*The Official Draft Rolando McClain warwagon!*

[TriplecHamp]

I think McClain is going to be a star in this league. However, I am not willing to give up the depth we need through the draft by trading multiple pick to move up and get him.

For those that really love him what would you be willing to give up in order to move into the top 15 to grab him?

Our first, any one of our seconds and AD, or Maroney

 

[BelizePats]

I would be thrilled to give up #22 and either #42 or #47 to get McClain.
From what I've seen of him in games, he's the kind of player that makes everyone around him better. Plus, his leadership is something that our defense has been really lacking since #37 and #54 retired.

Then we lock up Vince, draft a guard and a pass rusher and we are flowing in the right direction re the draft!

 

[Canadian Patriot 84]

I agree that 22, and one of the 2nd rd picks would be great to move up and select McClain. He and Mayo inside... wow. It almost seems like fantasy but is totally a possibility! As someone mentioned, hell, throw in Maroney or Thomas as well! That could be pretty appealing to a lot of teams!

CP

 

[mgteich]

Perhaps we should use our five picks to trade up to get TWO players the quality of Vollmer and Butler, and then hope that neither gets injured.

Why would we expect to do better with a trade up strategy?

It seems that even if Chung, Brace and Tate are all total washouts, we did fine.

 

[billdog3484]

i think we need a pass rushing OLB more than an ILB. i would also say we need OL, DL and WR more than ILB

 

[DW Toys]

Perhaps we should use our five picks to trade up to get TWO players the quality of Vollmer and Butler, and then hope that neither gets injured.

Why would we expect to do better with a trade up strategy?

It seems that even if Chung, Brace and Tate are all total washouts, we did fine.

Great post.
I would trade all of our choices for three we know that will be difference makers.
DW Toys

 

[TriplecHamp]

Great post.
I would trade all of our choices for three we know that will be difference makers.
DW Toys

Honestly thats what we need. Give me an ILB, a Pass Rusher and a Guard or Wideout.

 

[mayoclinic]

Honestly thats what we need. Give me an ILB, a Pass Rusher and a Guard or Wideout.

I agree that those are all needs. But there is also FA.

I would like to go after Karlos Dansby in FA and a veteran wideout. If Dansby is too expensive, I'd go after a veteran pass rusher like Shawne Merriman (if he is a UFA, which is unclear right now, depending on the CBA status and on what SD does with him). Either way, I'd like to fill a few needs prior to the draft.

If we have a veteran ILB like Dansby via FA, then I go for 2 pass rushers in the draft - ideally, a strong side guy like Dunlap and a weak side guy like Austen Lane, Jerry Hughes, Sergio Kindle or Ricky Sapp.

If we have a pass rusher like Merriman via FA, then I try to trade up for McClain if at all possible. Brandon Spikes and Eric Norwood are backup options, but I'd go after McClain as long as he doesn't go top 10.

Add a guard via the draft and some depth at RB, and possibly a development 3-4 DE, and we would be in fairly decent shape in terms of personnel.

 

[TriplecHamp]

I agree that those are all needs. But there is also FA.

I would like to go after Karlos Dansby in FA and a veteran wideout. If Dansby is too expensive, I'd go after a veteran pass rusher like Shawne Merriman (if he is a UFA, which is unclear right now, depending on the CBA status and on what SD does with him). Either way, I'd like to fill a few needs prior to the draft.

If we have a veteran ILB like Dansby via FA, then I go for 2 pass rushers in the draft - ideally, a strong side guy like Dunlap and a weak side guy like Austen Lane, Jerry Hughes, Sergio Kindle or Ricky Sapp.

If we have a pass rusher like Merriman via FA, then I try to trade up for McClain if at all possible. Brandon Spikes and Eric Norwood are backup options, but I'd go after McClain as long as he doesn't go top 10.

Add a guard via the draft and some depth at RB, and possibly a development 3-4 DE, and we would be in fairly decent shape in terms of personnel.

I hate to say it but this is kind of like what the Jets did last year. Im not advising making 3 picks but about 6 or 7 picks with 2 holes filled via free agency would be great. Id like to actually get Dansby through free agency and draft a pass rusher because Im not necessarily sold on Merriman or Kampman. Im going to start a thread on this but Ill show it to you here because I pertains to last years draft but hopefully not this years.

