Can we target and land LSU CB Morris Claiborne?

[Christopher Patriot]

Should we target Claiborne?
To start with let's get out the Patriots always trade down, recoup picks into next year, don't fall in love with one player the value system etc.

Morris Claiborne is a absolute stud, he's covered some of the best receivers in college football and shut them down, he's a strong character high moral guy, smart, football is important to him loves the game.

A converted receiver, has great hands, anticipates the football.
He's immediately the best cover corner on our team and could turn into a more humble version of Darelle Revis.

He comes in the secondary immediately becomes a strength, not a weakeness, so the original question how much does this cost is it doable,

Well from a pure pick standpoint we realistically would have to move into at least the top 7 to land him.

I see Minnesota as a great trading partner, there are alot of holes on that team, they don't need 1 or 2 or even 3 players there is room for at least 7 or 8 new starters on that club.

Option number 1, Patriots trade their 2 number 1 picks and a second next year, for Minnesotas 1st rounder a 4th round pick this year, and a 5th rounder next year.

Option number 2, Patriots love what they see from Gonzalez and feel comfortable that him and Edelman can pick up the slack and with the huge cap number and far apart on a agreement the Patriots trade Wes Welker and the 28th pick for Minnesotas 1st rounder, and a second next year in exchange for a 4th next year.

Minnesota get's a great receiver, security blanket for Mr ponder a player that they can use with Harvin for some new exciting looks and play, They have the cap, they have the need, and in a Dome Wes's quickness and speed would be even scarier.

Thoughts? Questions? Emotional outbursts?

 

[rookBoston]

Could never work the way you described. Claiborne is probably a consideration at #4 for Cleveland, certainly for Tampa at #5.

#27 + #31 together will only get you as high at #10 in the draft. You'd have to imagine BB throwing in a few more future 1st rounders to get to #4. Even if Chuck Norris declared for the draft, BB would pass.

Look at what the Redskins gave St Louis just to move up 4 spots from #6 to #2 for RGIII: 2nd this year, and 1st in 2013 and 2014. BB would never give up that many picks for any one rookie.

Draft Countdown - Trade Value Chart

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

It seems impractical, and, with the way Patriots' CBs are injured, we do not want to put all our eggs in one basket. It would be better to conserve our picks and hope to pick up the next Assante Samuel or McCourty. The FA or trade route will not work since quality CBs are really really in demand.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I think you're over-rating Claiborne a bit. He's a very good prospect. Just not an elite one. Almost every report says he's not as good as Patrick Peterson. I know his play on the field is good. But, his 4.50 at the combine makes me wonder if he has that elite speed top corners have.

 

[VrabelJr]

Scouts liked Peterson because he's more of an athlete but his technical coverage skills sucked (he made progression as the year went on and you could see him constantly talking to coaches during game which is awesome). Claiborne is less of an athlete but already has very mature technical skills for his age. I'd be OK with us making a move for him.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Scouts liked Peterson because he's more of an athlete but his technical coverage skills sucked (he made progression as the year went on and you could see him constantly talking to coaches during game which is awesome). Claiborne is less of an athlete but already has very mature technical skills for his age. I'd be OK with us making a move for him.

Don't think he's worth the Julio Jones trade. Two firsts plus more picks. That's what it would take. He'd have to be Deion Sanders or Mike Haynes good for that. Pats worked out Ron Brooks who was basically their RCB for 75pct of the plays. Allowed Honey Badger to free lance. I can see us taking him in the 3rd or 4th. Was in for a workout and supposedly went well.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

I keep wondering if Claiborne drops a little because of his pedestrian 40 time (4.5) at the Combine. I guess it will depend on his pro-day workouts.

 

[PatriotReign]

Don't think he's worth the Julio Jones trade. Two firsts plus more picks. That's what it would take. He'd have to be Deion Sanders or Mike Haynes good for that. Pats worked out Ron Brooks who was basically their RCB for 75pct of the plays. Allowed Honey Badger to free lance. I can see us taking him in the 3rd or 4th. Was in for a workout and supposedly went well.

I agree with this. Take Brooks and maybe Fleming and hope one or both pan out. Then trade away a slew of picks for one player.

 

[VrabelJr]

I don't think Claiborne makes it past Tampa Bay and for some weird reason mock draft "experts" have Cleveland taking him at #4 even though they already have the best pass defense in the league and a top 3 CB in Joe Haden.

 

[Sciz]

Perhaps it's a bit of a hyperbole, but I feel like this is the worst draft class ever to trade a ton of picks for a CB. There will be plenty of good CB prospects available either with the Pats' picks or within more reasonable trade-up range.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Perhaps it's a bit of a hyperbole, but I feel like this is the worst draft class ever to trade a ton of picks for a CB. There will be plenty of good CB prospects available either with the Pats' picks or within more reasonable trade-up range.

There just aren't elite defensive prospects at the top of this draft. Last year would have been the year to move up. Marcel Dareus, Von Miller, Patrick Peterson or Aldon Smith.

