This draft will be looked back on as a meat and potatoes draft. Lots of good players adding to the awesome depth the Patriots possesss at all positions.
Bill Belichick completed the rebuilding of his Offense in 2007. The proof of the pudding, was a record setting 50 passing TDs and the all time 589 point scoring total and an undefeated regular season. The Offense was set for five years with but minor tweaking. In 2008, the Pats final interim tweak was the addition of some RB depth.
This draft two years later will mark the completion of an entirely new generation of Defenders. In short, when these players earn their spurs, the New Englend Defense,already Top Ten/Top Eight wil be rebuilt for the next half decade.
At the same time this double draft, also returned to start grooming some of the long range replacements for that Offense. Tate could eventually becomes a next generation number 1 WR. Vollmer at RT will learn and probably take Kaczur's job by 2010. That will free Kaczur to be the swing OT at the least, But the Patriots are pretty sound at reserve tackle, already.
But they know that the interior of the Offensive line will need to be addressed in a few years, Neal is going on 33, and Hochstein the prime utility reserve, is turning 32.
Volmer settling in at RT, frees Kaczur to go inside and immediately compete for a starting Guard position, or at the very least upgrade Hochstein at prime utility reserve position, pushing him to the second reserve. Belichick usually carries two interior reserves. Quite frankly, Billy Yates is barely adequate.
At the same time Belichick drafted Orhnberger who is a very quick, tough guy with some mobility, albeit a little undersized. He could eventually provide the second swing guard/center reserve, but more than likely will push for the starting Center position eventually. Bussey is a PS candidate and maybe more. He has the size to be a starting Guard with some grooming, as well.
This draft will also be recognized as the first attempts at grooming eventual replacements, fo ronce again re-tooling the Offense, in a year or three.
