Let's hear your Draft plans

[CrayzeeNepFan1]

Ok we all know that the patriots love building this great franchise thru the draft moreso than anything.

so if your the patriots how do you attack this years draft?

To make this fun and entertaining I want you to use two circumstances.

1. how you believe BB and SP will operate.

2. how if given the chance to call the shots how you would.

First off I offer TBC to a incentive based laden contract if not I let him walk we do not pay this man starters money in my opinion.

Second I look to not let talent that we worked so hard in developing walk without benifit to us with the Franchise and transition tags.

Let's assume Graham is back that means no need for a first round TE thank god.

I would love to resign Assante but not at the cost of disrupting the Salary cap but nor do i wanna see him in puke green and white. So I would trade him to the redskins along with our lower 1st for their 1st a 3rd and second in next years draft.

Onto the draft

Sigh I would love to get calvin johnson in a ne pats unifrom Brady truly deserves him more than any QB in the leauge, if it can be done resonable with a 1st and mid level picks or players, Jarvis green? We'd have to pull the trigger on this guy he is a class act and a once in a generation talent. We would finally have our number 1 wide reciever with jackson emerging as a solid number 2 rotating with gaffney and Caldwell with maybe a 4th round chansi stuckey? acting as our slot.

Mid round Rb almost a must Someone who can take a pounding play after play to let the electric Maroney on the field once the D is tiring down maybe BB will surprise us all and take a bruiser in the first or second?

Linebackers in bunches please! Whether Bruschi stays or not I want to have deph like the Steelers when it comes to 3-4 linebackers since there going to the 4-3 maybe we can get one of their linebackers Larry Foote? pretty cheaply or traded for marquise hill. Or i'd love jason babin resurected in new england. I read he ate whole chicken bones before games to toughen himself up! That my friends is the crazy deranged LB i want attacking The likes of noodle arm, peyton manning, Jp, and Miamis flavor of the week they place behind center.

Secondary I think two huge things we need to know IS Wilson ever gonna be Geno the ferocius hitting free safety again or is he gonna be often injured Eugene. My heart tells me there is still a place for Geno in the patriots Defense and he's just had some bad luck He could either contend for a Cb position would make a great nickel, or starting free safety. I want Rodney back So bad but he is not getting any younger I see only two alternatives here, Reggie Nelson is two small to play as physical as he does and that won't fly with the bigger wr's of the nfl. So i propose Laron Landry anyone? Or take a flyer on Merriweather shaping of his attitude for the chance to be great.

Well that is my offseason hope i have to be honest in last years draft i was on the biggest CJ bandwagon before and after the draft and yelled screamed and almost cried tears of joy when we moved up to pick him like i told my friend 5 minutes before i thought we would. It seems like we can get so much better so easy and fill in the small holes we have cause they are not gaping like most teams.

Sure wish there wasn't 31 other teams with draft picks though

Sorry this was such a long post but i am a draft Guru and thinks we can stay dominant with a stellar offseason looking foward to hearing your ideas.

 

[aabtec]

I think after this year..there should be some changes...

It looks like the SB will going through Indy for the next few years.

1. Franchise Asante.
2. Move Wilson to corner.
3. Draft a CB and Griffin (Safety) from Texas.
4. Draft a 2nd Rd WR. Someone that can stay on the field.
5. Draft LB's and sign a FA LB (Briggs).

That is my start....

 

[fester]

Okay, I think last night's 2nd half game plan by the Colts showed a couple of things about the Patriots' defense. The first one is that the Patriots linebackers can not effectively cover decent tight ends and running backs --- the speed is no longer there for Bruschi. The best example was an incomplete pass by Manning to Addai in the first half where Bruschi was a good three steps behind the play, and the long completion done the middle to Clark. Some of this is related to the Patriots' indifferent safety play, but the Patriots were using the #3,4 and 5 safeties for most of the game.

One of the positives of this game is that Asante Samuels has proven to my satisifaction that he can shut down an All-Pro receiver with minimal over the top help --- although he did get some of that pick for a touchdown.

Finally, I think that the Patriots need a serious big play receiver who can at least force the defense to respect the bomb on a consistent basis and thus drop the safeties to normal depth.

