2014 Patriots Draft - Not sexy, but necessary

old 55 said:

We let Blount walk and this guy couldn't carry his jock.

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So you are one of those people that completely overrate Blount because of two games against two of the worst run defenses in the league?

MrNathanDrake said:

Some people are crying for a WR in the thread about getting Brady help.

But look at our roster. A rookie WR wouldn't help this year and would most likely get redshirted.

Edelman - just signed
Amendola - recently signed and won't be cut
LaFell - just signed
Dobson - not being cut
Boyce - gotta give him a chance

None of those guys are getting cut this year.


So my point is, what would happen if we drafted another WR in the 1st or 2nd round? We would have a huge logjam at WR. We haven't known BB to use an abnormal amount of roster spots on WR's in the past.

I liked the value in Marqise Lee, but DLine was a way bigger need than WR.

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Slater - not being cut
Thompkins, Gallon, Harrison, Dunn, Orton - probably not on 53 unless injuries.
Vets will get cut and be available as well.

JMC00 said:

So you are one of those people that completely overrate Blount because of two games against two of the worst run defenses in the league?

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No. But consider that Ridley & Vereen weren't putting up Blount's numbers against the "worst run defenses." My point was that I don't like the RB we picked. But my point is that after losing Blount, I wanted us to replace him with a power back or super fast back and I don't see this guy as fitting either description. I also believe we misread the draft and that JG would have been available much later. I base this on the slide of other QB s in the draft. I believe that similar QB s were available much later. Overall, we drafted large players on the oline, as I had thought we would because of the need for upgrades at C, OG & insurance for the R Tackle with Seabass' s injury. I would have preferred using #62 for Marcus Martin.

Reading up on Jeremy Gallon ... some gave him a 3rd round grade ... has slot receiver written all over him and sounds intriguing as a backup to Edelman for a few years. Appears to be very good value should he stick.

I think there's a very good chance that the 2014 season will not see a single player from this draft contribute as a starter or even be the first one off the bench in terms of depth

IcyPatriot said:

Reading up on Jeremy Gallon ... some gave him a 3rd round grade ... has slot receiver written all over him and sounds intriguing as a backup to Edelman for a few years. Appears to be very good value should he stick.

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he's behind josh boyce in that capacity

IcyPatriot said:

Reading up on Jeremy Gallon ... some gave him a 3rd round grade ... has slot receiver written all over him and sounds intriguing as a backup to Edelman for a few years. Appears to be very good value should he stick.

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IllegalContact said:

he's behind josh boyce in that capacity

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Josh Boyce is bigger, faster and can run after the catch..but loses momentum to catch the ball.

Jeremy Gallon just knows how to get wide open and change directions due to his lower center of gravity and lateral quickness..but he does not have Boyce's long speed

I think linemen are extremely sexy

This draft is awful! Its (almost) 2009 all over again, at least then, BB took positions of need with his four second round picks, granted he went 1 for four, with two giant busts, and Chung. Let's not forget Tate and McKenzie in round three.

Easley is a good player and could be Warren Sapp like IF healthy. Granted ACL's are not the career killers they used to be, so I can live with that pick. But Garapollo is the second coming of Blaine Gabbert, someone you never even heard of until the draft process began. Again, the failure to trade Mallet, makes this pick even worse. I like Stork, good pick at a position of need, the rest will not make the team.

So, your analysis is that this draft was so bad that FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, Belichick will cut a 4th rounder (actually two) before the 53 man team is announced????????

FreeTedWilliams said:

This draft is awful! Its (almost) 2009 all over again, at least then, BB took positions of need with his four second round picks, granted he went 1 for four, with two giant busts, and Chung. Let's not forget Tate and McKenzie in round three.

Easley is a good player and could be Warren Sapp like IF healthy. Granted ACL's are not the career killers they used to be, so I can live with that pick. But Garapollo is the second coming of Blaine Gabbert, someone you never even heard of until the draft process began. Again, the failure to trade Mallet, makes this pick even worse. I like Stork, good pick at a position of need, the rest will not make the team.

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When you boil down the perceived "problem" with this draft, it comes down to the 2nd round pick. I don't feel we can criticize the Easley choice - the Pats are comfortable that his 2nd knee will heal just like his first one did. He was otherwise not injury prone, just had the bad luck of 2 knee injuries, and he looks like an unblockable stud. I also don't see anyone picked after Easley that I'd rather we took - DL was a huge priority.

Likewise I had no issues with rounds 4-7, all those picks have a chance of making the team and certainly indicate a plan to rebuild the interior of the OL. Even our last 2 picks at CB/S and WR sound pretty intriguing.

The controversy is all about Garappolo and how the draft would have gone if we'd gone QB lower. I was as shocked as anyone, that familiar feeling of blood draining from my face that BB causes me at least once every draft day. But after a night's sleep, the way I look at it now is this: spending a 2nd rounder means the Pats weren't just picking a qb, they wanted THIS qb. And they had reason to fear that if they waited till #93, he'd be gone. It's as simple as that.

Also, while Brady could perform at a high level for 3 or 4 more years, guys in their late 30's in the NFL get hurt. Belichick can't disregard that factor, he needs to have the team ready. So he purchased an expensive insurance policy that may pay no claims for 3 or 4 years, but then again it may.

pats_premi said:

Josh Boyce is bigger, faster and can run after the catch..but loses momentum to catch the ball.

Jeremy Gallon just knows how to get wide open and change directions due to his lower center of gravity and lateral quickness..but he does not have Boyce's long speed

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I'm not sure why he compared Gallon to Boyce ...

I say he will be groomed as a slot receiver to back up Edelman ... that will be Gallon's role.
He's built for the role ... he just needs to learn the offense.
Granted Edelman and Amendola are more than slot receivers ... I do not think Gallon is more than that. I think we're better off if Amendola does not have to play the slot if Edelman is injured.

mgteich said:

White's strong attribute was his abilities in the passing game, an ability that few draftees had.

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James White is a backup to Vereen not a backup to Ridley.

IcyPatriot said:

I'm not sure why he compared Gallon to Boyce ...

I say he will be groomed as a slot receiver to back up Edelman ... that will be Gallon's role.
He's built for the role ... he just needs to learn the offense.
Granted Edelman and Amendola are more than slot receivers ... I do not think Gallon is more than that. I think we're better off if Amendola does not have to play the slot if Edelman is injured.

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Dobson
Boyce
LaFell
Edelman
Amendola
Slater

I don't foresee the New England Patriots carrying seven wide receivers on the 53 man roster.

nowayback said:

Gpolo should make the 1st few preseason a bit more interesting then usual . On the otherhand it seems Brady wants to be around at least 3 yrs.

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When will people finally distinguish between 'being around' and starting?

some day the pats might have a sexy draft with 3 first round picks like the browns and rams seem to have all the time.

Of course those "sexy" drafts have not seemed to do much for their superbowl chances.

IllegalContact said:

I think there's a very good chance that the 2014 season will not see a single player from this draft contribute as a starter or even be the first one off the bench in terms of depth

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Is that necessarily bad on a SB contender. BB has now just about completed the rebuilding commenced in 2009. Historically, good teams don't play rookies, they groom them.

The defense the last to be re-built, amassed 40 sacks/season better than any BB D, despite the line injuries. The secondary came around, and with the new additions is deeper and more talented than any since Haynes and Claiborne. Everyone complains about the SS position, but it appears better stocked than any I remember since Rodney Harrison was here, and deeper than then too.

We needed a MEAT AND POTATOES linemen draft, with a concentration on Offense, and that is what we had. But with a Gamble on Greatness on the D line too, very untypical of BB to gamble in Round One.