Grid's Gratuitously Grisly Grades!!

[Off The Grid]

New EngLand Patriots ~ B-

1 ~ 2nd Rounder SS Tavon Wilson, whatever he becomes, was a bad Pick, considering who was available.
2 ~ 3rd Rounder EL Jake Bequette, however, was a brilliant Pick.
3 ~ And 7th Rounder CB Alfonzo Dennard was a flat out Steal.

Beefalo Buffaloes ~ B-

1 ~ A very average Draft, but snagging OC David Snow as a UFA was a Coup.
2 ~ QB Aaron Corp ~ another UFA ~ has exceptional Potential, as well.

Miami Dolphins ~ F

1 ~ I like QB Ryan TanneHill, but spending #8 on a red-raw Scrambler was insanely stupid.
2 ~ Spending #42 on OT Jon Martin was, incredibly, even stupider. He may overcome, but he is a risky Bet.
3 ~ Investing #72 in DE Olivier Vernon was also a big stretch for a Prospect of dubious...Prospects.

New York Jets ~ B-

1 ~ DE Quint Coples, in Round 1, was an awful risk to take: Talented, he is, but his Work Ethic is in doubt.
2 ~ MF DeMario Davis in Round 3, on the other hand, was a beautifull move.
3 ~ Where the Jets really racked it up, though, was in UFA Land!! This haul was magnificent:
4 ~ DT Damon Harrison.
5 ~ CB Ryan Steed.
6 ~ DE Brett Roy.
7 ~ QB Gary Joe Kinne.
8 ~ OG John Cullen.
9 ~ Between them, they turned this Draft from a "D" all the way into a "B", in my view!!

Baltimore Ravens ~ C+

1 ~ Spending a 2nd Rounder on OT Kelechi Osemele was a dubious move, given his spotty Work Ethic.
2 ~ Gotta love the investments in OT Jim Carmon and DT's Nick Baptiste and Ishma Kitchen, though!!

Cincinnati Bengals ~ D

1 ~ CB Dre KirkPatrick should make a tremendous Free Safety ~ a bit of a Reach, in Round 1.
2 ~ OG Kevin Zeitler is an exceptionally unexceptional O Guard ~ an horrible choice in Round 1.
3 ~ DT Devon Still is a talented Lineman of dubious Motivation ~ a big Risk, in Round 2, despite his "Value".

CleveLand Browns ~ B-

1 ~ While drafting O Backs before the 3rd is usually stupid, XB Trent Richardson is Priceless.
2 ~ Drafting QB Brando Weeden in Round 1 was actually a solid move, if you ask me.

PittsBurgh Steelers ~ A+!!

1 ~ OG Dave DeCastro at #24 was magnificent. He was #2 on my Board.
2 ~ DT Alameda Taamu at #109 was a steal. He could be the Lynch Pin of a Defense for a long, long time.
3 ~ OG Kelvin Beachum at #248 was incredible: He's a 2nd or 3rd Round Value.
4 ~ The Steelers raked it, this year. They absolutely raked it.

Denver Broncos ~ B-

1 ~ The Broncos had a remarkably unremarkable Draft...but UFA OG Wayne Tribue is an outstanding Prospect!!

Kansas City Chiefs ~ C

1 ~ DT Dontari Poe is a phenomenal Athlete, and a terrifying Prospect ~ a nightmarishly foolish Risk at #11!!
2 ~ The rest of their Draft was very nicely done, though, all the way through.

OakLand Raiders ~ B

1 ~ Their Draft was unremarkable, but scooping up these UFA's was outstanding:
2 ~ WB Derek Carrier.
3 ~ FS Aaron Henry.
4 ~ DE Dominique Hamilton.

Sand Diego Lightning Bolts ~ C+

1 ~ The Most Average Draft Class In The AFC.

Houston Planet Hoostens ~ C

1 ~ For my money, DE Whitney Mercilus was one of the riskiest Picks in the entire Draft.
2 ~ Some of their other moves were pretty nice, but not enough to offset that one.

Indianapolis Colts ~ A+!!

