Seven Weeks Til The Draft - 3 Spots to Fill

[mgteich]

THE PATRIOTS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE.

We had the #1 Offense last year. We are in better shape now than we were in the playoffs.
We had a top 5 Defense last year. We are now three players away.
We are 11 DAYS into the offseason.
We have 7 weeks until the draft.
The patriots try not to go into the draft with critical needs for rookies to fill.
Therefore, we have 3 primary needs to fill before the draft or through draft trades.
We will also pick up veterans to compete for spots or as depth in case of injury
(for example, Aiken and Webster)
And then there's the draft and post-draft additions and trades!
--------------------------------------------------------
PRIMARY NEEDS:
CB, ILB, ILB
To replace Samuel, Colvin and Seau

---------------------------------------------------------
ROSTER ANALYSIS AS OF MARCH 10

OFFENSE (25)
QB - 3 Brady, Cassel, Gutierrez
RB - 3 Faulk, Maroney, Morris
FB - 2 Evans, Eckel
C - 1 Koppen, (Connolly)
G - 4 Neal, Hochstein, Mankins, Yates
OT - 4 Light, Kaczur, O'Callaghan, Britt, (Martin)
WR - 5 Moss, Gaffney, Welker, Washington, Jackson, (Jones),(Aiken)
TE - 3 Watson, Dave Thomas, Spach

DEFENSE (25)
DE - 4 Warren, Green, Seymour, Santonio Thomas
DT - 3 Wilfork, Smith, Wright
OLB- 3 Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Woods
ILB- 5 Bruschi, Alexander, Slaughter, open, Izzo
CB - 5 Hobbs, Sanders, Webster, Spann, Richardson, (Mixon)
S - 5 Sanders, Harrison, Meriweather, Williams, Andrews/Ventrone

SPECIALISTS (3)
P - 1 Hanson
K - 1 Gostkowski
LS - 1 Paxton

 

[BelichickFan]

I"m only concerned about two things :

1) Upside to replace Samuel. I think we can find a guy even a little better than what we've brought in so far (Webster, Sanders) with someone like a Ty Law but it's difficult to see a guy with pro bowl upside other than a draft pick in the top three rounds.

2) Although we were OK without Colvin, the fact remains that Vrabel had 9.5 sacks before Colvin was hurt then had only 3 more the rest of the way and all three were in the one game against Miami. I know he was disruptive at times but sacks do matter and this is too much of a coincidence for me.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

--------------------------------------------------------
PRIMARY NEEDS:
CB, ILB, ILB
To replace Samuel, Colvin and Seau

---------------------------------------------------------

Add to that a olineman or two... and another te maybe.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

2) Although we were OK without Colvin, the fact remains that Vrabel had 9.5 sacks before Colvin was hurt then had only 3 more the rest of the way and all three were in the one game against Miami. I know he was disruptive at times but sacks do matter and this is too much of a coincidence for me.

It's not a coincidence, and not Vrabel's "fault," either. If you have a B+ pass rusher on both sides, you're going to get more sacks than if you have an A+ pass rusher on one side, and a D+ pass rusher on the other. For example, consider the playoff game where Willie McGinest set the playoff sack record: on at least one of his sacks, if not two, the QB (Leftwich, IIRC), ran towards McGinest . . . because he was running away from Colvin.

While Thomas was good on the outside (he certainly wasn't a D+, IMO), he wasn't as good as Colvin was, which made it easier for teams to focus their energies on Vrabel.

[And, I might add, the loss of Wright didn't help matters, either: he may not have gotten many sacks, but his speed means he can get a lot of pressure, too.]

 

[BelichickFan]

It's not a coincidence, and not Vrabel's "fault," either. If you have a B+ pass rusher on both sides, you're going to get more sacks than if you have an A+ pass rusher on one side, and a D+ pass rusher on the other. For example, consider the playoff game where Willie McGinest set the playoff sack record: on at least one of his sacks, if not two, the QB (Leftwich, IIRC), ran towards McGinest . . . because he was running away from Colvin.

While Thomas was good on the outside (he certainly wasn't a D+, IMO), he wasn't as good as Colvin was, which made it easier for teams to focus their energies on Vrabel.

That was basically my point - although Colvin is "more replaced" than Samuel, I am not excited in the least about him being gone. He's a big loss.

 

[PatriotsDaily.com]

Here is our first edition of the Patriots Draft Rumor Inventory, which lists out players in the draft which have been mentioned in connection with the Patriots in recent weeks.

