Why NE took Mallet....

[ausbacker]

Brady just turned 34 and there is no sign of erosion in his otherworldly talent. If he remains healthy (and surrounded by an elite OL as the present one is setting up to be for the forseeable future) and motivated his intention is to play longer than 4 more seasons and I expect him to get his actual 2-3 year to retirement extension tacked on in 2013. In which case Mallett will be on the block entering his 4th season. Given BB's developing track record in identifying talent at the position that can play within the system, he will have identified another candidate by then allowing for Brady to be a Patriot for Life. Tom will hang 'em up before his skills deteriorate to the point a replacement represents better value. Legacy matters to him, as it does to BB and Kraft.

I'd be happy for Mallett to sit for 3-4 years ala Aaron Rodgers.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I'd be happy for Mallett to sit for 3-4 years ala Aaron Rodgers.

Tom will dictate how long he sits. If Brady is still motivated and as consistently productive as I assume he will be over the next couple of seasons, he will get another incremental extension - this was not his to retirement deal ala Manning - and Mallett will move on by 2014. BB didn't draft Mallett to replace Brady. He drafted him because he was there and he could and the alternate options weren't there (another position player he valued or trading the pick for value).

 

[SirApropos]

I think Mallett was picked because he represented value at that pick. Physically he represents first round talent. He looked like he understood what was happening for a rookie.

Last night one of the sideline reporters said that the Pats actually had Mallett as their No 1 rated QB in the 2011 draft based off of what he saw in the war room.

 

[TheSolderKing]

Brady just turned 34 and there is no sign of erosion in his otherworldly talent. If he remains healthy (and surrounded by an elite OL as the present one is setting up to be for the forseeable future) and motivated his intention is to play longer than 4 more seasons and I expect him to get his actual 2-3 year to retirement extension tacked on in 2013. In which case Mallett will be on the block entering his 4th season. Given BB's developing track record in identifying talent at the position that can play within the system, he will have identified another candidate by then allowing for Brady to be a Patriot for Life. Tom will hang 'em up before his skills deteriorate to the point a replacement represents better value. Legacy matters to him, as it does to BB and Kraft.

in 2015 Mallett if he continues to impress will be our new QB of the future. You can give TFB a Vet contract as well b/c $$$ should not matter to him at that point.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

I really don't see the 'draft the qb of the future 5 years before we need him and by the time he's a starter we'll be paying free agent market value to keep him' theme. Most likely this allows us to showcase and trade hoyer (good for hoyer too), and use mallet as a cheap backup until he gets traded after we draft the real brady successor

According to the value argument:
We could've traded our third round pick for a second next year (2012)
We could've traded the second for a first the year after (2013), o
Or if it was a late second, traded it for a potentially early second the year after (2013) -- and then to a first the next year (2014).
And a 2014 first round pick is equal to a top 10 2015 first round pick.

So by my math, that 3rd round pick is equal to a early first round pick by 2015. Plus we save mallet's salary thru then (hoyer remains as backup).

We then draft a potential qb in 2015 with the first round pick and get a better prospect to groom (mallet's physical abilities without the behavioral issues).

You really only need a qb to stand on the sidelines for a year to learn -- thats all brady got as well as plenty of others.

 

[letekro]

Tom will dictate how long he sits. If Brady is still motivated and as consistently productive as I assume he will be over the next couple of seasons, he will get another incremental extension - this was not his to retirement deal ala Manning - and Mallett will move on by 2014. BB didn't draft Mallett to replace Brady. He drafted him because he was there and he could and the alternate options weren't there (another position player he valued or trading the pick for value).

BB drafted him for the value, no question. But Brady will not dictate how long Mallett sits. If the time comes when Mallett is outperforming Brady in practice and the staff thinks he gives them a better chance to win, Brady is gone. Doesn't matter how motivated or productive Tom is, if the staff thinks Mallett will be MORE productive, Brady's gone. No player is more important than the Team and Brady is no exception. I'm not saying these things will happen, just that it is my opinion based on Mallett's raw talent, his undeniable success against NFL talent in the SEC, and the Pats' history of developing lesser talents (Brady, Cassel, Hoyer) into quality starters (or soon to be starters in Hoyer's case), that his potential will eventually be realized.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

I think the value of Hoyer next year is enhanced by the success Cassell is having. His arm is ok, but he did a good job making his reads and running the offense. I think there will be takers, if we tender him.

