What to do with the #7 pick...

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

...assuming the Pats stand "pat" and don't trade out of the #7 hole, here is my wishlist of players they should be looking at in that spot. These are in no particluar order. Just pick the one you think fills the greatest need.

Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas - Maroney definitely impressed me late in the season and he changed mind about him a little, but man, McFadden is way too impressive to NOT consider, if he's still there. (Which he won't be because the Jets will take him @ #6 if Mangina even THINKS we're looking @ him @ #7.)

Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College - Yes, it's time to start thinking about life after Brady, and we all know Matt Cassell and Matt Gutierrez aren't the answer. Who fits better in Boston than a kid who played @ BC and has a last name like Ryan?!?!? Plus, he's got just a little talent!

Dan Connor, LB, Penn State - We definitely need LB help and we missed the chance to take another Nittany Lion LB stud last year when we took Bradndon Merriweather instead of Paul Posluszny. Let's right that wrong!

Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida - Because I think Asante Samuel is long gone and I don't think Ellis "Why the h e l l did they leave me one-on-one with Plaxico Burress on 3rd down with :58 left in the Super Bowl" Hobbs is the answer.

Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas - See Mike Jenkins. Plus this kid's ballhawk in the mold of Law & Samuel.

Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Now that the Giants showed everyone how to beat the c r a p out of Tom Brady, we're gonna need to shore up our O-Line.

Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State - See Jake Long.

 

[LoganMankinsPancakeBlocks]

It's time to start thinking about life without Brady? He's 30 years old, coming off his best season ever and probably has another 5 years of elite play left in him.

We'd have to be ******ed to tie up that much money in a backup quarterback that might not play a single meaningful snap on his rookie contract.

All I can say is thank god we've got BB and Pioli running this team...

 

[BradyFTW!]

I wouldn't worry about Jake Long- the Giants didn't really establish a blueprint so much as they demonstrated that if the Patriots' tackles have the worst games of their careers, if you have a beastly front 4, and if Brady's mobility is severely compromised by injury, then you have a fighting chance.

I would rather see Vernon Gholston here, if the Jets don't grab him. Assuming they do, Leodis McKelvin seems to be on the rise, and we could definitely use some premium secondary talent that can step right in.

 

[grooverider]

The Raiders will most likely take McFadden. But hypothetically getting McFadden would allow the loss of Stallworth that much easier to swallow because he has good offensive versatility.

 

[Hamtown]

Trade it to the Bengals for Chad Johnson. Can you imagine..... Moss, Johnson, Welker, Stallworth. Tom would be like a kid in a candy store! SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! GO PATS!

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The Raiders will most likely take McFadden. But hypothetically getting McFadden would allow the loss of Stallworth that much easier to swallow because he has good offensive versatility.

I'm impressed. This is the first time I've heard that argument. I'm not 100% sold on it, but it may be the first time anyone's suggested a reason for the Pats to draft McFadden other than variations on "he's teh awesome!"

 

[BradyFTW!]

Don Banks' mock draft has us taking Gholston. That would be great. Btw, why do so many people want to use the pick to upgrade the offense? The offense is fine.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College - Yes, it's time to start thinking about life after Brady, and we all know Matt Cassell and Matt Gutierrez aren't the answer. Who fits better in Boston than a kid who played @ BC and has a last name like Ryan?!?!? Plus, he's got just a little talent!

And, as others have pointed out, Tom Brady wants to be playing 5-7 years from now. Why on earth would the Pats tie up that much cap space on someone riding the pine?

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

It's time to start thinking about life without Brady? He's 30 years old, coming off his best season ever and probably has another 5 years of elite play left in him.

We'd have to be ******ed to tie up that much money in a backup quarterback that might not play a single meaningful snap on his rookie contract.

All I can say is thank god we've got BB and Pioli running this team...

Right, and how long do most backups take to cultivate into strong starters? About 4-5 seasons...

Plus, we have become so spoiled by Brady's health and longevity, but what about injury? Can he continue to take beatings like he did in the Super Bowl and not go down?

And now that the word is out, and everyone was watching, he'll be taking more of them, unfortunately.

