Serious question: Why did BB finally select LBx2 this year?

[MrNathanDrake]

I made a post on this a few weeks ago and got ROASTED by some ppl here...


I brought up stats which showed how something like only 4/14 of our 2nd rd picks since 2006 turned out decently.


Perhaps BB just realized theres more VALUE in the 1st round and we don't need depth. The Rookie salary cap also helped.

No use in picking players in the 3rd rd like Taylor Price and Brandon Tate and then releasing them a couple years later for nothing.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I think they NEED to try hard to keep Andre Carter around another year and sign him back.

Andre would be a great mentor to these two young talents.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I made a post on this a few weeks ago and got ROASTED by some ppl here...

And this has nothing to do with the topic of the thread, which is why BB finally drafted OLB-type players in the first round after seeming to resolutely refuse to do so for a decade.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Then the Patriots sat at 91 and watched the Eagles take the linebacker they wanted at 87, Stewart Bradley,

To be fair, as someone posted when I suggested the same thing a few years back, it's also possible that the Pats tried to trade up and just couldn't find a partner.

Seems like they've tweaked their strategy in talent-poor drafts; take shots at vets with worthless picks, and trade up into the middle of runs at positions of need instead of waiting around and hoping you can trade into next year.

Just to play devil's advocate for a second: isn't it also possible that they just didn't find any takers willing to offer what they wanted to trade into 2013?

 

[Patriot Missile]

And this has nothing to do with the topic of the thread, which is why BB finally drafted OLB-type players in the first round after seeming to resolutely refuse to do so for a decade.

I think it comes down to versatility. You can call them LB's if you want to but you will never call 1 of these players just 1 type of player.

I think Jones is envisioned a a DE/LB and possibly a Willie Mac type elephant hybrid. This type of player does not grow on trees and is very hard to find. If Jones is this guy then BB just hit a home run. We'll know in a year or two. Maybe even sooner.

Hightower ,will,mike,jack you name it. I guess your on to something when Pittsburgh,Bmore and Houston are allegedly targeting the same player. We'll see how it works out but versatility imo had everything to do with it and there just happened to be two players they really admired.

 

[manxman2601]

I think it comes down to versatility. You can call them LB's if you want to but you will never call 1 of these players just 1 type of player.

I think Jones is envisioned a a DE/LB and possibly a Willie Mac type elephant hybrid. This type of player does not grow on trees and is very hard to find. If Jones is this guy then BB just hit a home run. We'll know in a year or two. Maybe even sooner.

Hightower ,will,mike,jack you name it. I guess your on to something when Pittsburgh,Bmore and Houston are allegedly targeting the same player. We'll see how it works out but versatility imo had everything to do with it and there just happened to be two players they really admired.

Hightower also played goal line RB and WR in high school. Vrabel-vibe!

 

[unoriginal]

To be fair, as someone posted when I suggested the same thing a few years back, it's also possible that the Pats tried to trade up and just couldn't find a partner.

Sure, certainly a possibility. But take a look at the chaos going on around the 87th and 91st selections that year. Baltimore traded 101, 166, and 203 to get 86, one pick in front of Philadelphia. The Pats had the ammunition to get that pick, as they were holding 91, 110, 127, 180, and 202 at the time. St. Louis's 82 was also on sale, and really the Pats could have forced the issue with just about any team in the 80s with a strong draft-value-chart offer, if they had only conceptualized the value of late round picks to their own team better than year and that draft.

Just to play devil's advocate for a second: isn't it also possible that they just didn't find any takers willing to offer what they wanted to trade into 2013?

They traded forward well before they would have started solidifying offers from people jumping ahead to grab a player. But you're right, the feelers must not have been promising, especially considering what Tampa Bay eventually got Doug Martin at 31 for, which was almost random movement in draft spots.

No doubt that played a part in the Pats' willingness to jump up themselves, but I think even given equality, the Pats would always jump at a player they felt was a value instead of staying put and hoping a trade is eventually consummated.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

No doubt that played a part in the Pats' willingness to jump up themselves, but I think even given equality, the Pats would always jump at a player they felt was a value instead of staying put and hoping a trade is eventually consummated.

I'm not sure that's true: as the illustrious Shawn Crable noted, BB was actually on the phone with him when the offer from San Diego came in.

 

[unoriginal]

I'm not sure that's true: as the illustrious Shawn Crable noted, BB was actually on the phone with him when the offer from San Diego came in.

I thought we were talking about 2012's picks, which were traded six spots ahead of the Patriots actually picking, i.e. before firm offers could be fielded, like the one San Diego made. At least I was.

You noticed, I'm sure, that the Pats only pulled the trigger on their trades once the pick right in front had gone in. They didn't trade for 21 after the 16th pick came in, though I'm sure they were in contact, saying "If Chandler Jones is still there, here's what our offer will be..."

 

[MrNathanDrake]

The draft just fell PERFECTLY for us.


1. Seattle taking Bruce Irvin. If they took Ingram instead, then the Chargers wouldve taken Jones/McClellan... then the Bears take whoever is remaining from Jones/McClellan. We wouldve been stuck with either Nick Perry or Whitney Mercilus, both whom I think are better suited as 43 speed rushers.
Instead, Seattle reached on Irvin. Chargers then had their pick of the litter and took Ingram (not a bad choice). Bears then take McClellan... and we trade up to grab Chandler whom I believe Belichick wanted all along.