1 ~ QB Andrew Luck, as obvious as the move was, was still an awesome move.
2 ~ WB Coby Fleener was a terrific Pick at #34, an extremely dangerous Weapon.
3 ~ WB Dwayne Allen at #64, compounded with Fleener at #34, was a phenomenal move.
4 ~ SL Ty Hilton at #92 was outstanding ~ one of the most explosive Slot Ends in an amazing Slot End Class.
5 ~ NT Josh Chapman at #136 was an incredible Bargain!!

JacksonVille Jaguars ~ B

1 ~ The Jaguars had a pretty tame Draft, but racked it up nicely in the UFA's with some solid 2nd Tier Talent.

Tennessee Titans ~ C

1 ~ #20 could've been spent a lot more wisely than on FL Kendall Wright, if you ask me.

New York Giants ~ B-

1 ~ Not very noteworthy, but snagging OT Matt McCants in the 6th Round was pretty sweet!!

Dallas CowBoys ~ B

1 ~ Ordinary Draft, but a lot of intriguing UFA's: DE Adrian Hamilton, OG Ron Leary, OT Jeff Adams, others.

Philadelphia Eagles ~ B

1 ~ Every single Pick was solid.

Washington RedSkins ~ F!!

1 ~ As much as I like QB Robert Griffin, I thought that that was an utterly hideous trade they made...Hideous.

Chicago Bears ~ C

1 ~ SE Alshon Jeffrey at #45 was a pretty horrible move.
2 ~ WB Evan Rodriguez at #111, on the other hand, was brilliant.

Detriot Lions ~ B

1 ~ Not much to tell, otherwise, but snatching QB Kellen Moore as a UFA is The Steal Of The Draft!!

Green Bay Packers ~ B-

1 ~ Pretty unremarkable, but grabbing SE Dale Moss as a UFA tips the scales, in my Book.

Minnesota Vikings ~ B

1 ~ Stealing SL Jarius Wright in the 4th Round, all by itself, makes this a strong Class for the Vikings!!

Arizona Cardinals ~ A!!

1 ~ Snatching CB Jamell Fleming at #80 was a terrific steal!!
2 ~ Grabbing OG Senio Kelemete at # 151 was a magnificent steal!!
3 ~ Scooping OT Nate Potter at #221 was an excellent steal!!
4 ~ Swiping MF Zach Nash as a UFA was a remarkable steal!!

Los Angeles Rams ~ B

1 ~ Yes. LA. I can no longer pretend that they're not the LA Rams.
2 ~ I like SE Brian Quick, but at #33?? HELL, no.
3 ~ SB Isiaiah Pead at #50??? HELL, no.
4 ~ CB Trumaine Johnson at #65??? NOW you're talking.
5 ~ SB Daryl Richardson at #252 was pretty beautifull, as well.
6 ~ The bad 2nd Rounders aside, their rape of the RedSkins was EPIC...and their Trade Backs were sweet.

San Fransisco Miners ~ D!!

1 ~ FL AJ Jenkins at #30??? REALLY???
2 ~ SB LaMichael James at #61??? OK, seriously: Where's the Camera???
3 ~ DE Cam Johnson at #237 WAS a Steal, though.

Seattle SeaHawks ~ C

1 ~ MF Bruce Irvin at #15 was a Reach...NOT!!!
2 ~ QB Russell Wilson at #75 WAS a Reach...No punch line!!

Atlanta Falcons ~ C+

1 ~ The Most Average Draft in the NFC.

Carolina Panthers ~ A-!!

1 ~ MF Luke Kuechly, even at #11, was an excellent move.
2 ~ And OG Amini Silatolu, even at #40, was a great move.
3 ~ And CB Josh Norman at #143 was a Steal.

New Orleans Saints ~ B-

1 ~ Not much to say, but I like the DE Akiem Hicks move at #89. Could be a BEAST.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers ~ B+

1 ~ MF LaVonte David at #58?? Even having traded a 4th to move up that is a Major Coup!!
2 ~ XB Michael Smith at #212??? STEAL!!!

 

[ctpatsfan77]

New York Jets ~ B-

3 ~ Where the Jets really racked it up, though, was in UFA Land!! This haul was magnificent:
9 ~ Between them, they turned this Draft from a "D" all the way into a "B", in my view!!

You either count it for everyone, or for no one.

 

[Off The Grid]

You either count it for everyone, or for no one.

