My Blueprint for the Offense

[mayoclinic]

Dont think you can say those 3 and not adding other WRs like AJ Green, Julio Jones, Larry Fitz etc. They are perfect Patriots WRs aswell. But the wont be there on day 3 so it comes Down to what BB value most. And this is a area where I think the coachs background philosophy ( offense or defense minded ) comes into play.

I love the middle and out philosophy, but I do value a good wr or back. And I also beleave a good back takes the top of a passrush, and could help as much as a good OL.

Not so sure about AJ Green. Jones, Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson are great players who would excel for any team. They certainly have the work ethic and smarts to excel here, and their physical tools are exceptional. My point certainly wasn't that only the players listed would have succeeded with the Pats.

 

[ATippett56]

I am thru with Nate Solder. I am thru with Dan Connolly.

Left Offensive Tackle and Left Offensive Guard are now the two top draft priorities.

 

[captain stone]

I've been saying all year long that LG is our #1 priority on offense, and nothing that has happened over the past 2 games has changed my mind. The OL and the complete non-existence of anything even remotely resembling WR depth will be the death of us in the POs.

WR is priority #2, followed by Swing Tackle. And though we could use more explosion at RB (Vereen has really disappointed running the ball and lil' Jimmy White is a 6th-round at best talent), I am still not willing to use a Day 1/2 pick at the position.

Edit: I still would like to see Cannon get reps at RG (Not LG) before the POs. I'm not yet convinced that he couldn't ever be useful there.

 

[ATippett56]

I've been saying all year long that LG is our #1 priority on offense, and nothing that has happened over the past 2 games has changed my mind. The OL and the complete non-existence of anything even remotely resembling WR depth will be the death of us in the POs.

Overall, Nate Solder has been hot garbage this season. Dan Connolly needs to be replaced since Dan Connolly is not the long term solution at offensive guard.

WR is priority #2, followed by Swing Tackle. And though we could use more explosion at RB (Vereen has really disappointed running the ball and lil' Jimmy White is a 6th-round at best talent), I am still not willing to use a Day 1/2 pick at the position.

I have lost faith in the New England Patriots ability to draft a wide receiver. The New England Patriots would probably be better off loading up on collegiate UDFAs and utilize draft picks to shore up the offensive line.

Edit: I still would like to see Cannon get reps at RG (Not LG) before the POs. I'm not yet convinced that he couldn't ever be useful there.

Marcus Cannon has been terrible this season, regardless of position.

 

[mayoclinic]

Overall, Nate Solder has been hot garbage this season. Dan Connolly needs to be replaced since Dan Connolly is not the long term solution at offensive guard.

I have lost faith in the New England Patriots ability to draft a wide receiver. The New England Patriots would probably be better off loading up on collegiate UDFAs and utilize draft picks to shore up the offensive line.

Marcus Cannon has been terrible this season, regardless of position.

Well, since you obviously don't believe the Pats can draft receivers or linemen, we'll just have to keep going defense.

 

[luuked]

I don't see a ton of FA options at WR:

http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/nfl/wide-receiver/

Got any targets in mind?

Considering the messy cap situation that the Saints are in (projected at 160m for 2015: http://overthecap.com/salary-cap/new-orleans-saints) I wonder if they will let Marques Colston go.

I know him mostly on a superficial level (measurables, stats) so please correct me if I am wrong but on paper he seems like a nice additional piece. All of that obviously is only relevant if he can be had for a reasonable price tag. He is making an AVG of 7,2m right now, which is of course ridiculously too high. But if he is cut, I wonder with him being over 30 if it means that he will have to settle for smaller contracts.

Anyway, just wanted to bring up another name I stumbled upon when looking at the cap space of other teams.

 

[ATippett56]

Well, since you obviously don't believe the Pats can draft receivers or linemen, we'll just have to keep going defense.

Feel free to not participate in this thread if you feel that way.

Never did I state that the New England Patriots were unable to draft offensive lineman. I guess you never heard of the word regression, which defines the play of Marcus Cannon and Nate Solder this season as compared to last season.

 

[mayoclinic]

With Marcus Cannon now signed through 2016, what the Pats do with Nate Solder will be interesting. Despite the armchair QB view that Cannon and Solder have "regressed", BB seems to view both as valuable:

Though the idea of rotating on the offensive line at any spot, especially the ever-important tackle position, is a unique one, Belichick doesn’t see Cannon’s rotational role at tackle much differently than more traditional subbing in of players at other spots in the lineup.

“I think all three of those guys are good football players. They’ve all played tackle at a good level. They’ve all started and played well in this league. They’re good players. I think they all deserve to play,” Belichick said when asked about the benefits of Cannon’s rotational reps. “I think they’ve all played well enough to continue to deserve to play. We have confidence with whoever is in there. They all bring many positives to their positions: Sebastian, Nate and Marcus. So, whichever one of them is in there, he brings positives to the position. I don’t see it any differently than the receiver position or the running back position. Guys we’ve put on the field are on the field because they’re productive and they help the team. I’d say the same thing about those three players.”

http://www.patriots.com/news/blog/a...-to-play/164c6c65-fd7e-4499-b204-debbe5a6541a

The Pats have already exercised Solder's $7.438M option for 2015, though it is only guaranteed for injury. If they don't cut him, or negotiate a much lower contract, or if they give him a long term extension, it will indicate that they still see him as the long term starter at LT. In that case, the Pats will have Solder, Vollmer, Cannon and Fleming at tackle, with Vollmer and Cannon signed through 2016 and Fleming through 2017. I rather doubt they will spend a high draft pick on a tackle in that situation.

