The Official Patriots Day 2 draft thread.

[JDot]

And Jermaine Cunningham has to be the most nervous guy on the Patriots this week. He has a LOT more competition for his job now ...

^This.......

I am still holding out hope for Jermaine. But if I am him, I am walking on egg shells right now..

 

[shirtsleeve]

OK, I am sitting here after two nights, and thinking. Agree or disagree with his selections in both FA and the draft, BB is stocking his D, and giving Tom a couple of new weapons to throw to. I have come to a conclusion and this is going waaaaay off the ranch.

I have a feeling Tom is planning his retirement. Not this season, prolly not next. But soon. BB is loading up on D to carry a team with a new person behind center in a couple of years. Giving these kids time to develop in the system in that time makes perfect sense. Lets face it, with Matt's looming retirement, it leaves Kevin Faulk and Tom left from the 01 team.

Again, I dont think the retirement is imminent, just on the horizon, and pieces are being put in place to take the weight and pressure off of a successor.

 

[Boomer B]

Belichick doesn't draft lb in 1st round never have never will(mayo). Belichick doesn't value guards enough to draft one early(mankins). Belichick doesn't deal with divas(dillon,moss). Belichick won't draft pass rushers early(chandler). Patriots don't spend big money on FA won't happen(Thomas). Your reasoning is bad, bb wants to give ocho another chance but doesn't want to pay him big again. That doesn't make him a lock. Branch vastly out performed him but people act like he's a scrub. again I would love to see ocho succeed here. But your reasoning is severely flawed. Just because he hasn't done it before doesn't mean he wont. It's belichick, anything is possible.

I agree. If Ocho comes to training camp a step slower and having to be told by another player where to line up Belichick isn't going to waste a roster spot on him. Ocho's gonna have to earn it.

 

[randomk1]

OK, I am sitting here after two nights, and thinking. Agree or disagree with his selections in both FA and the draft, BB is stocking his D, and giving Tom a couple of new weapons to throw to. I have come to a conclusion and this is going waaaaay off the ranch.

I have a feeling Tom is planning his retirement. Not this season, prolly not next. But soon. BB is loading up on D to carry a team with a new person behind center in a couple of years. Giving these kids time to develop in the system in that time makes perfect sense. Lets face it, with Matt's looming retirement, it leaves Kevin Faulk and Tom left from the 01 team.

Again, I dont think the retirement is imminent, just on the horizon, and pieces are being put in place to take the weight and pressure off of a successor.

He just said he wants to play for another 10 years. I wouldn't doubt that guy's desire to do it.

I'm guessing Bill is going for D because...that's something that needed to be done.

 

[AzPatsFan]

That was aan interesting speculation about Tom.

I was thinking that Bill has decided that the Defense will have to get good enough to carry the Team when the Offense undergoes "the
Transition".

That what I was calling the retirement of Tom and the attempt to replace him with a new QB.

With a little historical perspective you can see that Bill has been rebuilding the Team with a new generation really starting in earnest after the 2008 season.

But the Offense was tweaked enough to be fine, and carry the team while the Defense was torn down to its rooots, and rebuilt with lot and lots of draft picks and also temporary patches.

It sort of explains the multitude of draft picks and the expectation that some would work out and others would not. But slowly the Defense has taken shape and gotten deeper.

The D line has added numerous players until the big studs are available in numbers and starting to mature and reach their primes. The secondary has had constant infusions of new talent and it is starting to show, even if our myopic people don't see it, as it was ravaged with injury this last season.

Seemingly, the toughest area to rebuild was the LB corps. Two years ago they had fewer than four capable starters. No longer. Last season the ILBs developed and depth appeared too. Now the OLBs have had a talent infusion andiI don't think it is a mirage. It just takes time, several years, to mature a young LB and the Pats have paid their dues and Mayo, Spikes, and Ninko started to show well. A few patches in Cartetr and"Anderson made up for injuries to Cunninham; and with these picks, a lot of young talent has been found and added.

