2014 draft priorities

[patsinthesnow]

How do people feel about a F-it luxury pick in round 1 by taking Austin-Seferian Jenkins. Yes, a TE2 with a first rounder?

Gronk, Jenkins, Amendola, Dobson until Brady's 39!

 

[Sciz]

I'm concerned about Logan Mankins play thus far this season and wouldn't be against using an early pick on a LG, maybe David Yankey or Xavier Su'a-Filo. Even if he's not ready to play immediately, a competent understudy could put some pressure on Mankins and make him up his game.

If you're going to draft a guard early, then he's not pushing Mankins at LG. He's starting at RG.

(And I'm perfectly okay with a first round RG, assuming they also make a move at center.)

 

[Creative Username]

DT is a big one since big Vince is getting up there in age. This is also dependent on the development of Chris Jones and Vellano. If one/both of them can turn into solid starters against the run as well as being good pass rushers, then we may be set for a while.
OG/C is next since Wendell and Connolly seem to (merely from eye tests, please don't quote specific stats that say otherwise and make me look like a fool; this is just my opinion) be giving up a lot more pressures and sacks. Brady's on pace to be sacked more than he ever has in his career, but this was a top-five line last year.
CB maybe take a flier in the later rounds just as depth, a developmental pick. This way no one can complain about our 2014 2nd round DB bust adding to the Hall of Fame that gave us Terrence Wheatley, Ras-I Dowling, Pat Chung and Darius Butler.
QB merely a precaution. I'm not sure when Mallet's rookie deal is done, but I think maybe we could draft a guy in the 5th or 6th round... 6th round... Pick 199... I mean that's just off the top of my head.

 

[Ring 6]

I would go:

C/G
DE
S
TE

as top 4 priorities and want to add players with a decent shot to contribute also at

CB
LB
C/G

 

[ATippett56]

I predict Talib will sign for top dollar with either the Raiders or the Redskins. With that said, the New England Patriots priorities for the 2014 NFL Draft:

1. CB
2. OC
3. DT
4. TE
5. SS
6. OLB
7. RB
8. OC
9. CB

 

[ATippett56]

As for unrestricted free agency:

Miguel's UNOFFICIAL 2014 Patriots Salary Cap Information Page

Last updated on November 5, 2013 8:35 AM EDT

According to my figures the Patriots' 2014 current commitment is for $116,009,410 with 52 players. I have the Patriots' 2014 dead money as $5,683,721. $116,009,410 + $5,683,721 = $121,783,131

Hopefully the New England Patriots will be able to retain the following pending unrestricted free agents:

Edelman
Hoomanawanui (only one tight end currently under contract next year)
Svitek

 

[Christian]

Priorities for the off-season should go as follows:

1) Re-sign Talib. Hope that you can get him on some kind of deal that is reasonable given his injuries/past. Still going to have to pay him big money, but maybe top 3-4 CB money. Either way, he is priority #1.

2) Figure out what to do with Wilfork/Kelly. I would imagine Wilfork will be back and he'll be ready to go. He may never be the same, but he is still good enough to be the anchor DT on the line. I think you have to negotiate his contract though and believe they will to free up space. Same goes with Mankins.

I doubt Kelly will be back. That said, now you've resigned your biggest priority and you've saved some money, while keeping two of your veteran leaders. Others FA moves will obviously be made, but those are the essentials that must be done.

Now to the draft. I believe the priorities should still be OL and DL. C/G on OL and DT for DL. You need to groom a replacement for Wilfork, while also getting a guy who can step in and play next to him and make a difference. Would be HUGE to have a young stud at DT next to Wilfork with C-Jones as well. I think we need to acquire 2 young OL for the future in draft a DT high in draft. Maybe add another one in later rounds.

After that, TE/coverage LB, and S are next priorities. I don't know who's going to be out there in FA, or what will be available in draft after round 2/3. You don't need a stud TE next to Gronk. Sure, it would be nice to have another A-Hern but it's not necessary. What you do need is a viable receiving threat at TE who can also block. Maybe a Colby Fleener type.

