Will We Pick Another Dud at RB

[Digger44]

With Dillon, Faulk and Pass (sounds like a law firm)......Dillon, unfortuneatly appears to be on the downside of his career ( I love the guy and hope I am wrong IMHO......but it appears that he has LOST alot of speed and fire even when healthy.....despite coming into camp in the best shape of his career......you just can't always fool father time).......Faulk is a great sporadic player that can come into the game and add a spark....we have all seen what happens when you give Kevin the rock too much...no insult meant...it is just a FACT that has plagued him throughout college and the pro's. Pass, although he has shown flashes of brilliance this year....is another good change of pace back....but is not going to be an every down back.....and I just can't get over the "hamstring/fumble incident"..........

So, in answer to your question ..YES WE NEED A RB...and can't afford any more "duds" in the draft..............I think it should be a priority this year to go after a stud college RB......then see what Dillon can bring....and go from there.....I would not be surprised to see them CUT Corey....and bring in another FA vet RB as well..........one man's opinion

In your oh so humble opinion, what do you do with the $5 mil cap hit we take if we cut Corey?

 

[patchick]

no rb this year... round 1 OG, round 2 WR, round 3 TE, round 4 special teams.
RB comes next year (who would you bump off this team for a RB?)

Wow, no defense on the whole first day?

I've said this elsewhere so I won't belabor it too much, but I'm surprised by the push here for a guard in the first round. In a very deep draft, OG is one of the weaker positions. If you reach for a guard at #21 you will almost certainly be passing up a rare specimen at another position -- including, for the first time in years, a wealth of 3-4 OLB candidates. Wait a round or two and you'd still practically have your pick of interior linemen.

 

[nickw308810]

I don't think we need an RB to replace Dillon yet, he will be good for a couple more years, what we need is an RB to compliment him. Almost everytime he makes a big run he comes out of the game. Kevin Faulk has injury and fumbling issues, and unless he restructures he could possibly get cut. Patrick Pass has been great for us, but lets face it he isn't good enough. We cut him once a few years ago and I wouldn't be surprised if it happened again. Heath Evans? Thanks for the good work you did for us, good luck finding a new team. The unfortunate part is that the RB that would have been perfect for us, Rutgers' Brian Leonard, decided to go back to school. A RB somewhere in the draft is a must. Having 2 guys who can carry the load will just make the whole team, including Tom Brady, that much better.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

OK, which of the three would you cut and when.

I would dump Kevin Faulk in a heartbeat. The only thing he is good at, is recieving. He IS good at catching, but not for that price.

I was pretty upset also that we don't have a Nick Goings type player...oops...I guess we do have Pat Pass. We need another one like them. I like their moxie and their scrappy attitude. A fast fb/rb that has the cojones and strength to run it up the gut without fumbling it.

 

[ilduce06410]

maybe so

I'd be fine drafting Corey's replacement, but don't think it's necessary. You guys are panicking.

possibly panicking.
patriots won a SB with Antowain Smith at RB, the year after he'd obviously lost his quickness. before that, i didn't think it could be done. but come on, how many years can a team win SBs with an over-the-hill RB and a patchwork OL?
the defense needs an infusion at LB and a strong DB, but patriots sorely need an heir-apparent type of young RB. fast, power, attitude, needs seasoning. learns from the older vet.
you usually find that the #4 or #5 rated RB is availble among picks 20-30.in the top 50 players. i really want to see us take somebody there. cadillac williams. michael turner.

 

[mgteich]

1) No one here is suggesting ever going back to a patchwork OL. We will have three first day picks as starters in 2006, and could have five in 2007, depending on how we draft, and whether we re-sign Koppen and Neal. Many of us want a first day OT yet again.

2) If you could guarantee that we would get another Cadillac, you can have all our picks to trade up. Finding a RB isn't that easy for anyone but NEM who wanted LJ so badly, and was so right. Me, I agree that the OL has to come first.

