It certainly could be too soon, and I definitely do not think it is healthy to have a "Pats must always be correct" mindset on things.
Just thinking about veteran defensive players (so, not all the pats personnel issues with WR,etc. and not rookies/FAs who only have a cup of coffee with Pats and end up elsewhere) who comes to anyone's mind as an example of a different team getting more out of someone than Pats did?
I guess Ihedigbo could be argued, though I think he's largely same guy just asked to do more. Darius Butler is one--he was serviceable after leaving here and awful with Pats. Curious for other thoughts----my initial reaction is that on defense they tend to do very well making decisions about their guys.
Yeah, plus if you're discussing who's the #2 head coach in the league, now that Jim Harbaugh left the NFL, the consensus would probably be Arians. This isn't Jim Tomsula doing some tinkering here.
To take the bolded, though - and assuming we're ignoring backup QBs and the Year Of Revis - I might offer:
- Patrick Chung did way better under Chip in Philly in 2013 than he had previously in Foxboro.
- BJGE had two pretty good years in '12-13 in Cincy after his 4 years with us, arguably better than what the Pats got out of him, although he did finally fumble.
- Ben Watson has had his two most productive years (CLE in 2010, NO in 2015) after leaving the Pats following 2009
- Danny Woodhead has more than earned his contract in San Diego, although he's used way more than he ever would have been under Belichick's scheme
- It hurts to remember it, but Deion Branch had a good run in Seattle from 2006-2008 before getting hurt, although his Rec/Tgt rate was lower.
- Kyle Arrington certainly wasn't any
more of a disaster in Baltimore last year than he was for us. Some would argue the Ravens' scheme suited his talents better, since they get more help to the outside routes.
- Tully Banta-Cain had a hell of a 2007 for San Francisco, starting 10 games that year after starting 5 in his entire 4 years in NE.
- Big Bang Clock hung on pretty well in Washington and now at the Giants, and has been the primary FS starter for them in 2013-15. Haven't watched him enough to say whether he's improved under other coaches though.
- Sergio Brown's done OK since getting cut after 2011.