Day 2 strategies last year and this year

[dhamz]

When the HC went on WEEI the day before the draft and says that many of the guys who would be picked on day 1 project to UDFA in the Patriots eyes, you really couldn't expect Day 2 guys to make the orster.

 

[Deus Irae]

I didn't say Pioli should be fired, I just said that it was a bad draft because they've cut just about the whole class. It is what it is and it wasn't good. Hopefully it works out better this year.

The New England Patriots may have used their draft picks better than any team in the league last season. Using their draft picks, they pulled in:

1.) Talented safety who may also be good enough to become a starting corner in the NFL

2.) The best slot receiver in the league

3.) The best wide receiver in the league


4.) A bunch of players who either made the team or made other teams after being cut here. 3 of them were offensive lineman, as the team continued its pattern of bringing in late round lineman to improve the competition along that line. They simply could not beat out O'Callaghan, Britt and Hochstein, which is not exactly a sin.

The Rogers and Brown situations have been discussed time and again, and Lua and Richardson were injured.

That people complain about low end draft picks not making it on the best and deepest team in the NFL when the team ended up going 16-0 is indicative of just how spoiled Patriots fans have become. For crying out loud, other than Meriweather, only Brown was drafted higher than the compensatory picks in the 5th round.

 

[DaBruinz]

I have answered this questioned before, and I will answer it again.

I've not seen you answer it before. If you had, my apologies.

In the first round, I would have taken either WILB the Poz or SILB David Harris.

Well, the Pats didn't think either was capable of bringing something to the team and they felt that Meriweather was a better option.

In the 4th round, I would have taken OG/C Josh Beekman, CB Tarell Brown or FS Josh Gattis. Kareem Brown was not worthy, relative to who was still available, of the 127th pick and did not fill a position (DE) of need.

I would have liked to have seen Gattis, but with Meriweather already having been drafted, Gattis would be redundant. Beekman would have been interesting. But what did he actually do last year? Same with Brown.

In the 5th round and the top of the 6th round, I would have taken 2 of OT Adam Koets, OG/C Doug Datish, SS John Wendling or CB David Irons.

I'd have liked Wendling. I think that he'd have given Willie Andrews a run for his money and would have been an upgrade over Ventrone.

David Irons? He had an injury red flag, so I can understand the Pats going away from him.

Clint Oldenburg was/is a UDFA talent who had no business whatsoever being drafted in the 5th/6th rounds;
Justin Rogers would probably have been available with one of the late 6th/top 7th round picks.

The Pats scouting clearly felt that he wasn't UDFA talent. Could they have been wrong? Yes. Wouldn't be the first time.

In the bottom of the 6th/top of the 7th rounds, I would have taken 4 of Rogers, ILB Brandon Siler, TE Ben Patrick, RB Deshawn Wynn, DB Courtney Brown, ILB Kelvin Smith, P Brandon Fields, FB Jason Snelling, S Michael Johnson or Kareem Brown (if available).

I questioned why the Pats didn't look at Siler, but they must have felt his injury would have taken away from his abilities. Its not like he did anything last year.

Brown

Mike Richardson was an undistinguished CB on a bad Notre Dame defense, and was not even the best available ND DB (Chinedum Ndukwe);
there were a half-dozen RBs better than Justice Hairston who were still on the board;
Corey Hilliard would have been a better value risk with the 2nd 7th-rounder;
and Oscar Lua couldn't start for an admittedly stacked USC LB group.

What do you base your claims on that Hairston, Richardson and Elgin?

Also, LUA was the starter at USC prior to getting injured.

In the bottom of the 7th round, I would have taken Brown or Hilliard if available; if not, then one of RBs Darius Walker, Selvin Young or Ahmad Bradshaw, FB Cory Anderson, WRs Brandon Myles, Rhema McKnight, David Ball or Syvelle Newton, TE Joe Newton, LT/G Gabe Hall, Gs Mike Jones or Nathan Bennett, DEs Xzavie Jackson or Mike DeVito, LB Justin Hickman, CBs Anthony Arline, Travarous Bain or Kenny Scott, SS Chad Nkang or FS Chinedum Ndukwe.
Mike Elgin wasn't even the best available OLman from his own school.

