What About the Defense?

[ATippett56]

why do you preface everything with "the New England Patriots....?"

sorry but it's tilting me for some reason

I've been on this message board for quite some time so this is the first complaint of this nature.

 

[mgteich]

The depth issues have indeed been addressed, or will be once we sign a running back.

There are three open issues for the future: WR, OG, and OT. After all, we ahve no WR's for the future (except Lloyd). Next year, we are likely to be with Light, Gallery, and Waters. Personally, I would re-sign Koppen or another center to help address the interior line issue.

Which, hopefully, has already been resolved in the 2012 unrestricted free agent market.

 

[TyronePoole]

imo if we draft a WR in this draft it has to be like 4th round or later. there's no way we use a high pick on a WR and then stash him for a year with so many other needs on the team and that means that we have to cut at least 4 other WRs (of Edelman, Slater, Ocho, Branch, Gonzalez, Stallworth) and I don't see why we'd have signed all those guys just to do that.

 

[mgteich]

This a very weak safety class and they will likely be chosen much higher than their talent deserves. I think that safeties will certainly be high on the priority list. For example, I would not be surprised if TWO safeties are chosen before we make our first choice.

IMHO, Belichick will overpay by using a 2nd if he believes that the safety could be ready to contribute this year. So, I do not think that Belichick will pass by potential 2012 help at safety. But, it won't do much good to draft marginal players who grade to perhaps be able to be backups next year.

Based upon what?

 

[mgteich]

??

What is the point of drafting a player who is unlikely to make the team? I am fine with not drafting a WR. However, if we draft one, I expect it to be in the 2nd or 3rd round. The value of the player must be enough to stash him for the year, as you say.

It makes little sense to draft a player who isn't valuable enough to stash away for the year. Perhaps you are atalking about using a 4th or later to draft a player in the hope that we can put him on the Practice Squad.

imo if we draft a WR in this draft it has to be like 4th round or later. there's no way we use a high pick on a WR and then stash him for a year and that'd mean that we have to cut at least 4 other WRs (of Edelman, Slater, Ocho, Branch, Gonzalez, Stallworth) and I don't see why we'd have signed all those guys just to do that.

 

[ATippett56]

This a very weak safety class and they will likely be chosen much higher than their talent deserves. I think that safeties will certainly be high on the priority list. For example, I would not be surprised if TWO safeties are chosen before we make our first choice.

Aside from Mark Barron (late first round grade) and Harrison Smith (second round grade), another safety may not be chosen until the fourth round. I could foresee a run on safeties in the fourth round.

IMHO, Belichick will overpay by using a 2nd if he believes that the safety could be ready to contribute this year. So, I do not think that Belichick will pass by potential 2012 help at safety. But, it won't do much good to draft marginal players who grade to perhaps be able to be backups next year.

Bill Belichick could draft a cornerback in the third round to convert to safety (refer to Eugene Wilson, circa 2003, as an example of a cornerback to safety conversion project).

 

[ATippett56]

The depth issues have indeed been addressed, or will be once we sign a running back.

Has Kevin Faulk filed his retirement papers with the NFLPA?

There are three open issues for the future: WR, OG, and OT. After all, we have no WR's for the future (except Lloyd).

Giving up on Welker already, ye of little faith.

Next year, we are likely to be with Light, Gallery, and Waters. Personally, I would re-sign Koppen or another center to help address the interior line issue.

At first glance, the 2012 NFL draft does not look strong for offensive tackles, aside from the obvious first round selections.

 

[TyronePoole]

??

What is the point of drafting a player who is unlikely to make the team? I am fine with not drafting a WR. However, if we draft one, I expect it to be in the 2nd or 3rd round. The value of the player must be enough to stash him for the year, as you say.

It makes little sense to draft a player who isn't valuable enough to stash away for the year. Perhaps you are atalking about using a 4th or later to draft a player in the hope that we can put him on the Practice Squad.

why would we draft a high pick WR with the plan of stashing him? That seems like a monumental waste of a year at a position where successful picks do actually contribute significantly.

