Can the Patriots do what the Houston Texans did quickly under new leadership?

[condon84]

I think a big turnaround will not be easy. As many have stated here, we need to build through the trenches.

Let's say we stay at #4 and draft Abdul Carter, and assuming that Keion White can take a leap and Christian Barmore fully recovers, we still have the OL that needs to be rebuilt. Maybe we sign one of the top premium OTs in FA, but the rest of the OL is still full of question marks. Maybe Layden Robinson is our long-term answer at LG. Maybe Caedan Wallace plays better after going back to RT. There is a lot of uncertainty.

Similarly, lots of "maybes" at WR. I don't think the Bengals let Tee Higgins go, then we would have to settle with Chris Godwin, coming off a season-ending injury. Then it's a lot of old vets like Cooper, Diggs, Hopkins, etc.

Ultimately, it depends on how well Wolf drafts this year, and 2025's draft class just happens to be stronger at RB and CB, not what we need.

Carter is going to be a stud. I think he's going to be the best player when we look back in this draft. If he's there when we pick, I hope Mike and his team pick him.

 

[n1997y]

I think a big turnaround will not be easy. As many have stated here, we need to build through the trenches.

Let's say we stay at #4 and draft Abdul Carter, and assuming that Keion White can take a leap and Christian Barmore fully recovers, we still have the OL that needs to be rebuilt. Maybe we sign one of the top premium OTs in FA, but the rest of the OL is still full of question marks. Maybe Layden Robinson is our long-term answer at LG. Maybe Caedan Wallace plays better after going back to RT. There is a lot of uncertainty.

Similarly, lots of "maybes" at WR. I don't think the Bengals let Tee Higgins go, then we would have to settle with Chris Godwin, coming off a season-ending injury. Then it's a lot of old vets like Cooper, Diggs, Hopkins, etc.

Ultimately, it depends on how well Wolf drafts this year, and 2025's draft class just happens to be stronger at RB and CB, not what we need.

I think signing a top premium OT in FA is a pipe dream. There are not many around, teams place an emphasis on resigning them so they don’t often reach free agency, and when they do there are many teams competing for their services. Much more likely to get a somewhat flawed OT as a free agent, as we have seen. We need to use serious draft capital on an OT.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

Apologies if this has been noted and I missed. The absolutely huge factor is Deshaun Watson. What's sometimes missed is that he was planning to hold out and demanding a trade, basically because he had a beef with coaching/management. Then the scandal breaks soon thereafter.... Anyhow, the net is they get that huge haul of 3 #1's for him, which they turn into Stroud and Will Anderson. And they lucked out in winning a game they should have lost that cost them the #1 pick, and they got stroud instead of bryce young. Definitely some major luck there that sped up the rebuild. Point is we shouldn't expect to go as fast the Texans, as they had a horseshoe up their ass.

 

[mgteich]

I think it is a definite possibility by hitting on the #4 pick and getting 4-5 free agents that contribute as starters.

this

 

[vicspats]

Given that the overall talent in the NFL has been dropping of for years, they have a shot to turn it around. They have lots of cap room and high draft picks.

You think talent/skill has dropped ? Or that the rules have changed to the point where some positions have excelled while others have diminished?

 

[mgteich]

I think signing a top premium OT in FA is a pipe dream. There are not many around, teams place an emphasis on resigning them so they don’t often reach free agency, and when they do there are many teams competing for their services. Much more likely to get a somewhat flawed OT as a free agent, as we have seen. We need to use serious draft capital on an OT.

Premium LT?

Sure, there are no all-pros. There never will be in free agency, unless they are old and/or injured.
======
We would have a HUGELY better offense if we were able to secure an average LT and an average swing OT in free agency.

 

[Tunescribe]

Nine wins next season.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Make no mistake. Getting a true #1 WR is a priority. It's just that LT is more of a priority.

I think it’s important, but I agree on the LT, and think they need a DT to go with Barmore, and that’s if he can return. The closer they get to being a true contender the more having an explosive offense matters, next season it won’t be as important, do start by fixing the lines then address the WR’s.

I think there’s a good chance they trade out of 4.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

The Patriots have to improve they way they handle FAs and their own player contracts. And they need to vastly improve their drafting. This may mean that they have to stop the Krafts from meddling--surely their unprofessional and pathetic offseason last year is not the work of pros, but rather ownership.

If the Patriots don't improve this offseason behavior, Vrable is as doomed as Mayo was.

This isn't Mayo, just happy to be here and learn at his own pace. Vrabel will get the best out the talent that is available to him which is a big step forward. Kraft, Wolf and everyone else is on notice that they need to find the right players. As we saw in Tenn he will not accept offseason misbehavior without a fight, even if it means losing his job.

 

[TheRainMaker]

You think talent/skill has dropped ? Or that the rules have changed to the point where some positions have excelled while others have diminished?

The talent has absolutely dropped off and these games are getting unbearable to watch. When Geno Smith is among the leading passers, there's a major problem. Ryan Tannehill throwing for 4,000+ yards is a major problem. Now we have Sam Darnold having the year he had. Every era has players with fluke years, but it has gotten out of control. Rookie QB's are having pretty good first years because of the low resistance they face. It's not really impressive.