Cassell had a year in which he went 11-5 and controlled the offense well (he got better as the year went on). And I'm pretty sure everyone here was very happy that we were able to get a second for him. Hoyer won't have that same chance to prove himself on the field (hopefully), so I don't see Hoyer going for more than a 3rd or 4th if we're lucky.

 

[letekro]

Cassell had a year in which he went 11-5 and controlled the offense well (he got better as the year went on). And I'm pretty sure everyone here was very happy that we were able to get a second for him. Hoyer won't have that same chance to prove himself on the field (hopefully), so I don't see Hoyer going for more than a 3rd or 4th if we're lucky.

Charlie Whitehurst says hi. If Hoyer continues to shine in the preseason, and maybe gets a showcase game week 17, I don't think a second is beyond the realm of possibility.

 

[Gwedd]

Agree that Mallett was drafted for value, but a big part of that value, IMHO, is as insurance, the "just in case" situation where the worst happens and Brady gets a career-ending injury. That gives us Hoyer, as well as a competent back-up in Mallett, and time then to find and develop the next franchise QB.

It's certainly true that you draft for specific needs, but football, as this team plays it (and as any competent GM/FO should) is also a game of chess, where you are looking 3-4 moves ahead, or in this case, 3-4 years down the pike. You can't read the future, but you CAN make some good assumptions and it's better to plan for them now than to hope for luck to favor you when disaster happens.

 

[Boston Tim]

I'm sure I missed this and its old news, but I was surprised last night to hear Scott Zolak say that Mallett was the top QB on the Pats' draft board. How incredible is it that the guy the Pats had as the best QB lasted deep into the 3rd? I mean, seriously, if you're one of the QB-needy teams going into the draft (I'm looking at you Buffalo & Miami), how do you not throw a 2nd rounder at this guy? And if you're the owner, how do you not fire your talent evaluators now that you know how BB had him rated compared to your guys?

 

[patsfan13]

Cassell had a year in which he went 11-5 and controlled the offense well (he got better as the year went on). And I'm pretty sure everyone here was very happy that we were able to get a second for him. Hoyer won't have that same chance to prove himself on the field (hopefully), so I don't see Hoyer going for more than a 3rd or 4th if we're lucky.

IMO Hoyer looks better in his preseason appearances that Cassel did prior to Brady's injury. Hoyer also performed well in the Miami game last year,

Now that Cassell has succeeded out side the 'system' it helps market Hoyer going through the same development process IMO.

 

[letekro]

I'm sure I missed this and its old news, but I was surprised last night to hear Scott Zolak say that Mallett was the top QB on the Pats' draft board. How incredible is it that the guy the Pats had as the best QB lasted deep into the 3rd? I mean, seriously, if you're one of the QB-needy teams going into the draft (I'm looking at you Buffalo & Miami), how do you not throw a 2nd rounder at this guy? And if you're the owner, how do you not fire your talent evaluators now that you know how BB had him rated compared to your guys?

Mallett's fall in the draft is as inexplicable as Aaron Rodgers' fall. The concerns surrounding both were so VAGUE. For Rodgers, I believe it was some nonsense that Jeff Tedford doesn't produce NFL QB's. For Mallett, there were whispers about rumored drug use (a college student using drugs--the horror!) and a ****y, somewhat "urban" demeanor. There was never any question as to the talent of either player, including their ability to master a pro-style offense, which both did in college.

I'm sorry, that would be a caulky demeanor.

 

[fester]

Thanks. How did the $1.8 mill get formulated for BJGE? And are QBs RFA values different than RBs?

RFA tenders are at several levels (from highest to lowest)

• 1st round and 3rd round pick
• 1st round pick
• 2nd round pick
• originally drafted position
• right of first refusal

These levels are defined in the CBA at a fixed level. Every player who received a 2nd round tender regardless of position will receive the same tender offer. So a 2nd round RFA QB is getting paid the same as a 2nd round RFA kicker.

The RFA tender amounts will increase by roughly the same percentage as the change in the overall cap level. So next year's tender offer will be a touch higher than this year's offer for the same compensation level.