Would you care to convert your comment into English??

 

[mayoclinic]

New EngLand Patriots ~ B-

1 ~ 2nd Rounder SS Tavon Wilson, whatever he becomes, was a bad Pick, considering who was available.
2 ~ 3rd Rounder EL Jake Bequette, however, was a brilliant Pick.
3 ~ And 7th Rounder CB Alfonzo Dennard was a flat out Steal.

Beefalo Buffaloes ~ B-

1 ~ A very average Draft, but snagging OC David Snow as a UFA was a Coup.
2 ~ QB Aaron Corp ~ another UFA ~ has exceptional Potential, as well.

Miami Dolphins ~ F

1 ~ I like QB Ryan TanneHill, but spending #8 on a red-raw Scrambler was insanely stupid.
2 ~ Spending #42 on OT Jon Martin was, incredibly, even stupider. He may overcome, but he is a risky Bet.
3 ~ Investing #72 in DE Olivier Vernon was also a big stretch for a Prospect of dubious...Prospects.

New York Jets ~ B-

1 ~ DE Quint Coples, in Round 1, was an awful risk to take: Talented, he is, but his Work Ethic is in doubt.
2 ~ MF DeMario Davis in Round 3, on the other hand, was a beautifull move.
3 ~ Where the Jets really racked it up, though, was in UFA Land!! This haul was magnificent:
4 ~ DT Damon Harrison.
5 ~ CB Ryan Steed.
6 ~ DE Brett Roy.
7 ~ QB Gary Joe Kinne.
8 ~ OG John Cullen.
9 ~ Between them, they turned this Draft from a "D" all the way into a "B", in my view!!

Baltimore Ravens ~ C+

1 ~ Spending a 2nd Rounder on OT Kelechi Osemele was a dubious move, given his spotty Work Ethic.
2 ~ Gotta love the investments in OT Jim Carmon and DT's Nick Baptiste and Ishma Kitchen, though!!

Cincinnati Bengals ~ D

1 ~ CB Dre KirkPatrick should make a tremendous Free Safety ~ a bit of a Reach, in Round 1.
2 ~ OG Kevin Zeitler is an exceptionally unexceptional O Guard ~ an horrible choice in Round 1.
3 ~ DT Devon Still is a talented Lineman of dubious Motivation ~ a big Risk, in Round 2, despite his "Value".

CleveLand Browns ~ B-

1 ~ While drafting O Backs before the 3rd is usually stupid, XB Trent Richardson is Priceless.
2 ~ Drafting QB Brando Weeden in Round 1 was actually a solid move, if you ask me.

PittsBurgh Steelers ~ A+!!

1 ~ OG Dave DeCastro at #24 was magnificent. He was #2 on my Board.
2 ~ DT Alameda Taamu at #109 was a steal. He could be the Lynch Pin of a Defense for a long, long time.
3 ~ OG Kelvin Beachum at #248 was incredible: He's a 2nd or 3rd Round Value.
4 ~ The Steelers raked it, this year. They absolutely raked it.

Denver Broncos ~ B-

1 ~ The Broncos had a remarkably unremarkable Draft...but UFA OG Wayne Tribue is an outstanding Prospect!!

Kansas City Chiefs ~ C

1 ~ DT Dontari Poe is a phenomenal Athlete, and a terrifying Prospect ~ a nightmarishly foolish Risk at #11!!
2 ~ The rest of their Draft was very nicely done, though, all the way through.

OakLand Raiders ~ B

1 ~ Their Draft was unremarkable, but scooping up these UFA's was outstanding:
2 ~ WB Derek Carrier.
3 ~ FS Aaron Henry.
4 ~ DE Dominique Hamilton.

Sand Diego Lightning Bolts ~ C+

1 ~ The Most Average Draft Class In The AFC.

Houston Planet Hoostens ~ C

1 ~ For my money, DE Whitney Mercilus was one of the riskiest Picks in the entire Draft.
2 ~ Some of their other moves were pretty nice, but not enough to offset that one.

Indianapolis Colts ~ A+!!

