FanHouse VictorHobson

The New England Patriots have signed free agent linebacker Victor Hobson, who has played his entire five-year NFL career with the New York Jets.

The signing, which was first reported by Adam Schefter of NFL Network (via PFT), gives the Patriots a linebacker who knows the ins and outs of Bill Belichick's defense from playing for former Jets coach Eric Mangini.

Hobson has played in every game for the Jets the last three seasons and started all but two. He became an unrestricted free agent this off-season and did not receive much attention around the league. Contract details have not been released, but it is likely that Hobson's deal is worth just a little more than the veteran minimum salary, with a small signing bonus.

For the Patriots, who are going bargain-shopping this off-season, the addition of the 28-year-old Hobson gets them a lot younger at linebacker, where they were playing the ancient Junior Seau and Tedy Bruschi last year.

When you're 1-8, success becomes a relative thing. Nothing is going to save your season so you just want to see enough signs of growth down the stretch to make you believe the entire year isn't a waste. The Jets found themselves in just that position and the last three weeks have discovered that there might be a few diamonds in the rough on their defense.

Sandwiched around a disaster in Dallas have been the team's two strongest defensive games of the year. That's a positive sign as the season plays out, especially since the improvement has coincided with increased playing time for several new players. David Harris and Darrelle Revis, the first two draft picks, have gotten much of the notice but others have contributed as well. On the defensive line, C.J. Mosley has 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles since the bye week while Sione Pouha has recorded 10 tackles in the same period. That's more production than Dewayne Robertson was giving for about 10 times the price.

Throw in resurgent play from Bryan Thomas, Shaun Ellis and Victor Hobson and you've got a defensive revival. All of those guys play in the front seven and when they do their job the ripples can be felt all over the field. Kerry Rhodes spent the first half of the year unable to be the playmaker who opened eyes in 2006 but has been back in that role because the guys in front of him are doing their jobs. Corners are helped when the pass rush is working and the entire unit can show its teeth.

There are two caveats to this improved play. The first is that last week's game was against Miami, a gaping chasm of awfulness and the second is that the same thing happened in 2006. The Jets entered the bye as a subpar defensive club and played the second half as one of the best units in the league. Then they fell flat on their face to start this season so it's much too soon to start counting any chickens. They've stopped laying eggs, though, and that's a start.