 

[ATippett56]

Two words ........

Vernon Gholston

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

I wouldn't worry about Jake Long- the Giants didn't really establish a blueprint so much as they demonstrated that if the Patriots' tackles have the worst games of their careers, if you have a beastly front 4, and if Brady's mobility is severely compromised by injury, then you have a fighting chance.

If that's what happened, then I would agree with you. I have not been able to re-watch the game, so I can't say for sure.

Someday I will.

It took me 17 years to watch the 1978 AL East playoff (Bucky "Fargin" Dent) and I still have never watched the Buckner game or the Boone game agian, so...

 

[grooverider]

Don Banks' mock draft has us taking Gholston. That would be great. Btw, why do so many people want to use the pick to upgrade the offense? The offense is fine.

If McFadden is there at #7 it would be a no brainer. A backfield of McFadden and Maroney would take so much pressure off Brady it would not be funny. He lined up in so many offensive formations against LSU effectively, it leads me to beleive that with him and Maroney, you could easily make Stallworth expendible and shore up the defense with the cap space.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Right, and how long do most strong backups take to cultivate? About 4-5 seasons...

Plus, we have become so spoiled by Brady's longevity, but what about injury? Can he continue to take beatings like he did in the Super Bowl and not go down?

And now that the word is out, andf everyone was watching, he'll be taking more of them, unfortunately.

OK. Let's take the worst case scenario. Let's assume that, in 2009, Brady gets injured, and misses the second half of the season. Ryan impresses, throwing 20 TD passes versus 8 INTs. The Pats win some playoff games. . . . and Ryan shows he should be starting somewhere. What do the Pats do with two QBs, both of whom are untradeable?

I'm not going to argue that the Pats shouldn't consider a backup, but using their first-rounder on any QB makes almost no sense whatsoever.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

McFadden would be a stupid pick,We have glaring weakness at ILB and probably CB,Even if McFadden would come in and have a 2,000 yard season what good would it do if the other teams kill our aging ILB D areas mentioned?

Besides,Maroney WITH Morris is more than an adequate RB tandem IMO

 

[fumbrunner]

Two words ........

Vernon Gholston

Either him or Talib. we need some height at CB.

 

[mike100915]

I'm a big Gholston guy as well. But, I have a bad feeling he'll be a Jet. I think Leodis McKelvin from Troy. He's the best Corner in the draft.

 

[fumbrunner]

McFadden would be a stupid pick,We have glaring weakness at ILB and probably CB,Even if McFadden would come in and have a 2,000 yard season what good would it do if the other teams kill our aging ILB D areas mentioned?

Besides,Maroney WITH Morris is more than an adequate RB tandem IMO

No wait! We can go get Zack Thomas!!

 

[LoganMankinsPancakeBlocks]

Right, and how long do most strong backups take to cultivate? About 4-5 seasons...

Plus, we have become so spoiled by Brady's longevity, but what about injury? Can he continue to take beatings like he did in the Super Bowl and not go down?

And now that the word is out, andf everyone was watching, he'll be taking more of them, unfortunately.

Use some common sense please.

No team that is thinking logically is going to spend the type of money it would cost (as well as an asset like the #7 pick) us on a guy to be a backup QB because Brady might get injured, even though he's been an iron man his whole career and there's nothing to suggest he will actually get hurt. What a waste of cap space and a horrible use of an asset like the #7 overall pick.

And somehow, I doubt we'll see our O-Line play as poorly as they did in the Super Bowl every week. There will be very few beatings like the one Brady took in the SB.

I like Matt Ryan as a pro prospect a lot and it's cool he's from BC, but let's be a little realistic and intelligent here. Matt Ryan has a 0% chance of being drafted by the Patriots, and rightfully so.

 

[PatsFaninNH]

If McFadden is there a 7 why not work out a Deal with Dalas for their running back and at least one if not both of their first round picks. Jerry Jones has his sights set on McFadden

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If McFadden is there a 7 why not work out a Deal with Dalas for their running back and at least one if not both of their first round picks. Jerry Jones has his sights set on McFadden

Ummm . . . Sammy Morris says hi.