 

[mgteich]

Hopefully, Colvin will look around, negotiate and re-sign. In the end, the best substitutes for Colvin and Seau are Colvin and Seau. Add Law or Surtain and a few more veterans at minimum and the team is as good as last year. Add the draft and we're better.

That was basically my point - although Colvin is "more replaced" than Samuel, I am not excited in the least about him being gone. He's a big loss.

 

[satz]

It's not a coincidence, and not Vrabel's "fault," either. If you have a B+ pass rusher on both sides, you're going to get more sacks than if you have an A+ pass rusher on one side, and a D+ pass rusher on the other. For example, consider the playoff game where Willie McGinest set the playoff sack record: on at least one of his sacks, if not two, the QB (Leftwich, IIRC), ran towards McGinest . . . because he was running away from Colvin.

While Thomas was good on the outside (he certainly wasn't a D+, IMO), he wasn't as good as Colvin was, which made it easier for teams to focus their energies on Vrabel.

Completely disagree if a DL does not generate any presure up the middle then even the best pass rushers on the outside are useless as the Qb can step up and the tackle and push the pass rusher to the outside.

Thomas was a beast blitzing as they could not block thomas at 270 ,vince wilfork 325 lb and the ILB bru/seau .With both bru and seau in the field the middle pressure dropped.the QB stepped up and made play making vrabel ineffective.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Completely disagree if a DL does not generate any presure up the middle then even the best pass rushers on the outside are useless as the Qb can step up and the tackle and push the pass rusher to the outside.

Thomas was a beast blitzing as they could not block thomas at 270 ,vince wilfork 325 lb and the ILB bru/seau .With both bru and seau in the field the middle pressure dropped.the QB stepped up and made play making vrabel ineffective.

You're trying to compare apples and oranges here--Colvin-Thomas-Bruschi-Vrabel != Thomas-Bruschi-Seau-Vrabel. The point I was trying to make is that all other things being the same, two good pass rushers are better than one great pass rusher and one mediocre pass rusher.

 

[SavioKid]

Hopefully, Colvin will look around, negotiate and re-sign. In the end, the best substitutes for Colvin and Seau are Colvin and Seau. Add Law or Surtain and a few more veterans at minimum and the team is as good as last year. Add the draft and we're better.

To me Colvin was the biggest loss than Samuel on defense. I always thought his pass rush skills were underestimated but like you said the PATS definitely didn't want to risk the high $ based on his injury status so hopefully he will be willing to sign the 'Patriot' contract. This would make it easier for a Thomas to slide to ILB and let a rookie slowly ramp up to a starter.

I really think Law / Surtain have little in the tank, Law's only asset is his system knowledge which at a vet minimum would be beneficial. Proven & in their prime CBs are at such a high demand that it would probably make sense for the PATS to just do that (sign Law to a vet minimum) instead of paying $$ & too many good players for a Lito Shephard....I think the PATS better pray for a real good pass rush next year because the CBs will not be their strength.

OL could definitely use some new blood in the draft. T or G.

 

[signbabybrady]

THE PATRIOTS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE.

We had the #1 Offense last year. We are in better shape now than we were in the playoffs.
We had a top 5 Defense last year. We are now three players away.
We are 11 DAYS into the offseason.
We have 7 weeks until the draft.
The patriots try not to go into the draft with critical needs for rookies to fill.
Therefore, we have 3 primary needs to fill before the draft or through draft trades.
We will also pick up veterans to compete for spots or as depth in case of injury
(for example, Aiken and Webster)
And then there's the draft and post-draft additions and trades!
--------------------------------------------------------
PRIMARY NEEDS:
CB, ILB, ILB
To replace Samuel, Colvin and Seau

---------------------------------------------------------
ROSTER ANALYSIS AS OF MARCH 10

OFFENSE (25)
QB - 3 Brady, Cassel, Gutierrez
RB - 3 Faulk, Maroney, Morris
FB - 2 Evans, Eckel
C - 1 Koppen, (Connolly)
G - 4 Neal, Hochstein, Mankins, Yates
OT - 4 Light, Kaczur, O'Callaghan, Britt, (Martin)
WR - 5 Moss, Gaffney, Welker, Washington, Jackson, (Jones),(Aiken)
TE - 3 Watson, Dave Thomas, Spach

DEFENSE (25)
DE - 4 Warren, Green, Seymour, Santonio Thomas
DT - 3 Wilfork, Smith, Wright
OLB- 3 Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Woods
ILB- 5 Bruschi, Alexander, Slaughter, open, Izzo
CB - 5 Hobbs, Sanders, Webster, Spann, Richardson, (Mixon)
S - 5 Sanders, Harrison, Meriweather, Williams, Andrews/Ventrone

SPECIALISTS (3)
P - 1 Hanson
K - 1 Gostkowski
LS - 1 Paxton

I agree that there are not that many needs for this team which is why I am hoping that Mcfadden falls to #7. I think he is a special talent that will help to keep this offense close to unstoppable which was not the case down the stretch last year. And since we only have like 3 needs we can fill those with rookies from rounds 2-7 and if needed a vet free agent.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think there's a strong need for a blocking TE.

