WHY?...Ddo you want two or even one Safety? If Laron Landry fells to us at 24, I would take him, but the others have warts. They are not sized to be Safeties that you spend a #1 pick on, nor are they Super Athletes at that could play both corner and S.
I remember when it was said, BB/SP would never draft G; never draft RB; never draft LB. I remember hearing it said it takes too long to convert a DE to and OLB.
If there is anything I believe is that BB and SP build TEAMS first, and do not collect talent, only.
They are correct that it takes a long time to move a DE into an OLB, UNLESS he is an athletic STUD. Ware, Wimberely and Merriman and LT, all played as rookies. All 3-4 conversions. Three of the 4 for Coaches with the same BB attitude in Tuna and RAC, and surprise surprise BB himself! So much for too long.
But its funny.
NO one says it takes lots of years to train an ILB. BB started Carson, and Pepper as rookies, and drafted them too. Along with LT. BB has had the luxury to avoid addressing the LB corps because he had higher priorities and worry about the 7th or 8th Safety position is not terribly high on his priority list; not when he has not a single reserve LB that can play.
Frankly the only high Safety worth a #1 on this Pats club is Landry. I'd take a CB before a S, and an ILB before a CB. And come back later and take another ILB too; in that observation you are correct BB will take two, sign a FA, and all to insure He gets one need satisfied.
I can see your arguements about not wanting a first round Safety, but I don't understand your arguement against drafting two or even one Safety in the entire draft. NE has 10 draft picks. What would you rather they do with all 10 of those picks? NE could draft one FS, one SS, 2 CB's, 2 LB's, and still have four remaining picks to spend on any other positions. If they don't draft a first round Safety they should at least draft one in the third or fourth, with another in the fifth, or sixth.
Also, Safety is much more of a need position than people think, and BB does draft for need a lot more than people think. I don't think they draft for rookie starters, but for guys who can rotate/backup their rookie year, and start their second. Go back and look at the draft history and you can tell this is what BB & Pioli usually try to do. 2008 is where NE's Safety position becomes even more of a need, and that is why you draft Safeties now.
Rodney is old, and has been severily injured the past two seasons. Might not return next season, and if he does that will likely be it. He's a free agent in '08.
Wilson hasn't been effective since the beginning of '05, and is a free agent after this season. I still like him but he hasn't shown me anything lately, that would keep my confidence level high.
Hawkins who is getting old, struggled late in the season/playoffs, and is also a free agent after this year.
James Sanders is the only effective young Safety on the roster, but I am not sure he has developed into a full times starter, yet. At this point I see him more as a rotational player. Plus, he's a free agent after '08.
Rashad Baker? Please, he is not a good Safety, and will likely never be anything more than an emergancy option/fourth quarter Safety.
Mel Mitchell (already 28) Same as Baker he is not the Safety of the future, and that's what you want sitting behind your current starters, their replacements.
Willie Andrews (to small to play SS 5'9" 182lbs.) He was somewhat intrigueing when NE first selected him, because of his return ability. If anyone remembers correctly NE was actually converting him to CB. I also don't think his return skills lived up to expectations, and that was his biggest attraction, so he might find himself on the waiver wire.
Basically you draft two Safeties to backup/rotate with Harrison, Wilson, Sanders, and Hawkins. After drafting these two more talented Safeties you can cut Mitchell, and Baker. Maybe you keep Andrews because they were trying to convert him to CB, anyways.
this would give you:
Harrison, Wilson, Sanders, Hawkins, Draft pick, Draft pick on the Safety depth chart. Thats 6 Safeties for 2 positions. Also, you could draft a FS who also has slot CB skills so he could play both positions as a rookie lending even more depth to the secondary.