Spikes is likely gone. Maybe the rookie from Rutgers can replace him? He is a similiar type player, without the upside. Probably need some more pass rushing too from somewhere, and unless they love Harmon, that is a position to look at. But those are the priorities IMO.

 

[Wilfork#75]

Like every year I think the draft is going to be shaped by what we do in free agency. Talib is a must re-sign and at worst I think he will be back on the franchise tag. We then have the question of what to do with the likes of Spikes, Wendell, Blount, Edelman, Hoomanwanui and Svitek. I would like them all back if the price is reasonable but wouldn't break the bank for any of them. Then we have to look at potential cap casualties and extension candidates to reduce cap hits for 2014

Potential Cap Casualties (savings if cut)

Wilfork- $11.6mil ($8mil)
Kelly- $3mil ($2.5mil)
Sopoaga- $3.75mil ($2.75mil)
Connolly- $4.083mil ($3mil)
A. Wilson- $1.833mil ($1.166mi)
Gregory- $3.183mil ($2.35mil)- unlikely

Possible Extension Candidates:
Wilfork
Gostkowski

Right now it seems DT could be a huge need with Wilfork, Kelly and Sopoaga all questions going forward. Then we have Armstead who hasn't even practiced and two rookies who have shown themselves to be capable sub rushing DT's but lacking the run defense to be base DTs. This would be my priority in the draft with my dream scenario being moving up to draft both Louis Nix III and Ra'Shede Hageman in the first round.

Interior O-Line is my second biggest need with question marks at both guard spots and C. I think 2014 will be Mankins last year with the Pats because of a huge cap hit in 2015 and we need a long term replacement at LG anyway. I think there is a decent chance Connolly is gone next season also so RG is another need, particularly because I like Cannon as a backup because of his versatility. Wendell is a FA and his play has taken a step back this year so we could also use an upgrade at C. This would be an area I would prefer to attack in FA with Alex Mack and Jon Asomoah my top targets. Although I am also a big fan of Travis Swanson from Arkansas.

TE is also another need but again, one I would prefer to target in free agency rather than with a high draft pick. Perhaps one in the mid/late rounds to develop. If we can keep Talib long term I would be happy with our CB situation, although if we can only franchise him we may have to look harder at the position. WR, DE and S are three positions I look at as areas of opportunity, where if a guy they really like falls then we take them. I certainly wouldn't reach or prioritize those positions.

Finally I think a developmental QB is a must this year. While I know a lot of people want to trade Mallett (I have been one of them), even if we don't I think 2014 will be his final year with the Patriots so a long term replacement is a need. This looks like a decent QB class with the potential to be very good with the addition of some of the redshirt sophomores, so I would probably look in the 3rd,4th,5th rounds for a backup.

So my priorities would be:

DT
Interior OL
TE
QB
WR/S/DE/LB
CB
RB
FB (I love Trey Millard)

 

[Water Boy]

How do people feel about a F-it luxury pick in round 1 by taking Austin-Seferian Jenkins. Yes, a TE2 with a first rounder?

Gronk, Jenkins, Amendola, Dobson until Brady's 39!

Sign me up, but I'm guessing he's way off the board before we pick.

In no way is that an F-it luxury pick. To me TE is by far and away the number 1 need on the team.

 

[dhamz]

Talib and Volmer are guys who would leave holes to fill if they aren't back.

With Ridley (and to a lessor extent Vereen) entering the last year on his contract, I'd expect a RB in the early rounds to spend a year as a back-up before moving into the starting role in year 2 when they let Ridley walk. There isn't much value in paying a FA RB as they are almost always used up dead weight by the end of their deal but that won't stop someone else from paying Ridley.

 

[jmt57]

Like every year I think the draft is going to be shaped by what we do in free agency.

You beat me to it; without knowing what happens in free agency, both in terms of re-signing current players as well as signing free agents currently playing elsewhere, it's extremely difficult to project draft priorities.

With that caveat out of the way, let's hypothetically go with the assumption that key soon to be free agents are re-signed (or replaced with another veteran free agent). I would think then that that the defensive and offensive lines would be priorities; specifically the interior of each.

