borg

A bonus for being a Patriots fan is that BB always provides us a team or two to wish the worst on. With 2 extra 2nd rounders in the 2010 draft, it's time to get the voodoo doll out and start hexing Tennessee (0-1)and Jacksonville.
The Patriots can directly contribute to their demise this year, playing both teams. The AFC South this year plays the AFC East and the NFC West. Tennessee has the tougher extra 2 games (Pitt and SD) while Jax has 2 easier contests (KC and Cleve). Besides playing each other twice, they both play 2 verses Houston and Indy.
Indy and Tenn are seen as the favorites. If Houston can improve their defense, they have a shot of upsetting the pecking order and helping the Patriots draft position next year.
Predictions:
Jax 7-9 2nd round draft projection 42-46
Tenn 10-6 2nd round draft projection 52-56
Pats 12-4 2nd round draft projection 60-64

stinkypete

Pretty realistic projection. I wonder if any of those picks eventually get moved into the 2011 draft?

borisman

Jacksonville's pick could easily be moved for a 2011 1st rounder if Jax finishes in the 40 range. One of the reasons a team would move their 1st rounder is the quality/quantity of players that may come out to do possible rookie salary slotting system that may take affect in '11.

The Pats could possibly have (3) 1st round picks in 2011. One in the top 10, one in the 20 range and one in the 30 range. Not too shabby. Of course, one of these will net a 2nd rounder that year and a first in 2012. We all know how the story goes.

Metaphors

Another bonus is that with the likely Junior exodus (avoiding a slotted scale in 2011), there could be unusual depth in this draft. A nice year to have 4 picks in the 32-64 range. Get some slipping 1st round talent for 2nd round prices.

borg

I agree....if underclassmen rush into the draft next year, the Pats are in great shape. And having a top ten pick in 2011 may be more important because the talent pool could be quite thin.

BelichickFan

Agree with both of these, 2010 could be very deep and 2011 could be very shallow.

patchick

Absolutely. There's not only the risk of the rookie scale, but the risk of a lockout. Get yourself a locked-in signing bonus while you can.

In fact, rookie contracts next year are probably going to be more contentious than ever as teams and agents try to maneuver around the possibility of no 2011 salaries.

condon84

If the NFL institutes a rookie salary pool in 2011, then you're gonna see a slew of underclassmans declaring for the draft next year. And those 3 second round picks become even more valuable. We could parlay them into more picks later on, or have the ability to draft a player that would have gone in the first round in other draft years. Either way, BB has set us up for major upgrades in the following years.

bucky

I think you guys are over inflating the effect of this. The issue with rookie salaries - and the ones who could potentially lose a lot of money - are the top 10 picks. You're not going to see guys projected in the 25+ range running into the draft because the difference in late 1st or early 2nd round money won't be that significant.

So what will happen is all the potential top 20 picks will leave school. How many guys are there that don't declare every year? Last year there may have been a half dozen or so - Bradford, Mays, Spikes, and McCoy come to mind.

So I think the big effect will be on the top 25 or so in the first round of 2010 and the top 10 of 2011.

ctpatsfan77

I agree: slotting should have very little effect outside of the first round, so only underclassmen who could expect to be a first-round pick in 2011 would have any real incentive to leave early.

Moreover, on a related note, the NFL can choose whether it wants to keep the rookie salary cap in place, even if salaries as a whole are uncapped.

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"Momentum was quickly snatched away by New England, who once again proved that any Patriot, at any moment, can make a play." —Inside the NFL, Packers v. Patriots

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