Drafting for 1-2 years out

[BlitzFritz]

BB almost never is drafting for need this year. If feels more like he has a picture of the team next year or the year after, and then is trying to bring in the raw talent to develop to close the gaps.

This seems so obvious with the young corners, Vollmer,Ohrnberg, McKenzie, even Crable.

Do you guys agree?

Also, doesnt it feel like many other teams are drafting FOR THIS YEAR?

-- FRITZ

 

[ivanfears]

BB almost never is drafting for need this year. If feels more like he has a picture of the team next year or the year after, and then is trying to bring in the raw talent to develop to close the gaps.

This seems so obvious with the young corners, Vollmer,Ohrnberg, McKenzie, even Crable.

Do you guys agree?

Also, doesnt it feel like many other teams are drafting FOR THIS YEAR?

-- FRITZ

other than the first round picks , the rest are like redshirt freshman, i think chung sees the field alot this year

 

[Mack Herron]

Rookies are given a chance to compete, but it is rare that any rookie can step in and start right away for a contending team. It seems to me that it just takes most players time to develop. Some never do. In addition, we look for value, and one way to find it is to take prospects who are not yet ready (due to injury or lack of experience) but have potential and might contribute in the future.

 

[patchick]

BB almost never is drafting for need this year. If feels more like he has a picture of the team next year or the year after, and then is trying to bring in the raw talent to develop to close the gaps.

This seems so obvious with the young corners, Vollmer,Ohrnberg, McKenzie, even Crable.

Do you guys agree?

Pretty much. BB makes a point of filling all immediate roster holes before the draft, to give himself the freedom to draft for the future. This year the roster was nicely filled out, so yes, it was a future-oriented draft. But on the rare occasions where a starting job has remained open at draft time he has drafted aggressively to fill it for year 1 -- think Mankins and Gostkowski.

 

[BradyManny]

Pretty much. BB makes a point of filling all immediate roster holes before the draft, to give himself the freedom to draft for the future. This year the roster was nicely filled out, so yes, it was a future-oriented draft. But on the rare occasions where a starting job has remained open at draft time he has drafted aggressively to fill it for year 1 -- think Mankins and Gostkowski.

But I think what he also does - and what gets downplayed - is that he drafts for positions that are either an immediate need, or at the very least, an area of potential immediate upgrade. Particularly when it comes to 1st round picks, the player is given the opportunity to compete for a starting job at a position of need. IE, Wilfork, Seymour, Mankins, Maroney, Mayo. Meriweather could've earned more playing time, and did in his 2nd year, and I imagine Chung will be given every opportunity to compete for time.

 

[WhiZa]

Every year is like that for BB recently. His first round picks early on were usually starters right away, but slowly they are now becoming top backups. This year especially the only starting position open was OLB so the entire draft, to me, was to find guys that can start next year if there becomes a mass exodus. It's a great luxury to have.

 

[patchick]

But I think what he also does - and what gets downplayed - is that he drafts for positions that are either an immediate need, or at the very least, an area of potential immediate upgrade. Particularly when it comes to 1st round picks, the player is given the opportunity to compete for a starting job at a position of need. IE, Wilfork, Seymour, Mankins, Maroney, Mayo. Meriweather could've earned more playing time, and did in his 2nd year, and I imagine Chung will be given every opportunity to compete for time.

I'd take those one by one. Seymour was of a different era with a roster full of holes. Wilfork was serendipitous, if they'd really been targeting the position they would have moved up for him, rather than wait for his super-unlikely fall. Maroney I semi-agree; RB is a position where rookies commonly thrive. Mankins & Mayo were definite need picks -- and like all of BB's fill-a-slot-now picks, were selected much higher than most pundits predicted to assure they'd be available. And Meriweather IMO was a clear case of drafting for the future. The Pats were returning all 3 of their top safeties, but the starters were unsigned for the following year.

 

[SANJOSEPATSFAN]

Four picks in the 1st two rounds of next years draft if we do not trade up or down. Hard not to like that.

 

[BradyFTW!]

BB almost never is drafting for need this year. If feels more like he has a picture of the team next year or the year after, and then is trying to bring in the raw talent to develop to close the gaps.

This seems so obvious with the young corners, Vollmer,Ohrnberg, McKenzie, even Crable.

Do you guys agree?

Also, doesnt it feel like many other teams are drafting FOR THIS YEAR?

-- FRITZ

I agree, totally. It's a large part of why, when Vrabel was cut, I figured that it had more to do with Crable and Woods than Julius Peppers.

 

[Deus Irae]

I agree, totally. It's a large part of why, when Vrabel was cut, I figured that it had more to do with Crable and Woods than Julius Peppers.

Just a nit pick.....

Vrabel was traded, not cut.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Just a nit pick.....

Vrabel was traded, not cut.

ahh crap, my bad. Dunno why I spaced that.