Here is what I think Belicheck et al will do in the offseason.

1) Franchise Samuels for he is a legit shut down corner and those are rare to find. Due to the timing of the salary cap increases, a franchise tag is cheap compared to open market value. Offer a serious 5 year 10-12 million to sign [play around with this as you will in the types and timing of the bonuses] 35 million dollar contract. If Samuel signs great --- else get a mid-1st rounder and change for him.

2) Sign a fast young linebacker --- Briggs or Thomas come to mind, and be willing to give up a 1st in compensation if need be. The inside is slow and needs more speed.

3) Look at whom the Steelers will be dumping as they seem to be switching over to a 4-3 Cover 2 team and there should be a couple of useful cast-offs as temporary fixes [Hagans, Foote?]

4) Assuming that the Patriots do not trade for or away a 1st rounder [which assumes Samuels resigns] look at the draft to address the following needs:
#24 --- Safety with predominant coverage skills --- Michael Griffin???
#28 --- Inside linebacker with a 2 year training window to starting --- Willis?
#60 --- DE to OLB conversion project as the Patriots need more consistent edge pass-rush pressure than that provided by Colvin.
#92 --- Speed receiver
4th Rounder --- Tight End with serious blocking skills to supplement Graham
4th Rounder [Comp] --- Power Running back
5th [Oakland has it]
6th --- Safety
7th --- Corner
7th Comp -- DT
7th Comp -- OLB to DE project
7th Comp -- WR

 

[Tunescribe]

#24 --- Safety with predominant coverage skills --- Michael Griffin???
#28 --- Inside linebacker with a 2 year training window to starting --- Willis?
#60 --- DE to OLB conversion project as the Patriots need more consistent edge pass-rush pressure than that provided by Colvin.
#92 --- Speed receiver
4th Rounder --- Tight End with serious blocking skills to supplement Graham
4th Rounder [Comp] --- Power Running back
5th [Oakland has it]
6th --- Safety
7th --- Corner
7th Comp -- DT
7th Comp -- OLB to DE project
7th Comp -- WR

Fair enough assessment, although I don't think we need another tight end if we keep Graham and Watson. According to you we have two #1 picks, one each in rounds 2 and 3, and two in round 4. Is this what we have? Somehow I thought we had two in round 3, but I'm probably mistaken.

 

[ironwasp]

To make this real fun you should include a third option:

What would Dan Snyder do?

Or - even better what would Crazy Al do? (latest word on Crazy Al is that he wants to ship Randy Moss and Jerry Porter to Atlanta as well as the first pick in the draft in exchange for Michael Vick and the Falcons first rounder.

But my answers are:

1 - Pay Graham

2 - Franchise Samuel and, depending on his reaction, ship him out for a high pick in 2008 and a veteran LB.

3 - Chase a starting ILB in FA and a WR.

4 - Draft at CB/S/LB with the firsts and then fill in elsewhere behind.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I'd have to know our cap situation first. Last I heard we were a little over even though I originally thought we were way under. We still have Warren,Samuel and Graham to think about.

There are several ways this team can go and they are the hardest to predict.
If we could somehow land Calvin Johnson I would be incredibly happy beyond comparison. But we all know he is at the very least a top 10 pick if not 5. He would put the offense over the top with the right playcaller in there.

If the Patriots were able to somehow sign Lance Briggs we would be in great shape. I just don't see it happening. The 49ers are 30+million under the cap and Briggs is the local kid out there. I favor him going their in a landslide.

The great thing about this draft is we can actually concentrate on a single area of need. The offensive and defensive line is complete and has depth as long as Warren is signed.

Our main area of concern should be at the 2ndary,LB positions. Glaring needs. Not because they don't play well,just that they need more depth. Bruschi,Vrabel can still get it done, they just need more breathers with fresh legs and TBC needs to be situational.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Ok we all know that the patriots love building this great franchise thru the draft moreso than anything.

so if your the patriots how do you attack this years draft?

To make this fun and entertaining I want you to use two circumstances.

1. how you believe BB and SP will operate.

2. how if given the chance to call the shots how you would.

First off I offer TBC to a incentive based laden contract if not I let him walk we do not pay this man starters money in my opinion.

