New England Draft Strategy

[Ochmed Jones]

I think we need to go back to dominating the line of scrimmage. I would love to see a Seymour type DE, an outside linebacker and some youth on the offensive line (if we re-sign Mankins, then perhaps a stud centre to replace koppen eventually) amongst our first 4 picks.

I agree. I think that if the Raiders flame out for the rest of the season, we have an outstanding chance to get DE Dareus of Alabama.

 

[jsull87]

I agree. I think that if the Raiders flame out for the rest of the season, we have an outstanding chance to get DE Dareus of Alabama.

In all honesty i am more inclined to pick quinn and hope he turns into the next ware. I think our run D is stout (browns excepted) but it's always going to be hard for the d with qb's not fearing the rush. If we can get to a stage where we can bring 4 and get pressure... this d will be very hard to get yards on.

So whether it's Quinn or someone else. That is the type of guy i am looking for. Plus i think we'll have a realistic shot at him where i think dareus will be long gone by our pick in my opinion

 

[SunnyDenmark]

In all honesty i am more inclined to pick quinn and hope he turns into the next ware. I think our run D is stout (browns excepted) but it's always going to be hard for the d with qb's not fearing the rush. If we can get to a stage where we can bring 4 and get pressure... this d will be very hard to get yards on.

So whether it's Quinn or someone else. That is the type of guy i am looking for. Plus i think we'll have a realistic shot at him where i think dareus will be long gone by our pick in my opinion

Amen brother (by the way - I love Aussie rules football). Lack of pass rush last too many years has allowed career games for 2nd string QB's like AJ Freely, Chad Henne (not a quality 1st stringer IMO), whomever the Bills put in at QB, and far too many others to name (ok-my memory isn't what it used to be).

Listen - ANY quarterback in NFL can heave the ball down the field if they feel comfortable in the pocket. But many can't throw a good accurate pass when they are having to side step a rush, have someone in their face, rush the throw or roll out of the pocket with pursuit a few steps behind. As we just recently saw in the Detroit game, NEP pass rush (vs a mediocre Lions OL) - was just not getting enough pressure to make the QB uncomfortable.

Therefore, job #1 in this draft and biggest area of improvement needed on this team is getting someone who can put pressure on the QB. I don't care if we have to use 2 of our first 4 picks to make sure one of them pans out. Yes, just about every team is looking for a pass rush stud. That is precisely why you have to use minimum 2nd round if not 1st round picks to (hopefully) get those players.

We will never be a championship quality defense until we can put pressure on the opponents QB's.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Amen brother (by the way - I love Aussie rules football). Lack of pass rush last too many years has allowed career games for 2nd string QB's like AJ Freely, Chad Henne (not a quality 1st stringer IMO), whomever the Bills put in at QB, and far too many others to name (ok-my memory isn't what it used to be).

Listen - ANY quarterback in NFL can heave the ball down the field if they feel comfortable in the pocket. But many can't throw a good accurate pass when they are having to side step a rush, have someone in their face, rush the throw or roll out of the pocket with pursuit a few steps behind. As we just recently saw in the Detroit game, NEP pass rush (vs a mediocre Lions OL) - was just not getting enough pressure to make the QB uncomfortable.

Therefore, job #1 in this draft and biggest area of improvement needed on this team is getting someone who can put pressure on the QB. I don't care if we have to use 2 of our first 4 picks to make sure one of them pans out. Yes, just about every team is looking for a pass rush stud. That is precisely why you have to use minimum 2nd round if not 1st round picks to (hopefully) get those players.

We will never be a championship quality defense until we can put pressure on the opponents QB's.

Dude we have all been saying we need a pass rusher for the past five years, and guess what BB keeps passing on talented guy after talented guy.

This year he took a Cunningham, perhaps the slowest option ever for an OLB. A total head scratcher.

Also I doubt Quinn is even on BB's draft board for a multitude of reasons.

The guy that screams future Patriot is Kerrigan of Purdue, depending on how he runs.

 

[cstjohn17]

The guy that screams future Patriot is Kerrigan of Purdue, depending on how he runs.

Yes, he better be slow.

 

[Metaphors]

This year he took a Cunningham, perhaps the slowest option ever for an OLB. A total head scratcher.

I think Manning would take issue with your assessment of Cunningham. Maybe Jerry Hughes or Sergio Kindle would have won the Colts game a little better/faster/prettier.

Cunningham is plenty quick and explosive on the edge. Dude ran a bad 40 time at the combine. If that puts someone in the "head scratcher" category, that list is long and distinguished.

