Belichick's Faith In Our Interior OL

[mgteich]

It is clear that Belichick and Dante have considerable faith in our interior line.

After all, Belichick went though four rounds without drafting an interior lineman. There were many available at 73: Cannon, Rackley, Moffitt and Boling. Rackley and Moffitt were picked immediately after the patriots picked at 73 and 74, so this seemed a reasonable match of quality and draft position.

We have Cannon. That's great. But it is clear that Belichick was willing to go without a top interior line addition. He passed on OG/OC at #73 and #74, and then immediately traded away our #92 and #125, not even waiting to see who was available at #92.

Personally, I think that this means that Belichick sees a future somewhere among Koppen, Connolly, Wendell, Orhnberger and Austin. This seems to be true no matter how long Mankins stays.

 

[Sicilian]

I think part of it too is his faith in Dante. When you have one of the best O-Line coaches in the game, it gives you some leeway in finding players and plugging them in quickly. If Mankins leaves next year, I'm willing to bet we can find a G in the first two rounds who Dante can coach up to play well as a rookie.

 

[eom]

I think it's possible if he had picked OL over RB you'd be starting a thread about his faith in our RB corps.

I think it's also possible he thought the second rounders next year will trump what was on the board in the 4th this year.

One thing I can say about belichick is he doesn't panic about fillinng a position, and this is the end result of planning ahead, good coaching, and building the team with players he likes that give him flexibility.

 

[Deus Irae]

If you're really willing to buy that argument, can we assume that we'll hear no more from you about the WR, OLB and DE positions, since the same argument would apply?

 

[VJCPatriot]

OR it means he didn't see any signfiicant upgrades available at #73. We don't know the grades they had on the players available at #73. Ridley was probably the highest player left on their board for all we know.

 

[Metaphors]

Personally, I think that this means that Belichick sees a future somewhere among Koppen, Connolly, Wendell, Orhnberger and Austin. This seems to be true no matter how long Mankins stays.

A combination of that and seeing better OG/C candidates in 2012. Similar to why the Pats didn't take a WR. The team is set at the position in 2011 and the likely prospects in 2012 are superior to anyone the Pats had available to them this year.

With Koppen and Branch at the end of their deals with declining skills, the Pats could have taken eventual (or immediate) replacements in this draft. But they have to evaluate both the "who" and the "when". Sometimes that means now (McCourty and Dowling) and sometimes that means pushing picks into the next year and going with what you have for another year.

Looking ahead, at first blush this looks like a good call for OC and WR. Brewster (OSU) and Jones (Georgia) are better than anyone in 2011...add Konz (Wisconsin) to that list if he declares. WR is stacked enough that a top guy is bound to slip to the end of round 1 or the Raider pick in round 2.

So while I agree this draft was a show of faith in the interior line, that faith gets renewed year-to-year.

 

[Patspsycho]

I think it's possible if he had picked OL over RB you'd be starting a thread about his faith in our RB corps.

I think it's also possible he thought the second rounders next year will trump what was on the board in the 4th this year.

One thing I can say about belichick is he doesn't panic about fillinng a position, and this is the end result of planning ahead, good coaching, and building the team with players he likes that give him flexibility.

It isn't quite the end result yet- there's FA, UDFA, and two roster cuts. But you are correct in that he doesn't panic. He sees things through right down to the wire.

 

[RayClay]

Guards aren't hard to come by and they can be trained. Maybe not road graders, but we've hardly spent a nickel on a guard besides Mankins in the whole Belichick era. (I'm not looking it up, maybe we did).

We've got two 7 foot tall graceful tackles and aren't going to spend a lot on c-g. They'll keep stocking the pond and maybe get a bullmoose in Cannon.

 

[signbabybrady]

Hmmm wonder if this means maybe they are going to cave to Mankins demands and he will be here long term. I know this a large leap but we dont have much in the pipeline and Koppen isnt getting younger. I would not be all that concerned with interior oline if I knew Mankins was going to be here longterm. Or maybe he is just planning on signing a vet or two when FA opens and feels he has enough youth with Solder and Vollmer that he wants Vets.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Hmmm wonder if this means maybe they are going to cave to Mankins demands and he will be here long term. I know this a large leap but we dont have much in the pipeline and Koppen isnt getting younger. I would not be all that concerned with interior oline if I knew Mankins was going to be here longterm. Or maybe he is just planning on signing a vet or two when FA opens and feels he has enough youth with Solder and Vollmer that he wants Vets.

Well, letting Light and Kaczur go, leaves a whole lot of money in the pot budgeted to the the Offensive line, for someone like Mankins...

 

[eom]

people go on and on about this freeing money for mankins thing -- they already made the guy an offer and he turned it down.
they aren't using any extra money from light and kaczur to make him a haynesworth offer.
they offered the guy what they want to pay him, and they might adjust that a bit, but it's most likely an uncapped year anyway, and they're already like 15m under 2009 cap figures -- that is not an issue.

if they could come up with the money for the previous offer, they can come up with the money now -- that doesn't mena they'll overpay the guy.

