Based on the Pats' free agency so far.....

[Rob0729]

It looks like the Pats will focus on defense at the top end of the draft. Even if they add Landry, the biggest hole on this team still looks like an outside pass rusher. There looks to be a good chance Mark Anderson is gone and gambling on Carter one more year to repeat his production last season might be too big of a risk (although bringing him back would be welcomed at the right price).

Now that the NFL has a rookie cap, high draft picks do not have the risk that they have had in past years. Is this the year the Pats trade up and get a legitimate dominant pass rusher like Ingram?

 

[Marqui]

It looks like the Pats will focus on defense at the top end of the draft. Even if they add Landry, the biggest hole on this team still looks like an outside pass rusher. There looks to be a good chance Mark Anderson is gone and gambling on Carter one more year to repeat his production last season might be too big of a risk (although bringing him back would be welcomed at the right price).

Now that the NFL has a rookie cap, high draft picks do not have the risk that they have had in past years. Is this the year the Pats trade up and get a legitimate dominant pass rusher like Ingram?

I'd prefer Perry or Upshaw but yes, you'd think now is the time to make such a move.

 

[patsinthesnow]

They could trade up for Fletcher Cox and solidify the 3-4 line with Cox-Wilfork-Deaderick. I just don't trust trading up for an OLB prospect.

 

[ay-yo]

I like the idea of drafting 4 defensive players w/ our first 4 picks. You have to accept that at least 1, probably 2, of those picks will bust. By picking 4 defenders you worst case scenario is 1 solid starter on D.

 

[BTTA]

None of us have any clue about what will really happen. Trade up, trade down, stick with current pick...who knows. The only pattern that is clear is that they will pick the best player available regardless of position, even if that's already a position of strength.

 

[cavtroop]

I don't know if they'll focus on D in the draft or not. What FA has done for the Pats is filled the holes - we'd field a pretty damn good team if the season were to start tomorrow.

This leaves the Pats in a great position come draft time. Rather than drafting for need, they can take a 'best player available' stance - which means if a great OL or other prospect slides to them, I don't think they'll hesitate to pull the trigger for an offensive player.

We're all hoping for a strong defensive draft, but don't be surprised if an OL or TE goes higher than we all think, either. Its a great position to be in

 

[patsfan13]

I don't know if they'll focus on D in the draft or not. What FA has done for the Pats is filled the holes - we'd field a pretty damn good team if the season were to start tomorrow.

This leaves the Pats in a great position come draft time. Rather than drafting for need, they can take a 'best player available' stance - which means if a great OL or other prospect slides to them, I don't think they'll hesitate to pull the trigger for an offensive player.

We're all hoping for a strong defensive draft, but don't be surprised if an OL or TE goes higher than we all think, either. Its a great position to be in

True in the draft we will get a pretty good feel whether Light and Waters will be back.

If we sign Fells and BJGE and BB knows Waters and Light will be back we may not see an O player in the first 3 rnds, perhaps a developmental WR.

 

[strngplyr]

I'm more worried about our ability to cover than our pass rush.

 

[IllegalContact]

Right now, Lloyd is the only apparent improvement over last years team.

Yes, defense would still seem to be the priority, but you could say that at this time last year

 

[ctpatsfan1]

I'm more worried about our ability to cover than our pass rush.

If you get a good pass rush you don't have to cover as long........a great pass rush makes a secondary look all world.

 

[ctpatsfan1]

Right now, Lloyd is the only apparent improvement over last years team.

Yes, defense would still seem to be the priority, but you could say that at this time last year

disagree, Gregory is an upgrade at the safety position.

 

[BlueThunder]

Right now, Lloyd is the only apparent improvement over last years team.

I might say Gregory at S is another upgrade. Look at what we had there last year. McCourty was a CB, Brown was a ST and Dig wasn't much of a cover guy there....


At least it's Gregory's position and he has experience there.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

BB never drafts what I think he's going to draft. Last year I was positive with 2 1sts and the 1 2nd that there would be at least a DE and OLB with 2 of the first 3 picks, and then he doesn't pick either of those positions until the 5th or 6th round. He could go TE-WR-RB with the first 3 picks for all I know

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

would love to see the rest of fa...

sign Wimbley
Sign landray
resign welker to a 4 year deal
sign mark anderson
resign bjge

draft michael floyd and 2 impact defensive players that can help this year...

 

[strngplyr]

If you get a good pass rush you don't have to cover as long........a great pass rush makes a secondary look all world.

And if your secondary is as bad as ours has been at times LT wouldn't help.

 

[Sicilian]

Right now, Lloyd is the only apparent improvement over last years team.

Yes, defense would still seem to be the priority, but you could say that at this time last year

I would count Gregory as well (as others have mentioned).

I would also consider Fanene an upgrade for what he is, a 3-4 DE. I thought Love played well last year, but he seems to be more NT than 3-4 DE. A line of Deaderick-Wilfork-Fanene feels more balanced than Deaderick-Love-Wilfork to me. That one's admittedly debatable though.

 

[Sicilian]

And if your secondary is as bad as ours has been at times LT wouldn't help.

This is something I've been arguing with friends since the Super Bowl. I actually felt like the pass rush last year was decent (if a little inconsistent at times). I saw more instances of QB's unloading quickly and finding someone wide open than I did of QB's having a ton of time. That indicates coverage problems to me, not pass rush problems.

That said, we still need to replace Carter and Anderson's production before the pass rush is even back to last years, and there's always room to improve beyond that.

 

[Rob0729]

I'm more worried about our ability to cover than our pass rush.

As stated, a strong pass rush can make an average secondary look good. If a QB can stand in the pocket long enough, someone is going to get open even if Revis is covering him.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Yup ... all signs pointing to DeCastro, Glenn or Konz ...

 

[patsfan-1982]

my guess would be they bring Carter back and use one of the #1's on a DB and trade the other for a first next year i also think they will trade away one of the 2th round picks, IMO its not a very deep Draft class so i cant see BB useing both #1's and #2's