mg's March 15 Plan

[mgteich]

MG's March 15 Plan (draft per recent mock posted on draft site)

1) Sign Samuel to a long-term contract
2) Sign 2-3 veteran ILB's (Say Hartwell and Gardner)
3) Sign a jag veteran CB for camp (perhaps Mickens)
4) Extend Scott and Hawkins (cheap insurance for 2008)
5) Draft Poz and Leonard
6) Draft a CB, S and a QB in rounds 3, 4 and 4C
7) Draft some Practice Squad competition with late round picks
(chance for roster spot at CB, S and LB; could beat out Woods)
===============================================
Conclusions
A. Leonard is a major upgrade over Mills, and is insurance against injury.
B. I think we are fine at LB if we add Hartwell, Poz and Gardner, althoug Woods or Alexander could beat out Gardner.
C. The key the defensive backfield is extending Samuel.
D. Ugoh at #28 is an alternative for me.

MARCH 15
53 MAN ROSTER

OFFENSE (25)
QB - 3 Tom Brady, Cassell, draftee
RB - 3 Maroney, Morris, Faulk, Leonard
FB/RB/HB - 1 Evans/ (Mills)
C - 2 Koppen, Hochstein
G - 3 Neal, Mankins, Yates/(Mruczkowski)
OT - 4 Light, Kaczur, O'Callaghan, Britt
WR - 5 Stallworth, Washington, Welker, Caldwell, Gaffney
TE - 3 Watson, Dave Thomas, Kyle Brady

DEFENSE (25)
DE - 5 Seymour, Warren, Green, Wright, Hill/(Thomas)
DT - 2 Wilfork, Smith
LB - 8 Vrabel, Colvin, Thomas, Bruschi, Hartwell, Poz, Gardner,(Woods),(Alexander), Izzo
CB - 5 Samuel, Hobbs, Scott, Gay, draftee,(Spann),(Mickens)
S - 5 Sanders, Wilson, Harrison, Hawkins, Wendling, (Mitchell), (Andrews)

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
P - 1 Miller
K - 1 Gostkowski
LS - 1 Paxton

PUP (1)
Jackson

 

[Kdo5]

Do we really have enough space for all that?

 

[Brady to Brown]

I like everythiing except your draft picks. Poz maybe, but Leonard in the first round?

 

[mgteich]

IF you are asking about cap space, we would likely have more cap space than now if we signed Samuel, Hartwell, Gardner, Mickens, and extend Scott and Hawkins. The key is that Samuel would take up much less space in the first year of a long-term deal than he does now as a one-year franchise player.

We would still have cap room to address other issues if we wished, like extending Warren.

Do we really have enough space for all that?

 

[sebman2112]

first I don't wan't to extend Hawkins since he sucks. Go watch some game film he got raped the second half of the season.

Second, I would think about extending Scott, but he is also old and has been injured a lot, so I don't know how much 'insurance" he would provide two years from now.

Thirdly, Pos and Leanard in the first, with a QB in the fourth? No thanks.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Dont forget the possiblilty of Troy Brown

 

[notex]

if those were our two first rounders id be unsettled.....id much rather a CB,S, LB other then poz, id take him in the 2nd if we only had one...

 

[danny88]

if those were our two first rounders id be unsettled.....id much rather a CB,S, LB other then poz, id take him in the 2nd if we only had one...

I agree, those would be some pretty poor first round draft choices.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Poz is a "safe pick" in round one. He will contribute and play in this league at an above average level. He mght never be a super star though but I don't think he would ever BUST.

Belichick doesn't seem to want to gamble with #1 picks. He gambles in rounds 2 and 3. Your overall action menu is something I think is similar to what will occur.

 

[DarrylS]

In this speculative parallel world we all live in regarding what the Pats will or will not do, I have two questions regarding your conclusions:

How do we know what we have in Mills, he was essentially "red shirted" last year, he has never even dressed?

Ugoh at 28 has been speculated, while I somewhat agree with this as you can never have enough quality Linemen, would we make this move if there is a very good safety available at this pick assuming that we take a LB at 24?

 

[mcsully]

Brian Leonard
Height: 6-11/2 | Weight: 226 | 40-Time: 4.52

No way we use a 1st round pick on the exact same player we drafted last year

Mills
Height 6"1 Weight 235


I like a lot of your other moves.. Especially if we can catch Lightning in a bottle with Hartwell.. Here is a question, would we really draft a LB with a high pick if we bring in Hartwell? Wouldn't more value be building the secondary? I think there is better value there..

