Biggest off-season need(s)

Keep the defense together by re-signing the key FA's.

Use the draft to re-tool the offense:

#1 WR.
Some addition(s) on the OL.
RB.
A better TE option than Hooman (presuming Wright isn't the answer)

varjao said:

man I see teams with great rbs like the 49ers, packers, Dallas, and I think what would be like for an DC to game plan for Brady and a good rb. All teams that face us are primarily worried about the pass. Give them a dose of dual threat, I wanted Carlos Hyde in the draft, I'm tired of jags RB, but BB doesn't give a **** to the position

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BB spent a 2nd and 3rd round pick on the position in 2011. He's played both extensively until the end of their rookie deals.

Also, gave up a second round pick for Cory Dillon and drafted Maroney in the first.

patfanken said:

That's not a good analysis Gally, If the purpose of your strategy is to put 2 OT's as a power OT/TE combination, then I'd put Solder at the TE position every time. Not only has he the quicker feet of the 2 guys available, he's had extensive experience as a TE both in college and his first year in the league.

While I think you're wrong in the intensity of criticism of Solder, I am not complaining that you ARE criticizing him. That's your right. However, the example you offer as your proof that BB agrees with you is very, very, very far off base.

Solder's 5th year option was picked up before the season started. Clearly he isn't playing at an all pro level (few do), but how much is him and how much has been the disruption on the interior of the OLl or other factors, not Solder's fault, only BB and his staff knows for sure. The next time we will be able to even infer how THEY think, will be when he start to hear potential contract figures on his next deal.

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I don't think Solder is terrible, but he has definitely regressed. Although some of his problems, especially today, are clearly the result of communication issues, throughout the season Solder has been flat out beaten one-on-one far more often than is acceptable for a starting LT. If he's not injured, hopefully his issues are correctable.

I didn't realize they already exercised the 5th year option. I don't think they should cut him, but if the Pats are high on an LT when their pick comes up, I hope they draft him.

My vote if for the O line, need to find more moving pieces to make this offensive more efficient.

Solder is a better LT when he plays besides Connolly... when Connolly is out the O line plays like shyt..

The Jets and the Bills have two of the best defensive lines in the NF, and Miami isn't that far behind. Given that we have to play them each 2x/year, investment in the OL should be a no-brainer. With a likely 5 picks in the top 105, I would expect 2 of those to be used on the line.

To expand on Patsfanken's (as usual) well-considered breakdown, we should add that nice shiny rookie WRs don't do well in New England. Elsewhere you may see them rocket to stardom. Point to any variable you like (i.e., Brady spreads it around when we are winning, so nobody looks like a world-beater; the system is too complex for a rookie to rocket to stardom; etc. etc. etc.) Regardless, we don't tend to pick 'em high, when we do it tends to be someone the draftniks aren't excited about, and they don't usually provide jaw-dropping performance.

Now I know a draftnik can play rear-view-for-the-win, and point to any given year's most successful rookie wide-out. Ken did a good job of providing the opposite case, at least after one year's performance, the Patterson/Collins example.

The problem with veteran outside threats, of course, is it takes a special situation to get one in a cap-friendly way. Randy Moss is not going to happen again. Can you prioritize that deep threat? Not reliably. That's the moral. It takes too much away from other needs elsewhere. We'll continue to bolster the O-line, which we should. The defense has gone from an afterthought to a unit that can scare anybody playing from even a score behind. It's not quite suffocating from snap one, that's a given. But it's keyed on Revis for the time being, and that's going to cost us some coin.

We still have some young guys (WR) to hope for development from. I agree, let's not get all wrapped around the axle and give up the farm for a wideout, through either route. I don't mind a high-round pick, but would prefer no higher than 2nd round, preferably no higher than 3rd. I should add In Bill I Trust. He'll do the opposite of whatever you expect, but it works... frustrating, innit?

As to "let's get a serious RB" a few posts back... NO. We have an outstanding stable of RBs at the level we want and need. The shiny weapons that make fantasy football so fun are just not the core of a championship team. The Pats are, yes, a pass-first team, but a more balanced one, as they need to be. If they want to run right up your throat, at present, there's a good chance they can. Increasing that ability will be more of an offensive line challenge than a running back challenge. The only guy I ever saw who could rack up the insane numbers without an O-line was Barry Sanders. That's a once-in-a-generation proposition, and is a bad bet to get you deep in the playoffs. If it's a superstar RB talent or a "good" RB on the field with outstanding O-line play, I'm taking the latter.