Th ejob isnearing finish and BB has grown selective musing fewer picks but more targetted ones to the specific remaining weaknesses. Ther suimply weren't any good FS, so i suspec tthy gambaled heavily

Next draft I would expect even more selectivity. Maybe they will have to revisit the Safety situation, and aim specifically at a big starter-quality 3-4 Defensive End. I don't see very many other needs.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

He just said he wants to play for another 10 years. I wouldn't doubt that guy's desire to do it.

To be fair, TFB has been saying that since about 2007.

 

[MP-Logick]

Mike Reiss ‏ @MikeReiss
In writing on "surprise" Tavon Wilson pick for Pats in 2nd round, was surprised to learn that 7 NFL teams had him in for pre-draft visits.

interesting

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

Bleacher report (and others) - Bequette is a stout run defender

PFW - Bequette is not a good run defender

Hmmm.

PFW, NFP, (and others) - Bequette is not a very good athlete. Really? He was spectacular in the agility tests for D linemen/linebackers. Had several top two or three scores. Scores like his usually warrant words like this - quick twitch athlete, agile, great acceleration.

PFW (and others) - Infer Bequette was something of a freelancer, a swaggerist if you will, who just rushes the QB at the expense of proper reads. Really? A 2-time captain, All-SEC player who was known for his relentless play and as a good run defender.

We'll have to see...

 

[Triumph]

Oh yeah, the past = the future, I'm glad you cleared that up for me.

Johnson is nothing more than expendable insurance at this point because BB doesnt know what he'll have in the other receivers on the roster. You claim cutting Johnson is bad business, and you might have a point there, do you know what's worse business? Wasting a roster spot on a player who sucks!

BB will do whats best for the team and not for any one individual. Stinko will be fighting for his job and isnt guaranteed a damn thing, but a chance in training camp.

 

[Triumph]

Belichick doesn't draft lb in 1st round never have never will(mayo). Belichick doesn't value guards enough to draft one early(mankins). Belichick doesn't deal with divas(dillon,moss). Belichick won't draft pass rushers early(chandler). Patriots don't spend big money on FA won't happen(Thomas). Your reasoning is bad, bb wants to give ocho another chance but doesn't want to pay him big again. That doesn't make him a lock. Branch vastly out performed him but people act like he's a scrub. again I would love to see ocho succeed here. But your reasoning is severely flawed. Just because he hasn't done it before doesn't mean he wont. It's belichick, anything is possible.

There is a first time for everything.

Cinko will be the first NE player to get canned after giving money back if he doesnt produce very soon. Its a performance based business. Perform or get down the road. The players understand that and I really doubt that they'll be shedding a tear for Old Cinko and how the Pats did him wrong after he was so generous reworking his contract.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

interesting

This is my in-all-seriousness reaction to reaches, even other team's reaches: the logic's all fugged up. The draft media always tell you where they "project" a guy to go, and if they're wrong, it's a "reach." Same as you guys are saying -- ultimately, he's a second rounder. We picked him in the second.

And ultimately, lots of "reaches" will be whiffs. So will lots of "blue chips." Ta daaaa. It's all a big waste of time but it's fun.

 

[Lampshade]

If you haven't already done so, take a listen to the Bequette conference call. That is one ridiculously poised young man.

 

[Water Boy]

The Tavon Wilson pick ruined this draft for me. BB outsmarted himself again. Forgive me in the years to come if I obsess about the other players we could have had in the 2012 draft:

Kendall Reyes
Jerel Worthy
Devon Still
Peter Konz
Lavonte David
Vinny Curry
Casey Hayward
Trumaine Johnson
Josh Robinson
Brandon Taylor
Brandon Brooks
Mohammed Sanu
etc.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Sorry that the truth hurts. And "wasting a roster spot" on Johnson after he took a paycut to stay here is better business than cutting a guy who took a pay cut. That will have a negative impact down the line and limit what the team can do financially. Because that is what will happen.

OH, and, btw, it's not the first time BB has done it. Troy Brown during his last season. Kevin Faulk last year. Anthony Pleasant during his last season. There are others as well. Players who brought next to nothing to the team, but weren't cut.

Just because BB has done something in the past doesn't mean he will do it in the future. Your assertion to the contrary is not "truth", it's speculation, nothing more. If Johnson is clearly beaten in camp by other players and we simply don't have room on the roster he will be gone, we'll see who is correct.

