Which are you more excited about ... The Draft or FA?

[WhiZa]

FA is not as hyped as much as the draft but to most teams it makes the most impact especially those who are drafting in the bottom half of each round. On the patriots, rookies seem to have a learning curve and it may take a year or two to make a significant impact. A FA might be starting right away. To me that makes FA more exciting.

 

[brdmaverick]

It's an easy one for me. I don't watch college football so I don't know the prospects. I am, however, very interested in seeing what times the proven NFL players land on.

I definitely understand why people love the draft though, especially this year given our situation.

 

[Ivan]

In the past I would have said The Draft however this offseason I am going with Free Agency. As others have said the draft is about the future more than anything and this year's free agency is intriguing and has the potential to have a big impact on next season's team. I can't escape the feeling that Belichik is actually going to use free agency to put this team over the top. It may not be the top names, Mario Williams, Ray Rice, etc......, but players like Reggie Wayne and other vets who still have a lot left to contribute and won't be bargain basement but won't be highest price tag either. NE is a really desirable destination for guys who want to play in a really professional environment and have a great shot at a ring and that gives them a clear advantage anytime the money is close, they can exploit this and add some really good players right now, and as much as I love the draft I think this free agency period could reap some big rewards.


Free agency will also clarify the draft for us, if they address WR significantly in free agency the likelihood of them using a top 4 pick for a WR will decline significantly.

 

[Ivan]

I don't mean to be rude, but I'm not excited for either. The Pats very rarely go for a big free agent, so free agency is usually a snoozefest for me. And though I'm a huge draft nut, BB never picks quality and usually goes for quantity and future picks, which I find extremely boring and extremely frustrating. I always laugh at the draft gurus on ESPN during the draft after Belichick screws up, and they usually say, "well Belichick is a draft genius, you can't question his success, nobody runs the draft board better than Belichick" and I sit there shaking my head knowing exactly how many picks BB has f*cked up the last 7 or so years.

A ten year analysis of every team by in football by CHFF concluded the Patriots draft better than any team in football, and it didn't even weight the facts that the Patriots draft at the end of every round every year and have one of the toughest rosters in football to actually make every season. Some people take the fact that the Patriots have had some really bad draft's and significant misses to mean they can't draft but they don't look at the realities of drafting across the league. If they did they would look at the Patriots drafting in the overall context of the league and not just in relation to their personal binkies, and recognize that they draft really well, just not perfectly. And what the critics always refuse to factor in is the Patriots use of undrafted free agents to stockpile their roster. Those players are scouted just the same way the draftees are and the Patriots are better at recognizing what talent is still out there when the picks are done with and getting those players in here and getting real production out of them. This is an actual extension of the Patriots draft process and they make more of it than any other team in the league.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

FA is not as hyped as much as the draft but to most teams it makes the most impact especially those who are drafting in the bottom half of each round. On the patriots, rookies seem to have a learning curve and it may take a year or two to make a significant impact. A FA might be starting right away. To me that makes FA more exciting.

If you asked me this question back in 2004 or 2005,perhaps I would have a different opinion and would think the draft would be more exciting knowing that tomorrow's future players may be well developed before Brady retires.....but now as Brady reaches 35 I want immediate impact players and that means FA wins the battle

 

[Ivan]

Last year's free agent signings also make me look forward to this free agent season. If they can add more players like Carter and Waters to come in and contribute it will make them exceptionally strong heading into next season.

 

[PlainOldEd]

The thing I like about the draft is it is a scheduled event, you can "get your popcorn ready", free agency starts and nothing happens for 3 days, then something happens, then another week of waiting and guessing.

So for me, the draft is more entertaining, even if you may get more contributions from FA players. So I'm "more excited" about the draft, but I hope we get good players in FA also.

 

[BradyToAmendola]

Not excited for draft at all. Fully expecting us to trade #27 away and select Center Peter Konz at 31. I think we have the cap flexibility to make a big move in free agency this year too.

 

[DW Toys]

For me, it is always free agency. Drafts are primarily for the future. It is in free agency that we meet 2012 needs.

Of course, there are two major parts of free agency: re-signing our own and signing players from other teams. It may not be exciting for some, but the reality is that 2012 patriots will be much more affected by re-signings and free agency than the draft.