Second I look to not let talent that we worked so hard in developing walk without benifit to us with the Franchise and transition tags.

Let's assume Graham is back that means no need for a first round TE thank god.

I would love to resign Assante but not at the cost of disrupting the Salary cap but nor do i wanna see him in puke green and white. So I would trade him to the redskins along with our lower 1st for their 1st a 3rd and second in next years draft.

Onto the draft

Sigh I would love to get calvin johnson in a ne pats unifrom Brady truly deserves him more than any QB in the leauge, if it can be done resonable with a 1st and mid level picks or players, Jarvis green? We'd have to pull the trigger on this guy he is a class act and a once in a generation talent. We would finally have our number 1 wide reciever with jackson emerging as a solid number 2 rotating with gaffney and Caldwell with maybe a 4th round chansi stuckey? acting as our slot.

Mid round Rb almost a must Someone who can take a pounding play after play to let the electric Maroney on the field once the D is tiring down maybe BB will surprise us all and take a bruiser in the first or second?

Linebackers in bunches please! Whether Bruschi stays or not I want to have deph like the Steelers when it comes to 3-4 linebackers since there going to the 4-3 maybe we can get one of their linebackers Larry Foote? pretty cheaply or traded for marquise hill. Or i'd love jason babin resurected in new england. I read he ate whole chicken bones before games to toughen himself up! That my friends is the crazy deranged LB i want attacking The likes of noodle arm, peyton manning, Jp, and Miamis flavor of the week they place behind center.

Secondary I think two huge things we need to know IS Wilson ever gonna be Geno the ferocius hitting free safety again or is he gonna be often injured Eugene. My heart tells me there is still a place for Geno in the patriots Defense and he's just had some bad luck He could either contend for a Cb position would make a great nickel, or starting free safety. I want Rodney back So bad but he is not getting any younger I see only two alternatives here, Reggie Nelson is two small to play as physical as he does and that won't fly with the bigger wr's of the nfl. So i propose Laron Landry anyone? Or take a flyer on Merriweather shaping of his attitude for the chance to be great.

Well that is my offseason hope i have to be honest in last years draft i was on the biggest CJ bandwagon before and after the draft and yelled screamed and almost cried tears of joy when we moved up to pick him like i told my friend 5 minutes before i thought we would. It seems like we can get so much better so easy and fill in the small holes we have cause they are not gaping like most teams.

Sure wish there wasn't 31 other teams with draft picks though

Sorry this was such a long post but i am a draft Guru and thinks we can stay dominant with a stellar offseason looking foward to hearing your ideas.

Great thread. I think we are in for some interesting moves in the offseason. For some reason, I think McDaniels will be gone as someone's (The Raiders ?) head coach. I would not be shocked to see Dan Henning as our OC. Then I see some guys retiring, maybe Troy Brown, Junior Seau & Tedy Bruschi. Even if they don't retire, they shouldn't be counted on heavily during the regular season. If both Samuel and Graham bolt and we don't sign free agents to help us out, I think we are in for some competitive seasons, but not championship type seasons. This would show me that the Pats braintrust doesn't feel we are as close as I thought they were.

I love the fact that we have so many draft choices, lots of flexibility, but despite our aging LB's, and sub par secondary (and receivers), we really need help in the running game. Over the last 10 games, we've been pretty bad. I think most of it has to do with the run blocking. We no longer are able to kill the clock with our running game. I wouldn't mind seeing the Pats draft the best available roadgrader at #24. I like Mankins as a run blocker, but the rest aren't very good run blockers (maybe it's the scheme ?).

As far as linebackers, I'd love to get one with pick #30, I really like John Abbatte at Wake Forest, saw him play and he's a tackling machine, too bad he's only 5'11". I'm hoping the Pats will sign or draft 1 or more LB's this year.

WR is another weakness, we need average to good receivers, and right now I'd say all of our receivers are subpar. I am hoping Chad Jackson wakes the f*ck up in 2007. How embarassing is it that a 7th rounder becomes a stud for the Saints, and we can't even get any production from a highly touted 2nd rounder on a receiver starved team ? I'd like us to draft/sign several WR's this offseason. Give the best QB in the game some weapons for Pete's sake.

