After A Week of Excitement

[mgteich]

I've been on vacation for a week!

FIRST
IMHO, we still have plenty of cap room left to do anything we want. If necessary, Brady's contract can be restructured.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Morris and Welker are major additions. We can now not worry about Brown's decision.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Yates was a starter for one game last year. It is good to see him in place through 2009.

RECEIVERS
Welker and Brady are major additions. We still need a receiver, but not from free agency. We no longer need a tight end.

RUNNING BACK
We still need help, but the need is not as immediate with Evans and Morris signed. Dillon is a major loss.

DEFENSE
Thomas is the biggest free agent signing since Colvin.
Gay may actually play a game this season, or not.
We still need a corner, or to sign Samuel to a long-term contract, or both.

BOTTOM LINE
As I indicated a couple of weeks ago, it is the philosophy of the FO to be able to field a team BEFORE the draft. This allows draft flexibility, as well as not having to count on rookies. We've used a 2nd on a wide receiver who is a top returner.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Still could use a body or two at ILB.

 

[DarrylS]

The best part of this is that whoever we draft, short a CB or safety, they will have time to develop in the NFL instead of just being cast into a starting role.. if the draftees can step in right away, then this team will only be better than it is right now. Always like the way the Pats have used "bridge" players to help the new guys learn the NFL and how to behave, this year Bruschi and Harrison may play that role.

 

[Fencer]

As always, the Pats are on the verge of running out of places to put draftees, at least on the roster of 53:

K, LS -- set
P -- could draft 1
QB -- don't really have roster room for a 3rd
RB -- don't really have roster room for a 5th
TE -- full up at 4
OL -- full up at 9
WR -- room for a rookie, but probably just 1; would they actually carry 2 rooks at WR?
DL -- they're set at 5 positions, and it will be hard to carry more than 6 DL. There's certainly room for 1 NT, but after that it gets dicey.
LB -- My base case is 6 vets (2 more FAs, perhaps including Seau), 2 of the current developmental guys, 1 of the current grizzled ST specialists, and 1 rookie
S -- 4 keepers, leaving room for 1 rookie
CB -- 4 keepers if Gay winds up staying, leaving room for 1 rookie. And even if Gay goes, one of Spann/Andrews might get his slot.

 

[bradmahn]

I'd bet money that, unless he has a terrible offseason/ training camp, Willie Andrews is a lock to make the team. He's an ace on special teams, can return kicks and punts in a bind, has the versatility to play S and CB, and I have heard some fairly promising statements about his development (I don't remember where, exactly, but something along the lines of him being groomed for "something special," IIRC).

 

[jbhiggy]

Im pretty certain we'll see an ILB and a S taken in the first round, but as everyone knows we'll probably take a QB and a TE lol.

S Michael Griffin of Texas could be a good pick and I think the consensus here is we'd love to see Willis at ILB.

I wonder if Fresno State has anymore guys we'll snatch up.

 

[USMC FFMS]

I still think the team needs to look at adding another safety and a good under the radar move might be Ken Hamlin.

Rodney unfortunately seems to be breaking down more and more now, Eugene Wilson can't stay healthy and might be moved back to corner just to lower the injury risk, Artrell Hawkins is a nice back-up, and James Sanders is close but isn't quite there yet.

 

[Kdo5]

With Wes Welker coming here and getting Morris and the TE Brady it makes me wonder if our offensive holes have almost all been filled. That is great so we can problably do mostly a defensive draft this year opposite of what we did for the offensive side last year. I mean aside from Troy whether he plays or retires, the oldest player on the offensive side is Kevin Faulk. We are loaded with younger talented players on offense.

So it seems we will go for some DB's in the first round, particularly a safety. With a good draft, this team will be scary.

 

[marty]

As always, the Pats are on the verge of running out of places to put draftees, at least on the roster of 53:

K, LS -- set
P -- could draft 1
QB -- don't really have roster room for a 3rd
RB -- don't really have roster room for a 5th
TE -- full up at 4
OL -- full up at 9
WR -- room for a rookie, but probably just 1; would they actually carry 2 rooks at WR?
DL -- they're set at 5 positions, and it will be hard to carry more than 6 DL. There's certainly room for 1 NT, but after that it gets dicey.
LB -- My base case is 6 vets (2 more FAs, perhaps including Seau), 2 of the current developmental guys, 1 of the current grizzled ST specialists, and 1 rookie
S -- 4 keepers, leaving room for 1 rookie
CB -- 4 keepers if Gay winds up staying, leaving room for 1 rookie. And even if Gay goes, one of Spann/Andrews might get his slot.

I believe they have 3 or 4 punters already. No way they draft one!!!

 

[italian pat patriot]

...we need another excitement period in april (draft)

you are anyway very right: we are very excited in these days

i'm still thinking about A.Thomas...wow !

 

[Fencer]

I believe they have 3 or 4 punters already. No way they draft one!!!

2 youngsters, Walter for sure, but not Sauerbrunn if I'm reading Miguel's page correctly.

And your point is?

 

[WhiZa]

We have between 8 to 12 draft picks. Where are all these players going to fit on this team? We could get a LB or two, S, CB, WR. The rest of the rookies would probably get cut/PS. This might be the year we wheel and deal draft picks for more picks next year.

 

[Fumblerooski]

We have between 8 to 12 draft picks. Where are all these players going to fit on this team? We could get a LB or two, S, CB, WR. The rest of the rookies would probably get cut/PS. This might be the year we wheel and deal draft picks for more picks next year.

Exactly, or trade them away to move up in each round to get a better player.

Realistically, there is only room for 4-5 rookies on this 53. These might be:

ILB - I say the Pats bundle up some picks and move up to get Willis

CB - a lot of this depends on how much progress they are making with Samuel. If he leaves they need to take a CB on Day 1. If he stays a Day 2 pick could compete with Mickens as an upgrade.

NT - Smith has not panned out, but he is still young. This is where we need info from the Pats coaches.

DE - ditto for Hill

There could be a spot for a WR if they don't sign another vet but they do have the cap space to target a more proven NFL commodity here. Rookie WRs are a work in progress that takes 2-3 years to get anything back. A vet hits the ground running and this current team has a real chance at another Lombardi. They are not in the waiting mode.

As far a safety - this all depends on Rodney. They will have to replace him but I doubt it is this draft. Maybe a next year Vet FA replaces him.

 

[Maroney]

I think we should use some of the picks (obviously not compensation picks) to move up in the draft. We might need to move up in round one to grab Griffin and we would definately need to move up to grab Landry. (I am not a big fan of Nelson as he isn't that smart and that does not bode well for a complex scheme like ours.) It is though that Atlanta and Dallas are both going to take safeties in the draft, but Carolina's needs don't match up with their draft spot so we could possibly move up to 14 and send them one of our firsts.

I also agree this might be a year where we load up on picks for next year and we can use the compensation picks to round out the roster. What do you guys think of moving the 28 to a sub-par team (i.e. Tampa, Atl, etc) for their 1st and 4th next year or something like that. Basically looking for a way to have 2 first rounders next year when we might have mroe pressing needs / holes.