The rule changes have allowed way too many mediocre players to inflate their stats such as QB's, WR' and TE's. The game used to be built for the ground first, because the QB would get killed dropping back to pass on a regularly basis. That's no longer the case.

RB's are now WR's moonlighting as RB's and need a lot of trickery to get running lanes. Guys like Derick Henry, Barkley and a few others are part of a very dying breed. The overall quality of backs have dramatically decreased. The money is at WR.

Way too many WR's need pick plays to get open. What happened to guys who just line up outside and beat their man?

OL are awful. Where are the franchise LT's? They are pretty much extint. We now have to watch interior OL cheat at the LOS by getting out of the stance and talk to the QB and then alert the C when to snap the ball. You couldn't do that 20+ years ago. It used to be up to the C and QB to communicate while the OL had to stay still after setting. They are also allowed to line up 5+ yards off the LOS and jump snap counts. With all these advantages and yet they still suck.

Kickers are constantly missing kicks. WTF is going here?

Defenses are very vanilla most likely due to the rule changes. Watching a lot of old 90's games and DC's were very creative with blitzes with players flying all over the place. It's rare now. Bill Belichick defenses were fun to watch, but his scheme got extremely vanilla as the years went on.

Tackling is bad and don't hit like they used to. Rule changes have changed the way young kids are taught to play the game. Gang tackling is rare.

 

[vicspats]

The talent has absolutely dropped off and these games are getting unbearable to watch. When Geno Smith is among the leading passers, there's a major problem. Ryan Tannehill throwing for 4,000+ yards is a major problem. Now we have Sam Darnold having the year he had. Every era has players with fluke years, but it has gotten out of control. Rookie QB's are having pretty good first years because of the low resistance they face. It's not really impressive.

The rule changes have allowed way too many mediocre players to inflate their stats such as QB's, WR' and TE's. The game used to be built for the ground first, because the QB would get killed dropping back to pass on a regularly basis. That's no longer the case.

RB's are now WR's moonlighting as RB's and need a lot of trickery to get running lanes. Guys like Derick Henry, Barkley and a few others are part of a very dying breed. The overall quality of backs have dramatically decreased. The money is at WR.

Way too many WR's need pick plays to get open. What happened to guys who just line up outside and beat their man?

OL are awful. Where are the franchise LT's? They are pretty much extint. We now have to watch interior OL cheat at the LOS by getting out of the stance and talk to the QB and then alert the C when to snap the ball. You couldn't do that 20+ years ago. It used to be up to the C and QB to communicate while the OL had to stay still after setting. They are also allowed to line up 5+ yards off the LOS and jump snap counts. With all these advantages and yet they still suck.

Kickers are constantly missing kicks. WTF is going here?

Defenses are very vanilla most likely due to the rule changes. Watching a lot of old 90's games and DC's were very creative with blitzes with players flying all over the place. It's rare now. Bill Belichick defenses were fun to watch, but his scheme got extremely vanilla as the years went on.

Tackling is bad and don't hit like they used to. Rule changes have changed the way young kids are taught to play the game. Gang tackling is rare.

So you saying …. ?
Rules changes opened up offenses so now defenses are exposed? Everybody wants a Wide out on this board…those athletes today are insane. Not everyone’s o-line is bunk. Detroits look legit. I definitely don’t think talent has dropped.

Athletes today WAY better than even 10 years ago. These QBs today … 6-5 235 running 4.8s and throwing for 80 yards. Wide outs are freaking giants. The o-line for Ohio st avg is 6-5” 335 …
Going out on a limb here, the rules have changed 100% to bring scoring up and the game more exciting for the fans. CFL style. But defenses adjust … I’m gonna also guess that even with all these changes scoring is not up any ridiculous amount over the last 20… like 2 -3 points a game?

 

[PatsFan2]

I went into the year under the belief that Denver had one of the worst defenses in the league, and that they would be a bottom 5 team in the league. Look how that went.

You're never out of the conversation for the playoffs when you have the right coach/QB pairing. Very doubtful we end up being true contenders next year, but any level short of that should not be ruled out.

Hitting in FA and the Draft can make that happen. Also the hope is few a guys develop from the previous Draft ie... Polk - Wallace and Baker.

 

[mgteich]

We will have a new coching staff, a major plus of Offense and Defense. The Special team should continue to be good enough for a playoff team (although there may some competition at kicker).

HOW MANY PLAYERS ARE WE AWAY ON OFFENSE? Succeeding with this list seems doable to me.
I would argue that we definitely need an LT, an LT/RT, a top WR, a backup TE (Hooper?) and a 3rd RB.
More COULD be needed depending on what we get out of Andrews, Andrews, Robinson and the WR's.

DEFENSE IS MUCH MORE OF A QUESTION MARK TO ME
1) We need a DT or TWO, depending on Barmore.
2) We need a DE or TWO, depending on Wise and Ekuale.
3) We need an ILB with a healthy Bentley (otherwise TWO). Perhaps Jennings and Ximinez plus a top addition will be enough.
4) We need a leading EDGE player or perhaps even TWO.
5) We need at least a CB or two. Consider how you judge the need if Jon Jones retired and Austin was signed by someone else.
6) We need a safety. Peppers, Dugger, Pettus and Mapu is just not enough.