Safeties and CB's are obviously a major concern as well.

 

[fester]

Fair enough assessment, although I don't think we need another tight end if we keep Graham and Watson. According to you we have two #1 picks, one each in rounds 2 and 3, and two in round 4. Is this what we have? Somehow I thought we had two in round 3, but I'm probably mistaken.

This is just a guess, and the discrepency is where the Patriots get the comp pick for Givens. I am lowballing it, and you are highballing it. I think that when AdamJT25 does his comp pick projection that Givens is a borderline call either way. I'm just being cautious.

As for the 5th tight end, I don't know if Graham will sign, and the Patriots by their agreement with Satan must draft at least one tight end per year it seems

 

[ATippett56]

1st Round (from Seattle): Safety Reggie Nelson (Florida) or Safety Michael Griffin (Texas)
1st Round: Wide Receiver Dwayne Bowe (LSU) or Wide Receiver Robert Meachem (Tennessee)
2nd Round: Inside Linebacker David Harris (Michigan) or Buster Davis (FSU)
3rd Round: Cornerback Fred Bennett (South Carolina) or Cornerback David Irons (Auburn)
4th Round: Best available defensive player
5th Round: Traded to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Doug Gabriel
6th Round: Inside Linebacker Zak DeOssie (Brown)
7th Round: Best available defensive player

Place the Franchise Tag on New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel.

 

[ATippett56]

I think after this year..there should be some changes...

It looks like the SB will going through Indy for the next few years.

1. Franchise Asante.
2. Move Wilson to corner.
3. Draft a CB and Griffin (Safety) from Texas.
4. Draft a 2nd Rd WR. Someone that can stay on the field.
5. Draft LB's and sign a FA LB (Briggs).

That is my start....

Lance Briggs will be franchised.

 

[TomBradyWoot]

1) Load up on speedy defensive plays- it was obvious during the season we lacked speed on defense.

2) Safety- Atrell is slow and just isnt starter material. with the pattern of the last two seasons not being to ever start our starting safeties, we need to be prepared.

3) Linebacker- This group isnt getting and younger. Bruschi can still get the job done, but he's just not a playmaker anymore. Belichick seems to have a hard time finding linebackers to fit his system coming out of college.

4) Corner- Hobbs just doesn't seem to be good enough to start. I like him, but as a nickle. If we lose Asante, can you really see us winning with Hobbs as our #1. Ew.

5) Speedy receiver in the later rounds- someone who can come in and not have the pressure of being called a bust if he doesnt produce ASAP.

6) Offensive Coordinator-pay that 21 million dollar buyout to Notre Dame. (kidding)

 

[ATippett56]

5) Speedy receiver in the later rounds- someone who can come in and not have the pressure of being called a bust if he doesnt produce ASAP.

Wishful thinking, in my opinion. Expecting another David Givens in the seventh round? How did P.K. Sam work out as a fifth round draft pick in 2004? There looks to be plenty of value at wide receiver late in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft.

 

[upstater1]

Just as an FYI, the Pats do not go for speed on defense.

Granted, they need more speed than what Bruschi can provide right now, but the Pats like big and smart players. They believe a guy who can handle responsibilities in his area is more valuable than a speedy guy who lacks the same discipline.

So, the Patriots need youth, but I seriously doubt that Belichick will be looking for speed.

 

[Handel]

1st Round (from Seattle): Safety Reggie Nelson (Florida) or Safety Michael Griffin (Texas)
1st Round: Wide Receiver Dwayne Bowe (LSU) or Wide Receiver Robert Meachem (Tennessee)
2nd Round: Inside Linebacker David Harris (Michigan) or Buster Davis (FSU)
3rd Round: Cornerback Fred Bennett (South Carolina) or Cornerback David Irons (Auburn)
4th Round: Best available defensive player
5th Round: Traded to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Doug Gabriel
6th Round: Inside Linebacker Zak DeOssie (Brown)
7th Round: Best available defensive player

Place the Franchise Tag on New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel.

Nelson will be gone at 24. But agree with WR and ILB picks.

 

[carolinatony]

I am seeing conflicting picks..
How many picks do we have total?
thanks