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Apparently King didn't like the Pat's draft:
Abram Elam key to New York Jets-Cleveland Browns NFL draft deal - Peter King - SI.com
A few things:
1.) If was well publicized that the Pats looked to get into the top 10 (King reported it and may be feeling burned because his scoop didn't coem true), but either they couldn't, the player they were targetting were gone, or they weren't trying that hard. All the other reports said the Pats didn't like the quality of players in the late first round. He told the NFL Network that he didn't like the draft. So why wouldn't he trade down.
2.) My guess is that Patrick Chung is starting over Sanders by the end of the year. I don't remember who said it, but someone on the TV this weekend said he could be the next Troy Polumalu. Granted that is setting high expectations, but I don't think the Pats feel that James Sanders is the guy they want starting at SS for the next 5 years and they always like to have three solid safeties.
3.) Considering how both ESPN and the NFL Network seemed to be gushing over the Patriots picks and even scanning the message boards of our league competitor's site were praising most of the Pats' second round picks, I really doubt the picks were met with shrugs around the league.
I think King was expecting the Pats to make a huge splash in this draft by trading into the top 10 and possibly trading into the first round for a second time. When the Pats clearly showed they weren't thrilled with this draft, I think King was shocked. That is the only thing I can think of because he seems to mischaracterize several things.
I think the Patriots' draft was ... well, uninspired. Keep in mind, we all said the same thing about Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Matt Light and Logan Mankins. But it was almost like the Patriots lost a guy (Percy Harvin? Brandon Pettigrew? Larry English?) they liked right above their first-round pick, then just started dumping, and by the time they picked, they were down to the Patrick Chungs of the world at 34.
That pick was odd. They've got a pair of 25-year-old safeties, James Sanders and Brandon Meriweather, they like very much. Is it possible they picked Chung to be mostly a special-teams demon for a year or two?
Except for well-regarded cornerback Darius Butler, the Patriots four second-rounders were greeted with shoulder shrugs around the league. I really like Brandon Tate, warts and all, because he's probably the best returner in the draft, and if he screw up one time with his poor personal track record, the Patriots can just cut him. But the upside on him -- as it might have been with Harvin -- is big when you've got such a big cushion because of all the extra draft picks. I think what I liked most about New England's draft is that the Patriots, for the second year in a row in 2010, are scheduled to have four picks in the first two rounds.
Abram Elam key to New York Jets-Cleveland Browns NFL draft deal - Peter King - SI.com
A few things:
1.) If was well publicized that the Pats looked to get into the top 10 (King reported it and may be feeling burned because his scoop didn't coem true), but either they couldn't, the player they were targetting were gone, or they weren't trying that hard. All the other reports said the Pats didn't like the quality of players in the late first round. He told the NFL Network that he didn't like the draft. So why wouldn't he trade down.
2.) My guess is that Patrick Chung is starting over Sanders by the end of the year. I don't remember who said it, but someone on the TV this weekend said he could be the next Troy Polumalu. Granted that is setting high expectations, but I don't think the Pats feel that James Sanders is the guy they want starting at SS for the next 5 years and they always like to have three solid safeties.
3.) Considering how both ESPN and the NFL Network seemed to be gushing over the Patriots picks and even scanning the message boards of our league competitor's site were praising most of the Pats' second round picks, I really doubt the picks were met with shrugs around the league.
I think King was expecting the Pats to make a huge splash in this draft by trading into the top 10 and possibly trading into the first round for a second time. When the Pats clearly showed they weren't thrilled with this draft, I think King was shocked. That is the only thing I can think of because he seems to mischaracterize several things.