Aren't We OK At IOL For 2025?

[Real fan 02]

Maye would probably have to be a Hofer to take the disappointment out of that Draft.

 

[AQPE]

Just for the record on this, the year this happened with McVay and Snead. their first pick in their draft was a gusrd. They had traded away their first and second round picks and were obviously hoping Strange would fall to them. That was not going to happen, if Strange didn’t go #29 he was going in the second round. The next year the Rams also didn’t have a first round pick. Their pick in the second round that year was also a guard.

The year Strange went #29, he was the third guard taken. The first one, Kenyon Green, went #14 to Houston and busted, he’s on his second team already. The second one, Zion Johnson, he went #17 to the Chargers and is nothing special, they would have been a lot better off taking someone else.

Strange was a lousy pick, but he outplayed Green and Johnson their rookie years, was a better pick than Kaiir Elam who stupid me wanted. I think his patellar tendon injury croaked his career which was based on superior agility. He is not a good fit in the McDaniels offense, he doesn’t have the power to make it at guard. I think he’s cookedwt guard in the NFL and at best will need to make it as a center. I won’t be surprised to see him improve there but still be a backup wherever he goes.

 

[rkarp1]

Just for the record on this, the year this happened with McVay and Snead. their first pick in their draft was a gusrd. They had traded away their first and second round picks and were obviously hoping Strange would fall to them. That was not going to happen, if Strange didn’t go #29 he was going in the second round. The next year the Rams also didn’t have a first round pick. Their pick in the second round that year was also a guard.

The year Strange went #29, he was the third guard taken. The first one, Kenyon Green, went #14 to Houston and busted, he’s on his second team already. The second one, Zion Johnson, he went #17 to the Chargers and is nothing special, they would have been a lot better off taking someone else.

Strange was a lousy pick, but he outplayed Green and Johnson their rookie years, was a better pick than Kaiir Elam who stupid me wanted. I think his patellar tendon injury croaked his career which was based on superior agility. He is not a good fit in the McDaniels offense, he doesn’t have the power to make it at guard. I think he’s cookedwt guard in the NFL and at best will need to make it as a center. I won’t be surprised to see him improve there but still be a backup wherever he goes.

I like your theory, but based on the Rams decision makers reaction, I simply don't believe they had intentions for Strange in the 3rd, maybe the 4th or 5th.

Strange as a backup IOL will need to have better results at OC.
I too think his agility has been compromised at OG due to the injury.
he has a shot if the team keeps 9 or 10, meaning 2 IOL back ups (Brown and Strange). he is also vulnerable if another vet IOL comes available, similar to Schweitzer (originally intended to replace Strange)

 

[jdlboot14]

I would look to move strange in a preseason trade. My potential target is Michael Mayer TE for the raiders. We could use a younger TE in the system. McDaniels drafted him so there’s familiarity with the offense.

I thought that too. He seems redundant as Bowers becomes one of the top 3TE's in the league.
I've been waving the flag of concern for our TE depth since March.

 

[rkarp1]

I thought that too. He seems redundant as Bowers becomes one of the top 3TE's in the league.
I've been waving the flag of concern for our TE depth since March.

in theory, great
in reality, Strange is a player guaranteed $2.4m in salary that a new team takes on, and Strange this preseason has not shown that he is the OL he once was pre injury

 

[Real fan 02]

Just for the record on this, the year this happened with McVay and Snead. their first pick in their draft was a gusrd. They had traded away their first and second round picks and were obviously hoping Strange would fall to them. That was not going to happen, if Strange didn’t go #29 he was going in the second round. The next year the Rams also didn’t have a first round pick. Their pick in the second round that year was also a guard.

The year Strange went #29, he was the third guard taken. The first one, Kenyon Green, went #14 to Houston and busted, he’s on his second team already. The second one, Zion Johnson, he went #17 to the Chargers and is nothing special, they would have been a lot better off taking someone else.

Strange was a lousy pick, but he outplayed Green and Johnson their rookie years, was a better pick than Kaiir Elam who stupid me wanted. I think his patellar tendon injury croaked his career which was based on superior agility. He is not a good fit in the McDaniels offense, he doesn’t have the power to make it at guard. I think he’s cookedwt guard in the NFL and at best will need to make it as a center. I won’t be surprised to see him improve there but still be a backup wherever he goes.

Thanks for sharing this. Great insights! I think we as patiots fans can all agree the pick was disastrous. Strange from my understanding was pick pushed by Patricia as he would be " fit" for the offense, if you wanted to call it that.. that he would be running in 2022.

Strange IMO is still worth keeping around as a depth option as he is a veteran. He realistically should have been 5th rounder not a first rounder.

So many self inflicted decisions that has lead to us being a bottom NFL team last few seasons. Feels like we got the right decision makers under Vrabel going forward.

 

[mayoclinic]

37 Polk
68 Wallace
103 Robinson
110 Baker

Not a lot of return.

You need about a 50% hit rate on picks in that range to stay even. 0 for 4 really sets you back.

 

[PatsFan2]

37 Polk
68 Wallace
103 Robinson
110 Baker

Not a lot of return.

You need about a 50% hit rate on picks in that range to stay even. 0 for 4 really sets you back.

I can't take it!!

 

[Thunderhead]

37 Polk
68 Wallace
103 Robinson
110 Baker

Not a lot of return.

You need about a 50% hit rate on picks in that range to stay even. 0 for 4 really sets you back.

Embarrassing that Wolf is still employed.

