A three-step plan to return to glory

[JFK]

I'm thinking the Pats find a way to get picks for BJGE. I feel he is good but can't carry the team if God forbid, Brady goes down. If we draft Ingram, it won't be fair to have an RB coming off a 1000yd season eventually relegated to #2 on the depth. I just don't see us adding a RB and keeping BJGE unless we want to under use him
BJGE would be nice on a run heavy team.

 

[shmessy]

1.) Who is going to give up a 1st round pick for Meriweather?

2.) Who is going to start at S in lieu of Meriweather?

3.) Why would you trade one of your better defensive players on a dirt cheap contract (replacing him with an ostensibly worse player) when the defense hasn't been that good to begin with?

1) Dan Snyder, Al Davis........ hey, remember, I wrote 2012, not 2011 1st rounder. According to some here, that equals a 2011 2nd rounder.

2) James Sanders, Pat Chung, Brandon McGowan, Sergio Brown and a draft pick this spring to be in a beefed up secondary with CB's McCourty, Bodden, Arrington, Butler, Wilhite, etc. doesn't seem bad at all.

3) He has 1 year to go on that contract and he just made it as a Pro Bowl Starter this year. You don't think that will go to his head??? Is there anything in Merriwether's history that would tell you that it won't explode his ego? BB traded a much more stable and sane Richard Seymour with the one year to go situation. Merriwether would make even more sense than that.

How many times has he shown (and it was trumpted by others on this board - - not including me) that Merriwether was a "knucklehead who just doesn't get it".

Well said "knucklehead" is now a Pro-Bowl Starter who will want big money for his bad angles and poor technique after the next season. Remember how winning the SB MVP in #39 sent Deion Branch's self-worth over the bend? There's no way that merriwether will want to stay in BB's doghouse after next year. The man wants to freelance all over that field, and everyone knows it.

Who here believes that Brandon Merriwether is Pro-Bowl Starter material? Who here believes that wasn't a ridiculous fluke of the "voters"? Let's get value for Merriwether while we can.

 

[ivanvamp]

I too believe that the road back to the SB is more defense.

I'm indifferent on Floyd.

I hear what you're saying on Floyd. I just don't think that it's a position where the Pats should invest a ton of resources. I'd love Fitzgerald, but the cost would be very high. Floyd ran a ton of deep routes, was targeted 77 times, had 37 receptions for 717 yds (19.4 avg), and 6 td. When I first saw those stats I thought he must have had a ton of drops, but that's not the case. He didn't have many drops at all this year. I couldn't find his actual stat, but I looked at some league leader sites and the least number of drops on the site was 5, and Floyd didn't make the list, so obviously he had no more than 4.

At his age and relatively modest stats (just 37 receptions and 6 td), his price shouldn't be high. But he'd be a tremendous asset for Brady in this offense. He's used to not being the #1 receiver, so he shouldn't have a Moss-sized ego to get in the way. Just a relatively inexpensive, but explosive, receiver that would fit in great here. He can really stretch the field and at his size, out jump most defenders. He didn't get a lot of catches because (a) he was used mostly on deep balls, and (b) SD has had Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates, two big-time receivers.

He isn't as good as TO or Moss in their primes, and I would never suggest as much. But he'd be a very solid addition to their WR corps, at relatively little cost.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I hear what you're saying on Floyd. I just don't think that it's a position where the Pats should invest a ton of resources. I'd love Fitzgerald, but the cost would be very high. Floyd ran a ton of deep routes, was targeted 77 times, had 37 receptions for 717 yds (19.4 avg), and 6 td. When I first saw those stats I thought he must have had a ton of drops, but that's not the case. He didn't have many drops at all this year. I couldn't find his actual stat, but I looked at some league leader sites and the least number of drops on the site was 5, and Floyd didn't make the list, so obviously he had no more than 4.

At his age and relatively modest stats (just 37 receptions and 6 td), his price shouldn't be high. But he'd be a tremendous asset for Brady in this offense. He's used to not being the #1 receiver, so he shouldn't have a Moss-sized ego to get in the way. Just a relatively inexpensive, but explosive, receiver that would fit in great here. He can really stretch the field and at his size, out jump most defenders. He didn't get a lot of catches because (a) he was used mostly on deep balls, and (b) SD has had Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates, two big-time receivers.

He isn't as good as TO or Moss in their primes, and I would never suggest as much. But he'd be a very solid addition to their WR corps, at relatively little cost.

Don't get wrong. If they didn't add anyone at WR I wouldn't complain TBH. With WW, Branch, Price, Tate, and Edelman, that is fine. Keep in mind 99.9% of NFL teams don't have a Gronk, Hernandez dynamic at TE. I'd like to see a stretch the field guy I guess but I'd rather see the resources get dumped into the OL and the RB position as that will help Brady protection-wise and force defenses to creep up a bit on the LoS and that will open up the passing game by default. The team can win that way as long as it has a defense that doesn't let up points like they are going out of style.

Now, I would cry foul if they did not acquire impact players on the D-line, OLB and OL. RB too.