Games are still won and lost in the trenches despite all the television highlights focusing on plays downfield. Being able to collapse the pocket on defense, and prevent your opponent from doing so when on offense is critical. A DT and a C/G should probably be the top priorities - but of course that could change depending on what happens first in free agency.

 

[jsull87]

I agree about FA coming 1st then seeing where we are for the draft.

Personally we won't know this but if the Doc's clear Kelly and Wilfork. I think an interior DL out of Wilfork, Kelly, Jones, Vellano, Sopoaga and Armstead is actually pretty good and deep. If Wilfork is done (medically) then we can speak to Sopoaga e.t.c I actually don't have this as a huge need just yet only because of the depth of bodies we will have at the position come next season combined with the production we have seen out of Jones and Vellano.

The cap is going to be my biggest concern and i see our number 1 priority in the off-season being sign/tag Talib. Extent Ghost and if health Wilfork/Mankins to free up cap hits.

I honestly think from there just signing our own FA's is the deal because we have a very good roster when health IMO. Only FA i would look at again is Sanders and that is more of a luxury and depends on the price.

If we take care of Talib, Edelman, Svitek and Hooman in FA and do this by extending a healthy Mankins and Wilfork then my draft needs will be:

1st - OG/TE either - trade back and go for Zack Martin maybe or hope someone like Ebron falls in to our lap.
2nd - OG/TE as mentioned above
3rd - 4-3 Edge Rusher*
4th - 4-3 OLB coverage LB*

Both 3 and 4 really do depend on what our plans are for Collins and if they decide that Buchanon and Bequette are no good (seems to be the case tho with the Carter signing). If Collins turns out to be "THE GUY" then i would change this to maybe saftey and even tho he is playing well Gregory could be a cap casualty to try and resign Talib.

It may just be because i am a big fan but i don't see to many holes in this team when healthy. They are maybe a year late with the outside WR but Dobson's emergence has sort of made that a non issue now. I think FA this year should be to keep our squad together as much as possible (pending health) and the draft should be for those impact upgrades i'e OG, TE and hoping to catch fire in a bottle with a pass rusher to help out Jones.

Something like:

1 Ebron
2 Seantrel Henderson (move him to OG)
3 Kony Ealy

e.t.c

 

[varjao]

It's scary to think that maybe all those wasted picks are going to have a snowball effect because we are not 100% stacked in any area. Not even at safety where BB draft a player every year.

Next year Solder will be in his year contract, the O-line situation should be looked pretty close.

 

[jsull87]

I scary to think that maybe all those wasted picks are going to have a snowball effect because we are not 100% stacked in any area. Not even at safety where BB draft a player every year.

Next year Solder will be in his year contract, the O-line situation should be looked pretty close.

You don't think we have good depth at any position?

I'd argue this season with all the injuries has proven just the opposite. I'd say there are a couple obviously that we aren't I.E TE, DE and arguably WR

But i would argue our roster is NFL caliber 2-3 deep at CB, S, ILB, OLB, DT, OT, OG, C, RB

 

[supafly]

I scary to think that maybe all those wasted picks are going to have a snowball effect because we are not 100% stacked in any area. Not even at safety where BB draft a player every year.

Every team has wasted picks. Our picks have been fine lately, percentage-wise compared to most of the other 31 teams. The bigger problem was from the period of 2006-2009.

In all actuality, we've been extremely successful at certain positions lately such as OL, TE, RB, CB (Dennard, McCourty, Ryan), LB, DE. It's ridiculous to think that our last 4 drafts have been failures, or that we're not "stacked" in any certain position. I think we're in a fine situation at a lot of positions, all things considered.

You can consider even throwing the position of WR in there too, when you see the special teams and improvement from Edelman and the progression from Dobson and Thompkins (on a lesser level), although that may be somewhat of a stretch considering that they didn't do well at all prior to that. The truth remains to be seen, but it's looking up.

The main point is that they have definitely improved on just about every single position, and some have even been outstanding lately.

The position of safety has been a failure for the most part, and that is obviously something that needs to be improved and addressed. The fate of Harmon and possibly even Wilson would go a long way towards making that better if either one could step up, although I still think we'll need to target it again next year or the year after at the latest.