 

[PatsFan2]

37 Polk
68 Wallace
103 Robinson
110 Baker

Not a lot of return.

You need about a 50% hit rate on picks in that range to stay even. 0 for 4 really sets you back.

IF Drake Maye flops; it will go down as the worst Draft in NFL History.

 

[mgteich]

Embarrassing that Wolf is still employed.

Blame Vrabel.

It is Vrabel who thinks that Wolf is useful. Otherwise, he would be gone, probably given a job somewhere else in Kraft's companies.

 

[PatsFan2]

Blame Vrabel.

It is Vrabel who thinks that Wolf is useful. Otherwise, he would be gone, probably given a job somewhere else in Kraft's companies.

We know Ryan Cowden is calling the Player Personnel shots.

 

[mgteich]

37 Polk
68 Wallace
103 Robinson
110 Baker

Not a lot of return.

You need about a 50% hit rate on picks in that range to stay even. 0 for 4 really sets you back.

It's really too bad that we had only 4 draft picks last year, with no significant first round pick.

The test is not whether you can find 4 picks that you consider failures after their rookie year. The test is how many will be in the league in 3 years and the level of their contributions.
============
BTW, it seems that everyone that we cut is a 100% failure. It simply doesn't matter that a 4th or 5th or earlier total failure is still playing in the league and contributing elsewhere. Mafi? Andrews? Thornton and so many more.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Blame Vrabel.

It is Vrabel who thinks that Wolf is useful. Otherwise, he would be gone, probably given a job somewhere else in Kraft's companies.

In a way, Wolf is a potential scapegoat for Vrabel's purposes should things continue to go wrong

In fairness, it's not an easy rebuild when top free agents are subbing their nose at the Patriots, but that's where we are/were

 

[mayoclinic]

BTW, it seems that everyone that we cut is a 100% failure. It simply doesn't matter that a 4th or 5th or earlier total failure is still playing in the league and contributing elsewhere. Mafi? Andrews? Thornton and so many more.

I personally try to avoid words like "failure". I've talked used phrases like "ROI" and "not much to show for", because the team has spent a lot of draft capital without much to show for it.

Good teams get the most out of the draft. The Pats drafted in the back 25% for years, but still had productive drafts. Not every pick a hit, but enough to keep churning the roster.

The Pats have drafted in the top half of the draft for most of the past 5 years, and overall have far less to show for it. Some of that is due to factors other than drafting - poor player development, coaching/scheme changes, and injuries. But those are the telltale signs of a bad team.

I wouldn't personally declare players like Thornton and Mafi "successes" at this point. If they can become reasonable contributors and sustain it for a couple of years then yes, but not now just because teams are desperate. Really successful players are those who earn a second contract.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I personally try to avoid words like "failure". I've talked used phrases like "ROI" and "not much to show for", because the team has spent a lot of draft capital without much to show for it.

Good teams get the most out of the draft. The Pats drafted in the back 25% for years, but still had productive drafts. Not every pick a hit, but enough to keep churning the roster.

The Pats have drafted in the top half of the draft for most of the past 5 years, and overall have far less to show for it. Some of that is due to factors other than drafting - poor player development, coaching/scheme changes, and injuries. But those are the telltale signs of a bad team.

I wouldn't personally declare players like Thornton and Mafi "successes" at this point. If they can become reasonable contributors and sustain it for a couple of years then yes, but not now just because teams are desperate. Really successful players are those who earn a second contract.

My assessment has always been it's a crapshoot outside of the 1st round, depending on position.

I think Belichick's approach was to go for volume and in the end, that resulted in a 50/50 split for the most part - not great but enough to sustain a team with an established QB and consistently good D

i felt one of the things that helped Belichick was his being zen cutting guys he drafted high or spent $ on in free agency. There was no real ego there for BB - he kept the best guys on the team and everyone knew it didn't matter where you were drafted or how much you were paid.

i get the feeling Vrabel will show that with his own picks down the line too - not just those made by Wolf before him - but any of the guys he brought in too - as it should be.

 

[rkarp1]

Cowden has interview on 4 separate occasions with 4 different teams, and has never been hired as a GM
4 failed interviews
not saying he would not be a good GM, but to date he has never been one, and 4 teams thought he would not
Tenn had him as the interim GM, and still did not give him the full time gig after that interim run, allowing him to leave to another team (but not as the other teams gm.)

 

[Real fan 02]

In a way, Wolf is a potential scapegoat for Vrabel's purposes should things continue to go wrong

In fairness, it's not an easy rebuild when top free agents are subbing their nose at the Patriots, but that's where we are/were

Good points. Also remember alot of the issues were self inflicted post Brady. The drafting was bad and it caught up to the organization. This is year one of the redirection.. we've been essentially ina rebuild since Brady left. This is a redirection. I'm just looking for a competitive, we'll coached, sound football from the team. That usually equates to winning.

 

[Uptown]

 

[p8ryts]

Good points. Also remember alot of the issues were self inflicted post Brady. The drafting was bad and it caught up to the organization. This is year one of the redirection.. we've been essentially ina rebuild since Brady left. This is a redirection. I'm just looking for a competitive, we'll coached, sound football from the team. That usually equates to winning.

I just wish we would let go of the past. We had a great 20 years and if you were a Patriots fan before 2001 you appreciate every second of it and everyone who had a part in it. Stop trying to tear down the people that made it possible. We hit rock bottom, let's enjoy the ride back.