Armen Da Pats Fan

I don't want to worry about football in March. I want to think about the Red Sox and about the Black Sox (my softball team).

But outside of signing Vince & Tully, both of which I am very happy about, and bringing in Patten, which the nostalgia part of me likes, but the football part of me is a little confused about, what have the Pats done so far this offseason?

I am sure there is lots of good logic behind their still waters approach, so please, share some of it with me!

As far as I can see, we still need:

1. An every down running back that can run out the clock and push the pile. maybe Michael bUsh is this guy.

2. A pass rusher. Or two.

3. A #2 WR. And possibly a #3, or is that Patten?

4. A strong CB. I don't know when Leigh Bodden became Michael Haynes, but I still think our secondary is suspect. And besides, we still haven't retained Leigh Bodden.

5. Another LB. Not a front line guy, but a solid rotation man. I am assuming Adalius Thomas won't be here. And even if he is, can we count on him anymore?

Not trying to ruffle feathers at all - I really need someone to give me an intelligent argument that exoplains just waht the heck the Pats are doing?!?!?!

Or NOT doing?!?!?!

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ADPF

emoney_33

Maroney will continue to split carries with another RB (maybe a rookie), our running game will continue to be solid, we will continue to NOT have 1 single 1000 yard rusher, and people will continue to crap all over Maroney. It's the way of the world, but no worries here.

A complete OLB and DE. We need to upgrade our overall pass rush but we have a "pass rusher" in TBC.

Patten could win one, hopefully we at least get one of Reed/Mason or a trade. Draft will hopefully bring us #1 of the future.

The secondary was the "best" part of the team last season. It's biggest problem was communication that was settled when Sanders was put back in the starting lineup. No pass defense will succeed with an anemic pass rush. Leigh Bodden is a -very- good CB and fits very well in the Patriots system. He's a complete CB, and top 10-15 in the league overall.

I'm most curious as to what the Patriots solution for OLB will be. Unless AD can bounce back the solution is not yet on the roster.

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There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who do not.

BionicPatriot

Your top 3, well we haven't accomplished anything there yet (But people will still tell you everything is set)

4. I think we're OK. But going back to point number 2 it doesn't matter if your boy Haynes came outta retirement tommorow nobody is going to be a #1 CB when QBs have 5 seconds everytime to throw.

5. Again, this has not been fielled but yes we need it. I hope and pray for the draft. But than again the questions asks itself, are you confident counting on rookies to fill such position of needs? I don't know if I am.

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Defense, defense, defense

goldenaleus

If we upgrade points 2 and 5 then you won't have to worry about point 4 as much which was our strongest point on D last season.

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FF...It's not who you draft in Round 1 but how you draft after that!

Ice_Ice_Brady

Well, there is a reason to worry because this team is not championship caliber at this moment. But, I think you have it wrong by looking at our lack of free agent signings as another reason to worry.

Bottom line is, big-money free agents impact the team in many ways. It's not as simple, "this guy is good, so let's pay him." In particular, if you're worried right now, how worried would you be if Tom Brady was about to hit the free agent market because we weren't offering a big enough contract. Would you still rush to sign Anquan Boldin-Julius Peppers type players? You can't have it all, and the Patriots landed the biggest prize on the market, Vince Wilfork, without having to outbid other teams. If anyone says that Peppers would be a better signing than Wilfork, they are insane. Peppers has never played in a 3-4, has a questionable attitude, and cost much, much more. So I think that was a smart decision, as well as the TBC signing.

If you want to look at the team's problems, it's not free agency. Free agency is where the team goes to plug holes with veterans; it's not where they go to build a core. Investments in players like Adalius Thomas show that a huge contract hurts the team for a long time, and Thomas was a "sure-fire" star at the time.

The problem is the draft, and that needs to be the solution. No matter how many ways you arrange the puzzle, free agents basically give you what you pay for. Drafting players and developing them is where teams get the upper edge, and the Patriots have really messed up for awhile now. All of these busts and failed endeavors like Chad Jackson, Kevin O'Connell, etc have killed them. That's why everyone now wants them to get a quick fix by grabbing big names on the market. The Patriots have been one of the worst teams in the league in drafting since their Super Bowl runs, and to get back to the top they need to improve dramatically.

Sicilian

If you're the type to worry about the team five days into free agency, I really don't think I can help you... sorry.

tanked_as_usual

don't worry.....its only professional sports

MoLewisrocks

That's the answer in a nutshell...

spacecrime

If your boss gave you a project that was going to take six months, and three days later got all upset because you had made little visible progress, what would your thoughts be?

Anyway, you already know the answer to your questions. Football isn't won in March. When was the last time the team that made the biggest splash in the first two days of free agency did really well? The people who are in agony, angst or anger over our not getting Anquan Boldin are the same people who felt the same way when we let Javon Walker slip through out fingers. And they will be the ones crying over our not getting XXX next year. But worrying isn't about learning from the past, that's for sure.

People who for whatever reason cannot be happy will worry and fuss about things against all logic. If you feel this driving need to be despondent, no one can say anything that will make you feel better.

But hell, let me try.

I've read a lot about how signing our FAs is not improving, but I think it is. This is the worst FA year since FA began. All of the 4th and 5th year players who should be FAs are RFAs. Logic would tell you that this is the year to spend your money on your own players. In addition, because of the spector of a non-football year in 2011, many of the better juniors have declared, and it will be a great draft. Logic will tell you that this isn't the best year to use a 2nd round pick on an RFA as first round quality players will be available into the second round.

But hey, that's logic. Worrying isn't about logic.

Good luck!

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“When we look at the board, based on everything we want in a football player at that particular time, we evaluate them and take the player that fits best for our football team. That’s what we always do, and I think the last nine years we’ve put a pretty competitive team out there on the field every year. I think that’s how you do it – you get good football players. Sometimes they are not always at the No. 1 position, but I don’t think you pass up good football players to get the guys who aren’t as good just because they’re at a position that somebody feels you need.”
BB on his draft philosophy, April 2010

spacecrime

Yeah, took me several paragraphs to say the same thing

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“When we look at the board, based on everything we want in a football player at that particular time, we evaluate them and take the player that fits best for our football team. That’s what we always do, and I think the last nine years we’ve put a pretty competitive team out there on the field every year. I think that’s how you do it – you get good football players. Sometimes they are not always at the No. 1 position, but I don’t think you pass up good football players to get the guys who aren’t as good just because they’re at a position that somebody feels you need.”
BB on his draft philosophy, April 2010