 

[JackBauer]

1) Dan Snyder, Al Davis........ hey, remember, I wrote 2012, not 2011 1st rounder. According to some here, that equals a 2011 2nd rounder.

That'd be even worse for us. And the Raiders don't have a need at S.

2) James Sanders, Pat Chung, Brandon McGowan, Sergio Brown and a draft pick this spring to be in a beefed up secondary with CB's McCourty, Bodden, Arrington, Butler, Wilhite, etc. doesn't seem bad at all.

That strikes me as a batch of very mediocre coverage safeties.

3) He has 1 year to go on that contract and he just made it as a Pro Bowl Starter this year. You don't think that will go to his head??? Is there anything in Merriwether's history that would tell you that it won't explode his ego? BB traded a much more stable and sane Richard Seymour with the one year to go situation. Merriwether would make even more sense than that.

How many times has he shown (and it was trumpted by others on this board - - not including me) that Merriwether was a "knucklehead who just doesn't get it".

Well said "knucklehead" is now a Pro-Bowl Starter who will want big money for his bad angles and poor technique after the next season. Let's get value for him.

Bottom line is that your plan weakens the Patriots defense next year. That's not a course of action that I would support.

Further, as to this "knucklehead" reputation:

If anything, the oft-maligned Patriots safety has been one of the movers and shakers on defense.

Meriweather has been quarterbacking all of the other stars in the secondary, lining them up in the proper places, moving them into the right coverage. Even yesterday, New York Jets super shutdown corner Darrelle Revis couldn’t spend enough time with him, picking his brain.

 

[ivanvamp]

1) Dan Snyder, Al Davis........ hey, remember, I wrote 2012, not 2011 1st rounder. According to some here, that equals a 2011 2nd rounder.

2) James Sanders, Pat Chung, Brandon McGowan, Sergio Brown and a draft pick this spring to be in a beefed up secondary with CB's McCourty, Bodden, Arrington, Butler, Wilhite, etc. doesn't seem bad at all.

3) He has 1 year to go on that contract and he just made it as a Pro Bowl Starter this year. You don't think that will go to his head??? Is there anything in Merriwether's history that would tell you that it won't explode his ego? BB traded a much more stable and sane Richard Seymour with the one year to go situation. Merriwether would make even more sense than that.

How many times has he shown (and it was trumpted by others on this board - - not including me) that Merriwether was a "knucklehead who just doesn't get it".

Well said "knucklehead" is now a Pro-Bowl Starter who will want big money for his bad angles and poor technique after the next season. Remember how winning the SB MVP in #39 sent Deion Branch's self-worth over the bend?

Who here believes that Brandon Merriwether is Pro-Bowl Starter material? Who here believes that wasn't a ridiculous fluke of the "voters"? Let's get value for Merriwether while we can.

How about this trade: Logan Mankins (who was franchised), Brandon Meriweather, Rob Ninkovich, and a 5th round pick for DeMarcus Ware and a 2nd round pick from Dallas?

The Cowboys need OL help and have crap at the safety position. The Pats give them at least a serviceable player at LB in Ninkovich, and two pro-bowlers (one is an all-pro in Mankins).

The Patriots get the best pass-rushing 3-4 LB in the game (a head nod to Clay Matthews, but really, Ware has been a sack *monster* - 20 in 2008, 15.5 last year, nothing less than 11 in his last 5 years). Yes, Ware is a very valuable asset, which is why it would take two pro-bowlers at positions of need for Dallas in order to pry him away.

The Pats then have *7* picks in the first 3 rounds, and four of the first 40 picks in the draft. Plenty of picks to re-load on D, the O-line, whatever. Then you don't have to spend $$ getting Woodley or Hali (as I suggested earlier), but could sign a guy like Carl Nicks of the Saints, who is an outstanding guard.

 

[RobertWeathers]

How about this trade: Logan Mankins (who was franchised), Brandon Meriweather, Rob Ninkovich, and a 5th round pick for DeMarcus Ware and a 2nd round pick from Dallas?

Unless there is news about some kind of discord between Ware and the Cowboys, there is a -0% chance of that happening.

 

[JackBauer]

Unless there is news about some kind of discord between Ware and the Cowboys, there is a -0% chance of that happening.

All we have to do is turn off the "Computer Can Reject Trades" option.

 

[ivanvamp]

All we have to do is turn off the "Computer Can Reject Trades" option.

LOL. I can dream though, can't I?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

2 of the 3 picks I can agree on. But one of those picks needs to be an OL, preferably Pouncey from FLA. Some of the gator fans here been saying he's about as good as his brother and if Mankins is tagged/extended I would be thrilled at the thought of Mankins/Pouncey manhandling people on the inside in this offense. We'd be much much harder to stop

 

[billdog3484]

Heres my 1 step plan....draft the next Lawrence Taylor

 

[carolinatony]

I think we need an offensive lineman somewhere up there, especially if Mankins is gone, but I agree with the basic premise.

I agree with you as well but you forget one thing. BB will trade at least one of these picks back and I hope its not two!!