 

[patchick]

Cunningham is plenty quick and explosive on the edge. Dude ran a bad 40 time at the combine.

A minor quibble, but Cunningham didn't work out at the Combine. The only 40 time we have for him is from a pro day -- when he put up a lousy 40 but excellent 10-yard split and vertical, suggesting very good explosiveness.

 

[Metaphors]

A minor quibble, but Cunningham didn't work out at the Combine. The only 40 time we have for him is from a pro day -- when he put up a lousy 40 but excellent 10-yard split and vertical, suggesting very good explosiveness.

Oh yeah, he had some kind of injury didn't he? I just remember that he ran a lousy time and pulled up lame so he couldn't run again. It does make sense that was at his pro day.

Cunningham has been a pleasant surprise. I figured this would be a year of adjustment for him but he has been pretty solid against the run and flashed quickness and determination in his pass rush. If he ever has to sprint 40 yds in a straight line burst on the field, the Pats are likely in trouble anyway.

 

[Off The Grid]

A minor quibble, but Cunningham didn't work out at the Combine. The only 40 time we have for him is from a pro day -- when he put up a lousy 40 but excellent 10-yard split and vertical, suggesting very good explosiveness.

PREACH it.

Oh yeah, he had some kind of injury didn't he? I just remember that he ran a lousy time and pulled up lame so he couldn't run again. It does make sense that was at his pro day.

Cunningham has been a pleasant surprise. I figured this would be a year of adjustment for him but he has been pretty solid against the run and flashed quickness and determination in his pass rush. If he ever has to sprint 40 yds in a straight line burst on the field, the Pats are likely in trouble anyway.

Almost sounds like you're talking about OTG's 2010 Binkie #27, Brother Carl Ihenacho....who is finally fully recovered, by the way:

NFL Draft Insider News & Notes for the Week of 11-15

I expected Cunningham would be one HELL of a lot more effective, the last 4-12 weeks, than the first 4-12. That's usually how it goes with Impact Players.

 

[Sciz]

I wanna say that Cunningham had a strained quad or something when he ran his 40

 

[cstjohn17]

Fast LB, slow LB, tall LB, fat LB... isn't it great to be talking NFL Draft in December!

 

[BelichickFan]

Regarding Dareus vs. Quinn, or fill in your names at the positions, I'll say what I've said for years, Belichick seems unlikely to me to take a player who requires a major position switch that high. You're always going to have a scheme change and a difficult transition but adding in college DE to NFL OLB just makes the pick more risky. All things being equal I would expect 1a and 1b to be "same position" players, whether it's WR, OL, CB, DL and the second round where they're more likely to take a shot at a position change like with Cunningham. If we do take a college DE who'll move to OLB you can bet Belichick feels amazingly good about him because he's not about to risk the 10th pick of the draft on some boom or bust position switcher.

 

[MaineMan]

Amen brother (by the way - I love Aussie rules football). Lack of pass rush last too many years has allowed career games for 2nd string QB's like AJ Freely, Chad Henne (not a quality 1st stringer IMO), whomever the Bills put in at QB, and far too many others to name (ok-my memory isn't what it used to be).

Listen - ANY quarterback in NFL can heave the ball down the field if they feel comfortable in the pocket. But many can't throw a good accurate pass when they are having to side step a rush, have someone in their face, rush the throw or roll out of the pocket with pursuit a few steps behind. As we just recently saw in the Detroit game, NEP pass rush (vs a mediocre Lions OL) - was just not getting enough pressure to make the QB uncomfortable.

Therefore, job #1 in this draft and biggest area of improvement needed on this team is getting someone who can put pressure on the QB. I don't care if we have to use 2 of our first 4 picks to make sure one of them pans out. Yes, just about every team is looking for a pass rush stud. That is precisely why you have to use minimum 2nd round if not 1st round picks to (hopefully) get those players.

We will never be a championship quality defense until we can put pressure on the opponents QB's.

That "mediocre" Lions O-line had posted the 3rd fewest sacks per dropback in the NFL going into the Thanksgiving game. Might explain why their 2nd and 3rd string QB passing stats are even reasonable, especially when considering that they don't have a ground game that needs to be accounted for very much.

 

[MaineMan]

Another WR?? Exactly how many do they need? The offense has gotten better since Moss has been gone. Another couple good games and they could get to the #2 spot ALL-TIME in scoring per game and you want another WR. Tate is essentially in his rookie year, and they haven't even put Price on the field yet.

