"Absolute Terrific Pick"

[37Harrison]

Ron Jaworski, who I think knows a thing or two about QB's, LOVES the Mallet pick. He said it this morning on ESPN. For those out there who think the Mallet pick makes absolutely no sense and can't help the Pats, there are more and more "experts" coming out saying how great this pick is...

Something else for people to ponder... Brady seemingly gets injured every year and has to have some sort of off season surgery. Couldn't the Mallet pick not only improve the backup position but also be used to length Brady's career?

I mean, if Mallet is good in the system, BB could take Brady out here and there if the situation presents itself and save Tommy from getting more abuse. Just a thought which may be way off base but a thought none-the-less.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

yeah i heard that situation stuff before when bledsoe and bishop were on the team ... the pick is fine, i just dont think it needed to be adressed then...

 

[VJCPatriot]

I think someone mentioned earlier that most 'franchise QB's retired around age 37-38. And Brady is 33 now. Mallet's rookie contract will run 4 years. Which would make him ready about the time Brady decides to ride off into the sunset. I know as fans we never want it to end but someday it will. And the Pats aren't wrong to prepare for the future.

 

[sbpatfan]

I've been saying that from the start off the offseason.. The Patriots just changed their offense with the addition of TEs Gronk, Hernandez, and Crumpler. They have a RB problem in a good way with young guys Lawfirm and Woodhead. The addition of two rookies (Vereen / Ridley) and a FA or one of the vets, they'll have one of the better backfields around. I think the Patriot also want to get back into running (helped by the TEs / new blood) because of Brady's age / injury. He's had serious injuries at the end of the season since 2007. More running should help absorb some damage.

 

[BelichickFan]

I think someone mentioned earlier that most 'franchise QB's retired around age 37-38. And Brady is 33 now. Mallet's rookie contract will run 4 years. Which would make him ready about the time Brady decides to ride off into the sunset.

That's also when Brady's contract expires; and I doubt Bill will give a 37 year old a monster contract. This is our first look at a potential replacement. If it works out - wow - if it doesn't, it was a shot and we can try again in 2012 or 2013.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

To get a top-20 talent guy with a 3rd......... at the most important position on the team, and that you "hopefully" don't need for a few years is a fantastic pick.

Immediately, he makes Hoyer better by pushing his butt from behind. He's an admitted "football" guy that is immature (which will likely dissipate over the couple years). This is an absolutely great "put in your pocket pics" for later.

Even if he just develops, is not used, and we end up trading him for a first down the road (best case), I'm pretty good with it. Too much talent to have left on the board where we picked him.

Might work, might not........ but it's a great pick. Everything to gain, very little to lose.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think someone mentioned earlier that most 'franchise QB's retired around age 37-38. And Brady is 33 now. Mallet's rookie contract will run 4 years. Which would make him ready about the time Brady decides to ride off into the sunset. I know as fans we never want it to end but someday it will. And the Pats aren't wrong to prepare for the future.

There's a lot of IF's in that equation... for now just look at Mallet as what he is - a tremendous opportunity to turn a 2011 3rd round pick into something as high as a 1st round pick in a later year.

Eveyrone knows Mallet has the physical attributes and skills of a 1st round draft choice. The only reason he dropped to the third was because of character issues. All he has to do is change his attitude and be a team player and you'll have other GMs suddenly VERY interested in giving up a 2nd round pick or better for him.

If he straightens up and flies right and does a decent job in pre-season and trash time he's a VERY valuable commodity. When or if he does that, THEN you can begin considering him as Tom Brady's successor.

 

[Triumph]

I've been saying that from the start off the offseason.. The Patriots just changed their offense with the addition of TEs Gronk, Hernandez, and Crumpler. They have a RB problem in a good way with young guys Lawfirm and Woodhead. The addition of two rookies (Vereen / Ridley) and a FA or one of the vets, they'll have one of the better backfields around. I think the Patriot also want to get back into running (helped by the TEs / new blood) because of Brady's age / injury. He's had serious injuries at the end of the season since 2007. More running should help absorb some damage.

I agree and I think the Solder pick confirms what youre saying.

Less empty backfields out of the shot gun and more QB under center with 2 backs. Which is great because Brady is deadly with play action. If defenses take away the pass, no problem, the Pats will run.

 

[skinnydog]

I agree and I think the Solder pick confirms what youre saying.

Less empty backfields out of the shot gun and more QB under center with 2 backs. Which is great because Brady is deadly with play action. If defenses take away the pass, no problem, the Pats will run.

We can only hope.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I agree and I think the Solder pick confirms what youre saying.

Less empty backfields out of the shot gun and more QB under center with 2 backs. Which is great because Brady is deadly with play action. If defenses take away the pass, no problem, the Pats will run.

This board had a 1000 posts *****ing and complaining about how poorly Brady played vs the Jets. While I agree that he didn't have his best game, Brady was not the reason for the loss. The reasons were defense and the NYJ defense focusing on containing the Pat's short passing game 10-20 yds- which they did successfully for most of the game.

