More Belichick, Patriots in the NFP

[JSn]

Some more nice insight into Bill and our Pats.

The National Football Post | Diner Morning News

Excerpt:

The Patriots have a complete team ready to compete in the NFL before the draft. I always felt that you had to attempt to cover your team needs before the draft so that you could enter the draft with the intention of taking the best player. Having the ability to be flexible in the draft allows you to just pick players and not have to worry about waiting for a certain player. The best drafts normally come from having the best offseasons. You enter the draft room with a sense of peace and know that if the chips don’t fall your way, your team can still go out and compete.

Now, I know this sounds elementary and you’re probably asking, “Don’t all NFL teams try to do this?” The answer is a big NO. Many teams don’t want to sign a veteran player at a position of draft need because they fear the coaches will not play the rookie and will end up playing the rundown veteran. Unless the head coach dictates who will play and when they play, this problem will always be a part of many organizations. In New England, for example, there’s only one person who determines who gets on the field, and if the veteran is better than the rookie, he plays. If the rookie is best, he will play. New England’s way of handling the manipulation of personnel is not the norm in the NFL. New England’s football operation runs like a paramilitary organization while many other teams take the “committee approach.” Everyone knows how I feel about the committee approach.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

It's a good read. It would have been better if it had mentioned that even with one guy running the show, it's difficult to find FA's for all your needs that will join your team for what you think they are worth. I also think it would be worth mentioning that, in the case of the Pats, two major factors are winning and the culture of the locker room and organization that can coax some players to accept going there for less than they might get elsewhere.... tho I wonder if that is enough to balance the crappy weather and high taxes.

 

[Mack Herron]

The Patriots have a complete team ready to compete in the NFL before the draft.

Excerpt:

Nice, but a couple of positions are still ? at the moment (OLB=Woods, SS=Sanders)

 

[JR4]

Nice, but a couple of positions are still ? at the moment (OLB=Woods, SS=Sanders)

Didn't they sign James Sanders?

 

[BelichickFan]

Didn't they sign James Sanders?

I'm guessing he meant that he thinks Sanders is more backup than starter. I'm not the world's biggest Sanders fan but he's alright. Vrabel's old spot and probably Gaffney's are still up for grabs IMO. Woods played alright with Thomas out so I think we can get by that way. Same with Lewis at WR. For now they're JAGs though, I would say that we aren't "set" at those positions unless we signed, say, Taylor and Galloway. As it stands we should have some competition there. The main point, though, is our holes are insignificant enough that we can look to BPA and development of players at upcoming FA positions (like DL) in the draft.

 

[mayoclinic]

Didn't they sign James Sanders?

Yes. I believe the poster means that Woods and Sanders are both upgradeable at their positions, which is true. But both are serviceable starters at worst, and excellent rotational guys. Sanders was essentially our starting FS all of last year, so there's at least no real dropoff there from 2008. Woods was a part-time starter and was adequate at the very least.

I see both positions being upgraded long term through the draft, and possibly OLB through FA (Taylor).

There is certainly plenty of room to improve the team. But we essentially have a complete team in place going into the draft, so whatever we pick up will essentially be gravy. No gaping holes to fill. I'm not sure any other team can say that, and no other team is as stacked as we are going into a very deep draft.

 

[Mack Herron]

The defense needs playmakers to replace Vrabel and Harrison. Neither Sanders nor Woods yet qualify (and in Sanders I don't see a big up side). There is some competition at OLB with Crable, Redd, but nothing else at SS. I hope both positions will be addressed before TC, either through draft and/or FA signings of late cuts.

 

[DW Toys]

The defense needs playmakers to replace Vrabel and Harrison. Neither Sanders nor Woods yet qualify (and in Sanders I don't see a big up side). There is some competition at OLB with Crable, Redd, but nothing else at SS. I hope both positions will be addressed before TC, either through draft and/or FA signings of late cuts.

Good post.....now duck!
DW Toys

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

We will have 5 or 6 picks this year in the first 3 rounds. That might help get us some playmakers.

Also, Crable and Wheatley should be very interesting this year.

Also, the best defense is a good offense. Maybe what's his name... oh yeah, Brady can help.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Nice, but a couple of positions are still ? at the moment (OLB=Woods, SS=Sanders)

Don't we have A.Thomas, TBC, Colvin, Crable, and Rudd at OLB in addition to Woods? Or are any of those projected to play ILB?

I'm not saying we shouldn't draft an OLB... in fact, I'd like to see us draft at least one good player at OLB and ILB... I'm just saying that we are not paper thin at OLB.

That was the premise of the OP... we are going into the draft being able to draft the best player available because we are not critically thin at any position.

