Scouts' views: observations and opinions from two NFL pro scouts, one from each conference.(NFL)

The Patriots' Vince Wilfork is my defensive rookie of the year. He came in and has really made an impact inside on a Super Bowl-winning team. He's more of a run plugger, but he also gives you that strong inside push in passing situations. I've seen traits of dominance in his play.... I have a lot of respect for the Panthers. I don't know who leads the league in I.R. injuries, them or Cleveland, but to have 13 guys on I.R. and still make a run at a playoff spot this late in the season says a lot about the work they've done as a staff and as players.... If I were the Chargers' G.M., I would figure out a way to keep Drew Brees next year. I would definitely use the franchise tag on him. The quarterback position is so valuable, you've got to have two guys there. And with the way Brees is playing and the way guys are responding to him, I'd have to go with him. I wouldn't want to go into next year with an untested player who's hardly taken a snap, even though he's Philip Rivers and they paid him a lot of money.... The continuity the Packers have had on their offensive line in the last four or five years is unbelievable in salary cap football. Their guys are solid technicians who play smart and play well together. In this league, it's what we're all shooting for: to have a good group of guys come together and mature all at the same time.... The Colts' Robert Mathis wreaks havoc with his ...