RayClay

I think the new Commish is doing a good job. He'll make mistakes, but he's not afraid to take some stands.

" Goodell also addressed the lingering issue of helping retired players with major medical problems. "We are sensitive to that issue," he said. "Four things we are looking at doing are facilities for medical care, low-cost insurance, assisted living facilities, and dire-need funds."

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...u_leap/?page=3

Later in the notes column is this gem.

Remember the name Stewart Bradley. When the Philadelphia Eagles selected Bradley in the third round of last weekend's draft, the news was met with a groan in the Patriots' draft room. The Nebraska linebacker was a player the Patriots would have been pleased to draft with the 91st overall selection, but the Eagles snared him 87th.

A linebacker! A day one linebacker!!

Is it just me, or could they have packaged 8 or 10 of the bottom round scrubs they're going to have to cut anyway to move up 5 spots?

This week on unsolved mysteries: The patriots plan to restock linebacker depth.

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jefmblrd

I like what the new commissioner has done with cracking down on guys like Pacman Jones. It sends a strong message to the league that this type of behavior won't be tolerated.

PatsWickedPissah

Without a 5th just how much would a team move down for a 6th?

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Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck." RAH

dhamz

There is an enormous difference between thinking a guy would be a nice pick in the third round and thinking he is a must have and that ensuring you get him is worth a ton of picks.

RayClay

We had 2 tradeable 6ths, leaving us with 2 6ths even if we traded both.

How about a 4th for the move up and a 5th? Do you see any indipensable players we picked with 4 through 7?

We got a 4-3 lineman with the 4th. Are we going to switch to playing mostly 4-3 now?

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RayClay

Again, who did we pick up with all those picks? Enough to equal one desired player in a position of need? I don't think so.

Minimum 80% cuts or PS.

Of course I'm exaggerating for effect. You don't need that much to move up 4 spots.

Even given my ridiculous exaggeration, one decent ILB with a chance to start someday compared to 1 or 2 marginally able to make the team, if that?

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Crazy Patriot Guy

How is the team supposed to know that the Eagles would take him? All they can do is guess and hope.

I said this in another thread. Back in 2002, groans were heard in the Pats' war room when Settle (I mistakenly said the Chargers in the other thread) took UNLV DE Anton Palepoi at #60. We took Deion Branch instead.

The best example by far I think would be Houston. The talk now is that the Texans really liked Ginn Jr. I think Texans fans would be out of their minds to rip the team for not jumping Miami to get him. Let's be honest, who in their right minds thought Miami would take anyone but Quinn?

All teams can do is look at the board and look at who has picks coming up and simply guess on a player still being there. I'm sure everyone in that Houston war room assumed Ginn Jr. was theirs once Quinn fell past Minnesota and the next two picks was Atlanta and then Miami. No one would expect Atlanta to take a WR and again, everyone on the face of the earth KNEW Quinn was about to be a Dolphin.

Questioning the team about not trading up a few spots after-the-fact is pointless.