 

[VJCPatriot]

Naah I'd rather draft a bunch of tight ends than do that

When you see Zach Miller's name flashing on the draft ticker, you'll know it's Miller time! :rocker:

 

[mgteich]

You need to consider what these players have actually accomplush rather than just their physical attributes.

Mills has never carried the ball and was not a blocker. He was an excellent TE that the patriots projected as a Keith Byars type hback.

I would note that the patriots often draft two players in order to better increase the chance of one success. We drafted two TE's last year: Thomas and Mills. Thomas looks like a real find. We have now signed a really solid free agent TE. Mills is no longer part of that picture.

In differenct parts of his career Leonard was an excellent runner and then an excellent blocker. He could substitute for any of the other backs if they are injured. Mills can do none of that.

Even if we sign Hartwell, I would like to get a young linebacker. It isn't often that we see any that will fit our scheme.

With regard to the secondary, my personal belief is that corners are drafted as early as possible and safeties in the 2nd through 4th, unless there is truly a special safety.

Brian Leonard
Height: 6-11/2 | Weight: 226 | 40-Time: 4.52

No way we use a 1st round pick on the exact same player we drafted last year

Mills
Height 6"1 Weight 235


I like a lot of your other moves.. Especially if we can catch Lightning in a bottle with Hartwell.. Here is a question, would we really draft a LB with a high pick if we bring in Hartwell? Wouldn't more value be building the secondary? I think there is better value there..

 

[Fantasic4x50x54x59x55]

first I don't wan't to extend Hawkins since he sucks. Go watch some game film he got raped the second half of the season.

:wha: Can you please give me examples to look back on??!?!?! I mean I am sure he got beat, he isnt a bonafide starter, but I think he did a Hell of a Job, and is GREAT veteran Insurance for the backfeild... I'll take it a step further and say he was one of the reasons we were able to keep it toghter back there other than Samuel.

Getting to the actual Post... I like it. I can agreee that Pol, is small and all, but i am sure these are the same characteristics that people picked on as the Zach Thomas's and Bruschis came into the league

 

[Fantasic4x50x54x59x55]

I've been saying it all along aswell man, Dont be surprised if they pick RB High.

 

[zippo59]

first I don't wan't to extend Hawkins since he sucks. Go watch some game film he got raped the second half of the season.

That is just plain wrong. Hawkins does not suck. He rarely gets beaten deep. It's not his fault that he is a backup who has been forced to be a starter at safety the past two years because both our starters have ended up on IR. Obviously we don't want him to consistently be a starter, but he is a good option for filling in for a few games, not the entire season.

 

[zippo59]

2) Sign 2-3 veteran ILB's (Say Hartwell and Gardner)

I think we will sign maybe one that has a chance of playing on defense and if we sign any more they will be special teamers.

3) Sign a jag veteran CB for camp (perhaps Mickens)

I think resigning Mickens is a good idea. He is a good nickelback.

A. Leonard is a major upgrade over Mills.

How on earth do you know that? We've never seen Mills play! In college he only led the nation in catches.

 

[sebman2112]

That is just plain wrong. Hawkins does not suck. He rarely gets beaten deep. It's not his fault that he is a backup who has been forced to be a starter at safety the past two years because both our starters have ended up on IR. Obviously we don't want him to consistently be a starter, but he is a good option for filling in for a few games, not the entire season.

No, it's correct. He was fine in '05 and he was fine the first half of the season, but he started blowing coverages, and missing easy tackles during the second half of the season. In the playoffs he was raped and not just against the Colts, either. Go watch the game film, and tell me I'm wrong. I don't have any problem with him as a backup, but I don't want him as a starting option. Oh, and he's a free agent after this year.

 

[zippo59]

No, it's correct. He was fine in '05 and he was fine the first half of the season, but he started blowing coverages, and missing easy tackles during the second half of the season. In the playoffs he was raped and not just against the Colts, either. Go watch the game film, and tell me I'm wrong. I don't have any problem with him as a starter, but I don't want him as a starting option. Oh, and he's a free agent after this year.

The only big play he gave up was the long touchdown because he was playing too far off Cotchery. He usually takes very good angles when helping out in coverage and for the most part is a solid tackler.

 

[sebman2112]

The only big play he gave up was the long touchdown because he was playing too far off Cotchery. He usually takes very good angles when helping out in coverage and for the most part is a solid tackler.

For most of the season he was, but not during the final few games, and in the playoffs. Hawkins got burned against the Jets, missed tackles against the chargers, blew coverages, and missed easy tackles against the colts. As I said go watch the game film. All that being said, I'm still fine with him as a backup.