No need to draft an OLB in the first round, he would become a very highly paid conversion project for at least one season.
He damn sure wouldn't start in front of Vrabel and Thomas.
By the way, Vrabel was a 3rd rounder who didn't get a start until his fifth year, when he became a patriot, Thomas was a 6th rounder who didn't become a full time starter until his third year.
I don't see an OLB being drafted until the 3rd round, if then.
I mean really, Vernon Golston is looking real good down in NY isn't he. Is that the type of freak pass-rusher your looking for?
Vrabel, Thomas, Crable, Redd, Woods an rfa, Guyton has snaps at OLB, and two more on the practice squad. Yeah we need another OLB
On the other hand the Patriots have ONE safety signed for next year, Meriweather. With no guarantee that Sanders will re-sign. Harrison is done.
I would think it's a good possibility that a high need could be a SS. Someone like William Moore could project as a starter immediately, like Mayo or Mankins.
Let's see,
A) draft a possible starter in an area of need,
or
B) draft a multi-year conversion project in one of our deepest positions.
A - is what the Patriots would do.
B - is what Matt Millen would do.
Taxed