Patriots trade way up, per Draft tek

[Steve1iron]

I don't see any significant trade up. The Pats would have to give up too much compared with what they have to gain with picks they have. Only time I see trade up is if they have eyes on Jordan or Watt at 17 and they see someone at 14 to 16 moving to take them. Then I could see trading 17 and a 4 to go and grab one of those guys. To me that's the number one priority ..... a pass rushing DL.

 

[patchick]

Yeah, but who? You dont trade up for a position, you trade up for a player.

...

I'd rather trade back, take an OL or three, take Justin Houston or Jeremey Beal late in the 1st.

One possibility you didn't address is Cameron Jordan, who I think could make a big impact on the Patriots defense playing a role that's part Willie McGinest, part Jarvis Green.

But in general, I agree that the OLB pool in particular isn't as rich as it's made out to be this year. (3-4 DE & NT are much stronger...especially if you're not too particular about "character.")

I don't see either of the guys you name, Houston & Beal, as close to 1st-round values for the Patriots. Houston can only move forward and seems to rely an awful lot on the speed rush. He's a nice situational player, but IMO definitely not at 28. And Beal has done just about everything possible in post-season practices, games, drills and measurements to convince the world he shouldn't be drafted before day 3.

Which raises the question: who ARE the OLB prospects from 28 on? Probably a good thread topic on its own.

 

[3rd and Long]

Yeah, but who? You dont trade up for a position, you trade up for a player.

I just dont see many players that fit. I dont want Quinn. I'm not on the JJ Watt bandwagon either. Peterson would be nice, but I'm not going to trade up for a CB with our depth chart as it is. DL and OLB seems deep, but not as deep as it seems. Allen Bailey is not a fit. Kerrigan looks legit... but as a 4-3 end.

Dareus is a legit top-10 talent, and a fit for our system at a position that could use some healthy legs and youth.

The rest of em... QBs, CBs, WRs and over-drafted OLBs like Ayers and Von Miller. Not interested. I'm intruiged by Aldon Smith, but not at 17.

I'd rather trade back, take an OL or three, take Justin Houston or Jeremey Beal late in the 1st.

Jeremy Beal in the 1st? Didn't he run like 5.10 at the combine? I agree with you on Dareus though, he is going to be a monster, but I do think he is gone in the top 5. Why you are down on Quinn? He is a freak athlete, he was a beast on the field in 09, and he has overcome a lot to get where he is. Quinn would be a perfect fit.

Overall, I think the best fits for us in the 1st round are: Dareus, Jordan, Miller, Quinn, Smith and Wilkerson. Depending on how the draft goes I can see scenarios with Smith and Wilkerson being available at 17, but I think we will have to trade up to get any of the other 4. Quinn might be available around 10, where we could trade up rather easily (17 +60). My ideal scenario would be to come away with Quinn and Wilkerson with our 1st 2 picks (Smith and Wilkerson wouldn't be bad either).

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I have no problem with BB trading up and taking Green high. Green is a play maker and was the best WR in the SEC last year hands down. Taking Green allows us to spin Welker off to Atlanta and we can always draft Sanabacker,with his excellent 3 cone score to groom behind Eledman.

However if BB goes way up and Dareus is still on the board, then I have a huge problem if we take Green over Dareus.

If Carolina takes Newton #1, then they will be doing us a huge favor, and it gets even better if Buffalo takes Gabbard at #3, Arizona takes Mallett at #5 and Washington takes Locker at #10.

 

[DonBlackmon55]

I have no problem with BB trading up and taking Green high. Green is a play maker and was the best WR in the SEC last year hands down. Taking Green allows us to spin Welker off to Atlanta and we can always draft Sanabacker,with his excellent 3 cone score to groom behind Eledman.

However if BB goes way up and Dareus is still on the board, then I have a huge problem if we take Green over Dareus.

If Carolina takes Newton #1, then they will be doing us a huge favor, and it gets even better if Buffalo takes Gabbard at #3, Arizona takes Mallett at #5 and Washington takes Locker at #10.

So, in this scenario we trade up and mortage many picks to draft an unproven WR, a position where Pats have shown their inability to draft and develop anyone since Givens, Branch. Then, we trade the best slot WR in NFL, thereby weakening an established position to have Larry, Moe and Curly be our 3 WR's

Heck, while we're at it let's trade TB also and line up for Andrew Luck nex year.

:bricks:

 

[Ochmed Jones]

So, in this scenario we trade up and mortage many picks to draft an unproven WR, a position where Pats have shown their inability to draft and develop anyone since Givens, Branch. Then, we trade the best slot WR in NFL, thereby weakening an established position to have Larry, Moe and Curly be our 3 WR's

Heck, while we're at it let's trade TB also and line up for Andrew Luck nex year.

:bricks:

While I would never trade Brady, I have zero reservations about just how good Green will be in the pros. The kid was all state in high school as a freshman. He was nearly all SEC as a freshman. He makes plays and has excellent hands and routes. He understands how to use his body to wall of defenders as well as any defender not named Andre Johnson coming out of college in a long long time.

