January 30, 2010 - Offseason and mock

[carolinatony]

I agree with you regarding several points:

1. We lacked toughness on both sides of the ball in 2009.
2. We lacked playmaking on both sides of the ball in 2009.
3. We lacked leadership on defense in 2009.

Those elements were a major part of my offseason needs assessment. I've been touting CJ Spiller for example, but earlier this season I was much more in favor of Jonathan Dwyer than Spiller. But right now I think that an offensive playmaker like Spiller could transform our offense, whereas a bruiser like Dwyer would just add to it. Similarly, I think that a guy like Rolando McClain or Karlos Dansby could provide a stable foundation in the middle of our defense and a level of leadership that could be transformative to our overall level of defense.

The pieces are there on both sides of the ball, but we need "transformational" players who's impact will be greater than just what role they fill on the field. Look at how Darren Sharper transformed New Orleans' defense this season. And we need to get tougher, more physical, and more aggressive on both sides of the ball.

CJ Spiller is the RB I want IF he's there in the 1st but our OL imo needs to be upgrated in the middle. When you can't get 2/3 yrs consistenty and have to pass on 3rd down; that should tell us all about our OL.

Here's my picks for us.
It will never happen as BB will trade at least 1 or 2 picks back

1 C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
2A Jerry Hughes OLB TCU
2B DE Austen Lane Murray/Carlos Dunlap Florida
2C Ducasse, Vladimir OG Mass

 

[mayoclinic]

CJ Spiller is the RB I want IF he's there in the 1st but our OL imo needs to be upgrated in the middle. When you can't get 2/3 yrs consistenty and have to pass on 3rd down; that should tell us all about our OL.

Here's my picks for us.
It will never happen as BB will trade at least 1 or 2 picks back

1 C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
2A Jerry Hughes OLB TCU
2B DE Austen Lane Murray/Carlos Dunlap Florida
2C Ducasse, Vladimir OG Mass

That's fine (though I would take Dunlap and Lane and skip Hughes, trading 2A, 2B and 4 for 1A and 3; that would give me Spiller, Dunlap, Ducasse and Lane), But don't expect Ducasse to come in day 1 and make a big difference to our OL. He's very raw, with tremendous upside, but he needs a year of schooling at least before he will be a solid contributor.

 

[BostonPatriot]

Everything below assumes no CBA

Veterans
DT - Wilfork - franchise or reach deal
G- Mankins - high RFA
K- Ghost - High RFA
OLB/DE - Sign either TBC or Jason Taylor
Punter - sign Jon Ryan Seattle
CB - hope they sign Bodden but think the Butler, Whilhite era has begun
RB - sign Faulk

Draft
Trade 22 for picks 37, 69
37 - NT, Cody - provides great depth on the D Line, Wilfork can kick outside to end in the 3-4
42 - OLB/DE - Hardy - trainee to become new Vrabel
47 - C/G - Pouncey, Florida
53 - WR - Arrelious Benn
69 - TE - Colin Peek
118 RB - Blount, Oregon - becomes the FB / power back

Team looks something like this

QB (2) - Brady and whoever
RB/FB (5)- Maroney, Taylor, Morris, Blount, Faulk
WR (5) - Moss, Edelman, Benn, Tate, Aiken
T - (4) Light, Vollmer, Kaczur, LeVoir
G\C (5)- Mankins, Koppen, Pouncey, Connolly, Wendell
TE - (2) Baker, Peek
23 Offense

DT (5) - Wilfork, Warren, Wright, Cody, Pryor
OLB/DE (5) - Taylor/TBC, Hardy, Thomas (too versatile to cut), Crable, Ninkovich
ILB (4) - Mayo, Guyton, McKenzie, Alexander
S (4) - Merriweather, Sanders, Chung, McGowan
CB (5) - Bodden, Butler, Whilite, Springs, Wheately
23 Defense
P - Ryan
K - Ghost
LS - Ingram

49 players, close enough, you pick the final 4

Nice effort. Obviously you put a lot of time into this.

I would be pretty upset if the Pats did anything close to what you've proposed this offseason/draft. The WR core is horrible (aside from Moss) and again, we've got no pass rush. There is no way you go into the season with Edlemen as your #2 wr.

No thanks on all counts.