2. Jets taking Quinton Coples. Again, they could've thrown a major monkey wrench in our plans and started the run on pass rushers. If they had taken Ingram (which I think will come back to haunt them) it wouldve started the run on OLB/DE's earlier and we wouldve been screwed with San Diego and Chicago picking shortly after them.
Instead they take Coples, who I'm almost sure will be a bust in that mess of a locker room. He isn't a self-starter and the Jets don't have the veteran leadership or coaches to motivate him.


3. Steelers taking DeCastro to strengthen their terrible OLine. Everyone and their mom had Hightower mocked to the Steelers or Ravens... Decastro mustve been too good for them to pass up as Hightower wouldve been a perfect fit in a position of need for them. This allowed us to trade up to 25 for Hightower.



I don't think BB could've drawn it up anymore perfectly. I think he got 2 guys he wanted and didn't have to give up a whole lot.

 

[Daigle]

I think one important factor is that they're both sound against the run. Chandler Jones gets high but his long arms help him in the run game. Hightower is coached well and assignment sound. I never really thought BB was going to take a linear athlete like Nick Perry or Bruce Irvin.

Both also seem to be plus characters.

One final thought. Does anyone think Aldon Smith's success last year might have sold BB on Chandler Jones?

I think BB wanted Aldon too but as we all know he was gone really fast in that draft. Seems BB has been looking for this type of player and probably in a sort of elephant role. Lets hope he can have a similar season as Aldon Smith.

Also its pretty obvious BB was thinking steelers would go Hightower but when they didnt he felt it was good value to come in and snatch him.

Too bad we couldnt get DeCastro when he fell that far. Still a good draft from what i looks like.

 

[RayClay]

Not an x,o guy, especially since they're apparently in sub packages most of the time, but it seems to me they are going away from, or can't find those other two studs on the DL and are going for big, attacking de/olb and versatile DL, like they had with Carter and Anderson.

Much easier to find versatile, mix and match linemen than Seymours and Warrens. Deaderick did a good job providing a tall inside pass rusher, love was OK as a more stout guy and we've got one stud in Wilfork.

Seems to me, if we're pressuring outside and inside we don't need Wilfork and some DL trying to collapse the pocket being double and triple teamed. seems we started stocking low round DL a while ago and a rotation let's us take advantage of vets with some tread wear who can't play every down.

Can't afford 7 all pros from draft picks, so we're spending on disruptive DE/OLBs and going with Wilfork and a cast of specialists, as opposed to the opposite approach when we had the big three DL.

 

[DarrylS]

IMO these guys are what we seem to be looking for, and have a tremendous upside....

Combined with the adaptation of the rookie wage scale, allows us to go after these guys and not overpay them while they learn how to behave in the NFL and the Patriots system...

I went to bed last night early, suspecting that they would trade down,what a nice surprise this is..

 

[jlu52]

The guys Coach wanted were within his grasp, and he paid the price to make it happen. I believe the Pats got exactly who they hoped to get if the stars were aligned properly. Fortunately, the plan came together precisely. I am quite stoked about how this all came together. The Jests can look forward to getting grounded and pounded by the Patriots for the foreseeable future...

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Seems BB has created a trend of doubling up on positions via the draft(though I know the picks were DE/ILB, but we'll have to see how they are both used).

Last year it was double down on RBs and the year before it was TEs (can't argue withthe TE and RB is a wait and see).

Maybe BB has somewhere to be Saturday and while i believe he'll use his 2 picks in round 2, it wouldn't be out of the question to trade one for a first next year (if there are any takers -- which would seem unlikely imo).

 

[Fencer]

In BB's comments he claimed he had both guys rated equally, picking Jones first because he had more hope of Hightower falling down to a range where the Pats could get him too.

As to why he took LBs high -- why not? People talk about all the ones that didn't work out in, but several have worked out very well. BB himself is batting 1.000 when drafting first-round LBs.

 

[Sporin]

BB has tried to find LBs that fit his schemes. Every year there seemed to be only one or two and those guys were gonr in the top 15. Way out of reach.

Finally there were a few guys that had his requisite size, speed, and talent levels, so he stocked up. Good Job.

A mix of the right players being there and value.

All that, plus the rookie salary cap means that you can use both #1's and not have to break the bank for it.

 

[Kid~Brady]

We were way to close to that superbowl taste last season and when that taste was snatched out of his mouth, he feined for more! He's not stupid, he knows that defense is our weak spot.

Point is, BB wants to win another superbowl.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

IMO Kraft & BB not to mention Brady can safely say lookin at our musical DBs last year and all those pts given up and bein ranked on D was something that was considered last year addressing this years problem. Gettin these 2 players was a no brainer. This was a long time comin ( see my rants about gettin Julius Peppers) I would like to see us gettin a bonified above avg CB or S. Our front 7 will definitely help out our DBs.
BB did NFL a favor last couple of years with our D. Can you imagine if he addressed CBs & pass rushers Brady would have 3 more rings!

 

[Triumph]

I made a post on this a few weeks ago and got ROASTED by some ppl here...


I brought up stats which showed how something like only 4/14 of our 2nd rd picks since 2006 turned out decently.


Perhaps BB just realized theres more VALUE in the 1st round and we don't need depth. The Rookie salary cap also helped.

No use in picking players in the 3rd rd like Taylor Price and Brandon Tate and then releasing them a couple years later for nothing.

But the Homers will proclaim the Pats still got value.