3 needs, all filled, and the whining continues

[Wozzy]

They will be bad in 2024 and will have a top pick next year. Draft the LT at that point and try to trade for or sign a top receiver. Or trade down for two first rounders, if that is an option, and then you can get the second/third best LT in the draft and get a WR1. If these things were to happen, and Maye develops, 2025 could have potential.

They suck at drafting and recognizing talent... I don't think you see the actual problem.

 

[archstanton543]

They suck at drafting and recognizing talent... I don't think you see the actual problem.

You think they suck at identifying talent. They don't actually suck at identifying talent.

 

[Real fan 02]

They will be bad in 2024 and will have a top pick next year. Draft the LT at that point and try to trade for or sign a top receiver. Or trade down for two first rounders, if that is an option, and then you can get the second/third best LT in the draft and get a WR1. If these things were to happen, and Maye develops, 2025 could have potential.

Here's why I say they won't be bad and give you some reason for optimism.

We have a ready-made championship level defense. Had we had marginal to moderate QB play the last few seasons we'd been a play-off bound team.

Be it Brissett or if maye starts they are better options than what we had the last few seasons.

Better QB play, with an incredibly stout defense can only equate to better success.

 

[archstanton543]

Better QB play, with an incredibly stout defense can only equate to better success.

A tough schedule again this year will mitigate that success.

 

[Wozzy]

You think they suck at identifying talent. They don't actually suck at identifying talent.

Maye at 3 was a no brainer.

Everything they did after that was a child's understanding of team building.

 

[BHPatriot]

They suck at drafting and recognizing talent... I don't think you see the actual problem.

Patriots draft grades:

PFF - B+
yahoo - A-
CBS - B+
nfl.com - B

One obvious comparison that will happen in the coming years will be Polk vs. McConkey. I hope they got it right.

 

[Real fan 02]

A tough schedule again this year will mitigate that success.

Had a tough schedule last year and had the offense been an actually NFL offense team would have won at least 9 games.

 

[Wozzy]

Patriots draft grades:

PFF - B+
yahoo - A-
CBS - B+
nfl.com - B

One obvious comparison that will happen in the coming years will be Polk vs. McConkey. I hope they got it right.

The Maye pick automatically boosts any draft grade... what did this front office do to earn that pick beyond get hired? Maye was a layup, a no brainer.

When they took Polk there were two blue chip offensive tackles left on the board after a flurry in the first round. They were picking near the top of the round, so there was going to be a long stretch before they picked again and there were still a lot of WR's left on the board.

The WR's taken after we picked Caedan Wallace, an offensive lineman who most assuredly won't have the talent or skill to play left tackle; Jermaine Burton, Roman Wilson, Jalen McMillan and Luke McCaffrey... that was just in that same third round.

Before the third day (4th round) started I said the Pats should pick Javon Baker in the 4th and get a WR as good as the guy they reached for in the 2nd... they did.

So the Pats left the draft with no left tackle, a position they absolutely needed to fill this offseason... this after signing a stiff from the Steelers who was let go because he sucked. What would you rather have, a true left tackle taken in the second round or no left tackle at all?

Draft options A (what they took):

Drake Maye
QB

Ja'Lynn Polk
WR

Caedan Wallace
LT

Layden Robinson
OG

Javon Baker
WR

Versus...

Draft options B (what they should have taken):

Drake Maye
QB

Patrick Paul (Dolphins)/Kingsley Kingsley Suamataia (Chiefs)
LT

Jermaine Burton/Roman Wilson/Jalen McMillan/Luke McCaffrey
WR

Anyone in the world except Layden Robinson
OG

Javon Baker
WR

It's pretty clear option #2 is hands down substantially better than option one. Reports said they were going to take Keon Coleman with the first pick in the second round but the Bills took him... which I said bothered me as much as the Polk decision because because both were reaches there. It also bothered me because they insisted WR was going to be the second pick, like this was a plan they had in mind prior to the start... which is dumb. You play the board how it lays, not based on some plan where you fill the needs in some order. Mike Reis tweeted in the third round something like "now it's time to address the O-Line" and I was like yeah, how... they're all gone.