1 ~ QB Andrew Luck, as obvious as the move was, was still an awesome move.
2 ~ WB Coby Fleener was a terrific Pick at #34, an extremely dangerous Weapon.
3 ~ WB Dwayne Allen at #64, compounded with Fleener at #34, was a phenomenal move.
4 ~ SL Ty Hilton at #92 was outstanding ~ one of the most explosive Slot Ends in an amazing Slot End Class.
5 ~ NT Josh Chapman at #136 was an incredible Bargain!!

JacksonVille Jaguars ~ B

1 ~ The Jaguars had a pretty tame Draft, but racked it up nicely in the UFA's with some solid 2nd Tier Talent.

Tennessee Titans ~ C

1 ~ #20 could've been spent a lot more wisely than on FL Kendall Wright, if you ask me.

New York Giants ~ B-

1 ~ Not very noteworthy, but snagging OT Matt McCants in the 6th Round was pretty sweet!!

Dallas CowBoys ~ B

1 ~ Ordinary Draft, but a lot of intriguing UFA's: DE Adrian Hamilton, OG Ron Leary, OT Jeff Adams, others.

Philadelphia Eagles ~ B

1 ~ Every single Pick was solid.

Washington RedSkins ~ F!!

1 ~ As much as I like QB Robert Griffin, I thought that that was an utterly hideous trade they made...Hideous.

Chicago Bears ~ C

1 ~ SE Alshon Jeffrey at #45 was a pretty horrible move.
2 ~ WB Evan Rodriguez at #111, on the other hand, was brilliant.

Detriot Lions ~ B

1 ~ Not much to tell, otherwise, but snatching QB Kellen Moore as a UFA is The Steal Of The Draft!!

Green Bay Packers ~ B-

1 ~ Pretty unremarkable, but grabbing SE Dale Moss as a UFA tips the scales, in my Book.

Minnesota Vikings ~ B

1 ~ Stealing SL Jarius Wright in the 4th Round, all by itself, makes this a strong Class for the Vikings!!

Arizona Cardinals ~ A!!

1 ~ Snatching CB Jamell Fleming at #80 was a terrific steal!!
2 ~ Grabbing OG Senio Kelemete at # 151 was a magnificent steal!!
3 ~ Scooping OT Nate Potter at #221 was an excellent steal!!
4 ~ Swiping MF Zach Nash as a UFA was a remarkable steal!!

Los Angeles Rams ~ B

1 ~ Yes. LA. I can no longer pretend that they're not the LA Rams.
2 ~ I like SE Brian Quick, but at #33?? HELL, no.
3 ~ SB Isiaiah Pead at #50??? HELL, no.
4 ~ CB Trumaine Johnson at #65??? NOW you're talking.
5 ~ SB Daryl Richardson at #252 was pretty beautifull, as well.
6 ~ The bad 2nd Rounders aside, their rape of the RedSkins was EPIC...and their Trade Backs were sweet.

San Fransisco Miners ~ D!!

1 ~ FL AJ Jenkins at #30??? REALLY???
2 ~ SB LaMichael James at #61??? OK, seriously: Where's the Camera???
3 ~ DE Cam Johnson at #237 WAS a Steal, though.

Seattle SeaHawks ~ C

1 ~ MF Bruce Irvin at #15 was a Reach...NOT!!!
2 ~ QB Russell Wilson at #75 WAS a Reach...No punch line!!

Atlanta Falcons ~ C+

1 ~ The Most Average Draft in the NFC.

Carolina Panthers ~ A-!!

1 ~ MF Luke Kuechly, even at #11, was an excellent move.
2 ~ And OG Amini Silatolu, even at #40, was a great move.
3 ~ And CB Josh Norman at #143 was a Steal.

New Orleans Saints ~ B-

1 ~ Not much to say, but I like the DE Akiem Hicks move at #89. Could be a BEAST.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers ~ B+

1 ~ MF LaVonte David at #58?? Even having traded a 4th to move up that is a Major Coup!!
2 ~ XB Michael Smith at #212??? STEAL!!!

Tampa Bay a B+? Doug Martin + Lavonte David = Mayoclinic's dream draft. That gets them an at least an A- from me for best draft. And Greg Schiano is a BB acolyte at that. He's drafting guys who are tough, high character, high motor leaders. I thought Mark Barron at 7 was a reach, but he will certainly provide defensive leadership.