3) Running backs don't need to brought along and developed. They have so many runs in them, and they usually come ready to run. If we need someone to share the load with Dillon NOW, then we should definitely make this a top priority for free agency and the draft. I don't think that bb has yet cast him in the role of Smith in his last year running for us, and still running I might add.

I have no objection to adding a running back; me, I would add TWO to the squad, replacing Heath Evans and wide receiver #6. The question is priority.

possibly panicking.
patriots won a SB with Antowain Smith at RB, the year after he'd obviously lost his quickness. before that, i didn't think it could be done. but come on, how many years can a team win SBs with an over-the-hill RB and a patchwork OL?
the defense needs an infusion at LB and a strong DB, but patriots sorely need an heir-apparent type of young RB. fast, power, attitude, needs seasoning. learns from the older vet.
you usually find that the #4 or #5 rated RB is availble among picks 20-30.in the top 50 players. i really want to see us take somebody there. cadillac williams. michael turner.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Offensive players? No draftees please.

I think its possible to be too young. And the O showed signs of it this past season with turnovers, penalties and inconsistentcy.

This is a year to finish getting younger of defense though, IMHO. BB and SP commissioned a special study last year to determine why none of the college LBs appealed to them over the course of several draft seasons. They wanted to know if their standards were set too high, or the talent was just too flawed.

They decided it was the lack of talent and not their standards.

Now they have the opportunity to stock up on a fifth/sixth starting quality LB to groom behind the four excellent starters (two over thirty) and in front of the mostly adequate but not spectacular reserves. The reserves are Besiel, Chatham TBC & perhaps Claridge. All quality depth but you don't want them starting for you.

Odd men out are the STer LBs, Izzo and Davis who are both getting long in the tooth and while great locker room leaders, are losing it. So the room exists to stash a couple of youngsters. Mike Stone a relative youngster, has eclipsed both in ST play and tackles, in a mere half season. He can even take a few snaps in a regular defense, unlike former ST captain Jerod Cherry.

The secondary can use but one or at most two more youngsters; and it wouldn't hurt to add a reserve NT, although Green, Wright and Thomas may have a thing to say about that.

So if you dedicated 4 high draft picks to those four positions, OLB, CB, SS, and ILB, in about that order, the defense would be completely rebuilt or have good talent in the wings being groomed everywhere. That's about where the Offense is right now.

Turning to the Offense, I think the conventional wisdom is all wrong.

First of all the WR crop is poor this season; WRs need three years to shine. And the Pats have 6 or 7 but need a sure #2 &/or #3 possesion type receiver(s), as the #4, 5 and 6 are all speed guys. They have a fine #2;
So JUST SIGN Givens.
The actual Pats cap goes up from about $79 million to $92 million so who says we couldn't pay $3+ to Givens? Go to Free Agency/middle draft pick to get an established pro possesion guy, as competiton too. How about fading #1s as they age to #2s, like Keyshawn Johnson, or Isaac Bruce or Peerless Price, or Ricky Proehl or Keenan McCardell or Jimmy Smith or Tony Horn. Add some experience back to the offense...

The REAL concern on Offense is someone nobody wants to talk about. The Patriots need an established veteran Backup QB if Brady gets hurt.

The question is whether Flutie could do it any more at age 44/45. I think not. Cassel is a comer, (passer rating 119 in first start!) but not next year, more likely 2007 or 2008. I would try to sign a very good ex-starter QB who is no longer a starter candidate. These are guys that should be a place to deposit some of that $13 million dollar cap increase. Out of thr Box thinking. How about Steve McNair? or Brett Favre? or Kerry Collins? or Jeff Garcia? or Dartmouth's own Jay Fiedler? All have won 10 games a season or more. Only Favre has a ring, and the clock is ticking for all the others. I wouldn't want to trade for a big contract but a cut, FA contract; or a draft pick, arrange a trade/conversation/preliminary agreement, and cut scenario followed by a FA signing sounds good to me.

I'd pay up to $2 million for that Insurance policy QB.

Give Neal $1.5 (less than Light's deal for a LT) and it sounds reasonable.

