Fighting the last war/Rebuilding the last roster

This offseason, the Patriots lost 2 top CBs and 2 top RBs but no DEs or LBs (at least none they had started the season with). Their biggest free agent move was for a starting-caliber DE, while they filled in the CB and RB rosters with bargain-bin shopping.

So naturally, in the draft they focused on DE & LB. What else?

I think there's a clear takeaway lesson for draftniks: we have to stop looking at who was lost from the previous roster, and focus only on how to improve the current roster.

Replace Revis with the 14th CB off the board at #97? Not freakin' likely. But why were we even thinking "replace Revis" at all? He was irrelevant. What was relevant was the giant void on the depth chart behind Collins & Hightower. Would adding yet another middling corner prospect to compete with Arrington, Butler, Chekwa, Dennard, Fletcher, Green, McClain, Ryan, and Swanson have upgraded the roster more than adding OLB Geneo Grissom?

This is not to say we shouldn't criticize the picks or strategy. I have plenty of quibbles myself. But matching up departed talent with arriving talent is the wrong way to do it. Even Malcom Brown as "Wilfork's replacement" is just a matter of coincidence, IMO -- I think he would have been the pick even if Vince were still here.

patchick said:

I think there's a clear takeaway lesson for draftniks: we have to stop looking at who was lost from the previous roster, and focus only on how to improve the current roster.

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Every season is different, and every team composition is different. It's also clear that the Pats look at the long term picture, and generally draft for the year after. Draftniks (and most fans) focus on perceived short-term needs, where the draft is for building a long term talent base. Reaching to fill a perceived need is probably about the worst mistake a team can make.

Prior to the start of FA, almost everyone wanted a draft focused on the lines. That's exactly what we got, with 4 out of the first 5 picks taken being an OL or DL. Other than Marcus Peters, there was no one who I thought could step in right away and be an impact CB (I was not that high on Byron Jones or Kevin Johnson, and thought that Trae Waynes, Jalen Collins, Ronald Darby and PJ Williams were all highly over-rated); Eric Rowe was the only other guy that I liked, but I liked him more as a #2 CB than a #1, and there's no doubt that Malcom Brown was a better overall prospect and value at #32. I didn't expect Rowe to last to #64, and after he went off the board to the Eagles at #47 I personally lost interest in the CB position.

patchick said:

I think there's a clear takeaway lesson for draftniks: we have to stop looking at who was lost from the previous roster, and focus only on how to improve the current roster.

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I respectfully disagree: I never took that Approach for a minute, so there is no Lesson for me to learn.

In fact, I've been preaching that, forever, as Mayo's reference in his Signature reflects.

Off The Grid said:

I respectfully disagree: I never took that Approach for a minute, so there is no Lesson for me to learn.

In fact, I've been preaching that, forever, as Mayo's reference in his Signature reflects.

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That's EXACTLY what BB seems to be doing: he's letting the "b-tches" worry about his flanks (the perimeter, both WR and CB), while he overloads with "concentrated force" in the trenches to fight a war.

mayoclinic said:

That's EXACTLY what BB seems to be doing: he's letting the "b-tches" worry about his flanks (the perimeter, both WR and CB), while he overloads with "concentrated force" in the trenches to fight a war.

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The front-7 concentration is especially interesting when you look at the AFCE opponents. I wouldn't call OL a strength for any of them.

I think Tre Jackson, Shaq Mason and moving Cam Fleming to guard is a direct response to the upgrades at dt in our division. And, very wise. Really hoping we can run the ball when teams expect us to run. That hasn't been something this team is good at in a long time. Except for a few soft opponents like Indy.

I'm fine with our wr's. I'd have taken a developmental one later. Maybe 4th-5th round. I'd love to see Josh Boyce make this team and be our KO returner. Don't want Amendola to get hurt. And, I'd love to see a screen package for him.

Dennard was cut today. Looks like Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler will start. Arrington is fine as our nickel. Back-ups Bradley Fletcher and maybe Roberts? Any teams looking to deal? We have a lot of draft picks in 2016. With Dennard cut, around 11m in cap space right now too. Before we sign our rookies.

In a surprising and somewhat disturbing turn of events, Ben Volin actually makes some sense:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/...or-patriots/UuApMgCbLCmnNQ5qAfDTwL/story.html

Thank God we can still count on Wrong Borges:

http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/gresh-look-more-aggressive-patriots-defense