Inversely, they have McCourty and Bodden should return. Then....Wilhite barely sees the field, Butler rarely sees the field, Wheatley has been released, and UDFA Arrington is the starter!
But they don't need another corner? Are you telling me right now that you want to start the '11 season with Bodden-Mccourty-Arrington-Wilhite-Butler??

Either thru the draft or FA, they need another corner.

At Safety they have one FS, the rest are all SS types. IMO they need another ballhawk-cover FS to compliment BM.

Agree we need another VG corner.

- McCourty appears to be destined to become a great cover-LCB who doesn't need a lot of safety help.
- Bodden is a very good RCB who doesn't often need safety help, but he'll be entering his 9th season in 2011.
- Arrington has become a decent RCB, but DOES need safety help and, so, is probably best suited as a reserve/relief guy for Bodden. However, I don't see him as being all that good against slot guys, so I'm not sure he "counts" as the proverbial "3rd good corner."
- Wilhite seems passable against slot guys (at least when we're playing with a lead) and as a 3rd backup at RCB, but I'm thinking we could do better.
- Butler, who the f**k knows? He seems to be decent at LCB last season, but also appears to have failed miserably at RCB (both seasons). Maybe he'd be an adequate emergency backup for McCourty (though probably a huge downgrade).

So, we need at least a very good RCB. And, given that the time it normally takes a CB to develop is 2-3 seasons (McCourty's quality of play as a rookie is exceedingly rare), we might best get the guy now, before Bodden gets old.

Agree that Meriweather is the only safety we have who is actually GOOD in coverage - that we know of.

- Sanders has been adequate, but is also getting older.
- Chung is definitely improving, but not there yet.
- Page had some decent coverage stats from his time in KC, but we haven't seen them with the Pats yet.
- Sergio Brown appears to have a ways to go, but might already be better in coverage than
- McGowan, who is a beast against the run, but - other than taking Scheffler out of the 2009 game in Denver - has been a severe liability in coverage.
- Josh Barrett and Bret Lockett (on IR) are both tall, but might only be SS/ST types.

On average, BB takes two DBs per draft (most in the later rounds, though), so it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him spend a couple picks that way in 2011.

 

[MaineMan]

I've had the impression that the safety roles have been evolving...that the FS/SS divide has grown in the Pats' defense. I'd be curious for your or others' observations of how they use the safeties today vs. in the Harrison/Wilson days vs. Milloy/Jones, etc.

.................

Interesting observation and I tend to agree, but would say that its fluctuated back in that direction.

Going into the '08 draft, I assumed that the Pats would be continuing to use safeties in distinctive roles with the SS being almost an extra LB, especially after they picked up Tank "Mr. IR" Williams. But then, before the draft, I heard both BB and Dimitroff (with the Falcons by that point) talk about the FS/SS positions evolving to become more interchangeable, that having both of them be good in coverage as well as against the run would offer great tactical advantages and reduce potential mis-matches.

Seems to me that, after the 2009 results from swapping Meriweather, Sanders and McGowan around, it may have turned out to be easier to think about than to actually implement. Guys who are both good in coverage and can play the run like a decent LB may be more difficult to come by in practice.

So, at least for now, I've been seeing more of the distinctive role pattern with Chung taking the traditional SS role. Maybe this is only a temporary "reversion" until Chung's coverage skills improve (which they are - slowly), but its' a difficult thing to guess about.

WRT "depth" - as I said in a previous post - Sanders (our 2nd best coverage safety at this point) is getting older, Page is an unknown and Brown/Lockett/Barrett seem much more like traditional SS types. So, it wouldn't surprise me to see BB take a coverage safety at some point in 2011 - maybe a taller corner who's not exceptionally speedy and really good only when he can keep everything in front of him.

 

[Off The Grid]

The guy that screams future Patriot is Kerrigan of Purdue, depending on how he runs.

Yes, he better be slow.

Words of Wisdom, Brothahs!!

And for what it's worth: I have targeted Kerrigan as my early favorite for Most Precipitous Post Combine Plunge. There are about a dozen High Grade Flankers whose "40" times are likely to beat his: I have him plunging all the way to the bottom of the 2nd Round.

Of course: Cam Newton ~ who I see in the Top 15 if not the Top 10 ~ could wipe all that out, if things go wrong...But all it takes is one team to take on that risk.

Wouldn't it be ironic if we ended up trading Oakland's own pick back to'er??