You've spent:

$3.25 - .75 existing net Givens = +$2.5;
$1.5 -.5 existing net Neal= $+1.0
$2 -. 75 existing net (Flutie) for Mcnair = $+1.25;
or $4.75 additional on an effective $13 million dollar cap increase.

You have $8.75 million left to:

Sign an established NFL big back, pay a rookie pool and sign 2007 upcoming FAs if they'll sign, (Which I think is unlikely, why should they?).

With $8.5 million to play with you could sign any of the big RBs. James (& hurt the Colts), Alexander (& hurt the Hawks) or Foster (& hurt the Panthers) or go after some established but damaged goods since you don't absolutely need them next year. You are actually buying an insurance policy and trying not to put all your eggs in the Dillon basket. I would actually prefer that approach, its likely cheaper and you are paying for a guy to get well when you know you'll eventually need him. Guys Like Duece McCalister NO, or Steve Davis Panthers, Duce Staley Steelers, Curtis Martin Jets, Fred Taylor Jax, Dominique Davis if theTexans elect Bush.

Incidently, wouldn't it be ironic if Curtis was cut, came home for a ring, and signed his last contract in NE? Now that's a thought!

 

[mcdonut16]

The Patriots are a defense first team. The main problem this year was quality and depth at CB and Safety. I say that is where 3 of the 6 picks in the first 4 rounds will be, assuming value and quality at the slots we are picking.

The other major weakness was the running game and depth at linebacker. Look for at least 1 if not 2 picks at the LB spot, an O Lineman and a receiver to replace Givens. Belichik and Pioli don't draft RB's high, and frankly they have not been good at identifying lower round RB talent during their tenure. If a first round rated RB slipped to the second round they may then jump on him if there is value at the slot they take him. They won't take a RB to take a RB.

Also never be surprise if they draft DL talent with one of these picks. I think this is the position the Patriots Brain Trust values the most of any other.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

BB and SP commissioned a special study last year to determine why none of the college LBs appealed to them over the course of several draft seasons. They wanted to know if their standards were set too high, or the talent was just too flawed.

They decided it was the lack of talent and not their standards.

Source for this? Not that I'm challenging you on it, I'm genuinely curious and would love to know more about it.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Source for this? Not that I'm challenging you on it, I'm genuinely curious and would love to know more about it.

I vaguely remember the discussion on this, AZ is recalling the situation correctly within the limits of my shoebox mental files, too bad the hackoff screwed up Ian's records.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Now they have the opportunity to stock up on a fifth/sixth starting quality LB to groom behind the four excellent starters (two over thirty) and in front of the mostly adequate but not spectacular reserves. The reserves are Besiel, Chatham TBC & perhaps Claridge. All quality depth but you don't want them starting for you.

Odd men out are the STer LBs, Izzo and Davis who are both getting long in the tooth and while great locker room leaders, are losing it. So the room exists to stash a couple of youngsters. Mike Stone a relative youngster, has eclipsed both in ST play and tackles, in a mere half season. He can even take a few snaps in a regular defense, unlike former ST captain Jerod Cherry.

I didn't see the drop off from Izzo or Davis, though I agree that Stone is a front runner to stick as a special team's specialist. If we had won the Super Bowl, I might have expected Davis to retire to coaching, as it is, I see him pondering his future then coming back for one more try.

 

[DaBruinz]

I can not see spending a first round pick on RB, unless someone special like White or Williams falls to them because of other teams needs.

More realistically I could see a guy like Joseph Addai being picked in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Isn't Addai more like a Faulk clone than a full-time running back?

 

[DaBruinz]

When referring to a guard, why do people say OG? After all, there is no such thing as a DG.

Because there IS such a position as NOSE GUARD. I would think that someone with 46 years experience would know that NEM.

 

[DaBruinz]

Source for this? Not that I'm challenging you on it, I'm genuinely curious and would love to know more about it.

Wasn't this mentioned in Halberstram's book?

Or was it the other guy, Lavin?

T