Next year Solder will be in his year contract, the O-line situation should be looked pretty close.

Solder's contract year won't be until 2015 due to a 5th year option that will be certainly picked up. He won't be a free agent until Feb. 2016.

 

[supafly]

I'd argue this season with all the injuries has proven just the opposite. I'd say there are a couple obviously that we aren't I.E TE, DE and arguably WR

But i would argue our roster is NFL caliber 2-3 deep at CB, S, ILB, OLB, DT, OT, OG, C, RB

I wouldn't see any reason why we won't improve even more after the upcoming draft held in the spring. Both sides of the ball in the trenches can be improved upon, particularly in the interior range. I would think that we will commit resources to both OG, OC/ and DT via the draft; along with the possibility of yet another safety.

 

[ausbacker]

I wouldn't see any reason why we won't improve even more after the upcoming draft held in the spring. Both sides of the ball in the trenches can be improved upon, particularly in the interior range. I would think that we will commit resources to both OG, OC/ and DT via the draft; along with the possibility of yet another safety.

I would really like Louis Nix to last to the Patriots first draft pick at 32 in the draft.

 

[jsull87]

I wouldn't see any reason why we won't improve even more after the upcoming draft held in the spring. Both sides of the ball in the trenches can be improved upon, particularly in the interior range. I would think that we will commit resources to both OG, OC/ and DT via the draft; along with the possibility of yet another safety.

Absolutely agree. My only slight difference is at the DT position. I am assuming health here which is a big assumption but i think we have a lot of capable bodies there and i don't think there will be a high pick at the position unless Wilfork and Kelly aren't recovered.

I think early is TE and OG personally. Throw in a 1st and 2nd at those 2 picks and we could conceivably sure up the interior OL and get back to the 2 TE.

But in all honesty I'd like continual investment in the defense. In reality it is probably more pressing to take care of TB (by probably i mean definitely)

 

[supafly]

Absolutely agree. My only slight difference is at the DT position. I am assuming health here which is a big assumption but i think we have a lot of capable bodies there and i don't think there will be a high pick at the position unless Wilfork and Kelly aren't recovered.

I think early is TE and OG personally. Throw in a 1st and 2nd at those 2 picks and we could conceivably sure up the interior OL and get back to the 2 TE.

But in all honesty I'd like continual investment in the defense. In reality it is probably more pressing to take care of TB (by probably i mean definitely)

You make a good argument, but I'm thinking that DL/DT has been avoided too much as it is.

Another thing to take into consideration is the Tommy Kelly deal, where the team could recover all but 500k of his money by releasing him at the end of the year. That is what I am assuming. If you want to take it even one step further, the salary deals of both Sopoaga and Wilfork will also come into consideration, as they'll likely be asked to restructure those high numbers. That leads me to believe that it's quite possible that 2 of those 3 players may be gone, or at the very least restuctured. I just recently read an article on Kelly's chances for next year, and they don't look too good.

 

[varjao]

Ok the WR position seems to be adressed although there are room for maybe another pick if a BPA slips on the draft or adding another veteran via FA.

The offensive side of the ball is ok, TE we just had an unfortunate event, otherwise would be the best combo in the league, but if doesn't count, so there are some need there again, but that's not due to a bust. There are some need on the O-line too but it's still a tough one.

What gets on my nerves is these Tavon Wilsons, Ras Island and some other picks. I undestand you don't hit always but in 1st and 2nd round I expect an immediate impact, and these guys are not only busts, they don't even play. From 3rd to undrafted FA it's kind of a lottery, you can find gold on the 7th or **** in the 3rd. I'm not saying there aren't studs in the 3rd o 4th round but I give the benefit of the doubt to go on the players they think fits better.

Well BB traded down our 1st this year, but in a draft that deep like this last one, with our first pick being the #52, I would like to see a player contributing right now. I'm not really optimistic with this Jamie Collins pick, I think he will be in the same basket as Bequete, Chung, Wilson, Brace...Ras Island was promissing, I understand it was a situation that can happen once in a while with players that can't handle the stress NFL puts on their bodies.