 

[JJDChE]

Considering your long history of vile attacks on everybody here, and your rich history of unsubstantiated nonsense, What in GOD's name makes you think you warrant a response??

You're obviously confusing me with someone else.

You didn't answer the question. Have you watched game tape on Wilson, or are your comments unsubstantiated?

You don't have to answer if you don't want to. We all know the answer.

 

[DaBruinz]

Belichick doesn't draft lb in 1st round never have never will(mayo). Belichick doesn't value guards enough to draft one early(mankins). Belichick doesn't deal with divas(dillon,moss). Belichick won't draft pass rushers early(chandler). Patriots don't spend big money on FA won't happen(Thomas). Your reasoning is bad, bb wants to give ocho another chance but doesn't want to pay him big again. That doesn't make him a lock. Branch vastly out performed him but people act like he's a scrub. again I would love to see ocho succeed here. But your reasoning is severely flawed. Just because he hasn't done it before doesn't mean he wont. It's belichick, anything is possible.

My reasoning isn't flawed at all. You, on the other hand, are comparing apples to oranges. You can't compare what BB has or hasn't done in the draft to negotiating contracts with players. The fact you tried is just laughable.

If a veteran player takes a pay cut to stay with the team, you don't cut him. Why? Because it's bad business and you will put yourself in a position where veterans will no longer do that and it will handicap you with the salary cap. So, you make the decision BEFORE you renegotiate with them.

People keep saying that, with BB, anything is possible, but that just isn't true. There are certain things BB won't do because, in the long run, it hurts his ability to be able to put together a TEAM.

 

[Triumph]

You're obviously confusing me with someone else.

You didn't answer the question. Have you watched game tape on Wilson, or are your comments unsubstantiated?

You don't have to answer if you don't want to. We all know the answer.

None of the mini Mel Kipers on this board have ever seen a scouting tape on Wilson. Spoke with him in person or even attended one of his games.

If BB is right, the Pats will be much improved on defense this season and the team will be in New Orleans this February and it wont be for Mardi Gras.

 

[patsfan13]

BTW for a number of years there have been scouting combines that is groups of teams that would pool scouting reports, there were 2 major one. The Pats are not a member of wither they choose to do all their own scouting and don't depend on pool (herd?) reports.

Don't know if the combine scouting pools are still the norm.

 

[DaBruinz]

Just because BB has done something in the past doesn't mean he will do it in the future. Your assertion to the contrary is not "truth", it's speculation, nothing more. If Johnson is clearly beaten in camp by other players and we simply don't have room on the roster he will be gone, we'll see who is correct.

Listen, you, Froob, triumph and Boomer can spew all the BS you want, but you are ignoring reality. There have been players, in the past, whom clearly weren't the best and were just taking up a roster spot, yet BB didn't cut them. I mentioned some already and I find it amusing that you 4 ignored that.

I had this same argument some 6 years. I was proven right by BB then and he'll prove me right again.

You don't cut a veteran who has restructured his contract (saving the team cap space). Why? Because, if you do, then veterans down the line will be less likely to do so. In fact, it's more likely that they'd rather be cut, sticking the team with a higher cap hit, than restructure. That is not an assertion. That is truth. It's why BB has never done so and will continue not to do so.

You see, BB already made the decision whether or not to cut Johnson prior to the restructuring. There was no point in restructuring Johnson's deal if there was even an inkling that BB would cut him. And it's not like the Pats needed the money for the cap at the time. They had plenty.

But those are all things you all want to ignore.

 

[MossWelkowski]

The Tavon Wilson pick ruined this draft for me. BB outsmarted himself again. Forgive me in the years to come if I obsess about the other players we could have had in the 2012 draft:

Kendall Reyes
Jerel Worthy
Devon Still
Peter Konz
Lavonte David
Vinny Curry
Casey Hayward
Trumaine Johnson
Josh Robinson
Brandon Taylor
Brandon Brooks
Mohammed Sanu
etc.

Dude the draft is a crapshoot past the first round... Heck even in the first round. We won't know about any of these players until 2014. The pats team was set after Round 1.