Consider the WR situation. We could come into the draft with almost no need other than to sign our wide receiver for the future. We could have already extended Welker and signed our #2 and #3 wide receivers. On the other hand, we could have Welker franchised, and some mid-level side receiver hope. In this case our need would be great.

Thank you for the most intelligent post I have seen for some time Cousin. BB drafts have always been mediocre at best save for one good year. NFL Drafts are only upon average 17% successful from first to seventh round anyway as a player or players who will make significant contributions to their said Team. That is a whopping two picks that are decent per Team per Draft! A great Draft is when you get three or more significantly successful picks out of a class and that is less than a 50% win.

That BB keeps trading out, so the upper echelon picks are pretty much disregarded by the Drafting staff anyway. His incessant dive into the middle rounds have been disappointing at best. His trading down a round or two have been mixed. Let's all be honest. The drama in the Patriots Draft is how BB sets up the following year. Why would a Pats fan be duped every year Draft day? I admit, I am one of those thinking this is the year he goes talent instead of stock piling because after all, Brady has fewer years right? Nyet!

We can all lament at the mistakes made that even we, as "uninformed" fans, could have made picks that would have been better off than the "sleepers" and "under the radar" BB picks. He loves to prove the world wrong when he hits on that valuable 5th rounder. He tries to "coach up" those lower round picks and does a decent job....buy....would not his time been more well served as Brady is aging, to go for the more talented player? Isn't there a little less teaching with superior talent? How stubborn has he been about picking up a high end Draft pass rusher or WR? Great coach but better evaluator of FA talent than Draft picks.

Lat years Draft gave us Solder, an invisible Vareen, an inconsistent Ridley, a constantly hurt Dowling and a great story in Cannon. I think Mallet might be key and make last years class decent......but right now at this point we have one great pick who is starting material and a back up or two. Anyone care to redo the Draft and see what they missed? You are right...Think 2012 Bill. Out of those six, three will make a difference but not as all three starters.

I would rate Solder a B+, I would rate Ridley and Cannon a C. I would rate Vareen, Mallet and Dowling as INComplete'

Lets look at FA 2012. There were a lot of comers and goers but let's say:
Haynesworth
Ocho
Carter
Anderson
Moore
Molden
Ellis
James Ihedigbo
Waters
Warren (technically)
There were some minor tweaks but let's use these ten.

Haynesworth=F baggage known but cheap money

Ocho=D but if you do not throw his way how do you know if he can do it..... and he was open. Watch the tape. Did not cause waves. TB and BOB are as guilty in his disappearance. He and WW are only WR who block and that was what he had never done before. He's gone but not all his fault.

Carter=A Pro Bowl Level acquisition.Resign

Anderson=B Really came on and still young.Resign

Moore=C+ may turn out to be an A

Molden=C- Mediocre at best. Back up

Ellis=D Better later in the season but replaceable.

James Ihedigbo=C+ As good as Sanders by the end of the season for all intensive purposes at 1/3rd the $. Still want better at that FS spot though.

Waters=A outplayed our millionaire Left Guard. Need him back.

Warren (technically)= C Brought him back and he was serviceable

The Pats best WR this year, O Lineman this year, best CB this year, best all purpose RB this year, most productive pass rusher(s) this year, most productive OLB even over Mayo perhaps this year were all a FA. My point is that FA is way better with BB. Draft day is disappointing and always a let down. It's a running joke Draft day with the media what BB will do. They praise him but why? We can do as good and they get paid for it.
DW Toys

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Haynesworth and Ocho were not FA pickups, they were the trades of draft picks for someone else's problems that you often pine for and they were both F's.

Bill has had as many misses as hits in FA, just like the draft. The fact that he maximizes his opportunities in both FA and the draft by shopping and drafting for value is what seperates this team from all those who either consistently come up way short or inconsistently flash and crash, including some into a cap mess exacerbated by shooting for imaginary just win now windows and spending draft and cash capital foolishly in an attempt to accomplish something fleeting within them.

 

[Reckedtrek]

I usually look forward more to the draft. This year I think I'm more interested in free agency. RE the draft, i may have finally learned my lesson; don't watch it this year!

Almost without fail, while the draft is going on and shortly thereafter I almost always feel let down by the results, even though I know one one billionth of what the Pats scouting dept knows, and usually years and sometimes even months later do I realize that the pick wasn't so bad after all.