Little immediate help -- implications?

[Fencer]

First round pick -- guy who could be a major star, but is still recuperating from injury.
Second round pick -- guy who we hope doesn't play for years.
Next picks -- TBD, but they start in the fourth round.

Clearly, the Patriots were comfortable not filling immediate needs with high-rated players. I'm OK with that, considering:

• DBs are pretty set, starters and depth alike.
• Front Seven is set for starters, although depth is questionable.
• OTs are set at least 3 deep.
• Interior OL is set, although quality and depth are both debatable. Also, low-drafted/undrafted interior OL have contributed well in the past.
  
• RB is in decent shape, if we assume Ridley can play and Blount can be replaced by another cheap pickup (if desired).
• WR has a lot of returning talent.
• QB got added to.
• STs have a lot of returning talent.

I didn't mention TE in the above list, but no roster is perfect ...

 

[mgteich]

I'm OK with the 1st and 2nd. BTW, Belichick would have chosen Bortles in the 1st if he were there.

I don't understand why we didn't pick in the 3rd. The 6th is unlikely to make the team. It seems that Belichick could have gotten his favorite RB or LB left or drafted OG Thomas for the PUP list as SF did.

First round pick -- guy who could be a major star, but is still recuperating from injury.
Second round pick -- guy who we hope doesn't play for years.
Next picks -- TBD, but they start in the fourth round.

Clearly, the Patriots were comfortable not filling immediate needs with high-rated players. I'm OK with that, considering:

• DBs are pretty set, starters and depth alike.
• Front Seven is set for starters, although depth is questionable.
• OTs are set at least 3 deep.
• Interior OL is set, although quality and depth are both debatable. Also, low-drafted/undrafted interior OL have contributed well in the past.
  
• RB is in decent shape, if we assume Ridley can play and Blount can be replaced by another cheap pickup (if desired).
• WR has a lot of returning talent.
• QB got added to.
• STs have a lot of returning talent.

I didn't mention TE in the above list, but no roster is perfect ...

 

[Big-T]

Easley was cleared a few weeks ago, he would be good to go tomorrow never mind September. With how quickly that trade in the 3rd round came I suspect they were going to take Trai Turner who was the last pick before the Pats were up.

 

[james87654]

I personally don't think Brady will finish his contract, at least as the starter. I'm thinking 2-3 years left in the Brady window and then it will be on to Jimmy G or someone else if he doesn't pan out.

just my opinion

 

[BobDigital]

Here is my main implication. Dustin Keller is going to be a Patriot.

If he isn't then I am going to be very disappointed we did not take a top 5 TE.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Poor asset management, period. BB the coach is BB the GM's worst enemy. He thinks improving his team through the draft is a waste of time.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The Pats probably believe that Easley can be a starter quality player for us or they wouldn't use a 1st round pick. Chandler Jones was labeled as 'raw' but was easily our best DE his rookie season. So I expect Easley to contribute sooner rather than later, health permitting.

 

[RayClay]

I'm OK with the 1st and 2nd. BTW, Belichick would have chosen Bortles in the 1st if he were there.

I don't understand why we didn't pick in the 3rd. The 6th is unlikely to make the team. It seems that Belichick could have gotten his favorite RB or LB left or drafted OG Thomas for the PUP list as SF did.

Dropping 12 spots in the 3rd/4th is almost inconsequential if you have fairly equal grades, or options.

My theory is that they are trying to hit on some 4th or 6th rounders, (they have 6) to find some cheap players to balance off Revis, Wilfork and all the big second contracts coming up.

They plan that stuff out instead of being forced to cut important players.

 

[Gumby]

BB stockpiled 4Rders for the immediate help category I guess. I expect 1or 2 OL and maybe a TE. But 4ths are normally more like immediate depth, we ll see.

 

[mgteich]

Yes, there is a long time until the season starts. We could still sign Keller, a RB, a DE and a LB to compete with whatever we draft tomorrow.

Dropping 12 spots in the 3rd/4th is almost inconsequential if you have fairly equal grades, or options.

My theory is that they are trying to hit on some 4th or 6th rounders, (they have 6) to find some cheap players to balance off Revis, Wilfork and all the big second contracts coming up.

They plan that stuff out instead of being forced to cut important players.

First round pick -- guy who could be a major star, but is still recuperating from injury.
Second round pick -- guy who we hope doesn't play for years.
Next picks -- TBD, but they start in the fourth round.

