2008 draft most important in the BB era?

[Crazyeechrispats1]

This could arguably be the case, since most fans and observers believe the defense the offensive line and receiving position could all use a shot of youth.
It's ironic that the giants who used every draft pick and hit with almost all of them won the big game.
We need desperate help at cornerback it's very possible that this can be attained in the middle rounds.
I can see us bringing in a madieu williams or my pipe dream would be ty law for a cheap contract.
In the draft there are only 2 players to me worth the 7th overall pick.
Both last names end in Long.
As far as second tier franchise players I have to go with Vernon Gholston, Derrick Harvey, Sedrick Ellis, Kenny Phillips.
My ideal scenario would be to land as many middle round picks as possible to rebuild the secondary.
We need a new punter somewhere no earlier than the fourth round.
What's the chance of landing Terrel suggs as one poster suggested I would be doing back flips if he hit free agency and signed with us or was traded to us outight.
I would give up the seventh overall pick for terrel suggs and a third rounder in a heartbeat.
Like to hear your action plans for the draft.

 

[JoePats]

They all were important. We got a nice player at 199 in 2000. Those early drafts were needed to make the team as strong and as deep as it is now.

This draft is very important in the sense that there are only three rookies on the roster right now (and two were on IR all season). The team has some older players at LB, and will likely be thin in the secondary after free agency, so there is some significant room to add youth.

Further, and perhaps most importantly, there is not a ton of cap room, there's some, but not a huge amount. Here is the opportunity to add several contributors (4 picks in the first 3 rounds) at very low salaries.

 

[Jimke]

Even if the Ravens do not franchise Terrell Suggs, I do not believe
the Pats will have the salary cap space to sign him and still re-sign
their own free agents like Randy Moss.
I agree the 2008 draft is very important for the Pats. I can see them
trading down a little to get an extra middle round pick and then combining
picks to get better picks in the second and third rounds. As you stated
the cornerback position is the position of greatest need, followed by
linebacker, offensive line, and possibly wide receiver if we do not
re-sign Moss or Gaffney.
Your observation with regard to the Giants' 2007 draft is interesting.
The Colts also had a very good draft. All of their choices made the team.
Frankly, I think the Pats gave up on the 2007 draft. The trades they
made netted good value but their player selections were not up to par
with a lot of other teams. I am still scratching my head as to why
they let Justin Rodgers go and kept Chad Brown.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

The real question is how many rookies have a realistic shot at making the roster?

If only two guys are capable of coming in and starting from day 1 and both are gone by the seventh pick, where does that leave us? That is a lot of money for a guy to "develop" on the sidelines.

 

[TheBaronPatriot]

My offseason plan: go after LB's that have succesfully played in a 3-4 in FA or project well there based on size. Note: must also be team first guys... which is not encompassed here.

Our super bowl teams consisted of a specialized LB corps. Ted Johnson was the run stuffer. Phipher was the pass defense specialist. Brushi could do either ok. But neither Johnson or Phipher were liabilities in pass/run.

Let's say A.Thomas is our either guy playing ILB, that leaves us needing a thumper inside, and a pass LB specialist.

Both:
Dansby (6-4 250 think he played in a 3-4 in AZ could be wrong... dream on)

Thumper:
Victor Hobson (6 252 played ILB for JESTS)
Danny Clark (6-2 245)
Darryl Blackstock (6-3 244 played ILB in 3-4 in Virgina)
Isaiah Ekejiuba (6"4 240, Virgina)

Pass:
Boss Bailey

OLB:
Sam Williams 6-5 260 (Fresno St. Pat Hill Connection)
Calvin Pace 6-4 272 (espn lists him as an LB, OLB perhaps)
Clark Haggans (6-4 244 played OLB for Pit)
Suggs (dream on)

unknown:
Brandon Chillar (6-3 242)
Na'il Diggs (6-4 240)
Teddy Lehman (6-2 238)

Next I would draft a 3-4 OLB pass rush specialist, somebody to bring in on passing situations who can beat 1 on 1 pass blocking

http://www.draftdaddy.com/nfldraft/freeagentdefense.cfm#4

 

[Jimke]

The real question is how many rookies have a realistic shot at making the roster?

If only two guys are capable of coming in and starting from day 1 and both are gone by the seventh pick, where does that leave us? That is a lot of money for a guy to "develop" on the sidelines.

Most of the rookies drafted by NFL teams make their roster. This is

the way teams balance off the higher salaries due veteran players. If

half a dozen rookies don't make the Patriots, they have done a lousy

job of drafting. Prior to last year, all but a couple of their draftees made the

Pats' roster each year. With Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Bill Parcells

in the league very few good prospects are going to find their way to our

practice squad. I am still scratching my head why Chad Brown made the

team and not Justin Rodgers. Chad Brown played in two games and had

two tackles. Justin Rodgers played in sixteen games and had eighteen

tackles. Who would you rather have on your team? When a team

compares a rookie vs. a veteran, they have to project how the rookie's

skill level will improve after a couple of years. If rookies were judged

solely on their first training camp performance, Tom Brady would have

been cut and would be performing his magic on another team.

 

[captain stone]

Most of the rookies drafted by NFL teams make their roster. This is

the way teams balance off the higher salaries due veteran players. If

half a dozen rookies don't make the Patriots, they have done a lousy

job of drafting. Prior to last year, all but a couple of their draftees made the

Pats' roster each year. With Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Bill Parcells

in the league very few good prospects are going to find their way to our

practice squad. I am still scratching my head why Chad Brown made the

team and not Justin Rodgers. Chad Brown played in two games and had

two tackles. Justin Rodgers played in sixteen games and had eighteen

tackles. Who would you rather have on your team? When a team

compares a rookie vs. a veteran, they have to project how the rookie's

skill level will improve after a couple of years. If rookies were judged

solely on their first training camp performance, Tom Brady would have

been cut and would be performing his magic on another team.

I am in complete agreement with your thinking re: the NEP's 2007 draft. Some of the positions that were drafted last year are the same positions that need help this year: LB and DB. That is not progress; that is stagnation at best, regression at worst. And it may have cost us the SB, just as the 2004 draft after Wilfork may have cost us the 2006 SB.

The time in which our back 8 "depth" consists of has-beens, never-weres and never-will-bes must end. There is no way - NO EFFIN WAY - that we should not be 2-time defending SB champions. And it kills me inside that we aren't, and the Manning family is.