The most interesting offseason in recent Patriots history just got a little more intriguing on Saturday when the team ended up taking University
of Miami safety Brandon Meriweather with the 24th pick in the first round.
As the team made the pick, I said to myself "Meriweather, Meriweather.why
does that name ring a bell?" Keep in mind that I watch about ten college
football games a year, so Mel Kiper, Jr. I am not.
After the obligatory two clips showing Meriweather making game changing
plays, the reason his name rang a bell became clear when ESPN showed the
clip of Meriweather stomping on the head of a Florida International player
in that Orange Bowl streetfight last fall. Then Chris Mortenson mentions
something about a "gun" incident and my usual first-round draft euphoria
melts like the polar caps.
I'm betting that Meriweather will be a model citizen when he arrives in
Foxboro. After all, he is already at the plate with two strikes against
him. But what is so shocking about the pick is that the "model franchise"
would risk a significant first round signing bonus on such a player. Does
the histrionics of the Terry Glenn era ring a bell? For once and for all,
the mirage that many have built up (including myself, frankly) that the
Patriots only take "character" guys has been shaken. Let's be clear, they
are picking players for a football team, not altar guild. In that light,
Meriweather likely fits a need for secondary help. After all, the Patriots
have an outstanding track record of first-round success so there is no
reason to think that this year will be any different.
Four picks later, the team did stay in character when they traded their
second first round pick to San Francisco for a fourth this year and a first
next year. At first glance, this is a disappointment. An impact linebacker
chosen at that spot would have solidified my belief that the Patriots are
the far away favorites to win Super Bowl XLIII. Such a player would have
put the Patriots 2007 offseason express into overdrive.
After the disappointment of the trade has worn off, you can perhaps see
where the Patriots are coming from on this one. They trade a 28th overall
selection this year in a weak draft for a pick that is one Frank Gore injury
away from being in the top ten next year. Nobody was under the illusion
that the Deion Branch-induced first round pick was going to be any lower
than the 20th spot when the deal was struck last September. And besides,
like we did with Seattle this year Patriots fans will have a rooting
interest in 49ers games during the 2007 season.
Despite the mixed bag for Patriots fans, it could be a lot worse. You
could be a Miami Dolphins fan. Traditionally the Patriots biggest rival,
the Dolphins botched the 9th overall pick and foresaked the chance to take a
franchise quarterback in Brady Quinn. Since Dan Marino retired, the Miami
quarterback position has been about as stable as the current Yankees
pitching rotation. From a Patriots perspective, after Comissioner Roger
Goodell announced the Ted Ginn selection I'm sure you were as relieved as I
am. "Well that's a break, we won't have to worry about Miami making a run
at us anytime soon," I uttered to my 15-month old sleeping daughter Evelyn
as we wasted a perfectly good afternoon falling in and out of consciousness
on the living room sofa.
Leading up to the draft, it's been an incredible offseason for a team
that was a minute away from the Super Bowl in January. Days after sticking
my head in the oven at the conclusion of Super Bowl XLII, I was blown away
that the Patriots landed the biggest fish in the free agency pond in
linebacker Adalius Thomas. Leading up to the start of free agency, none of
us were delusional enough to think that Thomas was heading our way. So much
for the Patriots being frugal in free agency.
Then in quick order, the team smartly signed key pieces like RB Sammy
Morris, TE Kyle Brady, WR Wes Welker (a Patriot killer for years, folks), WR
Donte Stallworth, WR Kelley Washington and CB Tory James. Phew.
The main reason--besides superior coaching--that the Patriots have three
Super Bowl championship banners hanging in the southeast corner of Gillette
Stadium is because they had the best personnel from position 23 back to 45
when matched up with an opponent. No question that they have enhanced that
advantage for 2007 via free agency this offseason.
So the $64,000 question is where does this all leave the balance of power
in the AFC? Let's assume for a minute that we should just concern ourselves
with the Chargers and Colts. The Chargers, apparently satisfied with the
personnel that lost a favored home playoff game, have not made any
significant moves via free agency and have lost linebacker Donnie Edwards
and head coach Marty Schottenheimer. And don't forget that besides a new
head coach, there will be two new coordinators since Dallas and Miami
yearned to tap into the magic that was the 2006 San Diego Chargers.
Sure, the perceived game of the year is the November 4 tilt with Indy, but
the one that will make me pee in my pants with excitement is the week two
Sunday night streetfight with San Diego in Foxboro on September 16.
Why, do you ask? Youtube.com, that's why. With a new cable modem, over
the last month or two I have wasted countless hours watching old John Wensik
fights, Dropkick Murphys videos and Patriot clips. The videos that have
peaked my interest the most are the ones related to the San Diego-Patriots
divisional playoff game. First, we have a pre-game yahoo rally in San Diego
where Shawne Merriman promises to "hit Tom Brady right in
his mouth.". Next, we have this clip from NECN where Phillip Rivers
sounds like an adolescent boy whose voice is changing and Rosie Colvin
claims that "the lights
are out. There's a power outage.". And finally, we have Tedy Bruschi
in a post-game rant inside the Patriots locker room wishing the Chargers all-pros a
good time in Hawaii..
As for the Colts, they've lost everyone this side of Bert Jones this
offseason and the free agency spending of past offseasons has finally caught
up with them. Simple math would say the Patriots have tipped the balance of
power between them given their offseasons. But unfortunately for Patriots
fans, simple math in the offseason doesn't dictate who raises the Vince
Lombardi Trophy the following January.
The only litmus test of the 2007 NFL draft that matters is whether it
wins you championships in the coming years. Who cares who is ranked as
having the "best draft" on the Monday afterwards? I sure don't. While a
second selection in the first round would have put the foot on the gas pedal
in the AFC, a hard-hitting safety (Meriweather) and a playmaker who the team
acquired with its 2nd round pick (Welker) will still go a long way in
ensuring the leader in the clubhouse continues to be the Patriots as the
season begins in a few months.
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