Ninkovich and Cunningham will both be unrestricted free agents in calendar year 2014. Selecting a defensive end in the 2013 NFL Draft allows the collegiate prospect a year to develop before "thrown to the wolves", so to speak.
I agree on some level for sure, but then you have to take into acct the fact that we are lacking in the following areas:
--DT...not only interior pressure, but overall talent. The fact that Brace and Pryor will both be FA's next year only adds to that need.
--Coverage LB...we certainly have run stopping thumpers, but no one to provide any type of coverage skill. The assumption would be that they will hope that 1st rd pick Hightower picks up his game, not to mention getting Fletcher back and likely signing one or more of the following FA's: T.White, Koutouvides, Bobby Carpenter.
--S...obviously, this seems to be the team's biggest weakness. Chung who sucks in coverage AND is a FA next year only makes it more of a need, and Gregory doesn't seem to have 'it,' although he may be fine for a #4 depth position or something.
---CB...obviously this is another huge need, and would likely come in at need priority #2 overall. Arrington's departure, along with McCourty's inconsistency and year after FA status only cloud the picture even more. The inability of Dowling to shake the injury bug and at least allow the coaches a glimpse of somthing must be just about maddening to Belichick, Patricia, and the secondary coaches.
So, we pretty much have all of the bases covered in terms of need. I would prioritize it in the following way, although you may disagree:
NEED #1---Safety
NEED #2---DT (although some will argue CB. My thought here is that they are both needs, yet DT comes before CB. It really could go either way)
NEED #3---CB (again, some will switch needs #2 and #3)
NEED #4---DE
NEED #5---Coverage type LB. It'd be nice to have, but I imagine the hope is on Hightower so this becomes nothing more than a luxury. That said, it's hard to watch them get beat constantly right in the middle.