Guard is much more likely to be a focus, with only Bryan Stork signed long term. Ryan Wendell is signed through 2015, Dan Connolly is 32 and a FA, and Kline and Devey are JAGs at best.

A player with versatility at both guard and tackle would be a plus, but I'm not sure I would see the Pats going after a true tackle if Solder is still on the roster come March.

 

[Luxusdk]

If Solder is Signed then im starting to think Patriots could target WR or RB very high, I know some people would hate it, but depends on resign there would be very few "needs" and WR and/or RB could elevate to the top.

 

[mayoclinic]

If Solder is Signed then im starting to think Patriots could target WR or RB very high, I know some people would hate it, but depends on resign there would be very few "needs" and WR and/or RB could elevate to the top.

Yup.

 

[Gabriel_p94]

I think this teams Achilles heel is gonna be the o line come po's maybe if we can keep the the number one seed it might help us out but they nee work.

I don't see having a number 2 receiver is gonna hurt us much because I see them goin to a two TE set with wright filling the Ahern role. So with wright, gronk, lafell, and Edelman on the field I see it as a mismatch for defenses. But that doesn't take away the need for a wr in the draft. I would say we go BPA for wr or linemen. Hopefully dorial green-Beecham comes out cause the kid has all the talent he just needs someone to set him straight.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

We need to go Oline this draft. Not confident in Solder. We need a complete overhaul of the oline.

 

[AzorianPats]

We need to go Oline this draft. Not confident in Solder. We need a complete overhaul of the oline.

This is just my personal opinion, but wasn't there reports saying Dan Connolly been dinged up and playing hurt last couple of weeks? Considering that Solder looked God awful first 4 games of the season when there was a revolving door at both Guard positions, maybe DC being hurt is effecting Solder play?

Just a question I'm asking myself. ...

 

[ATippett56]

2015 New England Patriots Offensive Line:

LT - Vollmer
LG -
C - Stork, Wendell
RG -
RT - Cannon, Fleming

Training Camp Fodder: Barker, Devey, Hauptmann, Kline

Nate "four concussion" Solder can take a hike, especially at a salary cap hit of $7,438,000.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...y_suffers_fourth_diagnosed_concussion_in_loss

Offensive Tackle vaults to the top of the draft priority list with Offensive Guard a close second.

 

[Sciz]

This is just my personal opinion, but wasn't there reports saying Dan Connolly been dinged up and playing hurt last couple of weeks? Considering that Solder looked God awful first 4 games of the season when there was a revolving door at both Guard positions, maybe DC being hurt is effecting Solder play?

Just a question I'm asking myself. ...

I don't think so. The Packers game ended on a rough note with both guys getting beat for the game-clinching sack, but prior to that play Solder had put together a very fine 1.98 games while Connolly put up two really bad ones. Then we saw a step back from Solder and a step forward from Connolly against the Chargers. There's not the same correlation as we saw earlier in the year between that tackle/guard spot, really outside of that one play against the Packers that is burned into everybody's memories.

 

[mayoclinic]

Two long shots who still interest me as low-cost possibilities are former GB 1st round pick Derek Sherrod and former Houston 3rd round pick Brennan Williams. Both have talent. Williams had microfracture surgery, and the Pats (who were very high on him in 2013) were reportedly one of several teams following his rehab closely. Again, both are long shots, but if either worked out it could be a nice way of adding quality talent on the cheap.

 

[captain stone]

I'm sure there's a mega-thread devoted to this subject in the main forum, but because I come to the draft forum first, let me add my 2 bits:
The re-signing of Marcus Cannon to this $9M, 2-year extension, or to any extension, is a gigantic, shocking, utter waste of precious cap space. Totally undeserving, and a slap in the face of anybody who wishes the Pats to actually accomplish something.

Using Bill's own logic, I ass-ume that the next player in line for a new deal is Tavon Wilson.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm sure there's a mega-thread devoted to this subject in the main forum, but because I come to the draft forum first, let me add my 2 bits:
The re-signing of Marcus Cannon to this $9M, 2-year extension, or to any extension, is a gigantic, shocking, utter waste of precious cap space. Totally undeserving, and a slap in the face of anybody who wishes the Pats to actually accomplish something.

Using Bill's own logic, I ass-ume that the next player in line for a new deal is Tavon Wilson.

Again, you're entitled to dislike the Cannon re-signing (you're probably not alone), but "a slap in the face of anyone who wishes the Pats to actually accomplish something"? Get a grip.

 

[Leemo]

Mayo, I really like reading your views across this board. I know you don't want a 1st or 2nd round WR but I'd like to know your views on some of the WR's available, specifically Jaelen Strong, Sammie Coates, Devin Funchess and Green-Beckham

 

[Gabriel_p94]

What do you guys think of this. I know it is very unlikely but here is my dream draft for the first three rounds.

1st: tj clemmings(or best available linemen). It's well documented we need to bolster the oline. I think he's someone who can grow into a starting role.
2nd: Todd gurley. Is a top tier tv who can take loads off of Brady and the receivers. He's an AP type of talent that might be able to be had this late because of injury.
3rd: and the most unlikely to happen. Dorial green-beckam. He's a top end wr talent. He's someone who was projected to go above amari cooper and be the top prospect in the draft this year. I know he's had problems but hopefully he can straighten out. He has the spew to take the top off of offenses and the size to take advantage of cb's.

I know it's very unlikely but this would be a great draft.