QB - Flutie will probably be back for another season and Cassel is being groomed. That's obviously fine.
RB - Dillon, Faulk, Pass, and posssibly Evans looks just fine for 2006. Pass and Faulk could take over Dillon's reigns too.
WR - The Pats have never been really deep here, as the catches are spread out to the TEs and RBs. Re-signing Givens is a must. Alongside Branch and with possibly Troy, or Dwight, or Davis, or Bethel, or Sam, that's all we need. Childress or Sam could spell the end of Dwight or Bethel.
TE - It's injury-battered but Fauria might return. If they get another TE, it will likely be a late round boom or bust.
OL - Fairly sturdy. Light, Kaczur, Gorin, and possibly Ashworth at tackle. Mankins, Hochstein, and possibly Neal at guard. Koppen and Mruckowski at C. Britt could kick Ashworth off the roster.
DL - Good starters and depth. Look for Santonio Thomas to fight with Wright for the reserve NT/DE. Green and Hill man the reserves at DE.
LB - This is where I predict the draft pick to be in a deep LB draft. Willie, Brown, Bruschi, and still Phifer and Johnson need a draft pick to groom. Colvin and Vrabel will help out. Depth is needed beyond the 2-3 special teams aces (Izzo, TBC, Davis). Since Claridge and Beisel are being groomed inside, I see this pick on an OLB.
CB - Huge question mark for 2006. The draft pick all depends on what happens to Poole and Starks, and if Hawkins is re-signed. With Hobbs, Gay, and Samuel, I don't think a draft pick is needed here.
S - Whether BB and SP feel Scott or Sanders are up to the job matters. It will have to be a low-round pick if they don't want it to turn into one of those tweeners like Scott who just can't crack the starting lineup. Don't forget about Ventrone, either.
I just don't think the pick will come at DB. It's a young group, with Hobbs, Gay, Samuel, Wilson, Scott, and Sanders. Add in the return possibility of Stone, Hawkins, Poole, Starks, or even Hank, there's a good mix of young and old. A lower-round draft pick is going to be a liability filling in there's injury in his rookie year, and a high-round draft pick could be a season-long bench warmer is there isn't injury. Injury replacement/insurance needs to come from FAs. Hawkins and Poteat are just that.
K, P, LS - Miller is the 2nd oldest player on the team (35, behind Flutie at 43), but obviously punters and kickers can play seemingly forever (see: Anderson, Landeta, etc.)
Vinatieri will likely get some type of new contract, and Paxton's da man.
My Prediction:
I think they'll still take the best player, but chances are it'll be a LB.