I give the Pats a B/B+. Chandler Jones + Dont'a Hightower = immediate impact on defensive and a much more playmaking character. And I love Alfonzo Dennard's (there's a little bit of honey badger in him) and Nate Ebner's upside.

My least favorite moves of the draft:

- The Jets getting DeMario Davis. Ouch. Rex Ryan's comparisons to Ray Lewis are obviously premature hyperbole, but Davis could be a special player, and is a great character/leadership pick. Hopefully he'll be drowned out by Santonio Holmes, Bart Scott and the rest.

- David DeCastro and Alameda Ta'amu to the Steelers. I know that DeCastro falling helped us in some ways. And Jones will probably have more impact for us than DeCastro would have had. But Pouncey + DeCastro on the same interior line? That's a wet dream. Hate to see the Steelers with a line like that. And Ta'amu was a steal for them in the 4th round.

-

 

[Off The Grid]

Tampa Bay a B+? Doug Martin + Lavonte David = Mayoclinic's dream draft. That gets them an at least an A- from me for best draft. And Greg Schiano is a BB acolyte at that. He's drafting guys who are tough, high character, high motor leaders. I thought Mark Barron at 7 was a reach, but he will certainly provide defensive leadership.

I give the Pats a B/B+. Chandler Jones + Dont'a Hightower = immediate impact on defensive and a much more playmaking character. And I love Alfonzo Dennard's (there's a little bit of honey badger in him) and Nate Ebner's upside.

My least favorite moves of the draft:

- The Jets getting DeMario Davis. Ouch. Rex Ryan's comparisons to Ray Lewis are obviously premature hyperbole, but Davis could be a special player, and is a great character/leadership pick. Hopefully he'll be drowned out by Santonio Holmes, Bart Scott and the rest.

- David DeCastro and Alameda Ta'amu to the Steelers. I know that DeCastro falling helped us in some ways. And Jones will probably have more impact for us than DeCastro would have had. But Pouncey + DeCastro on the same interior line? That's a wet dream. Hate to see the Steelers with a line like that. And Ta'amu was a steal for them in the 4th round.

-

Yeah, the O Line moves the Steelers made were stunning.

OG Dave DeCastro
OT Mike Adams
OG Kelvin Beachum

All in 1 Draft Class!!!

Put them with OC Marquis De Pouncey, give them some time to gel...and watch OUT!!

 

[manxman2601]

I agree with you on the Colts. There's no way they could address all their needs in one go so they made Luck as comfortable as possible by giving him his TE orientated offense that he's used to and by getting arguably the most reliable player for that key 3-4 position, the NT. Very smart drafting.

The Bucs, with their first three picks, had close to my dream draft in Barron, Martin, David. I'd have been thrilled if those were our first three picks. I'm less excited by their middle rounders but then one of their first UDFA's was Leonard Johnson. Potentially genius.

Agree with you on the Cards. Three OL's to address their needs, Jamell Fleming will be a really good pick and a QB with upside for the long-term.

Really surprised and disappointed with the Broncos draft. for a team expected to be in "win-now" mode their haul does not have anyone you think will be a "win-now" contributor for certain.

 

[patchick]

OTG, I can't get on board with crediting UDFAs as part of the draft grade. IMO draft grades are about how teams spend their draft capital with an eye toward upgrading their rosters. UDFA pickups tend to be more about where agents think their undrafted clients have the best chance of sticking.

 

[rookBoston]

Goes to show how much is in the eye of the beholder.

The draft class I thought was hands down the best was Cincinnati, and you gave them a D. I liked all their picks, every single one. And there were a lot of them, too.

 

[Snake Eyes]

OTG, I can't get on board with crediting UDFAs as part of the draft grade. IMO draft grades are about how teams spend their draft capital with an eye toward upgrading their rosters. UDFA pickups tend to be more about where agents think their undrafted clients have the best chance of sticking.

While that's certainly part of it I also think the team needs to pursue and sell themselves to the player in order to make a deal happen. I'm still angry we didnt sign James Brown.

 

[everlong]

Goes to show how much is in the eye of the beholder.

The draft class I thought was hands down the best was Cincinnati, and you gave them a D. I liked all their picks, every single one. And there were a lot of them, too.