I don't think we need to pay $5 million a season for this - or even $2.5 in the case of Kyle Brady - and I don't think we need to draft someone high, but whether through free agency or in rounds 3-5 in the draft, it seems clear with the type of pressure defenses were able to bring on Brady later in the season, we need a healthy young blocking TE.

If Belichick wants an all around TE in the draft that's going to require a higher draft pick, but I think he would be perfectly satisfied with someone who is a strong blocker who can catch 20-25 passes, and while that can be found later in the draft, the impact will be significant.

 

[loofasisgeek]

Need run blocking TE

Need RT (and even more RG if Neal is IR)

Need 2nd string QB (unless Gutierrez is that good)... I used to believe in Cassell. That went away last year.

 

[ALP]

i believe (and hope) thomas next year will be a force on the outside, like he was at baltimore

 

[DW Toys]

Add to that a olineman or two... and another te maybe.

SAFETY!!!! Tank might have just one good leg and Sanders absolutely rots!
Can't go into 08 with just Rodney and Merriweather.
DW Toys

 

[rusH1023]

SAFETY!!!! Tank might have just one good leg and Sanders absolutely rots!
Can't go into 08 with just Rodney and Merriweather.
DW Toys

I don't get the Sanders-knocking. What is your deal with him?

 

[BradyManny]

THE PATRIOTS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE.

--------------------------------------------------------
PRIMARY NEEDS:
CB, ILB, ILB
To replace Samuel, Colvin and Seau

---------------------------------------------------------

I believe the 3 spots could also be CB, ILB & OLB, it depends on where they want AD. Even with AD penciled in at ILB and Bruschi, I still think we need one more starting caliber ILB.

I want AD inside/rotating, we don't know where BB will put him yet. And I guess it depends on who they can get. IE, if Gholston is there at #7, then maybe AD plays more ILB next season. Or if we can get Groves for instance, then Groves could be the passing down OLB pass rush specialist.

So, its not so concrete. Personally, I'd like to see all 3 addressed to some extent before the draft so that whatever we get on draft day is simply potential upgrade. I would say hopefully Seward fills one ILB position, Law fills the CB position, and maybe Haggans or Hobson fills the other OLB position.

Then if we get a player like Gholston, Groves, DRC or even if we want to take Clady and upgrade the OL, its a luxury.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

SAFETY!!!! Tank might have just one good leg and Sanders absolutely rots!
Can't go into 08 with just Rodney and Merriweather.
DW Toys

Uhmmm... another safety wouldn't hurt.

I'm moot on Sanders.

He isn't great. He isn't that bad either.

 

[allworldrussfrancis]

I believe the 3 spots could also be CB, ILB & OLB, it depends on where they want AD. Even with AD penciled in at ILB and Bruschi, I still think we need one more starting caliber ILB.

I want AD inside/rotating, we don't know where BB will put him yet. And I guess it depends on who they can get. IE, if Gholston is there at #7, then maybe AD plays more ILB next season. Or if we can get Groves for instance, then Groves could be the passing down OLB pass rush specialist.

So, its not so concrete. Personally, I'd like to see all 3 addressed to some extent before the draft so that whatever we get on draft day is simply potential upgrade. I would say hopefully Seward fills one ILB position, Law fills the CB position, and maybe Haggans or Hobson fills the other OLB position.

Then if we get a player like Gholston, Groves, DRC or even if we want to take Clady and upgrade the OL, its a luxury.

I would pencil in Thomas on the inside with Bruschi. Then we need someone to rotate with Bruschi (Seau again or new blood).

The biggest needs in my opinion are CB and OLB. You could fill OLB by re-signing Colvin and/or trading for Taylor or Suggs (I know, wet dream). Then its corner where for now its Hobbs and Merriweather as starters if we don't do anything else.

 

[OsloRhino]

Whats the deal with the worrying about the corner position? Hobbs is probably going to be Nickel corner. We're likely to play Merriweather on one side and are working towards Law on the other.

Our primary concerns should be LB and RT.