Lombardi on Pats offseason ahead

[letekro]

Are you serious? There's no way Quinn is going #1 overall over Fariley and Bowers.

And why is that? The heads aren't talking about him because he didn't play this year, but I don't think there's any question he's a better athlete than these guys and he was very productive in 2009.

 

[Free_Pacman]

There's absolutely NO chance of it happening, but I would love to make a move for Asomugah. We'd have the best seconday in the league and no longer have to see Plaxico Burress beating Hobbs, or Edwards beating Butler in huge games. Unfortunately, we don't have a chance at him.


I'm very, VERY concerned that Kraft and BB don't see that our window is fast closing. We probably have four years at mos; no longer can we wait years for players to develop; no more Merriweathers, Butlers, Maroneys, Chungs, etc.. We need players who can make an impact immediately. It's uncharestic of BB and Kraft to sign big money players or trade high picks for players or trade up, but the time is right.

 

[mgteich]

Signing Mankins and Light before free agency would be a huge plus. I have every faith that Belichick can find free agent running backs or wide receivers, before the CBA is signed or after. I don't think that the CBA affect our free agency and the draft as much as folks think.

It's all going to depend on the games played with the CBA. Every free agent and tradeable player can be one less draft pick needed to look for a priority position, but will those players really be available prior to the draft?

 

[Deus Irae]

Signing Mankins and Light before free agency would be a huge plus. I have every faith that Belichick can find free agent running backs or wide receivers, before the CBA is signed or after. I don't think that the CBA affect our free agency and the draft as much as folks think.

I don't see a lot of depth at either the speed/deep receiver or RB spots in free agency. I do see a way for the Patriots to really improve the offense with 3 signings.


Nicks - OG
Jackson/Rice - WR
DeAngelo Williams - RB

If the team could pull that off, it could then focus almost all of its energies on the defensive side of the ball at draft time.

I just don't see it happening, for various reasons (money, discipline, franchise tag).

 

[Sciz]

I'm very, VERY concerned that Kraft and BB don't see that our window is fast closing. We probably have four years at mos; no longer can we wait years for players to develop; no more Merriweathers, Butlers, Maroneys, Chungs, etc.. We need players who can make an impact immediately. It's uncharestic of BB and Kraft to sign big money players or trade high picks for players or trade up, but the time is right.

:bricks:

If you think you see something that Bill doesn't, then you're crazy.

 

[ATippett56]

Nicks - OG

How is Carl Nicks an unrestricted free agent since he was selected from the 2008 NFL Draft class?

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NFL&id=4828

 

[Sciz]

How is Carl Nicks an unrestricted free agent since he was selected from the 2008 NFL Draft class?

Carl Nicks

He was a 5th round pick. Worth noting that he would be an RFA assuming all the rules about that stay the same.

 

[mb6592]

To be honest, as much as there are needs on the offense I'd really like to see the defense became an outright beast unit themselves with the ability to restrict opponents from doing anything when the offense sputters as majorly as it did against the Jets.

and the Giants and the Ravens

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'm very, VERY concerned that Kraft and BB don't see that our window is fast closing.

That's because BB doesn't believe in the concept of "windows."

 

[ausbacker]

and the Giants and the Ravens

The sour taste of three monumental offensive let downs is hanging about mb6592. In SB42 the defense played well enough to give the offense a chance to win. Against the Ravens the whole team was OK and against the Jets even though the D was average it was better than the O and ST combined.

I'd really like to see a return to the punishing BB defense of old.

 

[jmt57]

Good article although we have been reading that BB should use his picks to move up for a while now. Does he finally give in?

The "Belichick never trades up" line is one that has been repeated so many times it is now accepted as fact.

For better or worse, he has traded up for Matt Light, Kenyatta Jones, Daniel Graham, Ty Warren, Eugene Wilson, Bethel Johnson, Asante Samuel, Chad Jackson and Ron Brace.

With the number of holes that needed to be filled I can't really find fault with trading down in exchange for extra picks the last couple of years.

With that many early picks my first expectation would be to trade one to the future - similar to turning a #89 pick a year ago to a #33 this year. Moving up that high in one year looks pretty good right now even though most were complaining last spring.

However, the combination of so many early draft picks and relatively fewer needs makes me think this could be a year we see the Pats move up rather than down.

Then again the Pats could take some combination of OLB, DE, G, C, T, RB and WR in the first four rounds - without significantly moving up once.

 

[sevengables_2207]

Good article. It makes sense that this would be the prime opportunity to make some moves up the draft board to take a few blue chip defensive prospects. They might even move up near the top of the first round if a collective bargaining agreement that features a rookie salary cap is implemented prior to the NFL Draft.