100% agree on the Bengals draft. That was an A+.

 

[Off The Grid]

OTG, I can't get on board with crediting UDFAs as part of the draft grade. IMO draft grades are about how teams spend their draft capital with an eye toward upgrading their rosters. UDFA pickups tend to be more about where agents think their undrafted clients have the best chance of sticking.

Huh??

Regardless of what the Agents thought, the UFA's a team sign reflect its Scouting and Evaluation skills.

Clearly, they're a part of the Draft Process.

I guess we'll have to diverge on whether or not they're part of the Draft Grade.

 

[Off The Grid]

Goes to show how much is in the eye of the beholder.

The draft class I thought was hands down the best was Cincinnati, and you gave them a D.

I liked all their picks, every single one. And there were a lot of them, too.

100% agree on the Bengals draft. That was an A+.

Yes, I'm sure Mel Kiper would agree with both of you.

 

[mayoclinic]

While that's certainly part of it I also think the team needs to pursue and sell themselves to the player in order to make a deal happen. I'm still angry we didnt sign James Brown.

I'm not sure it's that easy. The Grid and Patchick posts point out that UDFAs are somewhat in a class by themselves. Teams need to scout them, evaluate them, and pursue them aggressively. But since they have the option of choosing any team, the prospects and their agents get the final say, and that is often determined by where they are most likely to stick. The Pats' roster is already stacked top to bottom, and it's a hard sell to expect that very many UDFAs are going to have much of a chance. Also, I think BB has learned from past experience that signing a bunch of UDFAs may not be the best way to find developmental players for the PS, since other teams tend to jump all over the guys who the Pats cut (Will Yeatman, Zac Robinson, Lee Smith, Ted Larsen, Thomas Welch, etc.). They may be better off signing fewer players and then following closely a group of guys who they are interested in to see if they get cut during training camp. OTOH, the Pats do have a proven record of UDFAs making the team and playing significant roles, so if they do really like a guy I'm sure they can make a good case.

In any case, just because the Pats didn't sign someone as a UDFA doesn't mean their off BB's radar. Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead were signed by other teams as UDFAs, as were Kyle Arrington and Sterling Moore. Stephen Neal was cut as a UDFA signee before eventually coming back and assuming a starting role. I'm sure the door is still open for a lot of guys who have signed with other teams and who may come on the market again.

 

[mayoclinic]

Goes to show how much is in the eye of the beholder.

The draft class I thought was hands down the best was Cincinnati, and you gave them a D. I liked all their picks, every single one. And there were a lot of them, too.

100% agree on the Bengals draft. That was an A+.

The Bengals drafted a lot of players with name recognition. But there was some questionable decision making:

1. The Bengals made a choice to trade back from 21 to 27 with the Pats when David DeCastro was on the board. This netted them the #93 pick and DT Brandon Thomson, but it lost them the chance to add David DeCastro when OG was a major need - and they took OG Kevin Zeitler at 27. Zeitler is a solid prospect with a nice floor, but personally I don't think he's at DeCastro's level. And by passing on DeCastro the Bengals let him fall right into the lap of their division rival the Steelers, where he will immensely upgrade the OL next to Maurkice Pouncey. So that is a major area where it will be interesting to see down the road whether their decision making traded off or not. If Zeitler turns out to be close to as good as DeCastro and Thompson is a major player at DT then it's a great move. But if the Bengals passed on a perennial all-pro in favor of a solid guard and a decent DT then it's a poor one.

2. The Bengals picked up several guys with questionable motors and work ethics. Devon Still at 51 and UDFA Vontaze Burfict in particular are guys with some major questions, and given the Bengal's history that may not work too well.