At safety, we have Meriweather and Sanders starting with (presumably) Harrison as a backup along with the possibility of moving Springs to Safety if needed. There are also plenty of servicable, even if not flashy, safeties available in FA.

 

[spacecrime]

The defense needs playmakers to replace Vrabel and Harrison. Neither Sanders nor Woods yet qualify (and in Sanders I don't see a big up side). There is some competition at OLB with Crable, Redd, but nothing else at SS. I hope both positions will be addressed before TC, either through draft and/or FA signings of late cuts.

The quote you are taking issue with is that the Patriots can field a competitive team now, before the draft. And your objection proves the point.

Whereas teams are looking to fill holes in the draft, the Patriots have a better team now, before the draft, than the 11-5 team they fielded last year.

The fact that our biggest problem is upgrading two positions currently held by guys who started on last year's 11-5 team merely reinforces how strong is the NEP position.

This is a cause for rejoicing, not angst.

 

[JSn]

The fact that our biggest problem is upgrading two positions currently held by guys who started on last year's 11-5 team merely reinforces how strong is the NEP position.

This is a cause for rejoicing, not angst.

Exactly. Look at our divisional opponents and their worries at this point. The Jesters don't even know who will be throwing the ball... and for that matter to whom he will be throwing it.

Patriots: Looking at upgrading their ride from an '06 to an '09
Jets: Trying to convince their date a BMX bike is a perfectly acceptable mode of transport.

 

[Sicilian]

Don't we have A.Thomas, TBC, Colvin, Crable, and Rudd at OLB in addition to Woods? Or are any of those projected to play ILB?

We don't have Colvin. He was never resigned as far as I remember.

 

[patchick]

I'm going to shamelessly pat myself on the back for a moment. :snob: Yesterday I wrote:

"The Patriots are all set for the next year imo." Of course they are, that's how they operate. They work the mid-range of free agency to plug all their holes before the draft. That leaves them with maximum flexibility to aim for value and entertain deals on draft day.
...
IOW, plugging immediate holes in free agency doesn't mean you don't need the draft -- it means you're ready for the draft.

And today Lombardi wrote:

The Patriots have a complete team ready to compete in the NFL before the draft. I always felt that you had to attempt to cover your team needs before the draft so that you could enter the draft with the intention of taking the best player. Having the ability to be flexible in the draft allows you to just pick players and not have to worry about waiting for a certain player. The best drafts normally come from having the best offseasons. You enter the draft room with a sense of peace and know that if the chips don’t fall your way, your team can still go out and compete.

Therefore I proclaim Lombardi a genius.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

:cool2:

Jets: Trying to convince their date a BMX bike is a perfectly acceptable mode of transport.

In some situations, it is.:singing:

 

[Mack Herron]

The quote you are taking issue with is that the Patriots can field a competitive team now, before the draft. And your objection proves the point.

Whereas teams are looking to fill holes in the draft, the Patriots have a better team now, before the draft, than the 11-5 team they fielded last year.

The fact that our biggest problem is upgrading two positions currently held by guys who started on last year's 11-5 team merely reinforces how strong is the NEP position.

This is a cause for rejoicing, not angst.

No angst here, but neither Woods nor Sanders were starters when Vrabel and Harrison were healthy. Both are question markes in terms of whether or not they can fill that role.

 

[Deus Irae]

No angst here, but neither Woods nor Sanders were starters when Vrabel and Harrison were healthy. Both are question markes in terms of whether or not they can fill that role.

Sanders started ever game he played in last season. He missed two games with an abdomen injury.

http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20090305_patriots_transactions.82eb035.html

http://www.nfl.com/players/jamessanders/profile?id=SAN342375

 

[Mack Herron]

"when Vrabel and Harrison were healthy"

With Sander at safety the defense coughed up big plays and TDs all year long. Harrison is a premier SS, lilely HOFer. Sanders is no Harrison. That is all I am saying.

 

[Deus Irae]

"when Vrabel and Harrison were healthy"

With Sander at safety the defense coughed up big plays and TDs all year long. Harrison is a premier SS, lilely HOFer. Sanders is no Harrison. That is all I am saying.

But your point was wrong. Sanders was the starter from week 1.

 

[Mack Herron]

At the beginning of hte year they started Sanders at FS while BM acclimated. Then Rodney got hurt. Rodney has started every game at SS when he was healthy. BM developed and shows a big up side, and now BM is FS. Sanders is SS and has yet to show he can do the job IMO. People who cliamn that a defense that was horrible against the pass (esp stopping big plays) and lost two of its greatest palyers in Vrabel and (likely) Harrison is somehow better now than it was last year because they have two new corners have some sort of special knowledge I suppose. THe defense is not "complete". It is improved at CB and nowhere else.