AzPatsFan
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2004
- Messages
- 7,613
- Reaction score
- 853
"It is the season of our discontent."
Many posters are self flagelating and proposing all kinds of ill-considered moves, with none really necessary or affordable. For this AFCCG, the Patriots team was a shell of its true strength. It played without: Gronkowski, Stallworth, and Edelman on Offense, and Talib, Dowling, Fletcher, Love and Jones, on Defense.
Fact: The Offense was the #1 Offense in the league by a hundred points. So, aside from health, and depth at OT, no significant changes need be made, since Brady aside, the O is young and deep.
Fact: The Defense finished below the League average, just slightly below middling. Depth was middling too.
Conclusion: You attempt to shore up the Defense, not the Offense, in the off-season. You trust that the return to health of Gronkowski, Edelman, Stallworth, and Demps will provide enough new features to the Offense. Money is barely available to resign the present pieces, so just do that.
The Defensive needs are:
Health,
Maturity
More Talent
More Depth
The Pat's need:
a superior 3-technique penetrating DT,
a superior pass rushing DE to balance Chandler Jones,
a superior, good-sized, outside press CB,
maybe a superior, good-sized, coverage SS.
Some of these people may or may not be on the Team already, but have not broken out yet.
I suspect that Tavon Wilson will be the new "coverage SS" to cover the TEs, with more experience.
I suspect that one of the present young DEs, will take another step forward with maturity.
I supect that Ras-I might be that good sized outside CB, if he remains healthy.
I therefor would draft a 3-technique DT in the First,
since the position is deep in this Draft, and someone should fall to the Pats.
I would draft a good-sized secondary player in the Second, if one is available. Preference is for an ouside CB type though. (The First and Second could be reversed depending on who falls).
It is possible that an actual TradeUp could be in the offing, like last season, as the needs are relatively few.
I would draft the best player, either O or D, in the Third with preference for a developmental outside WR, a developmental LOT/ROT, to release Marcus Cannon to the interior O-line competition, or a LB. Provided we still have a Third. Frontline players are what is needed, not depth necessarily, at this point in the Patriot's rebulding.
We already have a large haul in Vet FAs with Versa and Armond from the CFL. Zuscevics may be the developmental swing tackle candidate we seek too. Pryor might help too, along with Ballard and Demps.
Simple, isn't it?
Many posters are self flagelating and proposing all kinds of ill-considered moves, with none really necessary or affordable. For this AFCCG, the Patriots team was a shell of its true strength. It played without: Gronkowski, Stallworth, and Edelman on Offense, and Talib, Dowling, Fletcher, Love and Jones, on Defense.
Fact: The Offense was the #1 Offense in the league by a hundred points. So, aside from health, and depth at OT, no significant changes need be made, since Brady aside, the O is young and deep.
Fact: The Defense finished below the League average, just slightly below middling. Depth was middling too.
Conclusion: You attempt to shore up the Defense, not the Offense, in the off-season. You trust that the return to health of Gronkowski, Edelman, Stallworth, and Demps will provide enough new features to the Offense. Money is barely available to resign the present pieces, so just do that.
The Defensive needs are:
Health,
Maturity
More Talent
More Depth
The Pat's need:
a superior 3-technique penetrating DT,
a superior pass rushing DE to balance Chandler Jones,
a superior, good-sized, outside press CB,
maybe a superior, good-sized, coverage SS.
Some of these people may or may not be on the Team already, but have not broken out yet.
I suspect that Tavon Wilson will be the new "coverage SS" to cover the TEs, with more experience.
I suspect that one of the present young DEs, will take another step forward with maturity.
I supect that Ras-I might be that good sized outside CB, if he remains healthy.
I therefor would draft a 3-technique DT in the First,
since the position is deep in this Draft, and someone should fall to the Pats.
I would draft a good-sized secondary player in the Second, if one is available. Preference is for an ouside CB type though. (The First and Second could be reversed depending on who falls).
It is possible that an actual TradeUp could be in the offing, like last season, as the needs are relatively few.
I would draft the best player, either O or D, in the Third with preference for a developmental outside WR, a developmental LOT/ROT, to release Marcus Cannon to the interior O-line competition, or a LB. Provided we still have a Third. Frontline players are what is needed, not depth necessarily, at this point in the Patriot's rebulding.
We already have a large haul in Vet FAs with Versa and Armond from the CFL. Zuscevics may be the developmental swing tackle candidate we seek too. Pryor might help too, along with Ballard and Demps.
Simple, isn't it?