....while I battle insomnia at 1:30 in the morning.
1. My mind is running wild trying (once again) to make sense of my home team's draft. I've ready a couple of threads from the board to get a sense of what people are thinking, and like the draft itself, I've come to NO clear conclusion.
2. I watched most of the draft over the internet, where they streamed the NFL Network's broadcast. I impressed mostly with Mike Mayock who was hittling more picks than he was missing
3. I also listened, on the web, to WEEI and Felger's draft day show. For pure entertainment, Felger is great. I have to tell you I really enjoy the guy, because he wears his heart on his sleeve like the rest of us, and you always know EXACTLY what he feels, because he says it. AND it was comforting to know that he was as clueless as the rest of us.
4. However while I tuned in on and off, I did hear two titbit from one of his cohosts, I think it was Breer. He mentioned a good reason why Jason Taylor IS NOT going back to Miami. And it made good sense. While Taylor was having his DPOY season 2 years ago, Joey Porter was *****ting the bed in his first year in Miami. It turned out that because Taylor was there, Porter had to play on the TE side, and he didn't like, and wasn't good at it, AND he let people know it. This Past season when Porter had all kinds of success, part of the reason was he played predominantly on the SE side. Breer was told, it would be unlikely that the Phins would want to bring Taylor back and deal with having to make the volitile Porter go back to the TE side. He felt any overtures the Phins are making to Taylor are purely
PR. Leaving Taylor really only one place to go if he wants to play football this season, in an atmosphere that meets his requirements.
4b. The second tidbit came when Felger was getting itchy about not seeing any of the OLB/DEs come off the board to the Pats. (I think it was right about the time Malalouga was taken) He mentioned that one of his sources on the "inside" of the Pats organization, told him that they are really happy with the development of the OLBs/LBs they have; specifically mentioning Woods, Guyton, Redd, and Crabel.
So while the media, fans, and "experts" all felt that OLB was the most pressing need the Pats have, evidently the people closest to the situation DIDN'T.
5. So while BB must be pretty happy with his OLB situation (plus Taylor), the same cannot be said of of his secondary. He is bringing in 4 significant NEW players plus the 2 kids we drafted last year to what ended up as a pretty ragtag defensive backfield by the end of the year. (so far) THis isn't just a fix, this is a COMPLETE MAKE OVER..... and like I have said, we are not only going to have an improved secondary, we are going to a LOT of secondary. It now looks like we are going to keep at least 11 DBs, maybe 12 BB isn't going to get caught short again.
6. My first reaction when I hear Patrick Chung's name called was, I thought he was a late 2nd round guy. My second reaction was GREAT, I have felt from the begining that S was the only area of the team where we didn't have any quality depth, and Sanders can be upgraded. When I heard Butler's name called, I said Great I wanted a CB and I got one.
WHen I heard Brace's name, I was surprised, because I had felt they would be looking for DE type not a NT. But hey, Mike Wright is too small to play NT, and when Vince isn't on the field the position was a weak spot. Now we have a guy who can spell Wilfolk, be depth for the long term, and maybe develop more DL skills. Finally I had NO CLUE who Seabass Volmer was.
7. Some may complain that we could have had Chung and Volmer later than we picked them. Thats a complaint we have all made in all of BB's drafts. He "reached" for Seymour. He "reached" for Mankins. He "reached" for Warren. and he "reached" for Maroney. In Bill we trust. He definitely isn't reading Ourlads for his scouting reports, or following Mel Kiper's mocks for value.
However the one complaint I DO HAVE in this draft so far, is the fact we still have so many damned picks. AGAIN I reiterate, that I can only see 5-6 rookies making this team. I don't see the point of bringing in 13 guys when you KNOW you will have cut more than half of them. I would have been much happier if the Pats had Traded their first to GB for their 41st and a 2nd an 3rd NEXT YEAR. And the only picks I want to see up pick AFTER round 3 is our comp picks.
8. Who know what names will be Pats after tomorrow. The only 3 player positions I'd like to see filled are a run stuffing ILB. A DE/OLB tweener to develop, AND a big WR.
Hopefully the first 2 will come in the 3rd round. The WR I'd like to see us draft for value, is the LSU kid who was hurt in a car wreck last week. He was projected as a 3d to 4th rounder before the accident, so a pick in the 7th would not only make his day, it COULD turn out to be a nice value later on..
9. All I know right now is that my home team is gearing up for an OUTSTANDING season. They did a great job during the FA period, and we are going to be bringing in so many guys that a few of them HAVE to pan out. Its the law of averages man.
10. FInally I stopped by Jetsinsider to see their reaction to the Sanchez pick. I wan't disappointed. Once again, the Jets have won the off season. They have closed the gap .... really this time. They now have their franchise QB, and firebreathing HC. They clearly have passed the Pats.
Well thanks for letting me vent. I think I"ll go to sleep now. I look forward to reading this again in the morning and see if it makes any sense at all.
idle thoughts....
Linear Mode