 

[The Boomer]

Belichick no doubt saw the value in Mallett during Round 3. However I doubt that, until he gets a good long look at him over the next few seasons, he or anyone knows whether Mallett is a keeper or trade capital.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

BB drafted him for the value, no question. But Brady will not dictate how long Mallett sits. If the time comes when Mallett is outperforming Brady in practice and the staff thinks he gives them a better chance to win, Brady is gone. Doesn't matter how motivated or productive Tom is, if the staff thinks Mallett will be MORE productive, Brady's gone. No player is more important than the Team and Brady is no exception. I'm not saying these things will happen, just that it is my opinion based on Mallett's raw talent, his undeniable success against NFL talent in the SEC, and the Pats' history of developing lesser talents (Brady, Cassel, Hoyer) into quality starters (or soon to be starters in Hoyer's case), that his potential will eventually be realized.

You obviously don't realize it but you just restated Brady will dictate how long Mallett sits...

The staff isn't going to second guess consistent production in the regular season based on any performance outside that arena let alone in practice where Tom (as any starter) will continue to get the lions share of first team reps... Sometimes it's easier to develop lesser talents into quality starters because they are and remain driven... If Mallett realizes his full potential he will probably be a quality starter somewhere, just not necessarily here. If Brady remains healthy (and this OL bodes well in that regard) and motivated and as consistently productive as he has throughout his career for the next 3 seasons, Mallett won't have a chance to pass him on the depth chart. There are things this staff knows (and knows they can trust) about Brady that they wouldn't have any way of knowing about Mallett until he's started for a couple of seasons.

 

[fester]

Yup.
8 ~ 4 2015 2nds + 4 2016 1sts = 8 2016 1st Round Draft Picks.

***

If we follow the Kelvin Kolb TimeLine and trade Mallett for a 2016 2nd Rounder and a Corner Back...I'm afraid I won't be in a mood to rejoice.

Perhaps I will be forgiven if I consider such a Return on a 2011 early 3rd Rounder to be...WEAK.

OTG ---
Using your logic, using any pick on a project is ridiculous as you can always roll that pick over into next year. There seems to be an empirically short supply of teams that are willing to trade next year's pick in a higher round for this year's pick. If there were more teams willing to do that, more teams would be trading out to next year instead of just the Patriots.

Furthermore, you are neglecting any value that Mallet would have to the Patriots between now and 2015. If Mallet develops as projected, the Patriots would have a 2011 3rd round pick as their primary back-up in 2012 and they would have condfidence that Mallet would not destroy their season if he had to play four games in 2012. A back-up QB who is not fear-inducing is a very valuable commodity even if he never actually takes a meaningful snap besides on the kick-team. If the Pats get 3 years of good #2 QB work from Mallet, then the pick will have easily been justified.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

The value is that we have another viable QB who has poise and Miami doesn't.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Last night one of the sideline reporters said that the Pats actually had Mallett as their No 1 rated QB in the 2011 draft based off of what he saw in the war room.

Coach actually said that on NFLN during the draft.

Apparently, Mallett dueled Bill to a draw after a five hour "white board".

Son of a coach

Blasted by the media

"personality"

Both have common themes.

 

[patchick]

Honestly, what do you really need beyond "Ryan Mallett was hands down the best football player on the board at #71"? The draft's most talented player at the game's most critical position fell to the 3rd round. Heck, grab him!

The interesting question, to me, is why 31 other teams didn't.

The first answer is that the more immediately you need a starting quarterback, the less you're willing to gamble on "intangibles." Mallett's question marks were all about off-field behavior and attitude, so nobody was willing to make him the tentpole of their franchise.

How about teams needing backup or successors, then? Have you seen the QB depth charts at other teams? Scary stuff, that. But some of those teams had other pressing needs they absolutely had to address, like the Colts going OL in both the 1st and 2nd rounds. Some -- Jets, Saints, Falcons -- traded away picks so they didn't have an opportunity between round 1 and #71. (We're a little spoiled here, having so many picks to play with every year.) Some probably have a young enough starter that they either think he's invulnerable or worry he's not established and confident enough to bring in a Mallett behind him. And then there's the Chargers, who for some reason thought Jonas Mouton was a must-have in round 2. Go figure.

So, why did NE take Mallett? How about this: they just got lucky.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Mallett had a nice debut for a rookie. He was playing against the JAGS scrubs though. He's got a ways to go before he approaches the level of beating out even a 38 year old Brady... And raw talent isn't always the panacea fans tend to make it out to be. Sometimes it even results in a ceiling on development. It remains to be seen if Mallett will continue to develop and improve. Many prospects fail to. BB said last night they all have talent and talent often flashes. The key is does it develop with consistency.

Mo

Nobody knows the future so everything is speculation. However, if Mallett does develop to his potential, he will be the future.