Clearly, the Patriots were comfortable not filling immediate needs with high-rated players. I'm OK with that, considering:

• DBs are pretty set, starters and depth alike.
• Front Seven is set for starters, although depth is questionable.
• OTs are set at least 3 deep.
• Interior OL is set, although quality and depth are both debatable. Also, low-drafted/undrafted interior OL have contributed well in the past.
  
• RB is in decent shape, if we assume Ridley can play and Blount can be replaced by another cheap pickup (if desired).
• WR has a lot of returning talent.
• QB got added to.
• STs have a lot of returning talent.

I didn't mention TE in the above list, but no roster is perfect ...

 

[AzPatsFan]

First round pick -- guy who could be a major star, but is still recuperating from injury.
Second round pick -- guy who we hope doesn't play for years.
Next picks -- TBD, but they start in the fourth round.

Clearly, the Patriots were comfortable not filling immediate needs with high-rated players. I'm OK with that, considering:

• DBs are pretty set, starters and depth alike.
• Front Seven is set for starters, although depth is questionable.
• OTs are set at least 3 deep.
• Interior OL is set, although quality and depth are both debatable. Also, low-drafted/undrafted interior OL have contributed well in the past.
  
• RB is in decent shape, if we assume Ridley can play and Blount can be replaced by another cheap pickup (if desired).
• WR has a lot of returning talent.
• QB got added to.
• STs have a lot of returning talent.

I didn't mention TE in the above list, but no roster is perfect ...

I just chuckled at the Pats fans that thought using the First Round pick was meant to be used for having a starter capable reserve TE sitting behind the best TE in the league. They actually thought it was a life or death affair.

The weakest positions on the team are C and RG, but it is only an upgrade consideration over merely average starters, who may have been injured or just had subpar years. Wendell is dominated by big DTs otherwise he is pretty good, Connolly is merely aging but it is Cannon's job to take, if the OTs are healthy and Connolly could handle C. .

 

[james87654]

this draft is making the "brady first" patriot fans furious. As a "bb first" patriot fan, it doesnt bother me as much. But i do hope we can win #4 in the next couple of years before brady's window is closed.

 

[Deus Irae]

I just chuckled at the Pats fans that thought using the First Round pick was meant to be used for having a starter capable reserve TE sitting behind the best TE in the league. They actually thought it was a life or death affair..

You're building a straw man. Teams can use a two TE offense. The Patriots were doing that not long ago.

 

[BelichickFan]

I don't understand why we didn't pick in the 3rd. The 6th is unlikely to make the team.

Bill answered that in his press conference. Using different words, he thinks they'll get the same rated player in the early 4th as the last 3rd and wants the flexibility to move up if need be. That "useless" 6th could be combined with the Philly 6 to get back to the 5th and undo the Sopoaga deal if the right player is there.

 

[Sciz]

And yet, has Belichick ever added so much immediate help in one offseason?

 

[Deus Irae]

And yet, has Belichick ever added so much immediate help in one offseason?

2007, probably one or more of the 2000-2003 seasons

 

[chasa]

Poor asset management, period. BB the coach is BB the GM's worst enemy. He thinks improving his team through the draft is a waste of time.

Mayo, jones, hightower, brady, dobson, boyce, riddley, vereen, dennard, wilfork, mankins, vollmer, arrington, gronkowski, Wilson, edlemen all say hello

 

[Sciz]

2007, probably one or more of the 2000-2003 seasons

I suppose 2007 qualifies. Other than that, we'd have to get into a discussion of quality vs quantity. Nobody outside of Moss immediately contributed as much as Revis is expected to, and there aren't many guys that contributed more than people are expecting from Browner, even.

 

[TonyTucker]

AzPatsFan, yeah, sitting behind Gronk for the six games he plays in next year, before he gets another boo boo, misses the playoffs, and then takes his sweet time coming back and repeating the process. Plus, I don't know if you're aware, but they can play two TE's at once. But hey, apparently they're set with Hooman and his nine catches per year.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

The Jimmy Garroppolo pick doesn't disappoint me too much. Sure, it'd be nice to see some playmakers on D or O... It hasn't been a bad offseason. We made some nice FA acquisitions and chose a potential high reward 1st round prospect (aren't they all). I don't know about you guys but in a few years, I don't want to be watching the Patriots looking like the Oakland Raiders once Brady is gone. Mallet isn't the guy so this gives them time to develop another guy.

Three 4th round picks? What have 4th round draft picks done for us, you say? Well let me see... Aaron Hernandez (hey, he was good), Stephen Gostkowski, Asante Samuel. 4th rounders got us Randy Moss and Aqib Talib. Maybe we trade one for a player.