Originally Posted by mgteich

1) I don't expect Green to be extended AND Seymour to be extended AND Smith to be re-signed at $1.6M or so (as would be required to keep him). So my conclusion is that we will need one or two defensive ends for the 2010 season.

2) Front seven players in our 2-gap 3-4 defense sometimes need time to develop, especially players who aren't stud game-ready top 10 picks.

3) We can wait, but it is possible to draft at DE in both 2009 and 2010 if necessary. If we choose to let Green walk and Seymour is an issue (he might sit out in camp as a franchisee), then we will need a DE starter for 2010 with draft picks that start at 32, and that would mean starting a rookie.

4) Also, we might have other needs for the franchise tag than Seymour, especially if we have a new CBA (e.g., Gostkowksi).

BOTTOM LINE
If we can, let's draft the replacement for Green or Seymour now, expecting to keep one in 2010. And just BTW, if he is good enough, and belichick thinks enough of Smith, Green could be in trouble this year. We could be keeping two of the draftee, Green and Smith.

Originally Posted by BradyManny2344

Brace & Sammie Lee Hill, and like DE, there are some late round NT that were of interest when reading various reports, but the names are alluding me at this point. Even a guy who has fallen off the planet like Terrance Taylor has a shot as a reserve run plugger.

IMO, either Brace or Hill seems like better value than any DE prospect I can think of. Finding a backup run plugger in the 3-4 might not be an easy task, but in this specific draft, it looks easier than finding a 5-technique DE to replace Seymour.

Originally Posted by Box_O_Rocks

Gilbert is my favorite alternative at #23, I understand Dryheat's concerns, but from what I can recall from my reading he's just a late bloomer and the maturity questions are based more on his slow development than any locker room or off-field concerns.

Originally Posted by BradyManny2344

And I disagree Meriweather is a counter example. Sanders hadn't exactly emerged as a sure-fire starter before Meriweather was drafted, its quite possible BB didn't see Sanders as the long term starter

Originally Posted by AzPatsFan

Mgteich,

You seem to worry like a mother hen about expiring contracts. We had a bunch of UFAs this year. How many did we lose that we wanted to keep? ZERO.

Originally Posted by patchick

Didn't Gaffney, Paxton and Evans all turn down offers from the Patriots to take more money elsewhere? (And you can't say "they'd have kept them if they really wanted them," because then you have a meaningless circular definition.)

Regardless, it's disingenuous to compare a UFA class headed by Gaffney, Sanders, Evans & Wright to one headed by Wilfork, Seymour, Mankins & Kaczur. Any one of next year's big three will command as much as this year's group put together.

Originally Posted by AzPatsFan

Nevertheless the Pats WANT 2010 Uncapped, and WANT to be able to resign ALL their Stars with out hurt or hinderance of CAP.

They WANT to re-sign as many as they wish to without having to choose amongst them, or handicap them in a future capregime..

And I expect them to EXTEND Brady in 2010 too for kickers.

Originally Posted by dryheat44

My concerns are based purely on-the-field. He seems to be light and high-cut, and I think any good OT is going to own him in the run game. I don't see how he fits as a DE in the New England 3-4. I don't think he can control one gap, let alone 2 when he needs to.

Originally Posted by kurtinelson

I'm very high on Gilbert, but I have similar concerns about his ability to play 2 gap. I do think he'll be a fantastic player for some team, possibly as a 4-3 DE.