I don't consider myself a Patriots basher, but I don't understand the reflexive reaction many seem to have to defend the Pats no matter what they do. Overall I like this draft, but I still think the 1st round pick was lousy. The Pats won Superbowls with less than stellar cornerbacks, but they had dominant front sevens. Their front seven is mediocre right now. I think we have real depth problems on the D-line. Over the last several years the drafts have been poor. Our cornerback selections have been mediocre to bad. BB seems to have a love for whoever has the best 3 cone time.
That said, I love the TE pick if he's really healthy (and I assume he is), I like the Spikes pick a lot and really don't have an opinion on Cunningham. Hope he turns into a great OL.
But whether McCourty is a good pick will depend on what he does AND what the players we could have taken do in the next couple of years. Hey, if McCourty starts 8 games or more ad DB, it was a good pick. If he returns a couple of kicks for touchdowns or blocks a kick to WIN a game and is in the regular rotation, it was a good pick. If Hughes is the next Freeney, not such a good pick.
First, if Hughes is the next Freeney, it doesn't mean he would be remotely as successful in the Pats' 3-4. The Colts' look for far defensive players than the Pats do and rarely would their skills transfer. Even though Caldwell is trying to toughen up the Colts' defense, they are still all about speed over read and react abilities.
Second, it is one thing to question the Patriots' moves. It is another thing to bash them for everything they do or don't do (like get high risk, flashy players like Marshall or Holmes). There are people on this board who trash everything these days. They are a subset of this board and different from people who question moves on a case by case basis. In fact, many of them are probably steal Jets fans (ramon).
Third, who did the Pats really miss out on though. People who complain about the McCourty pick because they wanted a pass rusher or DE fail to realize that there weren't many front seven players selected between McCourty and Gronkowski or even Cunningham.
Betweem McCourty and Gronkowski only Hughes, Dan Williams, Jared Odrick, Brian Price, and Koa Misi were drafted. Williams and Price don't fill a need. Since Belichick passed on Odrick, he probably isn't as high on him as most people are since he loved drafting d-linemen in the first round.
Between Gronkowski and Cunningham, the following front seven players were drafted: Sergio Kindle, Lamarr Houston, Linval Joseph, Darryl Washington, and Jason Worllds. The Pats had several shots at Kindle pass by them twice and has medical concerns. Washington is too small for the Pats. Worllds was rated lower than Cunningham. Joseph is not a need. Houston doesn't project well in a 3-4.
So all the complaints about the Pats not addressing the front seven until Cunningham is a little overstated since the Pats may have let two or three players that might fit the Pats' system pass them by.
Fourth, I don't don't defend the Pats no matter what they do. I give Belichick the benefit of the doubt that he might know more than me and I will give him a chance to prove the world wrong. I feel he has earned that leeway from me and the rest of the fanbase. I have trashed many of his moves in hindsight.