 

[serifyn]

Drafts are so hit or miss, if the patriots trade way up for claiborne and he turns into a bust the patriots will have undone everything they have tried to achieve through years of trading back.

The Patriots know that the draft is such a crapshoot, so they increase their odds with more bullets.

Besides when you build a great TEAM T E A M as Belichick would say, you're better off with alot of really good or great guys rather than a couple superstars.

Superstars you can gameplan for and mitigate, but you cant plug all your holes when you play against a team where everyone is good enough that no particular weakness, that is what Belichick has been doing for years, building a gameplan-proof team, hes already come pretty damn close on offense.

 

[patsfan-1982]

to many holes on Defense that cant be filled by one player

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Could never work the way you described. Claiborne is probably a consideration at #4 for Cleveland, certainly for Tampa at #5.

#27 + #31 together will only get you as high at #10 in the draft. You'd have to imagine BB throwing in a few more future 1st rounders to get to #4. Even if Chuck Norris declared for the draft, BB would pass.

Look at what the Redskins gave St Louis just to move up 4 spots from #6 to #2 for RGIII: 2nd this year, and 1st in 2013 and 2014. BB would never give up that many picks for any one rookie.

Draft Countdown - Trade Value Chart

There's two differences here:

(1) The Rams were clearly in the driver's seat at this point, and the Redskins were clearly desperate (since I'm thinking they knew the s*** was about to hit the fan on the salary cap). The Redskins had to pay so much b/c the Rams could just say "Hey, the guys we're looking at might not be there at 6."

(2) For some reason, things become different when QBs are involved.

I'm not saying that 27 + 31 would get you to 3, merely that it wouldn't take the king's ransom Dan Snyder coughed up.

 

[Patriot Missile]

There's two differences here:

(1) The Rams were clearly in the driver's seat at this point, and the Redskins were clearly desperate (since I'm thinking they knew the s*** was about to hit the fan on the salary cap). The Redskins had to pay so much b/c the Rams could just say "Hey, the guys we're looking at might not be there at 6."

(2) For some reason, things become different when QBs are involved.

I'm not saying that 27 + 31 would get you to 3, merely that it wouldn't take the king's ransom Dan Snyder coughed up.

I'm on both sides of the fence on that Washington trade. They needed the QB and they may be getting a really good one in RG3 but that was a ransom and 1/2. I wonder if they even explored Matt Flynn and the possibility of drafting a player like Decastro at 7 or with a small trade back. They are in salary cap hell and i just don't see any way of them improving the team significantly in other areas like the offensive line with the missing draft picks and levied fines against them. It's not like they stick out at drafting players in the 2nd round and below.

 

[Finn McCool]

This is actually a pretty deep draft for CB's. Should probably spend the 2nd round trying to target one. Jamell Fleming, perhaps.

 

[Christopher Patriot]

If you can land a Darelle or a Vontae type of defensive back you do that, you make that move especially with the rookie salary cap, and the pass happy league we are in.

Let's say he could be top 10 for his position that's his ceiling, don't you make that move?

My thoughts are we have fewer holes to fill than we've had in years past,
The Minnesota spot I think is the sweet spot to land a Claiborne, they need to fill their roster, where we have impressive depth and the luxury to grab a game changer at this point.

Now I know we need a pass rush how about Minnesota's pick and Jared Allen for our 2 firsts if we can cTome to a long term agreement with Welker if not Wes would really help out ponder would be far away from our division and we could attempt to pick up the slack.

If you can get a top player at a premier position you do that I know I keep repeating this and I hear it's a deep draft for defensiveback that's fine we don't need a depth guy we have a slew of guys that are serviceable i want that guy that can take away an entire side of the field I want a guy where the opposing qb doesn't even look at that side of the field, a Champ Bailey in his prime, or a Ty Law.

Claiborne can be that guy, let's look at BBs criteria for landing a impact player.

Played in a NFL style program? check, played against NFL style talent? check
Made big plays when he needed to? check, Instinct? check
Great Character? check. Football is important to them? check, consistency? check.
I don't see any player in this draft that's as close as a sure thing as him.
I hope if it's reasonable the Patriots at least consider it.

 

[Arrington Planet]

We have way too many needs to just focus on one player and give all the picks they'd ask for a top-5. It won't be as exciting, but I'd stay where we are and even fill some more holes before taking a CB (except if a really good talent falls to one of our 1st round picks and we can't pass on him, of course).

 

[Christopher Patriot]

We have way too many needs to just focus on one player and give all the picks they'd ask for a top-5. It won't be as exciting, but I'd stay where we are and even fill some more holes before taking a CB (except if a really good talent falls to one of our 1st round picks and we can't pass on him, of course).

I strongly disagree sir,
You may be Arringtons agent.

 

[Arrington Planet]

I strongly disagree sir,
You may be Arringtons agent.

Hahahahaha. Damn, you caught me, I'll have to be more more subtle next time.

Now seriously, we should address the CB position, but I just think we have bigger holes (DE, OLB, S). I'd look for a CB, just not with a trade up, a 2nd round pick maybe (as I said in another thread, I'd like Janoris, but I don't think BB will pick a player with so many red flags).