I think that all the signings we made are a good indication that we won't be drafting one at all, but if we do it will be a late rounder that either catches fire or shows enough promise to stash or that we can cut with no losses.

 

[Joker]

not to be flippant but, as afar as YOU go, MG...you've been here a long time and one thing we've all learned the last decade is you can talk til you're blue and make educated guess after guess....and still, on draft day Bill will either do the exact opposite of what we all think or just trade down out of draft slots we had pegged for certain players. I wish I had an idea what he's going to do this draft but honestly, I have no idea.

 

[Gwedd]

not to be flippant but, as afar as YOU go, MG...you've been here a long time and one thing we've all learned the last decade is you can talk til you're blue and make educated guess after guess....and still, on draft day Bill will either do the exact opposite of what we all think or just trade down out of draft slots we had pegged for certain players. I wish I had an idea what he's going to do this draft but honestly, I have no idea.

Best comment of the thread.

If I were a betting man, I would NEVER wager on what Coach may or may not do in the draft. It's always an exciting time, though, almost like Christmas morning, wanting to see what's in those packages under the tree.

 

[ATippett56]

not to be flippant but, as afar as YOU go, MG...you've been here a long time and one thing we've all learned the last decade is you can talk til you're blue and make educated guess after guess....and still, on draft day Bill will either do the exact opposite of what we all think or just trade down out of draft slots we had pegged for certain players. I wish I had an idea what he's going to do this draft but honestly, I have no idea.

Which leaves a number of posters on this message board scratching their heads afterwards.

 

[mgteich]

We make educated guesses about the draft. We discuss our speculations. We have a whole sub-board devoted to such endeavors. Some oar right on some picks. We do understand the patriots draft better than almost all of the media, although some have inside tips in the last couple of days. That's much of waht we do this time of year (the month before the draft).

No one pretends to know who Bilichick will draft.

not to be flippant but, as afar as YOU go, MG...you've been here a long time and one thing we've all learned the last decade is you can talk til you're blue and make educated guess after guess....and still, on draft day Bill will either do the exact opposite of what we all think or just trade down out of draft slots we had pegged for certain players. I wish I had an idea what he's going to do this draft but honestly, I have no idea.

 

[mgteich]

1) There's always the possibility of drafting a corner, either as a developmental corner with the idea of converting him to safety conversion. Many of us thought that Dowling was such a pick; of course we were wrong. I'm fine with drafting a corner early.

2) I'm not sure at all that Barron and Harrison will be the only ones drafting in the first 3 rounds. As I have said before, I think it quite possible that both will be drafted in the first. Perhaps, we will even make the pick at 31. As you say Smith is a reach in the first and a solid pick in the second.

I would note that 4th round talent is not the same as 4th round projections. I do agree that there are several safeties given 4th ad 5th round grades and that we might draft one with the idea of development. I checked a couple of sites that I use. There were 3 free safeties with 3rd round grades: Iloka, Martin and Johnson. One site has Iloka as a late second, early third. I expect to see team in dire need of a safety start to look at these guys in the mid-second. Some would day that we have a dire need at free safety and should consider these three in the 2nd.

Aside from Mark Barron (late first round grade) and Harrison Smith (second round grade), another safety may not be chosen until the fourth round. I could foresee a run on safeties in the fourth round.

Bill Belichick could draft a cornerback in the third round to convert to safety (refer to Eugene Wilson, circa 2003, as an example of a cornerback to safety conversion project).

 

[mgteich]

1) Faulk is a free agent. He is not property of the patriots.

2) You are correct. Welker should be contribute in 2013 if he stays. We still need more than 2 WR's in 2013.

3) I'm not so sure with your assessment of OT's. For example, the hub lists 16 OT's with Round 4 grades or better; Draftek lists 12. It seems that OT is a viable choice in the 2nd through 4th round.

Has Kevin Faulk filed his retirement papers with the NFLPA?

Giving up on Welker already, ye of little faith.

At first glance, the 2012 NFL draft does not look strong for offensive tackles, aside from the obvious first round selections.