Does this answer your question, again?

No. It only answers part of it. You forgot the other part. Which was who would they have beaten out to make the Pats roster.

David Ball did so much with the Bears last year. Yes, I was high on him, but knew, after the Pats traded for Welker and Moss, that they weren't going to be drafting a WR last year.

 

[captain stone]

So now you have 8 or so new players in training camp. Who do you cut from the 53 to make room for them? How many of those 8 new players make it on the gameday active 45?

Based on the Opening Day roster, I would replace:
QB Matt Gutierrez - to PS
TE David Thomas - to PUP
one of Hochstein/Yates
one of Santonio Thomas/Kareem Brown - though I don't draft Brown unless he's still available in the late 6th round
LB Eric Alexander
LB David Herron - what a waste of roster manipulation he was
LB Larry Izzo
LB Corey Mays - we kept him and Alexander, but not Justin Rogers??
FS Rashad Baker
Meriweather - because I would have drafted either Poz or Harris

The Gameday 45 would be based on injuries, matchups, etc.

 

[jeffbiologist]

Many teams dont expect 2nd day players to start, but alot of them draft for specialists, projects,etc. I didnt see us draft a returner, or even really to compete for the softest positions on the roster. If they were SO set on the roster on paper they have to know the weakest areas...why not OVERDRAFT for those positions?? I dont think the BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE is always the way to do it. That said, I had TE Patrick from Delaware rated 4-5th round.....and he would look real nice in a pats uniform right now.

 

[DaBruinz]

Well, I guess this is better than nothing. But you could have been a bit more specific as to the people and who'd they beat out.

Based on the Opening Day roster, I would replace:
QB Matt Gutierrez - to PS He wouldn't have made it to the PS. He would have been picked up off waivers by someone. That's why the Pats kept him.
TE David Thomas - to PUP Why would you have Pupped Thomas? He was ready to start the season. Also, with the Pats going for 3 TEs, who is the TE you'd have put here?
one of Hochstein/Yates You're joking right? None of the guys you've mentioned would have outplayed either Hochstein or Yates.
one of Santonio Thomas/Kareem Brown - though I don't draft Brown unless he's still available in the late 6th round - Santonio Thomas wasn't on the opening day roster. He was on the practice squad. Kareem Brown was on the opening day Roster, having beat out Thomas for a spot.

LB Eric Alexander - Who is replacing him?
LB David Herron - what a waste of roster manipulation he was I agree with you on this.
LB Larry Izzo - You'd cut the Pats special teams captain? Izzo actually played extremely well last year.
LB Corey Mays - we kept him and Alexander, but not Justin Rogers?? I agree that the Pats should have kept Rogers over Corey Mays. Not sure about Rogers over Alexander, though.

FS Rashad Baker Can you be more specific on who you'd replace him with from your list?

Meriweather - because I would have drafted either Poz or Harris

The Gameday 45 would be based on injuries, matchups, etc.

Thank you for doing this. However, I honestly believe you have extremely unrealistic expectations on late round picks and have little concept on how poor last year's draft was talent wise. Its unlikely that many (if any) of the players you mentioned would have made the team over the ones who were on the Pats roster outside of David Herron.d

 

[ctpatsfan77]

TE David Thomas - to PUP Why would you have Pupped Thomas? He was ready to start the season. Also, with the Pats going for 3 TEs, who is the TE you'd have put here?

Frankly, I don't think he was 100% at the start of the season (he was inactive the first two or three weeks); I honestly think that they should have PUPed him, and brought him back in mid-season. I'm not sure who they would have kept in his place, although I suspect it would have been Rogers or Mills. (The implication being that if they were cut in mid-season, they might not have been claimed off waivers.)