 

[OldPatsfans]

It's amusing how many of us are getting back to the basics.

Just one game did it.

Before the Jets playoff loss, it seemed that anyone ever raised doubt about the Pats defense would have been shot down mercilessly. Now many of us woke up, looked in the mirrors and oh.. horror, we have metamorphosed in to the Colts, like Kafka's character turning into a ****roach. All the offensive stats, records, MVP...

So many great ideas in this thread, I just add an obvious. To me, a versatile team is a team with many cylinders that can win if one or two cylinders break down. So, when Brady is off, the running game must carry the offense. If the offense sputters, the defense must keep them in the game. If the O and D are off, then the special team must make plays. We must learn to win 9-6 as well as 52-45.

Of course, BB or any football fan knows this, but getting the right personnel is the challenge. Who in NFL has a proven draft pick record? comparable to Warren Buffet's record of stock picking? BB has as many busts as any, and the last draft must be among his bests. (Not counting Brady pick because if they had known better, they would not have waited until the 6th round).

And oh..., BB was a defensive genius who stopped Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly high power offense. But having LT might make it easier to be a genius.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I'm not so much concerned about the new players on the time as I am about bone head coaching decisions and gameplanning in playoff games and Brady throwing a goose egg in games. coaching is not helping Brady's lack of mobiity by continually having him throw throw throw. let alone have him throw when he has a fractured foot. that still has me baffled. the adjustments never come or they come in the 4th quarter when it's too late.

 

[Sciz]

I agree with you as well but you forget one thing. BB will trade at least one of these picks back and I hope its not two!!

I hope he trades 92 for a 2012 2nd. That trade has been awesome the past few seasons. 2010 #89 turned into 2011 #33!

 

[crowell33]

Are you ready for this. After pouring over the cap, state of the NFL, state of the Patriots, recent trends in the league, and overall obsession with football, I've concluded the Patriots will return to glory if they follow this extremely complicated three-step process.

Step 1: Draft the best defensive player available with pick #17.

Step 2: Draft the best defensive player available with pick #28.

Step 3: Draft the best defensive player available with pick #33.

I've always been high on the team philosophy of trading back, but this isn't the time. It's time, at last, to cash in the hard-earned chips after some ingeniously played hands. Now it's time to go for the kill. You want your championship teams back? 1-2-3. Belichick will be back to playing chess with a spectacular group of 11 players on defense, and a dominating offense that doesn't need to score 30 points every game.

Sure, object and say the Pats will look at the value of the players on the board versus position and trade propositions. But don't overlook the value of the next three-four years. Consider that opportunity. Consider the higher value of any player being drafted now, with the current CBA situation and unlikely free agent bargains when the dust settles.

Or, object and tell me that the offensive line needs help, or we need a big, fast receiver. They would help, but not nearly as much as the nasty, take-em-out bulldozer we would become with, say, another elite cornerback, linebacker, and defensive lineman. Our offense is good enough that even losing Mankins and Light, we would find some value in the mid-rounds of the draft, use Connelly, and rotate the ready Vollmer to LT. We may be able to sign Mankins, regardless. I want to hear that Brady threw 2 INTs on the road, and the Pats still won the game. Because if you never hear that, you're probably not going to win it all.

This isn't desperation or ignorance. This is just the smart thing to do. And if you don't read my posts much, I'll tell you I am ALWAYS about being conservative, passing on big name free agents, and considering the future implications. Sorry, but right now, this choice makes too much sense: just take the damn picks, and make this defense elite again.

I absolutely love it. I give you an A ++ . Spot on.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I hope he trades 92 for a 2012 2nd. That trade has been awesome the past few seasons. 2010 #89 turned into 2011 #33!

I hope it is more like 33 for 39-45 and a 2012 1st. That's how much I think that pick will be coveted this year.

 

[Sciz]

I think the Pats would be lucky to get any two of those three picks.

 

[Don Kipines]

I think the problem with this premise is that the draft doesn't work that way -- you have to take the best guys who are available, offense or defense. Look back to the 2008 draft, for instance. If you had picks #17, 28, and 33, pretty much the only outstanding players left available after pick #16 were offensive skill guys, players like Ray Rice, Chris Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Jamaal Charles and Matt Forte. You could probably throw in Brandon Flowers or Curtis Lofton as good defensive picks in that range, but I'd probably want to have any of those backs before those two guys.

That's not true every year, of course, but I think in general, if someone you think is a star player falls in your lap, you have to take him, even if you don't have a big need. The Jets needed a quarterback a few years ago and didn't need a left tackle; they picked Kellen Clemens and then watched San Diego pick Marcus McNeill with the next pick.

We all want to find the answer at linebacker, but if the choice is between a Manny Lawson and a Nick Mangold, you've got to take Mangold. The big thing is, they have to make sure they hit with those top picks, regardless of what side of the ball they play on.

 

[satz]

I will draft 3 players 2 Defensive front 7 and 1 OL.


I want what people are smoking when they think mankins will fetch a 1st or 2nd in a trade. No team is going to trade and sign a monster contract with NO CBA.