It was real rookie GM move... or worse perhaps it's philosophical which scares the sht out of me more... if Maye become Joe Burrow we have become the Bengals and actually suck at recognizing offensive line talent. Meanwhile the Dolphins and Chiefs snapped up the last two blue chip tackles because Mike McDaniels and Andy Reid are much smarter than the collaboration station.

Unless the collaborators smarten up quick what I suspect we'll see is a slight improvement over last year, and over time as BB's players are weeded out via free agency, retirement and time... this team will be in a downward spiral.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Grading Every Team's Performance in the 2024 NFL Draft

Patriots got an A...

Eagles crushed the last (2) drafts. They know what they are doing. They also have a legit QB so could focus on other needs. Hopefully the latest group of Patriot coaches and scouts will learn and improve during the next several seasons. If Maye can play the 2025 draft might look much different...

 

[Tunescribe]

If Drake turns out to be what we believe can be then the draft is a success.

I don't believe anything about him other than he's a raw, athletically gifted roll-of-the-dice project. Sure, if he becomes a solid starter then the draft was a success.

I endorsed the unpopular opinion that trading down was the best way to build this talent-poor team, but what do I know.

 

[Real fan 02]

Had a tough schedule last year and had the offense been an actually NFL offense team would have won at least 9 games.

@archstanton543

So you are telling me with how well the D played last season with it's 2 best players gone for the season after week 4.. and if this season with adequate QB play that this team couldn't be in the hunt?

 

[Real fan 02]

I don't believe anything about him other than he's a raw, athletically gifted roll-of-the-dice project. Sure, if he becomes a solid starter then the draft was a success.

I endorsed the unpopular opinion that trading down was the best way to build this talent-poor team, but what do I know.

The consensus is he was a safe pick. Pretty obvious pick. Considering QB play around here has been putrid. I'd like to think with the pressure on the organization everything will be done to correctly allow maye to develop into what his projections can be.

We drafted him, now it on him to put in the work.

 

[Thelonious]

Just listened to Mayo's post-draft press conference. A prediction:

Mayes: "Coach, should it be a pass or a run."
Mayo: "It should be a pass. At the same time it should be a run. Isn't Thunder great?"

You think that's gonna work?

 

[archstanton543]

@archstanton543

So you are telling me with how well the D played last season with it's 2 best players gone for the season after week 4.. and if this season with adequate QB play that this team couldn't be in the hunt?

In the hunt for a first round exit, maybe.

The thing is, you don't know how things would have played out with a different offense. All the scores and down and distances in every game would change making it impossible to speculate how those games would have played out.

 

[archstanton543]

Just listened to Mayo's post-draft press conference. A prediction:

Mayes: "Coach, should it be a pass or a run."
Mayo: "It should be a pass. At the same time it should be a run. Isn't Thunder great?"

You think that's gonna work?

What in God's name are you talking about?

 

[borg]

Grading Every Team's Performance in the 2024 NFL Draft

Patriots got an A...

Eagles crushed the last (2) drafts. They know what they are doing. They also have a legit QB so could focus on other needs. Hopefully the latest group of Patriot coaches and scouts will learn and improve during the next several seasons. If Maye can play the 2025 draft might look much different...

This site handed out 13 A's

 

[Thelonious]

What in God's name are you talking about?

Have you not noticed this rhetorical habit? He does this every press conference: says "A," then adds "at the same time B." At least Bill had the honesty to keep his yap shut when he had nothing to to say or did not care to. Mayo's a backslapper, a people pleaser. They are rarely worth much push come to shove in my experience.

Jibberish:

"I think it's important. I think titles are important, and I know -- no knock to Coach Belichick who has been a huge mentor to me over the years as a player and as a colleague, what I would say is I believe titles are important outward-looking, but as far as in the building, I don't care what your title is. It's what's your job, what value do you bring to the organization. I think that's the most important thing. Sometimes I think in business, in sports, people get caught up in titles, but I also understand the other side. If you want to continue to get promoted, people have to know exactly what you do. But like I said earlier, inside, it's all about collaboration. That's what thunder talked about, and that's what I'm about, as well."

"Yeah, I think that's a great question. First and foremost, I would say as we -- we brought in 17 new coaches this year. One of the things, one of the criteria that we always make sure that these guys will check the box with is just able to relate to the players. I think that's a huge thing, especially with the generation of players we have right now.