Overall, the Bengals seemed more focused on acquiring talent than on building a team. But they did acquire some major talent. I personally like the Marvin Jones and George Iloka picks in the 5th round, both solid values.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I'm not sure it's that easy. The Grid and Patchick posts point out that UDFAs are somewhat in a class by themselves. Teams need to scout them, evaluate them, and pursue them aggressively. But since they have the option of choosing any team, the prospects and their agents get the final say, and that is often determined by where they are most likely to stick. The Pats' roster is already stacked top to bottom, and it's a hard sell to expect that very many UDFAs are going to have much of a chance. Also, I think BB has learned from past experience that signing a bunch of UDFAs may not be the best way to find developmental players for the PS, since other teams tend to jump all over the guys who the Pats cut (Will Yeatman, Zac Robinson, Lee Smith, Ted Larsen, Thomas Welch, etc.). They may be better off signing fewer players and then following closely a group of guys who they are interested in to see if they get cut during training camp. OTOH, the Pats do have a proven record of UDFAs making the team and playing significant roles, so if they do really like a guy I'm sure they can make a good case.

In any case, just because the Pats didn't sign someone as a UDFA doesn't mean their off BB's radar. Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead were signed by other teams as UDFAs, as were Kyle Arrington and Sterling Moore. Stephen Neal was cut as a UDFA signee before eventually coming back and assuming a starting role. I'm sure the door is still open for a lot of guys who have signed with other teams and who may come on the market again.

I never said it was easy, only that pursuing and selling those players is a big part of the equation that begins with evaluating and assessing them, and then gambling in the draft to spend a pick on them v. trying to court them afterwards.

The fact that other teams are all over our cast offs, wouldn't that be a point in favor of signing with the Patriots? 'You can come to one of the best run organizations in football with a damn good shot at making a SB run, and even if you don't stick around you have a magnificent chance of getting picked up elsewhere'.

 

[ZoisKing]

I'd rank our draft up there with anyones. As far as drafts go, if you can get 3 guys to contribute (start or star) big minutes then you've done very well.

I believe we may have found 4-Jones, Hightower, Bequette, and Dennard.

Also, I think the Bengals did a darn good job drafting. I understand that some guys get tons of media attention leading up to the draft-the D line guys like Still and Poe-without quite deserving it, but they did good in getting the players they did at the picks they did.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Overall, the Bengals seemed more focused on acquiring talent than on building a team. But they did acquire some major talent. I personally like the Marvin Jones and George Iloka picks in the 5th round, both solid values.

I have always believed that every successful teams needs a solid QB and a core group, offense, defense and ST, that buys into the program 100% and this core group holds others in the locker room accountable.

When you have that core in place, then you can add talent and let the coaches and the core, pressure the new guys into performing.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both NFC North teams with strong cores and solid QB's.

Clearly Marvin Lewis thinks his team is ready to join them. After watching Dalton play last season and seeing how the core and coaches turned around a lazy slob like Andre Smith, Lewis might be right.

 

[mayoclinic]

I have always believed that every successful teams needs a solid QB and a core group, offense, defense and ST, that buys into the program 100% and this core group holds others in the locker room accountable.

When you have that core in place, then you can add talent and let the coaches and the core, pressure the new guys into performing.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both NFC North teams with strong cores and solid QB's.

Clearly Marvin Lewis thinks his team is ready to join them. After watching Dalton play last season and seeing how the core and coaches turned around a lazy slob like Andre Smith, Lewis might be right.

Time will tell. The Bengals certainly added a lot of talent to their team. I've never been particularly impressed by that organization or coaching staff (other than Mike Zimmer, who is terrific), but their decision making over the past 13 months seems improved.

 

[ZoisKing]

I have always believed that every successful teams needs a solid QB and a core group, offense, defense and ST, that buys into the program 100% and this core group holds others in the locker room accountable.

When you have that core in place, then you can add talent and let the coaches and the core, pressure the new guys into performing.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both NFC North teams with strong cores and solid QB's.

Clearly Marvin Lewis thinks his team is ready to join them. After watching Dalton play last season and seeing how the core and coaches turned around a lazy slob like Andre Smith, Lewis might be right.

Adding Dalton certainly helped. He's got the right type of attitude, and a good amount of ability to lead that team. If they can continue to litter their roster with guys of his caliber then I think they're moving in the right direction.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Would you care to convert your comment into English??

OTG, I can't get on board with crediting UDFAs as part of the draft grade. IMO draft grades are about how teams spend their draft capital with an eye toward upgrading their rosters. UDFA pickups tend to be more about where agents think their undrafted clients have the best chance of sticking.

My point, OTG, is it appears that you moved the JEST up for their UDFA haul, but didn't seem to take it into account for other teams.