This is a good draft OLine. I say OLine, OLine, DLine with the first 3 picks. I say the Pats will look for OLine guys that can play both T and G.

patfanken said:

Some comments on the comments:

1. Any talk about getting rid of either of the OT's is past ludicrous. It really is. I don't understand why its is immediately perceived that anyone they would bring in would be BETTER than what we have. IIRC there are a couple of top FIVE draft picks who would LOVE to be having the year (albeit not a great one) Nate Solder is. having

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paying solder 7.5M for that level of pay is what is ludicrous. pats have fared well enough in drafting OT's relatively early to believe this would not continue.... (Light, Solder, Vollmer)

I'm not saying get rid of, but paying him 7.5M given the other open issues is not a priority

kennyb said:

I could see drafting 2 ot and cutting solder and vollmer. Don't know why cannon can't play guard he has the build for it.

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It is late in the year. I nominate this post for the worst analysis of the year. It is not clear that Belichick would start ONE rookie OT (not picked in the top 10). He certainly wouldn't start two.

mgteich said:

It is late in the year. I nominate this post for the worst analysis of the year. It is not clear that Belichick would start ONE rookie OT (not picked in the top 10). He certainly wouldn't start two.

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gotta keep one......especially if there is a new guard in the mix, also.

on one hand, solder's play suffered due to the departure of mankins.......but 4 years into your career, that should not be the case for a guy whose paycheck is looming to be 7.5M.

I think that the OP discussed "need". IMHO, we don't need anything other than to sign our free agents. This game (as others have been) would have been different with Connolly playing LG.

That being said, why was Solder playing TE 19 times when he had to be off the field for the next play? That is a role for the 6th OL. Fencer says it's cray to consider that Solder could be gone. Look at his performance! Look at his agent! A long-term deal would be OK. $7.45M would not be. If Solder isn't the answer for 2015 and 2016, then Belichick will find a free agent for $5-7M a year.

We seem to be discussing draft needs. I'd say DE, OG, and OT. As always, we need a free agent WR or two. Amendola had a great game, but he isn't going to be paid $4.4M.

mgteich said:

It is late in the year. I nominate this post for the worst analysis of the year. It is not clear that Belichick would start ONE rookie OT (not picked in the top 10). He certainly wouldn't start two.

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I nominate your "pats are trading mallett for the 6th overall pick" worst. 2nd worst is "Brady will threaten to hold out for more money."

I never said he'd start two rookies. Drafting doesn't mean starting einstein.

So I guess that could be your third bad analysis.

And that 7.5m is guarateed for injury only. They can still cut him as I understand it.

FYI - If Wendell's 2015 playing-time incentives are more than 75% then they will be LTBE increasing his 2015 cap number from $1.6 million.
Vollmer's 2015 cap number will now be $8,083,333.

That's a lot of money for not a lot of blocking.

kennyb said:

I nominate your "pats are trading mallett for the 6th overall pick" worst. 2nd worst is "Brady will threaten to hold out for more money."

I never said he'd start two rookies. Drafting doesn't mean starting einstein.

So I guess that could be your third bad analysis.

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You're correct. You said that we should cut Vollmer and Solder. You said that we should draft two OT's. But sure, we could start Cannon and Fleming.

kennyb said:

I nominate your "pats are trading mallett for the 6th overall pick" worst. 2nd worst is "Brady will threaten to hold out for more money."

I never said he'd start two rookies. Drafting doesn't mean starting einstein.

So I guess that could be your third bad analysis.

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This is getting funnier and funnier. You think that I posted that Mallett could be traded for the 6th overall pick? I MIGHT have said a 6th rounder.

Literally can't pinpoint one because there is so much so i'll just say OFFENSE. No defense (maybe a compensatory pick on a safety) but we need to go all offense. WR, OL (G & C), TE, RB are all needs

Top needs for now (if we keep McCourty and Revis)
1. Guard/Tackle: Give Solder one more year to turn things around in contract year, but build depth behind him. At least one of Connolly/Wendell needs to be upgraded upon at one of the guard positions.
2. Deep threat speed receiver: I think having that along with Edelman and Lafell could be a pretty lethal receiving core next year.
3. Pass rushing depth: It is still much too thin.