Pros and Cons:

PROS:
He gets to the quarterback.

The last time the New England Patriots had a player get OVER 10.0 sacks was in 2007 when Mike Vrabel got 12.5. We are in a passing league, and the more the opposing quarterback can settle in the pocket and throw passes like he is in practice, the more successful he is going to be. Osi has had 52 sacks in his last five full seasons, and in 2011 he had 9.0 sacks in nine games. Talk about production.

He creates turnovers.

In addition to those 52 sacks (regular season only), Osi contributed 25 forced fumbles in those five full seasons. He recovered seven fumbles, and another one in the 2007 Super Bowl. I have always desired a strip-sacking defensive end to join the Patriots, like Dwight Freeney (who is also available), and this could be the guy.

The Giants do not need him.

The Giants have two of the league's best pass rushers under contract next year, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul. Therefore, they do not need Umenyiora, and he wants to start next year.

"Well, I feel like I’m a Pro Bowl player and I feel like I’m a starter in this league, (but) obviously that might be difficult to do in New York. But the door’s still open there. It’s something I would really relish that opportunity to finish my career there. And hopefully something will come out of that," said Umenyiora to the New York Daily News.

He will help the Patriots win NOW.

Umenyiora is not a rising star in the NFL, instead he is an established one. The Patriots do not need to be building completely for the future. They have been so close every year to winning it all, and Brady is not getting any younger. WIN NOW!

CONS:

He decreased in production last year.

In his most recent full season, which was this past season, Osi had career lows in sacks (for a full season) and second-lowest in tackles. Although he did accompany that with three safeties.

He has been injured.

Even though he was on track for a career year in 2011, he spent seven regular season games on the bench.

He will most likely cost A TON.

Umenyiora will want a lot of money even after having a down year in a contract season. Pass rushers are a hot commodity, so he will be not be easy to lure away from big time offers. The Patriots will not be able to be their stingy selves with this man.

Based solely on volume of pros versus cons, it is pretty obvious I want Mr. Umenyiora. He could be one of the keys to making the Patriots defense even better than last year. If they choose not to sign a superstar cornerback but sign Osi, the newly added dangerous pass rusher will mask the horrendous secondary.