 

[AzPatsFan]

people go on and on about this freeing money for Mankins thing -- they already made the guy an offer and he turned it down.
they aren't using any extra money from light and Kaczur to make him a haynesworth offer.
they offered the guy what they want to pay him, and they might adjust that a bit, but it's most likely an uncapped year anyway, and they're already like 15m under 2009 cap figures -- that is not an issue.

if they could come up with the money for the previous offer, they can come up with the money now -- that doesn't mean they'll overpay the guy.

Belichick is an economist and knows that he has a budget. A budget for the DL, a budget for the DBs, a budget for the OL. That all adds up to a an overall budget under the new CAP.

Who knows how low the new CAP will go? The Players would not accept more revenue to hold the CAP at present levels by more games. So the CAP WILL HAVE to come down. BB could not budget all the payments on the OL and satisfy Mankins. Now the OL budget will fall with out a Light and Kaczur pay scale. So there is more for Mankins.

When the Oline was all experienced players, leadership wasn't a concern. With all the newcomers it is, and that should be worth something extra.

 

[Deus Irae]

people go on and on about this freeing money for mankins thing -- they already made the guy an offer and he turned it down.
they aren't using any extra money from light and kaczur to make him a haynesworth offer.
they offered the guy what they want to pay him, and they might adjust that a bit, but it's most likely an uncapped year anyway, and they're already like 15m under 2009 cap figures -- that is not an issue.

if they could come up with the money for the previous offer, they can come up with the money now -- that doesn't mena they'll overpay the guy.

They're franchising him, which is more costly than a contract deal would be. That's what's really missed with the "free up money" talk, not that there was a deal turned down.

 

[ausbacker]

The Pats need a replacement at center.

 

[mgteich]

naaah!

The argument is about the choice at the 73rd pick. I stated that I believed that there was fine quality there at OG and that Belichick passed for a running back that was rated by everyone anyone has found at least a round later. I did not, and DO NOT believe, that there was great quality there at DE or OLB at 73.

With regard to WR, I have always been of the opinion that the place to find a WR thios year (IF ONE IS DEEMED TO BE NEEDED) is in free agency. IMHO, we had exactly zero need for another youngster, other than possibly a really top stud like Jones.

If you're really willing to buy that argument, can we assume that we'll hear no more from you about the WR, OLB and DE positions, since the same argument would apply?

 

[supafly]

Could mean he has a better feeling about Mankins long-term than we realize.

It could mean that he's fine with Mankins and Koppen being here this yr, then will address it when the time comes next yr--either through the draft/free agency/or maybe both? Also possible, as some pointed out--that 2012 will produce a better OG/C.

It could also mean that no one was there at 73 that he deemed viable for a replacement to one of the current interior guys, which may also show some confidence in Connelly/Wendall et al.

So many different options, and we'll likely never 'really' know

 

[DarrylS]

The X Factor here is Scarnecchia, who will he coach up next??

Also believe that we will see Matt Light back as a "bridge" player for at least next year..

 

[BTTA]

With regard to WR, I have always been of the opinion that the place to find a WR thios year (IF ONE IS DEEMED TO BE NEEDED) is in free agency. IMHO, we had exactly zero need for another youngster, other than possibly a really top stud like Jones.

Agree. The last thing we need to be doing to Brady is adding inexperience to both the OL and WR corps in the same year. The young WR's are either going to make a leap this year or not, and need to be mixed in with vets who can "get it" right out of the gate.

 

[JoeShmoe]

Next years Guard/Center class is MUCH deeper than this years and is where we'll find Koppen and Mankin's replacements

Mike Brewster and David DeCastro for example

 

[Water Boy]

It is clear that Belichick and Dante have considerable faith in our interior line.

After all, Belichick went though four rounds without drafting an interior lineman. There were many available at 73: Cannon, Rackley, Moffitt and Boling. Rackley and Moffitt were picked immediately after the patriots picked at 73 and 74, so this seemed a reasonable match of quality and draft position.

We have Cannon. That's great. But it is clear that Belichick was willing to go without a top interior line addition. He passed on OG/OC at #73 and #74, and then immediately traded away our #92 and #125, not even waiting to see who was available at #92.

Personally, I think that this means that Belichick sees a future somewhere among Koppen, Connolly, Wendell, Orhnberger and Austin. This seems to be true no matter how long Mankins stays.

I hope they have faith in our interior OLine. With Neal retired, Mankins a big question mark and Koppen a year older I thought the Pats would have done more to address the interior. I have a strong hunch that they wanted Danny Watkins with the 28th pick. Once he was off the board it seems the Pats saw very little value in the Draft in the interior. As you opine, the Cannon pick was clearly a BPA pick and not a targeted player.