To your point, look, a lot of offensive players, a lot of quarterbacks in the room right now at this current time, but at the same time I would say we have coaches where you can still get that one-to-one type of coaching. We're trying to coach together, but at the same time, Alex Van Pelt is going to run that offense. I have nothing but faith in him and (Ben) McAdoo and the rest of the guys over there to get it done on the offensive side of the ball."

 

[mgteich]

The Maye pick automatically boosts any draft grade... what did this front office do to earn that pick beyond get hired? Maye was a layup, a no brainer.

When they took Polk there were two blue chip offensive tackles left on the board after a flurry in the first round. They were picking near the top of the round, so there was going to be a long stretch before they picked again and there were still a lot of WR's left on the board.

The WR's taken after we picked Caedan Wallace, an offensive lineman who most assuredly won't have the talent or skill to play left tackle; Jermaine Burton, Roman Wilson, Jalen McMillan and Luke McCaffrey... that was just in that same third round.

Before the third day (4th round) started I said the Pats should pick Javon Baker in the 4th and get a WR as good as the guy they reached for in the 2nd... they did.

So the Pats left the draft with no left tackle, a position they absolutely needed to fill this offseason... this after signing a stiff from the Steelers who was let go because he sucked. What would you rather have, a true left tackle taken in the second round or no left tackle at all?

Draft options A (what they took):

Drake Maye
QB

Ja'Lynn Polk
WR

Caedan Wallace
LT

Layden Robinson
OG

Javon Baker
WR

Versus...

Draft options B (what they should have taken):

Drake Maye
QB

Patrick Paul (Dolphins)/Kingsley Kingsley Suamataia (Chiefs)
LT

Jermaine Burton/Roman Wilson/Jalen McMillan/Luke McCaffrey
WR

Anyone in the world except Layden Robinson
OG

Javon Baker
WR

It's pretty clear option #2 is hands down substantially better than option one. Reports said they were going to take Keon Coleman with the first pick in the second round but the Bills took him... which I said bothered me as much as the Polk decision because because both were reaches there. It also bothered me because they insisted WR was going to be the second pick, like this was a plan they had in mind prior to the start... which is dumb. You play the board how it lays, not based on some plan where you fill the needs in some order. Mike Reis tweeted in the third round something like "now it's time to address the O-Line" and I was like yeah, how... they're all gone.

It was real rookie GM move... or worse perhaps it's philosophical which scares the sht out of me more... if Maye become Joe Burrow we have become the Bengals and actually suck at recognizing offensive line talent. Meanwhile the Dolphins and Chiefs snapped up the last two blue chip tackles because Mike McDaniels and Andy Reid are much smarter than the collaboration station.

Unless the collaborators smarten up quick what I suspect we'll see is a slight improvement over last year, and over time as BB's players are weeded out via free agency, retirement and time... this team will be in a downward spiral.

So: media and writers: A or B, with us having missed on picks 2, 3 and 4

I'm with the media and writers

 

[archstanton543]

Have you not noticed this rhetorical habit? He does this every press conference: says "A," then adds "at the same time B." At least Bill had the honesty to keep his yap shut when he had nothing to to say or did not care to. Mayo's a backslapper, a people pleaser. They are rarely worth much push come to shove in my experience.

You don't know anything about him other than his public achievements. He's just word-salading his press concrescences.

 

[PScottman]

Better QB play, with an incredibly stout defense can only equate to better success.

Part of the reason for the complete collapse of Jones was a terrible OL that started the last two seasons so bad at pass protect that he took massive shots/hits early in the season and in games (or getting the offense in constant 2d and longs due to penalties), speeding up his clock and leading to a complete dissolution of whatever little ability he had to run an offense, process reads, and deliver the ball to his own team.

There's been little done to address that other than the Steelers' RT signing (a known quantity vs the drafted kid). Mafi is still a poor pass protector. Sow was better. LT is a volume solution and so is RT frankly unless they keep Onwenu there which just changes the problem set (is Strange healthy - and he's a slow starter and frankly inconsistent every year either through injuries or just in general).

BL: there's nothing to change the impact to the mental aspects of QB play that are critical to success and require confidence in the OL to be capitalized upon should the defense continue to play well for this team. And by the time that the OL is addressed, that defense is likely very different as well.