 

[andrewgarrr]

I think some of the fiscal concerns and the trend of increasing guaranteed money to top 10 picks swayed BB from moving up in the first round in recent years.

If there is a new CBA in place that instills a rookie salary cap, I could see BB trading into the top 10 picks.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I think some of the fiscal concerns and the trend of increasing guaranteed money to top 10 picks swayed BB from moving up in the first round in recent years.

If there is a new CBA in place that instills a rookie salary cap, I could see BB trading into the top 10 picks.

The question is how much you have to give up to do it.

Let's put this in perspective: the Patriots could have taken Devin McCourty at 22. By trading down to 27—and, admittedly, taking the chance they might lose McCourty—they got Taylor Price and Aaron Hernandez, too.

That's not to say it's always better to trade down, but BB does generally prefer more bites at the apple than fewer.

 

[Titanium Coate Hanger]

Something to consider is the natural drain on talent via loss of coordinators.

Belichick has lost close to three generations of coordinators and front office staff.

Pioli
Dimitrioff
Weis
Crennel
Mangini
McDaniels
Pees

Think about it. You are no longer just competing against the rest of the league for the kind of talent that fits your system, you are competing against executives and coaches trained in your system looking for that same talent. That the the limitation of a big coaching tree, it naturally becomes polar opposite to the tendency to try to take advantage of market inefficiencies in personnel decisions. Billy Beane naturally became less effective when 3-4 of his disciples ( whom also worked under Sandy Alderson) became GM's themselves.

1) Will the guy fit your system?
2) Will he be around when I pick?
3) Will he be represented by an agent I can work with?
4) What other teams and executives want this exact same guy?

The reality is if it's too hard to find personnel that can do what Belichick wants to do, then he has to adjust to what personnel he does get. At some point you have to stop trying to find the next McGinest and just find a guy who can beat the hell out of the enemy QB.

This really wasn't the offseason to try to gun for pass rushers. The past two drafts were. This is a weak draft and eventually Belchick is going to have to face some realities about his system in place ( Even Billy Beane had to make concessions about what he could do with his system, he started to deviate from it when it was clear that the market inefficiencies he normally took advantage of were no longer there or had become valued issues for other franchises)

 

[RayClay]

Definitely need the monster DE, if available. Maybe an olb/de pass rusher, but firming up the line will allow current pass rushers to be more effective too.

 

[Fencer]

It's all about the lines. BB's three highest DL picks all turned out well, and were solid contributors their rookie seasons. Ditto the two highest OL picks. Ditto the blocking aspect of the highest TE pick's game.

Notwithstanding Grahambo's blocking, nor the picks of Gronk and Branch, high offensive skill picks haven't gone nearly so well.

Other high defensive picks have gone pretty well on average too, Butler's troubles notwithstanding.

 

[goheels22002]

I really hope they take that advice and go for help with the pash rush now and not down the road. They have a 4 year window with Brady. The time to win is now!!

What do you call 14-2? Losing? Get a grip.

This team finished with the best record in football and beat every team left in the tournament.

If the Pats score on the 1st two possessions in the Red Zone, they'd still be playing. It was execution on a couple of early plays and the game got away from them. Yes, they can get better and younger in a few places, but this is a winning team that should enter next season with a lot of confidence.

I agree about the DE/OLB need and they certainly need OL help. BB has so many chips he can play, filling needs will be fun for all of us. Have faith. Next year will be great and let's hope they get on a roll in the playoffs.

 

[skinnydog]

What do you call 14-2? Losing? Get a grip.

This team finished with the best record in football and beat every team left in the tournament.

If the Pats score on the 1st two possessions in the Red Zone, they'd still be playing. It was execution on a couple of early plays and the game got away from them. Yes, they can get better and younger in a few places, but this is a winning team that should enter next season with a lot of confidence.

I agree about the DE/OLB need and they certainly need OL help. BB has so many chips he can play, filling needs will be fun for all of us. Have faith. Next year will be great and let's hope they get on a roll in the playoffs.

Uh, yeah, the time to win is now. So your satisfied with a great regular season and a one and done in the playoffs? Really? What are we now the Colts? Success this year is no guarantee of success next year. Remember 08'? And now it looks like Brady will have surgery again. I'll have faith when BB gets a pass rush.

 

[Haley]

When I saw the title of this thread, my first thought was that the Pats were calling the SB victory during the offseason. Needless to say I was horrified.

The article was a pleasant surprise to say the least.