I am solid with Green. As for Welker, the thought of trading him is tough, but between him, Branch, the TE's and the RB safety value, we have a lot of receivers in a small area of the field.

We need to back the safeties out of the box and Welker is not the guy to do that for us.

 

[rookBoston]

As for Welker, the thought of trading him is tough, but between him, Branch, the TE's and the RB safety value, we have a lot of receivers in a small area of the field.

The wallpaper on my desktop is a picture of Welker torching the Ravens for a long run. I'm a fan.

That said, there is a nugget of plausibility in the idea of trading Welker. BB is an economist. He makes valuations of players with absolutely no sentimentality, as we must all recognize by now: Bledsoe, Milloy, Law, McGinest, Vrabel, Vinatieri, Seymour, Moss... all elite players that he's escorted off the roster in various ways. When he feels a player has underplayed their salary cap, he exits them.

Now, Welker deserves to be considered a star in the league, and BB himself gave up a 2nd round pick for the guy. But, here's the inconvenient truth: Edelman could hardly find the field last year because of the depth at WR and the gap between Wes and Julian on the field is not as big as the salary gap. Julian is the better value. Wes will command elite compensation in terms of draft picks, presumably from a crummy team. So, although I cant get excited about the idea, I recognize trading Welker is consistent with BB's MO.

Buy low, sell high.

HOWEVER, the idea of drafting Green as Welker's replacement, however, is not "buy low". An early first rounder at a point where the sky's the limit on Green's potential is "buy high". "Buy low" is drafting Givens in the 7th round or Branch in the 2nd (I remember the reaction to that pick on this board was a very loud "WHO?!?") or Edelman off the street. BB loves filling his roster with guys like BJGE, Woodhead, Arrington, Wright, Neal... undrafted talent with the right attitude.

I think BB would draft Green early if he believes the kid is a once-in-a-generation talent, like Moss or Fitzgerald. That's the only way it feels like value. But, is Green a sure thing? I'm not sure... maybe?

 

[Ochmed Jones]

The wallpaper on my desktop is a picture of Welker torching the Ravens for a long run. I'm a fan.

That said, there is a nugget of plausibility in the idea of trading Welker. BB is an economist. He makes valuations of players with absolutely no sentimentality, as we must all recognize by now: Bledsoe, Milloy, Law, McGinest, Vrabel, Vinatieri, Seymour, Moss... all elite players that he's escorted off the roster in various ways. When he feels a player has underplayed their salary cap, he exits them.

Now, Welker deserves to be considered a star in the league, and BB himself gave up a 2nd round pick for the guy. But, here's the inconvenient truth: Edelman could hardly find the field last year because of the depth at WR and the gap between Wes and Julian on the field is not as big as the salary gap. Julian is the better value. Wes will command elite compensation in terms of draft picks, presumably from a crummy team. So, although I cant get excited about the idea, I recognize trading Welker is consistent with BB's MO.

Buy low, sell high.

HOWEVER, the idea of drafting Green as Welker's replacement, however, is not "buy low". An early first rounder at a point where the sky's the limit on Green's potential is "buy high". "Buy low" is drafting Givens in the 7th round or Branch in the 2nd (I remember the reaction to that pick on this board was a very loud "WHO?!?") or Edelman off the street. BB loves filling his roster with guys like BJGE, Woodhead, Arrington, Wright, Neal... undrafted talent with the right attitude.

I think BB would draft Green early if he believes the kid is a once-in-a-generation talent, like Moss or Fitzgerald. That's the only way it feels like value. But, is Green a sure thing? I'm not sure... maybe?

Everything hinges on "if" BB goes up for Green. And as we both know, a BB draft is all about value. So really, I am putting this discussion in a context that we both doubt BB would ever consider doing because it violates his #1 drafting philosophy.

At the same time I have to explore why he would do something like that if he chose to actually pursue this draft strategy and in my mind, I think the Atlanta wanting Welker rumors are indeed true.

So it becomes #17, #28 and Welker for Green and Atlanta's second or third round pick? Still doesn't work in my book.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Now, Welker deserves to be considered a star in the league, and BB himself gave up a 2nd round pick for the guy. But, here's the inconvenient truth: Edelman could hardly find the field last year because of the depth at WR and the gap between Wes and Julian on the field is not as big as the salary gap. Julian is the better value. Wes will command elite compensation in terms of draft picks, presumably from a crummy team. So, although I cant get excited about the idea, I recognize trading Welker is consistent with BB's MO.

Remember, though, there's also the issue of what the player can do for you v. what that draft pick can do.

I find it hard to believe that no one at all, for example, made an offer for Asante in 2007, but the Pats decided to keep him and pay $7M+ for 2007 knowing that they were going to lose him after that, and get only a comp pick in 2008 in return.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I don't find the notion of the Patriots trading up to grab any player Belichick wants odd at all - he's got the ammunition of lots of picks that he can't trade for proven veterans (assuming there's no new CBA and thus no free agency prior to the draft)

But with some of the recent losses at OL I think Belichick, knowing its a deep draft, will cast the fishing net wide, use nearly all the picks he has and attempt to replenish.

The draft being what it is, he might hit on more than half if he's good and lucky.