 

[mayoclinic]

I hate to say it but this is kind of like what the Jets did last year. Im not advising making 3 picks but about 6 or 7 picks with 2 holes filled via free agency would be great. Id like to actually get Dansby through free agency and draft a pass rusher because Im not necessarily sold on Merriman or Kampman. Im going to start a thread on this but Ill show it to you here because I pertains to last years draft but hopefully not this years.

I think we have about 6+ immediate holes, and a bunch of smaller ones. And that assumes that we keep Wilfork, Mankins, Bodden, Watson and Gostkowski, which is no mean feat.

3-4 on defense:

1. 1-2 outside pass rushers.
2. An SILB to complement Mayo and shore up the middle.
3. A true 3-4 DE.

Three big ones on offense:

1. A RG to replace Neal.
2. A 3rd WR.
3. Depth at RB, whether a bruiser or an all-purpose playmaker.

I don't see us filling all of those holes through the draft. I'd like to fill at least 2-3 of them in FA, and go into the draft with 3-4 spots to fill. That would give us some flexibility to move around and target guys we like, including possibly trading up. It would also allow us to address some less immediate needs (a long-term RT, a third TE, a punter, etc.).

Whatever else, I want to re-sign our key personnel so that we can use FA and the draft to upgrade talent rather than backfill losses. That would be disastrous, IMHO.

 

[Patriot Missile]

So many needs in a deep draft. I would love to have McClain but this is the perfect year to have 3 2nd rounders. I'm in the hold on to your horses camp.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

So many needs in a deep draft. I would love to have McClain but this is the perfect year to have 3 2nd rounders. I'm in the hold on to your horses camp.

Bingo.
....

 

[TriplecHamp]

So many needs in a deep draft. I would love to have McClain but this is the perfect year to have 3 2nd rounders. I'm in the hold on to your horses camp.

It can also be looked at the other way around. You can go ahead and trade for two firsts in a deep draft and hold out that in later rounds you get good talent. Im in between. Im willing to part ways with one or two of the seconds if its the right guy (McClain, or a slipping Haden)

 

[Patriot Missile]

It can also be looked at the other way around. You can go ahead and trade for two firsts in a deep draft and hold out that in later rounds you get good talent. Im in between. Im willing to part ways with one or two of the seconds if its the right guy (McClain, or a slipping Haden)

There's nothing wrong with that all. I love both the players. However it is early, there is going to be players that drop and players that explode into the first 3 rounds. Combine/workouts bowls etc.

This is easily one of the best drafts in a decade for DE/DT/G. It's so deep that you are still going to get excellent prospects far into the second round. And we happen to have 3 picks there. What if we end up getting Spikes,Dunlap or Kindle with our 1st pick and then by some reason one of Dunlap/Kindle or Hughes happen to fall to us with the 1st 2nd rounder? I call that and improved defense with ferocity behind it. And they can still get a guard to replace Neal.

 

[VJCPatriot]

It can also be looked at the other way around. You can go ahead and trade for two firsts in a deep draft and hold out that in later rounds you get good talent. Im in between. Im willing to part ways with one or two of the seconds if its the right guy (McClain, or a slipping Haden)

I've thought about this and I think it's possible to trade up for McClain without giving up massive quantities of picks.

The Pats have the 22nd pick right? Let's say Mcclain drops to 11. And the Pats want to take him. Miami picks at #12 and we don't really want him to get away to them and it is less likely they want to trade to improve the Pats. But our good old friend Josh McDaniels is picking at #11. I think he would be quite interested in moving down and picking up more draft picks.

What does Trade Value chart say in this situation?

Ok the chart says that pick #11 is worth 1,250 points.

Pick #22 is worth 780 points. And pick #47 is worth 430 points. That's a total of 1210 points.

Draft Countdown - Trade Value Chart

So that's roughly equal value. Josh McDaniels is happy because he gets more shots in this year's draft to restock his team and we are happy because we got our guy.

But let's say we want more picks after that? We could trade down with any of our remaining 2nd round picks and pick up say a 3rd this year and a 2nd next year, etc. There are lots of options because the Pats have so many picks.

I don't think it 'breaks' our draft to move up for McClain, that is if BB believes that McClain is worth it. Remember that he also traded up for Ty Warren as well as Daniel Graham so the precedent does exist.