The only ways I know how to change a team's defensive approach is to be successful in other areas that demand respect. The fact of the matter is that teams do not respect the Pat's running game. Period. The only way team's respect the running game is establishing it and being successful in every situation that calls for it (3rd and 1, 2nd and 3, 1st and 10, goal line, etc).

Super Bowls are won by executing when you need to execute. If you need to pass it to win- you do it. When you need to run- you do it. When you need to play defense- you do it. With the exception of G and C, with these picks the offense, IMO is now covered.

I'm still very concerned about the quality of the front 7 (run D and pass rush) but as long as the passing game stays close to the level it was last year and with a more talented group of runners teams will respect the running game and play it honestly which will only help Brady when it matters most.

 

[Seneschal2]

All he has to do is change his attitude and be a team player and you'll have other GMs suddenly VERY interested in giving up a 2nd round pick or better for him.

Actually, if he can toss it 80 yds, one Hail Mary connection on the eve's highlight films ought to sell him.

 

[patsox23]

yeah i heard that situation stuff before when bledsoe and bishop were on the team ... the pick is fine, i just dont think it needed to be adressed then...

I heard that stuff with Montana and Steve Young! What other short-sighted analgies can we draw?!

 

[BSR]

I loved it as soon as I heard it. This has the small chance of being an all time great draft steal or a moderate chance of being an good value pick up. Of course it could also bust, but then its only a 3rd round pick. I have no problem with taking a shot at such talent with a 3rd rounder.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

I'm surprised nobody has seen this yet.

The Pats draft a #1 QB at a high value position for which there may, or may not be, a need, immediate or not.

Contrast this with a team, the Arizona Cardinals, who have a real and immediate need for a QB, preferably top-flight, but even one who can get the job done in whatever way possible, did NOT select a QB in the first 3 rounds.

Now, there has been a lot of talk on this board, as well as other venues, about New England acquiring a certain WR on that very Arizona team.

I'm not saying that this is what will come to pass, in whatever form, or even that there is something afoot here.

No.

But I will say the conjecture is plausible, and very interesting to contemplate.

The last word on this draft has yet to be written (say, maybe 3, 4 years into the future!), and every draft, and draft pick, is as much an art as a science.

The point is, whether Mallett stays or goes, the Pats will get value from him that likely will exceed the price they paid acquiring him where they did in this draft.

It was a good pick.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I heard that stuff with Montana and Steve Young! What other short-sighted analgies can we draw?!

Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

I really don't understand the criticism of the Mallett selection.

This guy was the #1 rated QB on the Pats board and they got him with pick 74. This is in a draft which saw QB's taken at spots 1, 8, 10, 12, 35 and 36.

If you are critical of this pick then you are saying the Pats draft board is wrong!

 

[RobertWeathers]

My only concern is the off-the-field stuff that I hear. I'm certain that there is some truth to it, but I'm just as certain that there is some falseness as well.

One thing is clear- there is no denying that the kid has major physical skills, wins and puts the numbers on the board.

Is DE/DT/OLB more of a need? Or course and I wish it was adressed with a major talent. However, when 1st round talent slips to the 3rd round and your franchise QB is going to be 34 next year, you need to start thinking about an heir-apparent at some point.

He is hoping that the front-7 plays better than last year.

My .02$

 

[hwc]

Plus, the kid is a coach's son and apparently just eats up film study and breaking down defensive schemes. Hard to imagine how the Pats see that fitting into what what they do with Belichick and Brady... :rocker:

I think this was a great pick and a fantastic situation for the kid. I'd say that there's a decent shot that the Pats just drafted Tom Brady's replacement. If it doesn't work out, what have they lost? It's not like it would be the first 3rd round pick that didn't pay off. Most 3rd round picks don't have franchise QB upside. 253 pounds, throws a rope 80 yards, loves breaking down film. Proven winner at every level. High completion percentages. Heck, even a decent backup QB for several years would justify a third round pick.

 

[hwc]

The thing I've learned about Belichick is that he views every role played by every guy on the 53 man roster as a "need". Back up QB is a "need". Having a committee of runners, each with a style of running, is a "need". Having a special teams gunner is a "need". Having somebody to reliably pound the ball and pick up a 3rd and 1 is a "need". In his mind, there are probably several hundred "needs" on a football team, none more important than another. There is no way any of us can assess how he views those needs as being addressed at any given time.

We tend to think of the draft as filling the three or four "needs" that we have identified, without regard to the several dozen "needs" that the coaches may have identified based on the current roster. So, when Belichick tries to address those other "needs" with the best available values on the draft boards, it leaves us surprised. After this many Belichick drafts, it shouldn't!

That's why I don't even read a mock draft anymore. I think it's better to go into a draft with no preconceived notions and see what Belichick does.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

That's why I don't even read a mock draft anymore. I think it's better to go into a draft with no preconceived notions and see what Belichick does.[/QUOTE]

So true but the later selections still confuse me. Then again, I'm ignorant of college talent.